Enduro World Series Round 2, Tasmania - Event Preview

Apr 7, 2017 at 6:10
by Dave Trumpore  



When the 2017 Enduro World Series schedule was released late last summer there was one venue in particular that caught everyone's interest right away; Tasmania. A rugged isolated island off the coast of Australia that all have heard of, but very few actually know much about.

Here we find ourselves in Derby, once a booming tin mining town that these days specializes in gold. Mountain bike gold that is. Don't let the relatively small area of the trail center fool you, as there are countless trails hidden in the hills here. It also would not be wise to pre-judge the quality by a few photos that may be kicking about on the internet either. What we have on tap this weekend is anything but mellow, and what the trails lack in vertical they make up for in pure quality and technical trickery.

Right now things are dry and dusty, but with a mixed bag of weather in the forecast for the weekend it's anyone's guess what riders will find once practice kicks off over the next few days. But after the savage conditions at the last round in Rotorua, everyone has their fingers crossed for a more even playing field.

Enduro World Series Round Two Tasmania - Event Preview

Enduro World Series Round Two Tasmania - Event Preview

Beautiful trails everywhere you look.
Beautiful trails everywhere you look.

Black Stump shuttles from Vertigo Bikes. Couldn t have asked for a nicer group of drivers. And they seemed mildly amused but our shenanigans.
Black Stump shuttles from Vertigo Bikes. Couldn't have asked for a nicer group of drivers. And they seemed mildly amused but our shenanigans.

Matt Delorme hoping his tattoos will scare away the venomous snakes not attract them if confused for food.
Matt Delorme hoping his tattoos will scare away the venomous snakes, not attract them if confused for food.

Enduro World Series Round Two Tasmania - Event Preview

Sam Hill was out in the woods for a training ride with his father and number one fan.
Sam Hill was out in the woods for a training ride with his father and number one fan.

Tristan Merrick the producer of Red Bull s OnTrack series enjoying a bit of fun on stage 2.
Tristan Merrick, the producer of Red Bull's OnTrack series, enjoying a bit of fun on stage 2.

Matt Delorme pins it down stage one as his teeth rattle a bit over all the embedded rocks.
Matt Delorme pins it down stage one as his teeth rattle a bit over all the embedded rocks.

one of the many boulder fields on stage 4.
One of the many boulder fields on stage 4.

Race organizer Ian Harwood drops into one of the many technical sections on stage 4.
Race organizer Ian Harwood drops into one of the many technical sections on stage 4.

Dave snakes his way through the Great Dusty Crack.
Dave snakes his way through the Great Dusty Crack.

The Crack on stage 2 is just under a meter wide. Go measure your bars and see how much space you d have to spare on each side.
Trail builder Ryan De La Rue AKA 'Muffin' slips through The Crack on stage two, which is just under a meter wide. Go measure your bars and see how much space you'd have to spare on each side.

Chris Ball gets deep in the Crack.
Chris Ball goes deep in The Crack.

Stage 5 is almost entirely made of rock slabs. Lots of tricky drops and off cambers will make this one a hard stage to memorize.
Stage 5 is almost entirely made of rock slabs. Lots of tricky drops and off cambers will make this one a hard stage to memorize.

massive amounts of stone work has been done in some areas that would otherwise be prone to flooding.
Massive amounts of stonework in some areas protect the trails from flooding.

Matt Delorme all business on stage 1.
Matt Delorme, all business on stage 1.

Found evidence of some locals but it s not the Tassie Tiger or the Devil.
Found evidence of some locals, but it's not the Tassie Tiger or the Devil.

Time Bardsley-Smith pilots his beard down stage one.
Time Bardsley-Smith pilots his beard down stage one.

Dave Trumpore stomach to seat on stage one.
Dave Trumpore stomach to seat on stage one.

stages 3 and 4 start of steep and tech and then tapper off into high speed flow with a random jump or two thrown in just for fun.
Stages 3 and 4 start off steep and tech and then taper off into high-speed flow with a random jump or two thrown in just for fun.

Every inch of trail here has been built with an attention to detail not equaled an very many places.
Every inch of trail here has been built with attention to detail that is not equaled in very many places.

Our accommodation this week is truly one of a kind. Off-grid living at it s best thanks to the folks at Blue Derby Pods Ride.
Our accommodation this week is truly one of a kind. Off-grid living at its best thanks to the folks at Blue Derby Pods Ride.

A cozy pod in the woods right along stage 7.
A cozy pod in the woods, right along stage 7.

What a spot for lunch deep in the woods of Derby.
What a spot for lunch, deep in the woods of Derby.

Stage five brings the rowdy. Dave rejoices.
Stage five brings the rowdy. Dave rejoices.

Wheel Eater. That s what this section of four should be called. Chris Ball having no problems.
Wheel Eater. That's what this section on stage four should be called. Chris Ball having no problems.

Follow the leader. Sven noses his way after Baller.
Follow the leader. Sven noses his way after Baller.

We did heaps of pedaling despite the shuttle access. After about 2.5 miles access road the transfers will turn into gradual single track.
We did heaps of pedaling despite the shuttle access. After about 2.5 miles access road, the transfers will turn into gradual singletrack.

