Les Herbiers (85). May the 5 and 6

Cup of France 2001

BY SEBASTIEN CORRADINI

NEW year, new organization, new site: the Cup of France makes new skin and becomes more popular. An evolution more than a revolution, but a recipe which could indeed seduce a vaster fringe of vététistes.

For some years, the rite was always the same on the Cups of France FFC. Always the same pilots untouchable elites behind closed barriers of stands. Always the same rigorous, almost laborious atmosphere, this seriousness which characterizes the sports tests the stakes in which killed the pleasure. Always this impression of individual elitism far from the philosophy of the debuts. In the time, the competitors of any level met themselves with the envy to party, leaving aside their rivalry. It is a little this state of mind which is reborn today. At least, it is what lets expect this first stage 2001, in Herbariums.

New recipe

Henceforth, the various specialities of the Cup of France are supposed to take place on the same site, when the environment allows it. The interest? Obviously, gather organizations not to scatter the lively forces of the FFC, and optimize the charm for the spectators. First sprain in this new philosophy, this time, the first vendean sleeve could not claim to welcome decently the downhillers, for lack of an adequate relief.

To gather everybody on the same event supposes a learned organization, for a sensible overlapping of the meetings. To manage simultaneously rides of Cross-Country and tests of Motocross is not already evident, add it a Descent, and you can imagine the potential problems...

Nevertheless, the new organization of the timetable is not without interest from the point of view of the spectacle, especially on this course very accessible to the spectators. These pass, indeed, from a test to the other one, to follow the strong times of each: departure, arrival, critical passages, etc.

New rules and new categories

The Cup of France opens to the not graduates, who contribute in a category to part. But it is not the only revolution of this newlook test. The categories were also revised.

Vendee welcomes its first Cup of France

So, 30-40 years and 40-50 years can henceforth compete in category Master (1 and 2), outside Elites (Hopes, Seniors from 23 to 30 years and those who wish it), the ride to be run to be next to some symbolic figures of the MOUNTAIN BIKE of the debuts. Not too much made rusty, the "olds"... This reproduction of the categories allows each to express itself in a ride adapted to its level or to its ambitions.

Original site

Vendee welcomes its first Cup of France of Cross-Country. Never Vendee which does not nevertheless miss relations with the FFC had had the honor of a test MOUNTAIN BIKE FFC official. Ufolep had organized, last year, its Championship of France in the region. For this first sleeve of Cup of France, it is the mountain of Larks, overhanging Herbariums, that welcomed 1500 competitors and approximately 20 000 spectators, against 12 000 usually. The majority of the competitors had come the flower to the rifle, some to offer itself a walk of health in this flat Vendee not so flat as that, in fact, and especially run well. Certainly, the mountain of Larks has not a mountain landscape, but its hilly relief reserves some raiders which are not pricked by verses. The plan, given rhythm in devil, letting few rests, and a wind smooth out flies finished the work, so that certain optimists knew some disappointments.

 

Without reserving of exceptional technical difficulties, this course of 18 km gave finally quite a lot of hard nut to crack to the pilots, so much that the courses of Sunday were seen again in the decline at the last moment so that the running does not exceed too much the two hours foreseen initially for the first ones.

Side Motocross, some rocky hillocks gave the exchange to more artificial zones. In pause, a magnificent zone using a ruin tercentenary. In brief, a plateau of choice and a record of participation. In other words that there also, the smile was of the party.

 

A success

In the final, this first Cup of France in Herbariums was far from disappointing the participants and the various present observers. Good clement generous, meteorological atmosphere, public, perfect organization, magnificent and accessible zones of Motocross, everything was gathered so that the holiday is made a success and it was the case. Of what to leave optimist for the next meetings of the Cup of France.  

