Vali Höll to Race EWS & 4 Other Surprises From the EWS Team Release

Feb 16, 2022
by Alicia Leggett  
The EWS released its 2022 teams today, and the release included a few pieces of information that we weren't expecting. While the team rosters aren't 100% complete - it seems Specialized and perhaps some other teams have strategically left riders off to keep their secrets - we could glean a few ideas of what to expect this season, and some of those team registrations have piqued our curiosity.

Vali Höll to Race Two EWS Races

Vali Holl came to Snowshoe without an elite World Cup win to her name. She is now leaving with two and an overall title to go with it.
Vali Höll - the moment she realized she'd won the second Snowshoe World Cup as well as the 2021 season overall title.

This is one we weren't expecting. The RockShox Trek Race Team doesn't shy away from EWS racing, evidenced by Jamie Edmondson's three U21 wins at the four EWS events he raced last season, but Vali has historically focused exclusively on downhill. Still, she's obviously an incredibly capable rider, and downhill crossover racers of her caliber have previously found success at enduro races. The first EWS race she's registered for - EWS Val di Fassa - will take place in late June between the Leogang and Lenzerheide World Cups. The other, EWS Crans-Montana, is scheduled for September, after all the World Cup races are over. Both will likely give Vali some diversity in her training and could break up the season nicely. We look forward to seeing what she can achieve.

Estelle Charles to Specialized

Women s Podium- Morgane Charre Melanie Pugin and Estelle Charles.
Estelle Charles took her first EWS podium in 2020 when she took 3rd place at Finale Ligure.

This cat is out of the bag... kind of. Specialized Racing currently only lists Charlie Murray, Kevin Miquel, Francescu "Cece" Camoin, and Sofia Wiedenroth on the roster, but the team's Instagram bio hints at a third Frenchie with a "[French flag emoji] ??" on the rider list. From looking at the UCI downhill teams release and putting two and two together, it appears that Estelle Charles has signed with Specialized and will mainly race enduros, but is registered with the UCI on the new Gen-S team in case she takes part in some downhill races, too.

Pole to Focus Exclusively on EWS-E

photo
The team could race the 190mm Voima, or could help Pole develop an eMTB with a bit less travel - or both.

The Pole Enduro Race Team has gone fully electric for 2022, with Joe Nation and Leigh Johnson taking on the EWS-E series. What bike will they ride? At the moment, Pole's existing eMTB is the 190mm Voima, and while the team could certainly ride that one, there's a good chance the riders will work with Pole on expanding its eMTB range.

Team CRC-Nukeproof Renamed to Nukeproof SRAM Factory Racing

photo
SRAM has long been a prominent sponsor, but now it becomes a title sponsor.

It's unclear what the change might mean for the team and its former title sponsor, Chain Reaction Cycles, but it appears the team - which has added Corey Watson and Dan Booker for 2022 - will be known as Nukeproof SRAM Factory Racing going forward. This doesn't suggest a parts change, as the team has historically run SRAM parts, but it's nonetheless interesting that the prominence of each of those sponsors has shifted.

SRAM Introduces the Blackbox Test Pilot Program EWS-E Team

RockShox 2019
SRAM brands its prototypes as Blackbox.

The Blackbox Test Pilot Program intrigues me. It's a new EWS-E team with just one registered rider - Yannick Pontal - and it appears that it has been registered specifically so that Yannick can test unreleased parts in EWS-E races. I suspect that riders will be added to the roster as we progress a bit farther past the rumor season, but the singular test rider on the current roster is... confusing. What does SRAM have in the works? We have no idea, but it will no doubt be interesting.

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118 Comments
  • 338 13
 Pole really out here trying to do everything they possibly can to ruin their reputation.
  • 64 7
 All I could do was burst out laughing when I saw that.
  • 18 13
 Really, really bad stuff. How long until the company doesn't exist?
  • 4 0
 @jwdenver: I can imagine the Swedes and Finns would enjoy poking fun at each other
  • 31 9
 @boozed: I work with Finnish Engineers and they are awesome. Best civil engineers that I have worked with. Straight to the point and clearly define borders of possibility, good at selling good products.

