Epic Israel lives up to its name for Peter Disera and Andrew L’Esperance

Half way into the four day Migdal Epic Israel, Peter Disera and Andrew L’Esperance are finding the event lives up to its name, and more.

Challenges include course details revealed at the last minute, 95 km stages, intense Israeli heat, and rough trails conditions that range from coastal to urban to rock strewn sand posing a constant threat of flat tires.

“Epic Israel is the first major marathon style stage race I have ever done on a mountain bike,” Disera reported back after Stage 1. “I don’t really know what to expect but having Andrew who has ridden multiple ‘Epics’ (including Epic Israel and Swiss Epic) has been showing me the ropes. I felt phenomenal in the Prologue but Stage 1 crushed me pretty good. Still, I’m looking forward to completing this race. I will be taking it day-by-day, kilometre-by-kilometre and try to get the most out of this experience.”

Disera and L’Esperance are doing more than surviving the Migdal Epic Israel, though. The pair were fifth in the Prologue. On Stage 1, they were ninth, after some mechanical misfortune.

On the women’s side, Haley Smith and Catharine Pendrel, racing as team Fast and Female, have moved into second overall. After fourth in the Prologue, the Canadian duo followed the Stan’s Pivot Racing team of Sofia Gomez-Villafane and Rose Grant to vault into second on Thursday.

Not far behind, Sandra Walter and Cindy Montambault finished fifth on day two.

Getting Epic in Israel – Prologue

KM’s and times only tell part of a race’s story. Norco Factory Team’s duo of Disera and L’Esperance are keeping us up to date on how the 2019 Epic Israel is unfolding on the ground.

The four-day stage race started with a 22 km Prologue through the Old City of Acre, and along the Israeli coast. “The winds were strong and we started late in the day once the heat was in full force,” Disera said of the opening day.  The pair averaged 32 km/hr in the time trial format stage, surviving loose corners for a fifth place finish.

“It was a wild start the race with a 40 min all-out effort in teams of two. As mountain bikers we don’t usually get to do time trials, let alone with a partner, so this was a really unique opportunity,” L’Esperance said of the short but intense stage. “It was amazing how much effort I was able to squeeze out for this one with the help of my teammate Peter. We did an awesome ride, I finished on empty and we ended up with a good result in the field. The course was special with sections through a 3000 year old fortified town and along the sand of the Mediterranean.’’

Following the opening stage, the pair got to work preparing for the following day’s early start. “It has been quite hot here in Israel,” Disera said, “so a 7am start isn’t actually the worst thing.” Food, tire plugs, CO2s and water were stowed away in race packs, set for Stage 1.

Rocks, river crossings and flat tires – Stage 1

“Stage 1 would prove to be one of the most difficult days I have ever had on a bike,” Disera said following the second day of racing.

After the short Prologue, the first proper stage was an entirely different beast. 95 km, 1,600 m of elevation gain and, to top it all off, organizers had kept the stage profile secret.

“We had no knowledge of the course going into the day, only the fact that we need to follow the white arrows,” Disera said. “This is the same for everyone, the race organizer is very secretive about the actual courses, proper adventure this way.”

Much of the elevation ended up being crammed inside the first 30 km. The pace was fierce, and the Canadians were helping drive on at the front of the field. Disera and L’Esperance were with the lead group at the 24 km mark, when the race crested the day’s highest point at the Goren National Park. “Andrew and I were positioned well in the lead group and fighting hard,” says Disera, “not only with the relentless pace but also the super loose, rough, baby-head size rocks that littered the double track and ATV trails we were climbing. ”

With the high pace comes tense moments, though. “About a third of the way in we had some misfortune when Andrew and another rider bumped bikes and he broke a spoke on his front wheel,” says Disera. “It wouldn’t have been a huge issue if the spoke hadn’t have punctured the tubeless rim tape inside. We stopped, diagnosed the situation, put a tube in the tire and proceeded alone now that we were dropped from the lead group.”

The Canadians were left chasing. After changing L’Esperance’s wheel and stocking up on CO2 at the days only tech zone, the day’s second mechanical struck. This time, it was Disera with the flat tire. A plug and some air, and it was good to go. But, three hours in, the dusty, rough terrain and constant sun exposure was starting to take it’s toll.

“By now, the heat was getting to me,” Disera said. “My hands were raw, my skin felt like it was on fire and my brain: fuzzy at best. Andrew really pulled through for the last 45 minutes as I was more or less out of commission. The perceived effort was the same or high than it had been all race, but now we were just going slower.”

The pair battled through mechanicals and heat to end up the day in ninth. “I should also note,” Disera added, “throughout the day we passed half a dozen other teams dealing with punctures or issues. It was challenging not only pace wise but grueling terrain. The trails and terrain destroyed my hands. The heat was intense. It was truly Epic.”

“On paper, 95 km and 1600 m of climbing sounds like a big day, but those numbers alone don’t have me sweating, we are totally prepared for that kind of day. However, when you get out there and see the absolutely raw and rugged terrain we were racing on, the numbers take on new meaning,” L’Esperance said of the trying second day of racing.

“The majority of the climbing was on loose, rough and rocky double track, the descents littered with loose rocks that in a sense create a “dynamic” trail in a group and of course the Israel heat. It was a very tough day on the bike, one of those days where you wonder how you even did it. We had a bit of bad luck with a front flat that required a tube but really rode well despite that. My eyes even looked up front the wheel in front a few times and there was spectacular landscapes all round. We are now doing everything we can to prepare and recovery for another hard one tomorrow, fingers crossed for a bit of luck on our side.”

2019 Migdal Epic Israel – Prologue

Pro Men

1. Georg Egger / Maximilian Brandl (GER) 00:37:09
2. Luca Schwarzbauer / David List (GER) +1:06
3. Martin Gluth / Fabian Giger (GER / SUI) +1:45
5. Peter Disera / Andrew L’Esperance  (CAN) (+2:06.3)

Pro Women

1. Chloe Woodruff / Erin Huck (USA) 00:43:59
2. Rebecca McConnell / Githa Michiels (AUS / BEL) +0:58
3. Sofia Gomez Villafane / Rose Grant (ARG / USA) +0:59
4. Haley Smith / Catharine Pendrel (CAN) (+8:44)
6. Cindy Montambault / Sandra Walter (CAN) (+9:52)

Full Results: 2019 Migdal Epic Israel Prologue – Sept 25, 2019.

2019 Migdal Epic Israel – Stage 1

Pro Men

1. Georg Egger / Maximilian Brandl (GER) 3:52:47
2. Karl Markt / Gregor Raggl (AUT) +0:12
3. Keegan Swenson / Russell Finsterwald (USA) +0:14
9. Peter Disera / Andrew L’Esperance (CAN) +11:10

Pro Women

1. Sofia Gomez-Villfañe / Rose Grant (ARG / USA) 4:39:25
2. Hayley Smith / Catharine Pendrel (CAN) +1:11
3. Janika Loïv / Greete Steinberg (EST) +2:22
5. Cindy Montambault / Sandra Walter (CAN) +10:08

Full Results: 2019 Migdal Epic Israel Stage 1 – Sept 26, 2019

Provisional Overall Classifications (at end of Stage 1):

Men

1. Georg Egger / Max Brandl (GER) 4:29:56
2. Karl Markt / Gregor Raggl (AUT) +2:25
3. Keegan Swenson / Russell Finsterwald (USA) +3:01

Women

1. Sofia Gomez Villfane / Rose Grant (ARG / USA) 5:24:23
2. Hayley Smith / Catharine Pendrel (CAN) +2:07
3. Chloe Woodruff / Erin Huck (USA) +3:39