Middle America - Enduro World Series, Round 5 - Winter Park

Jul 25, 2014
by Matt Wragg  
Looking out from the top of the Zephry lift here in Winter Park you can see the Continental Divide. Running along the top of the mountains on the other side of the valley, it forms the dividing line that determines whether water will make its way into the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean. On the far side are harsh rock faces, deep couloirs and rugged alpine conditions. Yet on the Winter Park side it couldn't be more different. While the Rockies are technically the same mountains that hosted the opening round in Chile earlier this year, they are very different to anything we have seen yet this season. Unlike the Alps or the Andes, these are gentle, rolling mountains. Yet in one respect, they are even more extreme than anywhere we have been so far, because the altitude here is nothing less than savage. At the base of the lift in the Winter Park resort we are sitting some 2,770m above sea level - that is about 70m higher than the top of the course in La Thuile, which was until now the highest point of the season. The top is some 600m further up, breaking the 3,000m barrier for the only time this season. That altitude is set to provide a unique challenge to this round, couple that with the mellow slopes and you have what is set to be undoubtedly the most physical challenge of the year. Talking to Adam Craig, who has raced at resorts like this for years, he is sure that the winner this weekend will be the rider who manages their fatigue most effectively. It is going to be a very different race to any we have seen so far, it is this diversity over the course of the season that makes the Enduro World Series the most complete test for any mountain biker, and adds credence to the idea that the series winners will be the best all-round mountain bikers in the world.

On the journey here we got the feeling that the universe didn t want us here in Winter Park. Missed connections security searches unexpected transfers customs checks long hours in airport terminals and lost bikes... What was supposed to be a fairly easy 12 hour trip wound its way out to 21 hours and that s just the flying part. In the end we arrived in Winter Park at 3.30 in the morning some 26 hours after we set off from home.
  On the journey here we got the feeling that the universe didn't want us here in Winter Park. Missed connections, security searches, unexpected transfers, customs checks, long hours in airport terminals and lost bikes... What was supposed to be a fairly easy 12 hour trip wound its way out to 21 hours, and that's just the flying part. In the end we arrived in Winter Park at 3.30 in the morning, some 26 hours after we set off from home.

I ve always considered myself a sunset-type of guy. 4 30 in the morning the truck is packed and we are headed to the airport. I m surprised I remembered to take a picture.
  I've always considered myself a sunset-type of guy. 4:30 in the morning, the truck is packed and we are headed to the airport. I'm surprised I remembered to take a picture.

The patchwork patterns of middle American farmlands from up high. You could ride mountain bikes here but it wouldn t be that much fun.
  The patchwork patterns of middle American farmlands from up high. You could ride mountain bikes here, but it wouldn't be that much fun.

This weekends playground. Looking down from Berthoud Pass towards Winter Park
  This weekends playground. Looking down from Berthoud Pass towards Winter Park you get a good perspective on the kind of terrain racers will be competing on.

Down the highway from Winterpark there are some alternative accommodation options....
  Down the highway from Winterpark there are some alternative accommodation options....

This morning FOX had a long line of tunes to be done before practice got underway at noon.
  This morning, FOX had a long line of tunes to be done before practice got underway at noon.

The Wild man is on a new whip. Rene and Ray Waxham go over the build of Wildhaber s new Slash 9.8.
  The Wild man is on a new whip. Rene and Ray Waxham go over the build of Wildhaber's new Slash 9.8.

Darren Garrison getting everything dialed for the first day of practice.
  Darren Garrison getting everything dialed for the first day of practice.

The berms are big here - big enough to lose Greg Callaghan in even.
  The berms are big here - big enough to lose Greg Callaghan in even.

After smashing himself to bits a Tweedlove Scott Laughland s collar bone has healed and he is back on track to keep Nico Lau company this weekend. Nico is certainly a good rider to get your pace notes from...
  After smashing himself to bits a Tweedlove, Scott Laughland's collar bone has healed and he is back on track to keep Nico Lau company this weekend. Nico is certainly a good rider to get your pace notes from...

The dry and dusty conditions are a nice departure from the snow hail and freezing winds we experienced at La Thuile.
  The dry and dusty conditions are a nice departure from the snow, hail, and freezing winds we experienced at La Thuile.

