The first round of the UCI E-MTB XC World Cup Presented by SMEG took place over the weekend of the 24/25th of April in Monaco.
Racing took place over two days with a qualification race each morning deciding the grid start positions for the afternoon racing. E-Mountain bike racing is still an emerging discipline but that does not subtract from the professional riders that took part.
Racing over the whole weekend was hotly contested in both competitions for men and women. The leaders in all cases pushing incredibly trying hard to hold off the second place riders who were only a few seconds behind for much of the race.
The course was conceived to be a balance between technical climbing and hard descents, outlined in our course preview
Saturday, which involved six laps of the course, was characterised by the rough track having a lot to to with the outcome; athletes and bikes were going to be tested to the limit. The early battle being balanced in the male category with E-XC specialist Jérôme Gilloux (E-Team Moustache), proving his credentials as a double World Championship Silver Medallist and reigning French National Champion. The charging Joris Ryf (Bergstrom Werkmannshaft) suffered a mechanical mishap and consequently his challenge to Gilloux’ stronghold of the event. Behind them the duo of Camoin and Pigeon were fighting an electric battle for third place. Corsican Francescu “Cecce” Camoin (Specialized) being pipped to the line with an impressive and superbly timed sprint from Frenchman Hugo Pigeon (Scott SR Suntour Enduro Team).
Multiple Enduro World Champion Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) led the Women’s field by a commanding margin until a mechanical problem with her chain dropped her out of the running. Also reigning World Champion Mélanie Pugin (BH E-Racing team) had some technical problems, in the end Sofia Wiedenroth (Specialized) won the race and Kathrin Stirnemann (Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team) took second ahead of Karen Pepper (Team Pepper Lapierre).
Sunday was also a day of mechanicals from overheating motors and possibly incorrectly configured speed sensors, it was not easy to make the bike last the whole race on a tough course. Tyre choice was fundamental to the outcome of the race. Managing the rocks and difficult sections required riders to play on the side of caution and go for a more robust tyre setup. The downside being that they had to pedal harder to keep the bike moving fast.
The fastest riders at the start, taking the first turn, were Dutchman Jaroen van Eck (CST Post NL Bafang) and German Sofia Wiedenroth (Specialized) getting today’s WES Holeshot in their respective categories.The Magneti Marelli Checkstar Power Lap trophy was awarded to Jérôme Gilloux (E-Team Moustache) and Sofia Wiedenroth, for setting the fastest lap in 7:09.76 and 8:15.70 respectively.
With this impressive pace, these two riders also clinched the first step of the podium. On the Women’s side, reigning World Champion Mélanie Pugin (BH E-Racing Team) got second ahead of Kathrin Stirnemann (Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team) by 3:20″. The Men’s podium was a perfect copy of yesterday’s results, with Swissman Joris Ryf (Bergstrom Werksmannshaft) in second place and Frenchman Hugo Pigeon (Scott SR Suntour Enduro Team) third.
Racing Action and Behind The Scenes Insights
WES looks forward to the rest of the season as the circuit moves on to Bologna-Appennino on the 5-6th June.
There is no doubt that today showcased real racing and an impressive level of fitness and skill amongst the whole field.
Race 1 Saturday Results Women:
1st Sofia Wiedenroth (Specialized) GER
2nd Kathrin Stirnemann (Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team) SWI
3rd Karen Pepper (Team Pepper Lapierre) GBR
Race 1 Saturday Results Men:
1st Jérôme Gilloux (E-Team Moustache) FRA
2nd Joris Ryf (Bergstrom Werkmannshaft) SWI
3rd Hugo Pigeon (Scott SR Suntour Enduro Team) FRA
Race 2 Sunday Results Women:
1st Sofia Wiedenroth (Specialized) GER
2nd Mélanie Pugin (BH E-Racing Team) FRA
3rd Kathrin Stirnemann (Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team) SWI
Race 2 Sunday Results Men:
1st Jérôme Gilloux (E-Team Moustache) FRA
2nd Joris Ryf (Bergstrom Werkmannshaft) SWI
3rd Hugo Pigeon (Scott SR Suntour Enduro Team) FRA
https://www.worldebikeseries.com/
33 Comments
My money would be on Nino doing the lap faster as folk like Nino climb faster than the E-Bike allows and the nimbleness and skill on the descents would give him the edge for sure through those tight turns.
If the likes of Nino could do their 6 laps faster on their XC bikes then this would blow this concept apart really and make it so that it needed something to make it more valid than being a E-XC race.
The lap looked mint for sure, would love to do a lap on an e-bike. (I am not an Ehater, I think they have their place and if I could afford/justify one I would have one tomorrow for sure).
But once you see the top xc racers climb in a WC race in real life you might understand. It's incredible to watch.
I see these monkeys on bikes pretty often, but I don't get it.
Cheers!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=edb9HzHntHQ
Any E-bike article haters click on.
(insert generic hate on e-bikes comment here as you were too dumb enough to ignore the article)