La station des 2 Alpes vit tout au long de l'année, grâce notamment à son glacier, vous passez toujours votre été ici ? Evidemment ! Je suis très attaché à la station. J’y habite toute l’année et je passe tous mes étés ici. Le glacier attire énormément, notamment des clubs de ski alpin, et beaucoup de monde vient pour skier l’été aux 2 Alpes. Le VTT est également une activité qui se développe énormément et sur laquelle notre station est vraiment à la pointe de ce qui se fait. Le ski d’été est bien sûr une des vitrines de la station mais celle-ci propose énormément d’activités qui permettent de passer du bon temps aux 2 Alpes. Et quel est votre programme quand vous avez juste envie de vous ressourcer entre deux rallyes ? J’aime beaucoup aller me balader en famille et profiter de la montagne. Je ne me lasse jamais des paysages qu’elle nous offre. La montagne change de visage tous les jours et c’est toujours un plaisir d’aller se promener. Qui est le plus rapide sur les pistes de ski : vous ou le quintuple champion du monde des rallyes Sébastien Ogier ? Nous n’avons jamais eu l’occasion de skier ensemble avec Sébastien qui est lui aussi moniteur de ski. C’est donc difficile de répondre à la question… Son palmarès en rallye parle pour lui donc on va dire que c’est lui le plus rapide en sport automobile et moi en ski ! (rires) Un dernier conseil pour découvrir les 2 Alpes ? Venir et revenir ! (rires) Il y a tellement de choses à faire et à voir aux 2 Alpes qu’il faut venir la découvrir et revenir encore ensuite pour profiter pleinement de toutes les activités et des richesses de la station. ¶
Yoann Bonato grew up and left his first trails in the snow under the protective and caring gaze of the Muzelle. After many slaloms between the ski-club stakes during his youth, he eventually turned to rally roads with a unique talent. A ski instructor and professional pilot, he long combined his two passions before living his dream of competing in motorsports full-time. The winner of the 2017 French Championship proudly wears the colours of "his" station of Les 2 Alpes. Le Café des Sports met this friendly and attaching young man for a chat… Yoann, you just finished an exceptional rally season, crowned by a France champion title with your teammate Benjamin Boulloud. We imagine that you are very happy... We experienced very beautiful moments with our CHL Sport Auto team when we won the title during the Rallye Cœur de France. Winning a France Champion title is very difficult because you have to play a full program and be efficient to win big points at each test. We won several rallies. You combined studies and skiing when you were younger. Did your heart long hesitate between skiing and motorsports? I’ve been practicing skiing since I was very young but I was also quickly attracted by motorsports. I took part in Alpine skiing competitions until my 17th birthday. When I got my driver’s license, I was able to take part in rallies and I really turned to motorsports even if though still take pleasure in skiing as often as possible. Many high-level skiers have become very good pilots, aren’t there similarities between the two disciplines? Yes, for sure. There are lots of similarities. The commitment, the ability to take risks, the notion of trajectory and speed: all these things are found in skiing and in motorsports. There is
no engine in skiing and you need to know how to use the slope and in a rally, you must know how to best exploit your engine and never make it struggle. Sliding is also a concept that is found in both disciplines, but it is quite different in skiing and rally. Skiers and pilots generally get along very well. They understand each other. Last year, you shared your time between your program in rally, both in the World and the French championships, and your coach activity at Les 2 Alpes ski-club. How do you organize your schedule? It actually became somewhat complicated with time and this is the reason why I left my position of instructor this year at Les 2 Alpes ski-club, with many regrets. I really liked it. Coaching kids at the club reminded me of all the good memories I have as a young skier and how much I enjoyed that time of my life. I could no longer do the two activities as well as I would have liked to and I logically chose to focus on my motorsports career. I am lucky to be able to live my passion and I make the most of it. You wear the colours of your station when competing in rallies, are you proud of representing Les 2 Alpes? It is very important for me. Les 2 Alpes is my identity, the place where I was born, where my father was born. My family is from the station. We really want to wear the colours of the station and we talk about it whenever we can. The world of motorsports understands that we have a very strong relationship with Les 2 Alpes. It is now well anchored in mentalities and it is a real source of pride for us. Les 2 Alpes' image is that of a sporty and avantgarde station, is this a faithful portrait for you? That is exactly the station’s philosophy. Les 2 Alpes is a station that is always focused on young people and that has always implemented important means to allow the practice of new sliding forms by creating, very early on, a high quality snow park. Many events have been organized in Les 2 Alpes in the history of the station and have made a significant impact on 18