Isabeau Courdurier was cleaning the jumps better than a fair percentage of the men who came through.
  Isabeau Courdurier was cleaning the jumps better than a fair percentage of the men who came through.

Iago Garay smoothing out the mid section of Trestle DH.
  Iago Garay smoothing out the mid section of Trestle DH.

While Damien Oton may have the form coming into this race riding high off his maiden win there seems to be an unspoken sentiment that Jared Graves is the man to beat this weekend.
  While Damien Oton may have the form coming into this race, riding high off his maiden win, there seems to be an unspoken sentiment that Jared Graves is the man to beat this weekend.

This year has been a real mixup in the overall rankings and Martin Maes has been on the hunt to make the top step of the podium. Could this be the weekend he gets it done
  This year has been a real mixup in the overall rankings, and Martin Maes has been on the hunt to make the top step of the podium. Could this be the weekend he gets it done?

Mark Scott was getting in some early practice for the Crankworx Whip Off Worlds on the middle section of stage one.
  Mark Scott was getting in some early practice for the Crankworx Whip Off Worlds on the middle section of stage one.

Cedric Gracia was having now problems in the dust today. Could the showman come up with a stage win or two this weekend
  Cedric Gracia was having no problems in the dust today. Could the showman come up with a stage win or two this weekend?

With Jerome Clementz out with an injured shoulder and Ben Cruz laying up with a concussion after a truck crash this week it is down to Marco Osborne to represent Cannondale this weekend. He certainly looks up to the task scrubbing this stepdown on stage one harder than anyone else.
  With Jerome Clementz out with an injured shoulder and Ben Cruz laying up with a concussion after a truck crash this week, it is down to Marco Osborne to represent Cannondale this weekend. He certainly looks up to the task, scrubbing this stepdown on stage one harder than anyone else.

The Yeti crew arrived early to Winter Park so have had time to get used to the altitude. Richie Rude might just be a rider to watch come race day now he is racing on tracks he will surely feel more at home on.
  The Yeti crew arrived early to Winter Park, so they have had time to get used to the altitude. Richie Rude might just be a rider to watch come race day now he is racing on tracks he will surely feel more at home on.

15 year old local Quentin Kurtz sorry if we have mispelt that was throwing some pretty wild shapes over every jump he could find today.
  15 year old local Quentin Kurtz (sorry if we have mispelt that) was throwing some pretty wild shapes over every jump he could find today.

Mitch Ropelato getting loose in the dry dusty berms of Trestle DH.
  Mitch Ropelato getting loose in the dry dusty berms of Trestle DH.

The brutally strong Richie Rude putting the new SB5C through its paces on the upper part of stage one. Rude has had a couple of top ten stage finishes but has suffered mechanicals on races where he was doing well. Some of the tracks here seem well suited to the young American and he could go well here.
  The brutally strong Richie Rude putting the new SB5C through its paces on the upper part of stage one. Rude has had a couple of top ten stage finishes, but has suffered mechanicals on races where he was doing well. Some of the tracks here seem well suited to the young American, and he could go well here.

A Transition train. With the limited practice format most riders were practicing in groups training it through the bike park wheel-to-wheel.
  A Transition train. With the limited practice format, most riders were practicing in groups, training through the bike park, wheel-to-wheel.

Nico Lau on stage one. The courses here at Winter Park are a mix of technical natural terrain and jump trails.
  Nico Lau on stage one. The courses here at Winter Park are a mix of technical, natural terrain and jump trails.

Stage one was shared with the Air DH race that took place today. If racers carried any decent amount of speed the racers would find themselves hurtling into packs squids trying to find the safest way down the track.
  Stage one was shared with the Air DH race that took place today. If racers carried any decent amount of speed the racers would find themselves hurtling into packs of squids trying to find the safest way down the track.

Weather forecasts are saying that the weather this year should be an improvement over last year. That doesn t mean there aren t afternoon storms though blowing in across the mountains although the tracks are so dry right now that they don t seem to make any difference to them whatsoever.
  Weather forecasts are saying that the weather this year should be an improvement over last year. That doesn't mean there aren't afternoon storms though blowing in across the mountains, although the tracks are so dry right now that they don't seem to make any difference to them whatsoever.

