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.