You are the last rider you can decide of the result of the race, the full world watching you. Benoit Colan Hales from France and is a World Cup downhill star. Could this be the day? Could this be the day of the Benoit Colan wins his first UCI World Cup race. He is a two time World Cup winner and two time national champion.

Ben crosses a line. I win the UCI World Cup here in the humble Frenchman. Took an unusual path to get there, but he has cemented himself as one of the very best. He has a new team for 2025 with Scott Factory racing and he is ready to win some more. So the first two years Elite, I did three or four rounds of World Cup each season.

I think for me it's a big problem for the elite men, 30 guys in finalists. It's not enough. Was there any time that you. Thought about giving up or, or quitting. We had, like al every rider was injured. So before the race, my al come to me and say, if you want to, to go now, you need to, to go, because we have the, the last raid is not injured.

So, so how much do you win when you win a World Cup? It's my worst beginning season from like few years now.

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And um, yeah, maybe we could start out with like. How the season's gone for you so far? Uh, four. It is not a very good start of the season. I did, uh, six, six round and no result yet. So yeah, it's, it's pretty tough. Um, I think the three first round I was really good. I had a good level. Mm-hmm. But I didn't have the result I, I wanted.

Um, I have a little mechanical on the first one, but still top 10. Uh, and I have two crash in and logo where the speed was really good. But yeah, it's, I didn't finish the, the run, so yeah, it is a bit difficult. I think, uh, it's my worst beginning of season from like few years now. I didn't remember her missing so much, uh, race.

Uh, yeah. So, yeah, we'll see. Then the next part, how it. But yeah, I, I will work a lot. Um, I think it just, I just need to execute a bit better and it's gonna be okay. What do you think has been the main, the main thing that's been holding you back? I mean, obviously you had, uh, you know, you had the mechanical, was it in Poland?

I think, yeah. And, and I think the go off, yeah. Yeah. Well that was a bummer 'cause in Poland you were really on it. Um, yeah, you were on for a good run there. But other than that, you know, the last few rounds, what do you think, what do you think has been the main factor?

Um, I start to, to really know, um, like something is always strange with me is like, uh, end of June and beginning of July, I'm never on, like, every year is the same, is my worst part of the season. So, I don't know, maybe it's because we already did a bit too much of bike and mm-hmm. I have maybe a little. Bit less motivation and when the, the time are so tight, uh, like you can be just once again off and it's like really far from the front.

Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I don't know. Um,

yeah. Just I need to go faster. Sure. Yeah. I mean, honestly, the level now is insane. Like I have never, I don't know, from every year the level gets higher. Yeah. Um, but from last year to this year, I don't know what's gone on, but it's just seems incredible. The jump. There's like a massive jump from last year to this year.

Yeah. I think with the new format, um. Like, for example, if you don't do in Q1, the Q2 is like everyone sends their life. And so it is even harder to qualify in Q2. Like in the field we are like, I think 22, 23 rider will won. The World Cup is not enough place for, you know, you have only 20 plays. So it's not enough place for every, uh, workout winner.

So, and with the, the Yoko rider coming is, yeah, it's pretty tough. Um, yeah, but it's, for me, it's really interesting because it's, it's why the sport is, is so hard and it's, it's make really interesting because if everything, it's easy, just like boring. Mm-hmm. You know, you need to fight really hard, find solution to, to go faster than others.

So, eh, I think it's, it's good for the sport and for the fan. It's also good to have tight tracing. Like it's, you never know who, who will win, who will you be in the top 10? And even in the quality, so. It's, it's a good choice. Yeah. I think for definitely being on the other side of the tape and not racing, it's really cool to watch.

Um, but I can imagine, yeah, for the riders, it's obviously a lot more stressful having no one protected. And are you, as a rider, are you a fan of the new format? Um, or, or not? Let for sure. The quality is the stressful day of the week, um, is do a big change. Mm-hmm. Like me, I'm really stressed on, on the holidays and before it, it wasn't exactly the same.

Mm-hmm. Uh, so it make the, the weekend more tiring for an athlete. Mm-hmm. That, uh, when you have like see around in two months, I think. It's, it's a lot. It's tering. Um, I think for me the biggest problem is the, the teams like will be not sure to have radar in final. That is very difficult for the sponsor and to, to get the money and everything.

I think for me it's a big problem. Uh, for the elite two main 30 guys in finalists is not enough I think to have like really a, a fair sport for me. Uh, ditch is one run and you need to have the maximum rider in final. Mm-hmm. But think for one run mm-hmm. Than like qualification before. Um, for me it's more like the, at the end of the sport.

Mm-hmm. Uh, so yeah. But now it's a bit different. Um, yeah. For me it's more stressful than before. I think it's, yeah, it's, I, I mean, I a hundred percent agree. Um, I, I, I, I kind of understand what they want to do and like making the sport more elite. Um, but at the same time, I remember a few, you know, in past years, there've been writers.

I, I think it was, uh, 2020 maybe Jamie Edmondson qualified like in the fifties, I think. And then he ended up getting on the podium, um, as a privateer and something like that will never happen again because those riders don't get the chance to even get in the final. And that, I think for me, that was what's, what's so cool about downhill is that you can, if you feel good that day, like you can have an insane result.

And maybe you're not a regular top 10 or top five guy, but you could. It's still possible, you know, but now, yeah, now you end up having guys like yourself and I mean, there's been other many big names, uh, race winners that have not made it into finals. And it's like crazy because I think the fans and everyone who's watching, they want to see those guys.

They wanna see you guys in the finals. Um, so I think that is the Yeah, the one for me, the, the downside of, of the new format. Yeah, sure. And like the new race, like the, uh, for like the, they try to, to do a new, uh, series and the workup, yet we have no media coverage. We don't even know the result and stuff.

It's, it's not like, it's not enough. So I think for, it's pretty hard to know if they need to go to workup or, and not qua, not be qualified or go to the continental wise. Uh, sometime pretty far too. It's, it's pretty expensive too. Mm-hmm. There are no, no media coverage or It's pretty hard, pretty tough for them.

