The tiny country of Andorra could be the site of something huge for Squamish mountain bikers Rhys Verner and Sean Fincham.
The pair of Team Squamish riders head to the small country, located in between France and Spain, this week to compete at the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships against the best in the world.
For Verner, it鈥檚 the second straight year he will compete at worlds after finishing 41st at the event in Norway last year. He said he鈥檚 heading to Andorra with much more confidence than 2014.
鈥淟ast year, I felt a little like a small fish in a big pond, but this year I have more confidence from having been there before and knowing how the whole thing goes,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so different from what we鈥檙e used to 鈥� it鈥檚 the best 100 kids on the start line and it鈥檚 a whole different world.鈥�
It was a rough start to the year for Verner, who battled mono but he bounced back in a big way later in the season.
鈥淢y recovery went well and to finish second at nationals to qualify for worlds again was a big one for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t felt awesome to be named again and it was a big goal of mine coming into the season.鈥�
It鈥檚 Fincham鈥檚 first trip across the pond and 2015 was truly a breakout year for the Grade 12 Howe Sound Secondary School student.
He finished 11th overall at the Test of Metal in June, earned three gold medals at the Western Canadian Games and finished fourth at nationals to punch his ticket to Andorra.聽
鈥淚 worked really hard this winter and put in a lot of time training,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to get to Europe 鈥� I can鈥檛 wait.鈥�
Fincham first rode a bike at the tender age of two. He raced both BMX and downhill before he joined up with Team Squamish and fell in love with cross-country racing.
鈥淎ll the credit really goes to Team Squamish for getting me here,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ike [Charuk, head coach] is awesome and he really motivated me to train and makes it fun. It鈥檚 a good team to be around and an awesome environment.鈥�
He said although he and Verner are competitive, he鈥檚 still been a big help in his development.
鈥淩hys told me that world champs is like nothing I鈥檝e ever done before,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the most elite athletes in the world. It鈥檚 so good to have him there and I think we both want each other to do well.鈥�
Fincham said he hopes to finish in the top 40 and he still has the opportunity to make the team next year. Verner said he wants to be in the top 25 and top Canadian, but it鈥檚 difficult to set goals at events like the world championships.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 really know anyone competing or the course you鈥檙e on,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nything can happen.鈥�
Verner, who is attending the University of Victoria this fall, has one last shot at the event as a junior and said he鈥檚 comfortable with the course, which he has heard is a climber鈥檚 course and features a high elevation.
The pair hit the trails of Andorra on Sept. 3.
