2017 French Enduro Series Round 1, Levens - Preview

Mar 11, 2017
by Kike Abelleira  


We're back for a thrilling new season of the French Enduro Series. This year, we'll see the first three rounds sharing the trails with the e-bikes enduro series: Levens, Raon l'Etape and Val d'Allos. Meanwhile, Samoens and Les Orres will be the last two rounds, without e-bikes on the field.

The opening event takes place at the commune of Levens in the Alpes-Maritimes département in the Provence-Alpes -Côte d'Azur region. Being located pretty close to Nice, the village of Levens has a long history, although its current shape might be a combination of the Middle Age and the last two centuries architecture. Levens is the hometown of the promising enduro pro rider Florian Nicolai (Rocky Mountain-Urge BP Rally Team). This weekend Florian is not racing but acting as the ambassador of the event, and he's expected to ride all of the stages ahead of the competitors.

The weather has been great on last days, sunny and rare clouds trails, delivering short sleeve temperatures. Pure Côte d'Azur conditions. Nevertheless, the forecast for the weekend brings a cloudy Saturday and a chance of showers on Sunday. The trails are pretty dry right now.

In the e-bikes race, we'll drive our attention to the legend Nico Vouilloz (Lapierre), officially retired from pro racing last season. Another familiar name in this category is Karin Amour (BH Miranda Racing), a regular contender in the EWS masters category.

Some other big names of the weekend are Cecile and Cédric Ravanel (Commençal Vallnord Enduro), Isabeau Courdurier (Sunn), Camille Servant (Urge BP), Alex Cure (BH Miranda Racing) and Eliott Trabac (Scott).

We'll have three stages on Saturday and two stages on Sunday, being raced in rally mode. On Saturday the riders will do a recce ride for stage 1 and 2, following the timed ride for both stages and then a recce walk and timed ride for stage 3. On Sunday, we'll have the recce ride for stages 4 and 5 and then the timed ride.

Levens
And here we are this weekend.

Nice and the sea
Not far from Nice and the sea.

It happens that this very same weekend the 2017 Paris Nice pro road cycling race reaches the region. We can t attend to the final stage though. This sign indicates that the sportive version passes through Levens.
It happens that this very same weekend, the 2017 Paris, Nice pro road cycling race reaches the region. We can't attend the final stage though. This sign indicates that the sportive version passes through Levens.

La p tanque lawn bowling is pretty popular in France. Actually it s argued that the game has its origin in Provence.
La petanque is a pretty popular game in France. Actually it's argued that the game has its origin in Provence.

Levens old town square
This is Leven's old town main square and they were a bunch of kind Dutch roadies.

Narrow streets
Streets are this narrow in the old town, but they handle 800mm bars.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
There're many fountains in Levens, only a few with drinkable water.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
A cat that doesn't like riders.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
This might be part of a stage, just saying...

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
Streets like these.

According to these panels Fabien Barel has approved the trails in this are. Obviously all of them are a french line.
According to these panels, Fabien Barel has approved the trails in this area. Obviously, all of them are a french line.

Houses with a view in Levens.
You can certainly say that some houses in Levens enjoy a view.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
From the top of the old town.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
The sort of cloudy sunsets in this place.

View from Levens to the North
Looking from Levens to the North this is what you get. To The South, there's Nice and the Mediterranean Sea.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
Pines over pines over here.

pines and pines
Textures.

trees and carnage
Don't let the trees fool you, there's rock carnage here.

liason -roads like these-
Dirt roads like these... That's part of a liaison.

liason Col du Dragon
And this fire road too. It's called Col du Dragon.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
Perks of the climb. From the top of the Col, there's a stage that runs down back to Levens.

parking lot
This is how the parking lot for riders looks like.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
Tent assembling time.

registration tent
Plate numbers were available to pick up from 5 to 10 pm.

plate numbers
A few categories in these plates.

Maps checkout
Map check.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
Ludovic Oget picks up his plate number. The guy had to deal with a 10 hrs drive from the North of France.

perk of the region
Gourmet stuff of the region for the riders.

Camille Servant got 10 kgs of this protein amp fat recipe as prize in his last race
Camille Servant got 10 kgs of this protein&fat recipe as prize in his last race win.

sponsors
Actually it's a nice region.

2017 French Enduro Series Round 1 - Levens
Tent mounted and ready for the weekend.

Camille Servant placing the control stickers on his bike
Placing the control stickers on the bike in low light conditions.

Friday night e-bike setting
Friday night e-bike setting at the tent.


MENTIONS: @kabelleira


Author Info:
kabelleira avatar

Member since Jul 20, 2016
34 articles

12 Comments
  • 11 0
 Great photos @kabelleira Smile
  • 3 0
 Thanks man! appreciate it
  • 1 0
 What's wrong with having a handicap/disabilities class where pedelecs are allowed in every regular race instead of having an entire ebike series. It's not like anyone's gonna beat the pros dragging an extra 15kgs of steel and rare earthmetals..
  • 3 0
 Raced here last January and loved it, so jealous not to be there this year!
  • 3 1
 I worked half a year in that place) I really liked it there))) I'm sorry that I'm not there = /
All who will participate in the race, I wish good luck and victory)))
  • 3 0
 EBike is the nouveau noir.
  • 2 1
 I like ur name
  • 2 0
 Sorry but I don't undestand the subtlety of "the nouveau noir" ... What did you mean ?
  • 2 0
 @JmB16: les parfums français voyons il faut regarder les pubs Wink
  • 1 0
 @JmB16: Pink is the new black, so E-Bike is da niou shit.
  • 2 0
 This race coverage is insane! Love it
  • 1 0
 nice!







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