A beautiful day, blue skies, sunny and clear....and F.....freezing!  The "Free the Ride" selection day took place in La Grave last Saturday.  A good effort from the competitors...on the uphill skin everyone gave their all, and the downhill ski was definitely fun to watch.  Difficult snow, but the skiers showed their ability to tackle all snow conditions with ease and fluidity.  The jury found the selection tough, as the skiing level was fairly equal.  The athletes that stood out and were selected are: Antoine LEMAITRE, Olivier BARON, David ROSENBARGER, Hugo HERICHER, Medhi BIDAULT, Jeremy AUDIBERT, Stéphanie CHURLET and Neile COMBARLIER.  Kudos to the new "Free the Ride" team.  We look forward to getting to know you all a little more during the backcountry week in the Ecrins.  A big thank you goes out to all those who participated, and who took the time and energy to make it to La Gave for the tryouts.  The countdown is on for the base camp departure....