Boom! Four new venues and three continents, the EWS continues to spread its wings to all corners of the Earth.
The Montenbaik crew kick things off as always in Chile. This time it’s the high Andes moonscape of Lo Barnechea, within spitting distance of the country’s capital, Santiago.
Next it’s off to Manizales, Colombian hometown of Marcelo Gutierrez. It hosts an urban downhill race every year and competitors will be hitting an urban stage through the citadel before heading into the lush jungle.
The third new venue will be Olargues – Montagnes Du Caroux, France. Yet another undiscovered French gem with classic rocky trails.
Finally we’re off to Petzen/Jamnica (yeah, we read it as Jamaica first time too). This is the first EWS to be hosted by two countries (Austria and Slovenia). Home to a 10km flow trail and an enduro race that goes through a mine, you can expect a load of diverse riding here.
Then we’re back to familiar territory for the rest of the year – La Thuile, Whistler, Ainsa and Finale. It’s a shame that Wicklow has missed out this year but the stacked calendar will surely deliver some epic racing regardless.
Enduro World Series 2018 calendar
1. Lo Barnechea, Chile – 24/5 March
2. Manizales, Colombia – 31March/1 April
3. Olargues – Montagnes du Caroux, France – 12/13 May
4. Petzen-Jamnica, Slovenia/Austria – 30 June/1 July
5. La Thuile, Italy – 21/2 July
6. Whistler, Canada – 12 August
7. Ainsa-Sobrabre, Spain – 22/3 September
8. Finale Ligure, Italy – 29/30 September