2025 French Cup | Rounds 1 & 2 Descartes
22nd – 23rd March
Written by Damien Ethalon
Photo’s by Kaptur Photography. Purchase shots from the French Cup HERE
2025 French Cup | Rounds 1 & 2 Descartes
22nd – 23rd March
Written by Damien Ethalon
Photo’s by Kaptur Photography. Purchase shots from the French Cup HERE
Here we go for another season of French Cup racing! We only have four stops in the series this year, so riders need make each one count.
The two opening rounds were held in Descartes, not far from Tours in the center of France. It’s a pretty small track with a 5m hill and very tight turns which did cause numerous crashes with the help of quite bad weather! Yeah, the wind and rain returned for the 2025 season debut!
On the women side of the draw a new player entered the game this year, Molly Simpson. The Canadian sensation is now racing for the French Club, DN BMX Joué les Tours, which is the same as Mariana Pajon, and will race all four French cup weekends! After a podium last year in Besançon, at her first appearance on the French circuit, she did even better this year with an incredible double win! Not losing a lap all weekend long.
Behind Molly on both days was the Olympic silver medalist Manon Veenstra, who also showed a lot of good speed. There were no French women on the podium this time out, as Swiss rider Thalya Burford, got 3rd place on Saturday, and the other Dutch Olympic medalist, Merel Smulders did the same on Sunday. Tessa Martinez was the most consistent Frenchie with a 4th and a 5th. It was strong weekend also for Marie Favrel who finished 7th and 4th. The two teammates Manon Valentino and Naelle Michaud made their way to a 5th and a 6th on Saturday but were not in the main on Sunday. Instead, we had Laura Mougey in 6th and another Swiss rider, Christelle Boivin, a former French Cup winner finishing 8th.
Women’s Results:
Saturday:
1: Molly SIMPSON
2: Manon VEENSTRA
3: Thalya BURFORD
4: Tessa MARTINEZ
5: Manon VALENTINO
6: Naelle MICHAUD
7: Marie FAVREL
8: Merel SMULDERS
Sunday:
1: Molly SIMPSON
2: Manon VEENSTRA
3: Merel SMULDERS
4: Marie FAVREL
5: Tessa MARTINEZ
6: Laura MOUGEY
7: Thalya BURFORD
8: Christelle BOIVIN
Women’s Overall Ranking after Two Rounds:
1: Molly SIMPSON 126 pts
2: Manon VEENSTRA 114 pts
3: Tessa MARTINEZ 93 pts
Over the two days only ten women reached the main, it would be a totally different story on the men’s side. As usual the field was stacked and 1/8th finals where on the program after the first round and LCQ’s.
Alexis Pieczanowsky, the current U23 European Champion, grabbed his first ever Elite win on Saturday. Well-deserved for a rider who keeps improving year after year. He also got 6th on Sunday, which makes him one of the only two riders who made finals on both days! The other one was Jeremy Rencurel who didn’t make the box but showed consistency with a 6th and a 5th. All the other riders only reached the last gate drop of the day once!
On Saturday, behind Pieczanowsy, was former national champion Corentin Dubois who started the season very well, closely followed by a usual main contender Hugo Marszalek. Simba Darnand, Belgian rider Thibaut Stoffels, Théo Thouin and Dylan Gobert were also part of the first final of the season.
Sunday was all about Leo Garoyan, who showed he is back on top form with a convincing win. Juan Naranjo, the Colombian rider, got his first French cup podium, as did Mathis Jacquet. No doubt we’ll see these two fighting for top spots again. Another rider back from a long injury was Pierre Geisse, he finished 4th. The new kiwi sensation Bennett Greenough reached the main for the first time, finishing 7th. Same for young French rider Bastien Renier, first final with 8th place finish. Once again, two names we should hear about again during this season.
Men’s Results:
Saturday:
1: Alexis PIECZANOWKY
2: Corentin DUBOIS
3: Hugo MARSZALEK
4: Simba DARNAND
5: Thibaut STOFFELS
6: Jeremy RENCUREL
7: Théo THOUIN
8: Dylan GOBERT
Sunday:
1: Leo GAROYAN
2: Juan NARANJO
3: Mathis JACQUET
4: Pierre GEISSE
5: Jeremy RENCUREL
6: Alexis PIECZANOWSKY
7: Bennett GREENOUGH
8: Bastien RENIER
Men’s Overall Ranking after Two Rounds:
1: Alexis PIECZANOWSKY 121 pts
2: Leo GAROYAN 108 pts
3: Jeremy RENCUREL 103 pts
The next rounds will be in Troyes, on the Supercross hill. April 12th and 13th.
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