Photo Report & Results: French Cup Round 1 - Raon L’Étape

Raon L tape delivered not only the good trails but also a sunny weather. The Saturday night small rain was just here to keep the dirt as sweet as possible.

Photo Report
STEEP LOAM FEST
French Enduro Series Round 1 - Raon L’Etape

We could have titled this « Trabac Vs. Oget: The Battle Continues » here as Ludovic Oget won the Enduro du Lion in front of Elliot Trabac earlier this month in the Vosges area. This time, Trabac won 6 of the 7 stages during the week-end for a massive win. But it was all about Alexis Noirot’s podium here for the crowd. The local rider who finished 3rd had the full support from the public and the party was on as if he had just won the race. On the ladies side, Melanie Pugin is still impressive on a bike and finished 1st despite a broken chain and a big crash during the last stage on Saturday. But Morgane Charre, who had a crash on Sunday, was just behind the BH rider with only 8.535 seconds difference after 7 stages.

With a total of 3300m elevation over 75 kms, the first of five rounds of the French Enduro Cup delivered the goods with great trails in the always stunning Vosges forest. There were steep and rocky sections, as well as very fresh and typical Vosges loamy dirt sections. The two-day race had 4 different tracks. There were 3 stages on Saturday with recces of each stage in the morning, and 2 stages raced two times each on Sunday with course recon on Stage 4 in the morning. Hopefully, the riders loved Stage 3 as they rode it four times throughout the weekend (including one recce lap included on Saturday).

Raon l’Étape was also the very first official Enduro E-MTB Cup race recognized by the French Cycling Federation (FFC). And it was impressive to see 40 motorized riders in the starting gate here. They rode the same stages, with a variant on stage 4 on Sunday, but did a total of 14 laps including 4 recce laps, which was good enough to be exhausted at the end of the week-end I guess! Want some numbers? 56 kms and 2200m up on Saturday, and 45 Kms and 1600m up on Sunday, thanks to Remy Absalon’s GPS. The fun fact is that the 2017 overall French Enduro Cup winner, Nico Quere, won the E-MTB race with his Giant Full-E+. When you got skills on a classic bike, you got skills on an e-bike, right?

Small mountains, beautiful forest and endless tracks. Welcome to the Vosges area in the East of France.

The hard work of Alex Balaud and his team went well so Mmxing E-Bike French Trophy and Enduro Series race was not a problem during all the week-end.

The hard work of Alex Balaud and his team went well so mixing E-Bike French Trophy and Enduro Series race was not a problem on the weekend.

One picture to resume the race week-end loam foam rocks and steepness. Welcome to Raon L tape

Two pictures to resume the race weekend: loam, foam, rocks and steepness. Welcome to Raon L'Etape!

Hard to beat Elliot Trabac s agressive style. It s always a pleasure to capture this fast guy with a camera. 1st stage fastest time.

Hard to beat Elliot Trabac's aggressive style. It's always a pleasure to capture this fast guy with a camera. 1st stage, fastest time.

Melanie Pugin won 5 of 7 stages on her BH Lynx.

Ludovic Oget, second on stage 2.

Stage 2 won our "most beautiful track" prize on Saturday. By far.

Time keepers got to eat good french sausage so they don t do mistakes

Time keepers ate good French sausage so they wouldn't make mistakes!

Elliot Trabac shows the guys how to do it with style on one of the most technical parts of the race in stage 2.

Elliot Trabac shows the guys how to do it with style on one of the most technical parts of the race on Stage 2.

Privateer Robert Meyer full attack in a rock section of stage 2.

Privateer Robert Meyer attacking in a rock section of Stage 2.

With a 9th place on Saturday with a crash on the last stage Yannick Pontal started his Sunday race with a puncture. Bad luck. We guess he deserves a way better result than his 63rd place.

After a 9th place on Saturday with a crash on the last stage, Yannick Pontal started his Sunday race with a puncture. Bad luck. We think he deserves a way better result than his 63rd place.

Alba Wunderlin of Switzerland competes in the Open category.

Alexis Noirot rides in his garden here in Raon l tape.

Alexis Noirot rides in his garden here in Raon l'Étape. Here on a "South of France style track".

2nd place Ludovic Oget was not fast enough to beat Elliot Trabac this time.

Second place finisher Ludovic Oget was not fast enough to beat Elliot Trabac this time.

Morgane Jonnier battling in the greenest part of Stage 3.

Young gun Mathieu Ruffray rode his brand new Transition Sentinel to 6th place.

Lucas Monetti had some hard times in the bottom part of Stage 4. Trees still don't move to let the riders pass!

The venue in Raon L tape was spectacular.

The venue in Raon L'Etape was spectacular.

Part time Downhill rider and Enduro rider for 2018 Morgane Charre is not afraid by steep and technical tracks and takes an interesting 2nd place here.

Part-time Downhill rider and Enduro rider for 2018, Morgane Charre is not afraid of the steep and technical tracks and takes an interesting second place here.

23 years old rider with an XC background Paul Thiebaut is giving Enduro races a serious try with a 5th place here.

Paul Thiebaut, 23 years old with an XC background, is giving Enduro races a serious try with a 5th place here.

Elliot s brother also has some serious skills as he flies into the 4th place of the week-end.

Elliot's brother also has some serious skills as he flies into 4th place on the weekend.

Melanie Pugin riding along the impressive and beautiful rocs of stage 4 on Sunday.

Melanie Pugin riding along the impressive and beautiful rocks of Stage 4 on Sunday.

