Despite the presence of athletes from nearly 20 nations, France confirms its leadership in this specialty, the downhill marathon: road race on a downhill course of nearly an hour.

After qualifying races on Friday, the 350 best riders on the 2100 registered had the privilege of the morning rush from the Pic Blanc, perched at 3330m.

Before the rising of the harrow, each fed a huge anxiety about the state of the first 3 km of the glacier Sarenne. Indeed, while usually it is a real snow slope, which serves as a launching pad to MEGAVALANCHE today, global warming had done its work and only some portions of this section were really snowy. In addition, the big storm that night was exposed large areas of ice. The start is given and despite the ever present danger, the 30 pilots of the first flow line to the bottom because they know the importance of position in the first kilometers of the race outside the norm.

André Simon who is scheduled to play from the 30 meters of ice that was under the wheels. He immediately takes a bunch of angry including all the favorites are present. Yet the MTB ambassador of the Alpe d'Huez, Nicolas Vouilloz took the lead in the race but it will not last. A small waterfall and four competitors including the excess found Ludovic May, Rémy Absalon, Jerome Clementz and René Wildhaber.
In the very technique named after the trail to the rock, the Cristallière, redouble the fight. Alex Balaud had placed in the top three bursts, ending any chance to do well.
René Wildhaber is the maximum, closely followed by Rémy Absalon, but a small pilot error and here on the ground, opening a large driver Commencal hope to confirm finally that it is the best in this field which requires to master all record of MTB discipline.
A mid-race, Rémy Absalon in control at the front. Jerome Clementz was in sight and Nicolas Vouilloz returned to the fight with the Swiss René Wildhaber, 6 times winner of the MEGAVALANCHE.
But we know that anything can happen in this mad descent trajectory error, a wrong move in order to derail and especially poorly negotiated an obstacle which costs a flat tire or a broken suspension as well as a few riders behind her there are a lot of pressure with Karim Amour ex World Cup downhiller, enduro specialist Olivier Giordanengo, or the very talented Francois Bailly-Maitre, twice winner of the Transvésubienne.
Young people contribute to the peer pressure of the top 10 with Theo Galy (8th), the Swiss Ludovic May (9th) and the Scottish Joe BARNES (10th).
Rémy Absalon dominate the final situation, Jerome Clementz is forced to make a right, it will be the dolphin driver Commencal. The third step of the podium will return to René Wildhaber, hard fought with Nicolas VOUILLOZ.

This 17th edition of the MEGAVALANCHE took place in ideal conditions with the quality of the plots of the slopes Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine mountain offers its visitors, the performance of the ski lifts to transport bike is almost unique in Europe and enables all passionate s to make real records of downhill mountain bike slides.
The general organization including security is honed by 17 years of experience. The weather was mild and even more throughout this great week MEGAVALANCHE of 2011.

Created in 1995, the Megavalanche is a form of original competition, based on departures in line for a descent of almost 20 kilometers race.
The first crossing the finishing line located in Allemont, in the Valley, is proclaimed winner of the greatest downhill Marathon in the world.
Since this formula has made school, both at the level of preparation of the specific practice it imposes, inter alia, a master of all records, be they physical, address, balance, endurance or recklessness.
Used bikes were also considerable thought over the years to meet the specific needs related to the versatility of the conditions of use: speed, agility, strength, light weight.

On this major event in the biking world, develops satellite events that encourage more than 2000 participants to stay on the "Grand Domaine de l’Alpe".
Thus, 250 participants are expected at the departure of The Avalanche Enduro organized on its Northwest side from Vaujany station, Sunday, July 03, and Monday, July 04.
The formula Enduro offers participants a common route to the discovery of spaces reserved and accessible only through this competition.
Not less than 5 individual timed events, called special, punctuate this path for classification.

As many riders pure descenders are expected at the outset of The Avalanche Cup on the famous trail of Poutran in Oz en Oisans station Tuesday 05 July and Wednesday July 06.
Here again, individual timing, but the natural configuration of the route of the Enduro give way to a real sprint downhill, the best cover within 5 minutes.

The Expo Tech Area, installed Place of Cognet at the top of the station of the Alpe d'Huez, will give the possibility to all participants to be serviced and discover the best products with the presence of Trek, Suntour, Hope, Julbo, Bluegrass, Five Ten,... from Wednesday morning.

Megavalanche 2011 marks a watershed in terms of the routes selected for Friday, July 08 qualification races and Megavalanche race Saturday 09 and Sunday, July 10.
To meet the trend turned to snow more constantly, more speed, the route selected for the 2011 qualifications will present a profile more technical and more down again since the Dome des Rousses (at 2800m) to the village of Huez.
Remember that, to reach the village of Huez, 11 waves of qualifications will make the show because, for the first time, their circuit passes through the heart of the station.
Don't miss large curves of Alpine of the Signal, the output of the tunnel at the level of the pool, the stairs to the Office of tourism, the passage of the bridge over the market place and the possibility to follow them, almost in sight, since the road.

