Nick Beer and Floriane Pugin were the winners of the second-to-last race of the European downhill series. A total of close to 300 riders participated at the race in Châtel, France. Portes du Soleil's bike mecca welcomed riders from 18 countries.
The "Bike Patrol" course was already considered as one of the toughest of the series, and despite some modifications that was no different at 2009's edition. Due to the revised trajectory, the course became even faster, making it more demanding for all riders and interesting for the spectators. And for once even the weather was absolutely perfect, so all riders could rely on the same conditions allowing for fast runs.
The seeding run showed that the final battle would be tight. New Zealand's Nathan Rankin (Iron Horse Playbiker) managed to qualify fastest, so he would start the finals last. Due to a slight mistake, Switzerland's favorite, Nick Beer (Scott 11), posted the second fastest seeding time, but he still earned valuable points for the series' overall where Germany's Benny Strasser (iXS/Toxoholics) had been in the lead after Leogang's race.
The elite men category's result in the final resembled last year's result as Beer managed to distance Rankin by two seconds. At 22 years of age, Beer is currently ranked fifth in the world and he took over the lead in the series' overall too, proving his qualities once again and showing that he has closed the gap to the world's elite riders this season. Third place went to Frenchman Pierre Charles Georges (Solid AClass), who has proven that he is well capable of finishing within the World Cup's top 20 positions recently.
The podium in the elite women's race was an all-French affair: Reigning European champion Floriane Pugin (Kenda) beat Sabrina Jonnier (Maxxis / Rocky Mountain) for the victory. Jonnier had been the fastest in the seeding run, but only by six tenths of a second. Finishing in third was Caroline Sax (Geko Bike). France's successful work regarding young talents also showed in the junior women's category: Laura Lohner (VTT Morillon) won the race ahead of Tahnée Seagrave (Intense) and Germany's Leoni Dickerhoff (iXS/Toxoholics).
With 45 starters, the junior men's category boasted a strong field and was won by Frenchman Florian Arthus (Clic Chambéry Savoie) who narrowly beat Switzlerand's Marius Paccolat (Verbier Bike Team) and fellow Frenchman Alexandre Lohner (VTT Morillon).
The master's category was won by Heins Hostettler (BikeBandit.ch), with frequent podium finishers Markus Bast (NOX Cycles) and Marcel Waldmann (DT Swiss/iXS) taking the other podium spots.
The series' finals will be held on September 12-13 in Bischofsmais, Germany.
Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Beer (Swi) | 0:02:32.80 |
| 2 | Nathan Rankin (NZl) | 0:00:01.63 |
| 3 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) | 0:00:03.54 |
