Race Day Photo Epic: EWS Val Di Fassa 2022

The third round of the Enduro World Series, offered up two days of racing that proved to be every bit as dramatic as its backdrop of the Dolomites mountain range.

EWS Val Di Fassa culminated with two very familiar faces on the podium, but the results couldn’t tell the full story of this race, which threw up plenty of twists and turns along the way. 

The women’s competition was a straightforward affair at the top of the points table; Isabeau Courdurier put on a dominant performance to control this race from the outset. Winning every stage but one, the former series champion proved an unstoppable force this weekend, never relinquishing the race lead. Morgane Charre was assured of second place after she rode to a top five finish on every stage. It was a different story for Harriet Harnden, who secured her third place finish as a result of a hard-fought win on the final stage of the day. 

In the men’s race, it was Richie Rude who took the Pro Stage by three seconds ahead of Jesse Melamed. However, Melamed staged a fight back right out of the gate on Sunday, winning the first two stages of the day to take the lead. Rude would take the penultimate stage of the race, setting the scene for the perfect showdown on the final stage - with Melamed leading by just one second ahead of Rude. It proved to be too little a margin - Rude put down the power to win the stage and the race by five seconds. Eddie Masters proved consistency is key and was rewarded with a third place finish. 

Team of the day went to Pivot Factory Racing, Rocky Mountain Race Face came second and Canyon Collective third. While Courdurier and Rude lead the overall individual rankings. The Enduro World Series returns on August 6-7 to the always iconic EWS Whistler in Canada for round four, Followed back to back by two new venues in Burke, Vermont and Sugarloaf, Maine.