And I think also the way that you, I mean, you weren't a guy that was immediately, you know, on the podium out of juniors and stuff, you kind of had a slow build, almost a little bit like Andy Kob. Um, you know, it took a bit longer for you to get to the top. Um, and I feel like that will almost, well it's not that it's impossible now, but I think it's way harder now to be able to do that because with the current qualifying, you don't even, these guys don't even make finals.

Um, and yeah, I think like you get sponsorship and stuff. I don't know, I don't know how you feel about it, but I feel like that's something that we might not have seen you, you know, if, if this format had been there 10 years ago, maybe you wouldn't have got to where you are. Yeah, sure. Uh, even with the old format, no, like doing I thing, uh, world Cup season is the price is were higher.

Like before you, before you, even if you don't have the, the best bike or best coconut, you will be able to, to, to race and do good result. Now it's like you just, you just need to have like way more tires for a weekend. Uh, it's, you need to have some people on the track and stuff like this because it's pretty tough to do result.

And I think, yeah, no, without the team is is where the all, you need to have a lot of money. I think like in the past, for me, 10 years ago, like first, uh, first World Cup, world Cup, I did, it was, uh. Valdi air in France, 2012 Uhhuh. Uh, I was there. The tire, the, the tire, the tire had on my bike was from the, the bike I bought in the beginning of the, the year.

But for sure it was like a season way. It was really moody in the beginning. So I use a lot the, the mud tire, but my dry tire was like from the, from the stock buy. And it was like, I was selected by the, the French Federation. Mm-hmm. So they had a, a mechanic that was helping the, the junior. We were I think six or seven.

Uh, and he find me a new tire for my rear because it was too, too used. Uh, but it wasn't a brand new tire, so, you know, and I qualified. Uh, it's, it's crazy. No, like with, with the tire we have, um, better compound and it. It's, um, gonna be way faster, um, use mm-hmm. Yeah. And you need to change, like for me, like after one day of training, I need to change my rear tire.

No. In work capture. Mm-hmm. Crazy. Yeah. I mean, I guess you wanna avoid possibly getting a flat or something as well, and you never know how many hits the, the tire got and maybe there's a weak spot as well. Um, yeah. But maybe, I mean, you touched on that your first World Cup was 2012. Um, maybe you can, we can rewind back a little bit to how Yeah.

How you actually got into downhill, uh, you know, and, and mountain biking and did you start as a young kid or when did this come about? I, I always did a lot of, uh, bike, like mm-hmm. Uh, when I was young with my father. Uh, but he was just, uh. Like some little, uh, run around the, the horse or, you know, when you are very young.

He, he was just like this. And I try many sport. And one day my father, uh, asked me if I wanted to be in Umm, TB club. Mm-hmm. And I say, yeah, but just if they, they teach me to how to jump. And in the past it was pretty difficult. Like most, uh, club in France was about cross country. Mm-hmm. So at the end, I end up in, uh, b mix club.

Uh, um, yeah, I just like ride for two years, the bear mix. And after that I have some problem with my, uh, back. Mm-hmm. So the, the doctor didn't wanted to, to sign my license for Bamix, so I, I stopped this, but. I rode even more in MTB because like in the past it was just like the, the Saturday, the Sunday afternoon.

Mm-hmm. And, and after that, it was like every evening I went on the bike and, and just tried to find some jump around the, the horse and stuff like this. So I, I rode a lot like this and I think around 15, um, with my father, we went to leisure and we run some ditch bike. Mm-hmm. Um, I, and we did few days in, um, after that he was, yeah, like around the gravity.

MTB was the easiest thing to do. It was ditch. So I tried to, to raise some little local race with my, um. Uh, in the past he was a Scott Voltage, uh, door jump. So I, I raised some local race, uh, with the, this bike. Um, we had, I think it was at 16, um, I raised a lit yeah, local, local race on my home. Uh, like I shred the track during the full summer and at the end of the summer we had the race and I won it, uh, the scratch and we had two guys, uh, were there from the World Cup.

Mm-hmm. From. Lan and Si River? I don't, I don't think so. You, you know it, but they did like few workups and they qualified. Mm-hmm. And I, I won this race in front of them. Uh, so my father say, okay, no, I, I can help you to, to buy a, a real, uh, ditch bike. Mm-hmm. Uh, from there, I, I start to, to ride more DH year.

And what, what year was that exactly? Uh, 2010 and 2011, I, I had my first, uh, DH bike and 2011 was my first year. Junior. How crazy. Again, first year Junior, I just did local race and second year, junior, I start French Cup and I did my first World Cup here with the French team. Crazy. And when did you get on?

'cause I know you wrote Nikolai at one point. Yeah. Um, when did you, was that also doorbell or was that before? Uh, it was in, pretty much in same time. Like after I, like 2012, I start to, to have good result in local race and French cap. Mm-hmm. Uh, and Claude pre period, uh, my team manager from Darval pushed the, the French, uh, team, uh, manager to, to take me for the first World Cup.

And Claude said to me, okay, next year we will do like a little, little team, uh, because, uh, in our club we, we had some few, uh, young rider that wanted to try the World Cup. Mm-hmm. So, yeah. The year after that, they created the little team. And it start with Ozon was, and uh, Nikola, it wasn't a direct contract, but I think we had some price on the bike and we start to, to riding Nikolai.

And I think Doval went in 2014, helped the team crazy. So then you were on the same team actually from 2013, was it Till, yeah, till last year. 24. Yeah. Wow. It just like, the team evolved, but the beginning was, was same crazy. Same team manager. The writer changed a lot, but me, um, I was from the beginning. Yeah.

How was that? But it was, it was more like pri organized than Uhhuh a team. You know, we, we didn't have any budget. It was like, yeah, it's. It was a club. Uh, we tried to, to go to the World Cups and at the beginning. Yeah. And when, um, when was like the kind of, um, I don't know, the turning point or the, the point that you got, you realized, okay, like I can really, I can, you know, really get some good results or I can potentially win a World Cup.

