Four Quebecers were on the start lines of the elite races at the Mountain Bike World Cup in Les Gets, France. Of the lot, Léandre Bouchard obtained the best result with a 45th place in the men’s category.
At the end of the eight loops of 3.52 kilometers, Bouchard was 5 minutes and 39 seconds behind the winner of the event, Frenchman Victor Koretzky. The Swiss Nino Schurter finished in second place (17 seconds) while the Romanian Vlad Dascalu ranked third (21 seconds).
“I did a race that I really enjoyed. I progressed throughout the race after avoiding collisions at the start. I was mentally good and I played every cyclist within my reach,” commented Léandre Bouchard.
Also at the start of this race, Raphaël Auclair took 59th place (7 minutes 27 seconds) while Victor Verreault finished 77th (-1 lap).
“I expected more and prepared myself to get more. Even though I was super efficient with my hydration and my diet, I finished in 77th place, even though I also started 77th. I’m still very happy to have given everything and to have fought until the end,” said Verreault.
On the women’s side, the day was also difficult for Laurie Arseneault who was caught by the leaders with two laps to go. She ends her day in 60th place.
The event was won by the Austrian Mona Mitterwallner who beat the Dutch Puck Pieterse (38 seconds) and the French Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (1 minute 14 seconds), second and third respectively.
The Quebecer will want to quickly turn the page on this difficult race, she who will be back in Canada on Monday to prepare for the last two World Cups on the calendar.
“I ran out of energy after the second lap and found myself in a complete loss. Rest will be much appreciated when I return home! I keep my head up for the two World Cups in America in the coming weeks,” Arseneault told Sportcom.
Top mountain bike athletes will be at Snowshoe Station, West Virginia from September 27 to October 1 before wrapping up their season at Mont-Sainte-Anne from October 5 to 8 for the campaign’s final World Cup. .
“There are two great chances left in North America and I intend to score strong,” concluded Victor Verreault.