The EWS hits Colorado this weekend (well, tomorrow) for round 5. It’s more than half way through the series, and still all to play for, so this should be a great round for the riders going all-out.
If you’re stuck, here’s Colorado…
The season so far has been pretty mad. The points are tight and it’s all to play for as we hit round 5. It’s been a few weeks since the last round in La Thuile, Italy, which threw up some pretty amazing looking racing, from the cloud lines right up at the top of the mountains through to the soggy woodland. It was a good weekend for a few riders – notably Damien Oton, who won taking his first EWS series win, Joe Barnes matched his Tweedlove result with a 3rd place and Jared Graves who is still leading the series by 30 points landed 5th. Tracy Moseley extended her lead and is now clear of Anne-Caroline Chausson by 100 points.
It’s a tight old series, everything hangs on stage results. Colorado has some of the best in the world, as we’ve seen over the last few years the altitude may be a shock to some but with Graves experienced with yeti being based out there it could well be an advantage. Mechanicals have also played a good part in results this year – despite bikes costing a fortune and being more an more advanced with built-in electric suspension and toast-making machines, simple punctures can still defeat them. Let’s hope the apple cart isn’t upset too much.
Here are the vital stats:
We’ll have rolling coverage as always, with DirtTV heading out for all the action. Keep your eyes out!
Here’s the official press release:
The Enduro World Series has left behind the wild weather of the Italian Alps and headed across the Atlantic to the USA for round five – Specialized Enduro brought to you by Shimano.
This weekend’s race takes place in Winter Park, a resort nestled high in the heart of the American Rockies and home to the USA’s largest bike park, Trestle. Sitting at an elevation of 10,000 feet, Winter Park will prove an incredible test of fitness – before riders even set foot on the chairlift they’ll be dealing with an altitude higher than at any other point in the series. Coupled with three back to back days of racing over seven stages, the 350 riders taking part can expect to be pushed to their limits.
With a points battle that shows no signs of abating, this weekend’s race is especially important for series leaders Tracy Moseley (Trek Factory Enduro Racing Team) and Jared Graves (Yeti/Fox Shox Factory Team). Graves leads Damien Oton (Devinci/Alltricks.com) by just 30 points, and Oton will no doubt be feeling confident after his win in La Thuile. In the women’s race the battle between Moseley and Anne Caroline Chausson (Ibis) continues, but third placed Cecile Ravanel (GT/Pulse Session) continues to pose a serious threat to both.
Trek Factory Enduro Racing continue to lead the team rankings, but Rocky Mountain Urge bp aren’t far behind in second. Canyon Factory Enduro sit in third, but with their rider Joe Barnes climbing the individual rankings after La Thuile it could all change come Sunday.
Event Director Bob Holme says the altitude will add an extra challenge to the riders this weekend.
“Riders can expect seven challenging stages that will not only test technical ability but also their physical fitness. Add to that mix 10,000 feet of elevation and it should really separate the best riders.
“The great thing about hosting the EWS here is we’re the USA’s largest full service bike park, which means we have all the amenities and amazing, rugged trails all in one place.”
Chris Ball, Managing Director of the Enduro World Series added: “As a member of North American Enduro Tour from the very beginning, Bob and his team at the Colorado Freeride Festival have heavily supported and promoted enduro in North America.
“It’s been great working with the team here in Winter Park to really push enduro racing in the USA. The trails here are really different to those seen already in the series, so they’ll test the riders in a new way as we look to find the all round best mountain biker in the world.”
Full course, race schedule and event details can be found at;
http://www.enduroworldseries.com/events/ews5-freeride-colorado
Our new race feed page featuring live timing, real time race commentary and social media updates will go live on Friday and can be found here;
http://www.enduroworldseries.com/race-feed
All the content from the last round can be found in the links below:
The full preview will be out tomorrow. Stay tuned!
