Video: Damien Oton's 2020 Maxiavalanche Winning Race Run

Aug 5, 2020
by Orbea  


We’re loving the sound of tires returning to the race course. Especially when they come from our team riders.

Damien Oton harnessed speed, skill, and his new Orbea Rallon at the 2020 Maxiavalanche in the Alps, putting him across the finish line before anyone else in the mass start race. Having placed first in qualifiers the day before, the Orbea Fox Enduro Team rider embraced his qualifier status on race day and claimed victory at the one-of-a-kind downhill event.

Check out the POV footage from his winning run in France.


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MENTIONS: @orbea / @raceface / @fizik / @foxfactory / @crankbrothers / @Maxxis



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26 Comments
  • 7 0
 Brilliant work! The manoeuvre and line choice for the final overtake was amazing. I don’t think I’d finish that run in one piece.

Did he almost lose it over the side at 10:30?
  • 3 0
 What blows my mind apart from the energy output, is how the heck they know where they're going, particularly in those free line choice wide open, no trails to be seen, gnarly rock and scree gardens at the beginning of the race!
  • 6 1
 that's warp speed !!! I'm almost as fast if give 10 minutes head start ! hahaha
  • 2 0
 To anyone from USA that has done Megavalanche whats the total cost of the trip look like? I really want to cross this off my bucket list but with everything involved, I feel like it can get expensive.
  • 1 0
 Did Mega a few years ago. I flew from NYC to Zurich to Lyon. Zurich is an international airport, Lyon is local. From Lyon, took a train into the town of Lyon, which is an amazing little town worth exploring. I believe Lyon was the closest airport you could get to Alpes d'Huez. Then a rental car. Biggest expense is the airline ticket, second is the rental car. We hoteled it, but when i was there, you could actually camp out at the base of the lift, which many people did. 3 lifts to the top. Airline ticket was around $2100 round trip. French cars were all standard.
  • 1 0
 @mashira: Lyon a little town??One of the biggest cities of France I think.
  • 1 0
 phops, if you've never been over there, do it. I did the Mega in 2011. It's a real good and real crazy time. If you like wheel to wheel racing it's awesome. The Mega is very long, 8000' descent and 1000' of climbing. It's a gnarly adventure. My costs were high cuz I took my whole family with me and then went on to tour around for 2 weeks after. Very memorable trip.
  • 1 0
 @mashira: Did you bring any spares like wheels, derailleurs, e.t.c?
  • 1 0
 @phops: just typical riding supplies: spare tube, tire lever, multi-tool. Nothing wrong with being overly prepared, but I chose not to take that route. If you have the means, go for it, but I just didn't want to bring all that stuff. If I was hardcore competing, I probably would've, but I was just out there to have fun and not having anxiety over breaking my bike and "what if" scenarios played a big part of that.
  • 1 0
 @NoskillNotalent: you're right. I kept thinking of it as a smaller town from my very initial impressions of arriving early morning. But yeah, after exploring, it's an amazing place. The part of the city between the river, the mountainside area, a couple mountain bike trails, etc. The city kept impressing and impressing. Haha, thanks for reminding me!
  • 1 0
 Love these race vids.
I honestly though it was not full race when I saw a 16 min video but yes it was.
Insane speed.
And very friendly. He warned the leader he was about the pass. The leader (Baptiste I believe) told him where he could do it safely. Not sure we're going to see that anytime soon for a race win in Formula 1.
  • 2 0
 Awesome to watch this! On the hairy edge! Time to go hammer out some 20 minute segments!! Heavy duty pedaling in there... Looks like the qauli course for the Mega.
  • 2 0
 They guy on a wheel chair not long ago. Damien otton for pm!! Congrats for the great run!!
  • 2 0
 I don't speak French but I'm pretty sure he said: "Move buddy! You're not in it to win it!!"
  • 2 0
 He said" a ta gauche" which means " on your left"...he was telling the 1st guy on which side he was going to pass him
  • 6 0
 My French is nonexistent, but I'm pretty sure he yelled "BALL SANDWICH"... and the guy panicked and moved over.
  • 1 0
 @frenchyrider: lol
  • 6 0
 Actually pretty impressed at how friendly the chat is. He specifically calls out other riders by name:

"Watch ou Dim(itry), I'm taking the inside" on one of the first turns.
"Hey Baptiste, I'm behind on your left", to whic hthe guy in front looks back and seems to says something along the lines of "(i'll let you pass) just ahead", "Here, thanks", incoherent but the tone suggests "good luck/go for it"
  • 3 0
 He clearly knows all the lines, imagine this being your after-work ride
  • 4 0
 Savage
  • 2 0
 \m/ \m/
  • 1 0
 Rallon finally won a race !! ????????‍♂️
  • 3 0
 It just needed Damien Oton on it.
  • 2 0
 super fast
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