Photo Epic: Racing In The Streets - Prologue, EWS 2015, Ainsa

Sep 25, 2015 at 12:32
by Matt Wragg  
The prologue ran down through the streets of the old town.



RACING

IN THE


STREETS



WORDS AND PHOTOS: MATT WRAGG & DAVE TRUMPORE






To kick off the real action this weekend the organisers arranged a prologue through the streets. Prologues are always a tricky subject with racers, especially when they are through the streets, because none of them like to lose time before the real racing has even began - and a flat on a stone step could end your race weekend there and then. But, prologues are a great way to bring the action to the fans and the local residents, so this weekend the prologue was declared mandatory, but the time would not count towards the race - a good compromise. The organsiers didn't hold back, putting a huge amount of effort into making it feel special.



Beautiful views await you in Ainsa in all directions.
Beautiful views await you in Ainsa in all directions.

No fear of tight spaces if you wanted to climb to the bell tower high above the main square.
No fear of tight spaces if you wanted to climb to the bell tower high above the main square.

Not the typical route to the start gate.
Not the typical route to the start gate.

As the times don t count in the race a big group of the pro men decided that it would be more fun to try and pile down together.
As the times don't count in the race, a big group of the pro men decided that it would be more fun to try and pile down together.

Ludo May getting on the gas for the crowd.
Ludo May getting on the gas for the crowd.

Theo Galy heads down the ancient alleyway just on the outskirts of the castle wall.
Theo Galy heads down the ancient alleyway just on the outskirts of the castle wall.

Katy Winton racing through the lower part of the course.
Katy Winton racing through the lower part of the course.

Spectators of all ages came out to enjoy this evenings prologue.
Spectators of all ages came out to enjoy this evenings prologue.

Alex Cure has a 100 record with EWS prologues - he won the first ever EWS stage the prologue in Punta Ala in 2013 and repeated that victory this evening.
Alex Cure has a 100% record with EWS prologues - he won the first ever EWS stage, the prologue in Punta Ala in 2013, and repeated that victory this evening.

Thomas Lapeyrie took the French line and hucked over the hay bales on the upper part of the course.
Thomas Lapeyrie took the French line and hucked over the hay bales on the upper part of the course.

Cecile Ravenel pinned it into the top spot for the women.
Cecile Ravenel pinned it into the top spot for the women.

Martin Maes was one of the few riders pushing hard for the win in the prologue but would have to settle for 2nd spot.
Martin Maes was one of the few riders pushing hard for the win in the prologue but would have to settle for 2nd spot.

Nico Lau threw some shapes for the crowd.
Nico Lau threw some shapes for the crowd.

Anka Martin got fully into the spirt of thing and dressed in local costume for the prologue.
Anka Martin got fully into the spirt of thing and dressed in local costume for the prologue.

As the current series leader Richie Rude was the last man down as he will be all weekend. It will be interesting to see how the youngster handles the pressure with so much on the line this weekend.
As the current series leader Richie Rude was the last man down, as he will be all weekend. It will be interesting to see how the youngster handles the pressure with so much on the line this weekend.

The event organisers ordered a kilometre long sausage for this evening. How do you cook a sausage that big With a crane and a ten metre-square barbeque of course.
The event organisers ordered a kilometre long sausage for this evening. How do you cook a sausage that big? With a crane and a ten metre-square barbeque, of course.

The light fires outside the castle walls while the BBQ fires on the inside.
The light fires outside the castle walls while the BBQ fires on the inside.

With bikes race prepped for tomorrow s battle the boys at Fox took a moment to celebrate.
With bikes race prepped for tomorrow's battle, the boys at Fox took a moment to celebrate.

The last light fades over a distant hillside the same hillside that will play host to stages 1-4 when racing gets underway tomorrow.
The last light fades over a distant hillside, the same hillside that will play host to stages 1-4 when racing gets underway tomorrow.