Yeah. So for me at this time, I was studying two. Mm-hmm. So the first two years Elite, I did three or four round of World Cup each season. Um, so first year Elite result wasn't very good. Second year Elite, maybe I did top 50 or top 40 in workup. And so the, the third year Elite, I finished my study. I work only during the winter and during the summer I was able to do the full season, I think, and I get my first top 20 in four.

William. Am That, was that, what year was that? 2015. 16. 15 or 16. I don't remember. It was the year where they canceled, like the, the day of qualification because it was too, too much. Ah, yeah. Yeah. I remember that. 2016. Yeah. So it was this year. Uh, yeah, I qualify 15 and finish 15 I think. So it was a good result from there.

Uh, so the year after that. The team, uh, find some money and I start to, to earn some money. But it wasn't crazy like it was enough to, to leave, uh, at the parent, uh, house. But that's, that was, so it's the, yeah. And from there I was one, 100% focused on Dish. Yeah. Crazy. And when did you guys, so first of all, that Nikolai that you were riding at the time, how, how good was that bike actually?

Uh, I think it was very good. I first, like with the, I had the gearbox Yeah. On it and the belt. Uh, even if it wasn't a load, like normally you need to have a she mm-hmm. On the bike at this time. It was the, the rules, uh, first thing, like the experience to ride a bike, like this is the silence. Mm-hmm. Uh, this is crazy, uh, because like.

Every time you hear a song is that you have a problem is like something is untight or mm-hmm. So yeah, for honestly it wasn't, for sure it wasn't the best bike, but it was well enough for, it was easy to find a good sitting. It was, uh, easy maintenance and yeah, it was, I really enjoyed the, the time on, on this bike.

At one moment, I, I, I think you remember, but I broke the gearbox at one start. It was also in four year. Yeah. I remember a lot of people remember that. It, it was when like the, the gearbox was prototype at the beginning. Mm-hmm. It was super good. And once they try to produce, it's the moment was they start to have some problem.

Mm-hmm. And during one year we have some problem. But yeah, it was really good. Honestly. I see. Because I see, obviously now they've got this, this big, uh, belt prize purse. Yeah. And like a lot of teams now switched to belt drives because of that. Um, do you think that that's, I mean, you've obviously had some experience on that type of bike.

Do you think that that's gonna be the future or do you think it's kind of just a passing phase now? Uh, I hope we'll see more and more, uh mm-hmm. Because, like I said, the experience to ride the bike, a seal bike is pretty insane. Um, because I think we don't really know, but we associate the, the son of the bike with how it work.

Mm-hmm. Um, more silence, more you feel like you have a bike working better. Uh, so we'll see. But for sure, one day we will see someone winning workup with, uh.

Crazy. It's like I, yeah, like I think it was six, eight years ago, I did some top 10 with the belt, so I don't know why they can for sure. They, they can been work up with the bike. You think the main reason that they haven't brought in something like that already is because of like companies like Schramm and Shimano wanting to sell more Derailers?

Uh, yeah. Maybe. Um, but first is like changing a de is pretty easy. Mm-hmm. Uh, it is not really expensive on a DH bike. It's more expensive now with, in, with, uh, wireless and stuff like this. But, so even for customer is a bit like they can be a bit, uh, afraid to, to buy a bike like this if they have a problem.

Even I think now they can. Put down easily the gearbox and send to the, the companies. Mm-hmm. To, to have a a CV in the past for me was like the gearbox was melt in the, in the bike. Mm-hmm. So it was a bit different. Yeah. And which year did you guys then switch to commensal From, from Nikolai 2018. 18. Yeah.

And your first, was your first podium at Worlds in 2021 or did you get one before that? No, no, 2021, like yeah, I did my first work at Podium also. 2021. Yeah. 2018 I did what, top 10, I think. But the team didn't have enough budget. We didn't have always fresh part. And I have a lot of mechanical problems and I, I lost some.

Some quality or I had problem finally, it was more mechanical. I think my level was like around, around top 10, but the reason wasn't there because I have so much problem. 2019, I have a knee injury. Mm-hmm. Knee injury. Uh, um, so 2020 was the COVID year. Um, you know, at, at this time for like maybe three years, I start to really, uh, be professional and I had enough money to, to leave.

Um, I didn't want to lose this life, pretty much this dream to to mm-hmm. Live, to ride my ditch. Uh, so 2020 after, uh, no results in 2019, I was really, really. And push hard on the training to have really good result. And we had the COVID. Mm-hmm. That stopped everything. And me, I didn't stop to train. I really push hard.

So we had like a little season at the end of the year and I, I was French champ in front of Lo Bon and Louis Verge, and I have some decent result in workups. So I was pretty happy because I knew with too bad here you can pretty much lose your contract when you are not mm-hmm. In the top field, I think.

So I was pretty stoked and from this season my new goal was to do a podium in World Cup. Yeah. And 2021 I did it. So I was super stoked. How did that, uh, how did you get the podium at a World Cup or Worlds First? World Cup. I was, it was in Ong, I think it was the first, the first World Cup of the year. And how did, yeah, I mean I, I guess like, it's quite unusual 'cause you started racing like 10 years before it took you 10 years to get there.

Yeah. It must have been quite a, uh, surreal feeling to actually get on, get on a podium at a World Cup. Yeah. It, it was in real, like for me it was more dream than a goal pretty much. Uh, you know, from the beginning, like just racing World Cup was, was a dream. And I think it's lot of little dream carry me to this level because at the beginning was just being the team.

Mm-hmm. Be at the World Cup, uh, do the quality done. Uh, going in a World Cup that's, uh, outside of Europe. It was a lot of little dream like this, or even just being the, in the live Red Bull Live because your family can see you. It was like a little goal and having, it was a lot of, yeah, little dream and goals like this that motivate me at every year to improve myself.

