Anne-Caroline Chausson's Ibis HD3 - EWS Round 6, Whistler

Aug 12, 2016
by Mike Kazimer  
EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.

A little over a year ago, Anne-Caroline Chausson stepped away from the world of mountain bike racing to focus on a much more important issue – her health. She hadn't been feeling well since the beginning of the season, and a visit to the hospital confirmed the worst: ovarian cancer. The twelve-time DH world champion has never been one to back down from a challenge, and over the next seven months she underwent chemotherapy and surgery in order to eradicate the disease. In February Anne-Caroline received the good news that the grueling battle had succeeded – she was cancer-free.

With that, she set her sights on a new goal – competing in an enduro race by August. And not just any race – Anne-Caroline will be lining up on Sunday at round six of the Enduro World Series in Whistler. She says she still isn't feeling entirely comfortable on the bike after taking so much time off, but don't be surprised to see her near the front of the pack on race day – after all, we're talking about one of, if not the best downhill and enduro racers in the world here.

It's possible that this will be Anne-Caroline's final EWS race – after so many years of competition she's looking to change things up, and said, “I love riding bikes, but I'm kind of tired of racing. I'm sure there is a lot more to do with a bike than racing now and I deserve a little bit of rest.”


EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.


Bike Check

Anne-Caroline stands 5'8” (172 cm) tall, and she's chosen to go with a size medium Ibis HD3. Although the trend in the race world has been to go up a size in order to gain more stability, Anne-Caroline says that she prefers shorter bikes due to their more playful handling. A Cane Creek Angleset has been installed to slacken the bike's head angle in preparation for the steep and rowdy course that's on tap in Whistler.


EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
A Rockshox Lyrik is in place up front...
EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
...with Fox's Float X2 taking care of the HD3's 150mm of travel.


Suspension Setup

At the elite level most riders run one suspension brand due to sponsorship obligations, but Anne-Caroline is free to pick whatever she likes. Up front, she's running a RockShox Lyrik, citing the comfort and feeling of security it provides on the trail. For her 137 pound (62 kg) weight she's running the fork with 54 psi and two Bottomless Tokens, with the low-speed compression set four clicks away from maximum. That increased low-speed compression helps keep the front end up, which works well with Anne-Caroline's riding style – she uses her upper body more than her legs to push into turns and to place the bike where she wants it. For that same reason, the Fox Float X2 shock has been set to feel slightly softer than the front end in order to keep it active on the rough terrain.


EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
The blacked-out tires mounted to Mavic's Crossmax XL LTD wheelset have 22 psi in the front and 23 psi in the rear.
EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
SRAM's Eagle 12-speed drivetrain is becoming a common sight on the race course. In this case, the 10-50 tooth cassette is paired with a 32-tooth ring up front.


EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Formula's RO brakes help keep things under control.
EWS 6 2016. Whistler Canada. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Anne-Caroline says she uses her rear brake more than the front, and prefers running a larger rotor in the back, rather than the other way around.


