Floriane Pugin

How does FOX contribute to your success?
They help me a lot! It's only my first year with those supensions and I feel so good on the bike. The suspensions fit every course, every riding style and the support is amazing.

Tell us about your bike/vehicle setup.
I like my bike to be efficient and quick. I like it with a quite slack headangle and low bottom bracket to be stable in the fast parts and with a short swing arm to be dynamic and lively. About the suspensions, I try to find a compromise between a bit of comfort and a quite hard setting to be as fast as I can and to keep the speed in the rough sections.

What else is in your garage?
Lot of skis!

What's your training regimen?
Road, XC and BMX riding, running, gym and of course quite a lot of downhill. I also ski a lot in the winter.

Any major injuries, and how did you recover?
Not much, a broken arm in 2000 and a little cerebral commotion in 2007. I'm fine now and fingers crossed :)

What's your typical pre-race/event meal? Guilty pleasure?
Nothing really typical, only good food :)

How do you determine which races or events to enter each year?
I try to fit some other races or events between the World Cup Series and French, European and World Championships and I have to admit that there is not much time left... I like to race at the local races to hang out with my mates.

What motivated you to get started professionally?
My brother at first as he was racing mountain bikes. I followed him and wanted to do the same and then I became addicted.

What separates you from other professional athletes?
I keep studying engineering and maybe one day, I'll race on a bike designed by myself.

What would you be doing if you weren't a professional athlete?
I would finish my studies and work as an engineer and for sure, I would be doing tons of sports for fun!

What's the best thing about being a professional athlete?
I don't have to worry about any issues and just focus on riding, racing and having fun on my bike during the summer.

What other sports are you interested in?
Ski!!! (freeriding and ski touring)

Any advice to the readers dreaming to turn pro?
Always keep in mind to have fun.

What are your favorite magazines and websites?
Every magazine that deals with mountain bikes.

Favorite movie quote?
"Le train de tes injures roule sur les rails de mon indifference" - which means something like - "the train of your insults rolls on the rails of my indifference."

Are you a Mac or PC? Mac

Greatest strength I always see the positive side of things.