Um, yeah, 2020 was, I was pretty close to this podium, you know, I was able to, to feel that it was really possible to do a podium. So my, my focus and my goal was for 2021 was to, to be on the, on one podium of 4K. Mm-hmm. And for me it was big, big achievement. Yeah. I was pretty proud of all the, the journey I did to today, and I mean.

Like when you started 10 years before, I mean, I'm sure that there were many, um, tough times. I mean, I, I know myself how tough downhill is. Um, were there, was there any time that you thought about giving up or, or quitting? No. No. No. Because like, I was pretty lucky. Pretty much every year I progress. Mm-hmm.

So, you know, it's easy to feel the, the motivation when every year you, you, you be a bit better or you find something is, is better. Uh, and yeah, just like when you are young, you, you don't, even if it's sometime a bit tough, it's, it's, it's okay. I mean, it just like on the moment you. You feel is the, the race of your life when you are really young, every, every time you race, you feel like this last race you did, but it's a bit stressful.

But at the end I think we, I always see what's it's coming and Yeah. And so you got your first, yeah. Your first couple of podiums I think to, to finish, sorry. Yeah. Yeah. I had some, I think 2017 and 2018, I managed the logistic of component for the workup of the team. So it was pretty stressful, uh, years.

Yeah. Because we didn't, like, we were a lot of riders in the team and we have like one or two mechanic for maybe five, six rider. So it was pretty difficult for them. Mm-hmm. And me, I tried to manage like the component and everything, uh. Like it was pretty hard to manage because mechanic didn't have time to really see what's it's missing in the truck and stuff like this.

And me, between the race, I tried to, to see what, uh, what is missing. And it was pretty, pretty tough. Yeah. And I think during this few years it was very stressful for me for that, uh, on the side of racing. Yeah. I think, yeah, I mean I obviously if, if you're, if you've been a privateer and done things yourself, like, I mean, I, I have as well you understand like how much logistics there are.

Yeah. Then when you have to do that for a whole bunch of other riders as well. And I, I have massive respect for people like, uh, Bernard Kerr and stuff like that, that run a team and still race and like, 'cause it's really, really tough. Yeah. It is really tough. Yeah. Sure. Um, that. So then you, you got your first couple podiums in 2021, and then you got your first win in 2023 was Leger, right?

Yeah. Um, what was the, like, what did you need to do differently to go from getting a podium to actually winning? Because like, I feel like it's like atlo, you're super close to the win, but that, that little bit is not so easy to, to get. Yeah. So first in 2020 we had, uh, AMI ba, uh, was new in the team and she was helping the team to find a new sponsor about or on the bike.

And from 2020, uh, the bike was way, uh. Way better. And all the component was pretty much the best of the circuit. So it was, it was way easier to have like regular result mm-hmm. Because of the variability of the bike. So from there, for me, breeding confidant was way easier. And in 2021, after being a this world champion, uh, for sure the next goal was to win the World Cup because I was so close to win.

Mm-hmm. And from there, like the focus was to, to win the World Cup and like every step I can, I try to find new solution or new, like always something to improve on my writing, uh, I think is pretty much the, the. I, I can take someone and say, oh, you will do this, this, this, this, and you will win a World Cup.

Mm-hmm. For sure. It's not easy like this, but uh, yeah, I think it is. You know, when you have Razor that show that you, you are really close and maybe you can do it, it's easier to believe on it. Mm-hmm. Uh, when you will work on it, you have way more motivation and stuff like this. That I think is, is the way, the way I did.

But it took me like two years to win my first World Cup. 2022. Yeah. I was close in, uh, I won my first qua in Ong. Yeah, I remember. But crash in final. Uh, so yeah, it's, it Leisure 2023 was really stressful for me. Uh, because the, the week before was Ville. Mm-hmm. I won the quality, the semi, I was super confident for the final and a crush in like close to the finish.

Mm-hmm. And it was good. So, you know, it's, the feeling is like you, someone will give you a gift and just when you will take it, it just, yeah. You can't, so it was pretty hard. And coming to, I won also the, the quality and the service. So, you know, everyone want think the story repeat. Yeah. And it's pretty tough because it's, I don't know, uh, why everyone think like this.

Like I think it's a B Yes. We have like, eh, we think like the story repeat, but. I, I improve and I, I did the run and I won at, at the time also, like, uh, we had like al every rider was injured. So before the race maal come to me and say, okay, we, uh, if you want to, to go, no, you need to, to go, because we have the, the last rate there is not injured.

So, you know, it's, it is way, this is his way to, to say believe in you, I think. But it's a bit stressful. No pressure, but no pressure. What, what is, but then I, I'm, I'm pretty lucky to warm leisure because like this, because like all the emotion I'm. I live in the, like, past few days before the race was pretty high and winning at the end, it was like an insane feeling starting last, crossing the line.

You just know it. You, you won like biggest, uh, crew of the year? Uh, yeah. It was insane in France, close to to my whole family. Family was there, friends was there. It was crazy. How, like what does that feel like when you in the gate and last guy? No one at the top. Like, and you have never won a World Cup before and you know, like it's kind of, now is the time, like Yeah.

How can you put that into words? Like what that feels like? Yes. It's hard because like you have one part of you thinking like. Or maybe it's not my, my place, you know, it is, you are the last guys, you are the last rider. You can decide of the result of the race. Mm-hmm. So the full world watching you. And so what one part of the, of you is like, don't for tip.

It is, so you have this pressure and in the other side you try to convince yourself that you can do it. Mm-hmm. Uh, you have one shot, so let's go, uh, and just do your run and, and see what's happened is, like, for me was a bit this too, personality fighting and you, you try to, to really think positive and stuff like this.

But the, the worst part for me was like, you know, this little, uh, lift at the top of the is really slow. And it's really long and you can't do nothing pretty much. So I was with my mechanic Yannick, and I was very stressed. I was like, this, I'm shaking, and was like, whoa. And I come to the top. Um, in the team, we have the physio doing the warmup with us.

