Ric McLaughlin: Hello and welcome to the first round of the 2020 Enduro World Series here
from Specialized EWS Zermatt.
It's taken us a bit longer than we would have liked but we're back.
[music] [crowd cheering]
[music] [background noise]
Ric: Well, it's not the start of the year any of us could have anticipated or indeed
wanted.
Importantly, international Enduro mountain bike racing is back.
We are fittingly where we left off at the end of last season in terms of the championships
in Zermatt, Switzerland underneath the incredible Matterhorn.
Well, hopefully, steering me in the right direction this week is none other than our
very own expert from between the tapes himself, Mr. Ruaridh Cunningham joining us this week.
Ruaridh, it's not quite normal yet.
Isn't it great to be back in a bike race?
Ruaridh Cunningham: It's great to be back, Ric.
In fact, it's been a 12-month off-season for everyone involved.
We're about to kick things off in Zermatt.
Ric: Definitely, a race like no other.
Due to a certain global pandemic, we have got restrictions in place, which means a closed
course race, close start-finish areas.
Trying to keep everybody as safe as we can.
You have waited long enough.
It's time for the first stage of the Enduro World Series 2020 from Specialized EWS Zermatt.
[music] Ric: Because it's 2020, there was some added
drama on the morning of race day.
Severe weather ruled in leaving some of the highest stage starts under snow.
Those snowy conditions forced a last-minute reshuffle of the running order.
The restart was delayed and the first race of 2020 would now be a two-stage affair.
The first stage was the queen stage.
[music] Jason: Enjoy the slip and slide.
[music] [crowd cheering]
Ric: With the weather not getting much better, the mod gear was on full display.
Joe Barnes: I know.
The normal one is about a centimeter further in and with a flat.
Anything I can do to stop getting numb hands out there.
Ric: The stages in Zermatt are infamous for their combination of grueling length and tire-shredding
rocks.
Now, with the cold rain and mist, they became even more severe.
[music] Greg Callaghan: Fun to race again.
That stage was tough.
Pretty blown out and just real physical, because it's so muddy.
Damien Oton: I had a huge crush on the first section I hit a big stone.
That's the problem.
Théo Galy: Very slippery after the rain for the morning.
Just focus.
Don't crash.
Stay on the bike.
[music] Adrian Dally: When I was going through the
first corner, I had the chain off, because I was leaving this stage.
[music] Martin: It was good.
I was riding a little bit tight.
First stage of the year.
It wasn't the easiest.
[music] Noga Korem: I hope it's going to be fun.
It's a nice stage.
Let's see.
[music] [yells]
Noga Korem: Again.
No.
My chain.
The French lady overtook me.
I had to run from the middle.
It was really heartbroken again.
Same story.
Ric: With one of the big guns out, it was all to play for in the women's race.
[music] Ric: Scotland's Ella Connolly had a breakthrough
debut podium in Madeira last year but was then sidelined with an injury.
If her speeding in Zermatt proved anything, it was that she was well and truly on the
comeback trail.
Ella Connolly: Pretty good other than a big OTB about halfway down.
The break leaves in wild places for the rest of it.
Again, you just can't predict and tell when to get ready, when to get prepared, what you
needed to wear, and stuff like that.
When you go to the top, absolutely sweating down between the layers in the end.
Ric: Morgan Shaw was another racer riding well in the tricky conditions.
[music] Ric: But it was the reigning champ who would
pick up where she left off in 2019 with a victory on 2020's opening stage.
Female 1: You know it's 2020, so what could we expect?
[laughs] So yes, it was a really good mud training [laughs] and it makes the track so
harder.
There so many little climbs I did not see them in practice, because we could just roll,
and this time I was like, what?
It's climbing again here.
Ric: Canyon Collective's latest signing Jack Moir had made the long journey from Australia
to compete in Zermatt and was riding well.
[music] Eliott Heap: Now in the snow it's Christmas
songs now there's been snow.
Ric: One rider who didn't make the journey to Europe from down under was the reigning
champ Sam Held.
His Chain Reaction Cycles teammate Elliot Heap was reveling in the tricky conditions
and riding high in the overall.
