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Video: Full Highlights from EWS-E Finale Ligure 2021

Sep 16, 2021
by Ed Spratt  

bigquotesFinale Ligure is home to Round 2 of the Bluegrass EWS-E presented by Vittoria as well as 3 Enduro loops of sharp rock, slick dust and 3 of the most physically challenging power stages we've had at an EWS-E so far. An overnight downpour last night has made conditions interesting for the 72km of challenging terrain that racers will be tackling with help from their E-bikes alone. Still, at least there's a good view! Let's go racing! Electric Mountain Bike Network


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42 Comments
  • 23 10
 Really trying hard to make ebike racing a thing. We get it, they aren’t going anywhere and the bike companies have successfully normalized them. This racing just isn’t good to watch.
  • 11 3
 Surely if they film only the DH sections like they do with a 'normal' Enduro race it will be exactly the same thing to watch? What am I missing?

Nobody wants to watch enduro racers link stages or slog long uphill sections either....
  • 11 16
flag BoneDog (Sep 17, 2021 at 7:59) (Below Threshold)
 100% its pretty lame watching people do transfers an e-assisted. The only E bike applications which makes to me are 1) Enabling riders who otherwise would need to give up the sport for legitimate health reasons, 2) commuting and reducing number of cars on the street, 3) gravity oriented areas where shuttle or lift is not available. Anything outside of this has me questioning if you truly enjoy cycling as a sport. It would be like playing pool with laser guides, or going bowling with the gutter bumpers up, your missing half the challenge which is where I get the fulfillment, challenge, and skill development that keeps me sane.
  • 5 1
 @wibblywobbly "This racing just isn’t good to watch." Because...?
  • 5 0
 @BoneDog: Bike , moto or car, since when is watching transfers not boring? It's a transfer, not racing.
  • 7 0
 @BoneDog: except it’s nothing like going bowling with the bumper up or using laser beams for pool, is it? Both of those decrease required skill, ebikes potentially (and not in all cases) decrease requires fitness, entirely different.

It’s kind of like a push bike that when you pedal outputs more power to the rear wheel than you input with your legs, that’s entirely all it is.

It’s not exactly the same, no, but to say use outside of your own personal guidelines you put down for ebikes that you must hate cycling is plain moronic.
  • 4 1
 @wibblywobbly - You probably shouldn’t waste your time watching it. Or commenting.
  • 2 0
 @BoneDog: well 75%+ of Pinkbike users fall into your use category #3....lots of areas like that and the majority of the 'fun' associated with MTBing is descending. I enjoy the suffering of a long uphill climb, at time, other times I just wanna shred down and not have to shuttle in a big truck.....
  • 11 1
 Looks like great racing to me. With the challenging climbs and pedal sections seems like more of a fun version of XC racing than Enduro racing. EWS Enduro racing seems to have become a multi stage downhill race. The ebike version seems to more like the riding I'm doing. With the difference being that on the ebike I would get to enjoy a lot more trails for the same energy/workout. Just my viewpoint.
  • 1 0
 EWS I always thought multi stage downhill was exactly what it was trying to be from the begining to be honest.
  • 11 0
 Vouilloz Legend ! The "old" man stays strong ! happy to see barel too on the competition !
  • 4 0
 I was like alot of you guys talking smack about ebikes and that it's just for lazy peeps who can't pedel upphill Yada Yada yada.. But that was until I tried it for reals on some rough and super wet trails where you otherwise would not be able to pedel a normal MTB. Super fun! And to do uphills you would not even be thinking of trying on normal bikes. Changed my opinion on emtbs for good!
  • 1 0
 So what did you think e bikes can do before you tried one? Did you know that they have a motor that is way more powerful than even the fittest of humans?
  • 1 0
 @bagoran: Dude of course, but I would say it gives a combined feeling of mx and MTB. Although alot slower.
  • 3 0
 At first it didn't make sense. But now, it looks like dynamic racing combining xc and enduro with a lot more speed and vert than either. Big names there too. The video coverage of it sucks but it looks as entertaining as enduro or xc...Now burn me at the stake.
  • 4 2
 so basically you start in WC DH then when you re get too old for that you switch to EWS enduro and when you re too old for that you switch to E-bike racing? seems to be the pattern Big Grin
  • 4 0
 The logic isn't working out for Richie, Jesse, Moir, Codurier, Maes, Winton, Korem, etc. Even Hill said he was bored with WC DH tracks.
  • 15 15
 Just not interesting to watch. Fair enough have an ebike, but don’t see the point in racing? Maybe it pushes manufacturers to make better bikes, cos some of those things looked like bikes descending in 1990.
  • 11 5
 At least we get to see all the spent ahletes from the 90s ride again.
  • 3 1
 better bikes and "ebike specific" ... saddles . . .
  • 7 0
 This was exactly the view of so many when enduro first got started…..
  • 6 2
 @colincolin: Dare you to tell Nico and Barel they are just "spent athletes". Something tells me they could beat both of us quite easily, any day of the week.
  • 2 2
 @CaptainSnappy: from an athletic point of view they are past it, else they would likely race another format. But obviously they are still amazingly talented riders.

Maybe its just enduro itself that is the issue? Its just not got the same hold as dh from a spectacular viewing point. The footage we get just doesn’t get u excited
  • 3 0
 They look harder to wield that regular bikes
  • 6 4
 This would be much more enjoyable if soundtracked by the Benny Hill show music
  • 1 0
 Now heres a question whats the rules regarding motor power restrictions... I could defintely see some teams if they really wanted to engageing in a bit of motor doping lol
  • 2 0
 Well, okay. I gave it a chance.
  • 1 0
 somehow I have convinced my wife to go to finale for our honeymoon. Surprise there will will also an ews race
  • 1 1
 Ebike racing seems like a bit of an oxymoron to me. Only here to comment that ebike racing, or any other ebike articles, are dead to me.
  • 6 5
 NEXT UP: UCI World Cup Segway Racing!
  • 1 0
 What's the weird looking silver bike around 5.30?
  • 1 0
 BH, a Spanish bike company.
  • 1 0
 Don't care if any1 wins or looses e-racing.......
  • 6 6
 A fine example of marketing over substance
  • 1 0
 Well said.
  • 5 7
 Why are they pushing ebikes uphill? I thought the whole point of them was to make going uphill easy.
  • 6 0
 Ebike or not, since when is finding traction on a techy climb easy?
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