Luck of the Irish: Race Day - EWS Round 3, Ireland
It's midnight, racing stopped some five hours ago and my ears are still ringing. While last year's turnout was amazing for this race, this year the fans turned it up to 11. There were more chainsaws, cowbells, horns and whistles than I've ever seen at an enduro race. Then there is the fancy dress, usually with some twist that means you wouldn't want your grandmother to see what was being worn on track. Like the Pope with a giant penis drawn on his leg... There are no fans quite like the Irish and I think most people in the circuit would be happy to bring them all with us to each stop. That kind of atmosphere changes a race. All the little niggles and imperfections fade into insignificance as it just lifts the whole event. So much so that riders with mechanicals were going to extraordinary lengths to get back to the pits to keep going just for the fans. More than a few of the top riders earned DNFs, missing stages after problems, but ended up going back up later in the day to put on a show for the fans. While Niall and the crew have undoubtedly put together a slick, professional event, it is the work they put into promoting it, and making sure that people come to watch it, that leaves so many of the riders and media going away thinking that this is one of the best races of the year.
And what a race the riders put on for those fans. In the women's field, Tracy Moseley returned to race for the fans and put on a masterclass in how to dominate an enduro race. In the men's race, well, where do you start? The lead chopped and changed throughout the day as riders' fortunes ebbed and waned. But as the day went on the unthinkable started to become real - local lad Greg Callaghan started to break through to the front of the pack... Hot on his heels were one of the greatest downhillers of our time, Sam Hill, and last year's series champion, Richie Rude, charging from misfortune to smash chunks out of the lead and come within a gnat's breath of upsetting the whole repeat fairytale. While last year's ride from Greg was stunning, he came in as an outside bet, few could dare to hope that he would bring it home. This year there was pressure, and there was an expectation. There were thousands of fans who in no small part came to see him win again. To deal with that in the way he did is astounding, and demonstrates a level of mental strength that few athletes possess. There are scarce few riders in the sport who have ever won at the highest level on their home soil - just ask riders like Steve Peat, Greg Minnaar or Fabien Barel how difficult and special it is to achieve once in a career. To achieve it twice is something even fewer have ever done. Greg is Ireland's first ever professional enduro mountain biker and as the man who brought the fairytale to life twice, his place in history for Irish mountain bikers is assured after today.
Trek Factory Racing fueling up for a long day in the saddle.
Wheels weren't a huge issue today, but flats were a nagging problem for many.
Final checks and we are ready to race.
Tracy Moseley coming back to racing meant her other half and long-time mechanic, James, was also called back to duty this weekend.
Want to win an enduro? Better limber up.
Some people here this weekend knew Stevie Smith well, others admired him from afar - from Sam Hill running a tribute on his toptube, to a fan dedicating his chainsaw, it's clear from the tributes this weekend that his passing is a loss felt across the sport and around the world.
Jerome Clementz was his usual fast, consistent, self today but it could only get him to 11th this time.
Cecile Ravenel took second place riding consistently to seconds and thirds across the board.
Early season standout, Toni Ferreiro had a rough one today, finishing well off the pace.
Anita Gehrig scored her best ever EWS result today - fourth.
Caro Gehrig closely followed her sister, taking fifth one spot behind.
Isabeau Courdurier took the win on stage seven.
Richie Rude chasing down massive chunks of time.
Tracy Moseley may be "retired" but she sure doesn't race like she's retired. T Mo took first by nearly 40 seconds.
Another podium for Isabeau here in Ireland.
After a pretty brutal crash this winter that left her with two broken wrists, Meg Bichard made her return to the EWS this weekend with a steady 10th.
Greg Callaghan getting cheered on by the wild home crowds.
Martin Maes had some solid lines today, but luck wasn't on his side.
Katy Winton drops into the gnarly rocks at the top of stage three.
Richie Rude is in unbelievable form right now, taking five of seven stages wins and recovering from a 70th on stage two to get within five seconds of the win. He may not be the man on top of the box tonight, but he is still the man to beat right now.
Charging hard, Cecile put up a good fight but in the end was no match for Tracy Moseley.
Rae Morrison always brings the style.
Florian Nicolai took fifth place in the over all today.
Joe Smith was another World Cup DH rider to smash it this weekend in 9th... Flat pedals and all.
Damien Oton finished sixth, taking a win on stage two, and placing fourth and third on stages five and six.
Broken fingers would unfortunately slow Adrien Daly down this weekend in the U21 race.
Full focus for Theo Galy en route to his best every EWS finish in 4th.
Florian Nicolai contemplates what is ahead of him on the starting line of stage four.
Jerome Clementz admitted he made no mistakes today. He just didn't have the speed.
Damien Oton claimed his first stage win in a while today and although he couldn't quite stay at the front for the duration, it marked a return to form after a difficult 2015 for him - he took sixth overall.
What pushed Nico way down the order? You guessed it, another victim of a puncture on stage two.
You could tell when Greg was coming on track today, the volume went straight to eleven.
