The World Cup hits Whistler for the first time and everyone is frothing! @Jason_Schroeder and I are on site and Lawlor will be cranking out the goods, too, so it should be an exciting weekend. Pros are here ripping laps and getting ready for the weekend.
Weather looks chilly with some possible moisture. Early morning Junior practices will be crispy to say the least.
Stay tuned for Vital DH Fantasy, Pit Bits and Vital RAW among other things!
Until it's time to buckle down for race focus, enjoy the world's best riders at the world's best park.
Troy Brosnan blasting
Danny and Adam Brayton clocking air miles
haven't confirmed (maybe someone here can?) but have heard that garbanzo gondola closes wednesday for the season, so accessing the course/race by riding down isn't an option. creekside gondola won't be open for riding (it may already be closed?) and single-ride lift tickets for spectating to hike down are $27.
we'll try to find out for sure, but if anyone here already knows, please add the intel.
Yes, Creekside and Garbo are closed after Wednesday.
https://blog.whistlerblackcomb.com/2026/04/uci-whoop-2026-mountain-bike…
Here now - and yup - confirming that Garbo and Creekside's last day or operation for the season will be on Wednesday the 23rd.
Whistler Hours of Operation - source.
Whats the difference between a chickpea and a garbanzo bean?
Yup all that is correct. Can walk up from the bottom for free. Finish area tix are sold out so that’s an indicator it’s going to be a big crowd
hear they're expecting +20,000 ++
For Crankworx spectating the last couple of years, I ride my e bike up as high as possible, then lock it to a tree and continue on foot. You can get about 1/3 of the way up the course on bike by connecting Whistler Mountain service roads. I splurged and bought spectator tickets for the 3 main days. There's quite good walking access coming down from the top of the Gondola on foot paths built specifically for this track, but the footpaths aren't right beside the track the whole way. The bushwhacking isn't too bad if you're fit and wanted to walk down the side of the track the whole way. If it's like other Whistler high profile events, they'll probably be doing bag checks when you load the gondola, so getting your refreshments up the Gondola might require some creativity (or just walking/riding up from the bottom).
The latest model run of the NAM has freezing levels dropping to about 1500 metres with rain lower down and snow on the upper mountain Thursday and Friday. The top of the track is about 1300 metres. Doesn't look like snow will stick on the track, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some flakes falling on the course Thursday. With the cool temps the dirt should be primo and the roots are probably going to be GREASY for the whole race window. Currently Saturday and Sunday look dry. This is going to be a beauty of a week!
Can’t wait to get up there and watch the show. The kiddos and I are FRRRROTHING!
@Jason_Schroeder does this mean we are finally getting an in person B practice pod?
we are also getting suitably pumped!
awesome, thanks for the confirmation on lift schedules. 20k people will be so epic and sure seems possible!
Little bit of moisture/fog is the mood the world cup in Whistler should have! Can't wait for this one!
Is there any specific coverage ya'll want from this week? Trackside updates? Specific pit bits tech? Find out what tire pressure riders are running? etc. etc.
As long as the helis can fly but I’m guessing that’s been addressed
Yes.
Would be cool, if you talk to the racers, what they think is the most important corner that could make or break their run. Does that change as the track beds in?
I’d love to see a photo slide show with interviews and chats like we used to get. Use the music that used to be in the background too 👍
Don't 'quote' me on this but it sounded like huge amounts of fire roads were put in to avoid that restriction...
This. @sspomer - Bring back Sven's slideshows, that was a real loss.
I’m also enthusiastically waving my hand in the air.
Would be cool to get some pics of the track pre and post race in the same location. See how much it develops/changes during a race weekend.
Entry lists for Whistler are available here.
It's not guaranteed every rider on the lists will try to qualify, but some of the US non-World Cup 2026 riders currently entered are Nate Kitchen, Dante Silva, Alden Pate, Taylor Ostgaard and Kailey Skelton. (Edit: I probably shouldn't include Alden Pate since he did enter for Korea but was injured before getting to try to qualify.)
Can confirm that this event is no longer helicopter limited from a rescue point of view. Since last year's Crankworx event, more access points have been added and ground evacuation plans made for the entire course.
Also, I'm hearing that it might not be permitted to ride up service roads from the finish line to access the course like it has been allowed for Crankworx. I'm going to bet that the "security" for that will only be from the finish line. If you look at Trailforks or OSM and check out how to access to the bottom 1/3 of the course via service roads from the top of Kadenwood Drive or from the Fitz zone via Northwest Passage, you can almost certainly still get to the usual spots on a bike. I'll be testing out the Kadenwood Drive access in the next day or two.
Entry list (may differ from actual quali start list) PDF
Probably the easiest way up
If you're there on the ground any and all trackside updates, images etc would be awesome throughout practice and quali. Some of us will be sitting at our prison desks getting serious FOMO! And anything you add to the thread makes it that tab bit more tolerable.
Thanks for everything the Vital crew brings us on the daily with all the world cup insides!
@Clownshoe or anyone else that knows, whats the best way to get to the rock garden that is roughly half the way down? Talking about this one. Would love to get to that spot and then work our way to the finish line.
Creekside gondola and walk down
Hey Stud Beef Pile,
That rock garden will be THE busiest and best spot to spectate. The crowd there will be mental. It's roughly half way down the track. If you have a lift ticket, walk down the access trails or bushwhack down the B Zone from the top of the Gondola. If you're walking down the access trails, the trail goes very close to, but not directly by this spot. If you're bushwhacking down the B Zone, you'll end up right there. Either way it's hard to miss.
If you're walking up from the bottom, follow the access trails up from the finish line. The access trails cross the race track twice in the bottom third of the track. After the second crossing as you travel uphill, the access trail goes away from the side of the track for a handful of very steep switchbacks. When the access trail goes back to beside the course, you're right below the rock garden. It's quite a hike up from the bottom, especially if you're starting all the way in the valley and not from the finish line. I'd give myself about an hour to get there from the valley, and about 30 minutes to get there from the finish line. Bring food and drink. It's in the middle of nowhere.
All of this plus a B Practice pod, it's been forever!
Post a reply to: 2026 Whistler World Cup Downhill