After the volcanic landscape of Chile, round two of the Enduro World Series mountain bike race series descended on the British Isles for the first time, as part of the annual TweedLove Festival in Scotland.
Running as the culmination of the TweedLove Festival, which takes place in Glentress and Innerleithen on the Scottish borders, the event gave non-professional mountain bikers the chance to ride side by side with some of the best professional racers in the world.
Anyone expecting the racing in Scotland to be tame compared to the epic trails of Chile was in for a surprise. And there were a lot of surprised professional mountain bikers out on the mountain over the weekend.
Though the weather was blissfully dry, the tight and twisty trails through the wooded hillsides of the area retained their water. Loose, muddy, and tricky were the watchwords of the weekend, and many riders were caught out.
All eyes were on Brit rider Tracy Moseley (winner of the inaugural Enduro World Series in 2013) and Anne Caroline Chausson. Anne Caro placed second overall in the series last year, but was recovering from an early-season injury. With a win in Round 1 of the 2014 Series in Chile, the battle between T-Mo and Anne Caro is hotting up.
Eyes were also on Katy Winton. With an already impressive palmarès under her belt in the world of cross country mountain biking – British National Champion, several Scottish Championship titles, and she’s represented GB in several XC World Champs – this young rider grew up in the area, and surely knew a thing or two about the local terrain.
In total 52 women lined up, with 39 in the Elite Category – 14 of which were from Great Britain. Not a bad turnout. (But with 223 in the Elite Men’s category, we’re still not quite up there yet.)
Tracy Moseley was clearly right at home in the treacherous conditions, and her cross-country training is clearly paying dividends too. She won each stage of the race, which involved navigating some tight technical trails and punishing climbs over two long days of racing, and took the overall win.
Anne Caro chased hard but couldn’t quite make up the time, leaving her in second place 45 seconds behind T-Mo, with fellow Frenchwoman Cécile Ravanel in third.
Results:
1. Tracy Moseley 0:49:01:07
2. Anne Caroline Chausson 0:49:46:98
3. Cécile Ravanel 0:50:13:60
4. Anneke Beerten 0:51:47:70
5. Ines Thoma 0:53.36.75
Notable others British riders in the Top 20:
10th – Katy Winton
11th – Helen Gaskill
13th – Carrie Poole
14th – Emma Guy
18th – Sarah Newman
Check out the full results list on the Enduro World Series Results Page.
Missed the action? Fear not! Our friends at DirtTV have captured the highlights for you to enjoy at your leisure? Or indeed at your lunchtime.
Glentress and Innerleithen are apparently Scotland’s biggest tourist attraction after Edinburgh Castle, and the TweedLove Festival can only cement that reputation.
A whole week of racing, events and showcases for everyone from children and families to the worlds mountain biking elite, this is grass roots cycling at its best. With riders like Katy Winton coming up through clubs in the area, it’s safe to say there are even more great things to come from this part of the world.
Next stop on the Enduro World Series for the top riders is Enduro Series Valloire, France, on the 21st and 22nd June. Can T-Mo making it two in a row, or will Anne Caro regain the prime podium position? We can’t wait to find out.
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Catch up with how the season started for Tracy Moseley and the Enduro World Series
Looking for a bike for riding enduro? Have a look at the new Juliana Bicycles Roubion.
Heading out on the trails? Don’t forget to read our 10 Trail Riding Essential Tips before you go!
