Feature -

Pro Bike Check: Mary Moncorgé biking in France

Our mouths nearly started watering when Mary sent us the pictures of her new Ibis Ripley which she is using as a training bike in for the mild winter months in her southern French home. There it is: elegant, clean and perfectly colour coordinated – ready to rock the dusty Provence trails. And to top it all off, a recipe for tasty gluten free trail snacks, what more could you need to start daydreaming…?

Ibis Ripley à la carte: Mary Moncorgé presents her custom build
Ibis Ripley à la carte: Mary Moncorgé presents her custom build

Mary is brand ambassador and part of the new Ibis Enduro Teams and plans to compete in some of the Enduro World Series races. In 2012 she won the North American Enduro Tour and competed in the Downhill World Cup. These days she’s approaching life a little bit more relaxed and instead of concentrating on podium places she’s aiming for adventure – on two wheels of course.

Mary has good reason to smile: her home is the southern french biking mecca of Sospel. Here she trains for races and concentrates on what she loves the most: “sharing the love of mountain biking”
Mary has good reason to smile: her home is the southern french biking mecca of Sospel. Here she trains for races and concentrates on what she loves the most: “sharing the love of mountain biking”

Whilst waiting for her 2015 race machine the Ibis Mojo HD3 she built up the Ripley as an ideal winter training bike. “In Sospel, my small home town you can bike all year round. The light and reliable Ripley is perfect for the steep, long climbs here”.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

And you can see that Mary has good taste in her veins as a Frenchwoman, the whole thing looks incredibly fresh and tasty! Or maybe it’s down to her other passion: cooking? During the season she has a completely gluten and lactose-free diet and on her website you can check out a whole range of corresponding recipes (http://mary-moncorge.com/).
Each and every one will get you just as excited about healthy, sports-orientated nutrition as her lightweight bike does about riding through the sun drenched Lavender trails of the Provence. We asked her to send us the best recipe for a long, arduous ride:

Here are the ingredients for the ultimate Provence ride: Ibis Ripley and Chocolate-Date-Bars à la Marie Moncorgé.

Marie Moncorgé’s winter work horse: the lightweight Ibis Ripley 29.
Marie Moncorgé’s winter work horse: the lightweight Ibis Ripley 29.
A 750mm Thomson Trail C Carbon bars and 50mm stem provide a solid and direct handling cockpit.
A 750mm Thomson Trail C Carbon bars and 50mm stem provide a solid and direct handling cockpit.
Perfection: colour coordinated cables run internally through the elegantly formed frame.
Perfection: colour coordinated cables run internally through the elegantly formed frame.
The Formula 33 fork doesn’t lack in adjustment options.
The Formula 33 fork doesn’t lack in adjustment options.
A Thomson Elite Dropper Post offers plenty of room when the trails turn technical. 125mm is plenty of adjustment range for the fast French rider.
A Thomson Elite Dropper Post offers plenty of room when the trails turn technical. 125mm is plenty of adjustment range for the fast French rider.
A Cane Creek Inline shock makes optimum use of the rear travel.
A Cane Creek Inline shock makes optimum use of the rear travel.
Reliable parts: the solid XT groupset should be tough enough for winter training.
Reliable parts: the solid XT groupset should be tough enough for winter training.
Mary prefers a 28 t chainring for the steep climbs. She’s happy without a chain guide.
Mary prefers a 30 t chainring for the steep climbs. She’s happy without a chain guide.
2.25 “ Onza Ibex tyres run on the Ibis 928 carbon rims. Plenty of grip even in winter conditions.
2.25 “ Onza Ibex tyres run on the Ibis 928 carbon rims. Plenty of grip even in winter conditions.
The Formula 33 fork has 120 mm travel.
The Formula 33 fork has 120 mm travel.
A modified XTR-trigger controls the Thomson dropper post.
A modified XTR-trigger controls the Thomson dropper post.
Small but with a bite: Formula R1 Racing brakes bring the bike to a standstill.
Small but with a bite: Formula R1 Racing brakes bring the bike to a standstill.
A MarshGuard at the front keeps your eyes clear even on muddy trails.
A MarshGuard at the front keeps your eyes clear even on muddy trails.
The DW link rear suspension with eccentric pivot was developed by suspension guru Dave Weagle and offers 120mm rear travel.
The DW link rear suspension with eccentric pivot was developed by suspension guru Dave Weagle and offers 120mm rear travel.

Words:Hannah Röther, Sebastian Gierulski and Mary Moncorgé Photos: Matt Wragg and Mary Moncorgé

First, the bars, packed with protein, good fats and energy. This method is much cheaper than buying pre-made, and tastier! The recipe is for Dates and chocolate bars. It has been my snack of choice all winter:

1 - Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 300g Moist Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped
  • 200g Raw Cashew Nuts
  • 150g Almond meal
  • 75g dark chocolate
  • A Pinch Of Sea Salt
  • 40g Unsweetened Shredded Coconuts
  • 2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp Cold Water

Preparation

  1. Line an 8 inch baking pan with saran wrap, and set aside.
    2. 2 - Mixing dates and nuts first
  2. Combine chopped dates, cashews, almonds, cocoa powder, dark chocolate and sea salt in a food processor.
    3. 3 - Adding chocolate
  3. Pulse and process all the ingredients together until the texture is coarse.
    4. 4 - Add water little by little
  4. Add the shredded coconut, a quick pulse, and add the vanilla extract, a little water at a time until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency.
    5. 5 - Pour it in a pan and flatten
  5. Scrape the dough mixture into the lined pan, wrap with saran wrap and press evenly with a rubber spatula.
    6. 6 - After it has cool down, you can slice them
  6. Chill for about an hour before cutting into 2cm by 5cm bars. Store in sealed container for up to a month in the fridge.

Words:Hannah Röther, Sebastian Gierulski and Mary Moncorgé Photos: Matt Wragg and Mary Moncorgé

Back to ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine

Tags