The Roc d’Azur marks the end of a very good first season for the KTM Vittoria Team. New success for Léna Gérault with the french national jersey and podium for Mathis Guay in epic weather conditions… race reports :

On this Roc d’Azur 2022, the two athletes of the Team will not have experienced the same riding conditions. Two rooms, two atmospheres with a sunny and warm Friday for Léna on the marathon (92km), against a rainy Sunday for Mathis on the traditional format (54km). This did not prevent the riders from having a good battle, leading them both to the podium.

Léna Gérault – solo victory

The longest race of the Roc d’Azur schedule became even more consistent, reaching 92 kilometres, 10km more than usual, passing through the inevitable Fournel, Roquebrune, Col de Valdingarde… Léna feels in good shape so she sets a big pace on the first third of the race. For her second participation in the Roc, she manages her effort and calms down before putting the gas back on in the last part of the race leaving her main competitors Estelle Morel and Giada Specia on the side. On the finish line in Fréjus, Léna won in 4h51, giving her the 81st place in the Scratch classification.

Mathis Guay – the great perf’ !

On the start line of this Roc d’Azur, we can see the distinctive jerseys of the elite but also of the U23, with notably the arrival of Simone Avondetto (U23 XC world champion) and some cycling celebrities from other disciplines such as Romain Bardet or Amaury Pierron. The rain falls on the riders without interruption. Le Fournel is a first selection, but it is the Col du Bougnon that will be even more decisive under the pouring rain. Mathis hung on to the 54km of wet racing and enjoyed the sandy, rough and technical tracks. He finished 22nd overall and 3rd for the U23 category in this last race of the year at an average speed of over 20 km/h. A very good performance, bravo champion!.

the gallery

Photos : @sportograf & @leagiraudm

” The team is proud to finish the year with these performances, it is a very good management from the riders because the season was really long! The Roc d’Azur is an important moment every year because it allows us to close the year, that’s one thing, but also and above all to start the next one on a high note!”

Jérôme Dericbourg – Team Manager

– Who dares win –

Kévin Laporte | 09-10-2022