The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regional committee reigned supreme last weekend on its land, during the French Olympic cross-country mountain bike championships (XCO). In the hinterland of Nice, in Levens (Alpes-Maritimes), the pilots from the South carried out a real raid, winning medals in almost all categories.
Guay continues the tradition among the U23s
The day after Mathis Azzaro’s coronation during the short race (XCC), the very promising Vauclusians Lise Revol and Noa Filippi (Gordes Vélo Evasion) won among the U17s. On Sunday, it was Mathis Guay (KTM Factory), from Calas, who won in the U23 category, ahead of Nice’s Luca Martin (Orbea). Also a member of AVC Aix, Guay thus perpetuates the tradition of French Espoirs champions belonging to the South region, after Antoine Philipp (2019), Mathis Azzaro (2020), Luca Martin (2021, 2022) and Adrien Boichis (2023) .
A shower of medals
Other medals punctuated this weekend of competition in the mud and huge puddles, scars of recent torrential rains. Romane Truntschka (Véloproshop Madewis) finished second in U19. AC Marseille Est came back with two gems: silver for Yannick Sénéchal (AC Marseille Est) in Masters +50 and bronze for Emeric Turcat in Masters 35-49 years old.
In Elites, in the absence of world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Ineos-Grenadiers / Fréjus) among the girls, Titouan Carod (BMC) won bronze among the Elite men, while Haut-Alpin Antoine Philipp (Massi) and Meyrarguais Mathis Azzaro (Decathlon Ford) ranked 5th and 7th respectively.
Place at the European Championships
In the wake of these “France”, Mathis Guay, Mathis Azzaro and Titouan Carod will now don the blue jersey of the French team: they will be among the headliners, along with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, lined up for the championships European Mountain Bike Championships which take place in Cheile Grădiștei (Romania) from May 8 to 12.