| 4 | Samuel Zbinden (Swi) | 0:00:03.99 |
| 5 | Marcus Klausmann (Ger) | 0:00:04.13 |
| 6 | Marcel Beer (Swi) | 0:00:06.90 |
| 7 | Joe Barnes (GBr) | 0:00:07.52 |
| 8 | Simon Cardon (Fra) | 0:00:07.84 |
| 9 | Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) | 0:00:08.17 |
| 10 | Roman Roschi (Swi) | 0:00:08.29 |
| 11 | Ben Baker (GBr) | 0:00:08.37 |
| 12 | Lars Peyer (Swi) | 0:00:08.45 |
| 13 | Mathieu Troquier (Fra) | 0:00:08.57 |
| 14 | Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) | 0:00:08.65 |
| 15 | Marco Milivinti (Ita) | 0:00:08.85 |
| 16 | Yannick Colomb (Fra) | 0:00:09.22 |
| 17 | Fergus Lamb (GBr) | 0:00:09.22 |
| 18 | Nejc Rutar (Slo) | 0:00:09.27 |
| 19 | Andreas Sieber (Ger) | 0:00:09.33 |
| 20 | Rene Schmidt (Ger) | 0:00:09.60 |
| 21 | Maxime Remy (Fra) | 0:00:10.81 |
| 22 | Oskar Harnstrom (Swe) | 0:00:10.86 |
| 23 | Benjamin Verrier (Fra) | 0:00:11.08 |
| 24 | Claudio Caluori (Swi) | 0:00:11.20 |
| 25 | Florian Arthus (Fra) | 0:00:11.48 |
| 26 | Alexis Pujol (Fra) | 0:00:11.49 |
| 27 | Zan Jurca (Slo) | 0:00:11.59 |
| 28 | Benny Strasser (Ger) | 0:00:11.76 |
| 29 | Marius Paccolat (Swi) | 0:00:12.15 |
| 30 | Josua Hein (Ger) | 0:00:12.19 |
| 31 | Alexandre Lohner (Fra) | 0:00:12.29 |
| 32 | Billy Caroli (Swi) | 0:00:12.49 |
| 33 | Gernot Ruppert (Ger) | 0:00:12.81 |
| 34 | Rom Devouassoux (Fra) | 0:00:12.94 |
| 35 | Xavier Simo Cervera (Spa) | 0:00:13.00 |
| 36 | Falco Ruppert (Ger) | 0:00:13.19 |
| 37 | Lucas Meyer (Swi) | 0:00:13.21 |
| 38 | Patrick Meyer (Swi) | 0:00:13.24 |
| 39 | Oren Hasson (Isr) | 0:00:14.17 |
| 40 | Nicolas Legrand (Fra) | 0:00:14.41 |
| 41 | Dominik Mai (Ger) | 0:00:14.47 |
| 42 | Bertrand Gilles (Bel) | 0:00:14.53 |
| 43 | Janick Lieberherr (Swi) | 0:00:14.55 |
| 44 | Joel Gebbie (GBr) | 0:00:15.09 |
| 45 | Fabrice Tirefort (Swi) | 0:00:15.34 |
| 46 | Nils Correvon (Swi) | 0:00:15.68 |
| 47 | Sylvain Tamanini (Fra) | 0:00:15.74 |
| 48 | David Rolli (Swi) | 0:00:15.76 |
| 49 | Simon Parsons (GBr) | 0:00:15.81 |
| 50 | Heinz Hostettler (Swi) | 0:00:15.82 |
| 51 | Owain James (GBr) | 0:00:15.89 |
| 52 | Christian Greub (Swi) | 0:00:16.38 |
| 53 | Thibaud Krattinger (Fra) | 0:00:16.44 |
| 54 | Julien Hericher (Fra) | 0:00:16.72 |
| 55 | Dante Langkitsch (Fra) | 0:00:16.84 |
| 56 | Benoit Lasson Sancesari (Fra) | 0:00:16.96 |
| 57 | Maximilian Bender (Ger) | 0:00:17.13 |
| 58 | Joseph Horton (GBr) | 0:00:17.61 |
| 59 | Markus Bast (Ger) | 0:00:18.01 |
| 60 | Samuel Amouroux (Fra) | 0:00:18.08 |
| 61 | Chris Kilmurray (Irl) | 0:00:18.15 |
| 62 | Andy Klüm (Swi) | 0:00:18.18 |
| 63 | Marcel Waldmann (Swi) | 0:00:18.18 |
| 64 | Primoz Ravnik (Slo) | 0:00:18.24 |
| 65 | Urban Pogladic (Slo) | 0:00:18.28 |
| 66 | Samuel Baumann (Swi) | 0:00:18.29 |
| 67 | Jonathan Debus (Ger) | 0:00:18.30 |
