Welcome to the Enduro World Series 2018. Apparently the dates are here to stay and as usual, every other year there is an EWS stop in South America, this year with Chile being first and Colombia second. On this occasion and unlike previous occasions, the chosen terrain was in the central part of the country, which is characterized by the infamously sketchy dirt that’s aptly dubbed Antigrip, which is responsible for testing everyone’s grit. Adding to this the descent is the longest registered in an EWS, with the second stage of the first day at a distance of 11km, something totally out of the ordinary.
Santiago de Chile wakes up between the mountains.
The stages start at close to 3,500 meters above sea level, so as you can imagine, a chainlift is in order for some.
Dennis Tondin is one of the 2 Italians racing this event and currently sits in 46th place, while his fellow countryman Matteo Raimondi is in 44th.
Florencia Espiñeira was the fastest Chilean sitting in 7th overall after a 5th place finish in the first stage of the day.
Josh Bryceland pointed towards the finish line of stage 1.
Martin Maes is hungry for a win and you can see it in everything he does on the bike.
Always faithful to platform pedals, when Sam Hill passes by, he gives the impression that he knows the place inside and out, his bike control and handling skills speak for themselves.
The amount of people who met at the end of the stage two was incredible.
Isabeau Courdurier is attentive to any setback that Cecile Ravanel has, looking to seize opportunity.
One of the many breathtaking views of the glacial valley.
After 11 km down between rocks and completely destroyed ground, this was the descent that awaited all of the riders before they reached the finish line.
Adrien Deilly is currently the main contender to Sam Hill and although between the two competitors there are 19 seconds difference in time, with such gnarly conditions, that could change quite easily with just one mistake.
The crowd cheered Sam Hill from the moment he entered until he left the rock garden at Turn 16.
Many of the racers utilize a system in their wheels which, in the event of a puncture, allows them to continue riding in an optimal way until the wheel can be fixed. Today Richie Rude put that system to the test, descending almost 11 kilometers without air in his front wheel without air. This showcases the mindblowing mental dexterity that Richie has on a bike.
The first words that Ed Masters said were “I can’t feel my arms”…
8 km of road climbing link from the end of the second stage, until the beginning of the third and last stage.
Jan Guzman cruising to the last stage of the day.
Mauricio Acuña is the second fastest Chilean – he currently sits in 16th.
Jeremias Maio is the best positioned Argentine so far, where on the first day of the race, he finished in 49th place.
Crashes due to fatigue in the arms can strike at any time, pictured here is Facundo Mateos of Argentina, falling victim.
Ratboy only finished the first two stages, since in the third he had a big crash which resulted in a broken helmet and a completely sore body, which led him to abandon the last stage.
Mitch Ropelato racing his first enduro of the season, finishing in 34th place.
The best Chilean and current team Trek Factory rider Pedro Burns is positioned in 13th and he will surely go for more on the second day.
Massive mountains accompany the racers at all times. It’s lonely out there
Unstoppable Cecile Ravanel – 3 stages, 3 victories.
Great landscapes and huge rocks, all day.
Cody Kelley picked up some pace in the last stage and landed in 30th, putting him 53rd overall.
Jesse Melamed has been in Chile for more than a month and seems to be quite comfortable with the antigrip, today he landed in fifth place.
Sam Hill shows us why he has the number 1 plate, and today he got first place in the first round of the EWS in Chile.
Sam pointing to victory?
He won two stages and managed to get down longest descent with a flat front tire, and thus Richie Rude becomes the man of the day due to his incredible physical and mental prowess. Can Richie knock precious minutes and claw back to first place?
Greg Callaghan had a good race, but a crash in stage two took away from what could have been a top 10.
The light fades and it’s time for the racers to rest their arms and sleep a bit, because the second day of the race is incredibly hard.
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