Photo Epic: First Practice of the Season - EWS Val di Fassa 2021 Race 1

Jun 22, 2021 at 13:09
by Dave Trumpore  


Photo Epic
VAL DI FASSA
2021 Enduro World Series Round #1 - Canazei, Italy
Words & Photography by Dave Trumpore

After an abbreviated 2020 season that saw only a small number of events and no champions crowned, the Enduro World Series makes a strong return in Canzei, Italy with a double header spread over five days. Racers will tackle 4 stages on Wednesday for Round 1, and will then race those same stages again on Saturday for round 2 (plus an additional long stage on Friday evening). While organizers were hoping for more variety over the two rounds, the mix of Covid shutdowns, heavy snowpack on many trails, and recent damaging wind storms that left fallen trees and debris throughout the woods, made that nearly impossible. So instead, both rounds will essentially mirror each other with the only difference being that round 2 will run one of the four stages once on Friday afternoon and again on Saturday for a total of 5 race stages. What Canazei may be lacking in quantity, it certainly is not lacking on quality with each of the stages being some of the best we have seen anywhere. And as one of the most picturesque venues on the EWS, the views are not hard on the eyes either.

Who should you put your money on? While that's really anyone's guess after such a long off season and strange 2020 that saw many of the favorites like Sam Hill choosing to stay home. So who's hot and who's not will certainly remain an unknown until the clock starts ticking tomorrow morning.

Rachel Pageau
Rachel Pageau

Antoine Vidal with all the style at the top of stage 3
Antoine Vidal with all the style at the top of stage 3

Track testing with the TV crew. Who says the media can t have a little fun too
Track testing with the TV crew. Who says the media can't have a little fun too

despite the epic views up high most of the stages in Canazei take place in the woods and offer a wide variety of terrain
Despite the epic views up high, most of the stages in Canazei take place in the woods and offer a wide variety of terrain.

Always the one to beat Isabeua Courdurier
Always the one to beat, Isabeau Courdurier

Jank master Jesse
Jank master, Jesse

Damion Oton
Damion Oton

Adrien Dailly on stage 1
Adrien Dailly on stage 1

Andreane Lathier Nadeau on the gas
Andreane Lathier Nadeau on the gas

Anita Gehrig
Anita Gehrig

Dimitri Tordo on stage 2
Dimitri Tordo on stage 2

Matt Walker laying in flat
Matt Walker laying in flat

Greg Callaghan at the start of stage 3
Greg Callaghan at the start of stage 3

Estelle Charles focused on the trails rather than the views
Estelle Charles focused on the trails rather than the views

Richie Rude won here in 2019 by a convincing margin and has been looking very fast and confident
Richie Rude won here in 2019 by a convincing margin and has been looking very fast and confident

Youn Deniaud drops in
Youn Deniaud drops in

Remi Gauvin pushing at the bottom of stage 4
Remi Gauvin pushing at the bottom of stage 4

Rae Morrison navigates the roots on an off camber inside line on stage 1
Rae Morrison navigates the roots on an off camber inside line on stage 1

Eddie Masters getting caught out by some hidden roots on stage 2
Eddie Masters getting caught out by some hidden roots on stage 2

Jack Moir made there trek over from Australia
Jack Moir made the trek over from Australia

Sam Hill was doing his own thing and practicing stages out of order. Keeping lines a secret and his true speed hidden
Sam Hill was doing his own thing and practicing stages out of order. Keeping lines a secret and his true speed hidden

Bex Baraona sporting the new Ibis team colors
Bex Baraona sporting the new Ibis team colors

Chloe Gallean on stge 2
Chloe Gallean on stage 2

A tiny rider just to give a sense of scale
A tiny rider just to give a sense of scale

Wyn Masters
Wyn Masters

Miranda Miller a long way from Canada
Miranda Miller a long way from Canada

Kasper Wolley with a long way to go until the bottom of stage 4
Kasper Wooley with a long way to go until the bottom of stage 4

Jesse Melamed looking to pick up where he left of in 2020
Jesse Melamed looking to pick up where he left of in 2020

Richie Rude and Shawn Neer getting dialed with Jordi
Richie Rude and Shawn Neer getting dialed with Jordi after the close of practice


