A demanding and committed final of the Coupe de France VTT dh

©Les Orres

More than 200 riders lined up at the start of the French Downhill Mountain Bike Cup final in Les Orres on Sunday, September 12.

Training got underway on Saturday, in glorious sunshine. The participants had the opportunity to discover the track, specially laid out for the competition. And the least we can say is that this demanding course did not leave the riders indifferent. With a level of difficulty on a par with that of a World Cup track, and aerial or even more technical sections, there was no doubt that the show was going to be on.

And on Sunday, the battle was fierce between the girls. Lauryne CHAPPAZ, 3rd in the morning qualifications, managed to raise her level and slip onto the top step of the podium at the end of the day. The 2020 Junior World Downhill Champion is now one of the top riders on the women's circuit. Mathilde BERNARD and Mariana SALAZAR completed the podium. Laura PEYTHIEU, local rider and ambassador of the Les Orres bike park, came in 4th. Léonie OUDOT of Gapençais club PJPC put in a fine performance to take 1st place in the women's minimes.

On the men's side, Dylan LEVESQUE, bib n°1, was unable to take part in the start. But for a good reason, as he was called up to the French team for the World Cup round in the USA, which was taking place at the same time. This left Antoine ROGGE, Gaëtan VIGE and Valentin CHATANAY free to fight it out for the podium. In the end, SCOTT MANIGOD resident Valentin CHATANAY came out on top. Antoine ROGGE followed at just over 2 seconds. The 3rd step was taken by Ian GUIONNET from Briançonnais, ambassador of the Bike Park des Orres.

In the overall Coupe de France standings, Antoine ROGGE takes the 2021 title with a total of 1913 points. In the women's category, Mariana SALAZAR was the most consistent rider in the competition. She was just 8 points ahead of Lauryne CHAPPAZ.

By hosting the Coupe de France for the 2nd year running, Les Orres has further consolidated its position as one of France's top bike parks. It is preparing to host the French championship in 2022 and is a candidate for a World Cup round in 2023. This is a major step forward for the resort, which already has a national reputation. Its reputation is set to spread beyond France's borders.