La Molina (Girona, Spain) ends its three days of European Championships crowning the new European MTB downhill champions, an event with a great atmosphere and a crowd of up to 12,000 people.
The event has gathered 420 riders from 28 countries on the Comella DH track in which the best Spaniards have been Cristina Menéndez (8th) and Daniel Castellanos (10th)
The final run of the MTB downhill European Championships took place this Sunday, August 3rd, in La Molina’s Comella DH track, the epicenter of the European race.
The continent’s best riders have offered a real show on a technical and fast course with 411 m fall and 2.3 km long. Conditions were perfect and up to 12,000 spectators during the three days, have been cheering on key section of the track.
After the morning’s official practice, the final run began at 12:00, following the inverse start order from Saturday’s seeding session results. The riders have gone all out on the mountain resort owned by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, eager to write their name on the continental palmares.
In the elite men's category, the European champion title has been won by Simon Chapelet (FRA), who completed the downhill in 2’57”08, improving by two seconds the best seeding time and ahead of Andreas Kolb (AUT), who’s been unable to hold onto his continental title against the Frenchman's push. The Austrian stopped the timer at 2’57”38. The third podium spot has been for another athlete of the hexagon, Johan Garcin, setting a time of 2’57”62. The best Spaniard has been Daniel Castellanos, performing an outstanding result in front of his home crowd, finishing 10th in 3’00”13.
In the elite women's category, unmatched Swiss Lisa Baumann has held onto the continental jersey performing a 3’26”31 impeccable run, placing her in front of Italian Gloria Scarsi (3’26”31), third has been French Vicky Clavel (3’27”91). The best Spaniard has been Cristina Menéndez, with a solid race in a very demanding final, ending eighth (3’35”01).
Having crossed the finish line with the day’s best time, the new European champion, French Simon Chapelet, was very satisfied with his performance because "I had a good start. Yesterday I hurt my quadriceps, but this morning I felt better and had lots of energy. I tried to do my best and I think it worked really well. I'm really happy”.
Concerning the expectations after Saturday’s seeding run in which he couldn’t finish, he admitted that he had the feeling that he would fight for the podium because, despite his mistake, he thought he had a chance. The Frenchman admitted that "I saw the time of yesterday's best riders and I thought that a .56 could be the winning time. Finally it was a .57, so yes, I knew I could be close". As for the course, he admitted that "on the first day I didn't feel completely comfortable on the track, but as the lines were drawn and we began to ride, it was a lot of fun. La Molina is a very physical course that requires several days of adaptation".
Concerning the main contender and winner of the event in La Molina, Lisa Baumann, she said with tears in her eyes that “this European champion medal is possibly the one that has the most value for me up to date, since I broke my collarbone only two months ago”. Hence the Swiss was unsure on the technical and rugged course, but has confirmed that as the race progressed she felt more comfortable on the bike, being able to clearly win in a great women’s final.
Daniel Castellanos, who won the Spanish national championship in La Molina fifteen days ago and second in yesterday’s seeding run, has been clearly satisfied with his result; “having finished 21st last year, today’s top ten is a great improvement, especially managing the pressure after the seeding run and making it to the bottom safely. I knew it was going to be very difficult to be in the top spots, so I’m pleased with my result”.
The also national champion, Cristina Menéndez, has completed her final run in good shape besides making some minor mistakes which she admits; “a mistake in one of the first turns and another one entering the fast section, but in general I have felt very comfortable in this course, really cool, I loved it. I’ve achieved a very good time and leave happy”.
Menéndez, who knew La Molina from before since she was an alpine skier, has mostly valued the natural environment and the Comella DH track, confirming her choice; “I pick the bike and summer here. The section she most liked of the course was the mid part, the steepest and most natural, inside the forest. Besides it was the best I did”.
This final ends three days of maximum sport intensity. From August 1st to 3rd, La Molina has hosted a unique event both inside and outside the course. The village, open each day from 08:00 to 20:00, has been the neuralgic center for participants and spectators, with food trucks, resting canopies, family activities, a kid’s pumptrack and live music.
The event has also had especial moments such as the tribute to historic Catalan downhillers, the concert by ‘El Kiwi’ which on Saturday afternoon added a festive touch to a day marked by the passion for downhilling.
The closing and award ceremonies on Sunday evening ended the event, consolidating La Molina as a reference destination for European downhill, with a great future for this sport.
Institutional support and upcoming future
From the UEC (Union Européenne de Cyclisme) its president Enrico Della Casa has greeted all the organisation since “these championships have had a high participation in all categories. We’re very surprised with the quality of the organisation, the beauty of the location and the warm welcome from Catalonia, the Pyrenees and Spain, together with the support of the RFEC. I know all the riders and the different nations are very happy and satisfied for having raced these championships”.
The Spanish Government and the Generalitat de Catalunya lead the institutional support of this championship. The Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD), body dependent on the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, the Departament d’Esports and the FGC agree that the organisation of the European Championships will reinforce Spain and Catalunya’s position as ideal place for mountain biking and a benchmark destination for cycling and mountain sports.
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