OET: The Road to Gold

Do you remember that feeling when you faced something for the first time? The uncertainty, nervousness, and maybe insecurity that gripped your body. But bravery, courage and motivation drove you on to take the next step and explore a hitherto unknown world, overcoming all of your fears.

That is what we experienced in the Orbea FOX Enduro Team in this third set of races in the UCI Enduro World Cup. The colossal peaks of the Alps were the backdrop for great adventures in Combloux, France and Aletsch Arena, Switzerland, both new locations for our squad.

Martin, Edgar and Flo went into the Combloux race with high hopes, as the rest day between the EDR and E-EDR races allowed the three of them to compete in both categories. But the challenge of a new location was compounded by difficult terrain. Heavy rainfall in the days leading up to the event turned the course into a sea of mud and slippery roots. Each new downpour worsened the situation, making the ruts worse and making it even more difficult to execute clean runs down the warped and collapsing trails. In short, it was a very tough race for everyone.

But the quest continued, and after flying around the mighty Alps, the team landed in Switzerland, a place full of mystery and endless possibilities! Storms threatened, and the organization decided to postpone the races until Sunday. This ruled out the possibility of our riders competing in both categories – it was all or nothing. The forecast, which remained just that, a threat, and the day off on Saturday allowed our staff to set off on a new adventure in Aletsch Arena. 16.4 km at 6.4% awaited them at the Furka Pass, where they would be able to catch a glimpse of the largest glacier in the Alps.

Meanwhile, the riders rested, knowing what was in store for them on Sunday. Long, rocky stretches required every last drop of energy from each of them. After a tough weekend, the epic drama of the third set of races came to a climactic end with the victory of Flo in the E-EDR, taking the overall victory for the third consecutive year, demonstrating her undisputed mastery, skill and commitment, putting their name once more into the history books of enduro racing.

“I am very happy to win again and top the general classification, but I will continue to give my all in Loudenvielle. This would not be possible without all the mechanical equipment and everyone’s support.”

Flo Espiñeira – Orbea Enduro Team rider

New adventures and challenges are our daily routine, both in the enduro team and at Orbea. The constant evolution of the cycling sector means that we have to go one step further every day, dealing with the various unforeseen events and challenging the obstacles we encounter along the way. It is challenging, but our sense of adventure drives us on, with the aim of getting to the top.

That’s why we wanted to share “The Road to Gold” with the public, a video showing the ins and outs of our OFET team and the importance of staying united, despite all the difficulties that we may encounter along the way, in order to excel in high-level enduro competition