| 68 | Michael Stammbach (Swi) | 0:00:18.39 |
| 69 | Robert Williams (GBr) | 0:00:18.55 |
| 70 | Nimrod Hemmo (Isr) | 0:00:18.60 |
| 71 | Edoardo Franco (Ita) | 0:00:18.72 |
| 72 | Ziga Pandur (Slo) | 0:00:18.83 |
| 73 | Julien Fournier (Swi) | 0:00:19.00 |
| 74 | Fabian Fader (Ger) | 0:00:19.01 |
| 75 | Goel Wirz (Fra) | 0:00:19.22 |
| 76 | Liam Moynihan (GBr) | 0:00:19.31 |
| 77 | Morgan Adam (GBr) | 0:00:19.37 |
| 78 | Jarno Veerhoek (Ned) | 0:00:19.56 |
| 79 | Andreas Schaefer (Swi) | 0:00:19.72 |
| 80 | Alexis Bousquet (Fra) | 0:00:19.89 |
| 81 | Callum Dew (GBr) | 0:00:19.91 |
| 82 | Freddie King (NZl) | 0:00:20.08 |
| 83 | Fabian Bieli (Swi) | 0:00:20.52 |
| 84 | Guillaume Chancrin (Fra) | 0:00:20.61 |
| 85 | Stefan Hubacher (Swi) | 0:00:20.73 |
| 86 | Mark Fischer (Swi) | 0:00:20.83 |
| 87 | Christophe Carnino (Fra) | 0:00:21.27 |
| 88 | Mario Reinbacher (Aut) | 0:00:21.92 |
| 89 | Luca Fusani (Ita) | 0:00:22.29 |
| 90 | Basil Weber (Swi) | 0:00:22.65 |
| 91 | Raphael Epitalon (Fra) | 0:00:22.65 |
| 92 | Rico Putzi (Swi) | 0:00:22.66 |
| 93 | Maxime Clerc (Fra) | 0:00:22.71 |
| 94 | Joseph Allen (NZl) | 0:00:22.75 |
| 95 | Elias Vonier (Aut) | 0:00:22.75 |
| 96 | David Belio (Spa) | 0:00:22.80 |
| 97 | Steve Clemencon (Fra) | 0:00:23.06 |
| 98 | Fabian Heim (Ger) | 0:00:23.23 |
| 99 | James George (GBr) | 0:00:23.29 |
| 100 | Tudor Jones (GBr) | 0:00:23.33 |
| 101 | Roland Schwaller (Swi) | 0:00:23.51 |
| 102 | Thibaud Patoux (Fra) | 0:00:23.66 |
| 103 | Aviv Yanowski (Isr) | 0:00:24.10 |
| 104 | Benjamin Scharfetter (Aut) | 0:00:24.30 |
| 105 | Jean Marie Schwindenhammer (Fra) | 0:00:24.50 |
| 106 | David Lischka (Ger) | 0:00:24.57 |
| 107 | Rok Jurca (Slo) | 0:00:24.57 |
| 108 | Benjamin Oluoch (Ger) | 0:00:24.74 |
| 109 | Gregory Gstalter (Fra) | 0:00:24.77 |
| 110 | Alan Rat (Fra) | 0:00:25.68 |
| 111 | William Elliott (GBr) | 0:00:25.72 |
| 112 | Florent Malengreaux (Bel) | 0:00:26.12 |
| 113 | Timothé Rosier (Fra) | 0:00:26.29 |
| 114 | Emyr Davies (GBr) | 0:00:26.34 |
| 115 | Kevin Schramm (Ger) | 0:00:26.46 |
| 116 | Jochen Rehwald (Ger) | 0:00:26.54 |
| 117 | Florian Heuschling (Fra) | 0:00:26.58 |
| 118 | Ludovic G'stalter (Fra) | 0:00:26.59 |
| 119 | Marc Bock (Swi) | 0:00:26.72 |
| 120 | Max Kruse (Ger) | 0:00:27.03 |
| 121 | Sam Boardman (GBr) | 0:00:27.14 |
| 122 | Tobias Doering (Ger) | 0:00:27.52 |
| 123 | Laurent Castella (Swi) | 0:00:27.94 |
| 124 | Peter Ballin (GBr) | 0:00:28.02 |
| 125 | David Hosang (Swi) | 0:00:28.12 |
| 126 | Gavin Duke (GBr) | 0:00:28.30 |
| 127 | Vincent Moynat (Fra) | 0:00:28.82 |
| 128 | Daniel Fricke (Ger) | 0:00:28.93 |
| 129 | Olivier Lagger (Swi) | 0:00:29.31 |
| 130 | Lionel Van Eldom (Bel) | 0:00:29.41 |
| 131 | Jonathan Morley (GBr) | 0:00:30.01 |
| 132 | Markus Bihler (Ger) | 0:00:30.17 |
| 133 | Vinzenz Guntern (Swi) | 0:00:30.73 |
