On the Downhill (DHI) side, a brand new track has been created for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz UCI MTB World Cup. A fresh track with only the start and finish areas remaining and with sections adapted to the speed of the athletes.
In view of the 2022 World Championships, the organisation wanted to offer the riders a varied track with a succession of fast and technical sections and a great show with, in particular, a spectacular finish!
Léandre Alegri and Benoît Texier, directors of the DH course, give us a preview of this new challenging and spectacular route.
What’s the story of this track?
Ben: In September 2020, we shaped the track for the P2V Invitational, a race organised by all the locals in the resort, following the cancellation of the 2020 World Cup in Les Gets. For the 2021 World Cup and the 2022 World Championships, we didn’t want to stay with the 2019 track – which is a little outdated with the evolution of the discipline and which has already been ridden a lot. We bodybuilt this track, which is a good base, and we proposed a more open, more technical and faster track with a spectacular finish!
What do you want to offer with this new route?
Léandre: We want to offer the riders a modern, well-rounded track, adapted to the demands of downhill mountain biking, which has evolved a lot in recent years. It begins with a fast open start, followed by many technical parts in the forest undergrowth where the successive riders will leave roots and brake holes on show. We close with a fast, aerial finale, a series of tables between the road and the Mont-Chéry cable car. In other words: more entertainment for the crowd and more fun for the riders!
Ben: The bottom of the track was completely transformed. It no longer follows the black track of the Bikepark but goes straight into the woods on a steep slope. Depending on the weather, the track can look completely different. We saw it last year with the rain which made the ground super slippery and demanding, and reshuffled all the cards in the round. Suspense until the end !
What qualities are needed to perform well on this new course?
Léandre: this new track is no longer a single track like it was in the 2019 World Cup. There are several possible lines and trajectories to make the difference and allow time gaps and entertainment. Some will choose wider paths, and others will try to take more technical routes. As a result, it requires a great deal of analysis from the staff and the rider beforehand to determine the best trajectories, passage times and mechanical settings… Not forgetting the solid physical and mental skills that are essential to win a World Championship!
What is your favourite part of this track?
Léandre & Ben: It’s without hesitation the low part in this new wood that we called “Black Wood”. It’s a concentrate of steep slopes, roots and turns that ends with a very aerial finish line with a succession of tables. We can’t wait to see them (again) at the Worlds Champs at the end of the month !
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