BRONCO at Roc D'Azur

Oct 23, 2017

In terms of crowds, Roc d 'Azur is one of the largest MTB events in Europe, and this year has reached tits 34th edition. Throughout the weekend, 14,000 cyclists took part in the various specialties ranging from Cross Country to Cross Country Marathon to Gravel, (for who those who follow this new trend) and then Tandem and, for the first time, the Electric-bike category. Bearing in mind that in the exhibition area of the village we also created special tracks for Trial and BMX lovers, we can safely say that there was something for everyone. And if there really was nothing up your street you could easily spend a lazy day sunbathing at the beach. Deus Cycleworks was present on the track and on the beach to test the new Bronco MTB in special Columbus steel. There was a 57km long track which involved altitude differences of 1350m and was used for the Cross Country race (XC) that took place on the Sunday. The Bronco was welcomed to the start line at Frejus with the mistral wind in its face and the sun at its peak. After a slight delay on the starting grid a huge dust cloud was raised by 500 people fighting to better their positions. The trail winds its way, snake-like, around the Frejus hills, with plenty of climbs, dust, gravel and singletracks in the woods leading to the demanding downhill of the Fournel, then disappearing again in the middle of the oak trees that lead to the Le Clapiers climb. The riders sport sweat and earth masks and the heat provides a hard test of physical endurance. The crowds are out to cheer, especially on the steep climbs where the cyclists literally make their way through the screaming throngs of people who will bash or blow anything that makes noise to urge on the competitors. And on the spectacular downward slopes it is one big "Allez-Allez" and "Bravò" (with the emphasis on the “o” as it is pronounced in these parts). Some make a dive and are forced to walk, especially on the steep and slippery slopes. One person slides out and for him alas, the ambulance is the only way forward. All things considered this is a tough race; maximum concentration is needed to see where best to steer the wheels to avoid overturning and slipping. Braking is often needed even though speeding on sometimes seems the only way to overcome the obstacles. The Bronco advances fearlessly, thanks to Enrico’s determined guidance, and in just over two hours arrives on the sandy stretch of Haut Saint Aygulf where the trail literally passes amidst beach houses and restaurants. It is a unique spectacle made up of passionate fans, children playing on the beach, and people sitting eating a Plateau Royale or a Moule dish accompanied by a glass of Rosè. I understand why everyone wants to take part in this event. The sea, the pine forests, the oak woods, the hills that plunge down into the water, the sun that bathes everything, the cote d'azur and, above all, a sea of sportsmen sharing the same passion for sport and the MTB. Touché! Photo: Francesco Dolfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roc d’ Azur è uno degli eventi MTB più grandi d’ Europa, come affluenza di persone, ed è giunto quest’anno alla 34a edizione. Per tutto il weekend 14000 ciclisti hanno preso parte alle diverse specialità che spaziavano dal Cross Country al Cross Country Marathon, al Gravel, per chi sostiene questo nuovo trend, e poi ancora i Tandem e, per la prima volta, anche la categoria Electric-bike. Tenendo conto che nell’area espositiva del villaggio erano state create apposite piste per gli amanti del Trial e delle BMX possiamo tranquillamente dire che c’era trippa per tutti. E se non ti piaceva la trippa potevi stare tranquillamente in spiaggia a prendere il sole. Deus Cycleworks era presente sul tracciato e sulla spiaggia, per testare la nuova mtb Bronco, in acciaio speciale Columbus, sul tracciato di 57 km con 1350 mt di dislivello della gara di Cross Country (XC) che si è disputata la Domenica. Sole a picco e mistral in faccia hanno accolto la Bronco sulla linea di partenza a Frejus, un po’ di attesa sulla griglia di partenza e poi un polverone generato da 500 persone che scalpitavano per guadagnar posizioni. Il percorso è un serpente che si snoda sulle colline attorno a Frejus, pieno di saliscendi, polvere, pietraie, singletrack in mezzo al bosco e che conducono alla impegnativa discesa del Fournel, per poi sparire di nuovo in mezzo alle querce che portano alla salita di Le Clapiers. I riders sono una maschera di sudore e terra ed il caldo mette a dura prova la resistenza fisica. Il pubblico è numeroso, specialmente sulle ripide salite dove i ciclisti devono letteralmente passare attraverso la folla urlante che sbatte qualsiasi cosa per produrre rumore ed incitare i concorrenti. E sulle spettacolari discese, non è da meno, ed è tutto un fischiare, un “Allez-Allez” e “Bravò” con l’accento sulla o, come si usa da queste parti. Alcuni demordono e sono costretti a proseguire a piedi specialmente nelle ripide e scivolose discese, uno scivola per terra e per lui ahimè, non c’è altro modo per continuare se non con l’ambulanza. In fin dei conti stiamo parlando di una gara difficile, in cui bisogna valutare bene tutti i passaggi, osservare bene dove mettere le ruote per evitare ribaltoni, scivolamenti, bisogna frenare quando serve anche se accelerare a volte è l’unico modo per passare indenni gli ostacoli. La Bronco avanza senza paura, merito di Enrico che la guida con grinta, ed in poco più di due ore arriva sul tratto sabbioso dell'Haut Saint Aygulf dove il percorso passa letteralmente in mezzo alle case ed ai ristoranti sulla spiaggia, uno spettacolo unico nel suo genere fatto di tifosi, di bambini che giocano sulla spiaggia, di gente seduta che mangia un Plateau Royale, o un piatto di Moule con un bicchiere di Rosè du domaine. Capisco perchè tutti vogliono partecipare a questa manifestazione. Il mare, le pinete, i boschi di querce, le colline che finiscono nell’acqua, il sole che rende il tutto più piacevole, la cote d’azur e, soprattutto, un mare di sportivi che condivide la stessa passione per lo sport e per la MTB. Touché! Foto: Francesco Dolfo

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!