Rider Profile: Marco Osborne

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MARCO OSBORNE

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When I first started hanging out with Weir and Cruz, they told me about their experiences with French enduros. It sounded badass!

Marco started racing bikes about three years ago, just when Enduro starting gaining popularity in North America. He tried out Super D and downhill, but after being inspired by Mark Weir and Ben Cruz’s stories about French enduro racing he tried the format for himself in 2012. Of his first experience in Ashland, Oregon, he says, “right away I was hooked, I absolutely loved this new format of racing and wanted more.”


The difference between xc or downhill racing is that the enduro race format allows racers to take the competition seriously while joking around and making friends on the transfer stages. Marco describes it as a “huge community of friends who get together every weekend.” He finds that the events themselves are more enjoyable and welcoming to the average mountain biker.

I want to have fun with racing by making new friends and enjoying the amazing places I get to travel to.

Last season was Marco’s first year racing in the pro category, he competed in the California Enduro Series, Oregon Enduro Series, EWS Colorado, Sea Otter and some local races in the Tahoe area. With support from Mark Weir and Jason Moeschler, who hooked him up with a bike and tires, his results were “unexpectedly good.” Marco says, “Once I got on Weir’s old Cannondale Jekyll I just pinned it.” He had a lot of people questioning ‘who is that kid?’ He even won the DH race at North Star and the Cal State DH Championships in one weekend. “It was a great way to finish off the season.”

My results [last season] were unexpectedly good. I think I surprised myself and everyone watching!

This year, aside from staying healthy and finishing every race he enters, Marco is focused on being on the podium at the North American races and cracking the top ten internationally. Now on the Cannondale Overmountain team and racing for WTB, Shimano, Smith Optics, Royal Racing, MRP, VP Components, 7id Protective, Fox Racing and Boombotix, Marco is confident that the support he is receiving puts him in the perfect position to reach his goals. “Overmountain basically means you have to be a mountain goat,” Marco says of his new team, “you have to have a passion for exploring new trails, going the distance, pushing through the pain to climb big mountain and then drop into the unknown.”

You have to have a passion for exploring new trails, going the distance, pushing through the pain to climb big mountain and then drop into the unknown.

Not one for a lot of structure, Marco does not use “a heart rate monitor or any techy tools to train with.” He simply just tries to ride his bike every day, to have fun and enjoy his time outdoors. The mentality of “go big or go home”, which he adopted as a young snowboarder, also sets him apart from other enduro racers. A self described adrenaline junkie, he admits that going big and drifting are not the best approach for racing enduro, but they seem to work for him.



After completing the fist round of the Enduro World Series he describes the scenery and atmosphere at Nevados de Chillan as “hands down the best I have ever experienced.” With the whole race season ahead of him, Marco is already looking ahead and plans to be a top ten threat in the Enduro World series in the next few years - keep an eye on him.

I want to thank Mark Weir, he is a true professional who is passing on his passion for the sport to the local kids and helping them make a dream a reality.

You can read more about Marco and his recent win at The Dirty Sanchez enduro here.

At the end of the day we are all just dirty mountain bikers who love to hang out and drink beer with each other.

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Interviews Marco Osborne