Quite different from my impression of Pole vibe…
  • 2 6
flag LuisPedro (Feb 16, 2022 at 15:25) (Below Threshold)
 even like that they fail... reputations is still very good...
  • 5 2
 @jwdenver: as soon as cheap debt disappears
  • 5 0
 If they can do that by making the ugliest E-bike on the market, mission accomplished!!
  • 20 3
 @nskerb: In Pole's defense, you can't ruin your reputation if you don't have one to start with.
  • 13 11
 Wowza, I love Pole being out there, gives people another choice, and nothing wrong with that, as for most of you riders the bike doesn't mean shit as far as how good you can ride!
  • 1 3
 ***pole equips all their ebikes with dork disks permanently attached to rear wheel***
  • 4 0
 I really liked the evolinks and hardtails...
why man Frown
  • 2 0
 @calmWAKI: Admittedly my comment probably doesn't make much sense since the comment I replied to was edited. Oh well.
  • 4 2
 Thay have no reputation so they made right decision and switched sldisciplines. Ebikes have much wider market, especially lots of rich guys who never biked before and never heard of Pole, the mere fact that it's expensive and gold will sell this bikes to Russians and Arabian prince's...
  • 9 2
 maybe Pole bikes need the battery to hold the two frame halves together
  • 2 1
 @bromigo69: The Evolink did get an update less than a year ago, so I suppose you can still get what you like. I'd personally prefer the Evolink too over these machined bikes though I get that people who occasionally raise their saddle on their rides would like a longer piece of straight uninterrupted seattube (to accommodate a longer piece of seatpost). The hardtails do look good but I don't quite see how for instance their Taival would be better than a British offering like a Cotic BFe. Then, one could say the opposite too so obviously it is just good that brands are making these bikes.
  • 4 1
 Shame we won't see their riders in the EWS proper, can't imagine they're too happy about being confined to that ridiculous sideshow.
  • 8 8
 I really despite E-MTB and would never ride one however, EWS has basically turned into a lift assisted sport, just like downhill, with only a couple meters of climbing every now and then, so at this point I see not much difference between engine assisted vs lift assisted...
  • 2 1
 "At the moment, Pole's existing eMTB is the 190mm Voima, and while the team could certainly ride that one, there's a good chance the riders will work with Pole on developing something even uglier"
FYP.
  • 7 0
 @dick-pound: I honestly still don't understand the rules of e-assisted competition. Pinkbike really should dumb it down for me, like are there limits in how much energy you take along or how deeply you discharge your batteries. I understand there is a limit to the power output of the motor but then if these are primarily used for the untimed uphill sections then I don't see why power output would be that much of an issue.

As for your comparison between lift assisted and engine assisted, I can see both have their advantages. The advantage of pedal assisted transfer sections seems to me that you need less infrastructure on site. So this would open up more options of where these races can be held. No need for cable cars or lorries driving up too narrow service roads. Just people riding their bikes up, I can see that be less disturbing to the site. On the other hand, requiring a competitive bike with pedal assist can be extra tough for participants to get into. It is expensive stuff that ages quickly. It will be a show that only the rich or well supported can get into, not the privateer living on a shoestring.

Ideally I'd say why not appreciate enduro racing the way it was intended to be. Race the timed section, pedal the transfer sections. If the timed sections are too hard for people to pedal the transfer sections, ease back on the timed sections. Downhill racing already exists. If there is too little time for the transfer sections, just allow for more time. If that implies fewer stages at a certain EWS stop, so be it. It seems to me both pedal assist as well as lift assist are mere patches for a problem that the enduro races as they are now are too demanding. It may be an unpopular call as it would make the sport less spectacular but then again, it is a sport first and foremost. Allow riders to show what they can actually do.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: you've absolutely right, and I couldn't agree more, bar for one discrepancy ...... and that is your omission of the symbiotic interaction between cultural change and market forces . Is the carrot pulling the donkey or the donkey pulling on the carrot ?
  • 5 5
 @vinay: Let's say Ebikes is that they are heavier and in hands of pro racers they will be slower than normal bikes. Too much climbing? Too much lift? Too tough downhills? Too short/long downhills? Why not climb on singletrack? That is what happens when you throw in so many things into one bucket.

