For the last couple weeks, the Enduro Competition Team has been on a camp trip where they had two back-to-back race weekends. The first weekend was spent at Purgatory resort where the athletes had to learn to adapt to wet conditions straight out of the gate. The tracks at purgatory are above the normal pay grade for the athletes but yet they persisted. In the 16-18 division, Ryan Montgomery finished 10 in his division after riding a smooth race and keeping things together. In the 13-15 division, Quinn Dressen finished 7th in his division. Robbie Wodnik finished 10. Miles Chase, despite not finishing pre-ride on one of the stages due to the gnar factor, was determined to finish the race no matter what cost. Vander did not finish but rode 3 of the 4 stages and was tearing things up on the tracks he finished. Overall it is amazing to see the athletes’ determination through such a technical and steep track, especially when this was a first for many.

The second weekend was spent at Angel Fire Resort for the Big Mountain Enduro. This was a first for all the athletes, and racing at this level was going to more than the athletes have had to do in the past. In the 12-14, Quinn Dressen finished on the podium in 3rd, which is a huge milestone. Robbie finished just off the podium in 4th. Vander finished 7th. Miles Chase had a big crash on day two and unfortunately could not continue racing with a possible concussion. He kept good spirits and chose to stick around and help cheer on his teammates. This race was really rough on the body and mind. The tracks were long and sustained with holes big enough to rattle the bars out of your hands. It is amazing to see how the work these athletes have been putting in is paying off and showing in their riding.

A little blurb about the BME: The Big Mountain Enduro is the premier Enduro tour in North America and currently holds stops in the most picturesque vacation destinations throughout the rugged west. This highly anticipated race series offers some of the biggest and most challenging mountain bike terrain in the country that often includes a combination of backcountry and lift-accessed stages throughout the series. Each race stage is designed to give participants a unique riding experience, including high-altitude trails, a mix of pedal transitions, and big descents that test athletes’ pure strength, endurance, and technical skills.