A Look at the Intense Megavalanche Bike Race
Rider Jamie Nicoll offers an inside look at the insane downhill race in the French Alps.
Amongst cyclists, Megavalanche is regarded as one of the most intense races on Earth. Billed as “a mountainbike downhill marathon-style event that mixes gravity-assisted excitement with enduro levels of fitness, guaranteed to test both nerve and physique,” the annual event takes place in the town of Alpe D’Huez in the French Alps with riders starting at the glaciated summit of the Pic Blanc before descending some 2,000 meters over the course of 30 km to the lush meadows of the valley bottom at Allemont — all in less than an hour’s time. This year, rider Jamie Nicoll — who ultimately finished in seventh place — captured some incredible footage thanks to an on-board, helmet-mounted cam. You can check out the first two minutes of the hectic race above as riders plow into one another right out of the gate.
