Monster Energy congratulates team rider Loris Vergier on taking first place in the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Pal Arinsal, Andorra.
PAL ARINSAL, Andorra, Sept. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --
- 27-Year-Old Athlete from Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, Earns First Professional World Championship Ten Years After Claiming the Junior Division Title
- 17-Year-Old Monster Army Rider Erice van Leuven Takes Victory in Junior Women's Division, Claims UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup World Championship Title for Second Consecutive Year
Big titles in Andorra! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Loris Vergier on taking first place in the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Pal Arinsal, Andorra. In the Elite Men's division downhill final on Saturday, the 27-year-old from Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, claimed his first pro division world championship title in an ultra-close race.
The Junior Women division race saw 17-year-old Monster Army rider Erice van Leuven from Aotearoa, New Zealand, claim a dominant victory, finishing over six seconds clear of her nearest competitor.
From August 28 to September 1, the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships brought the world elite of the sport to the mountainous slopes of Pal Arinsal in Andorra. At a length of 1.3 miles, the challenging downhill racetrack provided the backdrop to crown this season's champions in cross-country (XCO), downhill (DHI), and cross-country short track (XCC) disciplines.
This weekend's Elite Men division downhill final escalated into a highly competitive showdown. When all was said and done, the five top riders finished the course only half a second apart.
Taking the win in the highly contested race, Loris Vergier claimed the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championship title with a finish time of 2:38.661. He finished a mere 0.148 seconds ahead of the next competitor. This marks Vergier's first Elite Men world championship title, precisely ten years after becoming the Junior Men division champion.
"It's insane, and to be honest, I had an average run with some safe line choices, but I knew I had to get down to the bottom in one piece," said Vergier after winning his first World Championship. "I started practice, trying to see how the other guys were riding, and it was clear that the speeds were really high - It could have been ten different winners today. I was almost thinking it wasn't possible for me to win Worlds. There is so much young talent coming up that I felt I was losing my chances. To finally get the win against all odds feels amazing! I still can't believe it!"
In the highly competitive race, 32-year-old Danny Hart from Redcar, United Kingdom, held the top spot for a substantial portion of the final. When the dust settled, the UK team rider finished in fourth place with a time of 2:38.944, a mere 0.283 seconds behind Vergier. Finishing in fifth place, 28-year-old team rider Amaury Pierron from Brioude, France, finished the track in 2:39.118, less than half a second behind Vergier.
On Thursday, the Junior Women division downhill final saw Monster Army rider Erice van Leuven drop in as the defending world champion. Entering as the top qualifier from earlier rounds, the Kiwi rider was the last rider to compete on the course and proceeded to shut down the final with a dominant run that broke the three-minute barrier.
Attacking the course with speed, van Leuven built a one-second lead at the first checkpoint. From there, she raised the bar to a five-second lead at the second time check and was ahead of the nearest competitor by six seconds at the third marker. Barging into the finish with a final time of 2:59.891, van Leuven took the victory 6.357 seconds ahead of the next rider to defend her Junior Women division UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup championship.
"From day one, I was having a lot of fun! I recently raced in dusty conditions so that was good prep for the track here in Andorra," said Monster Army's van Leuven. "I put the same effort in my race run, stayed on my lines, and let 'er rip! It all came together when it mattered most. Very Happy to have earned the rainbow jersey heading into the final rounds!"
"This means so much to me. To back it up is incredible, and to do it with some of my family here is really special," said van Leuven upon claiming the Junior division World Championship.
By claiming the 2024 world championship, van Leuven became the first Junior since Vali Höll in 2018/19 to take back-to-back titles.
For more on Loris Vergier, Erice van Leuven, Danny Hart, Amaury Pierron, 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 the 2024 MTB season.
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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SOURCE Monster Energy
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