Video: The Ibis Enduro Team Takes on EWS Finale Ligure

Oct 15, 2018
by Ibis Cycles  



As the final round of the Enduro World Series in Finale Ligura - Italy approached, the Ibis Cycles Enduro Team’s #2 ranking was precarious with a slim lead over Team GT.

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2018 EWS Rd 6

Adding to their worries, team leader Robin Wallner would be missing the race after dropping out of the race in Ainsa, Spain due to a broken scaphoid the weekend before.

So it was up to the remaining members of the team to try and maintain their podium position in the team competition and defend their title as team champions.

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While Bex Baraona seemed back on form after some mid-season struggles and Dillon Santos had scored career-best finishes at the last two rounds, Lewis Buchanan had suffered multiple fractures to his foot at the last round, but was determined to soldier through. And Julie Duvert, competing for just a short distance from her home in Nice, was hoping to round out her season with a solid result to cement her overall ranking.

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With only a week’s respite after Spain and coming to the end of a long and grueling season, the organizers mercifully chose to make this year’s race in Finale a one-day affair. One day or not, this was going to be a strenuous physical challenge as the hot weather they experienced in Spain had followed them to Italy, and the parcourse called for 4 stages with over 52 Km of riding and 1,780 m of climbing.

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It was an inauspicious beginning to the day when Lewis Buchanan dove head first into the rocks near the end of Stage 1. Fortunately, his superman impression cost him only a few seconds and he was able to shake the crash. Bex (6th) and Dillon (33rd) posted solid first stages to confirm their recent good form, and Julie finished the tight, dusty track in 23rd.

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Over the next two stages, Bex Baraona put in a charge and moved herself into 4th going into the last stage. Julie Duvert was moving forward as well with a string of top 15 stage results, and Dillon bounced back after a rough Stage 2 to salvage his overall.

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After that rough start on Stage 1, it took Lewis until stage three to find his pace, but he cleaned up with a 10th on Stage 3. He then closed out his season with a 12th place on the classic DH Uomini course and 18th for the race and the series. A heroic result given his foot injury.

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A crash on the last stage robbed Bex of a chance to match her career-best race finish, but she still held onto 5th for the race and moved into 5th for the season as well - a solid step forward from last season.

Julie Duvert finished up 14th for the race and 15th for the year. With the ever-deepening women’s field it was a successful season for the young French rider.

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After finishing 42nd on the day, Dillon Santos moved into 51st for the series - more than forty places higher than his 2017 campaign.

And even after missing three rounds of the series due to injury and the birth of his son, Ted, Robin Wallner still managed to hold onto 13th place in the overall thanks to his two podium finishes this year. There was no doubt that despite not racing, the presence of ‘Enduro Dad’ helped his teammates make a strong finish to the season.

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All that added up to another trip to the podium for the little team that could, albeit a step down from last year’s championship. A remarkable accomplishment given the hurdles they faced.

As another season closes, we want to thank everyone that helped make this season a success, especially: Mats Pettersson, Jesse Patel, Travis McCart, Ian Davis, Jordi Cortes, Thijs Al, POC, Maxxis, KS, Fox, Shimano, LizardSkins, Joystick, Muc-Off, Feedback Sports, HoneyStinger, Industry Nine, OneUp, and The Athletic.


MENTIONS: @ibiscycles



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Author Info:
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Member since Nov 15, 2011
94 articles

5 Comments
  • 5 0
 IBIS need to sign Randy! Then they would have won the overall.
  • 1 0
 He's a bit busy being president for the moment
  • 2 0
 HD4 or Ripmo? Looks like most team riders on HD4.
  • 7 0
 The riders switch between bikes depending on terrain. Robin has rallied the Ripmo all season, but Lew, Bex, and Dillon will switch depending on the event.
  • 1 0
 Nick I love this video!







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