General rehearsal this weekend, one week before the first UCI World Cup in Petropolis. In the heart of the Serra dos Órgãos forest a few dozen kilometers from Rio, Léna Gérault, Maxime Loret and Mathis Guay did the show and played with our emotions!

Thursday Team landing in Petropolis after many hours of flight. The atmosphere changes compared to the last very cold days felt in France, and first steps on Brazilian land for the riders. This Petropolis CIMTB race allows riders to get in shape before one of the big goals of the season. The program is perfect since it even offers Maxime Loret the possibility of riding XCC and XCO. Perfect for getting some rhythm ahead of next weekend’s World Cup.

Léna Gérault is already focused on the opening World Cup season

Being focused on the race, identifying difficult sections and technical lines, these things are decisive at the high level and as proof… During an official training, Léna found herself thrown on the front of her KTM Scarp and offers us an incredible nose manual on the wooden path. She would have preferred to do without this scare, but she created the buzz on the internet! Thanks for the show.

D-day ! The XCO race takes place in difficult and changing weather conditions. Rain, sun, mud, hard to make sure the bike settings are perfect. On the front line, Léna starts strong, but many distinctive jerseys take the initiative such as the Olympic champion Jolanda Neff or the world champion Evie Richards… Léna loses a few seconds and finds herself around the twentieth position. The sun returns but is not enough to dry out the track. Over the laps the ruts widen, the track gets rutted and she crashes, broken saddle, scratched knee, the MET Trenta covered with mud… Léna stops this tough race there, but more fear than harm, she keeps smiling and is already looking for next weekend.

Maxime Loret in good shape !

Saturday, Maxime Loret starts on the XCC (short track) format. A short and spectacular track, strewn with jumps and bends for the greatest pleasure of fans! Maxime takes a good start and sneaks into the leading group. His good shape and his technical skills allow him to stay in front with the strong men. The race is quite rolling and there is no, or very little difference between riders. We hold our breath and it is at almost 30km/h on average that the race is won! Maxime completed the 7 laps in 8th position. A perfect start to the weekend.

In the XCO race, Maxime Loret made a great start and placed 6th at the end of the first row. Being an actor of the race is one of Maxime’s leitmotifs. The race is getting off, he has to push his way through the riders, has to avoid making mistakes on this course, which has become more and more challenging, with lots of passages. Unfortunately the error will not come from him but from a competitor who crashes into him, forcing him to stop. No sore but the disappointment of not being able to do better when the shape is there, can’t wait for Sunday!

Mathis Guay, Top 10 !

Among the elite men, the U23s must assert themselves and show that the next generation is there. Without complex, Mathis finds himself in the top 20 from the start. This technical track suits him and he feels in great shape. Over the laps, Mathis keeps his lucidity and a good state of freshness despite the degradation of the circuit. He hangs on, riders are coming back from behind, Mathis manages by avoiding mistakes, sometimes narrowly. The ankle is good, perfect for confidence. These good feelings allow Mathis to make 35th scratch and U23 Top 10 ! A great performance on the first international stage in 2022!

“The weather conditions were complicated and our riders gave us great scares, we had emotional lifts! Congratulations to them for pushing themselves, it was important for the first World Cup next weekend. This CIMTB is a nice repeat. Now we’re looking ahead and we’re going to improve the settings to be on top on Sunday.”

Jérôme Dericbourg – Team Manager

Still on the same track in Petropolis Brazil, follow us from april 8 to 10 for the openinG Mercedes-Benz UCI World Cup !

Kévin Laporte | 04-04-2022