Enduro World Series rolls into Crankworx Whistler for penultimate round

The Enduro World Series heads to Canada this weekend to the world’s biggest mountain bike festival – Crankworx Whistler.

Whistler Blackcomb will play host to the SRAM Canadian Open Enduro presented by Specialized, where riders will fight it out on some of the most iconic trails in the sport. 

The season’s penultimate race will take in five stages over just one day – a complete contrast to last month’s event in Colorado where they faced six stages over three days of competition.

Sunday’s steep and technical stages will be punctuated by tough, physical liaison stages with a lot of climbing requiring riders to manage their fatigue and equipment carefully if they want to do well here.

In the women’s race the competition between Anne Caroline Chausson (Ibis) and Tracy Moseley (Trek Factory Racing Enduro Team) shows no signs of abating – Anne Caroline may have taken the win in Colorado last month, but Tracy maintains her overall series lead. However, with just 50 points separating them, a win for either lady here would ensure they enter the final round on top. Also chasing podiums will be Anneke Beerten (Specialized Racing Team) and Cecile Ravanel (GT/Pulse Session) who sit in third and fourth place respectively – with only ten points between them.

In the men’s race, all eyes will be on Jared Graves (Yeti/Fox Shox Factory Team) and team mate Richie Rude after they took first and second spots in Colorado last month. Jared won the race in Whistler last year and leads the men’s category in the series, but young French rider Damien Oton (Devinci/Alltricks.com Enduro Racing) isn’t far behind in second place, with Justin Leov (Trek Factory Racing Enduro Team) just 70 points further back in third. 

Darren Kinnaird, Crankworx General Manager said: “It’s great to welcome the Enduro World Series back to Crankworx Whistler.

“This year’s event will see riders out in the mountains on their own for a full day – not only will they have to manage their fatigue but also deal with carrying their own spares and fix any mechanical problems themselves. Sunday’s race is a true mountain adventure that will take in some of the most fun trails on earth, whilst still pushing the limits of the riders’ physical and technical abilities.” 

Enduro World Series Managing Director Chris Ball added: “Whistler Blackcomb is one of the most iconic riding destinations on the planet, and we can’t wait to return. There are some great new additions to the course and we’ve no doubt the riders are going to have an amazing time discovering the trails here.”

Dave Anderson

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