Picture Epic: Trans Vesubienne 2020 – The Downcountry World Champs?
The organisers of the Trans-Vesubienne would by no means use the phrase “downcountry.” For a begin after they started working this race in 1988, Mike Levy was someplace round major college age. For a second factor, within the wonderful French custom, they do not actually care what anybody else is doing or what the broader world thinks of their race – actually exterior France there is a good probability you’ve got by no means even heard of this race. That could be a disgrace. Certainly the thought of racing bikes up and down really wild mountains on ungroomed climbing trails is just about precisely the type of driving Mike had in thoughts when he first proposed what has now mutated into a new cliche for uninspired marketing people to abuse.
There’s a excellent case that it’s the hardest someday mountain bike race anyplace on this planet, with the course taking in over 80km (50 miles) and a couple of,400m (7847ft) of climbing by the unforgiving trails of the Alpes Maritimes, from La Colmiane to Good. The paths are intentionally chosen to be unridable in locations, forcing riders to hold their bikes. You might say, ‘What in regards to the MB Race round Mont Blanc or the Downieville Traditional?’, however the former cannot match the Trans V for technicality and the latter is on groomed trails that are not continually threatening to peel your pores and skin and trash your bike. As winner Emeric Turcat put it, “In a standard marathon race you’ll be able to recuperate on the descents, the place right here they beat you up.” By way of the years it has constructed a well-deserved repute as a star killer, Julien Absalon and Christophe Sauser each discovered themselves standing decrease within the outcomes sheet than they’re used to, though Nino Schurter gained it in 2009 and Cecile Ravanel has taken the victory twice on 2001 and 2006 beneath her maiden title of Rode. As with all racing in 2020, issues have been very completely different this yr – usually the race is held in Could, however Covid pressured it to be pushed again to September and a end on the beachfront in Good was merely not attainable, so the race completed within the suburb of L’Ariane.
