Overall leader of the Enduro World Cup, Isabeau Courdurier talks about her start to the season, her quest for a fourth world crown this season and her plans for motherhood in 2025. But the Private Sport Shop ambassador is still a long way from hanging up her mountain bike.
His 2024 season
"I'm very satisfied with the start of the season, it's been pretty intense with five rounds over a short period of time. We had to string all these events together, and that wasn't easy. The idea was to finish this block of races with the leader's jersey on my shoulders. I've done that. But my lead is small in terms of points over my nearest pursuer (England's Harriet Harnden). I'm not surprised to see her at this level this year, because we know she's very strong in physical races, and the heats were a bit stronger than last year."
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The battle of Loudenvielle
"I love this spot and it's always an honor to represent my country at home. It's positive for me, and I'm highly motivated to perform well in this last round of the season (September 6 - 8), event in which Private Sport Shop is a major partner). In terms of strategy, my lead is too small to manage. It's simple: whoever finishes ahead of the other will win the title. We'll have to race intelligently, and not get carried away by the pressure or the stakes. For me, this is the last round of my full-time pro career, if you can call it that (laughs). So I don't want to spoil this final stage. The title will be decided there, and then I'll be ending a chapter in my career.
His place in his sport
"I was particularly keen to match the three titles won by Tracy Moseley and Cécile Ravanel. Last year, when I had the opportunity to win the overall for the third time, it was really an important step for me to achieve the same success as these two riders who have left their mark on enduro. I'd always felt inferior to them. When I started enduro racing, I obviously wasn't at their level yet, and I admired them. Today, with these three titles, I've proved that I belong in this sport. But I'm not obsessed with adding another line to my record of achievements. Of course, there's only one more round to go, and I'm in with a chance of a fourth world crown, so it wouldn't be smart not to go all out for it. But if I don't, it won't take anything away from what I've done so far and what I'm proud of."
A family break in 2025
"Next year, I've effectively decided to take a break from cycling and devote myself to my maternity project. Clearly, I'm not closing the door on competition, and in fact my contract with Lapierre will continue after 2025. But I'm aware that coming back after this break won't be easy, as I'm in a high-risk sport. What's certain is that I won't be coming back to play in the general standings, because it's not possible in terms of timing. For a race, you have to travel for seven or eight days, so in terms of the calendar, it's incompatible with family life. I'll be coming back with specific objectives for certain rounds.
Looking beyond 2025
"In the longer term, I'd like to discover other disciplines. I've never had much opportunity to do downhill, so it's something that could motivate me by taking part in a few races. But I also enjoy long-distance racing. I'll see when the time comes and also according to my physical capacities after my maternity. What's certain is that in this transitional phase, I want to pass on what I've learned. That's very important to me. Whether through videos, coaching or training sessions. Whether it's technical, mental or physical, I now have a wealth of knowledge that I want to share with as many people as possible. It was with this in mind that in mid-July I organized the Girls Shredding Days which brought women together for a weekend at the resort's bike park.