QSE...a 6 day mountain bike stage event, unlike most other stage races. Each day a unique mountain bike experience, each day in another exceptional mtb destination. I posted daily details of the experience on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RiotOnRacing/ For all the exciting details, check out the facebook page. However, in order to keep this post from becoming a novelic saga, I will keep this to a briefer review.
packed and ready
We drove up with NewfieSteve and PowerPaul
Home was a college residence for 7 nights.
At the HUB
The event centred itself around a permanent base camp (called the HUB), including a covered stage, bar, information/kit/clothing kiosk, seating, firepit, massage stations, yoga site. Compared to other stage races that require daily relocation, the permanent base left one time to rest/recover, or visit the many nearby historic sites.
Lois loved the event as much as I did!
Lois attended with me...she did the tourist thing each day as I rode the event. The event included extra activities and excursions, and with the HUB being within walking distance of the old city there were literally unlimited options to keep Lois busy. (She absolutely loved the experience, and is as excited as me...or more...to go back!!). This really was our vacation...I planned to enjoy my rides, not so much race them...and come back every afternoon/evening so Lois and I could hang out together.
The event included a night ride of the Old City, the night before Day 1
At the Citadel with JennR and PowerPaul
Getting ready to roll Day 1 Vallee Bras-du-Nord
But mostly....the sucesss of the event centred around the quality and variety of the trails. Trails that are genuinely world class...including the only permanent stage on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit for the last 30 years. I've always felt fortunate to live in south-central Ontario (is that where we are??), to be so near such a variety of great trail options...but the trails at QSE are so much above and beyond what we have here. After all, we were in the mountains...and the event included a daily shuttle out to another daily unique experience.
PowerPaul
NewfieSteve
A quote from my daily facebook page post during the event sums it up nicely...
" A mountain bike Mecca. Today’s route required a gondola ride to the top of the mountain to the start line. From the top the route had us descend and climb the mountain twice. Sooo much tech. A brand new $150,000 trail, with so much high speed burmed flow the momentum threw you into technical stuff before you could second guess. So often I cleared a portion of the trail thinking “There is no way I should have attempted that on any bike!” Drops. Air catching jumps landing in roots and/or rocks. The climbs no less crazy. Looong rocky rooty steep climbs. Not ideal for the ribs I injured yesterday. My poor Raijin (Ti hardtail 29er) didn’t know what hit it today. I went in planning to adopt my 8 hour solo pace to play it as safe as possible. And I mostly managed to accomplish that. I rode with friends instead of raced them. Friends like Julie Rossal, Rick Ross (also on a Ti hardtail), the team of Steve Mcrossan and Mary Quinn. So many friends from Team Ontario are smashing the leaderboard!! I was happy to just stay upright. Such a great day, amazing trails, what a venue. Friends. MTB. Adventure. Ending each day back with Lois. "
And this went on day after day for 6 days!! Ridiculously long, steep, high tech descents...high speed flow...4-5km climbs...at least 2 each day. Amazing mountain vistas. Each day, a unique experience that left you exhausted physically and mentally, but so enjoyable it left you wanting more...
More Newfie
I have so many pics...trying to choose ones to include is a challenge!
Just one of the climbs
Another little injury on Day 3
(Not the rib injury I took on Day 1)
Just one of so many unique features.
Just one of so many amazing sights...
If you think I am being overly positive about this event, I am...because it is totally warranted. It really is that good. However, there are a couple of things I will do different next time. Yes, there will be a next time...we will be back again for QSE 2020.
I will consciously make every effort to not get injured on day 1. Busting/bruising ribs on the first day made for overly cautious riding for the remainder of the event.
A couple of weeks later...blood from the
injured ribs pooled in the hip before dissipating.
This year we treated the event as a vacation...I rode to enjoy the trails. In 2020, we will go back twice...once in the spring as a vacation, where I can ride, and re-ride trails, and take a little more time to enjoy the Quebec culture with Lois. Then again to attend QSE 2020...where this time I plan to treat it more as a race. I will train for this, hoping my current endurance training/fitness, with a little bit of work, will translate into stage race (2-4 hrs/day) fitness. One great thing about Quebec is that it is close enough (compared to BC) to drive or take the VIA train in less than a day.
I will have a different bike...a bike more properly suited for these type of trails. My Kona Raijin, with it's hardtail XC race geomety, and 100mm travel fork was not enough...and the steep head angle made the descents challenging, if not almost treacherous (especially on the Enduro stage on day 5!). The Raijin may have been OK on any given day, but over 6 days it took a beating...and so did I. A bike with minimum 130mm full suspension travel would be much more appropriate...so that is the plan for next time.
RobR...podium finisher!
There was a rain/mud day, but the trails held up great!
Mike VanDenBlender...smokin' fast podium finisher!!
JennR on rain day.
Also smokin' fast 1st place podium finsher,
3rd place women overall...gave the pros a run!!
KarenD...mud day...yet another podium finisher!
Bevin, Riot face?? This was Bevin's 3rd QSE...
one of the most respected mtb'ers around. Skill, speed, and character.
Bevin has been adopted as the face of QSE...and multiple year podium finisher,
this year was as a team with GaryS
GaryS
Steve and Mary, teammates on and off the trail!
Kim, one of the toughest ladies on the trail...and podium finisher.
Vero
JulieR...tough, fast, podium finisher!
I told you I had a ton of pics!!
Even a pic from the bus/shuttle...off to another stage...
A final point...the friendships. New ones made, current ones cemented. When you get a bunch of like-minded people...specifically a group of mountain bikers, out to enjoy an experience. It was such a positive energy flowing through the event...so very enjoyable.
A group dinner evening...
Drinks on the deck
The official group pic
So there you have it...there is so much more I could write about. The details of the individual stages and trails, the organization, the food, the comaraderie and friendships, how well individuals from our 'Team Ontario' did on the leaderboard. There was so much...
Forever, a Que-biker
There was also an amazing post event party with an amazing live band...
but I'm not allowed to post any pics from the fun...except this one.
So...if you are looking for another event to add to your calendar, this one is so worthy. You could not package together your own vacation for the cost of this event. And so many memories...
Eventually, we had to make our way home...
Anyways, I could seriously go on forever on this one...
Feel free to text, message, email me if you have any questions. Check out the website...https://quebecsingletrack.com/en
In the meantime...
Stay posted.
