Results: Enduro World Series Round 5 Colorado

 I thought he was riding a proto SB6c this weekend?

 As mentioned, there were 3 new switch infinity bikes in the top 10. Rude and possibly even Schusler were on the SB5c

 Graves is roll'n sb6c Rude roll'n the sb5c

 You mean the SB5 didn't just fill with mud and implode? Shocking... just shocking.

 To be fair Mitch has been racing the enduro in a few of the world cups.

 Also worth adding this is Mitch's second enduro style bike race ever...

 Totally awesome that he placed 4th, especially since, as marshal notes, he raced his first ever enduro event the week before. He needs to take that confidence to MSA and Windham and smash the shit out everything.

 Mitch's third enduro is going to be at whistler ews, and not racing the wc's!

 I am surprised there isn't more booohooooing about Mitch skipping two rounds of WC DH for the EWS. Seems when it was announced that Rude would only do Enduro it was a big thing.

 Probably gets paid more that way.

 He mentioned in the Vital coverage that he enjoys adventuring as much as he does racing. So it may be by choice. Plus, he has home advantage here. In Europe it gets even more tough.

 Schusler was a 4-time collegiate downhill champion and won the omnium as a 5th year senior. He knows how to ride a bike.

 It now says he was 14th..what happened there?

 Schusler was on the Yeti development team and USA Worlds team in 09, placed well at Worlds. He also raced a couple years of WC DH for Yeti... He's not a stranger to Elite level racing.

 I'm thinking on a conspiration, the free beer was to slow him down

 That was great!

 Ropelato is a beast. So awesome to see!!

 Not sure that Joe qualifies as a newcomer, or that he'd like being called one!
Great rider, but Martin Maes is an animal. 17 years old?????? That kid's going to own enduro.

 Agreed hence why I inserted the word "relative" ....... :o) Maes is indeed harbouring massive potential !

 Uh-oh, mine too. I guess it comes down to that 4th rider. I had Bailly-Matre, who did you have?

 Cure.

 @Turboute, I haven't had the chance to talk to anybody else playing the Dirt Fantasy League, so I was hoping you could tell me if you have ever noticed any points discrepancies with the game? I have noticed that teams that have Gustav Wildhaber on their rosters are being credited with the points Rene Wildhaber is earning. I noticed it first at round 3 and contacted whoever is running the game to ask them to correct it, and while they did send me a "we'll look into it" reply they never did correct it. The same thing happened at round 4, and just this weekend at round 5. Two teams in the top 20 overall got 3rd place points for Gustav, and I don't think he was even at this round. Just curious if anyone else has spotted this or noticed anything similar. It's a bit pointless playing if the points aren't being kept accurately.
Thanks.

 Oops! I just figured out that I was looking at the wrong thing. Never mind, sorry to have bothered you.

 "not worry about being a star as much"

I'm curious, is that a conclusion you've drawn on your own based on what you see online, or do you have first hand knowledge of Keene's work ethic and training?

 I drew that conclusion based on what I see online. Honestly I believe it's a product of redbull and specialized's PR machine. I don't think he is caught up in his own image as much as he is distracted by his sponsorship work. It's either that or he just doesn't have the skill that some of the other riders have. I don't doubt his fitness one bit and actually enjoy what I see of him in videos and interviews but I do believe something is holding him back.

 That's a fair assessment..... I think. From what I know of him he's a humble guys that loves to ride. That show and the hype that it brings must add a lot of pressure.

 I don't think he is worried about his star status. I just don't think Keene has the talent to be a Top 5 guy. Finishing in the low teens at EWS events means your a damn good rider and one near the top of the game, but the guys contending for the podium are at another level.

 I starting to think the same. Enduro 29 is great bike and Curtis is such a good person, just I do not think Curtis Keene can win with world top and Spec should bet on young guys. The thing Ropelato did for the first start in EWS speaks for it self. He will be a star.

 @acohoon: I'm guessing that, like most elite level athletes, peak performance becomes as much of a head game as it is conditioning etc. I'd imagine that his sponsors wouldn't require him to fulfill obligations that would distract him from his goals... but as Dustfarter said, being the "American Dream" and the surrounding hype could be a serious mind-fvck. Just a theory...

Hope he locks into whatever is needed to get him to that next level. Rooting for the neighborhood hero!

 Yeah i think all of you guys bring up great points and I think I nodded in agreement to just about all of the comments on this thread. My thoughts, though are that last year he finished like in the 50s or 60s. Disregard his first round in chile but since then he has had 6th, 12th, 10th (i think) and a 12th again. Significant improvement over last year. So whatever he has done, I give him kudos.

 Keene inched out Brian Lopes and Ross Schnell, which is an accomplishment all on its own. Also, anyone remember Mitch beating Aaron Gwinn at Fontana on his 29er? Crazy man, just crazy.

 @thustle yes i do. All the more reason to think that his finish this weekend was not a fluke