Andréane Lanthier Nadeau podiums at Enduro World Series finals
Hill and Cordurier capture overall titles in the shadow of the Matterhorn
After two stops in North America, Canadians successfully carried their momentum from racing close to home into the final Enduro World Series round in Zermatt, Switzerland.
While the EWS returned to Europe, Canadians stayed on the podium. Andréane Lanthier Nadeau was second in Zermatt, earning her third overall in the 2019 Enduro World Series. Lucy Schick was third in the under-21 women’s race, handily earning her first place the u21 series overall.
On the men’s side, Kasper Wooley was second in under-21 men, while Jesse Melamed was 7th, and top Canadian, in the pro men’s division.
Pro Women – Andréane Lanthier Nadeau scores double podium in Zermatt
Andréane Lanthier Nadeau ended the EWS season on a high note, with two podiums in Zermatt, Switzerland. The Rocky Mountain / Race Face rider was second behind Isabeau Courdurier (Intense Mavic Collective) in this weekends race. Along the way, Lanthier Nadeau won the final, and Queen stage in Zermatt ahead of Courdurier.
Second in Zermatt was enough to put ALN in third overall. After years of mixing success and injury, it was Lanthier Nadeau’s first complete EWS season, and best ever overall finish.
Miranda Miller (Kona Gravity Racing) was 13th in Switzerland, but the result was enough to secure a top-10 in the overall. In her first full season of EWS racing, Squamish’s world champion ranked ninth among the pro women.
Other Canadian women in the series overall include Georgia Astle, who ends her season 31st, Emily Slaco 32nd, Brittney Phelan 37th, Jennifer McHugh 43, and Anna Sullivan 46th.
Pro Men – Hill wins seris, Melamed best Canadian on the day, Gauvin top Canuck overall
Martin Maes (GT Factory Racing) was the fastest in Zermatt but it was Sam Hill (Chain Reaction Cycle – Mavic) in second that made the biggest wave. The Australian’s silver in Switzerland catapulted him over Florian Nicolai (Canyon Factory Racing) to win the 2019 Enduro World Series title. It wasn’t until the final, and Queen stage that Hill secured the title. The 40 bonus points awarded to the winner of each EWS round’s Queen stage equaled Hill’s winning margin in the 2019 Enduro World Series standings. Hill finished the year with 3230 points, with Nicolai trailing in second at 3230.
Incredibly, It is Hill’s third consecutive EWS title. The former downhill world champion has won every year since he switched to full time enduro racing in 2017.
Jesse Melamed was the top Canadian finisher in the pro men’s division, in seventh. It was his Rocky Mountain / Race Face teammate, Remi Gauvin, taking top Canuck honours in the overall standings, though. Gauvin finishes the year ranked sixth, with Melamed close behind in 11th despite several injuries during the season.
Other Canadians in the overall include a 34th for Rhys Verner (Kona Gravity Racing), 40th for McKay Vezina (Giant Factory Off Road Team), 62nd for first year elite Max Leyen, and 73rd for Vancouver Island’s Trevor Thew.
Under-21 – Schick wins under-21 women’s overall title
Lucy Schick was third behind Zermatt winner Harriet Harnden. The podium, added to Schick’s five EWS round wins already this year, cemented the Under-21 overall title for the Canadian over Ireland’s Leah Maunsell.
Julia Long ends her season ninth overall, including a third place at the Whistler EWS round.
On the men’s side, Kasper Woolley finished 2nd in Zermatt to move into eighth overall. France’s Antoine Vidal (Commencal Vallnord) won both Zermatt and the series title.
Trophy of Nations
While the Enduro World Series is done for 2019, one round of racing remains. New for 2019, the Trophy of Nations lands in Finale Ligure, Italy on September 28-29. The inaugural team-based competition pits countries against each other in teams of three men and three women, instead of the usual trade team-based points structure.
Canada will be represented by Remi Gauvin, Jesse Melamed and Rhys Verner, Andréane Lanthier Nadeau, Miranda Miller and Jennifer McHugh, as well as under-21 men Jacob Tooke, Kasper Woolley and Evan Wall. McKay Vezina, Kayla Morin-Blanchette and Nathank Sterckx are Canada’s reserves.
If you can’t wait until the weekend for more Enduro World Series action, check out Jesse Melamed’s practice lap from Stage 2 of the Enduro World Series finals in Zermatt, Switzerland below:
