Enduro World Series Brandon Semenuk and Rupert Walker get arty NS Bikes Metropolis Olly Wilkins heads deep underground Dirt jumpers take over at the Isle of Wight MTB Centre

Two-time EWS series winner Richie Rude hadn’t stood atop the podium since 2016, but at this year’s third round, in southern France, the Connecticut-based champ finally shook the monkey from his back and raised the winner’s trophy skyward again. Back luck and head-game issues seemed to have plagued the Yeti Fox Factory Team rider, so it was exciting to see him put things together again, especially at one of the toughest races to date.

The venue of Olargues threw everything at the riders, from flat-out slaloms through medieval streets to fresh loamy turns and vicious rocky chutes. When the likes of Sam Hill and Cécile Ravanel are crashing, you know things are tough! On day one, Richie won three out of four stages, but on the rain-soaked slick rocks of day two, Frenchman Adrien Dailly fought back and things went down to the wire. Rude held his nerve on the final stage and put four seconds into Dailly to secure the win.

Despite a sore shoulder from her crash, Ravanel dominated the women’s yet again, with a massive 2mins 46secs margin over Isabeau Courdurier. Men’s series leader Sam Hill finished back in sixth, after confessing to not feeling on-form all weekend. He’s still in front in the points chase, but with an ex-champ back in the mix and danger men like Martin Maes back to full health, it’s going to be exciting to see how the season plays out. Follow the action at www. enduroworldseries.com.