New podium for Marine Cabirou (4th) in Vallnord, boys in the mix.
Vallnord, Andorra, August 26th. The organization made a lot of changes this year, Elite Teams pit space was moved to the finish (last year, we were several kilometers away!)
Doing so, the last third of the course and finish have been modified, finals walkways and bridges were finaly gone!
It was therefore on a partly new track, under hot temperatures, dry and dusty terrain and with new race kits that our pilots started the week.
Marine Cabirou reach P5 in qualification, she admits she kept a little too much on her bag.
Dylan Levesque was on a good run with very good intermediates at the top, unfortunately a last-minute line change makes him hit hard a rock and damaged the wheel, a puncture prevented him from finishing. Luckily, he was protected.
Quite a lot of tension for Dean Lucas , who has not been lucky with qualifying so far, he manages to put in a very decent run, P42, he will be at the final.
Finally, Gonçalo Bandeira , a SCOTT rider we welcome under our umbrella, did a fantastic 12th place at quali. ! What a fast guy!
In late afternoon, the weather forecast for Saturday, race day, was catastrophic and after multiple discussions, the organization decides to transform the race into a single run (final) taht will take place early Saturday morning!
We left our accommodation fat 6am or a very early warm-up, the finals were scheduled at 9am. The sky is threatening, the thunderstorms roars, more than 90 km/h of wind at the start gate, the organization decides to suspend the race.
A very complicated situation, you must stay focused for a staggered departure, but the hours of waiting put the organism under pressure.
Finally, the weather conditions improve, safety and marshals are on site, especially helicopter, are in place, the race will take place from 3pm.
The big jump where Camille Balanche had a hard crash the day before is now closed, the women elite are ready to start under a decent weather.
Marine is determined to get at least a podium. She made a very good end of the race with the best time on the last split (and the second on the previous one), she is a little frustrated by her top of the track but it is so hard not to do mistakes… She manage to get a solid P4 , another podium this year!
3:30pm, the men set off under a sky that has again become threatening.
Dean Lucas , mind freed by his qualification, pushes the best he can, he struggles to find the right pace and finishes 43rd.
Unfortunately, the weather is becoming worst and worst, the track becomes tricky. Dylan Levesque does everything he can, push at the limit without taking useless risks, and could not get better than 40th position.
The wind and the rain intensify, it becomes difficult to race; Gonzalo Bandeira really wanted to show that his very good qualification was not a coincidence. The elements decided otherwise he could not do better than the exact middle, in the mix (P31).
It was the same for most of the riders last to start, they were unable to fully defend their chances. Frustrating!
The fourth 2023 World Cup is now over, the team is on its way to the fifth that will take place this weekend in France at Loudenvielle (65)…
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