Previewing the first ever MTB Enduro World Championships!

For the first time ever, mountain bike enduro racing will have its very own World Championships. Enduro has long been one of the most unique and challenging sports in the world. Now, at long last, it will be handing out rainbow jerseys in proper recognition of the incredible athletes who take part.

Hattie Harnden, newly minted World Cup overall champion, and Emily Carrick-Anderson, coming off her first ever U21 World Cup victory, are both champing at the bit to compete in a wide open race in Canazei this Sunday. Adding to the unpredictability is the weather: Racing was pushed back from Saturday after the Dolomites received a heap of snow late this week, creating cold, wet, slippery conditions that are often teased but rarely seen in mountain bike racing.

Harnden and Carrick-Anderson, hailing from some of the mistiest and muddiest regions of England and Scotland, respectively, may be as equipped as anyone to handle the course. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, especially if last week’s sojourn to water-logged Loudenvielle is any indication. Expect crashes and tight margins across a grueling day of racing.

First we turn to the weather:

The conditions are expected to be clear Sunday, but who knows what the course will be like following three days of precipitation, practice laps and melt. The temperature will also be near freezing when riders begin racing at 8:30 a.m. local time, and will climb steadily throughout their ride. Preparing for the day will be a difficult task on its own.

The course itself is a classic. Val Di Fassa has been featured on the Enduro World Cup or Enduro World Series stage in four of the last five years. The Elite riders will know almost every inch, but that experience can only help so much. The terrain is loose, the trail is taped tight, and the rocks and roots are as mean as any venue on the World Cup circuit. Factor in the rain and snow, and the fact that riders will only get one practice run down all five stages, and you have the makings of a wild race.

No one was more consistent on the World Cup circuit than Harnden. She never finished lower than fourth across six races, and won twice to secure the overall title in an incredibly tight battle with Isabeau Courdurier.

But though Harnden and Courdurier dominated the season on points, they are hardly the only World Championship contenders. Morgane Charre also won two World Cup races this year on her way to taking third place overall, and Ella Connolly and Mélanie Pugin racked up their fair share Top 3 finishes as well. The title will almost certainly come down to the wire as it has all season.

There is no separate race for the U21 women in Canazei, which means Carrick-Anderson will be one of several young riders trying to prove themselves among the very best in the sport. Five different riders in the category have won World Cup races this year, including Carrick-Anderson, and 11 have notched Top 5 finishes. Carrick-Anderson may be peaking at the right time, winning the last World Cup race of the season after an injury-disrupted campaign, but she is going to have to battle hard to get on a fiercely competitive podium. 

World Champs won’t have a live video broadcast, but you can follow along with the live timing on the event’s official site. You’ll also want to make sure you’re following Trek Factory Racing Enduro on Instagram for results and a behind the scenes look at the team. 

Racing will take place from 8:30 a.m. local (2:30 a.m. ET) up to 5 p.m. local (11 a.m. ET), so settle in this Sunday for some incredible drama.