FOTO STORY

The Megavalanche is a bucket list mountain bike race for many, and it’s clear as to why when you visit Alpe D’Huez and see the scale of the event for the first time. Towering high above the village, is Pic Blanc, where the race starts on the glacier, and hiding deep in the valley bottom far below the village, is the finish at Allemond. The sheer scale of the course that the riders have to master is incredible. For 2024 there was talk of a record amount of snow up on the mountain, so there was a real buzz about the pits, as riders prepared to ascend the mountain for their first practice runs. After taking victory at the event for the first time in 2023, and now enjoying the new RC+ DUROLUX38 fork, Hugo Pigeon was excited and ready to give it his best effort to retain the title this year. 

Hugo Pigeon clocked over 100kmph in a practice run, and everyone had a lot of fun enjoying the conditions.

During practice the athletes were treated to some of the best snow conditions in many years up on the glacier. There was full coverage all of the way down the glacier, and the clear night skies and cold temperatures meant the snow was firm and crisp, so riders could generate incredibly high speeds and get some great control. Hugo Pigeon clocked over 100kmph in a practice run, and everyone had a lot of fun enjoying the conditions.

Early in the week, Jack Reading of Gravity School Racing got the racing started, finishing 2nd in the Dual Slalom and 1st in the No Chain race. The qualifying heats for the Megavalanche are a really important part of the week for our athletes, as a strong performance is needed to guarantee a top 3 finish in the heat, and a front row spot for the main event. Winning their heats and taking a spot on the front row of the Megavalanche were Stefan Peter, Liam Moynihan and Hugo Pigeon. Also securing front row spots by finishing 2nd or 3rd in their qualifying heats were Jack Reading, James Shirley and Nico Quéré. Special mention to our other athletes in attendance, including Luca Cometti from the USA, Sam Reynolds who needs no introduction, and two 17 year old riders Gabriel Ribas and Andy Schanden.

Although there was a lot of snow on the glacier, the weather forecast from Friday evening onwards was for rain, wind and even some storms…

Although there was a lot of snow on the glacier, the weather forecast from Friday evening onwards was for rain, wind and even some storms. This meant there was uncertainty about where for the main event would start. If starting from the glacier was not an option, the back-up plan was to start at the top of the qualifying track, and then race all the way to Allemond from here. This would still be a long race and be very challenging, but not quite the same as racing from the glacier. The decision was made on Friday evening, to run with this back-up plan for the EBike race and challenger race on Saturday, and riders would be told at 6pm on Saturday evening what would happen with the main event on Sunday. It was a nervous wait for everyone, but with the weather forecast being so bad, everyone had a good idea what would happen.

As feared, the news arrived that the race would start from the alternate starting point, and race the qualifying track to where it crosses the main Mega track just before the big climb, and would then continue on the Mega track to Allemond. As it had rained a lot, the track conditions were going to be traitorous and riders were facing a big challenge. Our riders started well, with Hugo, Stefan, Jack and Liam all running inside the top 10 off the start, and very quickly Hugo took the lead of the race. Unfortunately Liam had a big crash up top, and had to retire from the race, but thankfully he is fine and didn’t sustain any serious injuries. Jack dropped his chain and after stopping to put it back on losing a lot of time and positions, battled back through the pack in the lower downhill sections to secure a top 20 finish with 17th place.

Hugo Pigeon backed up his win last year, with another race win in 2024 and an incredible Megavalanche ride.

The race was incredible, with riders battling both each other and the conditions from the start to the finish. To our delight, Hugo Pigeon backed up his win last year, with another race win in 2024 and an incredible Megavalanche ride. Stefan Peter finished in 5th place once again, making that four Megavalanche podium finishes in as many years, which at such a crazy event with so many variables, is extremely impressive. What a week and we’re so proud of our riders for their achievements at this year’s Megavalanche! 2025, we’re already excited, and hoping for lots of snow and the right weather to race from the top!