Mm-hmm. Uh, so I, I tell him that I was so bad, I was so stressed, and we just like going into the warmup and try to focus on other stuff on the warmup, and just everything was better after that. Mm-hmm. I mean you like, that's pretty much the best World cup for a French person to win. Yeah, sure. Like what was that feeling like coming down?

Last person crossed the line and you kind of realized you won, and then the crowd basically like, just about killed you. Yeah. It just, when you cross the line, you just want to enjoy it. It's, it's, it's happened once in the life winning your first work cup. So for me to just, yeah, I don't know. Uh, time to enjoy, uh mm-hmm.

Uh, yeah. You feel like finally is, you have it and you feel pretty lucky for that and pretty, pretty, pretty proud of your journey and Yeah. Even like for the, the podium and stuff like this, I stuff like this, I still. Long on this because you need to. Mm-hmm. I don't know. It's happened one, one time and it's not every day.

So you need to enjoy a maximum. And, uh, that night after the race was there, was there a big party or, um, yeah, it was super, yeah, it was, I went to like, Al have, um, I don't know how we call it, like, uh, they have commercial, um, pit mm-hmm. In, in Legge and they organized straight after the, the race, uh, the party.

So at five, six, uh, I was already a bit drunk and spending a lot of time with the fans and it was big party like, yeah, just we, we did the masses, we did lot of crazy stuff. Yeah. It was pretty, pretty fun. Yeah. I think the, the French like world cups always have the craziest after parties. I dunno, I don't know why, but the French fans are just nuts.

Yeah. For public parties of the best. Yeah, for sure. Dj. And I guess when you're the winner then it's like, you feel like, uh, I dunno. Justin Bieber there. Yeah, true, true. It's, yeah, the feeling is insane. It was insane. Um, yeah, it's interesting because you won your, your first one there and you won your second one in Denville, right?

Yeah. That's crazy. Which was another French World Cup. So kind of like how, like what was the, I guess the difference when you, for your second one, was it somehow but easier to handle doing the second one? It was totally different. Um, you know, it was, so it was last year, um, it was the, the last year of the, the team two.

So for me, uh, 12 years, um, how I, can I say that we have a lot of, so me, I was like negotiate with a lot of teams. Uh, so come, coming to Lu Donville, I wasn't able to, uh, sleep during the, the nights, uh, because, uh, not because of the stress, but because of the, I was, my brain was always thinking, uh, how I can fit in this team.

Mm-hmm. Uh, maybe in this team you can do like this, it's gonna be better. Uh, like my mechanic was, uh, measuring, uh, some other bike during the night to see if it's big enough for my size. Mm-hmm. Uh, discing with teams. So it was really hard for me to, to sleep. Um, the last two night before the race, we in ville is also big parties and we have like the, the room in front of the, the parties.

So it was also very noisy, so it was even harder for me to sleep. So I think it was my worst, uh, week of sleeping. I don't know. Like, so I, I, I wake up the, the day of the final I was, uh, crazy. I was like, like first thing in the morning, I come to the team manager, I say, okay, you need to find something to, to sleep the next night because.

After the final, the next day, I will do eight hour of driving alone. And I don't want to die because I'm not sleeping. I was more afraid about that than the race. And yeah, the mo the morning I was so tired. Really so tired. The morning of the race, um, I qua, I qualified 15, so I wasn't in the last few guys.

Mm-hmm. It's rain only for the race and not for the training. Uh, I was really lucky that my mechanic had a really good plan for, uh, the race, uh, under the, the rain. And me, I was just trying to sleep Between the training and the the final, um, I did my run. It was really, really good run. Uh, everything goes to plan.

And I arrived. You can see on the live. I arrived at the finish. I didn't have enough energy to, to, to be happy or just to enjoy the moment. I just like, I was so tired and just even like, I crossed the line with five second. I think I was five seconds faster at this time. Mm-hmm. And I won the race with one or two second.

I don't remember, but yeah. Um, but I did, I didn't thought that my run was a winning run because like, uh, you know, in the, we, um, in the wet condition. Is always strange that you are not really at the limit everywhere. Yeah. Because, and you do some little mistake, but yeah. Super stoked. And it was really emotional because it was the last race with the team in Europe, so Yeah.

And the boss of Val was there? Uh, it was, yeah. He was, he was super cool. Uh, for me it was one of the best, um, the best, uh, gift that I can mm-hmm. Give to, to the staff and the team. Uh, yeah. And you think maybe the fact that you were so tired and like things weren't perfect, maybe that like took a bit of pressure off?

Uh, maybe, uh, yeah, just. I think I was lucky that he, he rain because of the dry, I don't think so. I was able this day to, to win. Mm-hmm. Um, yeah, maybe some pressure. Uh, but still during the day I was pretty sure like for one run I can really focus and be mm-hmm. Be okay. Um, and I had also the confident of the year, the week before I was, uh, this world champion again.

So. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think like I had less pressure because I did a lot of good result during the season. Uh, for me was pretty much enough to, to have a good deal with a good team for, uh, this year. Yeah. Yeah. Because it was also stressful. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I can imagine. And, um, the, uh, yeah, on this, on on winning, but on the topic of prize money, um, so how, so how much do you win when you win a World Cup?

And first of all, uh, from the UCI, uh, the price money I think is three, 3,700, something like this. Yeah. So what is your thoughts? Because my feeling is that's crazy. Like, I think it's, it's unbelievable that the win of a World Cup gets 3,700 euros, um, com. Yeah. Difficult. My thought is, you know, this year the, we have only three rider in work podium.

Mm-hmm. My ID was. You can say to one umbrella service, we accept the three rider podium, but you need to do something on the price money. Mm-hmm. You can't just reduce the visibility and don't give something, uh, for us, because like here, or keeping the same price money, uh, top, top five podium. Mm-hmm. But yeah, for sure it's not enough.

But yeah, it's, it's really hard to, to negotiate with, uh, UCI. And what, what do you think, um, what do you think would be fair for prize money? Um, I think over, uh, 10, 10,000. Mm-hmm. For. Uh, my feeling personally is that everyone nowadays who's making a final should get some money. Yeah, sure. Like, it's so insane.

