The final round will see the athletes engaged in the Pyrenees, on a course that includes six stages, 63 km and 3652 meters in altitude.
Source: EWS press release
With the titles of the circuit up for grabs, there will be great tussle in France. Jesse Melamed (Rocky Mountain Race Face Enduro Team) will have to contend with 2-time champion Richie Rude (Yeti / Fox Factory Team). Melamed leads the standings with just 495 points ahead of Rude, an advantage that is not unassailable.
Both Rude and Melamed fell into thelast round of Crans-Montana and will participate in this weekend's race with minor injuries. Elsewhere in the men's field, reigning champion Jack Moir (Canyon Collective) proved he was back in shape by making a clean sweep in Switzerland this past weekend.
In the women's competition, Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) leads the standings against all odds after a catastrophic foot injury during theEWS-E Valberg in July, returning to top five at Whistler the following month. With a total of four wins this season, Courdurier is now 545 points ahead of Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing). However, the fight for third place is very close.
Bex Baraona (Yeti / Fox Factory Team) currently occupies third place in the standings, but just five points behind her is Ella Conolly (Cannondale Enduro) in fourth place. And to increase the pressure is Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing), just behind. Both Harnden and Conolly beat Baraona convincingly in the final round.
In the U21 competition Luke Meier-Smith (Propain Factory Racing) has the men's title in his pocket after his dominant performance all season, but Canadian drivers Seth Sherlock and Emmett Hancock will fight to stay in second and third place respectively. Sophie Riva is on track for the women's U21 category, but she faces tough competition from Emmy Lan (Norco Factory Racing) who is still a short distance away.
In team competition, Pivot Factory Racing is close to sealing the team title, but trying to stop them will be the Rocky Mountain Race Face Enduro Team in second place and Yeti / Fox Factory Team in third.
