Miranda Miller starts EWS Finale with a strong Pro Stage
Menzies and Hancock well positioned in u21 going into Sunday
Photo by:
Fraser Britton / Crankworx
The Penultimate Enduro World Series is underway, returning to an iconic Italian venue: Finale Ligure. Miranda Miller is well positioned for a big result, sitting third after Saturday’s Pro Race.
Miller’s not the only Canadian sitting near the front going into Sunday’s racing. The under-21 Canadians and Rhys Verner are all looking strong going into the second day of racing in Italy.
Pro women: Miller Time
The Pro women’s race is, once again, led by a pair of French women. Squamish’s world champion, Miranda Miller, has fought her way into the mix. The Kona Gravity Racing rider sits third, 3.50 seconds behind the lead.
Isabeau Cordurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) leads the women, followed by series overall leader Melanie Pugin.
Two other Canadian women are in Italy for the Finale Ligure race. Lucy Schick sits a little back in 23rd. Marilyne Proulx is in 33rd.
Pro Men: Verner finds speed in Finale
In the men’s race, Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis) leads the Canadian results. The Squamish, B.C. racer sits sixth after Saturday’s Pro Stage, positioning him for his best-ever Pro EWS finish.
Verner is 2.57 seconds behind race leader Martin Maes (GT Factory Racing). Jack Moir (Canyon Cllctv) and Richie Rude (Yeti-Fox) are both lurking within two seconds. Moir and Rude are locked in an epic, season-long battle for the series title. Moir took a major his last weekend in Crans Montana, Switzerland, when a crash saw him slide down the standings.
Jesse Melamed (Rocky Mountain Race Face) and Kasper Woolley (Yeti-OneUp Pro Team) are close to the pace in 14th and 15th. Evan Wall (Orbea), Revelstoke’s aspiring rider of Pinkbike Academy fame, sits 28th. Mckay Vezina is 59th, after a big result in Crans Montana. Carter Krasny is in 62, Remi Gauvin is 86th.
Under-21: Menzies and Hancock on pace
Jack Menzies (Forbidden Synthesis) and Emmett Hancock are also off to an excellent start. The Canuck duo finished third and fourth on Saturday, close behind race leader Francescu Camoin (Specialized). Nathan Sterckx is close behind in 10th while We Are One’s Johnathan Helly sits 17th going into Sunday’s racing.
