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Cory Wallace is changing gears, ready for a world championship race in Quebec next week.
Jasper鈥檚 cycling champion is set to represent Canada in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championship鈥檚 Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) race.
It is a 28-kilometre technical uphill and downhill race - a sprint compared to the multi-day endurance courses the 35-year-old usually takes on.
鈥淭he biggest challenge is going to be the start,鈥� said Wallace.
鈥淭here will be 80 to 100 guys and I鈥檒l be starting towards the back so there鈥檚 going to be a lot of traffic.
鈥淭he game plan is to have a good start and race all out.鈥�
This year, Wallace has taken part in a number of ultra-endurance races on his bike around the world.
Wallace won a UCI race in Israel in February, won his third straight 24 Hour Solo World Championship, riding 465 kilometres to win the title in Brazil on July 28, and has just taken part in the Breck Epic, a six-day mountain bike stage race in Breckenridge, Colorado.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a busy summer,鈥� Wallace said.
鈥淭he race in Colorado was pretty good. I had a couple of flat tires one day - but still finished kind of middle of the pack.鈥�
Wallace said he got the email that he was selected for the UCI World Championship a week after his 24 Hour win.
鈥淭he race on home turf is an opportunity I couldn鈥檛 pass on,鈥� he said.
鈥淲hen I was younger that was my focus, the short track racing, and I shifted over into endurance.鈥�
Wallace is now in Vancouver training for the big race.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to be doing a sprint and need to speed back up,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 figured I鈥檇 train out here because it鈥檚 more technical riding and focus on the technical aspect.
鈥淩iding over here is really punchy, Jasper is the perfect place for long distance because it鈥檚 big epic loops.鈥�
And two weeks after the XCO race, Wallace will be switching back and competing in a 75-km marathon in Quebec, followed by the Yak Attack, a seven-day stage race in the Himalayas.
He said: 鈥淐ycling is such an international sport right now, I get to go all over.
鈥淚t keeps it interesting.鈥�
