Legend has it that the principality of Andorra was established in the late 8th Century as a buffer state by Emperor Charlemagne to keep the Moors from advancing into France. Through the ages, the land was granted to the Diocese of Urgell. Things were relatively quiet in Andorra up until the inter-war years when France garrisoned soldiers there to halt any Spanish Civil War influence rising through the Pyrenees, and during the Second World War, Andorra became an important smuggling route, especially for the French Resistance. In a strange twist of history, it wasn't until 1958 that Andorra declared peace with Germany. A bit late to the party but in fact a declaration of peace between these two countries had been omitted from the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War.
From the 1950's onwards, the little known land became a popular tourist destination after much investment in infrastructure. In 1993 it finally became a parliamentary democracy, leading to reforms in its legal and trade systems. Andorra still remains as a popular tax haven thanks to its banking secrecy laws.
The Vallnord resort, in the most northerly valley in Andorra, is a product of the country's focus on tourism. The creation of this ‘mega destination' was the result of a merger between two resorts in 2004: Pal Arinsal and Arcalis. The result of these resorts joining forces meant that Vallnord turned into the third largest ski resort on the Iberian Peninsula in terms of visitor numbers. Vallnord Bike Park La Massana opened officially in 2005 in an effort by the government to make the most of activity-based tourism in the summer months. The resort soon started to hold races, but Vallnord first entered the melee of UCI World Cup DH MTB back in 2008, and the resort has been a favourite of riders ever since.
By road, you can get to Vallnord via one of the main routes from Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona or Toulouse. From Barcelona, you're looking at around a 215km drive which will take around three hours. Alternatively, you can drive from Toulouse, France, which will be the same travel time but with more hairpin bends involved!
Want to get in by public transport? Unfortunately, there are no trains stations in Andorra, so the best way is to get there by bus, or a train to L'Hospitalet, France (3 km from the Andorran border), or Puigcerda, Spain (80 km from the Andorran border), and hop on a bus to the resort. Alternatively, if you're mega rich, you can hire a helicopter for €2,500 which will take you and four of your friends to La Massana from either Toulouse or Barcelona in under an hour.
2. THE TRACK
Used in 2008, 2009 and 2013, the Vallnord World Cup track was named as the second-best on the circuit - behind Fort William - in 2013, and it was also crowned ‘Best DH World Cup Track' by the World Cup riders in the 2013 Pinkbike Awards. With that in mind, the anticipation is very high for this race. The riders are excited and we're itching to see another epic battle unfold this weekend for the last time this year.
The Vallnord Bike Park includes 40km of downhill tracks, as well as three lifts providing access to the 23 tracks at different levels: the Massana gondola lift, which departs from the village centre and reaches La Caubella (1,950 metres), and two chairlifts, Serra II and El Cubil. These lifts takes visitors up to the highest point in the bike park, at 2,350 metres.
Using the 2013 World Cup track as a baseline for this year's Worlds track, the course will include the physically demanding top section, followed by some new features in the mid-zone. The final section is notoriously steep and has been updated especially for our lucky World Championship riders. The track is 2.5km long and includes a 700m elevation change finishing just outside the resort. The organisers predict the best time down the hill will be around the four-minute mark.
I'm really excited to go to the Worlds. I missed racing so much when I was injured. Even though where I live it is so good to relax during the summer, I really realised how much I love being at the start gate! It took me time to go fast again but now I think I'm one-hundred percent. As for racing in Andorra - the home of my the majority of my sponsors - I don't often see everyone so it's great to have them all around me for this race. The Andorran people are just amazing - always happy, dancing, partying - so it's going to be pretty relaxed and I'm lucky that whatever I do, Max Commencal is ALWAYS happy with my results. In terms of the track, I haven't been riding this particular track any more than my rivals, so it's going to be the same for everyone. The key thing about it on race day is to stay comfortable in the steep sections and making sure you don't get too much arm-pump because it is such a long track. - Myriam Nicole, Commencal/Vallnord
It's probably the steepest track of the year and this place is just magical. Huge mountains around and such a flowy course. It really show the talent of the riders because it's all about technique, speed and commitment, It's long too so the one that will hold all that together will grab the rainbow for sure. I cant wait! - Loic Bruni, Lapierre Gravity Republic
The track has been given a lot of updates since Claudio Caluori took us down it in 2013. There's a lot of old-school about it. It's off-camber, steep, twisty, tight, rooty and full of rocks, with the track cutting through the trees throughout the majority of the descent, it's going to be tough going for the broadcasters to get comprehensive coverage of the action.