VELO VERT

 Scratch (women)

1 Laurence LEBOUCHER (LEBOUCHER MTB 12), 2h12'32"
2 Hélène MARCOUYRE (GIANT SPORT UP.FR V)
3 Virginie SOUCHON (CREUSE OXYGÈNE)
4 Sandrine GUIRRONET (TEAM MEUBLES ATLAS)
5 Séverine HANSEN (SCOTT PORTES DU SOLEIL)

It is necessary to say that except for the Championships of Europe of Descent and Two-tier, in Molina in 1999, nothing had been organized in the area until now. The same sound of bell in the national Committee of MOUNTAIN BIKE of the FFC. The quite new president, Alain Ghiloni, declared to us: " Here as to Pra Loup, it is a rather exceptional site. Four disciplines are collected there, and the success also seems to be exceptional... Except for some small problems which adjusted in the course of hours, what is normal with such a mixture of the kinds, everybody seems satisfied. Font-Romeu will have had, besides, the merit to take up the challenge. So, in their " advertising of the site "; the local organizers had not played us the violin: as expected, everything was grouped together well in a restricted perimeter, so as to be able to channel-flick on four disciplines.Hardly pedibus 500 metres between the terminal dive of the Descent, the track of Two-tier Slalom, the zones of Motocross and two passages of X Country (the big ascent openly + a beautiful row on the path in forest).

Royal, for the general animation of the demonstration; for the hunting in photos and in autographs, for the soft legs of the kids, the pushchairs of the moms and the baskets picnics! If we want that the public comes, that he is interested in the tests, it is necessary to facilitate to her the task. Received 5/5! And all this, without distorting the site, naturally.

Even there, good pickaxe set apart the Two-tier, necessarily worked (two bends not raised all the same!), we were able to discover zones of Motocross without subtleties, a buckle of X-Country " in the ancient ", long of 16 borders, and a plan of unusual Descent (considered too slow, moreover, by certain pilots), which played at most with the existing ground. The small clinkers(false notes)? An advanced Descent of one hour(o'clock) at the last moment, on Mondays mornings, while our showmen - Pardoned, the Amur, Parolin - were still on the steak pan of the Two-tier the previous evening, at 7:30 am; a ski tow which makes the soul in full final of Two-tier, exactly, entailing a ballet of 4X4, even of quads (not very comfortable, apparently) ; The ride of Saturday, organized by the club support of the event - the FRSO ( Font-Romeu) - with a disappointing participation - Philippe Fort, the president, recognized it very honestly moreover: " we did not communicate maybe enough on this Possibility of discovering places in stroll - rando. " And, finally, the grain of sand which was not foreseen to the program: the absence of big sizes hang on, because the list is long: Vinco, Arnold, Dietsch, Martinez, Barel, Big person(Main part), Caer, Deldycke, Vouilloz, the brothers Pascal... Some had good reasons, the other steps... And later, everybody complains that there is enough coverage TV for the MOUNTAIN BIKE! We shall thus prefer to listen to Cédric Gracia on the podium: " openly, seen the people, it is a good combination (Sic)... It has been eight months since I had returned in France and that pleases! " Absentees are always wrong...

 

X-Country

A course which made the unanimity at the runners. First of all, a first stiff ascent of 2 km on the sides of a track of ski, just to stretch suitably the small groupe. Then, except for a false flat on clear ground, most of the descents were made on the path in forest. Of the fast path, enough passages to double nevertheless, of numerous reflations between trees, some beautiful technical dives with a big walking in particular. But it is the final ascent, on the very natural road, this afternoon dug this afternoon rocky, that made the difference in most of the categories. In all the feminine categories, it is sure, but at the Younger People also. Few absentees for the running espoir / elite Men, just man Thomas Dietsch recovering from wound, and Miguel Martinez who preferred to go to win Switzerland's Cup. A departure standard of the regional Marti Gispert, with behind a running of expectation of the tandem Hermida-Absalon, then an attack of this last one at the end of the first tour. But Julien weakens in the second tour, Jérome Chiotti took advantage of it to counter-attack, with José Hermida in the marking. In the last tour, José got loose, to finish solo, with, behind him, Jérome Chevalier always so regular.

