Day 3 Mavic Trans-Provence 2013

by 2

Hot off the press is the report from yesterday’s Mavic Trans-Provence. And boy, was it a scorcher!

Day 3 Mavic Trans-Provence 2013
Villars-Colmars -> Guillaumes

Back to the journey today!

Day 3 is Mavic® Trans-Provence 2013’s equivalent of an amusement park. All of the good bits but less of the brutal liaison stages. The day’s trails are split between a morning of wet and slippery and an afternoon of something that seems to have been teleported in from the badlands of Dakota. The day finishes with a trail that has fast woodland combined with big rocky sections (and some very short but evil climbs mixed in there too).

Double Espresso vs Barista & Co...
Latest Singletrack Videos

Special Stage 9, the first Special Stage of the day, is a variant of a Mavic® Trans-Provence classic. Riders are uplifted to the Col Du Champs (2100m) before a combination of traversing through high alpine pasture before starting the timed stage proper.

Black and green. Dark loam and green deciduous woodland drops steeply along a side of the mountain. Interspersed with with roots and wet rocks. The scent of wild garlic and thyme hit you as slide through corners and slip from root to rock. Then you suddenly exiting on to a very slippery bridge… It’s a memorable stage.

The liaison between Special Stages 9 and 10 combines a vertiginous drop on one side with sliding around on ball bearing shaped rocks into tinder dry forest. Finally you drop on to the road (1100m) before winding your way back up to 1400m.

Special Stage 10 is similar in many ways to 9. Dark forests and loam with occasional complex rock ‘jigsaw puzzles’ to negotiate. The stage has some longer ‘straightaways’ for even more speed.

After the feed station there’s a trail – well more of a set of potential lines to ride really – that needs little introduction to anyone that has followed Mavic® Trans-Provence since its early days: Grey Earth. The grippiest yet slipperiest trail in the world. Once out of the top section good luck trying to pick a go-faster line. The trail then opens on to the side of a huge mountain that looks like a frozen grey sand dune. If you’re having a good day you can ride it with very little braking, hitting natural jumps along the way and hitting some of the fastest speeds of the week.

To gain access to Special Stage 12 requires a bike-hike that feels like penance. From the bottom of a wooded trail you are pushing or carrying your bike for the next 45 minutes to an hour (it depends on how often you stop to sigh). Once you have topped out, you then traverse along the valley before the final special stage of the day.

Special Stage 12 starts at full-tilt through a wood that has quickly become one of the favourite trails of the Mavic® Trans-Provence team. Steep, but not so steep that you are constantly on the brakes, with flattering rutted corners that act as mini-berms as you throw the bike into the next corner. It’s very easy to keep your speed and imagine you’re one of the Pro’s.

Once out of wood and across a pasture field you hit the original start of this Special Stage. It neatly bolts together the rest of the day’s trails into one package. Slidey roots, rocky switchbacks that seem reminiscent of desert trails, short but vicious climbs not the mention the occasional rock garden to negotiate if you thought it was all a bit too straightforward.

Results can be found here: http://www.trans-provence.com/results2013/overall/after_day3.html

And now for the video:

Tomorrow is a new and exciting day for Mavic® Trans-Provence 2013. We can’t say too much until then. Except we know you’re going to enjoy the coverage and it may come as a surprise to regular followers of Mavic® Trans-Provence.

Stay tuned!

 

