Ascension Trackmania: Tjalic wins the first stage

This Thursday 29 June, the sixteen qualified drivers for the first stage of the Ascension, battled it out on stage in front of several hundred spectators. come to Lyon especially for the event. After qualifying for the Final on the wire, Thomas Tjalic Jalicot came out on topand pocketed the 5,760 euros promised to the winner. Like all the other drivers present at the Final, he also obtained his slot for the Montpellier stage, scheduled for next October.

Electric semi-finals!

To select the eight players who would take part in the Final of this first stage, the qualifiers were divided into two groups. At the end of each semi-final, only the top four went on to the next stage of the tournament. The road to this new stage was not the easiest... It was time for them to prove their worth!

In the hope of acquiring a slot, each player first had to accumulate a total of 120 points to unlock "finalist" status, then win another round in order to qualify. This rule, unique to Cup mode, makes for some fierce battles, much to the delight of the spectators. And the least we can say is that all the players put on quite a show!

Breakdown of players

Tjalic qualifies by the skin of his teeth

During the presentation of the participants in the first semi-final, everyone applauded their favourite driver. It was a great turnout and a great atmosphere! One by one, the eight players took their places at their posts and got into their bubbles before kick-off.

A few minutes later, the engines were roaring: the competition was well and truly under way. All determined to reach the final - which, it should be remembered, meant automatic qualification for the Montpellier stage. - The drivers gave it their all from the first run, eventually won by Wosile.

As the rounds went by, so did the maps and the counters began to fly! Soon the crowd was cheering wildly Arthaniirthe first qualifier of the evening. A mistake by Tjalic, Binkks also gets his place, then it's the turn of Wosile to take his slot on Lassants Sillons, the emblematic card of this tournament.

At this stage, the atmosphere is tense... there are only only one place left to go and the five players still in the running are more than motivated to make it their own, especially as three of them are already finalists. The mad race between Tjalic and SkandeaR ended badly for the latter, who hit a signpost halfway through.

Nothing's decided yet, but we're being precise and cautious, Tjalic finished his run in pole position and took the long-awaited victory! Asked about his qualification, the BS+ representative simply replied "It was hot. I'd like to say it was a bit like usual after all!

The Legends group

Featuring Gwen and Affi, winners of the TMCUP 2022, CarlJr, multiple Trackmania World Champion, Bren, the Karmine Corp player, and GranaDy, the steering wheel enthusiast, among others, this second semi-final will feature before she'd even started.. Once again, the crowd came out in force to welcome all the semi-finalists, who were waiting for just one thing: to put their foot down and qualify for Montpellier.

However, Rayou and ZeratoR had something else in mind... Under the impetus of the latter, Etoiles set off on Pneu Money, the card with a thousand and one tyres, and "head-in-the-screen, fullspeed he set his best live time. Once the fun was over, the competition finally resumed.

And what intensity! After two rounds, Gwen also produced a quality PB on the same card. He quickly took the lead and secured his first Finalist status, but struggled to finish to validate his qualification. Almost all the players passed the 110-point mark, but in the end it was he who qualified first. Whereas Bren clinched his place in the Final in the next heat, we had to wait several heats and a crazy run to discover the identity of the next qualifier, who was none other than Glast.

This semi-final ends on a high note for Karmine Corp, with Otaaaq also managed to come out on top and qualify for the Final of this first stage of the Ascension.

Victory by a streetlight!

The final stage of the evening was played out in a very different format. In Knock-Out modeEach player has three life points - a bit like the three balls on Mario Kart - which they can lose if they finish last in a round or fail to complete the map. Let's put it this way, these rules are perfect for the show! Here, it's not really a question of being first; the aim is not to lag behind.

In an atmosphere that was more electric than ever, the eight exceptional drivers took their places on the starting grid at Remasterieau. The first lives fell, followed by others on Plasticot, including there's nothing obvious about the cuteven for players of this calibre. Quickly, the trio of Tjalic, Wosile and Binkss stand out, as all of them keep their three precious hearts, while for others the adventure comes to an end. On PyrA-rrivée, everyone showed breathtaking precision, either to stay in the tournament or to consolidate their position as leader. And for a long time, it was Wosile who held on to pole position. After Glast and Otaaaq, Bren flinches and is eliminated in his turn.

With a lifetime under their belts, Arthaniir and Gwen have no room for error. It's in these cases, with their backs against the wall, that the drivers present that evening show what they're really capable of. Last, a few seconds behind Wosile, Arthaniir is left with no choice but to attempt the highly complex cut of Après En Sillons. The Ici Japon Corp player achieved this feat to the amazement of everyone! But it was not to be: his rival of the moment crossed the finish line just before him.

Four drivers are still competing, Tjalic, Binkss, Wosile and Gwen, and the level is only getting higher as the rounds go by. While Tjalic missed a bend in the road and everything pointed to the loss of a second life, Gwen fell, a mistake that cost him dearly. He was eliminated!

Tjalic begins the next map, Roues Dans Rouge, with one more life than his opponents. At this stage, this advantage is comfortable. Just over 2800 euros are at stake. The pressure is on. Unfortunately for him, Wosile missed a bend; his efforts to get back into the race were in vain and he finished third overall.

That leaves Tjalic, with two lives, and Binkss, with one life. To the cheers of an increasingly crazy crowd, the drivers embarked on a new round. Both players missed their final cut, the tension was at its highest, but in the end it was Binkss who came out on top. It's time for the final duel.

3, 2, 1, GO! They both pass a corner, then another, and finally a third before entering the jump ramp. On the way out, Tjalic takes a bad touch. All the signs were that the match had just ended... but that was without counting on Binkss's error of trajectory, ending up in a lamppost! Tjalic took advantage to retake the lead and cross the finish line.

Everyone in the room is on their feet as the Twitch chat goes wild. We've seen "The 45,000 Bullet Banana at ZLAN, we now have the Floor Lamp at nearly 6,000 euros. He's done it! Tjalic has just won the first stage of the Ascension.

Final stage classification

This first stage brought together some of the best players in France and the world. Whether they made it through to the Final or not, they gave it their all and provided a great esport experience for the thousands of viewers who tuned in live. Congratulations to them on their journey!

While the eight finalists of the day have their place for Montpellier stageIf they want a chance to shine on the Sud de France Arena stage, the others will once again have to prove themselves. The date of the qualifiers has not yet been announced, but we'll be sure to let you know in due course.

We're already looking forward to bringing you the rest of Ascension!