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Christophe Fournier's challenge

Christophe has been taking part in the MTB Alpine Cup challenge for 2 years now. He agreed to share his experience with you.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

Hello, my name is Fournier Christophe, I’m 38 years old. I live in Oussières, in the Jura, with my wife and children, where I work as a bricklayer.

I’ve been mountain biking since I was a child. I love nature and that feeling of freedom when I set off on the singles, often accompanied by magnificent views. I’m currently a member of the VTT Conliège Jura Bassin de Lons club.

I raced competitively in my youth, mainly in XCO races. I then took a 10-year break to devote myself to my home projects and my family. I resumed racing in 2020, still in XCO, but I’ve mainly turned to XC marathon, a discipline I’m particularly fond of.

How did you hear about the MTB Alpine Cup?

I discovered the MTB Alpine Cup challenge through social networks. I had taken part in some races in 2022, without registering for the challenge.
That’s what prompted me to register for 2023 and 2024, because I loved those races, and having an overall ranking made the experience even more motivating.

How did your last two entries go?

My first two participations have, for the moment, a taste of unfinished business, because over the two seasons, there was always a race where I unfortunately couldn’t go all the way. In 2024 it was the Grand Raid BCVS and in 2023, the MB Race.

For me, the hardest part was when I had to stop before the end, either because of a time barrier or because I had to give up… Starting in the morning knowing that my body wouldn’t be able to keep up with me, because of an injury.

My impressions before each race are always a mixture of excitement and apprehension: knowing whether I’ll be ready on D-day, because these are long races, with significant gradients… You can’t be afraid to spend hours in the saddle.

What I like most is the beauty of the landscapes where these races take place. But what I appreciate most is the finish: the immense satisfaction of having surpassed yourself and gone to the very end.

A memorable anecdote: during the MB Race, the first time I finished the 140 km, I was so exhausted that I couldn’t even drink the finisher’s beer, and spent an hour at the aid station to recover! 🙂

What are your goals for 2025? And how are you preparing for it?

My goal for 2025 is above all to enjoy cycling as much as possible. And to do the whole challenge this year would be really great.

As for distances, I’d like to aim for the maximum in each event:

I’d also like to finish in the top 20 in the final rankings!

As for my training, as I said earlier, I have a physical job as a bricklayer, so it’s not always easy to stay motivated. I train without a coach or trainer. In winter, I do quite a bit of home training after work, and as soon as the fine weather returns, I resume outdoor outings in the evenings and at weekends.

A final word?

Finally, I’d like to thank my family, who support me at every race. Seeing their looks and smiles along the route and at the finish, it’s thanks to them that I’m able to keep going and keep my mind of steel! (
I’d also like to thank the organizers and volunteers, without whom nothing would be possible.

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