Seven rising mountain bike cross-country riders have returned home to Australia after an impressive fortnight in Canada.
The under-17 AusCycling MTB Development Academy group showed up and showed out across two Canada Cup rounds in Québec at Sherbrooke and Baie-Saint-Paul.
Six wins were shared amongst Sylvia Dagg (Garigal Gorillas MTB Club), Beau Mullins (Sunshine Coast Cycling Club) and Michael Straffon (Canberra Off-Road Cyclists) along with several podiums and top-10 results.
Dagg set the standard in Sherbrooke, winning the U17 women's XCC in a time faster than the U19 women.
Mullins was the next to taste victory in the U17 men's XCO a day later, one place ahead of Ben Shaw (Tamworth MTB Club).
At stop two in Baie-Saint-Paul, the Australian group dominated with four wins from four starts.
A mid-race crash failed to halt Dagg grabbing another XCC win and Mullins made it two wins on the bounce ahead of Shaw in second in a finish time 10 seconds faster than the U19 men.
Dagg doubled up in the XCO and was joined by Charli Edwick (Gold Coast Cycling Club) on the podium in second.
Straffon led home an Aussie 1-2-3 finish in the XCO, with Shaw and Mullins finishing in second and third respectively.
AusCycling MTB Development Academy Manager Donna Dall said while the results were outstanding, the real value of the trip went far beyond podiums and placings.
"These athletes were exposed to international travel, unfamiliar race environments, challenging conditions and a level of competition many had never experienced before," she said.
"The depth of the fields was significantly greater than what we typically see in Australia, with more than 25 riders in the U17 women's races and over 60 riders in the U17 men's fields.
"I was particularly impressed by how they adapted to setbacks, including jet lag, crashes, illness and difficult course conditions.
"Those experiences are critical for long-term athlete development and will help shape them into more capable and resilient international competitors in the future.
"Our athletes returned home with a much better understanding of the standards and work required to succeed on the world stage."