2019 Pinkbike Awards: Performance of the Year Winner
Whether we watched them compete live or from the comfort of the couch, alone or with fellow spectators, each of our nominees: Sam Hill, Brandon Semenuk, Amaury Pierron, Danny Hart, Chloe Woodruff, Emil Johansson, and Marine Cabirou, had us gasping with excitement and yelling expletives out loud at their outstanding performances.
While all of these athletes were awarded gold medals for their efforts, there can be but one winner of the Pinkbike Award for Best Performance.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Amaury Pierron
Commitment, technique, and precision all boiled down to a performance far above the rest.
Amaury Pierron
Commitment, technique, and precision all boiled down to a performance far above the rest.
The atmosphere was electric on Bastille weekend at the Les Gets World Cup. As the top qualifier and last man down the hill, Amaury Pierron had the pressure of a nation on his shoulders.
Right out of the gate, Pierron was on the pedals and absolutely flying at the top of the course. With a proper two-wheeled drift on the grass corners, racing on the absolute ragged edge, it almost looked like he wouldn’t be able to hold on. He managed to keep it together, but only just. He was 1.154 seconds faster on than anyone else on that top section heading into the key forest section.
As he headed into the woods, he extended his lead, keeping it unbelievably fast but under control. The hard work was done at the start of the run and he just had to manage his gap from there on down... But how could he know that? Instead, he gives us more two-wheeled drifting, sends the jump deep and is 1.602 up with three turns to go.
As he headed into the woods, he extended his lead, keeping it unbelievably fast but under control. The hard work was done at the start of the run and he just had to manage his gap from there on down... But how could he know that? Instead, he gives us more two-wheeled drifting, sends the jump deep and is 1.602 up with three turns to go.
When Pierron crosses the line for his second World Cup win of 2019, he's 2.352 seconds up. Despite the pressure of a nation, he goes fastest in qualifying and fastest in finals. Commitment, technique, and precision all boiled down to a performance far above the rest of the field. A French victory on French soil and the performance of the year.
Watch the full race replay here.
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Just a quick question though, ever since President Paxton and Ambassador Goldblum freed the world from alien overlords, do people in France celebrate July 4th as world Indepence day and Bastille day on the 14th? Seems like two paid days off work in the same month would be tough on an economy.