Monster Energy congratulates team rider Camille Balanche on taking first place in the Swiss National Championships, and Marine Cabirou on winning the French National Championships, and Thibaut Daprela on taking second place in the French National Championships.
CORONA, Calif., July 11, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Please welcome our new national champions! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Camille Balanche on taking first place in the Swiss National Championships of Downhill Mountain Bike Racing, her fourth win in a row at Swiss Championships. In the race event at Leysin, Switzerland, the 33-year-old from La Chaux-de-Fond, Switzerland, soared above the competition in the Elite Women's division.
In the French National Championships of Downhill Mountain Bike Racing contested at Les Arcs, 26-year-old Marine Cabirou from Millau, France, earned the title of National Champion in the Elite Women's division. In the Elite Men championships, 22-year-old French team rider Thibaut Daprela brought home a strong second-place finish. He was joined by 27-year-old Loris Vergier from Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, in fourth place.
Swiss National Championships: Monster Energy's Balanche Claims the Elite Women's Title
The stars of Swiss DH mountain bike racing were out in scenic Leysin this weekend. From July 7-9, the mountain resort hosted the best male and female racers from across Switzerland. Surrounded by the Vaud Alps, the track has a history of hosting Downhill Mountain Bike World Cups in 2000 and 2001, as well as the 1999 Swiss Cup, and recently became an official championship venue.
Monster Energy's Camille Balanche dropped in as the defending Swiss National Champion in the Elite Women division. And with a dominant performance, the 33-year-old from La Chaux-de-Fond, Switzerland, made it clear that the red championship jersey with the white cross belongs to nobody but her.
Blazing down the steep track, Balanche completed the race in a total time of 3:56.88, more than 9 seconds ahead of the next competitor.
"Super stoked to take my fourth win in a row at Swiss Championships," said Balanche. It is always special because you get to see all your friends and family, and it is way more relaxed, which can also make it a bit harder to focus and take risks and do a good run. It was a special race, for sure. Super happy that I did two good runs and two good times but managed not to take any risks, so that was really good. To see everyone super motivated to get where I am is super cool. It was a bit scary because there were a lot of crashes and a lot of pretty bad ones. Overall, I am super happy with how the weekend went and definitely ready for some rest."
After winning the 2022 Overall UCI DH Mountain Bike World Cup season, Balanche maintained her momentum and currently leads the overall 2023 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup rankings. Stay tuned for more!
French National Championships: Monster Energy's Cabirou is New Elite Women's Champ!
The legendary mountain track at Les Arcs hosted the 2023 French National Downhill Championships with the country's best racers looking to claim the iconic 'Tricolour' sleeve.
In the Elite Women's division, defending champion Myriam Nicole was unable to compete, leaving the door open for crowning a new champion. As the finals unfolded, the main competition emerged between 26-year-old Marine Cabirou from Millau and the Junior Division winner of the UCI World Cup Leogang, Lisa Bouladou.
When the dust settled, Cabirou proved her bike control and racing IQ by finishing the challenging track in 4:24.40, a whopping two seconds ahead of Bouladou as the next competitor in second place.
Speaking on her French National Championship win, Cabirou said: "What better way to end the first part of the season after two difficult years. The fast, technical, and demanding runs were a real challenge, but I was able to surpass myself at every moment."
The newly minted champion also thanked her team: "Your encouragement has been my inexhaustible source of energy and has pushed me to give my best. I'm motivated and determined to pursue my dreams and push my limits even further."
In the Elite Men division, 22-year-old French team rider Thibaut Daprela revisited his rivalry with reigning UCI Downhill World Champion Loic Bruni. In a battle for the ages, Daprela finished 1.5 seconds behind Bruni with a total time of 3:42.94.
"Stoked to take the silver medal today at French Championships with a good run. Was pushing for the win, but the man Loic Bruni was on fire," said Daprela, adding: "It ends a great couple of weeks on a good note, and keeps morale high ahead of Worlds. Now time to head home and relax a little."
Daprela continued, "I had a really good run because I rode like I wanted it and tried to push to win. It's an end of a very good group of races, and I have confidence for the next one, which is the world championships, where I want to perform well. I have a few weeks to train hard and recover to be at 200 percent."
Also performing well in the French DH National Championships, 27-year-old Loris Vergier from Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, took fourth place with a 3:43.46 finish time.
Congrats to the Monster Energy team on these great results from a weekend of national championships! Next, watch out for the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championships in Fort William, Scotland, from August 3-5, 2023. Also, tune in for the next race in the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup season at Pal Arinsal, Andorra, from August 24-27.
For more on Camille Balanche, Marine Cabirou, Thibaut Daprela, and our team of mountain bike athletes visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Also, follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive updates from our mountain bike pros.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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