There's Survival, Then There's Sam Hill - EWS Colombia Race Day Slideshow - Mountain Biking Pictures

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There are so many insightful quotes and incredible images in the slideshow from the Enduro World Series, Colombia, that we'll let them do the talking. Oh and Sam Hill's riding has us speechless anyway. Sven Martin and @maddogboris deliver the mud-covered goods from a fantastic round of racing, despite brutally difficult conditions in Manizales. The EWS takes a six-week hiatus before round three hits France in mid-May.

Sam Hill's riding today reminded me of his riding from his prime downhill days. Smashing the field with big margins on tough tracks in challenging conditions. Winning both here and in Chile in polar opposite conditions means he is the one to try and beat this year. -Sven Martin

Sam Hill on his way to stage five. Flat pedal shoes are friends on the liaisons too. -Sven Martin

Sam Hill is a freakin legend. We all know the old Earthed videos and have seen him riding on his Iron Horse in Champery, Val di Sole and Schladming on a completely different level. And that's what we witnessed today! @maddogboris

Cecile taking the win by over a minute today. Next up for her is Croatia World Cup DH. -Sven Martin

Cecline Ravanel with tunnel vision to another stage win! 24 minutes of complete race time and she was over one minute ahead of Isabeau. @maddogboris

It was part chaos, part comedy, and part tragedy out there today. This is about half way into the first stage and you already have five riders catching each other. Marcelo continues in audio. -Sven Martin

A trackside tree toppled over was caught and held up by the fans so a startled Jose Borges could squeeze under it. 20 seconds later it was all clear for the next rider. Crazy, as Sam Hill concludes. -Sven Martin

Marcelo was always going to be a danger here. Second to an unstoppable Sam Hill. -Sven Martin

We wish we would have taken earplugs with us when local hero Marcelo Gutierrez came by! The fans screamed him to the second place. @maddogboris

Your men's podium and Event Director, Chiguiro, celebrate the end of the days racing. -Sven Martin

Isabeau Courdurier with one stage win and two 2nd-place stages, again on the podium with a 2nd place overall. @maddogboris

Oton Charging for the finish line on stage eight. 3rd place and in the hunt. -Sven Martin

Katy Winton paddling her way down the nearly unrideable stage four which was, for the most part, a flat, muddy bog. -Sven Martin

We probably mentioned before that the Colombian fans are crazy! They love and live mountain biking to the fullest. @maddogboris

Martin Maes unfortunately out today. -Sven Martin

Like last week, we have a surprise newcomer in 4th place. Young Youn Dinaud, a privateer supported by Fred Glo's bike shop, is turning heads after two good back-to-back races. -Sven Martin

Ines Thoma won Stage 7 ended up on 4th Position overall and the Canyon Factory Enduro Team was the Team of the Day! Congrats. @maddogboris

Greg Callaghan on his way to the 5th overall position here in Manizales. @maddogboris

Mitch Ropelato managing to hop out of this rut. The rest of the day he found himself feeble grinding most of the ruts. -Sven Martin

Mitch Ropelato's do-not-forget list on race day as laid out by SRAM's Evan Warner. Mitch finished 16th overall with a fifth place stage finish and another top ten. -Sven Martin

Joe Barnes was loving the muddy conditions here in Manizales. Pretty similar to home...just warm instead of cold rain. @maddogboris

Noga Korem sliding into 5th today. -Sven Martin

Mandatory bike wash at the end of the boggy stage four. -Sven Martin

More fans! most parts of the tracks were packed with fans. And for a change there was just one drone in the air. We counted five drones above the podium later that day. @maddogboris

Tire choice and tire width was a critical factor today. Skinny spikes for the win! @maddogboris

Winning tires getting pressures checked early this morning. Spikes were the play for most. -Sven Martin

Theo Gally, on the new Sunn bike, leaves South America sitting in seventh overall in the series. A great way for him to start the year. -Sven Martin

A tough day for Jesse Melamed, but despite his tenth today he moves up to fourth overall in the series. He's in the hunt. -Sven Martin

Eddie Masters won that last stage of the day and we guess he enjoyed the grass corner of stage 6 more than the mud-fest at the bottom of stage 4. @maddogboris

Yoann Barelli making the tires bite. -Sven Martin

Not often do we see the top riders catching each other. -Sven Martin

Josh Bryceland was sitting in the top ten near the end of the day helped by a fourth and second place stage finish. Here he lays it out on stage seven after a big climb. -Sven Martin

Elliot Heap also taking a big margin win on board the Nukeproof in the U21 division. Held back by a mechanical last weekend, he is happy to be back where he feels he belongs. -Sven Martin

Mark Scott sneaking into 8th with some super consistent riding all day. -Sven Martin

Wyn must be *wheelie* happy to ride some rut and mud-free grass on the final stage today. -Sven Martin

A sweet custom gold helmet as the trophy for this round. -Sven Martin

Jacy has been by Sam Hill's side for most of his career. Can't wait to read the book someday. -Sven Martin

Robin Wallner perfect form and poise railing a slippery berm on stage two. -Sven Martin

The latest addition to the CRC squad, Kelan Grant getting loose. -Sven Martin

Life's tough out there in the trenches. Thanks to some of the friendliest fans we've ever met, we stayed nice and hydrated at all times. Maddog keeping it classy. -Sven Martin

9th place for Adrien Daily with a lot of air time! @maddogboris

Iago Garay on Stage 7! @maddogboris

Your series leaders heading to France for the next stop. -Sven Martin

Look and that crowd. Cheers Manizales! -Sven Martin

Winning teams. -Sven Martin

Good thing there is six weeks to recover before round three. Everyone will need the time. Vital thanks Sven and Boris for a level of story-telling that's on par with Sam's riding. YEW!!! photo by Sven Martin