Monster Energy congratulates team rider Camille Balanche on her victory in the Elite Women division at the 2022 Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang, Austria.
SAALFELDEN LEOGANG, Austria, June 12, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The third round is in the books! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Camille Balanche on her victory in the Elite Women division at the 2022 Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang, Austria. In the season's third World Cup race, the 32-year-old from La Chaux-de-Fond, Switzerland, emerged in first place with a 4:08.218 finish time, more than 11 seconds ahead of the next rider. She also retained her lead on the overall 2022 season standings.
In the Elite Men division, Monster Energy's Danny Hart took second place in a tight race. The 30-year-old from Redcar, United Kingdom, reached a 3:29.141 finish time, a mere 0.325 seconds behind Great Britain's Matt Walker. Hart was joined on the podium by 26-year-old Amaury Pierron from Brioude, France, who completed the challenging downhill course in 3:30.530 and defended his number one position on the 2022 Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup rankings.
The iconic bike track in Leogang, Austria, hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup from June 10-12, 2022. At a length of 2.2 miles, the steep course in Leogang's ski area is known for its challenging climbs and drops. It's also a riders' favorite: Leogang was voted best Downhill World Cup in 2021.
While Friday's qualifiers were overshadowed by rain and muddy track conditions, the sun finally made an appearance on Saturday for the final races. But still, considerable moisture remained in the track, especially in the lower woods section, putting a premium on equipment choices and strategic lines.
In the Elite Women division, Monster Energy's Balanche came into the race as the current leader on season rankings. She won the first season stop in Lourdes, France, and placed second in Fort William, Scotland, in late May. Previously, Balanche had won World Cup races in Leogang consecutively in 2020 and 2021. In Friday's qualifiers, the 32-year-old Swiss cyclist emerged in first place, closely ahead of Austrian rider Vali Holl.
As it turned out, Saturday's final was anything but a close call. When the dust settled, Balanche finished the course in 4:08.218 minutes. Her secret was the choice of tires, preparing for wet track conditions: "Full muds! I rode the whole weekend on them, and it was awesome. The grip was amazing, and it helped me a lot at the bottom," said Balanche.
Attacking the course with speed and precision, Balanche finished leading the next competitor, Myriam Nicole from France, by a whopping 11.3 seconds.
"It was super good, just made a little mistake in the stumps and had to pedal, but it's not where you can lose the most time, so it was ok. On the motorway I cased the second table, but it wasn't bad. I don't think I lost a lot of time. In the woods, I was super flow, and I was super happy!" said Monster Energy's Balanche upon taking the victory at Leogang.
Saturday's victory marks the third consecutive win at Leogang for Balanche and continues what is shaping up to be a dominant season. With a total of 585 points, she remains in first place on the 2022 season leaderboards.
Looking ahead at Round 4 of the World Cup in her native Switzerland, Balanche said: "It's always good to be home, but I'm not super stoked on the track in Lenzerheide, and it's where I've always done the worst. So, I'm going to try to just do better this year!"
When the action moved into the Elite Men division, the high-energy crowd at Leogang was in for an ultra-tight finish. How tight? When all was said and done, Monster Energy's Danny Hart barged across the finish line at 3:29.141 minutes, a mere 0.325 seconds behind fellow British rider Matt Walker.
"This is what I wanted! I was being realistic and searching for the podium for a while. To get second behind Matt… he rode well and so did I. I can hold my head up high leaving here. I crossed all my t's and dotted all my I's," said Hart, adding: "I need to get back to doing this every week and try and be there consistently!"
Fourth place at Leogang went to Monster Energy's Amaury Pierron. After back-to-back wins at the season opener in Lourdes, France, and Fort William, Scotland, the 'Flying Frenchman' dropped into the Austrian course as the top-ranked rider on the circuit. When all was said and done, the decorated French rider completed the close race in 3:30.530 minutes and scored valuable ranking points.
"The podium saved my day for sure. It was too many crashes and hard to find the flow. I'm happy with fourth, but I'm really not happy with my run. I had too much left today, too many mistakes. It is what it is and fourth is good! Good points and the number one jersey!" said Monster Energy's Pierron.
After his fourth-place finish in Leogang, Monster Energy's Pierron retains his top spot on the 2022 season leaderboards with 555 points.
What's next? Stay posted as the UCI World Cup heads to Lenzerheide, Switzerland, from July 8-10, 2022.
For more on Camille Balanche, 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 2022 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.
Media Contact
Kimberly Paige Dresser, Indie Agency, Inc., (949) 300-5546, [email protected]
SOURCE Monster Energy
Share this article