Nico Lau heads home after the afternoon of practice on stages one and two. It s going to be a brutal few days here in Winter Park so early nights are the order of the day.
  Nico Lau heads home after the afternoon of practice on stages one and two. It's going to be a brutal few days here in Winter Park, so early nights are the order of the day.

By evening the weather is back to sunshine and these stunning sunsets across the high plains below the resort.
  By evening the weather is back to sunshine, and these stunning sunsets across the high plains below the resort.

Goodnight from Winter Park. Things will be heating up tomorrow.
  Goodnight from Winter Park. Things will be heating up tomorrow.


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56 Comments
  • 19 1
 I'm putting my money on Yeti only because Golden isn't too far from Winter Park so they should have home field advantage.
  • 7 1
 Raise you a dollar on Leov and Trek
  • 4 0
 Don't forget, Leov spent quite a few years riding for Yeti and more than likely will be pretty familiar with the terrain. I expect him to do well here.
  • 2 0
 Both valid points! Lets wait for the results!
  • 3 0
 I was up a Trestle last Friday and saw Dan Atherton and Martin Maes practicing, I'm sure they know every line in the park by now, should be interesting.
  • 1 3
 Looks like Maes is clipped in?
  • 2 0
 Looks like Shimano AM45s on Crank Brothers Mallet 3s
  • 1 1
 he started riding clips last year try and keep up dood
  • 11 0
 It's crazy seeing all of these people on the trails I ride every day
  • 7 0
 u lucky bastard
  • 4 0
 Same. Love seeing the shots of rainmaker and trestle.
  • 2 0
 I take it for granted. Though I drool over BC on the daily.
  • 2 0
 Love Trestle... but Keystone is still my fav
  • 10 2
 There's no such thing as an Atlantic plate. All of North America rides on the North American Plate.
  • 7 1
 You're right. Matt Wragg's geologic knowledge may not be as strong as his photography skills. Fixed.
  • 2 0
 Tectonics aside, awesome intro! I love following the EWS and Matt really captures how amazing and challenging it is to race in so many difference environments.
  • 7 4
 That slash carbon is looking all sexy with those Rock Shox. I love the options available now for us slash owners. Rene should kill it on the new carbon slash. I wonder what the weight will be on that 9.8. I have the 2014 8 at a heavy 31.98 lbs. I see things that say the 9 is 28.xx lbs. Cant wait for pinkbike to do a write up on the carbon slash. Rene just posted it on FB too. The winter park enduro should be his first race on it. I love winter park on my lesser slash. My slash beggs for more speed even though my skills capable of giving it any more. Winter park has smooth flowy fast trails, this should be a great enduro race.
  • 8 1
 Weight............ Weenie
  • 2 0
 Graves now has the bike that was more or less built for him and he has those trails memorized. He is my clear cut choice for the overall this weekend. Mitch Ropelato will be the surprise of the race. He raced his first Enduro just last weekend and put a big gap on Oton and a number of other world travelers who stopped by Park City to race Canyons Enduro Cup, it was Mitch's local mountain though. He took 3 out of 4 stages and won by 20 seconds. he could take a stage or 2.
  • 4 1
 I was lucky enough to ride here two weeks ago. They do an amazing job there, their trails are awesome. Can't wait to see all the pro's rip it up.
  • 2 1
 I remember riding/racing XC at Winter Park in the mid 1990's...

Amazing how much our bikes have changed since then...I rode a 23 lb. GT Zaskar LE hardtail with 23" wide Control Tech bars, 120mm long Control Tech stem in yellow to match my 60mm travel RockShox Judy SL fork and 2.1" front/1.95" rear semi-slick tires. Legs shaved, spandex, clipped-in, no pads/protection!

I think I'm actually slower now on my "All Mountain/Enduro" full suspension bike...LOL!!!!!
  • 5 0
 Carbon slash with debonair/pike!
  • 1 0
 We hear a lot about European courses being steeper and more technical than North American tracks. How do courses like Trestle DH compare? It gets easier the farther you go down the mountain, but at least the top part seems pretty steep and gnarly
  • 1 0
 Obviously, not living in the U.S.A i dont know the place, ive seen the video of the bike park stuff that the riders have been blasting on, no doubt they will be lightning fast but is it really a test for these guys n gals, i hope there's gonna be some harder stuff for them to test thier skills on other than just gunning it. smooth tracks aint a test, i can go fast on that and im old
  • 1 0
 They haven't really covered the DH trails they will be riding on yet, they are much different than the park style trails.
  • 2 0
 Go Yeti!! I watched Richie Rude absolutely smash threw a rock garden last Saturday. Needless to say the man child is going to kill it!!!!!
  • 1 0
 It will be interesting to see how Rude does on the SB5C with "only" 127mm rear travel. I'm sure it will surprise some folks. The pic above shows he's on a Fox 36 - I wonder if he's running full 160 up front or adjusted down to 140 or 150.