[music] Eliott: Very, very physical, I think I've
got too many layers on me.
I feel tired.
Just a cut on the back just trying to get some [unintelligible 00:06:21]
[music] Ric: Given that there was snow on the ground
not much heat around, maybe it shouldn't have been a big surprise to see a Swede doing well.
Robin Wallner had a storming run the second on Stage One.
[music] Ric: There was to be no catching Rocky Mountain
Race face Jesse Melamed on the fist stage 2020.
The Canadian came out of his corner swinging and the last stage won with a 10-second lead.
Have you seen the times yet?
Jesse Melamed: No.
Ric: You are 10 seconds up.
Jesse: Who's second huh?
Ric: Robin.
Jesse: Yes, I just had a smooth stage and I backed it up just enough in the key section
to not bore into any of those corners because one of those and you lose five seconds, so
I really do a good job to just make sure I hit everything the way I had to and so it's
good to see everyone and I'm glad that we are able to do this.
Ric: That Stage One would secure 40 points for Rocky in the Team's Championship.
Explosive enough for you?
Well, before we go any further with the action, I think it's time that we update you with
a couple of new stories.
For a start, there is the obvious differences of how the races themselves, but we've also
decided that the overall title this year will be contested not between individual riders
but between the teams.
For the winners, of those races up for grabs are the coveted EWS Enduro Winner's Jerseys,
and so where are these races set to be?
Ruaridh, take us through them.
Ruaridh: After Switzerland, we head to a brand new venue for the Enduro World Series in the
form of Pietra Ligure, conveniently just down the road from the next race the Finale Ligure.
And ever-iconic venue sticked in Enduro history.
After that, we head towards a truly remarkable race in the form of Petzen and Jamnica, the
only race to this season where you are required to pack a passport on race day.
After that, the season wraps up with EWS [unintelligible 00:08:17] in Olargues, France.
Ric: Big, big races in there, which are you personally most excited about?
Ruaridh: Personally, Rick, Finale Ligure, how can you beat that?
Sunshine, the beach, [unintelligible 00:08:27] it's every racer's dream.
Ric: It's a petty compelling case, isn't it?
Right, let's head back to those stages now and catch up with the action.
The riders left the [unintelligible 00:08:36] head over once more to do battle in the cold.
The hatched headed rocks lay in wait.
Stage Two would decide the race.
[music] Ric: It may have been shorter than he had
anticipated, but Jack Moir was happy with his day's work.
Jack Moir: I'm proud Rick, so tired I can't even see anymore.
I was a bit worried like with all the cancellations I was like [unintelligible 00:09:23] so I'm
glad you guys made it happen however you could, that was sick.
[music] Katy Winton: [unintelligible 00:09:35] you
try to pump and pedal at the end and it's just like oh, you are fighting the cold but
it's all stuffy even though you've warmed up a bit.
[music] Anita Gehrig: It's good to be back racing
really, it was super tough today with very slow conditions, but I'm so happy we've got
to kick off the racing season now and in Switzerland, welcome to the Slav.
[music] [music] Ella Conolly: [unintelligible 00:10:03] You
have nothing left.
You can't see properly.
Oh my God.
A bit of a silly crash at the top.
It's like [lipsmack].
I don't know [laughs].
Ric: Despite that crash earlier in the day, Ella Conolly had a solid result and was on
course for a podium.
There were still several big names preparing to drop in.
[music] Ric: Even Rafaela Richter who really put Courdurier
under pressure at times last season was struggling with the conditions.
Rafaela: Tough, really physical.
I couldn't really feel my hands.
I'm still really cold.
Ric: Morgane Charre had dusted off her flat pedals for the new season and it seemed to
be paying dividends.
Morgana: I think I'm happy to be back racing.
Even if it's only two stages, it's okay.
Ric: New year, new team, same result.
The reigning EWS Champ Isabeau Courdurier won both stages.
Isabeau: It felt like we were bettering almost all the stage down.
Did not felt as good as on the first one.
Still I am in one piece to finish this race so I'm happy.
Ric: Just to be seen on the day's opening stage, riders from colder climates were prospering
in the wet.
[music] Matt Stuttard: Wow, that's so physical, because
it's such cold air.