I think it's so hard to make the final. I feel like everyone should be able to get some money out of it. Yeah. It's, yeah. For us, it is really hard because we didn't, uh, have even like the, the result of, uh, the view of the broadcast. Mm-hmm. So we can even as an athlete know, uh, war watching us. Mm-hmm. And we can't sell to sponsor because we don't know the numbers.

Agents insane. And we do the show. It's, it's just crazy. So the, the, we like the team pay, pay high. For the entry. Mm-hmm. And we don't have better price money, we have less visibility because of the top three podiums and we don't know the number of the broadcast.

It's make no sense. It's actually unbelievable. Like, yeah. Yeah. I feel like the only way something will actually change is if all the riders had to stand together, all the top 20 or 30 and stand together and be like, we are not racing unless something changes. But it only works obviously if everyone is working together.

Yeah. It's it's pretty hard. Uh, as, uh, yeah, I don't know. We don't have an, a strong connection I think in, uh, ditch. Right. They're lucky. I mean, cross country have do better jobs. Those cross country writers do better job, but I don't know. Yeah, it's pretty tough. Um, I mean obviously it's not just about the prize money.

I just feel like as a principle, you know, um, people deserve, you guys are risking, risking your lives and your bodies, uh, to go as fast as you can and put on a good show. And, um, I just feel like there should be more reward. Uh, yeah. Because from outside, like my wife, for example, when, when I first met her and then she saw what I'm doing and what downhill is, and then she was like, oh, crazy.

They must win like a lot of money. And I was like, no, like, most guys are not getting anything. And then she was like, yeah, she didn't understand. Uh, because it's like, it's, it's wild. It's crazy. Um, but yeah, I don't know. Let's see. I hope something for your sake changes in the next, in the next years, we'll see.

Um, I mean you obviously, one of the, I I I can say like as a sport, we are pretty lucky key that I think, uh, in the main field, for example, 40, maybe 50 rider are able to, to live mm-hmm. Uh, from their sport. That is not the case in every sport. Even if the ratio with what boroughs can do is, is not the best, I think is, we are pretty lucky to, to be able to, to live with the money of our sport.

But yeah. Uh, it's not a easy situation. Mm-hmm. Uh, being an athlete for sure. Um. You know, you've been, obviously now you've cemented yourself as one of the best, uh, French riders, one of the best riders in the world. Um, but Fran, France in general has so many good riders. Uh, I mean, just to win national champs is like kind of winning a world.

Basically. If you can win national champs, you can win a World Cup. Yeah. From my perspective in France, um, like, but I would say over the last years, Loic has kind of been on average the guy who's like stood out, um, I mean, Amori too, to a degree, but Amory's had a lot of injuries. Um, like what do you think is he doing, is Loic doing differently or what's so special about him that he's able to consistently be, um, you know, upfront?

Well, um, I think he is just like. He have a really, really good technique for the speed, uh, uh, yeah, he know where he go. Um, um, I think he did so much good result that no, I choose bonus, so maybe it's a bit different. Mm-hmm. But in same time, yeah, I don't know if I think no is, is, I stopped because of his experience and it just really, really, really good.

Uh, rider for sure. Yeah. Do you, what's your thoughts on the, on the electronic, you know, suspension and all of that that they've got on the specialized bikes, um, with him and Finn and, and Jordan? You think it because fact, from, from my perspective, obviously it, it's like marginal gains, but I feel like at that level, you know, if something can make half a second, that's a lot.

Um, yeah. Uh, and I feel like there's kind of no regulations as like they, they can have it and then other teams don't have it because they don't have the money or the whatever. The r and d what, what do you think about it? Um, so first we don't know exactly what they're doing, so it's hard for us to judge if it's very good or not.

Mm-hmm. If they use it, I think they know it's, it's a bonus. Uh, but in the same time, like for example, uh, last year in four William, I won like the two last sector. Where is, you can think like the button. It's helpful. And I didn't have, and I wanted, so I think on some track is helpful. Mm-hmm. But half of the tracks is not really helpful if like, you have like really two different kind of section doing, uh, track, like for example, logo, where is the, the top, the middle and the bottom has really different.

It's, it's helpful but to have really a good, uh, gain. I think you have, you, you, you have to be able to change lot of stuff in the suspension, like rubber compression and maybe the, the coal. But yeah, I don't know how, what they can do. Exactly. Yeah. Okay. On that topic with the bike, like, so how much, for you, how much is do you think is bike and versus rider?

Like if you whatever got on on my bike or on Lloyd's bike or whatever, like, do you think you can win on, on any bike or do you think like there is enough of a difference from the bikes that it'll make the difference between you being able to win and not? I think with some bike you can't win, but, uh, I think most of the team know have a, a bike that you can win on it for sure.

Mm-hmm. Um, yeah. Uh, I don't know how you can call that, but I don't for sure you don't win because of the bike, but maybe you can lose because of the bike. Mm-hmm. If like the bike limited you, uh. Honestly, I don't see there, there some Baghdad. You can, you can win on it. Mm-hmm. Uh, so for me it's the rider. 90%.

Okay. Yeah. Interesting. Uh, just because I know, like, I mean for me, if, if I'm not, do, do you see someone didn't want a workup because of this bike? Well, I guess we won't know because they didn't win. I don't know. Um, I don't, yeah, I don't think so. And, uh, I mean this year you obviously you made the, made the team switch as you mentioned.

Yep. Um, what was your main, again, I guess the main reasoning to going to Scott and, and also how has that been making that switch to, to the Scott team? Uh. So with Scott, uh, first I tried the bike. Um, I wanted to be sure that I feel I can win on it. Um, was that the, the new one or the old one? I tried the only new one.

Okay. I never rode the old one, uh, um, in second that, uh, um, Scott have a really big project and, uh, resource that they proposed me was insane. So like for me it was really helpful. Like in the past, I wasn't factory team. No, I'm a factory rider. So we, we, we were able to, to choose a bit of development of the bike and stuff like this and that is really helpful.