About the Photographers

Matt Wragg • Age: 32 • Years Shooting: 3
Maybe best-known as a long-standing member of Pinkbike's European editorial team, Matt is also a successful commercial photographer. As the first English-speaking photographer to follow and document the nascent European enduro scene, he was shooting enduro well before it became a marketing buzzword or a shade of blue. Today he is still one of the few photographers to make his living following the discipline and has built up an enviable client list that includes many of the top teams and brands in the world.

Dave Trumpore • Age: 35 • Years Shooting: 4
Dave spent the bulk of the past 17 years racing professionally before realizing that despite qualifying for the random World Cup final here and there, the next generation was just way too fast and way more talented. Upon hanging up his racing boots in 2010, it would be a few years until Dave picked up a camera and started shooting the odd race here and there as a way to stay in touch with all the friends he had made over the years, and the rest as they say is history. In just a few years time his photos have graced the pages of just about every MTB magazine and major media outlet, while his commercial client list includes a who's who of the cycling industry, and he is lucky enough to shoot regularly with some of the best riders on the planet. Currently at Pinkbike, Dave shoots the Downhill WC and the Enduro World Series as well as contributing to the occasional editorial story.
MENTIONS: @EnduroWorldSeries / @yeticycles / @trek


Author Info:
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Member since Oct 29, 2006
753 articles
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35 Comments
  • 83 0
 just another typical mtb sausage fest
  • 32 1
 pics or the kilometer-long sausage didnt happen!
  • 6 1
 I believe you're looking at it. They don't flip the meat, they flip the entire rack holding it. Saw this in Benicassim, Spain as well.
  • 11 1
 Awesome to see some urban riding thrown in at Ainsa
  • 8 0
 Hey Pinkbike, your photo epics are awesome!
  • 7 1
 There needs to be a course preview for the EWS!
  • 1 0
 Lol
  • 1 0
 RC rode a stage earlier this week on video.
  • 8 2
 Grandma is like "wtf is happening here ???"
  • 5 1
 They should do something like this for every race
  • 2 0
 Great pic of the hay bale hop, mainly in the crowd's reaction. Dude in the red cape is amused?! So am I!
  • 2 0
 It looks like that kid is yawning while the other is playing on a game boy in the Alex Cure photo.
  • 2 0
 I see lintels, arches and crazy meticulously placed cobble stones. Charming village. Would have been a treat to photograph.
  • 2 0
 Is Keene on a Fattie tired bike?
  • 1 0
 that guy behind the dude hopping the hay bales is keene, im not sure it is, its the right kit but that looks like a yt capra, not a spez, the shock mounts to the down tube not the top tube, but i might be mistaken
  • 1 0
 Think you're right- tires are all just getting fat these days!
  • 1 0
 That's Bryan Regnier
  • 1 0
 Keene's # is 12 not 15.
  • 1 0
 Is that a costume on Graves and his bike or has he been playing too close to a copper aluminum phosphate mine?
  • 8 7
 I'll show you a kilometer long sausage!
  • 14 2
 You obviously wear Interbike socks
  • 4 1
 More like a 0.621371 mile long sausage.
  • 2 2
 sausage jokes not the same as sockgate - sorry.
  • 3 3
 The only way this has nothing to do with sockgate is if you deliberately meant that you will show it to another dude.
  • 3 2
 This is 'murica. We think km is a unit of time! In other words it is how long he takes to get 'er done.
  • 2 1
 I was not aware that Matt Wragg is a female according to Waki
  • 2 0
 Sockgate is my new favourite pinkbikeism. I miss the puns, but sockgate is the excellent.
  • 2 0
 I think it's mostly dudes who want to see a kilometre long sausage anyway...
  • 3 1
 release the sausage!
  • 1 0
 I´m sure they are having fun this weekend!!
  • 1 0
 looks like fun for everybody out of the top 20
  • 1 0
 For once a pro is "throwing shapes" just like me!
  • 2 2
 Waoooo, that French line, sick!!!
  • 1 1
 Fox boys drinking French wine in Spain. Shame on them.
  • 1 0
 That yeti was hideous







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