Miranda Miller wins slick Tennessee National Enduro

Squamish racer takes top podium step in her first race since joining Kona team

Terry McKall March 11, 2019

Miranda Miller started her tenure on Kona’s enduro team on the right foot, winning Sunday’s Tennessee National Enduro.

Held at Windrock bike park, the event followed an early season suspension camp for Kona team sponsor Rockshox, making for a competitive field at the early season event.

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Miranda Miller (@mirandamillermtb) has just placed first in the Tennessee National Enduro! We can’t be more stoked that in her first race on her new bike that she’s taken the win! Team mate Rhys Verner (@rhys_verner) finished third behind seasoned EWS pro Damien Oton and a very very fast local! Bring on Rotorua EWS! #KonaBikes #KonaProcess Photo: @andyvathis

A post shared by konabikes (@konabikes) on Mar 10, 2019 at 7:15pm PDT

Miller topped the pro women’s podium ahead of fellow Canadian Rachel Pageau (Pivot Cycles), who had won the previous days Pro GRT downhill race.

In the pro men’s event, Miller’s Kona teammate and fellow Squamish local Rhys Verner finished third. Tennessee local Russell Bobbitt used his familiarity with the local, peanut butter-thick mud and slick Windrock rock features to win the event.Damien Oton (Unior / Devinci Factory Racing), who finished 2018 EWS ranked second overall, was second.

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Today’s enduro was hard, my tank was quite empty and the check engine light was def on. But, I pulled through for a satisfying 2nd place! (This bike is dope!)???☠️??? #overandout Photo @zachfaulkner . . @julboeyewearna @julbo_eyewear @pivot_cyclesusa @ote_canada @envecomposites @girocycling @maxxistires @fox @flattiredefend @endurapparel

A post shared by Rachel Pageau (@shellpageau) on Mar 10, 2019 at 9:06pm PDT

While the Tennessee National Enduro was an EWS Qualifier event, it was more important as a tune up event for the Canadians. With snow still blanketing much of the country, it was one of the few events to take place before the full EWS series starts on March 24 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Miller announced at the start of 2019 that she would be switching her focus to the increasingly popular Enduro World Series. The 2017 UCI downhill world champion will continue to race select downhill events, but cited a desire for a change and new focus as her reason for making the switch.