Inside the tense final moments before Loris Vergier became the king of downhill racing
Loris Vergier had long been one of the few legends of downhill racing without a signature title to his name. He had been oh-so-close many times before. He finished on the final World Cup overall podium in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and a clean run on the final day of racing in 2021 might have netted him the winner’s trophy. In 2023, he finished third on an all-French World Championship podium.
The long-awaited breakthrough seemed inevitable. On Aug. 31, 2024, it finally came, with a World Championship win in an incredibly tight Elite Men’s final in Andorra.
But Vergier admits he had his doubts. In a new video recounting his journey into the rainbow stripes, he recalls a difficult season up to his one magical run. At just 28 years old, he’s one of the oldest riders in a sport growing more competitive by the season with young, fearless talent. For a moment, he wondered whether his championship window had closed.
Doubt never affected his focus, and he showed that at his best, there is no one smoother and more instinctive on a downhill bike. Watch the video embedded below, or click the link here to watch, and go inside Vergier’s mind and tense final moments before his greatest performance yet.
Vergier will show off the rainbow stripes one more time this season when he takes on the 2024 DH World Cup season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne from Oct. 4-6. Follow him on Instagram, as well Trek Factory Racing DH, to follow along.
