It’s amazing how quickly five months and change can go by. Here we are at the start of a new Enduro World Series season and if you think about it, we are starting off in the season we left off. It’s fall in New Zealand and we are in Rotorua for round one. The weather looks like it may get a bit wet, and last time we were in New Zealand, it was slicker than a greased weasel when wet. This should make for some interesting racing if we get the forecasted inch of rain on Sunday.
So many questions need to be answered. How fit is Richie Rude and will he come out and dominate from the start? Sam Hill was on a mission last year, and took a win, rumour has it he has a massive amount of fitness. Martin Maes could be a contender if he is healthy. Then we have Oton, Clementz, and Graves. Graves just had a smash up of a time at Oceania's and could give Richie a run for his money. On the women's front Cecile Ravanel looks like she will be back in commanding form. Isabeau Courdurier is on the hunt for the top step of the podium and Anita Gehrig is a strong contender as well. Let's dive in and look at the tracks, and see what Rotorua has to offer before the action starts.
Which is why i'm not a fan of the UCI. They're an entrenched organization focused on furthering that organization rather than providing what us cyclists actually want. Which they're entitled to do. They're not doing anything illegal or even immoral. But because they're basically focused on themselves as a business, it means that much of the cycling world, and mountain bikers in particular, have no love for the UCI.
I would be happy to see the UCI decline in relevance and have other series and organizations rise in their place. We're already seeing that happen and it makes me happy.
-Borat