Race Briefing

Enduro2 Les Arcs 2021 presented by Dirtlej

Its almost time to party! Please read this email carfeully since it contains very important information about the race, how we will communicate further information, and special changes due to COVID-19.

Communications During the Event

From 30th June to 5th July we will provide all essential updates via the Event Facebook Page. Please sign up to this page (if you don’t have a facebok account, get one, its free to sign up!)

There is no physical race breifing at the event – (this is it, so please read carefully!).

Course Maps and a Daily Course Briefing will be released via the facebook event page, from 12h00 on Thursday.

Carry your mobile phone with you at all times during the race weekend

(You will use your 4G, in an emergency, so have data roaming ON).

Daily Race results will be posted here, as well as photos, course maps, start-order and start-time instructions for your following day’s racing.

Registration will be held at LABOSHOP

from 14h30 to 20h00 on Thursday 1st July.

(See Map – we are next to MacDonalds)

If you know you will be late and miss registration, you can ask another team or riders to collect your chip for you. Alternatively please email Ali@Enduro2.fr (in any languange!), or call Gabi at Registration (in English or Czech) on +33 7 88 54 54 93 to make other arrangements.

Medical Form & Disclaimer

If you still had trouble to upload your medical form and disclaimer: don’t worry! Please simply bring a paper copy to registration and give it to Gabi when you collect your timing chip.

Registration Process

Find Your Team Race Number —->HERE<—-.

Collect your own Race Plates at Registration (One per Rider).

Present Your Race Plates to Gabi to Register your Timing Chip

Collect your Race T-Shirt (& take a super-cool Enduro2 Sticker if you want!)

Mount Your Race Plates to your handlebars.

Remember to collect and return your timing Chip each day from Gabi at Laboshop.

Weather Forecast

Current Weather forecast (may change!) is typical mountain weather – storms or showers late in the afternoon. If it is 20 DegreesC in Bourg St Maurice it can be 5 Degrees C at the top of Stage 1. You will sit on an open chairlift for 15 minutes to get to stage 1…it can get very, VERY cold up there. BE PREPARED.

There is more snow lying at altitude in June, than I have ever seen in 20 years guiding in the alps! It means the higher stages will have melting snow on the ground in places. In these conditions, you can’t be more comfortable than in something like the trailscount half-and-half waterproof shorts from Dirtlej. Well with the investment for a warm, dry bum all weekend!

Weather Forecast

Course Format

Enduro2 follows a special race format:

– 13 Timed Race Stages (RED)

– Un-Timed “Bonus” Stages. (PURPLE)

– Un-timed Liaison Sections between stages (BLUE)

Purple Stages are optional (but strongly recommended – these are all really awesome trails!).

Red (Race) Stages are marked with Yellow Arrows, and a minimal amount of race tape

Course Marking & Navigation

Protecting our natural enviroment is very important to us. After all, wihtout it, ths event would not be possible at all!

This year we will are using recycled arrows (from last year’s event). On the bonus stages, we use no arrows or race-tape at all – instead we are using BIO, chalk-based marker which will disappear naturally within 2 weeks and has no negative impact on the environment. We don’t use feed-stations which encourage the excessive use of disposable cups or plates and can create rubbish on the mountain – but who needs that, when you can eat at a mountain restaurant instead? (included in your race price!).

Please respect our trails, and give lots of care and space to other users of the mountain. Whatever you do, PLEASE DO NOT CUT CORNERS. This simply destroys the trail!

Navigation For Bonus (Purple) Stages

A Strava Navigation File is available to help you navigate your way to the Bonus stages each day. Links to access these routes will be released together with the course maps each day.

Purple (Bonus) Stages are marked with Pink and Yellow BIO-chalk, plus there is a Strava navigation file you can follow.

iming Sytem – SportIdent

You have 1 chip per team. Wear it on your right wrist, facing upwards. Or if you prefer, wear it on your bag strap at chest-level, on the right side.

Collect your chip every morning from Laboshop.

Download & Return your chip after the last stage each day.

If you retire from the race, return your chip immediately (or ask your race partner to return it). (If you don’t we will call mountain rescue, to search for you on the mountain!)

If you lose or break your chip there is a 30 Euro replacement charge.

– Manual Timing system – you must “beep” in and out of each stage to get your time

– If you are unsure, beep a 2nd time – this will not affect your fastest time.

– Come to a complete stop, and keep your hands on your bars – our timing marshalls will do all the work: its faster if you keep still and don’t move your chip!

– Start each stage with your race partner, at the same time.

– You cannot finish any stage without your parter – both riders must cross the finish line. (Enduro2 is all about TEAMWORK, not riding as an individual!)

– Teams depart every 20 seconds.

