March was a massive month in the mountain biking calendar.
Why? Because it signalled the start of the Enduro World Series (EWS).
One of the biggest MTB event series on the planet is back! And the prospect of another year of adrenaline-fuelled enduro escapades has us grinning from ear to ear.
What’s Enduro all about?
Enduro mountain biking is one of the fastest growing outdoor pursuits right now.
Boasting a growing audience of avid enthusiasts, the stage-race format is drawing attention from all four corners of the globe — and for good reason.
With its origins firmly rooted in car rally and motorbike enduro racing, events are popping up everywhere. They’re pulling in noisy crowds too!
Although traditionally the term enduro was associated with long, cross-country slogs, its meaning has transformed. Featuring both timed downhill sections and uphill transfer stages, enduro is suited to riders with a range of skills in the saddle. It demands every fibre of their physical and technical know-how to compete with the best.
Events typically take place over 1-2 days and consist of several stages – which are diverse by nature – each with their own character and each requiring a conscious alteration in technique – which makes it extremely interesting for spectators and a tough test for riders at any level.
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On the radar – Enduro World Series
EWS was born out of the enduro hype and a whet appetite for the discipline to reach a global stage. Spanning across three continents, the 2017 Series — which is now in its fifth year — aims to ‘uncover the world’s best riding destinations’ and push competitors to new limits.
“All eyes will be on the reigning World Champions to see if they’ll be able to dominate as they did so convincingly last year. Trying hard to stop them will be a stacked line up of pros all hoping to steal their crowns.” – EWS
What you need to know
- EWS kicked off on the 25th March in one of mountain biking’s most hallowed destinations – Rotorua, New Zealand – and finishes on October 1st in Ligure, Italy
- 2016’s winners in the individual events were Cecile Ravanel and Richie Rude
- 19 separate qualifying events were held throughout 2016
- Eight events took place across eight different countries
- The Series was aired on television for the first time ever in 2017
- As well as men and women’s individual comps the EWS events feature team races and under 21’s events
What’s happening and when?
Round 1: Rotorua, New Zealand (25th-26th March)
There’s no easing in period when it comes to EWS. The first, fast and furious leg took place in the world famous Whakarewarewa Forest — with the opening ceremonies being held on the side of Lake Rotorua at the Village Green.
Rotorua really has become a Mecca for mountain bikers. On what EWS describe as “some of the most challenging singletrack courses the Southern Hemisphere has to offer”, riders face a mix of tight and technical within native brush pine forest, on exceptionally draining hard packed dirt purpose build MTB trails.
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Wyn Masters (NZL)
Watch the full highlights from Round 1 below…
Round 2: Tasmania, Australia (8th-9th April)
For the first of two Shimano sponsored events, the Series took riders to the rugged, remote region of Tasmania and features “everything from fern forests to granite slabs” as the EWS hit the small town of Derby (in the north east of the island) for the first time ever.
A packed schedule kicked off on the Friday with multiple events including practice runs and a Paella Party (yup, they really thought of everything!) — before the Challenge Tasmania Race on the Saturday and the highly anticipated Enduro race on the Sunday.
2017 Female winner: Isabeau Courdurier (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Adrien Dailly (FRA)
Watch the full highlights from Round 2 below…
Round 3: Madeira, Portugal: (13th-14th May)
Round three took riders north across the Pacific Ocean to Europe. A lesser known MTB destination, Madeira boasts volcanic landscapes. Riders negotiated forests and humid conditions as in a bid to push themselves up the leaderboard.
The event showcased “…both the natural and purpose built trails that have recently helped to put Madeira on the global mountain biking map” (the Enduro World Series) – and coincided with the all new seven-day Bike Festival in Machico – which climaxed with the final race at the end of the week!
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Gregory Callaghan (IRL)
Watch the full highlights from Round 3 below…
Round 4: County Wicklow, Ireland (28th May)
The Series returned to one of MTB’s rough diamonds — Carrick Mountain, Ireland — for a third occasion and the first of three one day EWS events. Year on year Wicklow has pulled in spectators in massive numbers, all ready and raring to catch the crazy scenes that make EWS so special.
The atmosphere is what sets this round apart as one of the most exciting on the calendar – and May’s event didn’t disappoint.
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Adrien Dailly (FRA)
Watch the full highlights from Round 4 below…
Round 5: Millau, France (30th June-1st July)
EWS reached French territory on the apex of June and July.
Millau not only hosted Round 5 of the EWS, organisers also teamed up with Natural Games to lay on competitions for climbers, kayakers, paragliders (to name but a few) in an ultimate celebration of outdoor adventure sports.
Millau came to life on the Wednesday, with a high octane schedule running through until the early hours on Monday morning. But make no mistake, all this excitement didn’t take away from the buzz of the EWS. Millau offers “exciting racing on rocky, natural, ancient and technical trails that typify the riding style of the region”.
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Adrien Dailly (FRA)
Watch the full highlights from Round 5 below…
Round 6: Aspen Snowmass, USA (29th-30th July)
We know how awesome Aspen Snowmass is. Already home to the Winter X Games, it’s one of the biggest and baddest stops on the EWS!
A destination that’s first and foremost famed for its ski runs, its now fast emerging as home to some of the gnarliest MTB trail networks in the world!
Only those riders who reached round six in good shape stood a firm chance of capturing this stage.
The Colorado destination isn’t a merciful one, and certainly didn’t let up as competitors got put through their paces. It’s a high-altitude event that sees gruelling trails and HUGE descents that test riders endurance and technical skill to the max!
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Sam Hill (AUS)
Watch the full highlights from Round 6 below…
Round 7: Whistler, Canada (13th August)
Perhaps the world’s most iconic MTB destination, British Columbia’s Whistler Valley has featured on all five EWS lineups to date.
The Canadian Open Enduro is a highly coveted event on the calendar and one that holds a special place for a lot of riders.
Spectators took in the action from ski lifts, and were spoilt for choice when it came to the talent on show. Each year sees new courses that are completely unique to Whistler — from mountain routes to unyielding forest trails, round seven demands versatility in the saddle. And for last year’s champion, Cecile Ravanel, it’s where she wrapped up her 2017 win!
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Jesse Melamed (CAN)
Watch the full highlights from Round 7 below…
Round 8: Finale Ligure, Italy (30th September)
The Series’ finale – and rightly so!
Finale Ligure has earned the full, five-star physical and technical ratings — a feat only matched by Whistler.
Riders faced one of their toughest challenges of the Series when they landed in Italy.
As EWS reached its climax, crowds descended on the Italian Riviera for the end of season spectacle. This was where everything — all the hard work that the riders had put in throughout the year — came down to the wire. There could only be one winner in each discipline, so competition was intense as the pros took to the stage one last time, navigating the intricate system of trails that define Ligure as an MTB hotspot!
2017 Female winner: Cecile Ravanel (FRA)
2017 Male winner: Sam Hill (AUS)
The best year yet?
The action at the EWS is relentless.
With the series put to bed, it’s fair to say that reigning champion Cecile Ravanel was once again the dominant force.
Sam Hill’s pipped Adrien Dailly to the post over the final leg in Ligure, securing top spot in the overall series rankings.
With world class trails, skilful riding to match, and a side dose of crashes and carnage, EWS is fast becoming one of the most exciting global sporting series – period.
We’re already looking ahead to next year’s installment!