The small town of Zhud was the starting point for the second round of the Ecuador Devinci Enduro Series. Sitting at 2800 meters above sea level, it provided a variety of trails and great landscapes. The rain, that started the day before the race, put some spice to the first stage as the fast rolling surface turned into a mix of slippery clay and rocks. Also, the low temperatures made the early start really hard on everyone.
After the slippery stage 1, bikes were quickly cleaned to tackle the first big liaison. The next stage was the longest of the day, and also the most physical with long pedally sections over grass fields. While mud was replaced with loam for the majority of the trail, the rain and cold continued.
The last two stages were much shorter but also steeper than the other half of the race. Stage 3 was finally dry and warm, with steep open sections that ended in a beautiful singletrack surrounded by vegetation.
The final stage was mainly hardpacked singletrack, super fast and steep. Its two halves were linked by a gravel road with a really loose surface that led to another singletrack section on the slope of the mountain.
Last year's champion, Martin Jijon, managed to get a second place to keep the lead in the overall. The win for Dani Romero put him on the chase after a fourth place in the first round. As always, Alejo Ortiz is consistent with another third place. The competition is far from being over and is only getting better.
RESULTS
1. Daniel Romero
2. Martin Jijon
3. Alejo Ortiz
4. Juan Jurado
5. Miguel Cherrez
More info and full results at
Enduro Devinci Ecuador.