Race Preview: Gravity Enduro Series 2019 - Round 2 Killaloe by elyari

Killaloe a new location for enduro riders from now on for sure it will get more visitors

Here we are, another amazing weekend in Ireland for the second stop of the Irish Gravity Enduro Series. This time on a fresh area that not many riders know about it, with a couple of trails built for the occasion. Similar to the first race in Ballinastoe, the race route is not long, with short physical stages. Fifth stages awaits for the riders, loamy fresh terrain with a mix of open fast sections on the higher areas and then rooty and bit slippery ones inside the forest on the lower sections.

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With near 300 riders is going to be a long day for everyone on race day. Starting at 9:30 with the seeded riders, then 10:30 all the hardcore weekend warriors and at midday the pro ones. If you happen to be around, don´t miss the technical sections on third and fourth stages, so far the preferred ones for the riders. Some known faces will battle for the podium, Leah Maunsell is fresh from her U21 first place in Madeira and Hanna Harvey also with a podium on the last Vitus Enduro Cup past week. On men category the likes of Jonathan Maunsell, Garreth Davis, Jack Devlin, Ross and more, all known faces on each Irish enduro race.

Leah Maunsell, fresh from Madeira, winning U21 women category with her Kona

Winning bike U21 women in Madeira, will see it again in the podium tomorrow?

Team Maunsell for the win, Cieran Maunsell the most experienced of the team, usually found in the M50 podium all over Ireland

Limerick Mountanbike Club has been deeply involved on trail building in the area shout out to them for the good work

Shout out to Limerick Mountainbike Club for the good work on all the trails.

Killaloe has amazing trails to offer. All stages have something different. Stage 3, 4 and 5 are the preferred ones for all rides. Stage 3 has some technical sections with both rocks and roots ready to make you suffer. Stage 5 is the most kind of downhill one, with several jumps and features where riders will for sure let go the brakes. This new location for enduro riders from now on will for sure it will get more visitors.

Send it Johny!

What they are looking at? Maybe throw a stone and see how long it takes to get to the bottom?

Teammates

Top section stage one is all about landscapes and let those brakes off

Fist switchbacks of the many on third stage Switch for a reason

Dropping into the forest after upper open and wide section of first stage Three Halves

Dropping into the forest after the upper open and wide section of first stage Three Halves

Nothing happened here, please walk

Although there are not many rock gardens there are some sketchy sections, time to go tubeless maybe

Eyes on the next rocky or rooty section, third stage Switch has some of the technical sections of the race course

Start of Born Slippy fifth stage the one with more features jumps and some step sections

Bottom section of Born Slippy fifth stage of the day

Bottom section of Born Slippy, the fifth stage of the day

Young guns have plenty of energy to spare

MENTIONS: @ChainReactionCycles / @VitusBikes

Author Info:

elyari

Member since Apr 5, 2011
128 articles

3 Comments

Mega-Man (May 19, 2019 at 0:15)

Amazing spot. Its a credit to Limerick Mountain Biking Club. It's one of those locations where you go to to keep your tech skills sharp and no easy way to the top means you'll get your fitness up too!

elyari FL (May 19, 2019 at 12:19)

Amazing trails indeed! A good mix of gnar with pedaling and lot of watch-out-for-that-tree XD

ThinkTank45 FL (May 20, 2019 at 0:31)

Amazing weekend, cheers to everyone involved. Perfect enduro trails.