Must Watch: Olivier Cuvet Sends the Dave Watson Tour de France Road Gap in 'Arcadia'

Nov 12, 2020
by Olivier Cuvet  

Arcadia

In Antiquity, Arcadia was represented as the land of happiness, the ideal land. Ancient poetry, like Virgil, described Arcadia as a primitive and idyllic place populated by shepherds living in harmony with nature.

It was in our minds for a long time. It all started with Olivier’s will to clear Dave Watson’s unfamous Tour de France road gap. The jump itself is something big, but Olivier wanted to go further.

We got to discover and ride some amazing big mountain freeride lines in the Alps during the past decade. We saw then the opportunity to shred those lines and have the road gap in the same edit. Everything in the edit has been shot between 2500m and 3200m in altitude. It’s been a journey but it’s definitely why we ride for!

Photo by Simon Bonnefous

bigquotesI think the very first time I got to see Dave jumping from this cliff, I told to myself that one day I’ll clear this jump. I still can’t believe anyone ever tried this jump again, in 17 years! Really stoked that I was the first one to make it to the bottom in one piece and that we've been able to link it with other big mountain lines I love to ride.—OC

Watch the original from Watson, here

Special thanks for Maxime Rambaud’s dedication, and Banshee Bikes for helping us make this happen!

Rider : Olivier Cuvet
Cinematography : Maxime Rambaud
Photography : Hoshi Yoshida and Simon Bonnefous

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45 Comments
  • 105 1
 Not a single making breakfast shot! Not even a slow mo of someone making coffee with a french press? Lame!
  • 49 0
 Even the original Dave Watson video had a little french press
  • 10 0
 @Mtmw: This is a very good pun.
  • 25 0
 I guarantee I cannot do that.
  • 80 0
 Prove it
  • 5 0
 I wanna see that...
  • 4 0
 @lacuna: honestly I’d like to. That road gap would probably be the end of me though...
  • 9 0
 @dualcrownscottspark: No excuses, you threw down the gauntlet saying, and I quote "I guarantee I cannot do that" now we all want to see!
  • 7 0
 @hisroyalgooseness: I'll recreate it to my best ability. Look for a video in the coming weeks!
  • 3 0
 @dualcrownscottspark: you're very brave. I'm not even going to declare there's no way I can do that. May post a vid of me not doing it - as in washing my bike or something.
  • 1 0
 @nukedchipp: I already have a decent drop, just need to go fast on some trail and film it! I'll have to figure out how to fake me crashing though...
  • 3 0
 In theory, most PB riders *could* pull it with the right combination of luck, speed, bike, and mental fortitude. That is a difficult combo to have all at once.
  • 4 0
 @suspended-flesh: It's super easy as long as you don't crash.
  • 3 0
 @friendlyfoe: Ah yes. Thanks for the advice.
  • 19 0
 Just awesome. Must be one of the coolest gaps of all time! Great edit, great riding
  • 10 1
 This road gap is so rad: The edge is so sketchy, the landscape around so lunar and the surrounding mountains so massive. It is just here, hanged in the air... Dave Watson sending it, back in the time, was such an epic moment of our sport. Congrats to Olivier for clearing it in a such classy way.
By the way, the overall video is just awesome
  • 13 0
 Kill'n it on a Banshee Legend!!
  • 11 0
 Handled that shit like a boss. To be fair to Watson, he was riding a shit bike under extreme pressure and the landing was raw.
  • 3 0
 Hey, hey, hey now! I think what you meant to say was “Watson’s bike was THE shit!” Foes Fly was cutting edge free ride in 2004.
  • 10 0
 very nice edit. Olivier Cuvet's rowdy Freeride style is awesome. Who else does european freeride lines? The Banshee Legend is simply a beauty, too.
  • 6 0
 Should've lost your pants at the end for authenticity points, but otherwise incredible!
  • 4 0
 I remember the heartbreak I experienced when Dave crashed on his attempt. Dude was literally 1 foot short on that landing!
  • 4 0
 First time I've rewatched a video multiple times for a long time. He was ripping!
  • 3 0
 This guy rides his bike like a stone skips across water. Just enough contact time to set the course and the rest of the time is spent in the air. My dream to ride this way...
  • 2 0
 Is it bad that I've used that song at least 3 times in my own sIcK EDiTs and know exactly where to download the non-copyright version from epidemicsound.com ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • 1 0
 I was going to only jump through the edit but once I saw Legend's shock tunel, I jumped to the start because Legend doesn't appear normaly. Sick riding, refreshingly classic edit!
  • 1 0
 The Dave Watson gap jump has been dumbed down with all the landscaping been done to the take off and landing areas. The rest of the edit is awesome.
  • 2 0
 "It all started with Olivier’s will to clear Dave Watson’s unfamous Tour de France road gap". That's not very nice...
  • 1 0
 I guess we know who’s gonna jump where over the Tour de France riders next year Wink
  • 4 0
 I’m going to step up gap over the peleton.
  • 1 0
 Jim Carey?
  • 2 0
 Legend! The bike is such an eye catcher!
  • 1 0
 So good, but the original made my heart stop back in the day. Watson had huge balls to do that.
  • 2 0
 Rowdy
  • 1 0
 all of that made my hands sweat.
  • 1 0
 this time with shorts on!!
  • 1 0
 So badass. So much style and shredding
  • 2 0
 *infamous
Sick riding!!
  • 1 0
 I still love how Dave Watson actually dropped his pants in the crash.
  • 1 0
 Very nice video. Always this flow style for Oliv but put the saddle up ; )
  • 1 0
 I miss those les 2 alpes scree slopes! So much fun!
  • 1 0
 sickkkk
  • 1 0
 that was sick!
  • 1 0
 NO Gloves! Insane.
  • 1 0
 Favorited







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