Video: Jesse Melamed POV Chasing Finn Iles & Remi Gauvin Down Mount Prevost Pre-Covid

Apr 27, 2020
by Jesse Melamed  


In early March, just days before the first World Cup and EWS were postponed, we were all getting some last-minute speed training in.

Remi had always been telling me to come ride Prevost. I knew how good it was from all the videos I had seen, but I still wasn't prepared for just how flat out it was. Straight from the first run in this video, the speed blew my mind. It just didn't end, you start to build speed and you would carry that speed all the way to the bottom. Sprinkled along each trail were features that were also just slightly bigger than I would have expected. I was lucky to have Remi to follow who knows the place well. He brought me straight up to speed and I was feeling good. Except then I tried to follow Finn and each time that was short-lived.

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Mount Prevost

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Videos Finn Iles Jesse Melamed Remi Gauvin


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101 Comments
  • 54 1
 The Enduro crew riders are wildly good. What even scarier is Finn is just gone and outta sight seconds after each trailhead.
  • 63 1
 He's quick! Finn knows those trails well so he was up to his own speed. I couldn't hope to keep up to one of the fastest DH'ers on my trail bike!
  • 9 2
 @JesseMelamed: yeah with a few more laps and Finn on a Stumpy i reckon you could take him Big Grin
  • 16 0
 @JesseMelamed: sure sure Wink .... we've all used that one before!!

All joking aside another great video everyone and keep making BC (& Canada) proud on the world stage!

Ride Bikes & Love Life
  • 2 0
 @JesseMelamed:

Man, he was like a spring into and out-from every berm/corner.

(A.) You were on the slayer?(and please forgive the fact that I do not know if it is the 27" or the 29" version); and B, was that a 38 or the good ol' 36?
  • 5 0
 @JesseMelamed: This reminds me of last year when you posted some amazing footage of you following Remi in Finale at the Trophy of Nations (DH Men). You said at the time you had more footage of other stages. This would be a great time to see it if you still have it.
  • 3 0
 @imho4ep: Haha a few more years maybe!
  • 3 0
 @lastminutetech: Thanks! Glad you are stoked!
  • 9 0
 @eugenux: He's got his cornering dialled, I have always aspired to be like Finn in corners.
I was on the 29er Slayer and yes that was the new 38.
  • 5 0
 @commental: I do have those and I have thought about posting them. They are fun! Trying to keep the content recent though so we will see.
  • 4 0
 but enduro bikes are just as good as DH bikes right?
  • 4 0
 @JesseMelamed: I for one would love to see them, the one you posted was the best follow cam footage I've ever seen. Finale wasn't that long ago!
  • 1 0
 @JesseMelamed: recent is a pretty relative concept around here these days...
  • 3 0
 @slayerdegnar: good can take different meanings. Enduro bikes can do a lot that DH bikes can and are just as fun, but Enduro bikes will never be as fast as DH bikes on trails like these. And on certain trails DH bikes won't be as fast as Enduro bikes.
  • 4 0
 @commental: True true, I'll put one up for you sometime in the near future!
  • 1 0
 @imho4ep: I guess so, it seems like a long time ago to me!
  • 2 0
 @JesseMelamed: Awesome. Looking forward to seeing what you post
  • 7 0
 These trails are world class, as are the riders. Watching them ride them just makes me picture Stevie Smith bobbing, weaving and scrubbing his way through them.

