The special feeling with the family, the teammates and the whole Team Bianchi Countervail is the key behind Frenchman’s growth and strong performance at XCO World Cup (3rd in the GC)
Stephane Tempier discovered the mountain bike when he was 8. A few months later, he claimed the first victory, so his sudden passion quickly turned into a new life: several wins, some disappointments, engagement, fans, colleagues, friends, team managers, round trips. Tempier punched his last ticket home last year, when the Team Bianchi Countervail regained a stronger and highly motivated Stephane, totally in love with his Methanol and able to play both the domestique and the leader’s role.
After the strong performances delivered at the MTB European Championships in Darfo Boario Terme (where he finished fifth after leading the race) and the XCO World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne (runner-up thanks to an impressive comeback, equalling his career’s highlight), the 31-year-old Frenchman from Gap looks forward the XCO World Cup’s final round and the Worlds in Cairns with lot of confidence: “In Val di Sole I aim for holding my GC third spot. At Worlds, you know, all that matters are medals”.
Tempier knows how to step up a podium: from the race in the “Pupille” series that saw him triumphing when he was nine onwards, Tempier growth year by year as man and biker: “My trainer Olivier Maignan played a key-role in my sports training, whilst my parents and friends shaped me into the man I am today”, Tempier explains, describing himself as a “funny, smiley and steadfast person” whose today’s benchmarks are the girlfriend Melodie and his family: “I can always count on them”.
In 2016 Stephane joined again his second family: “I see Team Bianchi Countervail as more than a team. Here’s is only natural to feel good, first and foremost on Bianchi bikes’ saddle. Methanol CV is the best rigid I ever rode: fast, light, aggressive. I love to ride it in the descents. I also like to race with Methanol 29.1 Full on the most technical courses and those featuring exposed roots and rocks”, Tempier says. Besides the bikes, the Frenchman loves all about the team: President Felice Gimondi (“A true legend”), Team Manager Massimo Ghirotto (“Charismatic”) and the whole staff, teammates Marco Aurelio Fontana (“Stylish as no one”) and Chiara Teocchi (“Dynamite”).
Out of the races, Tempier is a guy who loves listening to pop, rock and electronic music, watching sports events on TV to relax (“I’m a fan of my fellow citizen Seb Ogier in the rally World Championships and Valentino Rossi in the Moto GP”), enjoying a two-week holiday in a warm location with his girlfriend Melodie, practicing cross-country skiing and running in view of a new season, surfing on Facebook and other social networks: “On Twitter I can learn all the news in two minutes, Instagram is nice because nice picture says more than words to me”.
When he was a boy, Stephane kept the posters of Bart Brentjens and OG gold medallist Miguel Martinez on the wall. At that time, Tempier was dreaming to become a big gun in bikers’ world, or maybe work as a trainer or simply close to nature: indeed, Stephane rides pretty fast through the nature and it all adds up now. Although Nove Mesto na Morave and Vallnord are his favourite locations, both for the course and the warm supporters, now Tempier’s thoughts are focused on Val di Sole (Italy) and Cairns (Australia): “All that matters is a medal. I can’t wait to chase it”.