3. THE WEATHER
With Autumn officially here (at least meteorologically speaking), weather patterns are shifting over Europe. Another mini-heatwave from Africa has meant the Continent has been basking in sunshine but low pressure from the north is set to change things for the worse. Andorra will see clouds and a fall in temperature this week, with showers and chances of thunderstorms continuing to chase down the World Cup circus, as it has done this year in Europe. Luckily though, Saturday is scheduled to be cool but clear of clouds, which will offer some respite for the teams. On Sunday - race day - the forecast points to there being some sun, followed by clouds, followed by passing showers. It's too early to tell when the showers might occur, but it will sure keep everyone on edge.
4. THE VANQUISHED
Beaten by Gee Atherton here in 2008 by 0.31 seconds and top qualifier in both 2009 and 2013, but still no cigar... Vallnord seems to have had 'Sam Hill' written all over it more than once, but the man's never managed to shut it down come finals and take the elusive win.
Andorra is rough and wild and for some riders, they just can't seem to break a bad habit. Greg Minnaar had back-to-back third-place finishes here in 2008 and 2009, only beating that by coming sixth in 2013 despite being fastest through the speed trap that year. Perhaps his form of late will throw out the precedent and get Greg onto the top step of the podium for the last international race of the season.
New Zealander Cam Cole had a horrific crash here in 2013 that was caught by the broadcast cameras for all to see, including his parents who were watching back home on the other side of the world. Going out the front door, Cam seemed to almost bring it back, but his front suspension and gravity were having none of it. He got pushed out towards the side of the track and went OTB, landing on his head. Lucky for Cam he wasn't knocked out and he managed to push his head away from the dirt during the second roll he was going through. The course was closed for a long while whilst medics carefully made him stable enough to be transported on the helicopter and out to hospital. It turned out that Cam crushed and fractured his T7 vertebra, meaning he was sadly out of the World Cup circuit for a long while.
In 2009, multiple time Swedish national champ - Robin Wallner made one of the most memorable finishes we've seen broadcast at a World Cup. On full gas, Rob hurtled across the finish line, but looked to have run out of brakes and had no choice but to slide off his bike in the finish corral. In doing so, he slammed into one of the broadcast cameramen, wiping him off his feet like a rag doll. Rob crossed the line in 20th place, so not a bad result for Rob, but the ultimate vanquished in this case was the cameraman and his camera!
It goes without saying that Rémi Thirion has some kind of wildman connection with this track. He won here in 2013, coming from 15th in sector 1, to pulling out an outstanding third and final sector. Only recently signed with Commencal, Thirion's win in Vallnord was dramatic for the crowds and devastating for his competitors. It proved that if you put an old school track on the calendar, Thirion would be your man. At this year's Catalan Cup, Thirion once again crushed the competition, beating Minnaar and several other top World Cup racers to the bottom. Can he do it again this year? He's been off injured but his focus has been this race, so all bets are off.
After 18 years of racing, 10 World Cup podium appearances (including two for Dual Slalom), 5 medals for World Champ podiums (including two as a Junior), a victory at the third Red Bull Rampage, and 440 days in rehab for injuries, Cedric Gracia, the Flying Frenchman called it a day on his World Cup career in Vallnord in 2013. Andorra is his home these days, and he's been working with the Bike Park to make sure the track is just right for the present day World Cup racers to enjoy.
Vallnord's been good to Rachel Atherton on two out of three occasions - first in 2008 when she took her and Gee's first simultaneous victory together, alongside brother Dan who won the 4X. She then went on to take a second win here over Manon Carpenter in 2013.
In 2009, the World Cup came to Vallnord for the second time in its history. Steve Peat was on top of his game and took an historic win here to claim not just his second consecutive World Cup DH victory, but also his 17th career win. In doing so, Peaty managed to better the long-standing record held by the legendary Nicolas Vouilloz.
