Finale Ligure Enduro World Cup wrap up
With the third round of the Enduro World Cup landing in enduro's spiritual home in Finale Ligure, Italy - we catch up with the action.
Photos: Nick Waygood
Think of Finale Ligure, Italy, and what comes to mind? Gelato? Beaches? The Italian Riviera? Enduro racing? It should be all of the above. The trails from the hills to the Med have become sticthed into the core of enduro, and while it was nice to have the first two rounds of the 2023 Enduro World Cup here in Australia – no doubt the global race scene thoroughly enjoyed a return to Europe. After all, those fussy Euros don't like changing time zones or brand of bottled water.
The sun was shining on the Italian Riviera, and the stages presented some dusty challenges on a mix of trails – mostly known, but some new as well.
Morgan Charre stamps her authority
In the women's racing France's Morgan Charre won the opening two stages. Being the longer stages that gave her a nice margin, but nothing was secure. The racing was pretty tight at the front, and by the end of the day Charre took the win with Italy's Gloria Scarsi in second, with a win on stage 4. France's Isabeau Courdier rounded out the podium, with a stage win on Stage 5 as well.
Australians Zoe Cutbery and Leanna Curtis finished 25th and 26th respectively, with Lucy Hill in 34th. No Australian women raced the U21 category, which was won by Emmy Lan from Canada. Her time would have placed her 15th in Open Women.
Jesse Melamed rules the roost
The Open Men's race belonged to the Canadians, with the French getting an elbow in here and there as well. Jesse Melamed was crushing, But Rhys Verner's first stage win gave everyone a lot to think about when he took more than 5 seconds out of everyone else on the second longest stage.
Melamed hit back with a stage win on stage 2, and save for Alex Rudeau's stage 3 triumph, the compatriots traded blows until Frenchman Youn Deniaud won the final stage. Melamed came out on top with Verner second and Rudeeau in third.
Jack Moire finished 11th by the time the race was at the beach, and Dan Booker was 23rd. Dave Maggs was 104th and Duncan Ledger was 113th.
Sascha Kim holds onto the lead
In the U21 men Bailey Christie took the opening stage, before France's Raphael Gambi took control. By the end Gambi had the overall for the 3rd round, with Christie in 4th and Sascha Kim in 6th – but holding the series lead after his stonking rides in Tasmania.
Full results for all categories are online.
