The facility, located near the town of Oro-Medonte, north of Toronto, will be known as the Hardwood Mountain Bike Park during the Games where 45 of the top male and female mountain bike racers from across the Americas will compete for medals.

Hardwood Ski and Bike is the only facility in the Ontario province with an International Cycling Union (UCI) approved course and owners are putting the finishes touches to a new course which will be used for the first time during the Canadian National Championships which are underway and last until Sunday (July 20).

The new five kilometre run features a challenging mix of uphill and downhill terrain along with highly technical sections, such as a white-knuckle rocky descent known as the Boneshaker.

Riders will tackle new and existing features such as Sidewinder, Sydor Slider, JP's Nemesis, Big Z and Doug's Hill.

"For more than three decades, Canada's best mountain bikers have tested their mettle at Hardwood Ski and Bike," said Saäd Rafi, chief executive of Toronto 2015.

"In 2015, the facility and Oro-Medonte will make their international Games debut when the best riders in the region are crowned Pan Am champions here."

President and owner of the facility, Jack Sasseville claimed the new course is 95 per cent complete with the other five per cent to be finished following feedback from cyclists competing in this week's National Championships.

"There is still a fair of amount that needs to get done," said Sasseville.

"Some of the finishing touches and other stuff will happen after these events."

Mountain biking has been on the Pan American Games programme since 1995 ©Getty Images




Mountain biking made its Pan American Games debut in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1995.

Canada won silver and bronze in 2011 through Max Platon and Amanda Sim.

Current national cross-country champion Derek Zandstra also competed in Guadalajara but failed to make the podium.

"I'm looking forward to competing here at home in front of my friends and family and this time taking gold at the Pan Am Games," said Zandstra, who will be vying for a spot on the Canadian team for next year.

"It means a lot to homegrown riders like me.

"We can't wait to hit the trails and race against the best the Americas and Caribbean have to offer."

The Toronto 2015 Pan American Games are due to take place from July 10 to 26, while the Parapan American Games are scheduled for August 7 to 15.

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