Les Gets — our home World Cup and always one of the biggest weekends of the year for us. Racing in front of thousands of French fans, with the crowd going absolutely wild all weekend, made it a special one. The support around the track was insane and gave the riders that extra push every time they dropped in.

Then, just a few days later, we headed straight to Italy for the World Championships. A completely different kind of race, with plenty of highs and lows across the team, but one that ended in the best possible way: with a World Championship title!

It’s been an incredibly intense couple of weeks, both physically and mentally, but also a super exciting period for the whole team. Between the energy of our home World Cup in Les Gets and coming away from the World Championships with a rainbow jersey, there’s a lot to be proud of.

Les Gets is always a special one for us. Racing at home in front of more than 50,000 spectators, with so many fans cheering for the team, made the atmosphere absolutely insane.

Les Gets didn’t go Raoul’s way, with a crash ending his hopes of a strong result at our home race. But what a way to bounce back… RAOUL IS WORLD CHAMPION!

It was a stressful weekend for him in Val di Sole. He knew he had the speed to do it, but this time, he proved it when it mattered most.

After a difficult and tense qualifying run where the main goal was simply to get safely to the bottom, Raoul qualified P15. For the final, he managed to reset, relax and completely change his mindset. In tricky drying conditions, he put together the perfect run when it counted and crossed the line to become Junior World Champion.

An incredibly emotional moment for Raoul, who wanted to dedicate this victory to the people he loves and those who have supported him from the very beginning, especially those who couldn’t be there in Val di Sole to see him stand on the top step of the podium.

“I still can’t believe it. It’s a dream come true. I dedicate this victory to everyone who supports me and has been there for me since the very beginning.” – Raoul

Nathan arrived in Les Gets with great momentum and once again showed some serious speed. In Q1, he was inside the Top 10 at every split before unfortunately crashing towards the end of his run. That meant going through Q2 for a second chance, where he delivered under pressure, finishing P3 and securing his spot in the final.

The final didn’t quite go to plan either. Towards the bottom of the track, Nathan had an unexpected meeting with a tree, getting stuck and losing a lot of time.

What we didn’t know at the time was that this could potentially be Nathan’s last World Cup final run of the season — at home in France, crossing the finish line to the cheers of more than 50,000 completely crazy fans. Not a bad place to have your last one.

Unfortunately, the World Championships in Val di Sole ended in a much tougher way. Nathan was riding incredibly well all week under the French colours and once again showing the speed we’ve seen from him all season. But during his qualifying run, he suffered a heavy crash, breaking three ribs, suffering a pneumothorax and a small fracture to a vertebra.

Nathan has been knocking on the door of a World Cup podium all year, and we know it’s only a matter of time before he gets there.

For now, the priority is recovery. We’re all behind him and hoping to see him back on the bike as soon as possible.

Les Gets was a proper battle against the elements for Lisa. Cold, rain, mud and some seriously tricky conditions made it a tough weekend, but once again, she fought her way through Q2 to secure her place in the final. Queen of Q2… as usual!

In the final, Lisa delivered a brilliant run to take P9, another strong Top 10 and exactly the kind of result that gave her even more motivation heading into the World Championships.

One week later in Val di Sole, wearing the French colours, she stepped it up again. Lisa put together a beautiful, clean and committed run to finish P6 at the World Championships — her second-best result of the season. So close to that Top 5!

One of the most impressive parts of her run came towards the bottom of the track, where she managed to keep accelerating and carrying speed through sections where most of the women were starting to slow down.

Two big races, two strong results, and another confirmation that Lisa belongs inside the Top 10. More importantly, she’s getting closer and closer to the very front.

“These last two races confirmed that I definitely belong in the Top 10 at the very least. I really believe I can fight for the top positions in the near future. I’m getting closer and closer to that podium.” – Lisa

Every single person in the team is among the best in their field, and it really shows in the way the whole structure operates. That level of professionalism and dedication has a direct impact on the riders and, ultimately, on the results we’re able to fight for on track.

It’s not always visible from the outside, but behind every run, there’s a huge amount of work happening — and this group makes it all happen seamlessly.

Santa Cruz / Burgtec by Goodman  @santacruz_burgtec

Nathan Pontvianne  @nathan.pontvianne  Thomas Estaque  @thomasestaque

Lisa Bouladou  @lisa_bouladou  Mylann Falquet  @mylannfalquet

Raoul Schneeberger  @raoul_schneeberger  Thibault Laly  @tibolaly

Photos: Kéno Derleyn  @kenoderleyn