Practice Photo Epic: Team Work - EWS Trophy of Nations 2019
Finale Ligure in Italy closes the season once again for enduro, but this time it won't be as the last round of the EWS, but as a new competition - the Trophy of Nations. Now that the EWS is affiliated with the UCI, they are able to hand out rainbow jerseys that signify a World Champion. However, unlike the downhill or XC World Championships, where riders race for National Federations but compete individually, the Trophy of Nations is a team competition with the top three ranked riders of each nation competing and all will earn a jersey if they win. The title of World Champion will be more symbolic in nature, as it is a team competition. The overall EWS title is still the gold standard of achievement for individual racers.
Alongside the main event will be a non-national team competition, an individual competition and even an industry competition that has been embraced by quite a few brands. All the winners will be crowned in the usual fashion, on the beaches of the Mediterranean Sunday evening, at what has truly become a classic venue to close out a long season.
The race itself will take place on a list of Finale Ligure classics. A greatest hits album of sorts with iconic trails like Rollercoaster, Kill Bill, Ivoland, and DH Men means racers are in for a real treat this weekend. Other than the team style race, the event follows the same format as a usual EWS round with riders allowed just one practice run per stage in training, and with all five stages being contested in one day, it is going to be a big big effort.
What a place to end the season.
Italy
The charming street of Finale.
Storms often threaten here, but often never materialize into anything but sunshine.
The teams have the pits set up just a few meters from the beach.
Not the typical setting for pit space, but Finale is special.
Lots of gelato sneaking amongst the tools.
Lots of rebuilds after the constant rocks and dust of Zermatt last week.
Gusti Wildhaber has printed some stickers to send healing vibes to Brook Macdonald. Get yours in Finale.
Lots of tight and twisty woods make up the first three stages of the race.
Stage one is down Finale's infamous Rollercoaster trail.
Team Canada trains, led out by Remi Gauvin.
Kiwi captain, Matt Walker, leading the Fern team on the Italian rocks.
A stage with a view to close out the 2019 season.
Richie Rude has won here before and is looking to tow Team USA of Shawn Neer and Cody Kelley onto the podium.
Martin Maes stretching out, racing 29" wheels front and rear the first time.
Dimitri Tordo, the fastest third rider of all nations.
Zakarias Johansen trying to keep things in line on stage five.
Isabeau Courdurier will be leading out Team France for the women.
Second woman for team France, Morgane Charre, making her way down to Varigotti.
Andre Breitas from Brasil rolling down the famous Rollercoaster in a moody morning.
Carlson, nailing the Aussie national colors.
Florian Nicolai is one of three riders on the powerhouse French team.
Triple overall EWS winner Sam Hill on board his Nukeproof Ferrari edition.
Kevin Miquel heads down what should be a very familiar stage five, as it has been used as the last stage of the year all but once in EWS history.
No one ever complains about the views.
Mark Scott is here representing Great Britain.
Two-thirds of Team NZ pause to checkout lines on stage five.
ALN will be anchoring the Canadian women's team.
Kilian Callaghan out of the mist.
Team GB. Get out of the way b...
Lewis Buchanan will be racing for the Ibis industry team, Midseason injuries kept him off the British national squad.
Swiss racer Anita Gehrig on the bottom of stage two.
With Ella Conolly out, Katy Winton is now filling in for Team Great Britain.
According to the EWS rankings, here's the fastest train in the start list, 2nd, 3rd and 4th overall in the EWS season.
Great to see a lot of team managers and staff out there on track as part of the industry race. Here Giant's manager Sebastian Boyington heads into a rocky pinch on stage three.
Rocky Mountain sent over their brand managers, product developers, and racers to round out their industry team here in Finale. Besides the Pro race, there is an industry race as well. Brands will be gunning for for fun and bragging rights.
Adrien Dailly, reserve rider for France, is joining the industry race for the Lapierre team.
A classic view of DH Men, with Varigotti below and the Baia dei Saraceni on the left with its turquoise water.
Richie Rude leads Shawn Neer, teammate of both the Yeti and USA team, down to DH Men.
On Friday evening a national teams parade was held through the streets of Finale.
All the Trophy of Nations competitors on one stage.
The race may finish at the beach, but first racers will have to get down from some pretty sizable mountains.
Lots of sun on the horizon this week for racers in Finale Ligure.
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m.pinkbike.com/news/pinkbike-primer-everything-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-the-trophy-of-nations-finale-ligure.html
Look for the heading "the format"
Also Vouilloz in Lapierre team
Wrong header --> Itakly instead of Italy
I’ve never even heard of another Dutch mtbr!?!