Racing

Dante Torres Enduro: The first Enduro Race in Dubai?

04.03.2014
by

The beauty of enduro is that it can happen anywhere, from the glitz and excess of the EWS, to a muddy field with nothing but a stopwatch and a few mates! All that is needed is a bunch of friends with a shared love for riding, competition and good times. Grass roots enduro is spreading around the globe, but until recently was still an unknown format in Dubai, that is until a collective came together to bring the sport to the sun scorched land! Racer Paul Conde talks us through the first Enduro Race in Dubai!

We originally ran the event annually as a Super D over the past 3 years in memory of our friend Dante Torres,
however for this year the format changed into a mini enduro, a first of its kind in Dubai and perhaps the whole UAE (United Arab Emirates).

Dubai seems gifted with great enduro terrain!
Dubai seems gifted with great enduro terrain!
It would appear that enduro is alive and well in Dubai
It would appear that enduro is alive and well in Dubai
The trails were fast and dusty!
The trails were fast and dusty! Feet off, ready for the pain!

With 3 timed stages and 3 categories Men’s Masters, Men’s Experts and Ladies open. The race was held in Showka a small village less than an hours drive from Dubai, with a total of 34kms including the transitions.

The course varied from existing fire road, goat trails and mountain bike trails, organized by UAE MTB with the help of UAE Cycling Federation and local bike shops as our major sponsors.

Riders were giving it everything, some too much!
Riders were giving it everything, some too much!
More than one rider went down in the dirt!
More than one rider went down in the dirt!
Respect to the fallen, the whole event was in memory of Dante Torres.
Respect to the fallen, the whole event was in memory of Dante Torres.

86 participants from the men and 6 ladies from different mountain bike teams battled it out in the inaugural Dante Torres Enduro!

In the end it was Andy Whitaker from team Hot Cogs, who took the men’s masters overall champion title with a time of 38 minutes 55 seconds, followed by Bobby Avila from team Chaindrive with a time of 45 minutes 16 seconds in the mens experts! Michelle Guerin of team Ride Bike Shop/ Giant won the ladies with a time of 53 minutes 56 seconds.

High speed with high consequences!
High speed with high consequences!
The event was a unquestioned success!
The event was a unquestioned success!

Award ceremonies will be held on March 14th in our annual GTR (Get Together Ride) to cap off the racing season.

Big smiles all round!
Big smiles all round!
Awesome terrain!
Awesome terrain!

Words and photos: Paul Conde

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