Paris 2024: Determined, Victor Koretzky has no time to lose and sets the tone from the start

With more than 30 seconds ahead of 2nd, Victor put on a show at the finish line. – FLORIS FOSSEY

Un trio 100% Français sur le podium de Banyoles. – FLORIS FOSSEY

Le Lodévois de 29 ans, bien placé pour une 3e participation à des Jeux Olympiques, s’impose dès sa 1ère course en terre catalane, ce 25 février.

The second stage of the Catalan cross-country MTB Cup, in Banyoles, traditionally attracts many French people, who come, a few weeks before the resumption of the Coupe de France, to test their physical conditions and those of their future competitors. The 2024 edition, this Sunday February 25, will not have escaped the rule with this time three headliners of French mountain biking: Titouan Carod, Jordan Sarrou and the one who is considered the best tricolor of the moment and one of the best in the world, Lodévois Victor Koretzky. Enough to announce a great battle against a backdrop of selection for the Paris Olympic Games.

In front of the two other French people, Sarrou and Carod

With a good start, the Héraultais placed himself at the end of the first lap in 2nd position behind the German Luca Schwarzbauer. But, from the 2nd round, Victor Koretzky wants to show that he is the boss on this course with already 4 victories and finished the loop in the lead. A place that he will not leave during the following four laps, consolidating his lead to cross the finish line alone with more than 36 seconds on the 2nd Jordan Sarrou followed by Titouan Carod who thus completes a 100% podium Tricolor.

"It’It’s a race that I like, it’s super fast so it’s difficult to win with a lot of advance, it's the first time I've won like that here, it bodes well for the season." he confided after the podium.

Focus on the objective: Paris 2024

He had no time to waste and didn’t wait long to raise his arms. After a strong end to last season and at the end of his winter preparation, Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) won on Sunday, and for the 5th time, the Catalan Cup of Banyoles, included each year in his resumption calendar.

While waiting for his ticket for his 3rd Games, this summer in Paris, the Lodévois mountain biker is focused on "His" goal of the year: the Olympic race on the hill of Elancourt, in Yvelines on July 28, the same place where he won the Test Event in August 2023. With the desire to go for the title or , at a minimum, a medal despite tough competition with Pidcock and other Van Der Poel or Shurter.

The mountain biker will be present at the first round of the Coupe de France in Marseille on March 16-17 before focusing on the World Cup and, we can hope, the Paris Games. Even if the Federation will not reveal its two selected until June.

Young people from the Cœur d’Hérault were present during this competitive weekend, notably Noé Arcuri (VC Lodève) as a junior and the Mourézien Tom Villebrun (Team Occitanie) as a cadet. He finished in a good 33rd place, an achievement given the placement of the young team members in the last lines at the start.