Also interesting to see how the SB5C (Rude) vs SB6C (Graves) pans out on this more bike park oriented course.
  • 6 6
 A year ago last Monday I bruised my ribs at Winter Park. It was awesome; attempted to be a full-on MTBer and starred jumping and smashed my chest on my stem. My buddy kept coming into the room they were examining me at and making me laugh, which was F$$$$D up of him cause that shit hurt! The nurse was cool as hell and I actually felt bad when I went straight to the pizza joint across from the Starbucks for a slice of pie and a beer after she told me not to go get beer after downing some Percocet! I ate it on the first run of the day and wasn't about to ruin it for my boys who had all day to ride so I did what any normal person would do (drink beer and lounge). I didn't remember the drive back to the Springs. Woke up in the passenger seat of my truck with Dan laughing and my wife staring at me with her arms crossed with my son looking at me asking me if I was okay! I miss Colorado.
  • 4 0
 Ok, I want to live there! What a place..
  • 3 0
 For those of you who haven't been there WP is our Whistler, amazing place just take some getting use to the altitude.
  • 2 2
 Keystone/Vail is our Whistler... Winter Park is all jumps and groomed flow trails, except for one trail (Trestle). No gnar there.
  • 1 0
 Whistler has a lot of flow/jump trails too.
  • 2 0
 I'm just gonna go ahead and say that we don't have a Whistler....
  • 1 0
 Trestle DH ?
  • 2 0
 Bike park jumps, lifts, full face...love it all but not the 'spirit of enduro' in my mind. So much good back country in CO, a shame EWS chose here
  • 1 0
 looks great there, i was lucky enough to be a la thuile last week and spoke to Cedric G and Ben Cruz and i have to say wot a nice pair of blokes. laid back and happy to talk can fault them so i wish them all the best
  • 1 0
 My money is on Gracia and Graves considering the type of terrain. Love the fact that all EWS offer such varied type of riding. The overall champ will definitely be a complete rider.
  • 7 4
 CG on a a destickered RS Pike? Thought he was tight with DVO?
  • 7 1
 They only have a DH fork for right now. I don't think that would be to good for enduro.
  • 2 1
 Although their 160 fork is getting closer! I'm holding out on buying a Fox or Rockshox to see what the DVO crew will do.
  • 3 1
 My tip: go for a BOS!
  • 2 0
 charger damper ftw
  • 1 0
 I have to try that on my boXXer Smile
  • 2 1
 @Whizkidz, how do you know it's a Pike on the inside?
  • 1 1
 its a pike dood
  • 1 0
 @EnduroManiac One of the guys that races here locally has their DH fork and has had to send it in for warranty repair 3 or 4 times and the bike is only a year old. I'd like a little more reliability. Plus, it's hard to find BOS parts and stuff in the U.S.
  • 1 0
 DVO probably asked (told?) CG to desticker the Pike - he's plastered with DVO logos afterall.
  • 1 0
 @Bronco82: all brands have their problems from time to time. Fox calles back thousands of forks lately and RS has had its share of failure on lyrics and totem some 4-5 years ago.
  • 1 0
 For me it's a combo of both the failures and trying to get the warranty stuff done. Plus, his failures were all in about a 6 month period. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence with me. But I want a really reliable suspension so I can keep the fun going and not have to worry about whether or not it'll crap out on me.
  • 3 1
 This race is shaping up to be a good one. I think we might see some new faces on the podium this weekend.
  • 2 0
 This race looks like so much fun, hopefully its gonna be held here for the next couple years so I can have a go at it Big Grin
  • 3 1
 Im putting my money on Marco Osborne
  • 3 1
 GO Marco!
  • 2 1
 Look out for dem big wheels under Kyle Warner!
  • 1 0
 Go Parker!
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