A huge crash for Damien Spagnolo and a lucky escape from serious injury!

Damien started the weekend with the unlucky No.13 but hoped it would not be a curse. The world cup series returned to the USA after a long absence for the 2010 finals.

After a long a difficult journey Damien and Paul arrived in Windham and were very happy to see their beds. Wednesday was track walking and it seemed to be a good world cup course, however it was going to be fast and with the wet conditions, dangerous too! A few of the top riders fell prey to the track and were unable to take the start.

For Damien, the training went well and he found a good constant speed throughout the track, he took “safe” lines and assured his run for the qualifying, with a 13^th place finish he was happy and looking forward to letting the brakes go a little more for the final.

The track dried up after three days of bright blue skies and by Sunday the mud had turned to dust. Damien was feeling confident and he knew he had chosen good lines for his race run. He was hoping to have a solid run to ensure an overall place in the top 10.

The upper part of the run went well for Damien as he eased into his run, picking up the pace as he went down, he was feeling more and more confident with every turn and had a clear mindset. Unfortunately for him he landed a double slightly off line and slammed his chainguide on a rock, this sent him even more off line and he hit the massive road gap out of control, there was nothing he could do when he was in the air except hope for lucky landing! This is exactly what he did, missing all the rocks and trees he flew off track and went down in a ball of dust. He was able to get back on and finish his run but was way off the pace. Fortunately he did not suffer any serious injuries but has a swollen hand and hip.

Despite of this Damien can proud to finish the season with a 19^th place overall in world cup series, his best result to date. This combined with his excellent results in Maribor and Champery shows he is really riding well this season. With just 1 week before the world champs, Damien will concentrate on a quick recovery and give it his best shot!

Damien Spagnolo out of contention after a wrist injury in practice!

The French Nation team travelled to Hafjell ski resort in Norway for the 2010 European Champs, after a long trip and some lost baggage Thursdays training went well on a fast and technical track.

Damien had the No.1 plate so all eyes were on him during the training as the various federations tried to find the best lines and times. Damien was feeling confident and riding fast and smooth in all the training videos.

Friday was the qualification and despite the drastic change in conditions after a day of rain he managed to ride well in the training and was ready for his race run. Even though he was last man down, he did not let the pressure get to him as he rode a good solid run finishing with the fastest time.

On Saturday, the weather again changed and the sun was quickly drying the track so tyre choice would be an important factor. Damien knew he would have to pull out a good run to take home gold, but he felt good on the bike and the track and was more than ready for the challenge until disaster struck on his last training run. He washed out on a root and jammed his front wheel against a rock, sending him over the bars and into a huge rock garden. He injured his wrist and shoulder but after a consultation with the team doctor he decided to strap it and ride the final.

The start of the final went well for Dam as he was able to manage the pace and the pain to have the 3^rd fastest split, however after the half-way mark the vibrations and impacts made it difficult for him to hold on and he had to slow his pace just to stay on. He continued to go off line a few times and realised that the win was not going to be doable. The spectators could see him suffering over the last part of the track to the finish as he gave everything to cross the line 7^th.

After the race Damien was disappointed to have missed an opportunity for a medal but was again happy with his pace over the weekend and reassured in the knowledge that is riding amazingly this season. He is now more motivated than ever for the last few races of the season.

A good qualifying run for Damien showing he is riding within the top 10 in the world this year.

The Mondraker Factory team were in Val De Sole for the world cup triple event. The downhill track was similar to that used in the 2008 world champs where Fabien Barel finished 4^th.

The track was rough and fast with some wide open sections and full of rocks and roots. The training went well for Damien and he was quickly set on his lines and on the bike. The team were sporting the new colours and proud to have Fabien with them to encourage and assist.

The qualifying run went really well for Damien as he finished in 7^th place, he was really happy with his run even though he had made some small mistakes, he was feeling confident and happy to show that his podium the week before was not just luck! Aurelien was battling with the track and his position and he was not able to put together a good run, qualifying in 65^th place.

Friday Night was the 4 cross and Aurelien was feeling good after his national champs victory, he had an ok qualifying round but was up against some big names in the first round. He started well and went into the second straight in 2^nd place, he had a small gap on 3^rd so knew he just had to hold it to the finish. Unfortunately the 3^rd place rider rode into him on the next turn, causing him to crash and go out of the race.

The final for the downhill was on Sunday and the weather had stayed dry for 2 days making the track very dusty and loose. Aurelien was not able to find the form that has been eluding him this season and he finished with a disappointing 52^nd place. For Damien, things did not go much better, he was not feeling as confident as he had for the qualifying round but he still managed to ride the upper part of the track really well, he was feeling fast but not 100% confident. During one of the rough turns he lost his front end and went down into the dust. He got up quickly but after trying to ride again at full speed he realised the all the dust in his helmet and goggles was drastically reducing his vision so he decided to minimise his chance of another crash and cruise to the finish. With the European champs next week he decided to save his efforts for next time!

Damien finished the weekend with 13^th place in the standings and with just 1 round to go he feels confident he can pull back into the top 10 overall to finish off the season well.

Next stop Euro champs in Norway.

Damien Spagnolo on the world cup podium after an awesome run in Champery!

The Mondraker Factory Team marked there presence in Champery thanks to the outstanding performance from Damien. He was second fastest qualifier despite a small crash loosing a few seconds. Then he pulled out all the stops to take home his best ever world cup finish in 5^th place.

