Just as Mont Blanc dominates the Alpine horizons around la Thuile, there were two riders who stood head and shoulders above the rest of the field at the fourth round of the 2016 EWS.

Photos: Enduro World Series

Richie Rude and Cecile Ravanel won 11 out of 12 stages on offer between the two of them with only Sam Hill able to break their deadlock. They both comfortably took their respective races and sit pretty at the top of the overall standings.

While they dominate the top step of the podium there are a number of stories below them to keep things interesting. Sam Hill once again proved that bike handling skills reign supreme in enduro as he piloted his Nukeproof Mega to a second successive second place despite using flat pedals and spending the majority of his time training for downhill. It’s not been the best season in the World Cups but it’s nice to see him still able to mix it with the world’s best. Hopefully this is a confidence boost for him as we head to his favourite World Cup track – Mont Sainte Anne.

Third place fell to Damien Oton. After winning here in 2014 this won’t have been what he was looking for but he’ll take solace in the fact that he lost to a downhill legend and a young American in the form of his life, especially as he leaps up to second in the standings.

In the women’s race, Cecile Ravanel pulled off the rare feat of winning every single stage (apparently one of Rude’s goals for the rest of the season is to do the same). Isabaeu Courdurier pulled off a best ever second placed finish while Andréane Lanthier Nadeau returned to the top tier of enduro to take third.