Race Report: Marit Sõrmus

Event – La Saint Antoninoise
Date – 10th March 2024

First ever MTB event and what a location for it, beautiful French countryside in the Saint-Antonion-Noble-Val. Was I nervous, for sure! Especially after realising the town is in the gorge of Aveyron and seeing the cliffs that surround it and apparently I’m supposed to cycle up 😂

3 distances to choose from 30, 41 and 60km. Thought I could do 60km, changed my mind very quickly and did 41. Well just under as I had a mechanical and couldn’t do the last climb but never the less it was EPIC.

The scenery was breathtaking, sometimes I had enough of looking up so decided to take a closer look at the mud (you will see in the photos) and one time I decided that I needed a little dip so when crossing the water I laid down for a few seconds 🤣

Got to the end thanks to friends waiting for me, swapping bikes at times and laughing with me and at times at me 😄

The most important word I learnt that weekend was ravitos (feed station), and they were amazing, bread/pate and all sorts of other snacks… so good and welcomed with big smiles!

In the end, organisers put together a meal and you enjoy it with your fellow cyclists (and hikers). Perfect day spent in nature!

Merci Beaucoup to @ussa.vtt.saintantonin for organising such a great event!