Pos Name Team Category Day 1: Clamensane to Digne-les-Bains Day 2: Digne-les-Bains to Villars-Colmars Day 3: Villars-Colmars to Guillaumes Total
1st CLEMENTZ Jérôme Cannondale Overmountain / Mavic PRO 00:37:58 (1) 00:20:43 (2) 00:20:10 (2) 01:18:51
2nd LAU Nicolas Cube Action Team PRO 00:38:25 (2) 00:20:41 (1) 00:20:07 (1) 01:19:13
3rd BAREL Fabien Canyon Factory Enduro Team / MAVIC PRO 00:38:44 (3) 00:21:25 (5) 00:20:11 (3) 01:20:20
4th BAILLY-MAITRE François BMC Trailcrew PRO 00:39:37 (5) 00:21:13 (4) 00:20:48 (4) 01:21:38
5th KABUSH Geoff Scott-3Rox Racing PRO 00:39:32 (4) 00:20:51 (3) 00:21:18 (8) 01:21:41
6th NICOLL Jamie Santa Cruz Bicycles PRO 00:39:49 (6) 00:21:36 (6) 00:21:18 (8) 01:22:43
7th FUMIC Manuel Cannondale Factory Racing PRO 00:41:30 (9) 00:21:42 (8) 00:21:12 (6) 01:24:24
8th GOLAY Florian BMC Trailcrew PRO 00:41:15 (7) 00:22:29 (14) 00:21:09 (5) 01:24:53
9th WEIR Mark Cannondale Overmountain / WTB PRO 00:41:30 (9) 00:22:11 (13) 00:21:17 (7) 01:24:58
10th COOPER Anton Cannondale Factory Racing PRO 00:42:07 (13) 00:21:38 (7) 00:21:22 (10) 01:25:07
11th BALL Chris AM 00:41:21 (8) 00:22:03 (12) 00:21:44 (12) 01:25:08
12th= CRUZ Ben Cannondale Overmountain / WTB PRO 00:41:54 (12) 00:21:59 (11) 00:21:27 (11) 01:25:20
12th= CRAIG Adam Giant Factory Off-Road Team PRO 00:41:31 (11) 00:21:56 (10) 00:21:53 (13) 01:25:20
14th STOCK Alex Kona PRO 00:42:48 (14) 00:23:56 (21) 00:22:08 (14) 01:28:52
15th DICKERHOFF Maxi Canyon Factory Enduro Team PRO 00:43:52 (15) 00:23:02 (15) 00:22:11 (17) 01:29:05
16th MUNNIK Oliver AM 00:45:02 (18) 00:21:54 (9) 00:22:10 (15) 01:29:06
17th MARTIN Sven Santa Cruz Bicycles M40 00:45:09 (19) 00:23:44 (18) 00:22:41 (18) 01:31:34
18th FARIN Guillaume BMC Trailcrew PRO 00:44:35 (16) 00:23:44 (18) 00:23:20 (25) 01:31:39
19th THOMSON Stu MTB Cut / Orange AM 00:45:57 (21) 00:23:41 (17) 00:22:10 (15) 01:31:48
20th GIBSON Nick AM 00:46:07 (23) 00:23:17 (16) 00:22:46 (20) 01:32:10
21st PRUDENCIO Nico Team Giant Chile PRO 00:46:03 (22) 00:23:50 (20) 00:22:54 (21) 01:32:47
22nd DOLA François la Roue Libre M40 00:44:45 (17) 00:25:24 (33) 00:22:41 (18) 01:32:50
23rd HAUKOM Tom AM 00:45:40 (20) 00:24:08 (24) 00:23:05 (22) 01:32:53
24th KUPIAINEN Mikko AM 00:46:22 (24) 00:24:32 (27) 00:23:17 (24) 01:34:11
25th FAGERLI Ole Christian AM 00:46:49 (25) 00:24:00 (22) 00:23:47 (28) 01:34:36
26th PATTERSON Matt AM 00:47:11 (27) 00:24:03 (23) 00:24:35 (33) 01:35:49
27th SMAIL Paul AM 00:47:08 (26) 00:24:26 (26) 00:24:49 (36) 01:36:23
28th ANGUS Paul AM 00:48:04 (30) 00:24:40 (29) 00:24:15 (31) 01:36:59
29th REITAN Gaute AM 00:47:44 (29) 00:24:36 (28) 00:25:22 (42) 01:37:42
30th SCHWAB Tilmann AM 00:47:35 (28) 00:27:07 (51) 00:23:14 (23) 01:37:56
31st BOWMAN Joe AM 00:48:26 (31) 00:26:31 (48) 00:23:55 (29) 01:38:52
32nd MARTIN Anka Juliana Bicycles WMN 00:49:13 (33) 00:25:44 (37) 00:24:24 (32) 01:39:21
33rd FERREIRA Afonso AM 00:49:46 (35) 00:26:19 (45) 00:23:20 (25) 01:39:25
34th AAS Øyvind AM 00:49:47 (36) 00:24:12 (25) 00:25:49 (46) 01:39:48
