Fans Storm MTB Downhill World Cup Finish as Wild Celebration Turns Dangerous

Fans, flags, flares, and chainsaws. No, this wasn’t Alpe d’Huez.

This was Les Gets, where the wildest party in mountain biking went overboard Saturday with insane scenes that went viral.

The legendary French mountain bike venue erupted Saturday after 19-year-old Max Alran won his first elite World Cup on home soil.

Alran had barely swept through the final corner when thousands of exuberant fans burst through the course barriers and poured into the finish corral.

Videos of the wild scene spread on social media, and even multi-discipline star Tom Pidcock chimed in on social media after posting a link, “I want to be French, a downhiller, and win in Les Gets.”

And who could blame him? This was bike racing at its loudest and craziest best, but things almost turned ugly.

Alran and his bike were pushed against the barriers as an enormous wave of spectators carrying French flags, revving chainless chainsaws, and filming on smartphones flooded into the bowl.

The crowd surge — wildly cheered on social media as a “scène de liesse” or jubilation — got out of hand as some fans fell and others were jammed into the enclosed finish area.

One video from a journalist at the finish captured distressing scenes of one woman screaming as she was apparently caught in the crush.

There were unconfirmed reports of injuries, but nothing serious was officially reported, and Alran escaped unscathed to celebrate his huge win.

Les Gets set to host 2027 worlds

Scenes of wild fan celebrations are nothing new at Les Gets.

The massive crowds and party-like atmosphere have turned the French venue into mountain biking’s answer to Alpe d’Huez.

An estimated 40,000 fans packed the Alps ski resort for the World Cup stop, and the images of them pouring onto the course quickly went viral.

Despite added security and extra barriers, there was no holding them back Saturday.

No one wants to kill the party, but Saturday also revealed how quickly things can get out of hand.

That’s especially relevant with with Les Gets set to host the UCI world mountain bike championships in 2027 as part of the UCI’s next “super worlds.”

By Monday, there was no official reaction from race organizers, the UCI, or local officials.

Even French President Emmanuel Macron couldn’t help getting wrapped up in the vibe, posting a video on Instagram:

L’esprit français! Félicitations Max Alran pour cette belle victoire aux Gets. (“The French spirit! Congratulations Max Alran on this beautiful victory at Les Gets.”)
—Emmanuel Macron