Video & Race Report: Quebec Singletrack Experience Stage 4 - Lac-Beauport

The local organizing committee of Lac-Beauport like to do things differently! Never short of ideas, they put together a 3 in 1 format that might has never been seen before in a XC stage race! A world premiere.

The idea was quite simple: combine 3 popular types of riding into one “stage”… Cross-country, enduro and marathon, for a wild, unique and very demanding day on the bike.

Section 1: Siberia Spa cross-country
Section 2: LB Cycle Mini Enduro
Section 3: Entourage sur-le-lac Resort mini-marathon

With all the transfers between section, it’s a total of ~ 35 km on the bike for day 4 of the QSE.

A lot of riders were suspicious at first, but everyone was cheering about it at the end of the day, on the beach of Entourage sur le lac Resort.



The day began at wonderful Siberia Spa for 2 laps of a fast and furious 5.1 km cross-country course. A perfect course with everything you wish for in a XC race: tough climbs and wild descent offering A and B lines with fun obstacles.

While most of the riders were pedaling hard on the trails, some of them chose the spa with their family and friends.
After a 5km transfer, we arrived at the very festive start of the LB Cycle Enduro. What an atmosphere! Everything was set for the 3 timed descents of the short but challenging trails built by the local builders of LB Cycle.

The Couleuvre the Viper and the Cobra gave everyone some fantastic thrills… while the climbs – not timed but still you have to bike up there – started to tax everyone. The day was far from over as we headed to Entourage On-the-lake Resort for the mini-marathon.

Would you ride a stage race without a dropper post?
After a charming 2,5km transfer through the city of Lac-Beauport, we arrived on the shores of Lac Beauport at Entourage sur-le-lac Resort. An incredible set-up with a start/finish by the beach! Some decided that their biking day was over and traded the biking gear for their swimsuit to join their family who had lunch at Entourage after their time at Siberia spa. In the meantime, all others got ready for the technical and demanding mini-raid.



While waiting for the start Marco Dufour, Sales Manager at Boreale Craftsbeer and 3 times participants to the QSE had this to say: "The atmosphere, the camaraderie and the set-up at the QSE is unique. It is the perfect summer camp for mountain bikers. Did I mention the trails? The quality and quantity of singletracks in Quebec City is unique when you think it is minutes away from the historical part of one of the oldest city in America. To me, being from 300 km away, the trail networks around Quebec City remain a sleeping beauty and the QSE is the best way to discover it. Enjoy it while it remains accessible."



The Entourage sur-le-Lac Resort mini-raid was indeed tough and technical. The trails took the Qué-Bikers to the summit of the Le Relais ski resort where you could enjoy the stunning view on the lake, then down the hand build Summit trail before going around an up the mountain again through a mix of old school singletrack and old forest path.

At the end of the day, it was : yes, very unique… and yes very demanding.

Results (full results here)

Women:
1. Amy McDougall - South Africa
2. Sarah Kaufmann – USA
3. Jenn Rodgers – Canada

Men:
1. Tomi Misser - Spain
2. Theo Gattuso – France
3. Sebastien Rousseau - Canada

The QSE runs from August 4 to 9 2019.

Presale registration for QSE 4 in 2020 begins on August 12, 2019 at noon.

You can register for an all-inclusive 6-day package including lodging for as low as $ 1,399 CAD ($1,050 USD) + taxes.

Visit quebecsingletrack.com for more!