Early season cross country racing continues to build momentum in Spain, with the UCI HC-ranked Internacionales Chelva XCO showing off more fast Canadian results over the weekend. Two Canucks, Tyler Orschel and Jenn Jackson, were on the elite start lines in Chelva. In a positive sign for what’s to come this season, both finished with top-10 results.
Orschel makes KMC Nukeproof debut
For Tyler Orschel, Chelva was his first race of 2026. It was also his first race with his new team. The Canadian finished up 10th in a stacked elite men’s field. That is a solid result for his first appearance with the KMC Nukeproof team. Especially considering Orschel is coming back from an off-season injury.
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The race was won by German powerhouse Luca Schwarzbauer in a tight duel with Cannondale Factory Racing’s Luca Martin. Trek Unbroken’s U.S. rider Riley Amos squeezed into sixth. Orschel finished two spots back of former world champion Jordan Sarrou (BMC Factory Racing).
Jackson repeats fifth place
Jenn Jackson added another top result to her early-season outings. The Canadian national champion finished fifth, repeating her placing from last weekend in La Nucia.
Anne Terpstra (Lapierre PXR) earned the win, out duelling a Trek Unbroken duo of Evie Richards and Gwen Gibson, who finished second and third. Jackson finished fifth for Orbea Fox Factory Team, behind multi-time world champion and World Cup winner Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC)
What’s next on the calendar?
After Chelva, the cross country calendar diverges a little. Many Canadians typically hop over to Puerto Rico for a concentrated series of UCI ranked events there. This year, that includes a UCI Continental race, a new level between HC and World Cup racing. Others will stay in Spain for more events there (or even a marathon World Cup event).
In early March, Langford, B.C. hosts Canada’s first UCI-ranked event of the season and the first Canada Cup of 2026. The Langford Bike Fest combines C1 UCI racing and Island Cup grassroots events into one weekend at the Jordie Lunn Bike Park.
For top riders, the season truly starts in May, when the World Cup lands in South Korea for the first time ever.