HISTORICAL ELITE MEN RESULTS FROM VALLNORD
DATE
EVENT
WINNER
WINNING TIME
WINNING MARGIN
2008
UCI World Cup
Gee ATHERTON
2:35.35
0.31s
2009
UCI World Cup
Steve PEAT
2:22.050
0.020s
2013
Catalan Cup
Greg MINNAAR
4:30.572
0.102s
2013
UCI World Cup
Rémi THIRION
4:13.666
1.350s
2015
Catalan Cup
Rémi THIRION
4:21.43
2.16s
HISTORICAL ELITE WOMEN RESULTS FROM VALLNORD
DATE
EVENT
WINNER
WINNING TIME
WINNING MARGIN
2008
UCI World Cup
Rachel ATHERTON
2:55.30
8.47s
2009
UCI World Cup
Sabrina JONNIER
2:41.580
3.870s
2013
Catalan Cup
Manon CARPENTER
5:28.506
1:41.795
2013
UCI World Cup
Rachel ATHERTON
4:47.778
1.617s
2015
Catalan Cup
Myriam NICOLE
4:56.56
1.73s
HISTORICAL JUNIOR MEN RESULTS FROM VALLNORD
DATE
EVENT
WINNER
WINNING TIME
WINNING MARGIN
2008
UCI World Cup
Danny HART
2:45.24
No data
2009
UCI World Cup
Danny HART
2:27.970
No data
2013
Catalan Cup
Ferran JORBA PRATS
4:37.367
2.896s
2013
UCI World Cup
Mike JONES
4:23.644
0.468s
2015
Catalan Cup
Alex MARIN TRILLO
4:31.75
10.45s
HISTORICAL JUNIOR WOMEN RESULTS FROM VALLNORD
DATE
EVENT
WINNER
WINNING TIME
WINNING MARGIN
2008
UCI World Cup
Mélanie PUGIN
3:32.26
No data
2009
UCI World Cup
Anais PAJOT
10:37.693
No data
2013
Catalan Cup
No data
No data
No data
2013
UCI World Cup
Tahnée SEAGRAVE
5:14.437
No data
2015
Catalan Cup
Marine CABIROU
5:33.57
7.24s
Note: The Junior Men and Junior Women categories received wider recognition from the UCI in 2013. More information here.
Stay tuned to Pinkbike for all the news from Vallnord this weekend, and don't forget to keep up to date with the live timing from timed training and finals on the site from the following times:
SUNDAY - FINALS 10:30 CEST - Junior Men and Junior Women 12:30 CEST - Elite Women 14:00 CEST - Elite Men
All the hype about prior races in Andorra, and yet only one of those (2013) was even on the same hill let alone the same track. The first track they raced there was a COMPLETELY different beast, and saying things like "Sam Hill beaten by Gee by 0.31 blah blah on this track" is a bit pointless given that it's not actually the same track at all. The only person who's won a WC on this particular course, or any variant of it, is Remi Thirion. Results from 08/09 etc are irrelevant, not the same course, not even the same hill.
That said, it's going to be a sick race, so many people who could take it - Thirion, Bruni, Gwin, Brosnan, Fearon (dark horse on that track!), Minnaar, Hart, Gee, Hill, Ratboy, all in with a chance. Could even see some other loose cannon take it, seen some crazy speed from Vergier, Lucas and Mike Jones this year. If it rains, things will be AWESOME to watch!
It was a great article and remembering Cedric's final DH is an awesome addition. I am stoked for Sunday and rooting for our Canadian Girlz.
and.....never count out MInnaar. I say he will take it by 2 seconds.
Nice writing, would love to see Neko find himself here and break into the top 10 or better. Boy's had a rough year, com'on Hoss we're pullin' for you!!!
As an American I want gwin to win, as a fan of mtb I want loic to win. He is such an amazing rider and i would love to see him on top of the podium for once this year. He deserves it!
And a different mountain range! Pyrenees weather is changeable to say the least right now. Was in La Molina 2 days ago rain/sunshine mix and delayed trip to Soldeu due to thunderstorms today!
That said, it's going to be a sick race, so many people who could take it - Thirion, Bruni, Gwin, Brosnan, Fearon (dark horse on that track!), Minnaar, Hart, Gee, Hill, Ratboy, all in with a chance. Could even see some other loose cannon take it, seen some crazy speed from Vergier, Lucas and Mike Jones this year. If it rains, things will be AWESOME to watch!