Finals Photo Epic: A Fresh Start - EWS Rotorua 2019
Photo Epic presented by ODI
Total stage domination would be the theme of the day in the men's race as Martin Maes made it a clean sweep of all stages on the way to the top of the podium. While Isabeau Courdurier put her demons of past Rotorua results to rest with an emotional win to kick off her 2019 season.
The overnight rain made a few bits of the track slick but did nothing to slow things down in the forest, and if anything conditions on some stages were made better. After years of rain at this venue, it was a welcome change to see the weather not play a factor in the results.
Behind the front runners, the remaining podium positions shifted for much of the race eventually settling down as riders headed into the final stage of the day. For the men, it would be Keegan Wright and Florian Nicolai in second and third. While for the women we saw some new faces with Morgane Charre, and Bex Baraona flanking Isabeau. Further down the leader board were lots of other fresh faces, proving that for 2019 anything can happen before the series reaches its climax in 6 months time.
Next week things will pick right up again as the series returns to Tasmania for a back to back round. It will be interesting to see if the riders carry the momentum of Rotorua forward and begin to feel the pressure of new expectations.
Time to strap on the timing chips and go racing at the first EWS of 2019
Overnight storms rolled out just in time for racing to get underway.
That dirt though... What difference a little rain makes
Coffee and chill for the boys in the Rocky pits to start the day.
Last minute helmet cam reviews before stage one for Lewis Buchanan.
A busted hand made things tough out there for Shawn Neer.
Rae Morrison was all smiles before the race this morning.
Limber up with the Gehrig twins.
The shuttles between Skyline and the forest were a welcome break to start and end the day
Last years top privateer Youn Deniaud struggles to find the pace today and would end up outside the top 30.
Isabeau Courdurier led all but one stage, taking a commanding victory here in Rotorua.
Chilean Pedro Burns right at home in the dust on Stage three.
Kevin Miquel picked up where he left off last season with another top ten result, finishing the day in 6th.
14th today for Caro Gehrig.
A bit of a slow start to the season for Mark Scott with an 18th.
Becky Cook had a solid ride today to take fifth place.
ALN speeding her way to sixth place at round one.
Morgane Charre had a strong performance and even a stage win.
Martin Maes was nothing short of brilliant today. Five stage wins. That's a hell of a way to start the season off.
Keegan Wright has just come off an exciting week at Crankworx and today was no different.
Keegan Wright was just a blur of red through the greenery of the forest.
Cole Lucas started his day way back. He crept up the stage times and landed himself a solid fifth.
Jesse Melamed has a rough start to the day but rebounded for the final few stages to kick start his season with a 4th place finish.
Once in a while (just once) the tracks left the forest and gave riders a bit of a view.
12th place finisher Ella Conolly pinned through the woods on Stage three.
Today just wasn't Sam Hill's day, but he only has to wait one week for redemption in his home country.
Dimitri Tordo had mixed stage results today but took ninth for round one.
Sam Blenkinsop on his way to a 12th place finish today. Blenky had two 9th place stage finishes today.
Randy gets chin level with the bar on stage four.
Lining out on the liaison.
Miranda Miller would close out the top 10.
DH specialist Connor Fearon is giving a few EWS rounds a go this season.
Noga Korem would come 4th just seven seconds off the podium after 32 minutes of racing.
Morgane Charre makes quick work of the many slick roots on Stage four.
Bex Baraona took third for her first race of the season.
Wyn Masters on stage four. Master finished out the day in eighth.
Not the best day for Eddie Masters but he's still good for a podium or two this season.
Remi Gauvin had two fifth places today and took 7th in the overall.
Robin Wallner had a solid start to the season. He took tenth today.
Kegan Wright sat in the hot seat for quite a stint today.
A massive effort from youngster Cole Lucas nearly saw him on the podium today.
Sam Hill's day started off well until a mechanical slowed him down.
An ecstatic Bex Baraona as she crossed the line in 3rd.
A hard days work for Katy Winton.
It was an emotional win today for Isabeau Courdurier who finally put her previous bad experiences in Rotorua behind her.
Some new faces flanked Isabeau Courdurier on the women's podium in Rotorua.
Calm, collected, and confident. Martin Maes showed he will be the one to beat in 2019.
Round one is in the books. Martin Maes comes out with a dominant performance.
The top three men to start off the 2019 Enduro World Series.
Previously:
• Final Results: EWS Rotorua 2019
• Course Preview: Blown Out - EWS Rotorua 2019
• Practice Photo Epic: Racers Ready - EWS Rotorua 2019
• Video: Sam Hill POV - EWS Rotorua 2019
• Video: Course Preview - EWS Rotorua 2019
MENTIONS: @Odigrips / @EnduroWorldSeries / @davetrumpore / @mdelorme / @andy9
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Either way, I got a feeling this is going to be is season and that he's going to make the Portuguese people proud racing at home. And also look out for other Portuguese riders like Emanuel Pombo and Paulo Batista racing in their home turf.
but my comment to you was about you as employee of this site, and as a reporter/photographer you should do just that, tell the story either by photos or worlds, not give your opinion on the comments on something totally unrelated when someone was saying that the guy didn't get coverage with 2 2º stages finishes on the race and a good place overall
Facts and facts.
He finished the day in Rotorua outside the top 10. Sorry we didnt post a photo of him for you but we can only post so many. We've posted plenty of him in the past from other rounds so not sure what conspiracy theory you guys are going for.
But don't take me the wrong way, I know you guys have a lot of work bringing this reports for us all. instead I would preffer to believe you just chose the best photos overall and that you didn't have a really nice one of Zé Manuel to add to this recap.
And, like I said above, I think you'r gonna really need one in the Madeira round. Ahahha
Keep up the good work!
Cheers.