Downhill World Cup Champion Sabrina Jonnier teamed up with Anne Caroline Chausson for the Enduro de Nations at the weekend and she can't wipe the smile from her face

 For most UCI World Cup downhill mountain bike riders the five-week break in the season is a time to lick wounds, relax and recover, but not for current women's leader and defending champion Sabrina Jonnier, of Hyères, France.
 
Instead Jonnier teamed up with another legendary downhill rider, Anne Caroline Chausson, and Pauline Dieffenthaler as the trio represented France in the Enduro de Nations at the weekend.
 
The trio won the women's title with Jonnier finishing 102nd overall.
 
"We didn't finish last among the guys, which was the plan," Jonnier offers with a smile that she says has been "beaming out of her helmet" all weekend.
 
"It was really nice to race without any of the pressure that comes with World Cups – I had a lot of fun."
 
The Enduro de Nations uses four courses and for Jonnier that meant two runs on each of the two different 10-12 minute tracks on Saturday and then three runs on a long, challenging 20-27 minute track on Sunday, before the de Nations race, which is held on yet another track in Val d'Allos and features a mass start.
 
"We all started together and it was a big mess as all the boys pushed us around – it was just the three girls in the middle," she laughs.
 
"I did really well – I rode with Anne Caroline all the way down so that was fun. She is the best – she used to kick my butt in downhill and has been my role model since I started. Having a French team with her was pretty nice for me. She is bloody fast."
 
With the track narrowing to singletrack soon after the start, Jonnier and her teammates had to battle for position.
 
"All the boys wanted to be first into the track so there was pushing everywhere. I just wanted to ride for fun so I put myself in the back of the field and then on the uphill I got past a few guys. Then Anne Caroline and I rode in the middle of the guys and we caught a few and asked them to let us get by. They were very good about it – in these races the guys respect the girls a lot."
 
The event predominantly used downhill trails with only a little bit of pedalling on Saturday, but Sunday was a different story.
 
"It started with a massive uphill and then a really bad off-camber through rolling rocks – it was very hard and dangerous. It rained a lot last night and the track was very wet. It was the longest and most physical track of the weekend, but it was so much fun just to be out on my bike," Jonnier explains.
 
"Even though it was so difficult in the mud and going uphill over slippery rocks this morning I still had this massive smile beaming out of my helmet. I was happy all weekend."
 
Jonnier took possession of an all-new enduro bike on the Friday before the event – a Rocky Mountain Slayer with 165mm (6.5 inches) of travel front and rear.
 
"I had never tried this new bike before, but it was just amazing and perfect for enduro racing," she said.
 
Part of the appeal of this race for Joinnier was the chance to catch up with old friends who she had raced downhill with in the past.
 
"I got to spend some quality time with a bunch of old friends who used to race downhill, but who now mainly race enduro. It was like old school," she laughs.
 
"I am definitely coming back next year and I can see myself racing more enduro races in the future – they are just so much fun."
 
Jonnier now has a weekend off before she attempts the Mega Avalanche at Alpe D'Huez, France, on July 10-11 for the first time.  
 
"I am going to go and stay at home and relax," she smiles.
 
"The Mega Avalanche is going to be totally different to the Enduro de Nations – it is like an hour run. I am used to doing a five-minute run at full-speed, but only one every day. Enduro is about keeping that speed going and giving your best every single run – it is very physical. I think it will be good training."
 
Sabrina's 2010 Race Schedule
 
2010 UCI World Cup DH1 Events (6)

May 15/16:              Maribor, Slovenia        [Second]
June 05/06:             Fort Wiliam, Scotland  [First]
June 19/20:             Leogang, Austria         [First]
July 24/25:              Champéry, Switzerland
July 31/August 1:    Val di Sole, Italy
August 28/29:         Windham, USA
 
2010 Enduro de Nations

June 25-27:            Val d'allos, France       [First Women's]

2010 Mega Avalanche

July 10-11:              Alpe d'huez, France

2010 UCI World Championships

August 31-September 05:           Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada