Catharine Pendrel is awesome

This is usually a busy time of year for Catharine Pendrel. She’s usually competing in cross country World Cups or preparing for the world championships or even in full Olympics mode. Her list of wins is long, but here’s a short version: two cross country world championship titles, one in 2011, the other in 2014; winner of the World Cup overall three times, once in 2010 and 2012 and 2016; six national cross country championship titles; two national cyclocross championship titles; three appearances at the Summer Olympics; one bronze medal from Rio in 2016.

Pendrel is a very generous and active supporter of the mountain bike scene in Canada. About two years ago, she and her husband Keith Wilson started Pendrel Racing, a development team for young riders. This past summer, they’ve had an up-and-coming Canadian rider staying at their place and riding in the Kamloops, B.C. area. (Listen to find out who.)

Pendrel also discusses how she reacted after a crash in one of the biggest races of her career and who she thinks will be going strong when this year’s shortened mountain bike World Cup starts in September. She gives some insights into the selection process for mountain bikers for the 2021 Olympics. Pendrel speaks on some advice she had for a rider on her development team on how to ride in this extended off-season that athletes face. That advice could help you, too.