A diary thrives on experiences, impressions, and memories – both the good and the not-so-good. Simply capturing the happy moments for posterity wouldn't do justice to the Strive Diaries . The life of the Canyon Factory Enduro Team athletes is full of highs and lows, which we want to share with you. We could write exclusively about the amazing trails in Chile, but in this entry, we also want to tell you about the setbacks.
Our trip to Chile was a trip into the unknown, in many ways. In addition to the logistical imponderables, we were particularly surprised by the incredibly dynamic mountain bike scene. Enduro is lived with devotion in Chile - many European countries could learn a lesson from that. The South American country definitely deserved to host the inaugural round of the 2014 Enduro World Series (EWS).
To make the most of our time in Chile, we traveled with a larger crew than usual. Our preparation for the first EWS race was fully planned with training sessions, filming, and photo shoots. You can look forward to the videos and pictures. After the filming was complete, we faced off against the scene at the Montenbaik Enduro 2014 warm-up race in La Parva. The competition certainly hadn't been hibernating over the past few months. Fabien Barel finished in fifth place, and Ines Thoma even managed to secure a podium finish, taking third.
Ludo May, our new Swiss rider, was even more eager for the season after the race: “This trip to Chile is my first with my new team. It’s great to have the CFET crew, including my manager and mechanics, by my side. I feel like part of a big family! Unfortunately, a minor mechanical issue slowed me down during the race in La Parva, but I was able to ride some good stages. That makes me very confident for the Enduro World Series.” After our debut in Antigrip Country , we traveled five hours south to Nevados de Chillan with confidence for the eagerly awaited start of the EWS. Thursday and Friday were dedicated to training. The weekend offered two days of racing, each with three special stages. So we were certainly kept busy.
"I feel like part of a big family!"
Ines describes her excitement before the first EWS race like this: “I think everyone is a little nervous. Somehow you don’t really know what to expect – even though you feel like you’ve already raced 1000 times. It’s still something different to be here. The tracks are totally awesome, the weather is perfect, and that’s why I’m excited!”
The first stage already showed that not only the top favorites but also a number of newcomers can be expected this year. When Fabien crossed the finish line, however, everyone caught their breath. What happened?
Fabien on a day he'll probably never forget: “I never would have dreamed what happened on the first day, on the first stage. I went into the first corner like a 15-year-old boy, ripping through the sand at full speed, drifting, and then hopping along the track. With blind faith, I thought nothing could happen to me. Even after 20 years of racing experience, I just can't control that kind of excitement. Halfway through, I went over the handlebars at 40 km/h and landed headfirst in the sand. My back compressed in a way it definitely shouldn't have, and I slid five meters down an embankment. After ten minutes, I was back on the trail. I could barely move. I managed to get back on my bike and cross the finish line. Then it was off to medical support. After a long check-up, I decided to tackle the second stage. Should I really have done that for a few points? Was the risk too high? Should I even compete the next day?” Was this how I imagined the first lap would go? Many questions remain unanswered. I was only sure that I was here to bike and wanted to give it my all. Just because you stumble doesn't mean you should give up. My motto is: Never give up!
"Just because you stumble doesn't mean you should stay down. My motto is: never give up!”
On Sunday morning the final end for Fabien was certain. Not an easy decision, but absolutely the right one, as it turned out during the medical examination on the same day: fracture of a lumbar vertebra. Fabien was a hair's breadth away from a paraplegic. Biking was out of the question at first, the whole team agreed on that.
Meanwhile, Ludo celebrated a great debut in his first EWS race in Canyon Jersey with 13th place. Joe Barnes came in with good pace but a bit unlucky on 25th place and Ines was sixth in the women's race.
Joe describes his race as follows: “In the lead-up, one highlight followed another. With each training ride, we had more and more fun in the hills of Chile. On the first stage, I felt very comfortable on the bike and took it easy. Afterwards, I was ready for the physically demanding stage two, which I finished in 11th place. So far, so good. I was satisfied with the first day and knew I could really push myself on Sunday. The next day started with a flowing, fast, yet relaxed trail that I could really go for. With a significant improvement, I climbed up the rankings before the final stage. This stage was right up my alley, similar to the trails in my home country of Scotland. My enthusiasm knew no bounds. After taking a rocky section a bit too hard, my front tire suddenly lost air. Soon it was completely flat, and I still had half the course ahead of me. I did everything I could, but had to let several riders pass and lost a lot of time to the competition. What a disappointment! With 25th place, I earned a few points.” I made it to the finish line, but that wasn't my goal. I can hardly wait for the next races and just need to remember: Take it easy on the rocks.
We look back on our trip with mixed feelings. It had everything: total exhilaration while biking on the Chilean trails, quiet pride in our race results, and then the shock after Fabien's serious crash. Now we're embarking on the long journey home and will take some time to recover before the BIKE Festival in Riva. Thank you so much for all the well wishes for Fabien that we've already received. We now need to be patient until further tests are carried out. We hope that our Fab will be feeling much better soon.