Gone Too Far? Enduro World Series, La Thuile

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Some of the most incredible trails and landscapes in the shadow of Mont Blanc are what make the Enduro World Series in La Thuile, Italy, a racer-favorite. Hell, it's the venue that made Sam Hill fall in love with the discipline. But have the courses this year been pushed too far in terms of steep, technical terrain? Some say yes, some say no. Regardless of opinion, every will compete on the same course this weekend. Experience the breath-taking, all-time mountain biking of La Thuile thanks to Sven Martin, @maddogboris and Lee Trumpore.

Sam Hill with some corner steeze and some La Thuile history. La Thuile is the reason he stuck with racing Enduro. @maddogboris
Pay attention boys. Cécile Ravanel demonstrating how it's done. -Lee Trumpore
Mitch Ropelato on Stage 5, will sprint uphill for good descents but questions some of the newly cut trail. @maddogboris
Blenki boosting a rock spine that others tweeter down while dragging brakes. Nuts! -Sven Martin
Surely Sam Hill has to be the favorite after wining here last year and on a tear this year. With no pressure, it will be interesting how he chooses to race this one. I'm calling for the win again. -Sven Martin
Blenki bonking in the first 20 meters on his very first run of the day yesterday. -Sven Martin
Massive drops and even bigger scenery. -Sven Martin
Where others struggle to find a smooth line, Iago does his thing. -Sven Martin
This just goes to show you the random awkwardness out here in the alpine with only one sighting run. You can only go so fast sometimes. -Sven Martin
Hard to take a bad shot out here up near the tops of stage one and three. -Sven Martin
Stage three vistas. -Sven Martin
Orbea rider, Thomas Lapeyrie, has been climbing the standing after early season illness caused him to miss several rounds. Always a threat on long, technical tracks he'll be one to watch. -Lee Trumpore
You can see that Martin Maes is doing everything he can to actually stay on the ground over this little rise. Expect him to be battling for the top spot tomorrow. -Sven Martin
Matt Simmonds on the new Cannondale 29'er, perfect to eat up the undulating alpine meadows. -Sven Martin
Fresh from the Megavalanche, Josh Bryceland with some fresh ink. -Sven Martin
Rae Morrison tucked near the end of stage two after a massive liaison climb of over 1000 vertical meters. -Sven Martin
Rolling deep up to the top of stage four. -Sven Martin
Richie Rude takes off down stage four with a shrouded Mt Blanc in the background. -Sven Martin
Damien Oton has been one of the most consistent podium racers in the EWS over multiple years. A podium is within his reach again here this weekend. -Sven Martin
Paul Van der Ploeg (XC Eliminator World Champ) has some pop! Well that's what you get when you preload bunnyhop over 100kg of pure Aussie beef. -Sven Martin
Youn Deniaud sitting in the Top 10. Great season for the young Frenchman. -Sven Martin
Jared Graves trying to not be distracted by the epic scenery on offer on stage four. -Sven Martin
Cecile Ravanel roosting berms. @maddogboris
Who else but Cody Kelley can look this good on tricky, awkward, natural terrain. Stage four just keeps on giving. -Sven Martin
Cody Kelley getting all the attention. @maddogboris
Stage five. Riders either love it or hate it. Tight, steep, loose, rough with triple servings of exploding rocks. Nothing can stop Josh Carlson who just steam rolls through. -Sven Martin
Jesse Melamed popping out of ruts on the top of stage six. -Sven Martin
Is Eddie one of the best dual-sporters out there right now? He's looking fit, fast and confident, coming off a good Andorra World Cup DH showing. What is it about the Kiwis that make them so strong in all disciplines. -Sven Martin
Yoann Barelli in touch with his feminine side. Good to have you back, Yo. -Sven Martin
Elliott Heap shaking some mud off his shoes on stage six. -Sven Martin
Airflaps. A solution to foggy goggles often encountered in physical enduro stages. -Sven Martin
Salva Moreno (CRC filmer) showing Sam Hill what to do on the steep rock slabs with Monte Bianco towering in the background. -Sven Martin
Katy Winton always fights hard and to the very end. Can Katy or Isabeau best Ravanel this weekend? -Sven Martin
Isabeau Courdurier on the last bit of "easy" trail before dropping into an all-new, fresh, steep stage one. -Sven Martin
Combined family BBQ dinner with GT and Cannondale. -Sven Martin
Ines Thoma drops in from one of the most iconic stage starts ever seen at a World Enduro race, -Sven Martin
Dave McMillan sliding around one of the freshly benched corners on the all-new stage five. -Sven Martin
Despite his tiny "camerbag," filmer Gaetan Clary tucks and bucks himself off of stage five. This is what a job in bike media is all about. -Sven Martin
Despite his tiny "camerbag," filmer Gaetan Clary tucks and bucks himself off of stage five. This is what a job in bike media is all about. -Sven Martin
Despite his tiny "camerbag," filmer Gaetan Clary tucks and bucks himself off of stage five. This is what a job in bike media is all about. -Sven Martin
Despite his tiny "camerbag," filmer Gaetan Clary tucks and bucks himself off of stage five. This is what a job in bike media is all about. -Sven Martin
Despite his tiny "camerbag" filmer, Gaetan Clary tucks and bucks himself off of stage five. This is what a job in bike media is all about. -Sven Martin
Despite his tiny "camerbag" filmer, Gaetan Clary tucks and bucks himself off of stage five. This is what a job in bike media is all about. -Sven Martin
Joe Barnes loving the awkward rock tech on stage five. -Sven Martin
Josh pretzel. -Sven Martin
If anyone was wondering where all the dirt catch berms have disappeared to on stage five, just #blameboris -Sven Martin
LooseDog on the rocks! @maddogboris
Just a normal Start of a Day at the Enduro World Series. Start of Stage 5! @maddogboris
Josh Ratboy Bryceland having fun as always. @maddogboris
Dimitri Tordo with some mountains, roots and a manual. @maddogboris
Mark Scott sits in 4th position overall and is ready for the race. @maddogboris
Greg Callaghan above La Thuile! @maddogboris
Steep as F..., rocky as F.....! @maddogboris
Will climb for amazing views. The trails in the Aosta Valley are stunning, but even they have a hard time competing with the scenery. -Lee Trumpore
The tracks here are steep in general, but Stage 1 is on an entirely different level in places. U21 rider, Tom Wilson, slides down the loam with ease, unfortunately it looks like riders might be sliding down in the mud come race day. -Lee Trumpore
Rubbin's racin' and Jared Graves has no problem pushing a sappling out of the way with his face for an inside line. -Lee Trumpore
Liaisons aren't always about climbing. McKay Vezina bagging a few shots for the next Wheelie Wednesday. -Lee Trumpore
Style master, Craig Evans is here with the 50:01 crew, styling everything except for their haircuts. -Lee Trumpore
Marco Osborne monstrer trucking the Stage 6 boulder garden. -Lee Trumpore
Feet together, arms out straight, Rachel Pageau demonstrates perfect form while diving into a pool of La Thuile dust. -Lee Trumpore
All smiles while awaiting her scores from the judges. -Lee Trumpore
Roost-off World Champs for Life, David McMillan, blowing up corners at his first-ever EWS. -Lee Trumpore
Fatherhood hasn't slowed Yoann Barelli one bit, and all that selfie-practice has taught him exactly how to frame himself for the assembled photographers. Stay tuned for the race action this weekend! -Lee Trumpore
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