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82 Comments
  • 323 3
 That was a serious waste of Cancer's time. Cancer should have known better! What an athlete!
  • 53 2
 Note to Cancer, just go away, we are all fighters.
  • 8 8
 Not the first Pro rider that prefers the smaller size frames.
  • 136 0
 I cheer every time I hear about a person beating cancer. Having witnessed first hand the loss of a loved one to cancer it is good to hear that Anne-Caroline beat it. Now get on that bike and rise to the top.
  • 12 0
 truth.
  • 45 0
 Its scary how pretty mch all of us have know someone who has had a brush with cancer. I had Testicular cancer in 2006. Had a testicle removed along with some Lymph glands. Chemo and radio therapy for 6 months. Now have 2 beautiful children and a third on the way! It can get out and stay the f@#k out. I enjoyed it, made me tuffer!!
  • 17 0
 @slowrider73: thatz awesome! long healthy life to all your days, sir. my brother sadly did not make it. passed away when his kids were 5 & 10. he definitely made us all tougher and more grateful for our days ever since.
  • 11 0
 @fullbug: mate my very much sincerest condolences to you and all your family/friends. Your attitude is inspirational in itself. Hats off to you :-)
  • 6 0
 @slowrider73: iz all good! happy baby to ya! you're the strong one for goin thru it! eff cncr. glad ya made it part of your past!
  • 7 0
 @fullbug: sounds like your brothers children have one awsome uncle!! Cheers
  • 64 0
 If you ever want to show someone what a true Legend looks like... Here she is.
  • 66 1
 Ive pit this up before but it speaks for itself:
Anne-caro 
9 × dh world champ
5 × world cup overall 
2 × dual slalom world champ
2 × four cross world champ
1 × dual slalom world cup overall 
1 × four cross overall 
3 × junior dh world champ
3 × bmx world champ
1 × bmx olympic gold medalist
  • 56 0
 @slowrider73: 1 x mf cancer survivor, yo
  • 2 0
 @bmck: .........insert that at the top of the list too!! :-)
  • 1 0
 @slowrider73: wasn't she right up there in the EWS overall mix with Moseley prior to getting sick as well?
  • 7 0
 There are very few in this World I would ever fan out and ask an autograph from, ACC is one of them. The GOAT, male or female.
  • 26 0
 Happy to hear you are cancer free! F*ck cancer!
  • 10 0
 Saw her last vid on instagram... god damn its mindblowing, she jumps big on the A line whippibg like HELL!!! go ACC you rock !!!
  • 2 0
 Wow, just watched it... And she says she's not comfortable on the bike yet!
  • 9 0
 Good luck this weekend! So glad you're back, even if it's just for one race. You need a chainguide though - I can help!
  • 3 0
 I would make Simcik deliver it to her. Wait. She is in Whistler. I will deliver it for you! Cuz team player...
  • 4 1
 I find it interesting that among the comments and forums many people have lamented the need for a 50t cog. The retort is often that you just need to become a stronger rider. Yet so many elite racers in the EWS are running with the 50t. I'm pretty sure that the EWS racers are strong riders. I personally am not doing it due to the cost (and also being more of a fan of the Shimano drivetrain). I will, however, be considering the options from oneup and the like.
  • 3 1
 You can get an XT 11-46 now, which is pretty close to 10-50 in the grand scheme of things.
  • 1 0
 @seraph:
11-46 doesn't have quite the range of 10-42. 10-50 is more than a little bit past 11-46 for gearing range (81% bigger range).
  • 4 0
 Your right, they are strong riders. Going 10-50 is more about the opposite side of the cassette though. Allows them to up the chain ring one, or two sizes, and gain more power for the downs where they can lay down some extra pedal strokes.
  • 8 1
 Not saying it is necessarily the case with Anne-Caroline, but a lot of pro riders are paid to ride the new 50T cassettes etc....SRAM for instance wants their Eagle to be marketed by the pros in the Enduro races etc. I would think that is one of the reasons they are riding it, not necessarily because they need the wider range.
  • 2 0
 ah, some good perspectives here.
  • 3 0
 The whole reason for racers going with a 50T cog is so they can run a bigger front ring, and push a BIGGER gear, yet maintain the same climbing gear. For racers, it's not about making things easier, it's about making it possible to go FASTER.
  • 3 0
 @tsheep Your statement is a bit misleading: Eagle does not have an 81% bigger range than 11-46; it has a 20% bigger range (500% vs. 419% range, which I'm sure is what you were implying).
  • 3 1
 @miles-e:
500% - 419% = 81%, speaking in terms of absolute gearing, which is how drivetrain capacity is measured independent of wheelsize/chainrings. There is nothing misleading about this statement.

