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Form Guide: Pinkbike’s Predictions for the Combloux Enduro World Cup 2024 – Pinkbike

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A brand new World Cup Enduro venue awaits racers this week with a level playing field and fresh challenges to overcome ahead of a full day of riding across six timed stages.

A return to the Haute Savoie region of France sees the World Series stop off in Combloux to take on natural French tech for the fourth stop of the series. The first of two French races in 2024 offers a new puzzle for riders to solve offering a chance for new faces on top of the podium if they can outmanoeuvre the world’s best on race day. We have already seen one first-time elite winner this season at a new venue and this weekend could just bring another.

Before the riders go against the clock, here are our thoughts on who could be in the running for a top result this week.

Who’s Fast in 2024?

After starting the season in Finale Ligure in the middle of May, we are already passing the mid-point of the Enduro World Cup season as the racing in Combloux marks the kick-off of the second half of the series. The 2024 season has seen some incredible days of racing as each round has brought close battles and a few surprises. Carrying on their winning form from 2023 it is clear the first half of the season has seen dominant performances by Isabeau Courdurier and Richie Rude.

When looking at the women’s racing after three rounds in 2024 there are two clear standout performers. Isabeau Courdurier and Hattie Harnden have been locked in a fierce battle for the overall as the pair have traded wins through the opening three races of the series. Harnden secured victory in Finale before Courdurier came back fighting with back-to-back wins in Bielsko-Biala and Leogang. Both riders are yet to drop outside the top two and just 73 points split them in the overall standings. Another consistent performer is Ella Conolly who is the only other rider to feature in every top five this season.

The men’s racing has been slightly less predictable as only Richie Rude and Yeti teammate Slawomir Lukasik have placed inside the top five at every race. Rude in particular has been in formidable form in 2024 taking two wins and a third place after three rounds of racing. The strong start to the 2024 series has placed Rude almost 200 points ahead of the second-round winner Charlie Murray. If not for issues during the third in Leogang Murray would be closer to Rude in the overall as he was yet to drop outside the top two until placing eighth in Austria.

Round 1 – Finale Ligure

Elite Women

1st. Hattie Harnden: 36:06.599
2nd. Isabeau Courdurier: 36:15.229
3rd. Ella Conolly: 36:23.173
4th. Morgane Charre: 36:23.203
5th. Rae Morrison: 36:47.701

Elite Men

1st. Richie Rude: 31:53.201
2nd. Charlie Murray: 32:08.474
3rd. Martin Maes: 32:17.791
4th. Mirco Vendemmia: 32:19.749
5th. Slawomir Lukasik: 32:21.943

Round 2 – Bielsko-Biala

Elite Women

1st. Isabeau Courdurier: 27:23.465
2nd. Hattie Harnden: 27:23.701
3rd. Chloe Taylor: 27:37.527
4th. Estelle Charles: 27:41.365
5th. Ella Conolly: 27:45.812

Elite Men

1st. Charlie Murray: 23:42.034
2nd. Slawomir Lukasik: 23:42.129
3rd. Richie Rude: 23:44.832
4th. Jack Moir: 23:51.459
5th. Jesse Melamed: 24:03.739

Round 3 – Leogang

Elite Women

1st. Isabeau Courdurier: 29:02.748
2nd. Hattie Harnden: 29:40.614
3rd. Morgane Charre: 29:42.602
4th. Ella Conolly: 30:10.178
5th. Bex Baraona: 30:21.084

Elite Men

1st. Richie Rude: 24:52.002
2nd. Alex Rudeau: 24:59.314
3rd. Slawomir Lukasik: 25:06.131
4th. Kasper Woolley: 25:25.864
5th. Mirco Vendemmia: 25:30.113

2024 Season Stats

Elite Women’s Race Picks

Isabeau Courdurier

Since a second-place finish in the opening round at Finale Ligure, Isabeau Courdurier has been a dominant force in 2024 securing race wins in Poland and Austria. Locked in a close battle for the overall against Hattie Harnden, Courdurier has so far been able to push off the threat of her British rival for two rounds in a row and will be wanting a win on home soil this weekend. With her proven form at the last two rounds and her strength at the brand-new venue in Poland, we think Courdurier will be tough to bet against for the race win this weekend.

Morgane Charre

Another French rider looking for a win at home will be Morgane Charre. Charre hasn’t had her strongest start to the season taking third in Italy before dropping to seventh in Poland and then returning to the podium with third place in Austria. As the racing returns for a fourth round in France this weekend Charre will be looking to return to the race-winning form which saw her battle for the 2023 overall and win the last time the Enduro World Cup visited the Haute Savoie region of France for the season finale in Châtel.

Elite Men’s Race Picks

Jesse Melamed

With only one top-five finish so far in 2024, Jesse Melamed has struggled to find the pace to match the raw speed of series leader and two-time 2024 winner Richie Rude. After a few weeks break and some time spent training at home, we think Melamed is going to be coming back with some race-winning potential this weekend and after winning on the natural trails of Châtel last year he could be in for a similar top performance this week on the course laid out in Combloux.

Slawomir Lukasik

A rider who has been knocking on the door for a well-deserved race win is Slawomir Lukasik. After missing out on a dream first World Cup win at home in Poland by 0.095 seconds against Charlie Murray, Lukasik fought back with a third place in Leogang as he is yet to drop outside the top five this year despite a mechanical costing him a potential race victory against teammate Richie Rude in Finale Ligure. If everything can go Lukasik’s way this weekend then he could be a real threat for his first World Cup victory.

Wildcard Race Picks

Ella Conolly

After a tough 2023 season, it’s been great to see Ella Conolly return to the top of the sport again as she is another rider yet to fall outside the top five this year. With a best result of third place so far in 2024, we think the racing in France this weekend could be the place where she breaks into the top two for the first time since the opening round of the 2022 season in the Tweed Valley.

Martin Maes

Martin Maes looks to be back on form in 2024, but some tricky races have left him looking for more. Following a win in the E-EDR racing at Leogang, Maes has the taste of the top of the podium and will be after the winning time in the EDR racing this weekend. With an entry in the E-EDR racing he could take the double win if everything goes his way across a packed weekend of 16 race stages.

Who Do You Think Will Win?

We shared our thoughts and picks for this weekend, but who do you think will be going for the top of the podium?

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