I took part in the Girly Ride... and I loved it!

June 2022 saw the first edition of the Girly Ride, a 100% women's mountain bike event in Les Orres. Zoé, a young sportswoman from Haute-Alpes in love with the region, took up the challenge and took part in the weekend with a friend. For the Orres blog, she gives us her impressions of the event. Enjoy the read!

I took part in the Girly Ride... and I loved it!

Day 1: I'm off!

Saturday morning, 9am. I park at Les Orres station. It's a glorious day, and the sun is already warming up. I head for the meeting point: the Prélongis chairlift, on the 1650 snow front. A warm and friendly welcome awaits us. Coffee, croissants and pains au chocolat to get to know my fellow mountain bikers and build up my strength. The team is friendly and highly motivated !

A Kenny "Bike Park Les Orres" jersey created especially for this event is given to each of us! It's the perfect way to perfect our riding style and quickly identify our friends on the course :)

The instructors from theMCF Horizons Tout Terrain mountain bike school will soon be joining us. We'll be well looked after this weekend! After a few discussions, they divide us into three groups of different levels. Whether you're a beginner, an expert or somewhere in between, we'll be able to improve, each at our own pace.

It's off to a morning of riding and coaching at Les Orres Bike Park !

But first, a team photo!

©Les Orres

The morning begins with awarm-up .Balance exercises at a standstill, short jumps on the bike, short accelerations uphill... After about twenty minutes, we're ready for the first descent. Comfortably seated in the chairlift that takes us to the heights of the resort, we enjoy the larch and alpine landscape that unfolds beneath our feet. The air cools pleasantly as we gain altitude. Arriving at our destination, we pick up our mountain bikes and set off on the first trail of the morning. Whether a little hesitant or confident, we tackle our first turns under the guidance of our instructors. They're always ready to listen , and give each of us personalized advice. Reading the terrain to assess the trajectory in the bends, overcoming obstacles in complete safety, front and rear wheel lift, pedal-braketechnique..

As the runs go by, I feel more and more at ease and gain confidence thanks to the exercises suggested by the instructors. The morning passes quickly and it's time for lunch. Our merry group sets off for the For You restaurant. On the menu: hamburgers and a sunny terrace. It's a great opportunity for us girls to talk bikes!

An afternoon with the Ambassad'Orres

I can't wait to get back out on the trails. Franck Chauvet joins us to hurtle down a few trails. This experienced and passionate mountain biker is one of the Ambassad'Orres, the high-level athletes supported by the Les Orres resort. I admire his technique and his jumps. He gives us invaluable advice on how to improve further. On our way down the "Ludix" trail, we meet Laura Peythieu, another Ambassad'Orres, with whom we chat about her career as a champion mountain biker.

Our challenge for the afternoon: riding our first red, the "Ride n' Red". On arrival at the "Pousterle" chairlift, we marvel at the panoramic view of the peaks and Lac de Serre-Ponçon. The run is long: it starts at the resort's highest point and runs all the way down to the 1650 snow front. The descent is supervised and secured by Ambassad'orres. With banked turns,obstacles to negotiate and tight bends into the forest, my concentration is at its peak. The larch trees bring a welcome coolness.

The end of the day is fast approaching. Just before the resort closes, we hurry to the meeting point at the bottom of the Pic Vert chairlift. All together, riders and Ambassad'orres, we set off on the "Follow me". It's a playful way to round off an intense and warm first day.

An evening 100% Girly Ride!

After an afternoon of thrills and dust, a good shower is in order! Tonight, it's a special Girly Ride evening at the Hug restaurant. Tired but proud and with our heads full of memories, we meet on the restaurant's terrace, on the Place Emile Hodoul in Les Orres 1650. The organizers are waiting for us with some nice surprises: a welcome pack, an aperitif and a concert just for us!

I take advantage of this evening with other riders to share my impressions of the day and try to answer the blind test questions to win prizes.

A good night's sleep is in order. A sporty morning awaits us tomorrow.

day 2: descent to Lac de Serre-Ponçon

After a good night's sleep, we meet early in front of the Prélongis chairlift, where a welcome coffee awaits us. The instructors join us for a warm-up lap. Sunday's program: the big descent to Lac de Serre-Ponçon!

The different groups form up and get ready to hit the trail. The experts reach the Mazelières forest on magnificent but demanding singles on the mountainside. We beginners and intermediates pass through the hamlet of Chef-lieu. Once there, we admire the view of the lake before tackling the first part of the descent. Standing on our pedals, concentrating on the bends, we arrive at the hamlet of Les Galliards. A few painful kilometers on tarmac, crushed by the heat, and finally we rejoin the trail. The trail is long, and my legs and head are overheating. As we reach the hamlet of Les Manins for a life-saving break, miracle! A fountain is flowing loudly, right next to us. Refreshment for all! Then it's onto wide, much smoother tracks that we reach the shores of Lac de Serre-Ponçon and the Plan d'Eau reservoir. As we arrived, we caught the scent of a barbecue prepared during our descent. What a pleasant surprise! We're starving!

A special prize is awarded for the most intrepid rider of the weekend, as well as another for the 2 minimes in the group, who were just 12 years old!

It's already time to catch the bus back to Les Orres. A short rest before setting off again to hit the trails of the Bike park, according to everyone's preferences. A final opportunity to ride together, applying the advice of the instructors and Ambassad'orres. As the afternoon wears on, fatigue begins to set in. We make our way to a sunny terrace on the snow front to enjoy the calm of the end of the day and share a last drink together.

No doubt about it: I'll be at the Girly Ride 2023!

All about Girly Ride 2023