Also with Scott, I was able to come with a lot of stuff from my previous team. Um, with, with Doval, we, it took years to find the good staff people that mm-hmm. Match with the team with me and also, um, I think they are the best. So I was super stoked to come with a lot. Like I come with my, uh, Yannick, my old mechanic that no now is technician.

So it is more about development on the bike and team come during the winter. I have another mechanic for the season. Uh, I come with the physio, uh, is also do the warmup at the top and stuff like this. I come with the cooker too. Uh, media guys. Wow. Crazy. Uh, I hope I forget nobody. Yeah, so I come with lot of, uh, people, um, when, and I was super stuck because, um, they are already, uh, really good stuff.

But adding, uh, my staff is very helpful for the team, I think. And for me it was, uh, easy, uh, transfer and connection because I knew half of the team. So, yeah. And I mean, coming back, so to the bike, I mean, you obviously on the new one. Um, I'm still on the old one, like, um, I'm super interested to, to obviously see how the new one rides, but what was the like between the commensal and the Scotts like.

What did you notice, um, when you made the switch? The biggest differences? So, so first I, I tried, uh, not only the Scott for, I tried some bike from other teams. Mm-hmm. And like trying some other bike is really, uh, it's open, uh, your mind and open like a bit your vision of what is possible to do with bike.

Um, it was super cool to see, um, big difference between bikes. Mm-hmm. Um,

like first at the beginning when we compare the al with the new Scott, um, it was the first, uh, the first pro prototype of, uh, sco. So it wasn't, uh, final, uh. Version. Mm-hmm. And like the, the geometry of the Scot was fitting really well with me. That was super cool. Uh, like on the common side, I was between the L and the Excel.

Mm-hmm. X large and large. And with the Scot, like, it's right in the middle. So for me it's just like fitting perfectly with my size. Mm-hmm. And I was super stoked. Um, what, sorry, what's the, do you know what the reach is of the, of the scot of your one? The Scott I wide is, I think is, uh, around five, uh, 500.

And you're on the Excel? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And. Yeah. And after on the suspension side, we were able to, to try five different link linkage. That is, it was super cool. And even for wasting, if we want, we can change the linkage. So it's pretty, we can do pretty much what we, we want. Yeah. Rad. Um, and, uh, the, what did you think about the, the internal shock and, and all of that, like, that design?

Are you a fan or no. Or, uh, yeah, for me it's, uh, I do you know when the podcast saw, because normally I, I can't say everything on the bike, but, ah, okay. Sorry. We can always take something out. So if there's something you say that you, if you check and you can't say it, we can remove it. Uh, so yeah, first, first thing when I saw the bike in photo, I was like, oh, the, the shock is inside is gonna be not easy to change sitting and stuff, but at the end.

It's, it's even easier than before because if you have dirt and stuff, you just need to put out the, the plastic turn and put back the plastic on this in few seconds. You, you can change the sitting. Mm-hmm. So for me, it's really cool that like Scott have a vision, like they want, integrate everything.

Mm-hmm. Uh, it's their way to, to do it and they want to stick with that and it's working really good and they really thought about everything. That is super cool. Also, like, uh, Yannick my mechanic first try, we did, we have some stuff that it wasn't how we think. It's, it's the easiest way to, to work on workup and they change it.

And so for me, just, it's just is, it's, it's, and the look is super cool. I like it. And, uh, did you get straight, are you're riding the mullet, right? Yeah. Did you also test 29 or is the bike only designed for mullet? No, no. Uh, I struggle with the 29, so I don't, I didn't try. Interesting. It's so interesting to me that like, I mean, I'm on a 29 er, um, but I know guys like Ocean or Callahan, for example, is riding full 29 and he's not even, he's not that tall either.

Yeah. Um, so I, but I ride my ass really low, so I always eat the, the way he will win 29. Oh, okay. So yeah, it, yeah, for me it's make it way difficult. If you have a big step and you need to, to scrub it or stuff like this, it's, it's harder for me. Interesting. Um, switching gears slightly, uh, the, the guy who's been, I mean, not now, like won this last weekend, but.

Um, obviously Jackson has been on a bit of a role, the last, uh, five World Cups. Four World Cups. Um, what do you, what do you think about like, what makes him so, so good? Like why is he dominating at the moment? Um, uh, generation, I think, uh, you know, at my time when I was younger, if I wanted to do downhill, I needed to, to go to racing because no backpack was open.

Uh, no, I think the Goldstone generation is, they come on good bike way earlier than us and they were able to ride every weekend in bike park and good track that. We were on the, but weather, I was like junior, I was just pushing my bike mm-hmm. Up to the hill to, to do one run and it's not the same, uh, elevation drops and what we can do in the bike park.

So yeah, it just, I think the bike and him do one really good and a lot of rider like this, uh, like Jordan Williams or the Chi and Max from, uh, really good too. Yeah, it's, I think the technique is not beatable, uh, like if it's steep. They are also light, really technical. It's, yeah, they very good. It is very good to watch.

It's, it's crazy to me like the, the junior, like the junior categories, the last few years, obviously you had like Jackson and, and Jordan, and now you've got Till Max and, and also, um, Elisa, like it's, they having faster times than the elites in, in some races or in qualifying and stuff. And I don't know, like it's, it just seems, it's like where's the, where's the limit?

You know? Yeah. Um, no. I heard a rumor as well, I don't know if it's true or not, but I have heard a rumor that they, they might want to ditch to get rid of the junior category in, in next year or the year after. Um, like if they did hypothetically, what's your thoughts on that? Do you think it's a good or bad thing?

Um, is the Bon for War? Yeah. I, I just feel like from a, from a, on the one side, it's obviously really good that they have the juniors and it, it gives them a platform to really get to a high level, um, you know, quicker. But at the same time, it also takes away from some of the elites maybe, because obviously a lot of the resources and money and stuff is also going into the juniors.

