Race Report: 2019 European Continental Enduro Series - Loudenvielle

While riders were fighting hard on the dirt Griffon vultures were watching the race from the air.

Located in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, this race ended the 2019 European Continental Enduro Series and was the 4th and last round of the 2019 French Enduro Series.
After a pretty good season, Alex Rudeau won the race and the 2019 overall French Cup in front of the 2018 Champion Louis Jeandel. In the Women field, Laura Charles won the 2019 overall title but finished 2nd this week-end behind the unbeatable Melanie Pugin who won 2 races out of two but missed the 2 other races. Czech National Champion Milan Mysik won the overall European Series thanks to his consistency while Josefine Bjorkman is the new European Woman Champion.

Three different stages on Saturday, 4 timed stages (1, 2, 3, 3) including a blind stage (1), and three different stages on Sunday, 3 timed stages (4, 5, 6) including a blind stage (4). All of these were made with 67kms of single tracks and trails, 5430m down and 1550m up, in the beautiful area of Loudenvielle. Weather conditions were very good with no rain at all and mostly two sunny and warm days despite the cold mornings. The stages offered some loamy dirt when in the forest and dry and dusty trails higher in the mountains mixing a good amount of steep parts and tights turns.

Summer seemed to be over this week-end in the Pyrenees mountains with cold temperatures in the morning.

These colors on Saturday morning meant 2 things: early wake-up and cold temperatures.

Loudenvielle valley from the top of Stage 1.

Riders briefing at 7:30 on Saturday morning.

Riders spotting the first meters of blind stage 1.

Louis Jeandel couldn't keep his number 1 plate and will have to give it back despite a great season. Still 2nd place overall, not bad.

The Pyrenees forests are as beautiful as the mountains.

4th place this week-end, Axelle Murigneux made it to the 3rd place 2019 overall.

2nd place Junior Women Leona Pierrini on top of stage 1.

1st place Junior Thimothe Mille between the rocks of stage 1.

Master 1 2019 overall winner Camille Lepley won 5 of the 7 stages this weekend.

Czech National Champion Milan Mysik came for the European Enduro title, and he made it despite a mechanical problem on Sunday morning forcing him to stop the race earlier. He was 10th on Saturday.

When she doesn't compete during the European EWS races, Melanie Pugin rides the French Cup. Two races, two wins. Simple!

Without a 61st place on stage 5 on Sunday and a 30 seconds penalty, Eliott Baud would probably be on the 3rd spot.

2nd place of the weekend and 1st place 2019 overall means Laura Charles had a great year.

Used by the riders to reach the start of stage 3 and 5, the new "Skyvall" gondola were inaugurated this last August.

Thomas Blondeau couldn't follow the pace of 1st place Camille Lepley.

Last year EWS's surprise with a 10th place overall, Youn Deniaud made it to the 4th place this weekend.

Full speed in the ferns.

1st place Junior Women Oceane Husson full throttle on Saturday's stage 3.

Bruno Janin and his team were on fire Saturday night for kids, families and riders.

Built in 1997 for the James Bond movie "Tomorrow never dies", the Peyragudes altiport was named "007" in 2017 to celebrate the 20 years anniversary of the movie.

This Motion E18 has 160mm of travel with 29 wheels and weighs only 2.3 kg.

This Mondraker Foxy RR was ridden by Pierre Real. It was his 3rd race with this 160mm motion fork and seemed to like it.

2nd place Junior Ignacio Valverde Gomez from Spain finished less than 1 second behind 1st place Thimote Mille after 46 minutes of timed stages at the end of the weekend. That's more than tight!

The start of stage 5 on Sunday morning offered the best scenery of the weekend from the top of Loudenvielle.

Estelle Charles took the 3rd place this weekend and the 2nd spot at the 2019 overall

The Pyrenees mountains.

Full attack in the steep part of stage 5 on Sunday.

Full attack on the steep part of stage 5 on Sunday

The most beautiful part of stage 5 on Sunday with a dramatic view on the Pyrenees mountains the border between France and Spain.

The most beautiful part of stage 5 on Sunday with a dramatic view of the Pyrenees mountains, the border between France and Spain.

Albin Cambos went from 27th on the 1st stage to 9th on the last stage with a 14th place for the weekend. He took the 5th place on the 2019 overall

A great season for Alex Rudeau who finished 1st this week-end winning also the 2019 French Series overall.

Alex Rudeau won the race and the 2019 overall French Cup while Laura Charles took the 2nd place of the weekend and also won the 2019 overall. What a cute couple!

Women podium of the weekend.

Men podium of the weekend.

RESULTS

Men

1 - Alex Rudeau _ 44:04.889
2 - Louis Jeandel _ 44:10.380
3 - Florian Baladier _ 44:50.573
4 - Youn Deniaud _ 45:06.648
5 - Eliott Baud _ 45:06.711

Women

1 - Melanie Pugin _ 50:43.136
2 - Laura Charles _ 52:00.913
3 - Estelle Charles _ 53:04.20
4 - Axelle Murigneux _ 53:10.88
5 - Camille Perillat _ 54:10.145

Full results here

Regions in Article

France

Posted In:
Racing and Events Enduro Racing

Author Info:

richardbord
Member since Jun 21, 2011
16 articles