The 2017 Trans-Provence race got underway this weekend. There are some great photographers capturing the race this year, so expect a week of glorious visual race reports this week. There are some great riders tackling the event too – including our own beer king Stu Taylor from Kirby Lonsdale Brewery. Here’s the report from day one, and a selection of those stunning photographs.
Mavic Trans-Provence Day 1 Statistics
Start: Embrun
Finish: Les Thuiles
Distance: 38.00km
Ascent: 1739m
Descent: 2502m
No. of Special Stages: 4
Clear skies greeted the riders assembled for breakfast on Day 1, stark contrast to the rain down low and snow on the Col de Orres, the week’s highest point at 2613m. Four stages over 38km would take in the very best high Alpine trails have to offer; speed, loam, exposure, turns and more speed.
Dust would reign supreme as the stages made their up over 1700m and down 2500m. Day 1 really kicked things off the right way at this year’s Mavic Trans-Provence 2017. The ferocious heat of Camp Zero would return in earnest for the opening day’s racing and racers would know that keeping on top of hydration would be as hard the stages themselves.
While the usual names are topping the score sheets, Trans-Provence is all about playing the long game and be consistent over the week rather than just the opening day. With that said, we’re not surprised to see Marco Osborne (Cannondale/WTB) and Ines Thoma (Canyon Factory Enduro Team) leading the standings at the end of the first day’s racing.
François Bailly-Maître (Ibis Racing Enduro Team, and race organiser for Enduro Jura By Julbo) took two of the four stage wins, so expect him to be pushing Marco hard all week. There are plenty of fast guys that will be ready to pounce should any of the front runners have any issues. Ines may well have a minute of fresh air between herself and second place Anka Martin (Juliana/SRAM), but the week is long and a lead can vanish in an instant.
2 starts things off with a shuttle to over 2300m and from there, plenty of up and down over the next 44km. The magic formula of descent to ascent turns in favour of gravity with over 1500m of climbing and a grand old 2646m of descent. A slighty less fiery day should greet riders tomorrow but the trails should be even better.
Here’s a little video to make you feel even more sad that you’re not there. Sigh.
