Here are Toby Pantling reports of days one and two of the huge multi-day Trans Savoie enduro:
Day 1 Val D’Isere to Ste Foye, 4751m descent, 49km.
Day 1 in the bag. What can I say? That was one hell of a day out on the bikes. The trails were so varied: from buff bike park trails to real raw natural singletrack walking paths where you really don’t have any idea what’s around the next corner, or the next rise.
I woke up early to rain on my tent and thought, what a great start to 6 days of tent life! When I finally made it outside the rain had eased and there were some breaks in the clouds, but you could see that the tops had had a fresh dusting of snow overnight!
Stage 1: Started on one of the Val D’Isere bike park trails, but pretty quickly cut across a meadow that then led you onto a super flowy walkers path with some pretty tight blind switchbacks to keep you on your toes. The last part of the trail took in an amazing woods section before dropping you back into town with smiles all round.
Stage 2: Once again this started out on a series of Val D’Isere bike park trails, which were really fun: flowy and surprisingly smooth and well maintained. As soon as there was an option to turn from the bike park and pick up some singletrack we were on it and it was unreal: great rock gardens and tricky corners. This really made the element of blind riding evident.
Stage 3: This trail started and finished on singletrack with a crazy exposed scree slope to traverse across early on to wake you up after your big French stick lunch. The stage had a bit of everything thrown in with a flat-out fast meadow section to some tight but ridable switchbacks. There were also some pretty horrible climbs, and at altitude they were quite a shock!
Stage 4: This was the same stage as last years – I can fully understand why they kept it. The stage seemed to just keep going on and on. Due to the elevation drop the forest floor we were riding on changed a fair bit. It dried out and got more grippy as you descended. It was trail riding at its finest, with a fair few techy moves to work out on the way down. You also really had to keep an eye out for some pretty expansive rocks, hungry to take a rear mech or rotor!
It was a big day, that shocked a lot of people I think. You might think you’re pretty fit, but Enduro stage races like this are different gear entirely! With over 1hr of times stages, 7 plus hours out on the bike; throw some altitude into the mix and top it off with the stress of not having a clue where the stages go until you see a reassuring black arrow on a yellow board or some Shimano barrier tape!
Here’s a video!
Results after day one:
Day Two
This was always going to be a day to remember. All the stages are what Ali the race organizer would class as his back garden – he’s been riding here for 13 years. It did not disappoint, and I’m pretty sure he treated us to some of his finest and if not I really want to ride what he still has up his sleeve!
Today there were 5 stages with a fair old winch up to the final stage, but there were a lot of smiles on the way down until we dropped out right outside our campsite.
Stage 1: Big stage to wake you up, having taken two lifts up and being told that the trail finishes on the valley floor. You knew it was going to last a while and it sure did – this was the first time I started to get finger pump; I found myself having to take my fingers off the bars in some pretty dodgy places!
The trail started on some bike park stuff, which was spot on to wake you up but very quickly turned it to a listed bike trail that had a far more natural feel. As you dropped closer to the valley floor that trail turned into a walkers tail and became much more raw: there were some really interesting rock gardens and turns to piece together.
Stage 2: There was a lot of chat about this stage, as it was a real favourite last year. Switchback followed switchback but each and every one had a different feel to it, and the terrain changed massively from top to bottom. There was loam at the top, meadow in the middle and the bottom had the feel of riding parts of a dried out riverbed.
Stage 3: Another big stage that had the same feel to it as the first stage of the day without the bike park start. Just as you felt you were getting to bottom there was a killer traverse with a series of punchy climb that kept coming and felt like you were never going to reach the bottom. Another gem: in Ali’s words “ Les Arcs singletrack at its best”.
Stage 4: This is one of Les Arcs marked black trails. It used to be pretty raw but over the years the trail crew have taken care of it and made it sustainable. I was expecting a pretty rough trail super wide and lines going in all direction but it was very different: pretty easy to follow and only rough due to the roots and rocks, not really many brake bumps. At the bottom there was a real buzz amongst the riders as it was easy to let things roll and get a feel for what was coming up.
Stage 5: After a pretty steep road climb it was nice to be able to look down from the start and see the campsite where we were staying and know that was where the trail ended. The trail had a real Maritime Alps feel to it. Loose rocky narrow benched-in singletrack, with a fair bit of exposure. And if the trail wasn’t drifty enough in places there were also a lot of pin cones to act as marbles; a auper fast and flowing stage. It was a nice way to tie up the day and roll into the campsite.
Another big day out on the bikes and a lot of buzzing people around camp but I think it would be fair to say the penny has dropped for a lot of people: this really is “Big Mountain Enduro” and not some Mickey Mouse trail center ride!
There have been a few injuries already have stopped riders carrying on but unfortunately today we lost Neil Donoghue with a suspected separated shoulder. Heal soon buddy!
We also lost the Legend that is Steve Peat as he has been called up to other commitments (probably Rat Boy’s party)!
Day 2 Results: Stay tuned!
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I want to be there, not here….