Jesse Melamed 2nd after EWS Crans Montana Day 1

Canadians are off to a flying start in Switzerland at the Enduro World Series Crans Montana. Jesse Melamed sits second behind race leader Richie Rude. Squamish’s Kasper Woolley is close behind in fourth.

The Crans Montana Enduro World Series round is a two day event. On Saturday, a pro-only stage set the early standings before Sunday’s main event. Racers still have plenty of racing left to go, but the Pro Stage results are an excellent start.

Moir misses out

One rider that isn’t going to be happy after Saturday’s racing is Jack Moir (Canyon Cllctv). The Australian ex-downhill racer is locked in a season-long points race with Richie Rude (Yeti Fox), who leads after Saturday’s racing. Moir is 37th, 1:09.13 back. That could open the door for Rude to edge back into the lead for the EWS series title.

Jesse Melamed – 2nd place run – Pro Stage: Crans Montana EWS

Fast starting Canadians

Saturday’s racing was excellent for the Canadians, though. Jesse Melamed (Rocky Mountain Race Face) was just 3.94 seconds off Rude’s winning time. That’s a huge morale boost for the Whistler-born racer, who was third overall in the standings before a mechanical-plagued week in Loudenvielle, France saw him slide several spots down the standings.

Kasper Woolley (Yeti One Up Components) 6.02 seconds back of Rude, with Belgian EWS star Martin Maes squeezing between the Canadians into third. Woolley is carrying momentum from a big fourth place finish in Loudenvielle, his best EWS finish since moving into the elite ranks.

McKay Vezina (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) starts his weekend off with a 15th in Saturday’s Pro Stage. Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis) followed in 26th and Remi Gauvin (Rocky Mountain Race Face) 34th. Philippe Ricard is hot on Gouvin’s heels, in 36th. Evan Wall and Carter Krasney are 53rd and 55th, with Jacob Tooke and Anthony Paulson rounding out the pro men’s results in 82nd and 87th.

Miranda Miller is the top Canadian on the women’s side, and having an excellent start to her Swiss weekend. The Kona Gravity racer is fifth, just six seconds behind a French trio of Melanie Pugin, Morgane Charre (Pivot) and Estelle Charles (Rossignol)

Emmy Lan, hot off a trio of downhill races, including world championships, sits third in the u21 women’s race.

In the u21 men’s race,  Jack Menzies and Nathan Sterckx finished 13th 14th on the Pro Stage, with Johnathan Helly and Emmett Hancock in 18th and 19th not far behind.