However I think we are looking at it through a variety of "puristic" persepctives. No matter what you do, you will find people disagreeing with each other how the format should look like and I am not just talking about Pinkbike commenters. There are surely racers and race organizers who will disagree with each other on that.
  • 3 1
 @calmWAKI: Sure, people will always disagree and/or call for change in different directions. However, I'm more thinking in terms of there being somewhere to go to for those who do want a change. Some disciplines are just pretty close together which implies we're also seeing the same athletes do well in those disciplines. CX athletes doing well in XC, athletes doing well in both enduro and DH. Obviously some skills will always transfer between disciplines so an athlete who possesses that skill utilizes it wherever it applies. But yeah, I think it would be good to shift disciplines a little in order to have something for everyone. At this point, it appears the gap between XC and enduro is huge whereas the one between XC and CX is close and between enduro and DH is getting closer too. Whereas I feel many people would actually like to be there right in the middle. So if (in the spectrum of dirt bicycle racing) CX and DH stay where they are, XC becomes a little more technical and the timed stages of the EWS ease off a little so that these riders can pedal the transfer sections by themselves again, I think that'd be good. If you want to see/ride 190mm travel bikes raced down suitably demanding trails, wouldn't you be happy just seeing 200mm travel bikes being raced downhill too? And if you want to see races being won or lost on wider straight blown-out sections, doesn't CX offer that already? Now that mid travel (say 140mm to 160mm travel, as a very generic description) bikes have become so good and popular, wouldn't it be cool to see a competition with skilled people racing them to their full potential?
  • 3 0
 @calmWAKI: classic scandinavian lullaby. The Danes and the Norvegians are also the best at everything. I know because they told me :-)
  • 6 5
 @danstonQ: I work with Danish and Norwegians.too and I can tell you that I got an impression that Danes think they are the smartest. I do admit though that project leaders I work with are damn good, damn sharp at what they are doing. This bit of arrogance and drive to take a decision gives them edge over most Swedes I worked with in project leading field. But I think it comes down to the particular sector you work for. Problem with Swedes is that many of them were raised in the inclusive Swedish "compromise" culture which creates indecision and too much compromising for the sake of getting as many to agree with each other as they can. I haven't worked with Polish and italians too much but my impression is that they are too focused on doing without enough thinking everything through. The achilles heel of Germans is hierarchy. Finnish don't have it. To me Finnish are Germans without formality and need to present authority which I personally love. It takes a long relationship with Germans for them to ease up and drop the mask of "I will say no right away or be mildly disappointed so that you improve your design" and when I say "ok" it means it is excellent. being a project leader myself more and more often I have to be sensible to different cultures of working. I don't need ot be sensible with Finnish, we talk same language of decison taking and design process. They also take responsibility gladly, while Swedes always create themselves wiggle room and put responsibility on as many parties involved as possible. I had to retune my approach when workign with Swedes again now as Danish/Finnish bulldozer is too rough here.
  • 1 1
 @vinay: ^^^ this. I also have a hard time getting the point of ebike racing, in particular enduro.
To me, the combination of descending skills and endurance is what makes it interesting (and the battery dulls down the endurance bit). With Enduro going downhill, and then e-DH, who will answer the ever-so-popular question of "who is the most well-rounded athlete, the XC racer, or the DH racer?" (similar to the bike-vs-horse race in the UK, or every kid's question: who will win, Batman or Spiderman?)
  • 5 0
 @jansibar: problem is that the endurance part is completely taken out when you have an EWS race where the amount of climbing is 500m, it's just a joke.
An EWS race should have at least 1300m of elevation gain without lifts for each day of racing, similar to what Finale EWS used to be back in the day.
If privateers can't keep up the pace, then they should train more or ride lower category enduro races, like EWS qualifiers. EWS should not be there to boost the ego of the average rider so they can brag about racing the EWS, it should be a world class league with the fittest people only taking part on it and lift assisted racing is not doing a favor to it.
  • 4 2
 @dick-pound: When you run four to seven 5min+ DH tracks per day, trust me, the Endurance bit is there. Most average mortals will be well spent by the time practice days are over. Call it Enduro, call it Multistage DH, why should we care?