The liaison stages in Derby are some of the best we have seen at any EWS round. truly beautiful trails perfectly graded and with plenty of flow up and down.
The liaison stages in Derby are some of the best we have seen at any EWS round. Truly beautiful trails, perfectly graded and with plenty of flow up and down.

Matt Delorme drifts through some Tasmanian Gold.
Matt Delorme drifts through some Tasmanian gold.

Zee Germans are shredding Zee Germans are shredding
Zee Germans are shredding! Zee Germans are shredding!

Stage 6 is going to be a freeway
Stage 6 is going to be a freeway.

Chris Segar looking mighty fresh at days end.
Chris Segar looking mighty fresh at days end.

The lightbro was firing hard on stage six. Squids rejoiced.
The #lightbro was firing hard on stage six. Squids rejoiced.

Chris Ball snags the last bit of golden light as the sun sets over Derby.
Chris Ball snags the last bit of golden light as the sun sets over Derby.

A perfect ending to a perfect day. Troutie left us all with big grins.
A perfect ending to a perfect day. Troutie left us all with big grins.

Raise a wheel to Tassie s golden trails. We are in love.
Raise a wheel to Tassie's golden trails. We are in love.

Enduro World Series Round Two Tasmania - Event Preview


MENTIONS: @davetrumpore / @mdelorme



Author Info:
davetrumpore avatar

Member since Feb 26, 2008
269 articles

44 Comments
  • 52 1
 Chris ball goes deep in the crack hahahah
  • 37 2
 Ball deep in the Crack! - that should have been the caption on that pic!
  • 13 0
 Ball's deep in the crack.
  • 2 1
 Crack n Ballz Transitions next suspension linkage!
  • 3 0
 had to read that 3-4 times, brain kept rearranging the words....
  • 18 4
 I have a Chrome extension that turns photos of Trump into kittens and because of Trumpore, a handful of shots are now kittens. Pretty sure it made this slightly better.
  • 2 0
 haha i have the same thing! i just had to google how to temporarily remove it so I could see all the photos
  • 18 7
 Tasmania's going to be a proper race. Looking forward to seeing who's fastest down the HILL. Definitely lots of spots for people to dominate the HILL. Yep, someone's probably ON THE HUNT for a dominating win on this HILL.
  • 10 2
 Poor
  • 10 1
 That's HILLarious
  • 1 3
 @cheeverbrent: looks like a HILL
  • 4 0
 cHILL out,guys. It's just a race.
  • 2 1
 Less is more Tim, less is...
  • 14 0
 Sam Hill's dad bike check please
  • 11 0
 Great shots as always, guys. Keep 'em comin'!
  • 2 0
 Matt and Dave blow my mind. Thanks for the snaps!!
  • 3 0
 Hell Yeah! Beautiful photos.
  • 4 0
 Watching the raw chest cam footage of Sven's run was funny with his cussing and hooting and hollering. Sounds like everyone is having more fun than they should be paid to be having.
  • 5 1
 Watch out for the drop bears, its breading season and they are hype aggressive at this time of year.
www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2013/04/drop-bears-target-tourists,-study-says
  • 4 1
 Great Dusty Crack clearance calculator. 1m =1000mm. bars are 740mm. 1000mm-740mm = 260mm or 130 each side. For us on the Imperial its about 5 inches on each side.

I've been in tighter cracks Wink
  • 4 1
 What bars did you use?

Oh... wait
  • 6 0
 Love the photo epics.
  • 2 0
 Amazing to see how much fun the organizing and media crew has. Events that integrate the staff into the experience always feel better.
  • 3 0
 * with an 680mm handlebar!!
  • 2 0
 Show us your map of Tazzie
  • 1 0
 What lenses are being used to capture those sweet wide angles?! Loving the photography as always
  • 1 0
 Another media jolly/photo op race.

Can't wait for the bangers to drop bro.
  • 1 0
 Pics look awesome better than the preview vid! Must have filmed every rock in that vid!
  • 4 2
 Which came first? The beer belly or the E-bike?
  • 2 1
 ohhh so thats why sam hill uses hand guards
  • 1 1
 live in Tasmania, have a cave house and ride my '08 commencal mini dh. Why ? Dont know
  • 1 0
 We're spoiled by great photos.
  • 1 0
 So, Ball's deep in the crack, eh?
  • 1 1
 Duh. Comment already made. Sorry folks....now for something completely different...
  • 2 2
 One picture with an ebike and one picture with an overweight rider. Is it coincidence it's the same picture?
  • 1 0
 GIGGITY!!!!
  • 1 1
 full enduro down down under!!
  • 1 1
 wow just wow. looks so insane-one day...
  • 1 1
 pretty sure that toyota rearmirror is not the original one though
  • 3 3
 *Spots the e-bike. Lights a match. Watches the comments section burn.*
  • 5 3
 Burn the e - bike, hope the EWS dosent go the way if the e!
  • 1 0
 epic photos
  • 1 2
 I'd be stoked if not for the douche bag attitude I encountered from them on the trail.







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