Local mountain biker Brock Hawes faces challenges for the 2024 bike season

After a successful season last year, winning the 2023 Canadian Downhill MTB Championship and finishing in seventh at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) mountain bike world series, local mountain biker Brock Hawes is entering his first year elite, but lacking the level of support he was hoping for.

In the elite category, he’s up against the best in the world. His number one goal: to join a factory team.

On factory teams, there are around nine people working with two to three riders, Hawes explained. They help with a lot, including mechanics, physiotherapists and everything you need to keep your body healthy and train as hard as you can. As a rider, you don’t have to worry about flights, accommodations, food or money.

Factory team riders also have backup in situations where parts go missing or a bike breaks down. 

After he had the opportunity to ride on a prototype bike from Forbidden last year, he marked their factory team, Forbidden Synthesis, as the number one team he’s looking at.

“After the season I had last year and especially that nationals run, where I beat all the elites, pro riders that I looked up to [and] reigning World Cup points leader Bodhi Kuhn, that was pretty special,” he said. “I really thought that there would be more teams reaching out to me.”

However, a lot of bike companies have been struggling with their budget since the pandemic and they’ve had to cut ridership down, he said.

He’s reached out to bike companies and has been successful in getting some help there, however. 

Magura sent him a couple brakes, he said. Plus, he receives support from the clothing and gear company Leatt. 

Brock Hawes’ season as an elite

Hawes budgeted out the season, trying to include parts breaking and more and said it came to about $20,000. 

“I want to go to every [race] I can but if the funding isn’t there I might have to skip a few,” he said about this year’s races.

He’s done fundraising and has a gofundme set up to help reach his goals as a privateer, but there’s still a ways to go with only $495 raised so far.

“We held an ice bath challenge fundraiser a little bit ago,” he said. “A couple people came out, it was really fun.”

As a first year elite he expects this year will have faster and harder competition.

“Coming into the season, the goal is just to maintain podiums, cross the races and try and keep my riding consistent,” he said.

A main goal that sees within his reach is to get the overall, which he’s had two years in a row now. 

“The overall, basically it says you’re the best mountain biker in that category,” he explained. “Coming into elite, it’s going to be harder, but I think it can be done.”