| 134 | Jérôme Vizzavona (Fra) | 0:00:30.88 |
| 135 | Markus Planitzer (Aut) | 0:00:31.17 |
| 136 | Urs Sturzenegger (Swi) | 0:00:31.36 |
| 137 | Thomas Dilitta (Fra) | 0:00:31.37 |
| 138 | Bernhard Kammel (Ger) | 0:00:31.39 |
| 139 | Olivier Afflatet (Fra) | 0:00:32.57 |
| 140 | Sylvain Epitalon (Fra) | 0:00:32.63 |
| 141 | Jetham Levenberger (Isr) | 0:00:33.06 |
| 142 | Lucas Engelhardt (Ger) | 0:00:33.89 |
| 143 | Mario Jantsch (Ger) | 0:00:34.07 |
| 144 | Philipp Gerken (Ger) | 0:00:34.19 |
| 145 | Nicolas Simon (Bel) | 0:00:35.63 |
| 146 | David Vincent (Fra) | 0:00:35.65 |
| 147 | Martin Schelberger (Aut) | 0:00:36.16 |
| 148 | Stephane Pugin (Fra) | 0:00:36.33 |
| 149 | Jerome Crocombette (Fra) | 0:00:37.33 |
| 150 | Lorenzo Baragiola (Swi) | 0:00:38.79 |
| 151 | Denis Bron Fontanaz (Fra) | 0:00:40.41 |
| 152 | Benoït Fellay (Swi) | 0:00:40.51 |
| 153 | Doron Dan (Isr) | 0:00:42.16 |
| 154 | Kent Clarstroem (Swe) | 0:00:42.19 |
| 155 | Peter Boo (Swi) | 0:00:42.33 |
| 156 | Dominik Schum (Ger) | 0:00:44.47 |
| 157 | Aleksandar Prvulj (Lie) | 0:00:45.52 |
| 158 | Ernst Schurter (Swi) | 0:00:48.21 |
| 159 | Gilles Ranchain (Fra) | 0:00:49.37 |
| 160 | Patrick Mueller (Ger) | 0:00:49.52 |
| 161 | Patrick Schum (Ger) | 0:00:54.66 |
| 162 | Cristiano Bolognese (Ita) | 0:01:02.02 |
| 163 | Moritz Kruse (Ger) | 0:01:11.91 |
| 164 | Antonio Carlo Franco (Ita) | 0:01:13.37 |
| 165 | Jean Krattinger (Fra) | 0:01:19.01 |
| 166 | Fabian Pfister (Swi) | 0:01:33.73 |
| 167 | Christopher Clemencon (Fra) | 0:01:45.23 |
| 168 | Gatien Durocher (Fra) | 0:05:08.66 |
| DNF | Kevin Setzer (Ger) | Row 168 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Remy Casanova (Fra) | Row 169 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Falk Banker (Ger) | Row 170 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Matthieu Carnino (Fra) | Row 171 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Alexis Visbecq (Fra) | Row 172 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Tine Mahkovec (Slo) | Row 173 - Cell 2 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Floriane Pugin (Fra) | 0:02:52.12 |
| 2 | Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) | 0:00:00.67 |
| 3 | Caroline Sax (Fra) | 0:00:17.78 |
| 4 | Martina Bruehlmann (Swi) | 0:00:27.94 |
| 5 | Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (Aut) | 0:00:29.43 |
| 6 | Nicole Beege (Ger) | 0:00:29.54 |
| 7 | Morgane Jonnier (Fra) | 0:00:30.31 |
| 8 | Laura Lohner (Fra) | 0:00:30.62 |
| 9 | Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) | 0:00:31.43 |
| 10 | Miriam Ruchti (Swi) | 0:00:31.81 |
| 11 | Leoni-Caro. Dickerhoff (Ger) | 0:00:36.77 |
| 12 | Joanne Muoser (Swi) | 0:00:39.38 |
| 13 | Caro Gehrig (Swi) | 0:00:47.28 |
| 14 | Lauriane Darbre (Swi) | 0:01:08.89 |
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