3-Day Enduro in Exmoor

What a weekend. I breezed day one, despite going for a big ride with the organisers the day before, but this shook up the hornets nest enough to turn day two into a proper battle with a fellow Cotic rider, seeing me come in 2nd place. By day three I wanted the lead back, so I took it. The technical trails suited me, so I made up enough time to take the day win and the overall win.

Solo 6hr Female - 3rd

Well, what can I say? I swung a leg over my old faithful Niner Air9 Carbon and six hours later I was finishing in a pool of my own sweat and gel wrappers on the floor. At least, that's all I remember. I guess XC ain't dead yet. :) 

3-Day Enduro Stage in Slovenia

With only one stage a day, it would appear that this was the easiest stage race I've ever done, but lack of infrastructure in Slovenia meant that all stages were reached on bike and on foot. Practicing the course was permitted, so naturally we all put in some serious miles (and meters) before even racing. Despite a big crash on a staircase during the urban night stage, I pulled back the lead in the days to follow. 

4-Day Jungle Enduro, Costa Rica

I expected rooty, steep woodlands (my forte) and instead got "brown pow" and dusty trails (not my forte), but I learned a lot. After crashing hard on Day 2 I thought my podium chances were lost, but I clawed back a minute or so on Day 3, and then created a 2min lead on the last stage of Day 4, putting me in 2nd. Pura Vida!

6-Day Enduro Stage Race, France

After flitting between 6th and 7th all week, I ejected myself out the front door and flew off a cliff. After a little sit down, I thankfully managed to finish (albeit dead last) putting me in 8th overall. 150 started and only 130 finished, so I'm delighted to be one of the few finishers, and on the last ever TS, no less. 

2-Day Enduro, Scotland

Well, after only a couple of Welsh Gravity Enduros, I thought I'd see what an International course (previously a round for the Enduro World Series) was like. Steep was the answer! It was the first race on my new Bianchi Ethanol FSE and I tried too hard to race fast and ended up eating dirt - a lot! I also laughed a lot and I loved every minute of it. 

Scotland

Since discovering the thrills of trail and enduro, 2016 was to be my last 'proper" year of XC racing. I was delighted to be sponsored by Bianchi, but was hesitant to downgrade my wheel size from 29 to 650b. I have always been a top 20 Elite rider, but usually towards the end of that pack, so grabbing 13th was a shock and a delight. 

Val De Sole, Italy

After grabbing enough UCI points to enter a World Cup, It seemed rude not to attend one. I chose the last round of the World Cup Series so that I could cheer on the Brits in the DH and the 4X Champs. 66th out of 72 for my first go wasn't bad, and I beat my number board. I only got pulled on the last lap and I made it into the Red Bull TV Highlights. Result! ;)

7-day XC Coast-to-Coast stage race, Spanish Pyrenees

After completing the Transpyr Road, 1000km and 22000m +/-, I decided to add the off-road event to my belt. At 800km on challenging terrain, it wasn't easy, regardless of the 40+ degree heat wave occurring at the same time. I met some awesome people, grabbed a few day-podiums, and came in just behind 3rd in the end. I couldn't truly race in that heat, but I won at photographing sweet views.