Elle s’est fait attendre, mais lorsqu’elle a finalement débuté, la saison des compétitions a frappé vite et fort. Entamée à Zermatt dans la dernière semaine d’août, elle s’est terminée par deux courses en Italie, à Pietra Ligure et à Finale Ligure, avant la fin de septembre. Avec son lot d’action condensé en quelques semaines, la saison 2020 aura été un feu de paille.

Les riders de partout dans le monde se « dépêchaient d’attendre » cette année et Jesse Melamed, Rémi Gauvin et Andréane Lanthier Nadeau ne faisaient pas exception. Même à la mi-août, ils ne savaient pas encore s’ils allaient se rendre en Europe pour courser, et c’est dans les dernières semaines avant la course 1 qu’ils ont tous pris l’avion.

Comme Jesse l’a si bien dit : « Nous voilà de retour en Italie, à nous nourrir exclusivement de gelato. » Voici le deuxième épisode de Jank Files, tourné à Pietra Ligure et Finale Ligure.

Filmed by Caldwell Visuals
Photos by Kike Abelleira

A big thank you to all our sponsors!
Race Face, Maxxis, Fox, Shimano, Smith Optics, WTB, OneUp Components, Stages Cycling, EVOC, RideWrap

C’est avec grand plaisir que nous retournons cette année aux Enduro World Series avec notre partenaire canadien habituel, Race Face Performance Products. Ces deux dernières années, la Rocky Mountain Race Face Enduro Team a fait sa marque en course d’enduro, et nous sommes ravis de poursuivre sur cette lancée.

Au fil des dernières saisons, nous avons vu Jesse Melamed, Andréane Lanthier Nadeau et Rémi Gauvin faire équipe et ajouter leur touche personnelle à l’enduro. Nous sommes fiers de les compter tous les trois parmi les nôtres cette année, et nous avons bien hâte de permettre au monde de nous accompagner avec la deuxième saison de Jank Files.

Peter Ostroski roule avec Rocky Mountain, d’une façon ou d’une autre, depuis maintenant 18 ans! Il a été de toutes les équipes d’enduro de notre histoire, et ces jours-ci, son calendrier de course prévoit un mélange d’épreuves des EWS, de Trans Madeira et de BC Bike Race. La saison 2020 s’annonce particulièrement exaltante pour Peter : sa terre natale de Burke, au Vermont, accueillera la 6e étape des EWS!

Osez des trajectoires tendues, survolez les sentiers et tenez un rythme jusqu’alors inimaginable. Affrontez les longues montées, mais lâchez-vous dans les descentes. Allez vite, parce que c’est fun.

Jesse Melamed - Fromme

Andréane Lanthier Nadeau - Seymour

Rémi Gauvin - Cypress

BC Bike Race is an undertaking that has to be experienced to be understood. It's more than just riding the trails or entering a race—it’s a life-changing event, and you need every participant to make it that.

Rocky Mountain athlete and BCBR head honcho Andreas Hestler shakes off the nerves for day one in Cumberland.

Geoff Gulevich brought his freeride game, tires, and handlebar-moustache to BCBR.

This year we brought a full roster of XC racers, ambassadors, freeriders, distrubutors, dealers, and friends. Geoff Gulevich left his full-face behind and slathered on the chamois butter. Adventure-loving Tito Tomasi was hemmed in by pink race tape and spandex but swore he would take adventurous lines every day.

Andreane Lanthier Nadeau came off a surprise Hood River Enduro win to show the Solo Women’s category how to descend on an XC bike. Local boy Quinn Moberg had something to prove as one of the youngest racers in this year’s Men’s Solo category. And Kevin Calhoun and Greg Day, who compete against each other in the local race scene, teamed up to take on the Men’s Team category.

This year’s BCBR was one of the toughest in the race’s 9 year history. Technical trail and ribbons of singletrack combined with temperatures in the 30’s challenged racers on all fronts. Each stage showed the character of the town, and how diverse the trails can be across BC's landscape.

Dave Vunic keeps the streets safe as an RCMP officer by day, and ripped it up to 13th place in Men’s Solo.

Christoph Listmann puts the hammer down on the flats.

Powell River was a highlight for us this year. The spectacular campground was on Willington beach for two nights next to the ocean. The trails there exemplified true singletrack racing, snaking brown pow through the sea of green moss. Each stop left its mark on the racers, whether literally or figuratively—there were lots of IV's being hooked up and bandages wrapped.

Kristen Gross showing BC that the California girl can rally the rocks in Squamish.

Quinn Moberg leading out from Sechelt to Langdale.

Michael Anthes in his element.

Our athletes both local and far-reaching couldn’t have made us more proud. After seven days of racing, the team of Greg Day and Kevin Calhoun took the overall win in the Elite Team category. Young gun Quinn Moberg worked hard all week, taking the stage win in his home town of Squamish and finishing the race 4th overall in Solo Men. Andreane Lanthier Nadeau took 4th in the women’s Solo, with Kris Gross hot on her heels in 5th.

How's your game face? Kevin Calhoun putting on a game face clinic from the start line.

Mr. Tito Tomasi. A wildman that is not afraid of grizzly bears or pushing his Thunderbolt BC Edition hard.

The German Bike Mag - Rocky Mountain team of Christoph Listmann and Michael Anthes took 2nd Place in the Veteran Team category. Udo and his brother Harty Bolts finished 2nd in their Team category. Udo raced in the Tour de France, in case the name sounds familiar. And in the Masters Solo Men's Thorsten Keller took the second step.

Race organizer and Rocky Mountain veteran Andreas Hestler rode to an impressive 9th place. Mike Sarnecki took 12th, Dave Vunic 13th, Tito Tomasi in 17th, and Geoff Gulevich 64th—not bad for a guy who normally does backflips not swtichbacks.

Greg Hayes, a veteran of the North Shore, showing he's not yet in the Veteran's category.

Hilscher Manfred wears a dusty grin after another day on course.

Our race mechanics were sweating in the heat to make sure that racers' bikes were in top form each day.

Every photo of ALN sees her smiling. After all it was her birthday on July 3rd, and 2nd place in Whistler on Day 7 served as a nice present.

Our thanks go out to BC Bike Race for having us on as a sponsor of such a great week of riding and impressions. We couldn’t have done it without the help of Fox Racing Shox, Shimano, Stan’s notubes, Smith Optics, Maxxis, WTB, FSA, Honey Stinger, Kicking Horse Coffee, Race Face, FTI Consulting, and IGUS. The event itself could not be done without the long list of volunteers and organizers, thank you for all your help and patience along the way. Especially with our beer garden and kids pool…