For the record DH racers are strong as fk and don’t lag much behind XCers on Enduro comps. There was a local Enduro in my hometown and first stage was a 400-500vertical meters climb. Lukasick won it by a minute or something and I assure you there were many folks with XC background Wink
  • 1 0
 @dick-pound: My mention about privateers a couple of posts up wasn't related to strength/endurance/skill. Instead I meant to say that racing an event on an unassisted bike may be just about doable but to compete in the class with pedal assist requires considerably more expensive gear that ages relatively quickly (batteries especially) and that may give you issues when traveling abroad (batteries again).
  • 1 2
 @calmWAKI: You know the XC background counts as much as the BMX background.
The fact is that there are some fit DH riders, but you count them with the fingers of one hand.
I agree that doing several 5m descents is tiring but only when you have to gain the elevation by your own means, if you remove the climbing aspect, then it's not really that much endurance in it.
  • 4 4
 @dick-pound: Yes there is. Try it hahah Big Grin I do agree there should be pedalling thing to it all no worries, but it does not need to be as huge as it is in case of many competitions these days. Pros complained about it themselves. If you want a genuine endurance race, do Transalp or Cape Epic or one of many other available.
  • 2 1
 @calmWAKI: Only sissies would complain about the climbing
  • 1 0
 @calmWAKI: well... thanx for the headache... The only thing I know for sure is that there are excellent workers everywhere... and wankers everywhere.
Considering the frenchies, I'd say "we are the center of the a*shole of the Universe anyway", so it's like having a third arm: it's not convenient but you can live with it. Smile
Santé Bonheur!
  • 1 0
 @vinay: There are specific uphill/climbing stages too, which look brutal. The stages themselves are different to the regular EWS stages, and are catered more towards e-bikes. I believe you're allowed to use all the batteries you want, but it's more a case that riders probably won't want to have to carry loads round with them, and you don't always get to nip back to the pits to change them out.

I may be wrong on some of that as I have zero interest in EWS-E, but that's my (limited) understanding of it.
  • 98 3
 Pole's marketing budget would be better spent on a blindfold and a dart board at this point.
  • 17 1
 ..and less spent on 80's meccano kits to build those rear ends
  • 79 2
 I have a feeling that Vali might Sam Hill the EWS womens field
  • 6 0
 Indeed. She is a bad ass on a bike for sure
  • 97 1
 Did you mean Cecile Ravanel the EWS women's field?
  • 21 8
 @Malky79: no. Cecile made two UCI DH podiums at 5th place. Great racer, but Vali and Sam are on a much different level in terms of their DH performance
  • 6 24
flag owl-X (Feb 16, 2022 at 15:24) (Below Threshold)
 @Mntneer with Roast of the Year 2022 Nomination.