The route of the Megavalanche suffered, he also, a new direction, which borrows from the fountain of Poutran, the famous descent of the snow sheds and the forest of Sarrenne, thus avoiding the too progressive detour of the canal on the Signal.

Participants spend their Thursday day studious trials to remember the best paths and to establish better tempo to be applied to a sprint at the elbow to elbow of 25 min for the qualifications and nearly 1 h for the Mega.

The 11 groups of qualifications of the Friday offer the possibility for all pros, amateurs and even amateur, find themselves in an even race to win his place, according to the ranking in groups at the level of the Saturday and Sunday.
Group of maximum 200 competitors, the platoon is divided by fairly distributing the heads of series on each of the waves of qualifications.

Saturday, it is the Megavalanche ladies that open, start 09:00 am, from the famous track of Pic Blanc overlooking, more than 3300m in altitude, the Sarrenne glacier.
The arrival is always considered to Allemont, after plummeting 2500m.

Sunday, are 350 best descenders of the week which mean the same place in the conquest of a victory also coveted by the cream of the cream of the MTB and by manufacturers.

The Grand Domaine de l’Alpe d'Huez has always belongs to the history of mountain biking with its lift, particularly suitable equipment, and a network of trails mountain bike specially maintained and calibrated.

Since 1995, the Megavalanche contributes to establish this international recognition. For the 17th year running, mountain biking community will have eyes hijacked on the descent of the world, the Alpe d'Huez Megavalanche.

Any info on the official program in all the Offices of tourism.

THE FORCES IN PRESENCE:

The Downhill Marathon is a specialty in mountain bike discipline, which requires its participants control of the physical, mental and strategic range applied to mountain biking.
A victory over the Megavalanche confers to the rider, and to his MTB, the reputation of totally master the discipline and to be the best virtual rider of the world.

Megavalanche remains square meadow of the French and Swiss riders, since these 2 nations share the number of victories since the creation of the race.
Switzerland René Wildhaber (TREK), alias Mister Megavalanche, 6 victories to his credit, will be opposed for the first step of the podium to Jérôme Clementz (Cannondale - Kenny), double winner 2005 and 2010, and Rémy Absalon (Commencal), winner in 2009 and victorious of the Maxiavalanche European Cup 2010.
Nicolas Vouilloz (LAPIERRE), real living legend of mountain bike for his 10 titles for downhill world champion, will also be a candidate in the first step.

After this handful of potential winners, another Swiss, the young Ludovic May (NORCO FACTORY TEAM), which progresses each year in the rankings, will be strong to do with a hope of the school French downhill marathon, Nicolas Lau (CUBE BIKE) and same Iago Garay (TREK BONTRAGER ESPANA).

However, the new configuration much more for the benefit of real descenders may place the 2 English, Joe Barnes (MTBcut/Orange) and Alex Stock (KONA) in new conditions of performance.
It will be same for Karim Amour (KONA), long, who hosted the downhill world cups.

Another pilot to monitor, in the view of his performance at the opening of the Europe Cup Maxiavalanche to Vallnord in Andorra mid-June, Franck Parolin (GIANT - VERTICAL BIKE), which is a very large form.

In the category women, famous for the Olympics Beijing gold medalist, Anne-Caroline Chausson (IBIS) will dictate his act to Swiss Myriam saugy (BMC TRAILCREW), double winner of the terrible Transvesubienne, 6th in 2010, and Pauline Petit (TEAM PROBIKESHOP) who won the European Cup Maxiavalanche 2010.

They are a little more than 2000 to have confirmed their departure for the 2011 edition. There is no doubt that new talent will emerge, especially with the advent of the runners of Eastern Europe.

Run in Megavalanche induced so many factors of success or possible incidents that all hopes of each are allowed.
Moreover, the Organization now attaches to propose numerous rankings by group of levels, so that these thousands of lovers of skiing and overflow itself carries the value of their performance to align with a major sporting event that references on the ATV World.

The Megavalanche represents the ultimate for thrill seekers, gliding, beautiful ambiance and "fluff" between friends. Who has not had the thrill of start lines of Megavalanche, is not yet an accomplished rider!

The gondola of Vaujany will open from 8am throughout the week of MEGAVALANCHE 2011, allowing it to reach all departures this week by the lifts (Thursday morning departure from the cable will be exceptionally advanced riders wishing to participate in the bike speed)