COMMENCAL NEWS PYR-EPIC-We-Did-it

PYR'EPIC : We did it!

We have always been keen to support projects with similar values to those we represent at COMMENCAL.

This is how our partnership with LOURDES VTT began a few years ago.
It’s a club that’s made up of passionate riders who, over the last few years, have also organised one of the craziest French stops on the DH World Cup calendar at home in Lourdes.

In addition, the aptly named Bike & Py café/shop was born from their pure love for the sport.
The concept and atmosphere is harmonious with the COMMENCAL SPOT in Andorra, a few minutes from our office.

The close relationship we’ve made with LOURDES VTT led us to enrol a team of staff to participate in another one of their projects, the PYR'EPIC.

The PYR'EPIC is a two-day race across the Pyrenees.

It starts at the summit of the Pic du Midi (2875m above sea level) finishing in Lourdes, with a stop-over at Les Cauterets in the middle.
In total we clocked up 120km with 9000m vertical descent and 5000m vertical ascent!

Everyone knows that we’re all about the downhill bit of riding bikes... And the promise of 9000m descent was reward for all the uphill that was in-store for us.

With an e-bike category, we found a solution; The META POWER + 2 batteries per day!

We managed to recruit 4 people in the office so our team would consist of Léa Giraud and Yannick Commencal from the Marketing department plus Thomas Moret and Jérome Huet, Designer and Engineer.

None other than Anne-Caroline Chausson, our ambassador, multiple World Champion and Olympic BMX Champion, was easily persuaded to join us too! This would be her first race start since she decided to put an end to her competitive career in October 2016. For this ‘Insider story,’

Nico Brizin, also from the Marketing department, was on-hand to document the whole process via photos and videos.

With his passion for the POWER, the boss Max Commencal himself was keen to assist Nico and both of them followed and encouraged us throughout the weekend of racing.

Not used to this type of thing, pre-event preparation was essential in order to overcome this challenge alongside the other 350 participants.

A massive reduction in Milka chocolate snacks and the usual afterwork beers and nachos at the COMMENCAL SPOT were replaced with specific training on our META POWERs.

No more shuttles or up-lifts, we had to ‘learn’ how to go up technical singletracks and even push the bike using the walk mode of our Shimano motors.

We collected our plates and registered our equipment on Friday.

Our META POWERs were loaded onto one of the 5 trailers planned to transport us to the start.
We also have our 2 batteries in toe because no technical assistance is allowed whilst on course. Mandatory verification of our ‘survival equipment’ with whistle, survival blanket, mobile phone in working order, water and food reserves...

To ensure an original report, the organisation planned for Max and Nico to have a night under the stars where the race would start from, at the top of the Pic du Midi.

As for us, between excitement and a little stress, the night was short before an early breakfast at 4:15am in our hotel in Lourdes, then a bus journey to La Mongie.

We were given a briefing, coffee and something to nibble on before taking the cable car straight up to 2875m above sea level.

At the top it was an incredible sight!
The sun was rising just above a sublime sea of clouds, it was just breathtaking!

It was not at all warm, but no matter what, the sunrise is such that we quickly forget the few chills that were running through us.

With hardly enough time to enjoy it, already we had to prepare to leave, we’re here to ride after all!

The day was about to commence - 58km for race day 1.

The first singletracks were quite steep and rocks were catching us up and rolling under our wheels!
We weren’t warmed up but there was no room for error here…

Little by little everyone found their rhythm and took advantage of the views, the quality of the trails and the various surrounding nature... cows and llamas! No, we weren’t dreaming.

Thomas was off quickly, determined to show that his training had paid off.
Behind him, Anne Caro is waiting for Lea for the ‘girls ride’.
Behind, Yannick and Jerome roll at their own pace.

The day ahead consisted of a great descent, a huge pedalling climb and a final long downhill, which was quite technical but also magnificent!
An ideal ride with our META POWER which allowed us to finish early enough to be able to do some mechanics on the bikes (a broken seat post cable was the main concern) but particularly to relax the muscles in the spa area of our accommodation.
The luxury!

In the evening, pasta party and bed.

We were well aware that Sunday would be another story...…

The night was too short again but we knew it was for a good cause, after-all, the sunrise at the top of the mountain was priceless.

Breakfast at 5.30am in front of Les Cauterets cable car, which we got on to head to the start.

This time, things would get tougher.
The kms we’d done already, much more variation of altitude, the ‘hike-a-bike’ and almost 15km more than the day before.

Today Anne Caro decided to go all out and force Thomas to push his limits!

There’s nothing more to say other than she’s got the want to win!
Despite a penalty of 10 minutes for getting a little lost, she still crossed the finish line 10 minutes ahead of Thomas!

Words cannot describe the experiences we went through this weekend!

Between the views and landscapes, the uninterrupted singletrack, the welcome we received from everyone involved, the time spent on our super META POWERs....
Everything was GRAND!

Many thanks to all of the LOURDES VTT team for giving us this opportunity! It remains to be seen what challenge beholds for the COMMENCAL staff in 2019!