Enduro World Series Race Action - Finale Ligure - Mountain Biking Pictures

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The end of the weird and wild 2020 Enduro World Series season has come. Finale Ligure, Italy, was the 3rd and final stop where enduro mountain bike racers challenged themselves and each other in technical, twisting Italian terrain. Sven Martin and @maddogboris deliver the dramatic photos and interviews from a not-normal conclusion to a not-normal EWS season.

Thank you Sven, Boris and especially Anka (for making sure they ended up in the right places at the right times). What a wild ride!

Finale Ligure Race Results

Hattie Harnden won the Junior women, but more impressively, she would have been 2nd in the elites. She was 18 seconds quicker than any other female on stage four. A very strong fit capable junior threat! Watch this space. -Sven Martin

Hattie, has won all 3 EWS races this year. Her Elite career will be very interesting. @maddogboris

First female flat pedal EWS win! 2 stage wins and a solid 30-second gap over 2nd place. Morgane Charre on fire. @maddogboris.

Morgane Charre stomping home a convincing win! -Sven Martin

The Pivot team is more family than team. Always good vibes and smiles with this lot. Except when Bernard has to pedal. Good job and well-deserved team title. -Sven Martin

With grit like this, riding down one of the fastest sections, it's no surprise Jesse ended up winning the race! @maddogboris

Jesse 3/4 stage wins! Had this been a series he would have taken it. -Sven Martin

Brady Stone from New Zealand won Junior men's today. The young kiwi proving he’s capable on all types of tracks, long and fast or short and tech. -Sven Martin

Funny story. Karim Amour told the UCI commissaire that he crashed into me on stage four. In reality this is the closest I got to Karim all day. Four floors away, right after waking up this morning as he set off for his day. While he was on stage four, I was on stage three. -Sven Martin

(In audio (not pictured), Sharjah Jonsson with an epic tale from the previous race) - I heard some noise while shooting and thought it was a pedal strike. Looking closer, I noticed that the derailleurs were getting pretty close to the ground. @maddogboris

Melanie Pugin, 2nd today after last week's win. Still taking a stage win on the physical stage four. -Sven Martin

Melanie Pugin with the second fastest time after 4 stages in Finale Ligure. @maddogboris

Another 2nd place for Florian Nicolai! The new bike must work pretty well for him... @maddogboris

Congratulations, Estelle Charles! First podium with a 3rd place. @maddogboris

Jack Moir thinking about getting barreled. Another podium for the all-rounder Aussie. -Sven Martin

Jack Moir did it again. 6 days after his 3rd place in Pietra, he finished the EWS with another 3rd place. @maddogboris

There is only one Matt Delorme (thankfully for humankind), but he is such a special soul. Cheering and working all at the same time. Katy Winton getting a boost. -Sven Martin

Slawomir Lukasik from Poland had an amazing day and an extra-special stage three (4th place), to land in the heavy-hitting Top Ten with a 9th overall. -the Hof

Yeah Anita! 5th place for half of the Gehrig Twins. @maddogboris

Ed Masters with glasses on his way to finish the EWS Finale Ligure in 5th. @maddogboris

SRAM weren’t front and center in the square as normal, but they were here nonetheless, servicing their teams, taking the Covid restrictions seriously. Ten bonus points for the Panda van. -Sven Martin

First Italian home was Matteo Raimondi in 14th and the Enduro Pope, Enrico in audio. -the Hof

Isabeau sets off this morning with partner and team manager, Cedric Carrez, who took a day off managing duties to race to sixth. -Sven Martin

Lucas Frigout streaking on stage one this morning. 1/8th sec. -Sven Martin

Adrien Dailly with a massive crash on stage three today. Catching his front wheel on a rock. He took a big punch to the lower back, but soldiered on anyway. -Sven Martin

tWinning. -Sven Martin

Double-vision Eddie! @maddogboris

Enjoy your beer Charles, you deserved it! 6th place for the kiwi. @maddogboris

Fabien Barel is more than just a mentor, team manager, and coach. He is still a passionate racer! Without his crash in training, he would have been out there today racing. @maddogboris

Jose Borges squeezing into a tight jersey and seventh place today. -Sven Martin

Cedric Ravanel, 2nd in Finale Ligure @maddogboris

Nico Vouilloz, never not watching. -Sven Martin

Charlie Murray on the sketchy slab Stage 1 slab that caught a few riders this week. -Sven Martin

Cole Lucas, part of the strong Kiwi contingent out here in Europe tackling the EWS this year. Living away from home for so long, especially in these times, is not easy. -Sven Martin

Greg Callaghan making his way down to the start this morning. He’s used to castles, coming from Ireland and all. -Sven Martin

Kev getting scandi. The big guy can throw some shapes. -Sven Martin

ALN went for a hike down a bank mid-stage-two but otherwise had a decent day. Hard to make up time when the women's racing is so tight these days. -Sven Martin

Martin Maes never set out to push. Riding with an injured knee (and hand), he just wanted smooth sailing and a big day out on the bike. Smooth, safe, and slow for Martin is still a Top 10 time. -Sven Martin

A couple of Kiwis abroad. Mates of Charlie Murray came out to support him and brought the essentials. -Sven Martin

Texi with another Top 20 on one of the quietest bikes out there. -Sven Martin

Max Pfeil dirt surfing the Finale flow! -Sven Martin

Lewis Buchanan slapping turns on stage one. -Sven Martin

Noga pushing hard on one of the many, many stage four climbs. A different (and painful) sort of end to Finale than we are used to. -Sven Martin

Race winner selfies. -Sven Martin

Canyon Collective Enduro Team is ready to Party! @maddogboris

Dimitri Tordo had a bit slow start but came back with the 2nd-fastest time on stage 3 and 8th-fastest on stage4. 11th at the end for the French party boy. @maddogboris

Theo Galy with 4th at the last EWS of 2020. @maddogboris

Aussie, Luke Meier-Smith, on Stage 1. -Sven Martin

Jamie Edmondson still has time to show some steeze while racing. Kids these days. @maddogboris

Don't worry buddy, you were not alone! @maddogboris

Maxime Chapuis had a bit bad luck today. At least he won the #mediaSquidStyle event. @maddogboris

EWS Finale U21 Podium - Left to Right - Luke Meier Smith, Brady Stone, Jamie Edmondson @maddogboris

Your Elite Men's podium from the castle. -Sven Martin

EWS Season 2020 Team Podium @maddogboris

How the end of the 2020 EWS season feels...upside-down with plenty to reflect on. @maddogboris

Thank you Anka Martin for taking care of us! @maddogboris

Cheers, Finale Ligure! @maddogboris

Umbrellas folded, weather rolling in, summer in Europe is over. Time to hop on a ferry and get out of here. -Sven Martin