Watch the full press conference from Fort William DH World Cup 2024, including interviews with Loic Bruni, Myriam Nicole, Reece Wilson, Louise Ferguson and Greg Minnaar.
A FEW QUOTES FROM THE VID:
Loïc Bruni (SPECIALIZED GRAVITY)
My preparation has been hectic at the start. I changed some things in my program, so it has been productive. I stayed at home with my new girlfriend and consolidated the relationship. I feel like I’m set for the first round, but Fort William is really difficult, so we’ll see.
Last year we had some misfortune with the weather, which left us hungry for more and left us with motivation. The only thing to do is open the throttle. I’m looking forward to it, and it’s my second home, but all the guys are familiar with it. If I can win, it will be amazing. I tried last year, but it didn’t happen, and the British were amazing.
Reece Wilson (TREK FACTORY RACING)
Every year, riding the same tracks, following the same gym programs, and eating the same thing over and over, you have to find motivation somewhere. Sometimes, when you’re forced to the side lines, you realize that results aren’t everything. Being a part of blazing a trail for Scottish downhill and seeing other riders come through are arguably more important. Racing at home with fans and family who want to see me is an incredible feeling. I’m really looking forward to the charge of the home fans, and I’m ready for it.
In 2018, my dream came true of getting a World Cup podium, and I realized I could compete and maybe one day beat them. Doing that in front of my friends and family – I will never forget that feeling. You can never replicate the feeling of the first time it happens, but I’m hoping to replicate that success. I can’t thank Trek enough for what they’ve done for me these last few years. They could have brought someone else through, but I take my hat off to them, and hopefully, I can back it up and give them a return on their investment. I can’t wait to get stuck in this year.
Greg Minnaar (NORCO RACING DIVISION)
They’ve made some amazing changes here. I think it will be a lot quicker, and the racing will be really tight. Massive congrats to the guys who have worked on the track.
It was an interesting off-season. The move from Santa Cruz to Norco was a really big change; I was at Santa Cruz for 16 years. But I’m looking forward to this chapter, and so far, it has been amazing. I have a lot of good support. We have a young team, and we want to build and be a top team. The guys have worked really hard to get here and get prepared in time. I hope we can give the team what they deserve and put in some good results.
Louise Ferguson (INTENSE FACTORY RACING)
I’m excited to race at home on a new bike, so I’ll see what I can do. I’d love to perform well here and start the season strongly. I also aim to do well at the World Championships in Andorra, as I really enjoyed it last year. My goal is to consistently break into the top ten and push the other girls.
The track is tough. It’s long and physical, and even with all the changes they’ve made, it’s pretty exhausting. The weather has turned out well, so it might be a little less challenging than in recent years.
It’s great to have more women in the field. In the past, it’s been tough to have a complete category, so it’s nice to see everyone healthy again. The more, the better, but in terms of racing, it means more competition.
Myriam Nicole (COMMENCAL/MUC OFF by RA)
It’s not easy to start with Fort William after a year off and some recent struggles, but I’m really happy, and it will be good and helpful. It’s a shorter track, but starting with Fort William is always challenging.
Racing a World Cup is no joke, so when you come back, you have to be ready. Coming back too early would’ve been a mistake. I took the off-season to build more, and I feel good. I’ve never been so happy to be back at a World Cup, and I’m so grateful.