How loud were the crowds today?
Yoann Barelli riding to seventh place overall. After the race he said, "That one was really hard, one of the hardest."
Joe Barnes finished further back then he would have liked, putting in several top ten stages results, but having bad stages on six and seven dropped him outside the top ten once more.
Damien Oton Chasing down a sixth place finish.
Martin Maes wasn't about to let some minor technical issues stop him - he figured that running on the rim worked well enough for Gwin, so he would give it a go on stage four.
It wasn't a great day for Anneke Beerten, retiring after stage two, but rejoining for stages five and six to ride for the fans.
Jared Graves was another name added to the long list of riders with punctures here this weekend.
Mark Scott was looking for big result today but came away with at 12th which errs towards solid rather than spectacular.
Flat pedals on the gas. What a day for Sam Hill to take 2nd, just a few seconds back after 25 minutes of racing.
Bex Baraona is one of the younger women looking to break through onto the circuit - getting herself to every race this year as a privateer. A ninth today is a decent enough showing for the British youngster.
A flat and some wheel trouble pushed Josh Carlson way down the order unfortunately.
Greg Callaghan drew upon the luck of the Irish once again to make it a repeat here in Wicklow.
Yoann Barelli kept it consistent and inside the top 10 again this weekend.
What is so impressive about Florian Nicolai's riding is the detail. In this corner he was simply sharper than anybody else, on the gas pedalling again while most people would have been getting the bike lined up once more. It's only a fraction of a second, but a series of these fractions down the length of a track adds up. He was right at the front today, but slipped back to fifth as the day went on.
The timesheets may make it look like it was easy, but it was anything but for Tracy today - she had to give it all to maintain her familiar dominance and remind us how much we're all missing now she isn't a regular racer at these events.
Theo Galy all smiles after a very long day.
Richie crosses the line for 3rd as Greg Callaghan begins to celebrate from the hot seat.
When you flat and finish 70th on stage two, losing 22 seconds to your closest rival in the race, and then come back to finish third overall... Just 4.6 seconds back.
What can we say about Greg Callaghan? Repeating the win on home soil is unbelievable.
Flat f*%king pedals win medals.
Shock of the day goes to Dan Wolfe. He raced most of the EWS season last year and came away with a bag of fairly average results. He always felt he could do more, and showed that today with a stunning eighth overall from a rider who most readers will probably never have heard of before.
The last event. The square circle of doom ankle fighting thing. Sam Hill and Duncan Philpott battle it out whilst two men in the back ground clearly break the rules. If there really are rules.
Greg Callaghan wasn't the only member of his family celebrate tonight - his cousin Killian smashed the Under 21 field to take the top step too.
A familiar feeling for Tracy Moseley.
While Greg had plenty of fans rooting for him at trackside today, he also had nearly as many family, with the Callaghan clan out in full force.
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Also, have you forgotten about Graves winning a DH silver medal in 2013? And what about all the dh riders that race and can't get anywhere near the positions they get in DH.
DH probably is the top level but this is not far behind at all.
The Irish EWS was all about cornering ability and not losing momentum. In dh you need big balls and that will gain you time if you are willing to take massive chances. While you need to be pinned in enduro, it isn't the same risk factor and technique is rewarded more.
Sam hill is one of the best cornering riders of all time. In one very difficult berm I was watching he was visibly quicker than the others. His cornering body position was an exhibition and he carried a ton of speed out. I bet rat boy would have done well in Ireland too.
For those who know Dan Wolfe the surprise was his average results from last year. This guy is an amazingly talented rider.
I was out with masters, between practice and liasons in the race i had chatted to a bunch of the pro's, All down to earth guys and gals more than happy to shoot the breeze on the peddle up.
The format where a Dad of four ( mtb end user) can shoot the breeze on his way to stage 6 with Jarred Graves on his way to stage 2 is pretty unique.
My family came up to support me and we all stayed on to see the pro's.
My kids where blow away by the displays of raw power and skill.
Then the was the alien with the anti gravity device Florian Nicolai pointing into the crowd off a booter on stage 6 and Greg Callaghan doing similar.
They will never forget that and the subsequent Roars.
The Irish round of EWS really is something special
Stoked for Greg, amazed by Richie and proud of Sam, looked like an awesome weekend of racing. Tracey is "retired" huh? Nice ride by Cecile but great to see Isabeau on the podium as well
Great coverage though!
www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/2016-Sea-Otter-Classic-Pit-Bits,10021/Giros-Switchblade-Helmet-Making-a-Comeback,104044/bturman,109
I live here and carrick is my local,until I went tubeless with magic Mary's f/r and a ton of gunk,I was constantly flatting all over the hill!! It changes so much with weather/traffic there's always something ready to flat your tire when you think your safe!! I suffer the drag etc on th climbs for the protection going down. But yeh those exposed rock/peat scrip s can be lethal!!
The final result comes from the rest ''best'' stages.
Maybe this format can have a good application in EWS.
Just saying....