Val D'isere

French internet is probably the worst i have ever come across!! Only been able to get a decent connection until now.

So within the past week I have driven from Schladming, Austria to Val D'isere in France for the UCI World Cup. Got there on the Thursday morning at about 7am after trying to get a few hours sleep in over the night drive. Hectic. For breakfast had some traditional baguettes with jam and coffee which got me ready for practice which started at 8:30. From anywhere you stood in the town if you looked up you could see the downhill track as it was open with no trees on the steep mountain. One thing which I did scope out was this massive wooden booter at the end. My freeride senses were tingling like cray. I met some of the New Zealanders there such as Vero, Snoop, Walker, Mcgrombie, Hampdog, Reece and Desdemona (Dez) who I would be staying with for a while. I got my riding kit on and headed towards the Chairlift. What I did not realize as you were meant to have a back plate, as the french protective gear rules are different to anywhere else. Like true NZ style,  ended up finding some cardboard and cutting it to fit. Waaalah! Back plate sorted thanks to trusty old Snowy. 

Going up on the Chairlift you can see the whole track, and from what it looked like it was going to be pretty different to most other tracks. Just lots of jumps with little or no landings. True freeride style. There was one jump off a little shed onto this horrible landing, watching people go off it was scary, hard landing to smashing of the head onto the steam of your bike. GNARLY DUDE. The dirt was rocky base and quite dusty, so staying in control would be one more thing that would be on your mind. Got a few runs in and managed to send the big wooden booter at the end, airtime was so much fun. After a hard day of riding in the scorching heat, a good french meal was gobbled down with the whole NZ crew and then back to our tents, yes tents. 

Friday was Qualifying which came round very quickly. Had a few runs in the morning, going through a few crises of getting a flat tyre and loosing my cardboard backplate but it all came together. For elite women you have to qualify in the top 20 to race and for the elite men it is top 80. The track had become rough and blown out in places, also they ended up taking out the shed jump as it was just too sketchy. I wasn't feeling to great on the track, but all i could do was try my best and to get down the hill with a clean as possible run. Qualifying was average, I didn't feel a  good run feeling. I ended up being 34th and 4th in junior. Seeing as i didn't qualify all i could do now was cheer my lungs out for all the other Kiwis racing. Cam Cole qualified 1st and then Brook Macdonald qualified 3rd. Having two kiwis in the top three was pretty amping for race day on sunday. 

Sunday was crazy. Final three coming down was one of the most exciting and nerve racking experience out. 3 more riders to go and Brook pinned down with a time to get him to 1st place. 2 more riders to go meant he had a guaranteed podium. The next few minutes waiting for Josh Bryceland and Cam Cole took for forever. In the end, Brook ended up winning and Cam came 8th and Josh 3rd. We went crazy!!! It was the best feeling out , having Brook one of the fellow young kiwi riders winning his first World Cup and being there for it was just amazing. 

Right now I am currently in Pila, Italy. We drove here on wednesday from Morzine and gladly found a cheap room with the girls because last night sleeping in the van wasn't very comfy and with no showers or anything until monday wasn't going to cut it for us queens. Doing an IXS Cup, practice starts tomorrow with race on Sunday. Excited to ride! #YOLO