In terms of relative gearing, or how we measure jumps between gears on an individual drivetrain, it is indeed a 20% relative increase, or basically the equivalent of getting another, very large jump in your gears.
  • 2 2
 @tsheep: You have to divide the two ranges, not subtract them, in order to make a meaningful comparison. It's a 20% bigger range.
  • 1 1
 @PullMyBrakeLever:
It is a 20% bigger range relatively speaking. You do not measure drivetrain ranges in terms of relative range, because that does not give you useful gearing information. Absolute range is how you measure drivetrain capacity. It is the same story for cars and motorcycles. It is entirely correct and far more useful to say 500% vs 419%
  • 2 0
 How do I unsubscribe from my comment? Razz
  • 3 0
 Interesting that ACC is using Formula RO brakes, and she has no obligation to use them. A lot of people in various forums diss Formula brakes, saying they have no modulation, are noisy, and so on, but I've been using a set of R1's for 3 years, and if they're set up right, they are excellent. I bleed and set up my own brakes, and found that using one of those $3.00 caliper/disc spacers before positioning the calipers makes all the difference in the world, giving good modulation and no noise.
  • 4 0
 elite set up, no manufacturers ties.. just like a freehouse pub, choose the best for the job at hand! steer with the rear style. 'Chancer' go home. Good luck
  • 2 0
 Why are her tires blacked out then?
  • 5 0
 @davidsimons: Because she's using her long time sponsor Mavic's gear including wheels, shoes, and jersey. She's running Maxxis tires on a Mavic wheelset though Mavic would prefer that she ride their tires and complete the sweep.
  • 1 0
 @davidsimons: Looks like the new maxxis aggressor. I'll assume that's the rear tire.
  • 1 0
 @TucsonDon: The tire in that close up picture is a DHF.
The Aggressor has sipes in all of it's side lugs. The tire in that picture only has sipes in every other side lug.
(I can't tell what's on the back from the far away picture)
  • 5 0
 So good to see her healthy again. Best of luck this weekend!
  • 1 0
 Welcome back A.C.C and congratulations for kicking cancers butt. I lost my Mam to an illness similar to cancer in someways, call c.o.p.d, so I'm over the moon to see you fighting fit again. Best wishes and good luck in everything you do.
  • 1 0
 I got worked up so hard by this, but really shouldn't as it doesn't even affect me- "Anne-Caroline says she uses her rear brake more than the front, and prefers running a larger rotor in the back, rather than the other way around."
  • 1 0
 Gotta roost them Whistler berms.
  • 1 0
 As a cancer survivor myself...Welcome back Anne Caroline! Nothing makes you appreciate life and the mountain more than brushing death off your doorstep. Every time I look out over the hills I think, I'm lucky to be here and I'm going to love every minute of it.
  • 1 0
 Anne, you made me a proud ibis mojo hd3 owner. You'll be my inspiration everytime i ride my mojo. I too battling with my poor health condition but nothing compare to what you been to.
  • 4 0
 shows up.....wins the race.
  • 2 0
 Fantastic to see ACC back racing.. She may not be 100% race fit but I bet the top 10 girls are worried all the same!!!!
  • 2 0
 Her name is synonymous with mountain biking, I am so glad she beat it and is back in the saddle.
  • 1 0
 Great to see Anne - Caroline back cancer free , I've followed her since her Sunn days with Nico hope you finish on a high
  • 1 0
 what water bottle is she using? Tough to fit a bottle in the Ibis frame with the Fox X2 rear shock.
  • 3 1
 dang ACC, that rig is lookin fly
  • 2 0
 great to see her back racing! Go ACC!
  • 2 0
 Yeah ACC, you rock! Now go get some!
  • 1 0
 What ever she decides to do on a bicycle in the non-racing environment I am sure she will dominate that too.
  • 2 0
 Good luck and Give 'em Hell ACC!
  • 1 0
 I am super happy that Anne is back cancer-free and healthy. I hope she will back on the road to winning again soon.
  • 2 0
 go home cancer...your drunk!
  • 3 1
 Welcome back!
  • 1 0
 nice to see you anne caro!!!!
Go ACC GO ^^
  • 2 0
 Beautiful bike
  • 4 0
 Beautiful person!
  • 3 0
 Living legend
  • 1 0
 How much travel is she running up front in the Lyrik?
  • 1 4
 To anyone whom has fought, fighting, or close to a cancer warrior... Look up Dr Burzinski!! No joke! He has been curing cancer since the 70's. Watch the Burzinski Movie on YouTube. Furthermore, Kagan water! Alkaline water! Get your ph balance in check. You go be brave.
  • 4 0
 Having people look at quack "cures" just delays their getting effective treatment. You want an example? Look how well the "natural" cures worked for Steve Jobs. He'd had a very curable form of pancreatic cancer. He'd be alive today if he hadn't messed around with "natural" cures. When they didn't work, and the cancer continued to advance, then he finally went to see a real oncologist, but as we all know, by then the cancer had progressed and it was too late. Sad. Don't help make more sad.
  • 4 0
 No, do not. The man is a fraud, and I get insanely angry whenever I see somebody suggest him (or a similar quack) to somebody suffering from cancer. Cancer is traumatic enough without instilling doubt about conventional medical treatments. As a cancer survivor myself, I can vouch for the efficacy of conventional treatment. It doesn't always work, but it's more effective than any of the alternatives.

If you convince somebody to try one of these alternative therapies, you are most likely killing them. Shame on you.

see also: www.newsweek.com/2016/03/04/stanislaw-burzynski-cancer-medical-malfeasance-429057.html
  • 1 0
 much respect to ACC, strong willed & back in the game!
  • 1 0
 Good to see her back.
  • 1 0
 Proud for ACC!
  • 1 0
 F*ck cancer
  • 8 9
 12 time world champ with no suspension sponsor. Fucked up bike industry.
  • 12 1
 It may have more to do with her being a factory direct rider with Ibis. A lot of companies and pros form alliances for their teams (Spesh/SRAM, Santa Cruz/Shimano, etc...) But it seems Ibis is keeping the door open for components and suspension. Maybe she is just happy with the arrangement she has with Ibis and we don't need to over analyse it?
  • 3 0
 @Duc1098: good point.
  • 10 1
 @Duc1098, exactly. ACC has her own program where she has the ability to run the components she wants. I didn't get the impression that she's being overlooked by the 'bike industry.'
  • 11 0
 @mikekazimer: exactly. The bike industry has way less important people to overlook - namely, me.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: Didn't she always ride BOS in the past? Can't recall ever seeing her on FOX or SRAM in the EWS...
  • 2 4
 Too bad she needs to use an angleset.
  • 3 0
 why is that bad??

choosing to is not needing to.....
  • 2 0
 I use an Angleset, works just fine, I'm 215 and ride the big shit. I chalk up all the bitching to those who don't know how to torque it down properly.
  • 2 0
 @m0dest: i agree, never had any trouble with mine
  • 2 0
 It all comes down to the angleset, yes indeed. Important point here.
  • 1 0
 @PinkyScar: haha...you know it is.







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