2017 EWS Finals: Finale Ligure, Italy - Race Day 1 Photo Epic
Today over 500 riders took to the hills way above Finale to tackle three of the most physical stages we've seen all year. With countless blown out switchbacks, too many rocks to keep track of, and the fatigue from two days of training starting to take its toll, for many it was a battle just to survive. Only the strongest riders were able to push on every stage from start to finish.
In the women's race, Cecile Ravanel certainly had no trouble as she once again took the lead on Stage 1 and never looked back. Even with the title wrapped up she isn't backing down in the least and ended the day 1-minute 12-seconds ahead of Isabeau Courdurier. Giving chase was Katy Winton who mathematically could overtake Isabeau in the overall standings. The two started this weekend almost equal in points and both will be charging hard—they are the ones to pay attention to during tomorrow's final day of racing.
For the men, it was Damien Oton who took two convincing stage wins to top the leaderboard ahead of the two men fighting for the championship. With Sam Hill just six seconds back in second place, his fight for the title is looking stronger by the minute, but he can't afford to relax one bit tomorrow. Hot on his heels in third is Adrien Dailly who desperately needs to win here to keep his title hopes alive, but with a long 12-second gap between him and the top of the leaderboard, he will have to ride out of his skin on Sunday. However, if Hill should have any kind of trouble such as a mechanical or crash, Dailly is positioned perfectly to take full advantage.
Mornings on the beach, and last minute preparations as the sun makes its first appearance of the day.
Timing bracelets at the ready.
Chris Ball gives Ludo May his start time sticker before setting off.
Isabeau and Katy head out to get the day going.
When shuttling in Finale, it's good to have Ale along to translate because my Italian will likely get my teeth knocked out.
Ross Bell patiently awaits the racing.
A hazy day greeted riders from the 1400 meter summit of Mount Carma, and the start of a very physical Stage 1.
Time to say a Hail Mary and send it...
Adrien Dailly may have won Stage 2, but heads into day two behind Damien Oton and his Championship rival, Sam Hill.
Sam Hill went 2, 3, 4 on today's stages and sits right where he needs to be if he wants to end the year as the World Champion.
Damien Oton is your day one leader. It's good to see Oton in top form here in Finale.
Marco Osborne going full shred. Marco sits in tenth after day one.
Greg Callaghan has found his pace early and currently sits in fifth place after day one.
Luca Shaw is one on many World Cup DH riders who have traded the Alps for the Mediterranean this weekend.
Unfortunately Zakarias Johansen crashed hard on Stage 1 and spent the rest of his day in the local clinic with a shoulder injury.
Two racers with painful days. Zakarias Johansen grimaces after sustaining a shoulder injury as Ines Thoma races to fix a flat.
Total stage domination from the fastest woman in Enduro, Cecile Ravanel.
Anita and Caro Gehrig play follow the leader on Stage 1. Anita finished the day in fourth and Caro sits in sixth.
Anita Gehrig is holding down fourth and doing her part to keep Ibis in the lead for the Team Championship.
After a crash Miranda Miller rode the day with handlebars that kept rotating, despite the bolts being plenty tight.
A great ride from Thomas Lapeyrie today as he slotted into eighth with more spots up for grabs ahead of him.
Lewis Buchanan showed great pace on track today but was mired with mechanicals with a flat and a lost crank.
Rae Morison inside the top ten, but far off the pace of the front-runners.
Martin Maes sits in fourth after day one. Can he pull off the win tomorrow and repeat his performance of last year?
Sam Hill sits in second after day one. Can he keep Dailly off his heels on day two?
Damien Oton has his whole family here in Finale, and today gave them quite the show. A first on stages one and three means he heads into the final day of racing with a six-second lead.
Cecile Ravanel smashed day one and is up by a minute and twelve seconds.
Jared Graves broke a shifter on Stage 1 and had to borrow a fresh one from his teammate Curtis Keene who exited the race early with a flat tire.
Downhill racer Kenta Gallagher is here to escape the wet and cold of Scotland and extend his summer, even if only for a few more days.
Loris Vergier finds some flow on Stage 1.
While it isn't the return of the Enduro Wet Series, Stage 1 has a nice long muddy uphill just to keep the racers working for it.
Lewis Buchanan inspects a flat with the help of Richie Rude?
High-speed transfers from Stage 1 to 2 with Oton and the gang.
There were plenty of strong rides throughout the field today including Veronika Bruchle who holds onto ninth going into tomorrow.
Katy Winton doing just fine in the slow tech of Stage 1. Winton finished third on day one.
Casey Brown once again shows up and knocks out a top five.
Remi Gauvin is currently ninth and trying his best to fill the void left by injured teammate, Jesse Melamed.
Is Steve Peat chasing down Greg Minnaar on Stage 2? Or is it Greg who just passed Peaty?
Ines Thoma is feeling a bit ill this weekend, and to add insult to injury she had a double puncture on Stage 1. She finished the day with a third place on Stage 3, but still sits in dead last.
Last years winner in Finale, Martin Maes ended the first day of racing 13 seconds back in fourth.
Seb Claquin fitting it in between the rocks and the tight trees on Stage 2.
Once again Isabeau Courdurier holds down second place behind Cecile Ravanel.
Robin Wallner's day started with disaster but he rallied back and now sits seventeenth.
The 2017 season has been a stark contrast to that of 2016 for Richie Rude. He had high hopes for Finale but currently sits in thirtieth.
Sam Hill did what he needed to today although it's very tight at the top and positions are sure to swap around tomorrow.
Not Ines Thoma's day today. But she hung in there despite a big crash, illness and two flat tires.
Greg Callaghan is sitting in fifth with about half a minute to make up if he wants in on the top four.
Even after a rough day, spirits are high in the pits as we head into the final day of the 2017 EWS season.
Not a bad place to end the day.
The final day of racing is coming right up, and the pressure is definitely on.
MENTIONS: @davetrumpore / @mdelorme / @rossbellphoto
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Go Hill!!! Reel this in baby