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Melamed slides to fourth on final stage of EWS #2

Nathan Sterckx thrives in mud for top-5 in under-21 race

Jack Moir val di Fassa Photo by: Enduro World Series

Two very different days of Enduro World Series racing saw Canadians chasing, or just missing podiums in Italy.  Jack Moir fought hard to the finish line to unseat Richie Rude for the Australian’s first EWS win.

EWS#2 – Val di Fassa Trentino

Pro Men – Moir moves up

The men’s race started off almost identically to how Wednesday’s EWS #1 finished off: Richie Rude (Yeti-Fox) leading Jack Moir (Canyon Cllctv) and Jesse Melamed (Rocky Mountain Race Face) after Friday’s Pro Stage.

WATCH: Jesse Melamed’s wild post-thunderstorm race run

It was Moir making moves on Saturday, though. Rude held his lead, narrowly, until the days final stage. On the fourth, final and Queen Stage, Moir threw down a dominant run to take 14 seconds out of his U.S. rival. That put the Australian in the lead, and on the top step of the podium. After several close finishes, it’s Moir’s first Enduro World Series win.

“I started out with a bit of a rough start yesterday,” Moir said after the finish,”So I had to reel back some time today,” Moir said after the finish. The result cements the Australian’s transition from World Cup downhill to enduro. “For that much training to pay off it just feels so good, I’m pumped.”

While Moir was on the rise, Melamed was struggling. Starting the day in 3rd, the Rocky Mountain Race Face rider rode consistently up to the third stage, where he had the second fastest time. It all came unglued on the 12-minute-long Stage 4. Several crashes saw Melamed finish 15th on the stage, and slide off the podium to fourth overall.

You can watch Jesse Melamed’s wild Stage 4 run below.

Remi Gauvin (Rocky Mountain Race Face) was next across the line for Canada in 16th. McKay Vezina (Giant) followed in 56th, with Kasper Woolley (Yeti-One Up) in 57th. Carter Krasny in 81st and Daniel Shaw (Knolly) 87th of 151 entries round out the Pro Men’s results

Jesse Melamed – Disaster Final Stage Canazei EWS #2

Miller and Nadeau rally after a rough Friday

The women’s race in Val di Fassa was a tale of two very different days. On Friday. the field was divided into pre- and post-thunderstorm starters. That put many favourites, including Canada’s Andréane Lanthier Nadeau (Rocky Mountain Race Face) and Miranda Miller (Kona Gravity) on the back foot going into Saturday’s racing.

Starting from from the mid-20s, ALN charged through the field to finish eighth. Miranda Miller rallied to 13th. Rachel Pageau, one of the beneficiaries of Friday’s thunderstorm after starting before the rain, held on to a solid 17th place finish. Georgia Astle (Devinici) rounds out the Canadian results in 19th.

The race was won by France’s Melanie Pugin, who made the most of Friday’s slick conditions before winning two of Saturday’s three stages. Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) followed in second with Trek Factory Racing’s multi-talented Harriet Harnden in third.

Nathan Sterckx capitalizes on Friday’s lead

The big news for Canada in the under-21 race is Nathan Sterckx. The Quebec rider won Friday’s weather-worn Pro Stage. Sterckx backed that up with consistent racing on Saturday to finish fifth overall in the u-21 men’s event. Johnathan Helly (We Are One Composites) rallied from 33rd Friday to finish 17th.

The race was won by Jamie Edmonson ahead of Australia’s Luke Meier-Smith and France’s Alexis Icardo.