For a few days, the KTM Vittoria Team has been in the Austrian Tyrol to prepare the next World Cup in Albstadt. Even if the terrain is not quite the same on the other side of Constance Lake, it’s an opportunity to get some rhythm on this Ötztal Mountain Bike Festival UCI HC and it’s also the way to to visit KTM Bicycles, one of the main Team partners.

The Haiming track is particularly beautiful, in a coniferous forest heart, on a hilly, with roots on climbs, technical descents and very physical sections that put the organisms to the test. The weather is rather good, a sun present despite heavy clouds which gave the U23 a few drops of rain. Debrief of a race full of surprises.

U23 men, Mathis Guay – 2^nd 🏆

Concentrated throughout the warm-up, Mathis knows he could score points on this UCI HC round. The track suits him well, technical and physical enough to express himself. Mathis stands on the front row and it’s the start! With the leading group from the start, it is a position he will not leave. He manages to stay with the bests one and riders attack one by one. Mathis feels strong and takes a very good second place 43 seconds behind the winner Mario Bair. The ankle injury of january seems to be a distant memory, enough to plan for the rest of the season!

Tatiana tournut – Top 10 & 1st french

Tatiana returns from a big training block requiring a good dose of recovery, she starts this race with heavy legs, a feeling that she will keep until the finish line. This Junior Series has brought this training phase to a close, before taking it even further and even higher in Albstadt next weekend. Despite this feeling of tiredness, Tatiana is going well and immediately took second place. Lap after lap, riders come back up and she pulled away. On the technical sections and downhill Tatiana is confident, feels the good lines and ride with more fluidity. Work pays! It is finally in 9th place that she finishes this race, first French in front of Swiss who seem to fly.

Léna Gérault, Top 10 with a complicated race !

Happy to ride for the second time in Haiming on this track that she loves, Léna wants to do well. From the start, she placed 2nd, despite bad feelings… Difficult to stay on the wheels, but the machine warms up and legs turn better. Everything unlocks turn after turn. Léna comes back to 8th place, even if the gaps started to widen, everything is still possible. Until on the last lap she broke a wheel and managed to cross the finish line in 10th position, 2nd French. Frustrated by the result and by this comeback race, Léna says « When you can’t be in harmony with your bike on a track like Haiming it doesn’t work !». We know that it will be beneficial for the World Cup next weekend.

Maxime Loret, races don’t look alike !

After the muddy race last weekend and his great performance, Maxime is on a great shape. But there are days with and days without, sometimes without legs and sometimes without luck. From the start, Maxime falls and dislocates his shoulder. The pain is violent but he gets back on his Scarp and leaves again. The roots along the way don’t help and the pain intensifies again and again. Finally, at the end of the first lap, when crossing a crevasse, he decides to retire. No need to hurt himself further, the mind is already in Albstadt.

The gallery

Photos : Léo Gruber – lgrprod

“Thank you to the Team riders for this beautiful weekend of racing, even if the sensations were not always there, they show a strength of character which pushes them to surpass themselves and which will take them far. Congratulations again to Mathis for this beautiful 2nd place at the highest level. Now we will focus on Albstadt, the next big goal ! ”

Jérôme Dericbourg – Team Manager

Next step, MERCEDES-BENZ UCI MTB WORLD CUP – XCO/XCC, ALBSTADT from 6 to 8 may 2022, stay tuned !

Kévin Laporte | 02-05-2022