2023-09-24 20:53:27
This is called marking your territory. One year before the Paris Games, the 3,000 happy spectators of the mountain bike test event saw nothing but blue on Sunday, in Élancourt (Yvelines). On the artificial hill in the west of Paris, the highest point in Île-de-France (231 meters), the French pilots won the day by achieving an unprecedented double.
Among the ladies, we were waiting for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot but it was her compatriot Loana Lecomte who won alone. The vice-world champion in the discipline dominated the Austrian Laura Stigger. Ferrand-Prévot, five-time world champion and who explained to us that she found the “course designed for her” during reconnaissance, completed the podium by finishing third. The leader of the Blues (31 years old) keeps in mind her goal of finally becoming Olympic champion next summer, twelve years after her first Olympics in London.
“The Games, we’re almost there”
“The Games are almost there,” notes Loana Lecomte, 24, with a broad smile. With these 3,000 people, we felt like we were at home… Plus, both of us on the podium, it’s great. » “We showed that we were present,” says PFP, who arrived “tired” after the Worlds in Glasgow, where she retained her two titles. I wasn’t 100% but I did with what I had at the time and that’s a good sign. Physically, I will be there (for the Games) and I still have to work technically. »
If these ladies lit the first fuse, the gentlemen masterfully completed the fireworks this Sunday. In front of a cheering audience, Victor Koretzky, 29, dominated the New Zealander Anton Cooper and the Swiss Nino Schurter (10 world titles) in the sprint. A success which comes two weeks after his double at the World Cup in Les Gets (Haute-Savoie). At the forefront throughout the race, the French placed five men in the top 10 (Sarrou, Boichis, Azzaro and Carod, respectively 4th, 8th, 9th and 10th). “We had a great time,” summarizes Koretzky, impressed by a fast and rolling course as evidenced by its average speed (22 km/h).
Elancourt (Yvelines), this Sunday. Victor Koretzky wins in the sprint in front of a jubilant French public. Jean-Baptiste Quentin
Starting far from the starting line (42nd), the Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel, grandson of Raymond Poulidor and world road champion, took 28th place. The Briton Tom Pidcock, gold medalist in the discipline in Tokyo in 2021, was never in the running and finished 36th, more than five minutes behind the winner of the day.
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