[twitter]You could see them all year long, really. Riding bikes on the pathways, training at Winsport, having a coffee on 17th. Calgary is home to the national headquarters for many Winter Olympic sports, and many of the athletes call this city home.

In February Team Canada athletes will be surrounded by security, and be half a world away. But over the next 3 months, many of those athletes we’ll get to know through countless vignettes on CBC will be rolling through town looking for support.

As the run-up to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi happens, now is the chance to see these athletes perform at their highest level and cheer them on to the podium in February. Security isn’t as tight, tickets are easier to get, and they can hear your cheers easier than from half a world away.

At a bobsleigh World Cup 2 years ago, Zacharie mistakenly entered the athlete’s gate for the start of the track. He was 10 feet from the slide of his life. You want these athletes to know you care, and we’re cheering for them .. now is the best chance you’ll have to do that.

Before the athletes head off to Russia, there will be a send-off in Banff on January 11. Then, when they return, Alberta will play host to the celebrations again  with The Olympic Heroes Tour and Heroes Parade in Calgary on May 1 – 2, 2014.

In the meantime, cheer them on as they compete!

Here’s a rundown of the World Cup stops in Calgary this year:

November 8-10 – ISU Speed Skating World Cup
International Skating Union (ISU) Essent Speed Skating World Cup – Come and see Canada’s Olympians and rising stars compete against the fastest skaters in the world on their way to the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi in February 2014.

Location: Olympic Oval at University of Calgary
More Info: www.speedsk8.ca
Athletes to watch: Jamie Gregg, Cindy Klassen, Christine Nesbitt, Denny Morrison

November 29-30 – IBSF Viessemann Bobsleigh Skeleton World Cup
The road to Russia starts is Calgary where Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton will play host to the top sliding sports athletes on the globe. Presented by The Globe and Mail, the World Cup will be held at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park on November 29 and 30. This year’s event is not to be missed as it will give Canadians a final preview of the national and international athletes who will be vying for gold in Sochi 2014.

Location: Winsport Canada Olympic Park
Event Schedule: http://www.fibt.com/index.php?id=64
Athletes to watch: Lyndon Rush, Kaillie Humphries, Cassie Hawrysh, Jon Montgomery, Mellisa Hollingsworth

November 30 – December 1 Lake Louise Winterstart Men’s World Cup
The Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup is Canada’s premiere alpine ski race, inviting the world’s best skiers to the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains. It’s the only alpine ski racing World Cup held in Canada annually.

Location: Lake Louise
More Info: http://www.winterstartevents.com/civicrm/event/info?id=8&reset=1
Athletes to watch: Manuel Osborne-Paradis, John Kucera, Erik Guay, Jan Hudec

December 6 – December 8 Lake Louise Winterstart Women’s World Cup
The Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup is Canada’s premiere alpine ski race, inviting the world’s best skiers to the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains. It’s the only alpine ski racing World Cup held in Canada annually.

Location: Lake Louise
More Info: http://www.winterstartevents.com/civicrm/event/info?id=8&reset=1
Athletes to watch: Marie-Michele Gagnon

December 4 – 7 Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup
Men and Women from 16 countries will compete in the first Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup race of the 2013-14 season.

Location: Nakiska
More info: http://www.alpinecanada.org/nakiskaskicross
Athletes to watch: Kelsey Serwa, Brady Leman, Chris Del Bosco, Marielle Thompson

December 20 – 21 2013 Lake Louise Snowboard Cross World Cup
The 2013 Lake Louise Snowboard Cross World Cup is the first year for this new annual event; where we bring world class competition to the adventure capital of Canada. Showcasing the Lake Louise Ski Resort for its world class skiing & snowboarding, hosted in the Canadian Rockies with the Victoria Glacier as a backdrop we can’t think of a more iconic Canadian location for these athletes to battle it out. Leading into the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics the event is crucial for the teams to prepare for Gold at the Games.

Location: Lake Lousie
More Info: SkiLouise.com
Athletes to watch: Maelle Ricker, Dominique Maltais, Rob Fagan, Chris Robanske

December 19-21 – Olympic Biathlon Trials Canmore
Location: Canmore Nordic Centre (WinSport facility – Bill Warren Training Centre)

January 1-12 – Olympic Nordic Trials – Canmore
Location: Canmore Nordic Centre (WinSport facility – Bill Warren Training Centre)

January 4-5 – FIS Freestyle World Cup @ FS HP
FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup in Moguls and Halfpipe

Location: COP Ski Hill, Moguls and Halfpipe venues
More info: http://www.fisfreestyle.com/
Athletes to watch: Alex Bilodeau, Mike Riddle, Rosalind Groenewoud, Mikael Kingsbury, Justine Dufour-Lapointe