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“Itinerology” looks back at Trans-Provence event

Could the ever-changing enduro format be due for another shift?

Ash Smith caused a bit of a stir when he unexpectedly cancelled 2018’s edition of Trans-Provence, the popular multi-day enduro set in the picturesque French Alps. Citing the need to re-examine the event’s direction, Smith announced it would be on hiatus. Still, he didn’t rule out its eventual return for a 10th edition. To keep interested riders along for the ride in his search for new trails, and a new version of Trans-Provence, Smith is releasing Itinerology, a three-part video series about the event and his involvement, the first episode of which is The Workspace.

While Itinerology is mostly worth watching for the incredible scenery, the riding and the glimpse behind the curtain of Trans-Provence to find out more about Smith, it also comes at an interesting time for the young discipline of enduro racing. Trans-Provence’s cancellation, or hiatus, could stand in as a marker for a shift, or split, as events are choosing to focus on elite, EWS-style competitive racing, or on developing community-focused events based around challenging participants to push their own boundaries, rather than strictly racing a clock. Events such as Trans NZ, Trans BC and Trans-Cascadia, all clearly taking cues from Trans-Provence, have taken off in popularity. While these events are races, the majority of the participants are there to challenge themselves by riding a new area in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere, not to contest for the win.  A similar split has been announced for BC Enduro Series, and it’s partner series, the Canadian National Enduro Series. Where before BCES and CNEC used to hold combined events, for 2018, CNEC will focus more on the EWS-aspiring side of racing. BCES events will be more community- and family-oriented events. They’ll still be racing, but the focus will be on bringing riders together to experience new trail networks.

Enduro has its roots as a race format in France, where “blind” stage races challenged riders’ ability to read a trail they had never seen before, at race speed. As enduro’s popularity grew as a race format, it went through a number of format changes to try to stay true to the original, elusive and much debated “spirit of enduro.” While the “soul” of mountain biking has been a hotly contested point of debate for decades, whether over a beer with friends, in print or in endless online chat forums, enduro’s ongoing existential angst is such an ever present part of the discipline that Jean-Paul Sartre could claim a writing credit in the EWS rule book. As Trans-Provence takes a moment to decide what kind of race it wants to be in the future, it will be interesting to see how events split along the community/”blind” racing format, and the EWS/limited-practice type event.  While it’s sure to start another spirited post-ride debate, a more diverse race scene is a good thing as more riders will be able find an event they’re comfortable attending, making the broader mountain bike community stronger.