Saturdays are difficult for enduro racing. You need to tread a fine line: of course you want to get up there and practice, but you also need to think about saving your legs for race day. It gets harder the longer a stage is too, because there is more to learn in one go, but they will inevitably have tougher transfers to ruin your legs.
Speaking to a couple of riders this morning there was mild panic about whether they had a shuttle organised for stage two, as it's this weekend furthest stage out (and the main reason Sundays race is over an intimidating 60km). They'd put off practicing it as the idea was to get a shuttle today and it was clear they weren't keen to put those kind of miles in today, but how do you go into race day if you don't know the longest timed section? Fortunately their shuttle showed up a little later, but it really shows how much you need to think about your riding with these races...
The big talk in Punta Ala tonight is inevitably the weather. A big system is on its way in and rain is pretty much a dead cert for tomorrow. Apparently some of the "pros" have been asking to have the race cut short if it is chucking it down, but what is certain is that it's not the Brits asking to have it chopped. Paul Aston and Al Stock were pushing the Punta Ala crew to
add a stage if it's wet... Whatever happens with the weather, tomorrow we go racing.
www.superenduromtb.com
I'd class my bike as an enduro bike at the moment. Think its just over 32lbs. 165mm Last Herb FR frame, 160mm BOS deville's, stans flows, hope m4 brakes. 2x9 gearing (want to build my legs up to go 1x9 or 1x10)
www.pinkbike.com/news/Mark-Weir-Bike-Check-2012.html
www.pinkbike.com/news/Enduro-bike-checks-may-2012.html