– Stage 1: Controlled starting order (Fastest riders first, Team 1,2,3,4,5…. etc).

– Stages 2 – 6: Free starting order – Start when you want!

There is a maximum time-gap of 20 seconds between start, but no minimum time-gap.

Earthquake – Funicular Railway Closure (Day 1 Only)

As if COVID-19 wasn’t a big enough problem for us this year…there was a minor earthquake in Les Arcs this Spring which caused structural damage to the Funicular Railway. We were informed by the Station only a few days ago, that the emergency repair work has over-ran, and the funicular railway will not be finished in time to open for Day 1 of Enduro2. (We are assured it will be fixed and running again for Day 2 & 3!).

As you can imagine, this was a HUGE challenge for us, at very short notice – but we found a solution! We have re-planned the whole course to add more stages on Sunday (and ride a shorter course on Friday). We will use coaches from Bourg St Maurice. Bikes will be transported in shuttle vehicles. Each bike will be protected don’t worry! (In our experience of 20 years with these events, we have found that this mode of transport is actually safer for bikes than using bike trailers or ski lifts).

Loading 300 bikes quickly, is a big challenge! So its possible there may be delays.

We can load faster, if some riders (10 per bus) can please volunteer to remover your front wheel and load your bike (protected with a thick blanket!) into the luggage compartment under the bus.

We thank you for your understanding and patience… but we hope you will agree: its better to have a small inconvenience in the morning on Friday, than to be forced to cancel the whole race, at the last moment.

Start Times – VERY IMPORTANT
Please stick to your starting time (BUS 1 / FUNI 1) every day. This is critically important to maintain safe distance and crowding limits on the funicular and ski lifts.

After the 1st morning loading cycle (BUS 1 / FUNI 1), you may start freely, in any order you wish, as soon as you are ready. (In fact, we encourage you to allow faster or stronger teams to start a stage in front of you, if requested).

Race Results
You will receive personal interim results each day via a chip download at lunchtime.
There will be no leader-board on display (to encourage social distancing).
Live results are available online, updated every 15 minutes, via the Link in the Menu of this site.

For Day-3 (Sunday) Riders – You will record your race results for Day 3 ranked with all other riders in yoyur category. Please note there is not a special podium / official result for the Day 3 category as a seperate classification.

DAY 1 (FRIDAY) START TIMES

PLEASE COLLECT YOUR TIMING CHIP 15 MINUTES BEFORE DEPARTURE

DAY 2 & 3 (SATURDAY / SUNDAY) START TIMES

PLEASE COLLECT YOUR TIMING CHIP 15 MINUTES BEFORE DEPARTURE

Race Etiquette
– Let Faster teams start in front of you
– Overtaking is tough, in teams of 2 (even harder with 3!). Please be courteous and let faster riders past. BUT: faster riders, you do NOT have priority to pass and will be penalised if you cause a crash or accident due to unsafe overtaking! (And don’t forget to high-five on the way past).
– Max starting time between teams is 20 seconds, but there is no minimum starting distance between teams – in fact 4-rider and 6-rider party trains are strongly encouraged!

No course practise is allowed before the event – this is “blind” racing!

Safety Instructions
These are big days on the mountain, with some epic stages.
– Day 1 Stage 1 is BLACK GRADED in parts.
– 95% of crashes happen within the first 3 minutes of your race. Don’t ruin your weekend on the first stage!
– PACE YOURSELF (no, really, we mean it!)
– Drink 4 to 6 litres of water per day
– Carry your phone with our emergency number in it on speed dial
– Take an extra layer and a waterproof jacket (it gets very cold at the start gate & on lifts)
– In an emergency, STAY WITH YOUR TEAM-MATE and raise the alarm via the next riders to come past.
– If you come across an injured rider, the best way to help them is to get to the next marshall or end of stage as fast as possible and raise the alarm (don’t stop and help unless they are alone).

IF YOU NEED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OR RESCUE
CALL or Text/Whatsapp +33 6 35 24 35 25
(SAVE THIS TO YOUR PHONE, RIGHT NOW!)
You will recieve a text or Whatsapp message with a link
Click the link and “allow the page to access your location”
This will share your exact location with our rescue team and allow us to arrive on-scene as quickly as possible.

For non-emergency assistance on Race Day: Call or Whatsapp race director Geoff:

on +33 6 71 14 10 78 (French/English).

Sports Massage Service
If you would like to enhance your performance during the event with a sports massage we have teamed up with Massage Me to offer a mobile service direct to your accommodation. Book your preferred day and time and a therapist will come to you in the comfort of your own apartment/lodge/hotel. If you use the code Enduro2 you will receive a 5% discount as an event competitor.