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61 Comments

  • 73 0
 Dam Dave! Great photos as always! Those mountains are ridiculously beautiful.
  • 5 0
 Canazei is off the hook. Wish I was there.
  • 41 0
 "Miranda Miller a long way from Canada"... truth is, they are all a long way from Canada.
  • 2 0
 ... and "Jack Moir made the trek over from Australia"... yeah... kind off!
I bet he took a plain, brought his Canyon and definitely ITS NOT HIM ON THE PICTURE.
Its José Broges, the Portuguese rider.
  • 28 0
 that Norco range look sick !
  • 4 1
 Looks like they borrowed alot from the aurum stoked to find out more on it
  • 1 0
 @endurogan: Yeah, totally agree. I'm curious of how subtle the differences are between the two.
  • 10 0
 Embargo lifts tomorrow apparently. Looks like we will also see the new Devinci Enduro bike and the new Pivot tomorrow too.
  • 2 0
 @melonhead1145: enduro-mag accidentaly put it online before quickly removing it. Did'nt think about doibg screenshots but neither the specs, prices and looks seemed right to me. Hopefully first ride reviews will tell otherwise.
  • 11 0
 How are Eddie's boys after getting tangled up with the tape pole?
  • 1 3
 Eddie crashed? all I see is a dream pile of firewood blown down behind him.. Hmmm I guess it's obvious I burn wood heat in the winter
  • 1 0
 Somewhat related, what are he and MW riding, new firebirds or just the same old painted orange?
  • 1 0
 @borisimobike: Definitely new, shock is now vertical instead of horizontal into the downtube, gives room for a bottle. As the owner of the current firebird, I am NOT AT ALL salty about the bottle thing....
  • 1 0
 His boys are girls after that tangle.
  • 7 0
 Very grateful to have some racing coverage again. Beautiful images as always.
  • 8 0
 That first photo of Rachel Pageau I thought was Cody Kelly at first...
  • 1 0
 I honestly did too.
  • 1 0
 Same!
  • 7 0
 31 from Canyon is José Borges not Jack
  • 6 0
 NORCO?! NORCO! NORCO! 170MM 29er PLEASE!
  • 41 0
 Well, since you said "please"...
  • 1 0
 @norcobicycles: Haha, I just saw this response, now with the knowledge of todays news, your comment is even better. Put my deposit down already.
  • 2 0
 Yes José :-))). A question for Sam Hill ,how do you keep your shoe laces without they unlaced,genuine question ,cause mines just keep on unlacing ,at some point ,wax like skater shoes ?
  • 6 0
 loop, swoop, and pull method never comes un-done. you must be doing the bunny ears method. Wanna know the trick...if the loops are parallel to the ground when standing flat you're good...if the loops are perpendicular the the ground you likely did bunny ears technique and its only a matter of time before they come undone.
  • 3 0
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNQ0A48Eh1c
  • 1 0
 I want Sam Hill's shoes. I've been going through a pair a year for a long time. Now they say Adidas on the tongue and it makes me sad. Lame.
  • 4 0
 From the photo, looks like he double-knots them by tying the loops again. Never had my 5.10s come loose that way.
  • 2 0
 @MikeyMT: thanks for the lesson. Taking for a test walk now. To the pub.
  • 1 0
 Double bow
  • 4 1
 ROCKY MOUNTAIN team, in full display, excellent work PINK BIKE, as always!
  • 2 0
 Some rad new stuff from GMBN here (including the new Devinci): www.youtube.com/watch?v=exMjCF06lVg
  • 2 0
 Rude is a beast ! Look at that profile pic at the end vs Neer. He might eat him for extra carbs before the race.
  • 3 0
 Looks like Gehrig is riding a E MTB?? Or new frame from Norco...
  • 2 0
 Can anyone tell if Mr. Masters and Mr. Walker are definitively on Fox 38's or 36's from the pictures?
  • 1 0
 Answered my own question in the video post..38.
  • 3 0
 Nice pics. Melamed bleeding pretty good...
  • 1 0
 bullet hole, NBD.
  • 2 0
 New norco under the Gehrigs?
  • 1 0
 " Jack Moir made there trek over from Australia "

N° 1 troll-ey in the game ! LoL !
  • 1 0
 I didn't think it that intense.
  • 1 0
 @ColquhounerHooner:
If you notice which companies are promoting and which are ditching, you may understand !?
  • 2 0
 Incredible photos from this place! That light!
  • 2 0
 Came here to make sure Hill was racing. Phew... let's go!
  • 2 0
 Rude already won, with that jersey.
  • 1 0
 Superb photos, as usual! Just a quick correction, it's J.Borges, not Jack Moir Wink
  • 1 0
 @100percent when are we having that aircraft 2?
  • 2 0
 Uhhhh Norco?!
  • 1 0
 Hill's handlebar width looks pretty short.
  • 1 0
 I have his signature handlebar. It has a marker that says where Sam cuts his bars, about 750mm.
  • 1 0
 looks like pivot has a new firebird
  • 1 0
 Do you have to pedal between stages or catch a ride I can never tell?
  • 1 0
 Can do whatever you want during practice. Just have to stay on public roads.
  • 1 0
 dang its so beautiful out there awesome camera work dave!!
  • 1 0
 sniper photos of the pivot team, still hiding that new frame
  • 2 1
 Please
  • 2 3
 the fox 38 must be the bomb cause everyones using it
  • 1 0
 It looks like Damien Oton is running a 36, even though he ran a 38 in the past.
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