Video: Racing the EWS from a Van - Tom's €20 Challenge

Jul 20, 2022
by Pinkbike Originals  
.

It's been three years since Tom last raced an EWS as a privateer - the question was does he still have what it takes to race as a privateer, especially now that he has a nice fancy media job?

To test this, Tom's challenge is to stretch his 20 Euro budget across the Enduro World Series round in Canazei, Italy by living with Sharjah Jonsson and the rest of the privateers in the car park.

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Welcome to this beautiful part of the world. Photo Dave Trumpore.


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Sharjah Jonsson kindly hosted Tom for the weekend in his van, alongside the rest of the privateers camped in the car park.

Sharjah and Tom first met in 2018 while both privateering. Sharjah has been doing it every season since - racing both Downhill World Cups and Enduro World Series rounds. The first few years in a tent and now in the van, he knows the tricks of the trade. We're not sure if Tom can remember...

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You know you're in good hands when there is a couch in the van. Makes for a perfect guest room.

Tom and Sharjah were seeded close together for the race weekend - which meant a bet was obviously put on the line.

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The screen-grab providing a spoiler alert ahead from the main video


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No prizes for guessing who came out on top




Posted In:
Videos Enduro Racing Pinkbike Originals Tom Bradshaw Ews Val Di Fassa 2022


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36 Comments
  • 67 1
 Love the Tom content, keep it up!
  • 9 0
 Agreed, you can tell he just loves riding his bike and traveling the world
  • 23 0
 Bloody good Tom! You should try the 20$ challenge for the weekend, in Squamish...
  • 33 0
 1 cup of coffee later...Whoops.
  • 1 0
 I wish the grocery stores in BC were as cheap as this!
  • 1 0
 @50percentsure: and a travel size ibuprofen
  • 20 2
 Probably only had 20euros left to his name after paying the absolutely outrageous entry fee.
Then that €20 would be blown instantly when they inform him it's mandatory to buy one of their dreadful number boards and that he has to buy a separate lift pass to be able to practise.
Then that it's impossible to park Sharjah's van in any carpark in town as they are all closed unless they want to pay another €60 euros.

But rest assured if he finishes TOP 5 at that EWS he will at least make his entry fee back in prize money.....
Oh no, wait a minute, he won't!

Tom is great, EWS are not.
  • 1 0
 The EWS is such a great Discovery for everyone who wants to try their hand at enduro. What a great deal
  • 1 0
 Wait, you pay an entry fee and then have to pay for number boards and lift passes? Surely this is what the entry fee is for???

And these guys are going to run the DH WC next year....
  • 4 0
 Privateers are an awesome part of the sport and long may it continue buuuut..... Rightly or wrongly once a sport enters a 'world level' a hundred euro's isnt going to be top of the list of concerns for the organiser to try and save. I doubt anyone will give a shit about the small costs listed if they run the DH WC well next year - the cost of flights, hotels yada yada etc etc are going to dwarf the costs of parking and a number board.
  • 3 0
 @melonhead1145: No they were included in the entry fee for Canazei along with pit space if you were early enough.
  • 13 0
 This is gold, more stuff like this, Tom you are a legend!!
  • 1 0
 We need another Tom and Sharjah vid. Sharj looks like he'd have some giggles with the pb crew.
  • 11 1
 One of the greatest (ever) stories on Pinkbike I have ever seen.

Tom content is awesome.

Real Mtbiking.
  • 6 0
 This privateer story is great. Nice work, Tom, on finishing the race. Now it's Christina's turn to tackle an EWS weekend again. She bonked last time, so let's see how she fares with that learning. 1 rule: She has to live like a privateer like you did. It's cool to see the interaction with other privateers so I'd like to see more of that.

NOT LAST! DON'T CRASH! = successful weekend.
  • 5 0
 I can't think of a higher compliment for this content than that in this personal age of micro-attention spans, I watched the entire video. Keep it up, Tom and the PB crew!
  • 5 0
 Pretty sure he wouldn't make it past the entry fee on that budget. Now....let me press play on the video!
  • 4 0
 Cheers to Tom for keeping it real and bringing awareness to the privateers. Good on Wyn Masters for his regular donation fund. What a great sport!
  • 3 0
 More van-life people should hosts guests for a weekend of biking. Squamish Walmart is full of potential couches to sleep on.
  • 5 0
 More of Tom please!!! Pinkbike this is what make this site awesome!
  • 1 0
 So how do the division in EWS work? I thought in a previous video that Christina mentioned that she hadn't raced in a few years and had to go back to EWS 100 to work her way up in rankings. How did Tom go right to the main race after being away for a few years?
  • 2 0
 Such a great insight into some of the privateer stories - so much more interesting than the bland and repetitive EWS coverage
  • 1 0
 With the central bank printing more euros to handle the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, you can buy less stuff with 20EUR now than you were 3 years ago. Thank you the BCE and inflation!
  • 2 0
 Missed the final pic of the Shaun Palmer haircut...
  • 2 0
 fantastic video. #moreTom
  • 1 0
 He could have picked up a free mystery banana at the Eurobuke show. Would have saved him money.
  • 1 0
 Very cool Tom!!! Enduro Bananas. If you go to Switzerland try the Biberli, best trail snack.
  • 2 0
 good content. more tom.
  • 2 1
 Anyone else seeing the video as 'unavailable'?
  • 1 0
 give it a sec
  • 2 0
 Great Tom!
  • 2 0
 awesome content Tom!
  • 1 0
 Video title, “Tom Bradshaw goes to the supermarket with 20 euros.”
  • 2 1
 the Pinkbike–GMBN singularity event moves ever closer
  • 1 0
 Miss the weekends on a parking lot near the lift, luckily weekend is close
  • 1 0
 Enduro Bum Wink







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