Amaury Pierron Wins UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup in Les Gets,
Back-to-back wins for the Flying Frenchman! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Amaury Pierron on taking first place in the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup in Les Gets, France. In the Elite Men's division final, the 28-year-old from Brioude, France, battled rainfall during the final to earn his second consecutive World Cup victory of the season, besting the next challenger by nearly six and a half seconds.
The Junior Women's division race winners were decided based on the qualifier results because of inclement weather, with 17-year-old Monster Army rider Erice van Leuven from Aotearoa, New Zealand, taking fourth place.
From July 4 to 7, the UCI Mountain Bike World Series Festival Haute-Savoie attracted the world's best mountain bike racers. The popular ski resort of Les Gets, located in the Haute-Savoie region of the northern French Alps, has been hosting world-class events such as the 2022 World Championships for 30 years.
In the highly contested Elite Men's division final, Amaury Pierron dropped into the course as a top podium contender after previously winning the World Cup event in Val Di Sole in June. Could the Flying Frenchman do it again?
The outcome of the race was in jeopardy as heavy rain commenced during the finals. Then again, challenging conditions are where Pierron not only survives but thrives, as proven by the victory at Val di Sole.
Hitting the Les Gets course as the second-to-last rider of the final, Pierron put down yet another perfect run in all-or-nothing fashion to claim the win. With a total time of 3:43.976, the Frenchman finished in dominant fashion at 6.498 ahead of the next rider.
"This track, this place!" said Monster Energy's Pierron after winning the 2024 World Cup in Les Gets. "Today was unreal. It was so sketchy out there, but I knew I had to stay pinned and stay on my bike. To win here in Les Gets is so special with the French crowd! It's the best feeling!"
Speaking on racing conditions in Les Gets, Pierron said: "All week, the track was running fast, especially when it dried, and we knew the weather was coming, so this morning's training, I had dialed my lines in and felt really confident with how I was riding. We made a few bike adjustments to better handle the speeds and steep terrain. When the rainstorm finally started, I got super excited. It's so fun to ride when it's raining that hard. This track is wild when it's dry and even more so in the wet!"
Saturday's win advances Pierron from fourth place into second place on the overall 2024 UCI World Cup season rankings with 1187 points. It's a remarkable comeback after Pierron's 2023 season was overshadowed by an injury, and he only returned to his winning ways at the previous 2024 World Cup in Val di Sole in June.
On 2024 season rankings, Pierron has now overtaken 30-year-old Troy Brosnan from Adelaide, South Australia, currently in third place with 1067 points. At Les Gets, Brosnan finished in sixth place with a finish time of 3:54.566.
Earlier this weekend, the Junior Women's division final was canceled as forecasts of storms, heavy rain, and potential flooding created safety concerns. The safety decision was made by the UCI, WBD Sports, and the local organizers. Instead of the final race, results from qualifiers determined the Junior Division winners at Les Gets.
On the strength of her performance in qualifiers, 17-year-old Monster Army rider Erice van Leuven from Aotearoa, New Zealand, took fourth place at Les Gets with a 4:20.337 finish time. After Les Gets, the reigning UCI World Champion now commands second place in the overall season standings.