35th MORAN Kevin AM 00:49:10 (32) 00:25:57 (41) 00:24:49 (36) 01:39:56
36th SOHKANEN Simo AM 00:51:31 (45) 00:24:42 (30) 00:23:44 (27) 01:39:57
37th KUENZLI Othmar M40 00:50:20 (39) 00:24:57 (32) 00:24:43 (35) 01:40:00
38th WAGHORN Jonny M40 00:50:04 (37) 00:24:55 (31) 00:25:02 (40) 01:40:01
39th RAMSAY Seb M40 00:50:51 (42) 00:25:24 (33) 00:24:37 (34) 01:40:52
40th RACING Plons M40 00:50:15 (38) 00:25:46 (39) 00:24:52 (38) 01:40:53
41st EMMETT Kelli Giant Factory Off-Road Team WMN 00:49:42 (34) 00:25:40 (36) 00:25:51 (48) 01:41:13
42nd CANCELLIER Jon SRAM AM 00:51:34 (46) 00:25:36 (35) 00:25:27 (43) 01:42:37
43rd IMBS Raphael TannenBike M40 00:51:03 (44) 00:26:33 (49) 00:25:05 (41) 01:42:41
44th PERRY Lester AM 00:51:00 (43) 00:26:00 (42) 00:25:48 (45) 01:42:48
45th HORRIDGE Emily Transition Bikes WMN 00:50:38 (40) 00:26:57 (50) 00:25:27 (43) 01:43:02
46th OCKELTON Will Santa Cruz Bicycles AM 00:50:39 (41) 00:25:55 (40) 00:27:19 (56) 01:43:53
47th CALAM Jeff AM 00:52:03 (47) 00:26:04 (43) 00:25:49 (46) 01:43:56
48th FAN Mickey AM 00:52:13 (49) 00:26:05 (44) 00:26:01 (49) 01:44:19
49th STEVENS Jon AM 00:52:52 (50) 00:26:19 (45) 00:26:39 (54) 01:45:50
50th KELTON Tim AM 00:52:03 (47) 00:29:48 (60) 00:25:00 (39) 01:46:51
51st HARRISON Luke M40 00:53:57 (51) 00:27:45 (53) 00:26:17 (52) 01:47:59
52nd WATERMAN Andy AM 00:56:06 (55) 00:26:26 (47) 00:26:01 (49) 01:48:33
53rd CABELLO Rodrigo AM 00:55:45 (53) 00:27:26 (52) 00:26:05 (51) 01:49:16
54th SAVELYEV Vadim AM 00:55:49 (54) 00:27:48 (54) 00:26:28 (53) 01:50:05
55th DIEFFENTHALER Pauline Cannondale / MAVIC WMN 00:54:46 (52) 00:28:32 (56) 00:27:15 (55) 01:50:33
56th BECKER Björn M40 00:58:34 (57) 00:27:51 (55) 00:27:56 (57) 01:54:21
57th GJESSVAG Tony AM 00:58:12 (56) 00:28:45 (57) 00:28:03 (58) 01:55:00
58th SCHUELLER Jörg M40 00:59:32 (59) 00:28:46 (58) 00:28:26 (59) 01:56:44
59th SAPIN Nadine la Roue Libre/Scott Contessa WMN 00:59:02 (58) 00:30:00 (63) 00:30:17 (65) 01:59:19
60th LJUNGDAHL Tomas M40 01:01:49 (60) 00:29:23 (59) 00:28:43 (61) 01:59:55
61st JORDAN Lee AM 01:03:15 (61) 00:32:07 (65) 00:29:16 (63) 02:04:38
62nd JUNGFER Helmar AM 01:07:55 (63) 00:29:53 (61) 00:28:32 (60) 02:06:20
63rd MARTIN Guti AM 01:06:43 (62) 00:29:53 (61) 00:31:02 (67) 02:07:38
64th MACINNIS Ben AM 01:08:26 (64) 00:33:13 (67) 00:29:04 (62) 02:10:43
65th HUNTER Mary-Anne Juliana Bicycles WMN 01:11:07 (65) 00:30:01 (64) 00:30:04 (64) 02:11:12
66th RIEBL Johannes Orbea Enduro Crew AM 01:22:36 (71) 00:25:45 (38) 00:24:11 (30) 02:12:32
67th SEPLAVY Todd AM 01:18:00 (68) 00:33:33 (69) 00:30:56 (66) 02:22:29
68th TIFFIN Paul AM 01:16:51 (67) 00:33:15 (68) 00:32:28 (68) 02:22:34
69th FOWLER Cooper M40 01:14:35 (66) 00:35:21 (70) 00:34:31 (69) 02:24:27
70th WEST Catherine WMN 01:20:38 (70) 00:38:55 (71) 00:37:13 (70) 02:36:46
CUNNINGHAM Fay WMN 01:19:47 (69) 00:32:28 (66)

 

Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 22 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

More posts from Chipps

Comments (2)

Leave Reply