Also is Jesse riding mostly blind here? If so that is insane commitment, even when following someone you might ride with often.
  • 16 0
 It reminds me of that too! I loved that segment of Stevie on his home trails. Yes most of those were my first runs down! I trust following Remi but I did have to let Finn go, I didn't want to be going that fast.
  • 6 0
 @JesseMelamed: Dude you were totally flying, I can't comprehend how that is first run speed. This is probably the best GoPro footage I have seen in a while, even with the odd case and mis-hap thrown in! Good to hear that the pros still look up to Stevie like us mortals do.
  • 5 0
 @DirtyDee: Thank you! I appreciate it.
Stevie was a role model for many!
  • 2 0
 @DirtyDee: I think it's about trusting your third eye and having complete faith in your body and bike being able to react in concert before your brain can even compute what just happened. Having tasted what this feels like - and it's almost tangible - I bet racers have this ability in spades.
  • 7 0
 Finn probably put 10-15 seconds into him but if Jesse was riding that fast on a trail that he has never ridden before, in wet conditions. That is crazy fast. much respect
  • 4 0
 I'd expect that if we both knew the trail and we were both going for it he would probably still put 10-15 seconds into me haha.
  • 5 0
 Worldcup speed is a sight to behold again and again. Man Finn was flying. The way he just gapped over that double where Jesse went full frontal into the face of the landing, that was some matrix shit right there.

On another note, if i had to ride one trail for the rest of my life, this would probably be the one. It literally has it all. Constant donwhill, loose soil, whoops and mini doubles for days, big jumps and even bigger drops all set in an incredible landscape.
I´d kill to call these trails my hometrails.
As a mountainbiker, being born in Canada = winning at life
  • 2 0
 I was scared to go hit some of the stuff first run! But in hindsight probably should have just pulled, those cases were gnarly. We are definitely lucky here! But we do have a long winter where we can't ride. Many of my friends in Europe can ride all year round!
  • 1 0
 @JesseMelamed:
Hah yeah, going straight into the landing looked...uncomfortable Big Grin
Anyway, you were flying down that trail. One of the best videos I've seen in quite a few years!
  • 1 0
 @Loki87: Awesome! Thank you!
  • 4 1
 Looks like Finn used his wiiings. Many, Jesse is a beast on a bike and for Finn to pull away like that..... Good for Jesse to keep going at the speed he did. Awesome video. Thanks for sharing
  • 6 0
 When he wins an Elite World Cup you won't be surprised.
  • 7 0
 i love the island
  • 1 0
 Yes, living on Vancouver Island Rocks!
  • 2 0
 the island is the wave, love it here
  • 6 0
 Why cut Daniel Shaw from the title?
  • 4 0
 Ya that's weird... on Jesse's Youtube channel, the vid has Daniel in the title.
  • 1 2
 A title can only be so long before it gets truncated!
  • 4 0
 @JesseMelamed: Limit is 100 characters - "Video: Jesse Melamed POV Chasing Finn Iles, Remi Gauvin & Daniel Shaw Down Mount Prevost Pre-Covid" - is 98. Just glad I could help out!

By the way... the video is awesome... best pre-covid POV to watch mid-covid yet.
  • 2 2
 @islandforlife: That's the title limit but I thought it would get cut off on the front page. Maybe I was wrong!