@Malky79 it's time to switch to your other account. For good.
  • 26 0
 Vali is still just starting her career, do not compare her to Sam. She may be good yes, but she still has lot to do.
@Malky79 before Cecile came Tracey Moseley and before Anne Caroline Chausson
  • 1 14
flag owl-X (Feb 16, 2022 at 16:03) (Below Threshold)
 @elyari: she aint got nothing to do! She's the Champ!
  • 2 6
flag swenzowski (Feb 16, 2022 at 16:38) (Below Threshold)
 Hopefully the races she does don't have any big climbs in them, then we can truly have a good showdown between her and the veterans.
  • 6 4
 @Mntneer: Are you referring to Sam Hill of yesteryear or Sam Hill of last year?
  • 2 0
 @elyari: Racecraft voodoo....
  • 3 0
 As long as she doesnt have to pedal uphill.
  • 6 0
 @Mntneer: @Mntneer: seeing as last years EWS at Val di Fassa for example had some horrific times uphills i suspect downhill performance alone isnt going to win an EWS anytime soon
  • 1 0
 @waldo-jpg: THE uphill on Stage3 was neutralized for the race day. You had enough time to clear it even pushing up, and clock was restarted at the top.
  • 40 0
 Even Sam Hill no longer wants to buy from CRC
  • 2 0
 haha good one
  • 35 3
 The real question is, where did Jason Lucas go?
  • 18 0
 back to IFHT
  • 6 0
 @withdignityifnotalacrity: Maholo my Dude had a video this morning announcing his return. Unclear if that means he is gone from Pinkbike or just making videos with them again.
  • 8 0
 @mtmc99: I don't see him in the PB Staff section either
  • 32 0
 Well, in the Experience section of Jason's linkedIn page he has Video Production Manager Pinkbike · Full-time
Jan 2019 - Jan 2022 · 3 yrs 1 mo listed. Most folks put "Present" after the start date to indicate they are still in the job.
  • 21 0
 @Straight6Rocks: Are we really talking LinkedIn on Pinkbike?? But really, nice catch!
  • 34 0
 I too would be searching for a new job after all those huck-to-flat tests.
  • 55 4
 @bocomtb: in my private mind garden he stood on a table in the cafeteria and delivered an impassioned anti-OutsideMag speech imploring his coworkers to break down these paywalls that divide and fight back against the specialized payola and pedal to a new bike paradise cmon and a slow clap turned into RAHH a thunderous cheer and the Secret Pros took off their helmets and RAHHHH threw them through the plate glass window of the Big Boss Man Office and more RAHHH action like C.Chappetta was so hyped she broke her steely monotone for a RAAHHH and the Mikes kiss each other full open mouth with much tongue and yeah so he leads them all out the doors into the sun victorious in union and turns around to RAAHHHH his feathery beard and well coiffed 90s guy and RAHHHHHH it's like officer and a gentleman and the morrissey guy is the only one left

but no i guess it's too-long scripts for dumb mtb skits probably buoyed by those canadian cultural preservation laws that allowed nelly furtado
  • 14 2
 @owl-X: It's funny that this seems to come just after the Canyon promo video (and arguably, the budget vs baller series). I, too, choose to conjure up a power fantasy head canon of Jason standing up in the office and whispering, through a single tear, "This isn't what mountain biking is about..." And walking out of the building to never return.

Or he's just burned out and has plans for a different direction but I like my fantasy canon more...
  • 36 0
 @bdreynolds7, he's still going to be involved with some bigger Pinkbike video projects in the future, but he's now doing more freelance work.
  • 3 0
 @lepigpen: ok, what happened to the Canyon promo video. It was up for a minute, and then it disappeared from the home page.
  • 2 0
 @TheR: Yeah I had to google it to find it. Would be funny if they put it in the Beta news filter for people who don't want 'paid content'. And thanks to modern youtube we'll never know if the video was actually well received... Though the comments kinda tell the story regardless.
  • 4 0
 @owl-X: who downvoted this???? Deeeight? I'm not sure which is funnier, the Mikes making out or the random, out of nowhere Nelly Furtado reference.

Chapeau, mon ami. Chapeau.
  • 4 0
 @owl-X: brilliant fantasy rich in pb meta
  • 8 1
 We ALL need more Jason Lucas in our lives
  • 20 0
 SRAM Hill
  • 13 1
 My understanding was that Chain Reaction owns Nukeproof. So I would assume they are just emphasizing the Nukeproof part instead of marketing their shop? Doesn't seem like it would mean any change in terms of sponsorship.
  • 5 0
 CRC Wiggle has new owers, Signa Sports, so might be some changes ahead.
  • 3 0
 @dirtpedaler: well let's hope they tell skynet to f*ck right off.
  • 17 2
 Do any of these teams have a BMX background?
  • 5 0
 My thoughts exactly. Everyone should have a bmx background…
  • 9 1
 Vali Holl racing some enduros-rad (and good competition/training between A priority races)