Fab full of emotion said “ the work we have been doing the last 2 years is paying off. Damien has for sure an unreal talent on the bike but his determination and passion for the sport is inspiring. I am really proud to share it all with him…”

After a great weekend at the French Nat champs the team was on a high and really motivated for the world cup. The track had changed since 2007 with most of the turns being rounded and loads more jumps, it was flowing better and Aurelien really loved it. The track was faster than before and a little less technical but still steep and gnarly. In the dry on Thursday the riders quickly found the flow and after a few minor changes to the bikes they felt comfortable and fast on the track, Aurelien had a good timed run posting the 8^th fastest time.

Friday night brought the rain and the track quickly changed into a mine field, filled with holes and ruts, the sticky mud making every turn a battle. This was just what Damien loved, the tougher the conditions the better he does. The training went well except for the mechanics, having to wash the bikes after every run due to the 4kgs of mud that was stuck on them.

Aurelien was still riding well despite the tough conditions and was ready for a good run in qualifying, unfortunately for him this was not to be. He crashed on a steep section and went off the track, down a steep bank and into a hole, due to the race rules he had to re-enter the track where he left it, but due to the steep bank he could not until a spectator helped him get the bike up. This lost him over a minute and the chance to qualify was gone.

For Damien it was a different story, he rode well until a big mistake in the top section caused him go down, luckily he was able to avoid putting his hands in the mud and managed to get going again quickly, he rode the bottom section like it was dry and scorched the line with the second fastest time!

With Aurelien out Damien had the pressure of the only rider for the team in the final but he was confident and calm in the start. The rain was on and off for most of the day so Damien had made some changes to his lines to avoid the massive holes that were developing but he was still feeling confident and ready for his run. He took the start with confidence and rode well all the way down, the crowed was amazed to see him staying clipped in through all the technical sections due to his stable position and line choice. Even with 2 big mistakes Dam was able to finish in 5^th place, taking home his best ever result from a world cup. Damien has worked hard this year to improve his speed and consistency and now he can reap the rewards. With 3^rd place less than a second away Dam was a little disappointed to have made mistakes during his run, but the honour of the podium was enough for him!

Damien moves up to 9^th overall in the standings and the team 11^th!

Next week world cup in Italy (Val de Sole).

Mondraker Factory team take home gold and silver and win best gravity team!

The team arrived in Val d’Isere with high hopes for some good results, with Aurelien Giordanengo holding the 2009 4X title and Damien Spagnolo who has been riding amazingly all season, the team was ready for action on Friday.

The downhill track was fast and loose, just the way Damien liked it. It was a difficult track to ride without making mistakes due to the poor grip conditions but that would be the only way to ensure a good position.

Friday afternoon was the 4X race, after just 3 training runs due to the tight schedule Aurelien pulled out a great qualifying run and finished 3rd. This was a good start as it ensured he would have gate choice for the first few rounds. The racing went well for Aure as he made his way through the heats, eliminating some of the big names. By the time the final came round Aure was confident about his riding but a little worried about his gate, he was up against Saladini and Deldycke, both were having better gates than him so he decided to hold back a little into the first turn hoping the battle for 1st would leave a gap for him. His strategy paid off and he cut down tight on the first turn passing from 3rd to 1st. He managed to hold his lead all the way to the finish and secure his second consecutive title as National Champion.

Sunday was the downhill and the track was full of holes and dust, the riders were confident and looking good on the track. Damien had qualified 4th with an average run so he knew he could do better in the final, he was hungry for the title and prepared well. Aurelien was off 2 places before Dam and he rode well despite the track not suiting his skills, he controlled his run well but made some mistakes on the way down losing some time. For Damien it was a different story, he attacked from the start, knowing that to win he had to pick up every 10th he could along the way. His run went well and he crossed the line in 2nd place, less than a second from the win! Damien was really pleased with his race and control of the pressure of the event. Obviously he was also a little disappointed to miss the gold medal, but with the high level he was happy to take home silver.

Fabien Barel also made an appearance to help his riders with the tips and techniques they needed for the weekend. He took the opportunity to present his new Mondraker Summum and provide the commentary for national TV. Fabien was really happy to have his team take the top Gravity Team spot!

The team will now travel to Champery for the next round of the world cup.

Damien Spagnolo takes the win in the second round of the French cup.

The Mondraker Factory Team headed to the centre of France to the ski resort of Super Besse a day early to have some fun on the permanent tracks. The ground was loose and dusty with a good gradient and some technical sections filled with jumps and berms.

Friday was hot and the training went well as both Aurelien and Damien were feeling good on the track and riding well. The start list was filled with the top French riders so getting to know the track would be a key point to a good result.

Saturday started with bright blue skies and powerful sunshine, but by the time the last 30 riders were ready for the seeding, things had changed. A huge storm was brewing and it started to rain at the finish.

The sudden change in weather left the riders with a tough tyre choice, stay with the intermediate for top sections or switch to mud for the bottom steep woods….

Damien and Aurelien stayed on intermediate which took the pressure of them a little and allowed them to post some really good times.

For the final on Sunday the weather was forecast to be a factor again as a high chance of afternoon storms was predicted. The pressure of the race mounted as the last few riders were left with a long delay due to a race interruption. Damien was the first rider down for the team and he pushed hard right from the start, making a few mistakes as he went down, showing he was riding on the limit, this did not slow him down as he pushed harder and harder until he crossed the line. He posted the fastest time and took the hot seat with about 30 riders left to come he was nervous but confident that he had done enough to take the win.

Just a few riders later Aurelien was off and he was riding well until the mid part of the track where he started to make some mistakes, this caused him to loose his flow and push too hard on his arms, by the time he hit the steep wooded section he was suffering and ended up crashing over the bars. He lost some time but was not injured so managed to complete his run in 13^th place

A good weekend for the team and important preparation for the French national champs in 2 weeks.