Thanks!
  • 4 0
 @JesseMelamed: All good in the hood... just trying to rep for the local island talent!
  • 1 1
 @islandforlife: Of course! Gotta look out for your own! I appreciate it!
  • 4 0
 these guys are crazy fast, but goddam Finn looks hard to follow on the big bike Razz
  • 1 0
 So fast!
  • 18 16
 funny how all these videos surfacing are all pre-covid. People need to stop judging and realize that we ride our bikes no matter what and can't just hide indoors allowing the news to keep trying to scare us.
  • 13 1
 Don't worry, I have some fresh ones coming!
  • 5 1
 @JesseMelamed: Keep it up buddy. Get'r done Smile
  • 1 0
 Pretty amazing that for the most of the second part of the video, Jesse is right behind Finn. Anyone who's been riding with locals know that even the lesser skilled ones is hard to keep up with when they know the trails well. Then again, who would be better to ride blind if not the best enduro riders?
  • 1 0
 I was definitely trying to be smart and not hold his wheel. He wasn't going his fastest and I was still scared to go that fast.
  • 1 0
 Totally NUTS!!! Best POV seen in a while for sure!! My heart rate is way up just watching.. Definitely shows the speed and skills of the top riders is another thing all together compared to us mortals!
  • 2 0
 Hell yea! So good, glad you enjoyed it!
  • 5 2
 going faster than dic... nvm
  • 25 0
 yea good call, dick pound is played out.
  • 4 1
 I love how everyone has given up on the Grim Donut review : )
  • 42 0
 I haven't! Levy lives down the street from me, should I go bug him?
  • 7 0
 @JesseMelamed: If you do please get his response on camera!!!!
  • 1 0
 @friendlyfoe: hahaha
  • 4 1
 Pre- Covid. Wink Gotcha..
  • 2 0
 Yessir!
  • 2 0
 Prevost is something special. Shuttling laps with the boys there truly is amazing
  • 2 0
 Such a good time!
  • 1 0
 Take a look at the Youtube comments -- you'll find some interesting information on the Slayer's rear axle that wasn't included in Pinkbike's follow-up discussions...
  • 1 0
 Sick video. When you see a pro rider case a double you know its a tough course.
  • 1 0
 It was a tough corner into the jump to hold speed.
  • 1 0
 I wonder if we are going to see some DHers on the trophy of nations teams of the future?
  • 1 0
 I'm not sure that will be possible. The top 3 ranked rider of each nations are what make up the TON teams, so a DHer would have to race the EWS to get ranked high enough.
  • 2 0
 Finn pulled hard I want to see him race enduro
  • 2 0
 I think he likes the speed and commitment of DH a lot more.
  • 2 0
 spectacular footage, those trails look mint!
  • 2 0
 I had such a blast riding them!
  • 2 0
 Best 15 minutes I have spent in a long time. Really 30 I watched it twice.
  • 1 0
 Awesome! Glad to hear!
  • 2 0
 big boi shit, looks like i could get myself into alot of trouble there!
  • 1 0
 Oh yea!
  • 1 0
 That was some ride! The gap after that leftie though- I would've cased it like Johnnie Cochran!
  • 2 0
 Just like me!
  • 1 0
 @JesseMelamed: Nice save though! You rode it out like a boss!
  • 1 0
 @Joe27: With authority haha
  • 1 0
 "Everything's just big"

No doubt Smile My 125mm Scout struggles in more than a few places at Prevost! Sick edit.
  • 1 0
 Haha you definitely want the extra travel to save yourself..
  • 3 1
 No full face?
  • 15 0
 I didn't have one...This was my first day and I underestimated the speed and size. Won't do that again.
  • 1 0
 In the absence of the Jank Files this will have to do Smile
  • 3 0
 I miss the Jank Files!
  • 1 0
 @JesseMelamed: It's the toughest part of Covid for sure
  • 1 0
 This is some sick riding on some super sick trails!
  • 1 0
 Holy Shit Jesse...that's some riding! Well done!
  • 1 0
 Thanks!
  • 1 0
 Now that was fun. The speed is unreal. Blown away.
  • 2 0
 I was also blown away!
  • 2 0
 Mirranda Miller!
  • 1 0
 Thought I noticed her...
  • 1 0
 @shmarv: There were a few others there but I never followed them down!
  • 3 6
 Bunch of Karen's out there making everyone say "pre-covid". Shit dawg, it's not like we can really tell if this was from a week ago or last year.
  • 6 0
 Based on the half frozen puddles this was probably not from a week ago... Wink
  • 19 2
 I think it's important to specify "pre-covid" because I am taking the guidelines seriously. I am not spending any time with anyone but my roommates and all my rides are solo right now. I wouldn't want people to think I am not taking it seriously and for them to think they can ride with others as well.
  • 2 0
 @O1D4: Good eye!
  • 1 2
 That's what I call a Bike Park!
  • 4 0
 Nah a chairlift would take the fun away!
  • 1 1
 @JesseMelamed: Exactly, that was the point -Eh.
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