She’s a French woman who’s making her way up the ranks on the world mountain biking circuit. Ranked156th by the UCI, the Gif-sur-Yvette rider is a sophomore at UTBM.
Emilie, can you introduce yourself?
My name is Emilie Brette, and I am in my second year of the integrated preparatory program at the Belfort-Montbéliard University of Technology.
I started mountain biking 5 years ago and quickly found myself competing in the French Cups. So this year, just as I have for the past three years, I competed in all the French Cup races (except for the season opener in Marseille, since I had COVID) as well as the French XCO Championships [Editor’s note: XC stands for cross-country, O for Olympic], where I finished 19th in the Espoir Elite category (under 23). I also tried my hand at other race formats, such as XCCourt and XCMarathon, notably at an XCMarathon World Cup not far from here, in Ornans, where I finished9th.
On December 4, I competed in the BeachVTT championship held in Berck-sur-Mer. BeachVTT is a fairly long race lasting about 2 to 3 hours, where all categories start at the same time (about 300 participants). It was a first for me, especially the sections through soft sand and dunes where you have to really push hard just to make any headway. It’s a much more tactical race than what I’m used to, and athletes often ride in groups to shield themselves from the wind. It was a new experience for me, so there were some pretty tough stretches where I was all alone facing the wind, with a wind chill of -2°C! I finished the race in 2 hours and 25 minutes, securing my first national Elite podium finish! I really enjoyed this experience, and it’s very likely I’ll be back next year—better prepared and with tires better suited for sand!
What are your athletic goals for the coming year?
For the 2023 season, I plan to compete in all the French XCO Cups and also continue to explore XCM by participating in a few World Cups and the European Championship, which takes place in Aveyron in mid-June. I’d also like to try my hand at a stage race.
What about school?
I would like to continue my studies at UTBM and pursue a career in either computer science or the energy sector. I’m still giving myself some time to decide, even though I think I’ve already made up my mind.
Thank you, and congratulations, Emilie, on your results. We'll be following your progress closely this year.
