That’s exactly what we told Ewan. Run my 26″ swampy front wheel in his ruined brand new bos dev forks. He didn’t though, but they were already screwed. The clearance is literally 5-10mm max.

Jesus Christ!

I dunno who I envy least Scottfitz, you or those who got to do the race.

Sounds like you picked the right year to have such a nightmare anyway.

Props for soldiering through it anyway guys.

What a week! Didn’t get to ride the mega track at all, stories of the mud and unrideable tracks bellow ADH, put me off.
And I never saw the the lift up to pic blanc open, so missed out on the glacier.
I was in the last group of qualifiers, sun out tracks drying, great fun. Started on the second row, far left, got pushed in to the flags, and watched everyone fly by! Bugger! Got going again and passed a few up top in the rocks, dh bike was paying off as there was some interesting lines taken. Got passed once on the lower track by huez, and finished 34th. Not bad for my first go.
Mega challenger was horrible! I bailed out at ADH, as I couldn’t change gear or brake as my hands were so cold. Well done to those who finished, it really was crap weather.
Great week despite the weather, and the sun came out on the last day, so had a great day riding with my dad and our mate Harold.

was it teh same harold who wanted to bail out at the bottom of teh mud section in Oz till everyone ‘convinced’ him to finish?

heres a picture of the less muddy bit where you could ride

Both feet slid bounced off the pedals as I saw the photographer, he thought it was funny as I had virtually no control whatsoever

Different Harold I think kimbers. He wasn’t racing, just tagged along to do some riding.

Kimbers on pics where do you look the 2 I have found so far are 12 euros per pic :O there seemed to be 100s of people taking pics in qualifying

Loving these reports!….proper hardcore mountain biking.

Interesting to hear the 29ers suffering, mud clearance probably doesnt feature too prominently in the designer’s mind when they’re penning a bike that will get ridden around nicely manicured trail centres most of the time!….cheap dig but i couldnt resist, arent 29ers supposed to roll better, not clag up with mud etc…. 😆

On a more serious note its good to have the choice now of 3 wheels sizes, clever of the Commencal guys to put 26 inch wheels in 27.5 frames for the increased mud clearance.

Promised myself i would do it this year but boring grown-up house stuff took priority, maybe next year….keep the horrific pictures coming guys, makes a change to the dry and dusty trails we’ve had to endure here recently!

That race really was horrible.

Qualified 4th on the Friday, which I was happy with, so I was 2nd row.

Race day. I did rubbish on the snow but made loads of places on the meadow and fire road climb, before loosing it all in the woods. Couldn’t ride it at all; it was too heavy to carry; my chain got pushed off by the mud and the chain device was broken, so I ‘rode’ everything from Oz down with no drive and my opposite foot forwards. Still overtook some people in the rideable woods by insiding them on corners though. It was pointless but fun. I might give it a miss next year and either just have fun in the Alps with no racing or do an EWS instead.

GOYB, how are you keeping, havent seen you post in ages?

You still sponsored?….i still remember you hammering it at the UKGE in Eastridge on a Carrera Fury and kicking arse!

Qualifying 4th is good going, i’d be chomping at the bit to get back next year and win it based on that!

scott http://www.photobreton.com/consulter/Actualites.asp?isactu=1&LangueID=2
http://www.artreflex-photo.fr/

must be others too!

deviant – Member
GOYB, how are you keeping, havent seen you post in ages?

You still sponsored?….i still remember you hammering it at the UKGE in Eastridge on a Carrera Fury and kicking arse!

Qualifying 4th is good going, i’d be chomping at the bit to get back next year and win it based on that!Hi Deviant.

I’m good. Thanks for asking. Racing on the Whyte Bikes Enduro Team this year, with lots of support from SRAM, Maxxis, Osprey, TORQ, Sweet Protection, Sealskinz, Juice Lubes, Invisiframe and Rockguardz. Had some good results this year. Rode terribly at Inners UKGE and the EWS but had a UKGE 2nd and 3rd, as well as doing winning a couple of other smaller races.

How are you doing?