"The course was very loose and so it was difficult to ride a clean run," said Camille Balanche, analyzing the downhill course in Pampilhosa da Serra. She had already felt good in training, and as third last year, she was hoping to win a medal again. But she never thought it would be enough to win. And so she adds: "I gave it my all!"
That was also necessary, because at 63 hundredths of a second, her lead over defending champion Monika Hrastnik (SLO) is wafer-thin. And Veronika Widmann, the winner of the bronze medal, is also just two tenths of a second behind.

Last year's high-flyer Janine Hübscher finished in eighth place. Alexandra Wohlgensinger, the third Swiss athlete at the start, came 13th.

In the men's event, the European title goes to France's Baptiste Pierron, brother of last year's overall World Cup winner Amaury Pierron. His compatriot Benoit Coulanges wins silver. The bronze medal goes to the Austrian David Trummer.

Jérôme Caroli is the only Swiss in the men's field in 17th place - not the result the young Frenchman was capable of.

Results women

Men's results