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Jack Moir descending below the chopper. Several riders were thrown off their game the film-heli flying too low and asked that they back it off a bit.
The marmots in la Thuile were whistling louder than ever during round four of the Enduro World Series, excited to see tight racing and a bit of drama on their home slopes. They’re also tired of the pandemic.
The storms that drenched the final few riders on Saturday’s Pro Stage continued, leaving the roots and rocks properly slipper come start time on Sunday morning. With no new clouds on the menu, the race organizers were able to move the stage starts to their original higher elevations, making for some fast runs under the video helicopter.
Harriet Harnden of Trek Factory Racing had the race of her life, smashing every stage on Sunday to win her first ever elite EWS round. Harnden rode fastest on two of the four stages and earned second and eighth on the other pair. Andréane Lanthier Nadeau was slated for the win earlier in the day, but a nasty crash on the final stage put her out of the running. ALN had injured her foot during the Pro Stage the day prior, which likely played a part in the following crash and mechanical that ended her bid for the win. It’s great to see tight racing and and regular mixups at the razor’s edge of this field.
In the elite men’s race, Zakarias Johansen continued his forceful charge toward the front, finishing in third place on three stages and second on the final lap to come in third palce on the day. Jack Moir and Richie Rude traded wins on every stage but the penultimate one where Rude lost nearly twelve seconds to the tall Australian to stand on the second step of the podium. Jesse Melamed and Kevin Miquel closed out the round four podium, both putting in powerful runs to earn their UCI points and paychecks.
Saturday and Sunday’s racing was almost all dry, while storms made for slick tracks as the athletes slept. Notice how the bottom of Sidonie Jolidin‘s rear tire is almost above the top if the front? This shit is really steep.
Georgia Astle sliding in to turn one.Stage one was wicked muddy, despite the warm sunshine.Sophie Riva finished in second position as one of two riders on a dual-crown fork this weekend. Lead with the eyes.
That road in the background climbs to what once was a Superenduro and EWS stage.
The dirt on stage five was heroic.
This track is called Vertical, and it’s not an exaggeration.This custom-painted Raaw Madonna is the only shot we got from the infamous Pro Stage rock garden, thanks to a busted SD card in the camera. Film’s not dead? The autofocus sensor loves that color. The last 500 meters of the final stage was technical enough to think about all weekend.
Damien Oton was one of only three riders to take the off-camber high line on the final stage, pulling hard to send this root gap. If only the riders could enjoy these views.Germany’s Veronika Brüchle preparing to lean in.This was the slightly cleaner line.Miranda Miller throwing shapes.Carolin Gehrig is no stranger to the steep and slippery stuff, and she looked quite comfortable on the new Norco high pivot ride.
Mathew Stuttard
Kasper Woolley
Sprint, brake, repeat.We’re confident things will click for Remi Gauvin in the near future.
With two months off the bike following the death of her father, Courdurier continues to amaze us with her ability to compete. She earned third position this round, and we won’t be surprised if she continues to improve on that. Antoine Vidal is sending it all over the place on his Commencal.Pedro Burns matched his race number, finishing in thirty-third position.
Watch for Ella Conolly to show us what this new Jekyll high-pivot can do. Kevin Miquel pulling up to gap a funky compression.Everyone was a little surprised to see Pugin not winning in the mud. Most of the mountains around La Thuile are still covered in snow.
We hope ALN can heal up quickly and claim the win she was working toward in this race.
Three of these four saved it. Can you guess who kissed the gravel? Rude sprinting across a brief flat section.Katy Winton and Ella Conolly greeted each other in quite a precarious place at the end of Vertical trail.Julie Duvert had a rear puncture and had to take the safe route down the final wall.Matt Walker is always so stoked to be racing, even when his goggles fill with mud.Nearly a full compression for Sam Hill at the finish.Noga Korem was gliding down the tracks to earn her well-fought fourth position on the platform.Flo on the go to eighteenth place. 2021 Italian National Enduro Champ, Mirco Vendemmia, stoked the local crowd with an impressive twenty-seventh place finish.Yes, Rude saves this bobble to take second on the stag.Watch for race winner Harriet Harnden to continue riding strong at the front of the Enduro World series, which restarts on September 2nd with another double header in Loudenvielle, France.
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