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Richie Rude disqualified from Tweed Valley Enduro World Series final

Dramatic but anticlimactic conclusion to 2021's great Rude-Moir rivalry

Richie Rude doping ews

An epic, season-long battle between Richie Rude and Jack Moir reached an unexpected conclusion on Saturday, one day earlier than planned.

In Saturday’s single Pro Stage, Rude cut inside the course gates, but inside tape, resulting in his disqualification from Sunday’s racing. Rude and one other rider took the inside lines. Both were disqualified from the race.

EWS rules clearly allow for the use of gates to mark the course. A secondary row of tape, much wider than the official course, was used to keep fans clear of the racers. This apparently created some confusion.

My mistake about the gate rule, but the [sic] tape the gates,” Rude said on Instagram.

It’s a costly mistake for Rude, who dropped out of contention for the overall title as a result of the decision.

Matt Stuttard, in the stands near the finish line after his own race, caught the action. Both racers sliding around the grassy off-camber and the two riders getting inside the gates.

The 2021 Enduro World Series wrapped up on Sunday in Scotland’s Tweed Valley, with Jesse Melamed and Nathan Sterckx on the podium for Canada.