First Ever Girls Enduro Race in Portes du Mercantour

Jun 8, 2016
by Anita Gehrig  
How about this? Load the car with nine friends, pack your bikes and hit the road to southern France for your first ever mountain bike race. Throw in some great trails, good food, a mean cold, sunshine, apéro and a lot of mud and you got yourself one hell of a girls weekend.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Our hosts for the weekend, The Gehrig Twins Anita and Caro.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Caro Gehrig.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Anita Gehrig.

If there is anything I’ve learned in the last year, it is that the best adventures are outside your comfort zone and unpredictable. If you would have told me a year ago that I’d be spending a weekend racing my bike I would have laughed. After all, at that time, I didn’t even own my own bike.

Every biker’s love story starts differently. For me, my love was lit on fire in the September of 2015 at the Twins Womens Bike Camp. I had recently moved from Western Canada to Flims, Switzerland on a university exchange program. It was my first weekend in my new home, and less than three weeks after buying my first mountain bike. There, my journey to this race in France began. I rode with Caro and Anita for the first time and met the seven other ladies that joined the trip for their first mountain bike race as well.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

Following the camp, us girls would meet when we could to ride the trails of Graubünden. When the race was first announced in early Spring, Caro and Anita were keen to put together a team for the first of its kind Women's only Enduro Race in Europe.

I had never really thought about racing before. I loved riding my bike to see new places and challenge myself but had never really felt the urge or had the opportunity to race. At the same time, I was always curious about Caro and Anita’s full throttle lifestyle of travelling the globe racing their bikes. What was there to lose?

As the weekend approached, there wasn’t much for nerves. I had been busy with school, was getting a cold and figure after all, we were going there to race for fun. Nevertheless, I was looking forward to the opportunity of seeing how my riding ranked up against the other girls.

It’s Thursday, travel day, 6:30 am in Flims but you wouldn’t know it. No one is bothered by the early wake up, just eager to hit the road. A couple of minor detours, a lot of Italian coffee and even more washroom breaks later and we are in the mountain town of Valberg.

We are sick of traveling and ready for some action on the trails. I go to put my bike together and realize I’ve forgotten my back axel. Luckily Caro has brought her Ibis Ripley and I am able to borrow it until the part arrives on Friday night with a friend.

We stop at the tourism office and get a few tips from some locals before Caro and Anita have us en route. A short climb later and we are stoked on a nice little rocky and technical trail that has us feeling right at home. We stop a few times so that Caro and Anita can show us a couple different lines options on a steep section. I will be honest, they weren’t quite in my comfort zone but when you have seven friends telling you that you can do it you don’t have much of an option. Of course, they are right.

On Friday and Saturday, we explore the trails with a few local guides. The terrain is incredible but challenging, far from what I’m used to back home. Caro’s bike is two sizes too big for me and I’m riding 29 inch wheels for the first time. The learning curve is steep and so are the trails. I was sick and had little energy but by Saturday I’m back on my own bike and happy.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Preparing the bikes together.

Race Day! On the morning of the race, after three days of sunshine we woke up to rain, buckets and buckets of rain. My cold was worse and I was having hot and cold flashes. Crawling back into bed seemed like a pretty good option. At breakfast, Anita told me she thought it would be better if I stayed home in bed and the other girls agreed. Sorry, Anita but yeah, right. Time to saddle up and head to the race.

At the venue, I was happy to see that the rain hadn’t deterred many other women. Registration was a bit chaotic like any first time race but Caro and Anita’s years of experience helped us all navigate the process with ease.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Goodies from Liv.
First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

By 9 AM we have our race plates on and we are ready to head out. The energy level is low but positive and it all feels a bit like a joke as the rain continues relentlessly. What have I got myself into? A few encouraging words from Zoe, the event organizer and we are climbing to our first stage. Arrive at the top and no one is talking much, we’re already soaking wet and eager to get first stage out of the way.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
There was some heavy rain just in time for the race.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Racefood for the girls powered by Winforce 2.