Any moped racing, who cares?!
  • 3 3
 Or demotivating if she gets destroyed.
  • 4 1
 @jclnv: well she did beat Noga and win her first ever enduro race, in Israel on Noga’s home trails. She’ll be fine.
  • 3 1
 @jaydawg69: Go check their IG
  • 6 0
 To be fair with all the riding Vali did with Noga Korem and Cecile Ravanel this off-season, it was no big suprise to see her compete in the EWS
  • 6 1
 That Pole is possibly the ugliest bike I have ever seen, and I've seen an orange so thats saying something.
  • 3 0
 I was in the team changes mood and thought, that after Estelle Charles switched to Specialized, Pole switched to Focus. Weird, but stil better den EWS-E!
  • 2 0
 Dan Booker will be a house hold name after this season. Teaming up with Sam, is the best thing. Simular riding styles. Super stoked for this season. Sam, Moir and Booker Aussie assult this season.
  • 1 0
 I agree, Booker is an absolute pinner. Would not be surprised if he ended up on a podium at some point this year.
  • 6 1
 Go get 'em Vali!
  • 8 5
 And Jason Lucas changing teams back to IFHT. Guess he had enough of Outside and PB Academy.
  • 3 1
 Excuse my ignorance, but what is IFHT?
  • 3 7
flag Sethimus (Feb 17, 2022 at 3:20) (Below Threshold)
 @pioterski: have you heard of google?
  • 6 2
 @Sethimus: Why, is answering a question in a comment blocked or forbidden? Please, don't act as a typical forum/facebook group moderator.
  • 2 0
 @pioterski: I f*cking Hate This which now also goes by Mahalo My Dude. It's the cinematography MTB youtube channel he made his career out of
  • 1 4
 @pioterski: dunno, but if i don’t know a word/subject i usually highlight it and let my browser search it. faster than typing a question and waiting for an answer. but what do i know…
  • 3 3
 Vali racing EWS should not be that much of a surprise, Jamie has been doing it at the U23 level and racing Dh also as part of the Trek team.
Marketing wise it makes absolute sense for Trek to have 2 of the best U23's racing both disciplines.

Trek are following in the footsteps of GT and Pivot with multi discipline riders.
If you are fast at Dh, then you are fast at Dh2 (I mean Enduro)
  • 2 0
 I think it definitely should be considered a surprise. Just because a team mate is racing both, doesn't mean everyone else will. They're very different prospects.

Vali has never raced EWS and is arguably the best DH rider in the world.
Jamie (excluding two standout results) is a top 30 DHer and podiumed at all U21 EWS in 2020 prior to joining Trek.

There's only a handful of multi discipline riders, and none are in contention for World Cup wins.

I'd expect Vali to step straight into elites if she does actually appear at an EWS. She'd wipe the floor with u21s.
  • 1 0
 @mark-88: "There's only a handful of multi discipline riders, and none are in contention for World Cup wins."

Martin Maes has entered the chat.
  • 2 0
 @commental: He's moved to a brand with no DH bike... and with the exception of 2020 double headers he's done one World Cup a year, not exactly competing on two fronts
  • 2 0
 @mark-88: Yeah, sorry. Rereading your comment I realise I misconstrued it when I replied.
  • 2 0
 So do we think we will be seeing a long overdue sram e-bike motor break cover in the next year?
  • 2 0
 Sram E-EWS team = Sram motor is in the works?!
They kinda missed out on the whole eMTB thing
  • 1 0
 Yeah, Sram has been testing an eMtb motor for a little bit now. Guess they are ready for the public to start seeing it.
  • 1 0
 Corey Watson on a factory ride with Nukeproof, LETS GO! Guy smoked me at every Scottish enduro I did last year!
  • 3 2
 What’s Sam Hill got on his wrists?
  • 65 0
 USB sticks loaded with videos of Honey Badgers
  • 5 0
 Sportident timing chips
  • 3 0
 enduro timing chips
  • 16 1
 Spiderman web slingers. Everything is backwards in Australia
  • 11 1
 Self administered Pfizer booster shots. Sponsorship announcement pending.
  • 4 0
 Welcome to enduro racing.
  • 21 21
 Explosives from Australian gov. If you don’t comply to the current Covid rules they blow you up for your own safety.
  • 1 1
 whiskey vials
  • 1 0
 May the Pole be with you... Ahh I mean force (now that's a bike)
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