UCI Snow Bike World Championships: What the first snow bike world championships were like

Premiere in Châtel (Haute-Savoie). The UCI Snowbike Championships were held here for the first time. Medals were awarded in two categories: Super G and Dual Slalom.

Super G

The Super G (Super Giant Slalom) was a downhill run with a total length of 1,957 metres and a difference in altitude of 600 metres.

There were 43 men and 7 women at the start. The principle of the Super G with mountain bikes is the same as in Olympic skiing or snowboarding. The start is individual. The starters had to manoeuvre their bikes past set gates. A fast start from the starting gate and sensitivity in the bends are required.

In the women's...

...the former UCI downhill mountain bike world champion Morgane Charre (FRA) set the first record with a time of 2:23.70 minutes. She was considered one of the favourites because she had ideal training conditions. But her lead was short-lived, as Veronika Widmann (ITA), five-time Italian downhill champion, clocked a time of 2:18.17 minutes. Then came Morgane Such and also beat this time (2:15.95). This makes Morgane Such the first female world champion in the super-G at the UCI Snowbike World Championships.

In the men's super-G...

... 46 riders lined up at the start. By far the most prominent starter was two-time UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Champion Danny Hart (GBR). He was the first rider with a time of 1:57.17 minutes, almost nine seconds faster. In the end, however, it was only enough for 5th place. Frenchman Pierre Thévenard was almost ten seconds faster than Hart. Thévenard, who lives in Châtel, made the most of his home advantage and the ideal training conditions. In the end, the podium was finalised: Thévenard won gold, Ireland's Kerr silver and Vincent Tupin bronze.

The super-G was also the qualifier for the dual slalom on the Sunday of the event.

Dual slalom at the UCI Snowbike World Championships

On the second day of the UCI Snowbike World Championships, the dual slalom was on the programme. Here, two riders competed in a knockout system. The race took place on a 510 metre long course with 155 metres of elevation gain. The 32 fastest skiers from Saturday (Super G) competed against each other, with only the fastest skier progressing to the next round. In the women's race, all seven racers from the previous day were at the start.

Pierre Thévenard won the men's race, repeating his super-G victory from the previous day, while Switzerland's Lisa Baumann took gold in the women's race.

Thévenard doubly successful with second gold medal.

Thévenard faced two-time UCI downhill world champion Danny Hart in the semi-final, and Henry Kerr (IRE) against super-G bronze medallist Vincent Tupin (FRA) in the other semi-final. Thévenard won the final ahead of Vincent Tupin (silver), Henry Kerr came third (bronze).

Lisa Baumann wins the women's category

In the women's dual slalom, all eyes were on Saturday's super-G gold medallist Morgane Such (FRA). She faced her compatriot Morgane Charre (FRA) in the semi-final. In the end, however, gold went to Lisa Baumann from Switzerland, silver to Morgane Such and bronze to Jolanda Kiener from Switzerland.

"We couldn't train"

Interview with Morgane Such: Super-G Snowbike World Champion

Morgane, congratulations on winning the world title. How was the premiere of the Snowbike World Championships?

It was a rush job and you could see that in the event. You could also feel it in the field of drivers. Most of them have raced on snow before, but mostly just for fun or in the Megavalanche race. A super-G and a dual slalom were new to all of us. It was surprisingly informal in the field of skiers. We all helped each other.

How did you prepare?

Hardly. I've already skied fast on snow, but I didn't have any specific preparation for the World Championships. I think everything will be much more professional in the future.

The bikes had spikes on the tyres, what else did you change on the bike?

Yes, the spikes were the biggest change. It was also about the correct length of the spikes. I tightened up the suspension because there were no jumps and no uneven terrain.

What is the biggest challenge in the race?

The uncertainty. Because we couldn't train. That was tough. We rode down the slope once, but not on the original track. The organisers feared that the track would be too soft for the race.

In the run-up to the race, some downhill celebrities made disparaging remarks about the snow race. Is that why so few stars turned up?

Perhaps. Many are annoyed that world championships are being organised in this unknown discipline at the first attempt. After all, there isn't even a Snowbike World Cup yet. Many other disciplines such as enduro are still waiting for a world championship. I understand this criticism very well. There is a rumour that the UCI is looking for a way to include another discipline in the Olympics.

How much prize money does a snowbike world champion get?

(laughs) I'm a bit embarrassed, but I don't know. I wasn't told anything and I didn't ask.