Mathieu Ruffray's style. Yes? No?

First ever Enduro Series winner in 2005 Alex Balaud was working alongside Fred Glo during many years then designing all the Enduro tracks of the races. He is now the head organizer in 2018 and Raon l tape was his first race as Enduro Series Boss . We can tell from what we heard from the riders it was a success. Bravo Alex

First ever Enduro Series winner in 2005, Alex Balaud was working alongside Fred Glo for many years, designing all the Enduro tracks of the races. He is now the head organizer in 2018, and Raon l'Etape was his first race as "Enduro Series Boss". From what we heard from the riders, it was a success. Bravo Alex!

With a finish line in a private garden who is owned by a MTB fan the end of the race looks like a family affair during a sunny Sunday picnic.

With a finish line in a private garden that is owned by a MTB fan, the end of the race looks like a family affair during a sunny Sunday picnic.

A tired face for a happy winner.

When you get congratulate by your close friend who just jumped in a dirty pond

When you get congratulated by your close friend who just jumped in a dirty pond!

The day before the race 3rd place Alexis Noirot was working on the roofs doing what he does to earn money carpenter. Another kind of Champion.

The day before the race, third place finisher Alexis Noirot was working on the roofs, doing what he does to earn money: carpentry. Another kind of Champion.

Melanie Pugin continues her Enduro quest with another win in France. Her goal is to compete soon with the best female riders during the EWS and we have no doubt about it.

Melanie Pugin continues her Enduro quest with another win in France. Her goal is to be competitive among the best female riders during the EWS, and we have no doubt about it.

Here is your Women podium and a lot of DH dna in it

Here is your Women's podium with a lot of DH DNA in it!

3rd place for local rider Alexis Noirot Yeah but a massive public choice winner here in Raon l tape.

3rd place for local rider Alexis Noirot? Yeah, but a massive public choice winner here in Raon l'Etape.

Chainsaw never dies.

Here is your Men podium with a great friendly atmosphere thanks to Alexis Noirot s 3rd place.

Here is your Men's podium with a great friendly atmosphere thanks to Alexis Noirot's 3rd place.

As official partner for the E-MTB french Enduro Cup Haibike was here with some of their XDURO bikes.

As an official partner for the E-MTB french Enduro Cup, Haibike was here with some of their XDURO bikes.

Remy Absalon, Olivier Giordanengo, Nico Quere and Florian Golay here to represent the dark side of MTB with a capital E. And they are laughing at it, ladies and gentlemen!

Stage 2 steepness brought some hard times for the E riders. You better have skills to slow down your 23 Kgs bike and choose the right line here.

Stage 2's steepness brought some hard times for the E riders. You better have skills to slow down your 23 kg bike and choose the right line here.

Top ten in Olargues during the EWS, Camille Servant went for an E-Bike weekend here and took the 5th spot.

Last year French Cup overall winner Nico Quere decided to give a try to the E-Bike category this year. Well let s say it s a nice first try with a 1st place

Last year French Cup overall winner, Nico Quere, decided to give the E-Bike category a try this year. Well, let's say it's a nice first try with a 1st place!

E-Bike rider since 2010 Olivier Giordanengo takes the 2nd place behind Nicolas Quere.

E-Bike rider since 2010, Olivier Giordanengo takes second place behind Nicolas Quere.

For once, Remy Absalon decided to compete with his E-Bike. "It was good fun here and challenging. But in the steep parts of Stage 2, I really missed my Genious as the E-Bikes are heavier and harder to handle for sure..." he said.

Your E-MTB first ever official Enduro podium.

Results

Men

1st. TRABAC Elliot (FRA) — 28:20.396
2nd. OGET Ludovic (FRA) — 28:38.374
3rd. NOIROT Alexis (FRA) — 28:45.850
4th.TRABAC Theotim (FRA) — 29:04.398
5th. THIEBAUT Paul (FRA) — 29:10.391

Women

1st. PUGIN Melanie (FRA) — 33:51.946
2nd. CHARRE Morgane (FRA) — 34:00.481
3rd. JONNIER Morgane (FRA) — 35:05.683
4th. CHARLES Laura (FRA) — 35:26.771
5th. CHARLES Estelle (FRA) — 35:35.410

Full Results

E-MTB Trophy by Haibike

1st. QUERE Nicolas (FRA) — 39:16.328
2nd. GIORDANENGO Olivier (FRA) — 40:04.479
3rd. PONS Melvin (FRA) — 40:12.821
4th. ABSALON Rémy (FRA) — 40:17.998
5th. SERVANT Camille (FRA) — 40:27.524

Full Results

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Author Info:

richardbord
Member since Jun 21, 2011
16 articles

5 Comments

richardbord (May 29, 2018 at 9:20)

To @MMOF only the very last part of the article is about the E-Bike Enduro Race. All the rest is about the French Enduro Cup in a very beautiful spot with awesome trails and bikes without any battery ;-)

disruptiveone FL (May 29, 2018 at 8:44)

Hahahaha....Yes, I scrolled the entire article to the comments to start the "hate on e-bike" frenzy ;-) Not a bitter troll nor a secret lover of e-bikes, just not interested in e-bike competitions and reading about them.

BenPea (May 28, 2018 at 13:49)

Picole municipale FTW!!

disruptiveone FL (May 28, 2018 at 14:10)

Saw "e-mtb" and stopped reading.

etga6657 (May 29, 2018 at 5:02)

That didn't stop you from scrolling the whole article to comment... So either you're a bitter troll, or you secretly love e-bike....