There are few partnerships in downhill racing closer than that of a mechanic and racer. It’s a kind of teamwork made more intense by the fact that one person is trusting not just his career, but his life to the work of the other. For Finn Iles, Kevin Joly has been that partner. Now, Joly is retiring, from the World Cup circuit at least.
“Kevin has been there since Day 1 of my World Cup racing career,” Iles said. “From when I was 15 before racing World Cups. I feel lucky and honoured to have worked with such a legend all these years.”
“I wouldn’t be the rider I am today without him with me,” Iles added. “I’m proud of what we accomplished and forever thankful for him as much mechanic over the past 12 years!”
That includes Iles’ three World Cup wins, nine junior World Cup wins, two junior World Cup overall titles and a world championship title as a junior.
“It was an absolute honour to be your mechanic for the past 12 years! We’ve won some, we’ve lost some along gthe journey but we started winning races in Junior and we finished winning races in Elite,” Joly said. “Thanks for the emotions and for the lifetime momeories.”
“You tell yoursef all day this is the last time your doing this.And you live things totally differently when its the last time, you live them more intently,” Joly added in a clip shared by Specialized. “So it’s a nice life lesson. Because life moves fast and you mustn’t forget the important things and that everything ends one day.”
Words we could all learn from, no matter what you’re doing with your day.
What’s next? Who will step up to Joly’s workbench for Iles? And what will the accomplished mechanic get up to next? All to be found out later.