Um, and so that makes it harder for some elite riders. So, and also for budgets, for teams and stuff. So it's kind of two sides. Yeah. Um, yeah, it's a lot of different problems, like first having the junior during the workup week for the schedule is where others and mm-hmm. Just. Have the edit. Um, like for example, when you have a weather problem, like in Hondura, it's, yeah, it's complicate.

So for sure, uh, if we are only edit is gonna be easier on this side. Uh, um, but on the other side, um, like for the junior, I think it is very good to be in workups for the media coverage riding the same track. Mm-hmm. Uh, for the experience and stuff like this. And also for the teams, because you can have junior is the same week, you don't have two different team in the same team, so it's less expensive.

Uh. So, I don't know. I think if Junior are not in the World Cup, they will be able to race in elite category. Mm-hmm. Interesting. So, yeah, I don't know. Uh, the only World Cup I did when I was junior, I was racing with, uh, Elliot. Mm-hmm. But it was, the qualification was top 80. Yeah. It's crazy because, I mean, I started racing also with Top 80, and I remember it was everyone felt like it was tough to, to qualify.

Yeah. You know, in top 80, and then it became top 60 and then it was even tougher and now it's top 30. And so it's like, it, uh, it's, it's crazy how the sport has evolved the last 10 years. Yeah. Um, is. Is there anything throughout your career that you maybe would've changed or, or done differently to get to this point?

Uh, I think for me, if I can say something to me like in the past I will say, uh, relax a bit.

Uh, yeah. At the beginning, like every race, I felt like it was the last race of my, uh, life. I don't know why, but I think everyone have this feeling where you are young, but in same time it's push you to do better every time. But yeah, if you, I can relax a bit and that's gonna be better. I feel like that's, uh, that's.

A common thing. As you get a little bit older, you start to realize that yeah, there's, there's more things in life than that one race, you know? And yeah, it's important. But, um, you know, but it's crazy because even now I'm like the day of, uh, timely training. I'm always far, I'm, I'm not very good the first day of training.

Mm-hmm. And every time I saw my result on, on the result, I'm just like, start to be a bit nervous or stressed that, oh, I'm so far, blah, blah, blah. But I did it for like, uh, more than 10 years now. And yeah, I did always the same mistake, but it's, it's funny how, like, how do you feel also when you, when you get to a World Cup?

Like, um, especially like, 'cause I, for me personally, always like first, the first run of practice I always didn't enjoy because it's always like. You always like, dunno how the track is and you don't have your lines and, and everyone, there's so many people watching and stuff like, do you, how do you feel when you, when you get to World Cup, and obviously it's a bit different because you've, you are a World Cup winner and you kind of know that you're one of the, the fast guys.

So does it feel, do you feel like, I don't know, like you, I don't know, belong there? Or do you still feel like No, that's, that's okay because now I have some plan pretty much for everyone that I do. So first one is just to, to understand the track and I'm pretty mellow on the bike and so I don't care pretty much.

Mm-hmm. Uh, and I think now most of any trade are probably chill the first few laps. Mm-hmm. Like if you compare the first lap of a junior or then it is way different. Yeah. Yeah. Uh. But yeah, it just, like sometime you, we have like people on track that helping us and when you saw video view and you're not fast at, at all and you see other riders really faster, it's sometime is a bit hard for the confidence.

Mm-hmm. Uh, but in same time, if you know it, you can improve. And so yeah. But when I did my first work at Podium, I think the next race I was a bit nervous. Yeah. You feel like everyone watching you or stuff like this and it's not really real, you know? Yeah. It's, it just in your head and, but yeah, it's, it's funny how your mind can play with you.

Yeah, for sure. Especially in a sport like this where this so much, uh. So many things can change and, and can happen. And there's also obviously risk and, you know, um, every race is so, so different. Yeah. Um, what's, what's next, like, I don't know how long you plan to race, um, and have you ever thought about what you wanna do after, after racing?

Uh, no. I didn't plan at all, uh, yet. Uh, I think I will continue until I'm not motivate, but yet I'm just loving what I'm doing and, uh, really motivate to, to achieve new goals. So I will, I will continue until I'm, I'm still really, um, in the game. Nice. Well, I mean, Greg, Greg raised till he was like 42, so Yeah.

Yeah. Know you have time in ndi. I was this world champion and he was world champion. He was 40 or 39, I think so yeah, it's is look easy when you look him. It's so crazy. I mean, I, like, he was born, um, he's nine years older than me and he retired last year. Like it's his first, I think his first World Cup was, or world champs was in 1997.

Okay. In Bosch, in South Africa. And I, I mean, I was seven. You were three. Yeah. I mean that's like, think about, it's so crazy, but yeah. Um, so the la the que the last question I ask every guest is, um, what is, what does success mean to you? The word success? Whoa. Um,

for the life or, uh, yeah, for in general. Uh, so when someone, you know, to be successful, whether it's in, could be life, career, whatever, what difficult question. Um, for me, success is, I don't know. Uh, I think if I'm proud of what I do and what I did, uh, it is, it's success. No, that's cool. Uh, yeah. Yeah. For everyone is different, like some people.

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. It's, it's four. One is different. It is different. Yeah. So for some people they consider themselves successful. If they have a, a super yacht and they have a main match, and then whatever. But for other people, if they, you know, um, just happy with their, with their job and their partner and stuff, then that's success.

So it's, you know, um, everyone's different. Dude. Uh, thanks so much. This is, uh, it's been really cool. Um, yeah, thanks for making the time and reckon now where you going to, um, and yeah, looking forward to, looking forward to next week. Uh, hopefully you can Thanks. Can uh, do something, do something. Cool. Thank you for having me.

And yeah, we always talk to, to spoke with you everything. Um, ready to to shred the bike in Chattel. Sick man. Sick.

If you guys enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to like, and subscribe and drop a comment and let me know which guests you wanna see, and I will do my best to get them on. And to see more episodes, click the playlist right up here. That was iconic.