Racing blind is one thing, but add in the difficulty of the Trans-Provence tracks with a hint of Claudio type commenting and you've got Yoann going full pinned like few others can do.
Snipper Barelli awaits his next victim as he awaits the red earth.
Fell of a cliff on this track in the 2013 Trans Provence about half way down. 1000ft+ drop but by a sheer stroke of luck I got wrapped around a Christmas tree after about 30ft of falling which I have no quarms in saying saved my life. Unfortunately the bike had fell about another 30ft so took me forever to get it back.....
Some people saying this track is shit, by the time you reach this track you have been on the bike for about 10hrs that day and it is the last stage of the day. It takes Nico Lau 19 mins to complete it and us mere mortals 25, it has absolutely everything to test your skills and fitness levels to ride a bike on the edge, in a cool remote place and still finish at the bar for a beer. This is Trans Provence, they are mainly WWI hiking tracks and bikes were not their original purpose, however, when you see them for what they are and try and get better at riding that stuff then it will blow you away, hence why the Frecnhies are so fast, as this is what they ride, and hence why I had to race it again in 2014 as I needed another fix
@Mac-Aravan: that is what I was told by the organisers or that WWI was a time when these tracks were in use and maintained to move supplies. The point I am making though is not the era of the tracks, it's to the people calling the track 'shit', to let them know this is an old track with a previous purpose, not a dedicated MTB track......
Now, this describes the type of challenges on technical single track, that got me addicted to the sport of Mtn. Biking. You get so much adrenaline and euphoria unlike the street wide park trails, that are being laid all over the world in place of real deal riding!
I'm all for technical singletrack, but this track is an abomination. Grass fields. Loose rock in tight and frequent switchbacks killing any speed and flow. Super sketchy and fun to watch, but still a shit trail for biking.
Haha awesome ! i'm so glad even the pro's crashed on exactly the same switchback as me, that may not have been one of the most fun stages of the week but it was definitely one of the toughest.
Yoann, those Images and sounds of tires and loose rock coming together at that speed will stay burned in my mind for days! Thx that's a do over,over over......etc.
I would've fly off the track in a minute judging that it was a blind racing+loose tracks+steep cliffs. Props to the riders that finished the TP in a one piece.
Some people saying this track is shit, by the time you reach this track you have been on the bike for about 10hrs that day and it is the last stage of the day. It takes Nico Lau 19 mins to complete it and us mere mortals 25, it has absolutely everything to test your skills and fitness levels to ride a bike on the edge, in a cool remote place and still finish at the bar for a beer. This is Trans Provence, they are mainly WWI hiking tracks and bikes were not their original purpose, however, when you see them for what they are and try and get better at riding that stuff then it will blow you away, hence why the Frecnhies are so fast, as this is what they ride, and hence why I had to race it again in 2014 as I needed another fix
All the best,
Lee.
Pretty much sums up every stage finish as I recall... LOL!
Nice one Yoann, thanks for taking us along for the ride.
........Claudio ?????:-)))))) ,what a stage ,what a ride,that yoann :-)))