OET: A Snowy Chase for Glory

It’s the first Enduro World Championship, an event that ignites every rider’s passion. Everyone dreams of being the first to wear the rainbow jersey and feel the vibrant energy of its colors on their chest. We are ready to take the final step to the top, the last step to be crowned champions.

A week after wrapping up the UCI Enduro World Cup in Loudenvielle, the Orbea FOX Enduro Team made their way to Canazei (Val di Fassa, Italy). The majestic Dolomites stood as both judges and executioners for the first UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Championships.

The moment everyone was waiting for had arrived: the celebration of the first Enduro and E-Enduro World Championships. Belgium, Chile and Spain had their eyes fixed on Martin, Flo and Edgar, respectively—each nation eager to celebrate their rider’s victory with a gold medal.

Once again, the weather became the undisputed antagonist. It was as if all the storms had conspired, drenching the town of Trentino in a torrent of rain. Canazei’s high altitude (1,450 m) and the even higher stage starts, perched at over 2,000 m above sea level, turned rain into snow. Alarms were raised as snow accumulated by the hour. With the forecast and course conditions worsening, race organizers postponed the opening ceremony to Friday, the training day to Saturday and the two races to Sunday, giving the teams a few days to reflect and prepare for the extreme conditions.

Even with extra heaters plugged into the paddock, the cold infiltrated everyone’s body. This cold was a decisive factor in the race, taking hold of Martin Maes as the Belgian rider struggled with a head cold. Martin was unable to keep pace during the pedaling sections, falling behind by 10 seconds in each one. Every second felt like 10 pedal strokes, as his body lagged behind his mind. Yet despite the adversities, Martin finished in seventh place..

On the Chilean side, Flo Espiñeira was clear about their goal: to win gold and dedicate it to an entire country that had cheered them on through the last three years of competitive adventures across the pond. It would be a tribute to the passionate enduro fans back home. Flo had a hard time warming up at the start, but they found their stride in the second half of the race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to recover from the lost time early on and they had to settle for silver.

The Orbea FOX Enduro Team season comes to a close with this race, marking the end of a year in which Flo secured their third consecutive E-EDR championship and Martin claimed victory in EDR, three years after his last title.

At Orbea, our commitment to creating a professional enduro team began in 2018. Over the past six years, the team and the brand have grown and evolved together—developing new bikes and testing our equipment in high-level races. This season has been filled with unforgettable moments and unique experiences, each of us giving our best. But now, it’s time to close out the 2024 season and look ahead at what’s to come.

To celebrate, we present “A Snowy Chase for Glory,” a video that takes you behind the scenes of our OET team, highlighting the hard work and dedication behind each achievement.