I’m tenth to start and nervous. As soon as they said, “go” my little legs were pedaling just as hard as they could and my heart was pounding. My head was clear, focused and charging the trail in a way that I had never done before while riding. When I arrived at the end, I was buzzing from the adrenaline, relieved and so stoked. As the ladies come to end there were cheers all around, high fives and constant overlapping chatter recapping everyone’s stage. No one is worried about their time, just flashed by the excitement.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Cécile Ravanel cheered on by her husband Cédric.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Julie.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotesWhen I started the third stage I already had to go to the washroom. During the stage I became stuck behind another girl and yelled 'Please let me pass, I have to go to the toilette!' and it worked! - Julie.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Jacqueline.
First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotesI figured out that I love to ride and slide around the crazy French off camber corners in muddy conditions. The fact that it was a women's only race allowed for a relaxed atmosphere but there was still a healthy dose of competitiveness, perfect for my first race. - Jacqueline

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Patricia
First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotesWhen I heard about the race I signed up right away without realizing it would take eight hours driving both ways. I liked the challenge of having to go all-in straight away as it was a blind race format. Already looking for the next race to attend this summer. - Patricia.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Rahel.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotes I thought I would die because I was so nervous the day before the race but when I was finally at the starting line, I could feel the spirit between the girls and my nerves were gone. - Rahel Bauer

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Isabeau, Anita and Caro

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Anita Gehrig

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Andrea De Castelberg.
First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotesWhen I returned to work on Monday, my colleagues couldn't understand how I could do something so exhausting over the weekend but for me, it was an opportunity to refuel myself for day-to-day life. These kinds of adventures are my source of energy. - Andrea De Castelberg.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

Throughout the race, there was rollercoaster of energy. When we made the transfers, we rode and talked much like any ride with friends. During the silent moments, I thought about my last stage, how badly I wanted a warm shower and mentally prepared myself for the next one. When we arrived at the start area after the climb there was nervous, wet and cold calmness. During the stage, it’s just you and your bike, full throttle going as fast as you can. The post stage moments were the most electric. Your heart is still pounding, your adrenaline is still high and you can’t believe what you just road because you know, if it hadn’t been for the race, you would have got off your bike for sure. You were soaking wet, cold and looked like a pig that rolled in the mud but you had conquered it all and there it’s many feelings better than that.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Michèle
First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotesBefore the stage, all of the us were shivering together asking each other what we were doing here but once you started the course and met back upwith everyone at the bottom the smile and laughs shared about the stage made it all worth while. - Michele Aebi

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Michelle.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour



First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
Flurina.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

bigquotesThe Women's Only Race was an opportunity to ride with a whole bunch of cool girls with the same passion for biking. For me, the race was secondary, but I was scared to get a flat tire and coming in last! - Fluerina.


First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  We have learned to appreciate the French apero lifestyle.

Post race, I felt energized but physically and mentally drained all at the same time. We celebrated the results of Caro and Anita and I understood why they work so hard to pursue the rush of enduro racing. We spent the evening drinking wine, sharing stories of our best crashes and bruises (at least I won that). Now that it is all said and done, I’ve learned a lot about where my weakness are and look forward to focusing my riding on that.

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Podium Enduro Girls Valberg 2016.

Ranking:

1. Cécile Ravanel, 17:07
2. Anita Gehrig, 17:52
3. Carolin Gehrig, 18:06
4. Isabeau Courdurier, 18:10
5. Pauline Dieffenthaler, 18:37


bigquotesI really recommend girls try out the Enduro Race format. The ambiance is very chill, we ride in beautiful places and for those who are still scared to sign up for a race, I promise you as soon as you start riding you'll totally forget about the timing during the race. Usually at races where the weather is as bad as it was in Valberg, 30% of the men signed up would not have had the guts to go out and compete. I'm stoked that those girls were not scared to race in those miserable conditions! We had a blast out there! - Cecile Ravanel

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Anita Gehrig.


bigquotesThere was a really supportive atmosphere between the girls in our group, helping each other to get ready for their first race and pushing each other to become faster and better riders. When we heard about the race the first time, we immediately wanted to be a part of and also wanted to drag some friends along and give them the opportunity to participate in their first race. Stoked we could spend a long weekend with our friends away. Anita Gehrig

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Caro

bigquotesChasing Cecile and the other girls down the trail, doing some stupid overtaking maneuvers was a blast. Just for the pure joy and amusement of racing outside the pressure of EWS races but of course still giving it all on the stages. It was great to see so many girls getting excited by racing. - Caro Gehrig

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour
  Big thank you goes to event organizer Zoe Maunier.

I am grateful to Zoe, the event organizer, and the entire volunteer team for given women the opportunity to come together, ride bikes, build confidence and have fun! It might have been my first race but it certainly won’t be my last. If you’re reading this, I hope to see you out there too. Cheers to Caro, Anita and the entire group of girls who joined in on this awesome adventure!

First ever 100 Girls Enduro Race Portes du Mercantour

Words by Michelle Davies.

Author Info:
Anita1 avatar

Member since Jul 29, 2008
16 articles

2 Comments
  • 7 0
 Awesome coverage , and what a nice thing to help more Girls to race and ride ... you girls rock !
  • 4 0
 Well done ladies. such a nice report and event. Well done Caro and Anita coaching the others.







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.213367
Mobile Version of Website