 

 Conclusion

Be that as it may, in spite of certain small youthful mistakes, in spite of the perpetual grumpy persons and the inexplicable fixed prices (even unforgivable), to collect the plural MOUNTAIN BIKE on a weekend as that of Font-Romeu is doubtless going to give a boost to this Cup of France. The fact also to widen the attendance figures, by boosting for example the categories "Sport" (semi-stiff) and X-Country "non-graduates"; will certainly allow to value the hatching of young consequentive talents, by limiting the running to the armament, or of crossers young people, in front of the running " in the chemical ": the choice of sites, finally Finally, yes finally, the cramped circuit innovates, proposes the other green destinations, the other manners to draw courses (the debate on the Descent remains opened.) To organize them by opting for example for a base camp in the middle of nowhere, in 5 minutes of the station, rather than in full centre... In their objectives to come, our federal authorities decided to work on a better distribution of sites in France. Banco!

 

 CROSS-COUNTRY > Scratch Men HERMIDA José CHEVALIER Jérôme ABSALON Julien

 Scratch Women LEBOUCHER Laurence PUIGGROS Janet HANSEN Séverine

Cup of France and Europe Cup of MOUNTAIN BIKE cross-country.

LEBOUCHER, THE WIND IN STERN Laurence Leboucher removed the first stage of Europe Cup of MOUNTAIN BIKE, in Austria. Trophy which she would like to see increasing in the course of time, without neglecting for all that the Cup of France which she would like to offer in present of welcome to her new sponsors.

Laurence Leboucher took for custom to open prize lists. She indeed was the first girl to gain a stage of World cup of MOUNTAIN BIKE. She then wins with a first three-coloured success during World championships, followed by a victory on the occasion of very first Championships of France of cyclo-cross in 2000 to Manosque. Here is now that she takes away the inaugural stage of the new Europe Cup of MOUNTAIN BIKE This competition allowed Lolotte to pick up her second victory any ground of the season. " This competition, she says, about the Europe Cup, is an event which can grow. It motivates me quite particularly, as far as finale will take place in France to Annecy. " This epilogue occurring only on September 29th and 30th, Laurence contents for the moment with storing her impressions. " I had good sensations in Austria, she says. The circuit is difficult. It is a good thing to have been able to recognize it because it should welcome the Championships of Europe 2003.

Become independent, she created her team own as Nicolas Vouilloz in descent, Laurence Leboucher thus envisages his long-term career. But she well plans not to wait for 2003 to send back the elevator to the sponsors who relied on her. " This year, I pursue three objectives, prévientelle. They are three Championships France, Europe and World. I would also like to win the Cup of France, because since I dismissed in the Sarthe I put back my meters victories with zero. Under the shirt of this committee, I have, at the moment taken away only champion's title of France of cyclo-cross. "

The ambition of "Lolotte" did not go unheeded for a long time. To Font-Romeu, within the framework of the second stage of Cup of France, she pocketed the third success of her season 2001.

Today, Lolotte erased its defeat of Sydney. 

" It is forgotten, you should not live with past ", she said convinced by assuring that she wants to last still and still at the highest level, even if she feels the competition clocking(pointing,sticking) the tip of the nose (french expression). " I shall still be there in 2004, she said, even if the young people arrive. They will have to beat me, me, the old woman (sic). They can also push aside me from here there, but in counterpart I can bring them my experience if they indeed want to listen to me. " Eternal tune intergeneration!

H.B.

Results

RANKING OF FRENCH CUP after 2 of 4 stages

WOMEN

Scratch : 1. Laurence Leboucher 600 pou 2. Marcouyre 556 pts; 3. Souchon 554 pts; 4. Han; 547 pts; 5. Guirronnet 528 pts; 6. Rode 515 E 7. En 504 pts; 8. Clolus 499 pts; 9. Gent 490 pts;10. Cossardlemon 486 pts; 11. Thomas 474 pts; 12. Filonczuk 466 pts;13. Mazuez 462 p 14. Bruneau 448 pts; 15. Brumachon 446 E 16. Rouleau 436 ps;17. Molherat 430 pts; I8. Von 430 pts;19. Gounand 426 pts; 20. Le Lez 426 pts