After tackling what were arguably the two toughest World Cups of the season for our team, we’re finally heading onto the kind of tracks we’ve been waiting for: steep, rough, technical, and unforgiving. This is where the riders feel at home, and the whole squad is fired up to take on one of the most iconic venues on the calendar.

Knowing how brutal the track was expected to be, we built the bikes with the toughest and most reliable components we could get our hands on, making durability just as important as outright speed.

From the first practice runs, we had a feeling this was going to be a good weekend for Nathan. Fast, loose, steep and technical — exactly the kind of track where he feels at his best. Every run looked more comfortable than the last, and the speed was there from day one.

Nathan carried that momentum all the way through the weekend, qualifying strongly before (P11 with a mistake) delivering another outstanding performance in the final. Crossing the line first and finishing in P4, just a few tenths away from the podium, is another huge step forward in what is already turning into an incredible season.

After coming so close to a podium at Lenzerheide before a mechanical issue ended his chances, seeing him back fighting at the very front only confirms what we’ve known all year. The pace is there, the confidence is growing, and he’s proving week after week that he belongs with the fastest riders in the world.

A fourth place at Round 5 isn’t just another great result — it’s another sign that everything is coming together. At this point, it genuinely feels like it’s only a matter of time before we see Nathan standing on a World Cup podium.

“I felt comfortable on this track from the very first run. It’s the kind of riding I really enjoy, so I just focused on building confidence and keeping things smooth all weekend. In the final I gave everything I had, and P4 is an amazing result. Of course, being so close to the podium hurts a little, but it also gives me even more motivation. I know we’re getting closer, and I’m excited to keep pushing for that next step.” – Nathan.

It wasn’t the smoothest weekend for Lisa at first. From the opening practice sessions, she struggled to find her rhythm and really connect with the track. Despite showing flashes of speed, she couldn’t quite put a complete run together in Q1 and narrowly missed out on a direct spot in the final.

But if there’s one thing we know about Lisa, it’s that she never gives up. Once again, she delivered when it mattered most, putting down another brilliant Q2 run to secure P5 and book her place in the final.

Come race day, everything started to click. Lisa looked much more relaxed on the bike, trusted herself to let the brakes go, and carried far more speed down the mountain. That commitment paid off with a strong P10 finish in one of the toughest women’s fields we’ve seen all season.

Another Top 10 is a solid result, but even more importantly, it feels like an important step forward. The confidence is building, the pace is there, and once everything comes together over a full weekend, we know she’s capable of fighting much further up the order.

“It took me a while to feel comfortable on this track, and I never really found the flow during practice. Missing out in Q1 was disappointing, but I knew I still had another chance. In Q2 I just committed, and in the final I finally managed to relax, trust the bike, and let the brakes go a bit more. P10 isn’t exactly what I’m chasing, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.” – Lisa.

Raoul was heartbreakingly close to another Junior World Cup podium, finishing P4… just one tenth of a second away from the top three.

On a track as long and demanding as La Thuile, missing the podium by such a tiny margin is a tough one to swallow. After several minutes of flat-out racing, knowing that a tenth of a second was all that separated him from another World Cup podium hurts. Even more frustrating for Raoul is that he knows exactly where that time was lost, with a couple of small mistakes during his run making all the difference.

Still, there’s a huge amount of positivity to take away from the weekend. The speed is clearly there, he’s right in the fight at the front, and this result moves him up to P3 in the overall Junior World Cup standings.

Week after week, Raoul keeps proving he has the pace to battle with the very best juniors in the world. If he continues on this trajectory, there are plenty more podium opportunities still to come.

“Missing the podium by one tenth definitely hurts, especially on such a long track. I know exactly where I left that time on the track, and that’s the frustrating part. But the speed is there, and moving up to P3 overall is a positive. I’ll keep working and hopefully turn these close calls into podiums over the next rounds.” – Raoul.

It was another challenging weekend for Thomas and Mylann, with neither of them managing to secure a spot in the final at La Thuile.

For Mylann, the speed was clearly there and there were strong signs throughout the weekend that he was right in the mix. Unfortunately, a mistake in Q1 ended up costing him a clean run, and a puncture in Q2 completely ruined his second attempt, leaving him outside of qualifying despite showing real potential on track.

Thomas, meanwhile, continued to struggle to find his rhythm on this demanding course. Despite his best efforts, he never quite managed to piece everything together to push for a qualifying result, as he’s still searching for that missing flow this season.

Not the weekend either of them were looking for, but there are still positives to take away. Mylann has shown he has the speed to fight inside the top positions when everything comes together, and Thomas will be aiming to rebuild confidence and momentum heading into the next rounds.

Both riders will be looking to reset quickly and come back stronger at the next World Cup.

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