It's hard to get your breath back once you've hit high peak.
[music] Eliott Heap: It's Enduro.
Some stages weren't easy.
[music] Ric: Miranda Factory team's Jose Borges was
having a busier week than most.
He had competed in the first-ever EWS E-race just days before and even podiumed.
Jose: It's good to be back.
I'm feeling tired after the air bike race.
Ric: After a superb opening stage performance, Ibis' Robin Wallner came unstuck on two and
saw his podium hopes feared.
Robin Wallner: This one was really hard work.
I actually made probably more mistakes here than on the first one.
This isn't even that technical.
[music] [crowd cheering]
Jesse: Squaring up so many corners and just not riding as well.
And then maybe just put that extra six months of training to work and didn't let myself
stop pedaling.
Ric: All eyes were all Melamed.
You would have to go back to Whistler 2017 to find his only other win.
Was the wait not over?
The yearly EWS winner’s jersey was within touching distance.
There's an unspoken race within the race for fastest French rider of the day.
After absolutely storming stage two, Sunn's Theo Galy secured that honor for himself.
[music] There was a winner here back in 2019, Martin
Maes, who would secure stage honors.
Martin Maes: I'm pretty happy I think with that second stage.
Thanks to the Enduro series to have made the best out of it.
Ric: Despite Maes' win on stage two, Melamed's lead remained unsurmountable, leaving the
Canadian to celebrate victory at round one.
Maes would finish second with Galy celebrating his first podium appearance and third.
Fourth went to Jack Moir who proved if it needed proving he will be a force to be reckoned
with in Enduro.
Not many people were betting against Isabeau Courdurier at the start of the weekend.
The champ proved in Zermatt that she remains a rider to beat in the women's race.
Second place went to the superb Morgane Charre whilst Ella Conolly proved that she's right
on the pace and third.
Ella: Good way to start the year.
It seems strange saying that in August.
I'm happy to be back racing and with the result.
Looking out the window at the snow, I was a little nervous.
Actually, the mud on course I think that did suit me a lot.
Especially in stage one, hard one to prepare for.
Once you're in the starter gate, absolutely buzzing to be going.
Theo: Yes, really happy.
It's a big surprise.
I'm so happy with the result.
A bit physical for me.
It's because the weather was really hard condition.
Morgane: I'm so excited to start the season like this.
Especially with the new team, it's great.
It was so foggy.
There was some thunder and everything.
It was a perfect conditions for [unintelligible 00:14:54] [laughs].
Martin: It was a long time not racing.
I have to say that on the first stage, I was pretty lost.
I was stressed and riding tight so I wasn't happy of myself but straight away, on the
second stage, I could find the floor and ride like I could so I was pretty happy with that.
Isabeau Courdurier: I'm super happy.
I had a lot of pressure for this race because I wanted to win, obviously, because of the
new team but, at the same time, the conditions were so wild that just two stages was enough.
[laughs] To just go with the flow, ride in the wide and do whatever you can.
[laughs] Jesse: Definitely good to be at the top of
the list for sure.
I've had a lot of racing coming up to this and I think that really set us up well.
That stage one was such a mess.
So different from practice and just treacherous that, the fact that I came into it with a
calm Enduro mindset and just snaked through it, super smooth, no mistakes is probably
why I did so well.
Obviously, it's been a few years since my win.
It was a Whistler win so this, I've been on the podium before, and finally, I feel like
I'm like, "Okay.
Here we go.
This is it."
Just keep riding well and have fun.
Ric: Ibis Enduro Team took the win with strong rides from Backspiruna and Cole Lucas, backing
up Robin Wellner's efforts.
Pivot Factory Racing were second and Trek Factory Racing were in third.
That is it then.
Jesse Melamed and Isabeau Courdurier are your winners of the first EWS of 2020.
It's been a tough week here at Specialized EWS Zermatt but the main thing is that bike
racing is back and you don't have to wait that long before we go racing again in Pietra
Ligure in just a couple of weeks.
Join us on GMBN for all of that.
In the meantime, thanks very much.
Good-bye.
Ric: Enjoy the slip and slide [music]
[00:17:01] [END OF AUDIO]