Welcome to Les Deux Alps, located in the heart of the French Alps. The town rests nearly at the top of a massive cliff that looks over the valley below. Today was practice for the third World Enduro and the start of Crankworx. The enduro course has four stages, two located on each hillside of the valley all with long, technical descents and a chairlift to get back up. Here's the start to the third Enduro World Series!
Pits get raised at the base of Les Deux Alps.
Les Deux Alpes is a confusing place to be right now... a city still torn in two by powder hounds and dirt junkies. There's still plenty of white(ish) stuff up top, but the sweltering heat below the mid-station is no place for tall-tee-toters.
Lapierre techs prep the bikes for the day's heavy practice. The terrain is loose, dry, steep and extremely exposed here. The bikes must be in absolute perfect shape to handle the abuse. Adjustments can only be made at the pits and team organizers / mechanics are not allowed to be on the course.
Loic Bruni's here with Blenkinsop to rain on the parade of the old guards of the enduro world. Loic is well suited to the steep and ragged hillsides on offer here. He sees enduro less as a focus and more a perfect way to train for the downhill. Still plenty of cause to be afraid.
Anneke Beerten putting on the last touches to her bike before a full day of practice.
The Crankworx Europe lifts are full of dropper-posts like never before....this being the first year of inclusion in the highly acclaimed mountain bike festival.
Stages two and four rest on the eastern side of town holding much more technical terrain than the more mellow one and three stages located across the valley.
This sky wire takes you to stages two and four in express time. The other side of the village is another story. Stages one and three are an agonizing half-hour wait, bobbing above the buttercups.
If you think we've gone on enough about about the epic scenery, that'd be because sometimes a picture just isn't enough.
Sure they look innocent, but these guys haven't helped trail smoothness one bit.
Sick Mick shows us how it's done on the alternate line on stage two. Two and four are extremely technical and resemble a DH track, while one and three are a bit less rocky.
Belgian junior, Liebrechts, skips through the dragon's teeth, half way home for team Urge.
Sunscreen and dust makes a grubby cocktail... Marco Fidalgo of Portugal keeps it clean in black and white.
French local Jerome Clementz is said to be the top contender for the race here in Les Deux Alpes. Currently ranked second in the Enduro World Series, he is expected to do extremely well on this course. Will he beat Graves and Nico?
Upper part of the course on stage one.
Line choices.... Blinky and Niko choose their nemesis. Camera left line is harder to get into and has a better run out while the other is the opposite. This rock section had many riders walking some sections and just about everyone stopping to check out the line choices.
The American Dream Curtis Keene
Keene, second in the Crankworx Canadian Enduro Open 2012, the Statesider looks hungry to celebrate the fourth of July a little late in France.
The view doesn't get too old here deep in the French Alps.
Anneka Beerten prepares for birthday bumps tomorrow by hammering down the ultra-dusty, pine-lined chute on stage three. Despite incredibly rough sections across the whole mountain, Stage two seems to be most riders' technical nemesis.
Braapp. Lower section of the first stage isn't more than a weed whacked grassy line. It's slick and quite technical.
Kiwi powerhouse, Justin Leov, 6th at Val d'Allos, is crossing all fingers and toes for a mechanical and crash free foursome of runs tomorrow.
Lars N' Bars
Polc finds the mentality required for downhill and enduro much the same. At the end of the day it's all about the hunt for the win.
Jared Graves, seen here on the minimal amount of climbing at the top of stage four. Graves is known to be a powerhouse and will be giving Clementz a run for his money here.
Swiss Norco riders, Lukas and Michael feeling the baking summer vibes before taking the plunge to the valley floor.
Jerome Rolland
It might look like a nicely padded, grassy hillside, but underneath the daisies are big gnarly holes and jagged rocks. This mountain shows no mercy to its countrymen either, giving Alexandra Sicard some serious grief at high altitude.
Matt Snelling
Heavy duty metal work... that's Filip Polc's Evil Uprising.
The way Dan Atherton attacks the stages, you would assume the beautiful meadows of Deux Alpes make him very angry for some reason. A huge believer in the power of GoPro, Dan reviews and relives his runs from the day until they've thoroughly sunk in.
Fields of green. Fresh cuts on the course made things a bit interesting today. Should be all cut in for tomorrow with the heavy traffic.
So is Clementz. I think enduro is perfect for proving its not about wheel size. Nico is on 27.5 but he's also a terrific rider. If the top 5 was all 27.5, then I'll become a believer.
krisrayner - believing in wheel size or any equipment basing on podium standings is like becoming atheist after the episode of Mythbusters on walking on water...
Guess what I was trying to get across is not to believe all the hype unless there's some consistent results. All the wheel sizes have their place, but I think it all gets trumped by the rider when your competing at this level.
In a close race the wheel size could make a difference, and it did last week when Nico won.
But I'm staying on 26 cause I don't care about seconds, I just want to be able to tweek my bike sideways as easily as possible when I jump.
These guys are paid to promote products which will turn the company a profit. Them being able to win on 27.5 doesn't mean that they wouldn't win on 26. The only way you can tell if the product will work for you is to get out on it yourself - no-one can tell you what works best for your riding; only your instincts when you're calling upon them the most.
Definitely!! Your instinct and I think the rider's size should also been taken into account.
To me switching from 26 to 27.5 when you are riding a small frame makes less sense than when you are 1m90 and riding a large one
I see no "home here for Clementz. He's not from the area at all. Considering the massive pedaling on stage 1 i'd bet on Graves or maybe a surprise with sick Mick?
Thanks
Considering the massive pedaling on stage 1 i'd bet on Graves or maybe a surprise with sick Mick?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhyCL-ELRxg