Dickson specializes in downhill racing but made a last-minute decision to race the Irish Elite Men’s Enduro National Championship near Dublin. “The enduro scene is really strong here, and the course at Djouce Woods had six stages with no practice,” he said. “So I figured it would be good training heading into the next round of World Cup DH racing in Maribor.”
The three-time Irish men’s DH national champion left behind his usual DH bike and hopped on the Reign Advanced Pro 29 enduro machine for the long day of racing in Ireland. “I ended up really enjoying the blind racing format as the day went on,” said Dickson, who wore Giant Shuttle shoes. “It felt extra fast riding my Reign Advanced Pro 29 after spending so much time on DH bikes, but I wasn’t expecting to end up on the podium.”
Meanwhile, Philipp decided to use the French Cup event to help prepare for upcoming European and World Championships XC events. “The course in Ussel had a little bit of everything,” said Philipp, who rode his Anthem Advanced Pro 29 bike and wore the Giant Rev Pro helmet and Charge Pro shoes. “There were lots of fun corners in the forest, along with short, steep and explosive climbs and rocky technical sections.”
Changing weather conditions in Ussel presented a challenge to riders. “Most riders were caught off-guard by a heavy downpour just before the start of the XCO race,” Philipp said. “I was riding Maxxis Aspen 2.25 tires and took the holeshot at the start. The Aspen is such a great little tire. I lost some time in a small crash but stayed in fourth place all the way to the finish. After placing fifth in the XCC [short-track] and fourth in the XCO [cross-country], I’m feeling well prepared and confident coming into the next block of big races.”
Dickson, Philipp Score MTB Podiums in Europe
den 3 augusti 2021
Teams/Riders
From cross-country racing to enduro, the Giant Factory Off-Road Team scored strong results in Europe last weekend including podium finishes in France and Ireland. Jacob Dickson led the way with a third-place finish at the Irish Enduro National Championships, while XC racer Antoine Philipp scored top-five finishes in both the XCO and short-track at a French Cup event in Ussel.
Dickson, a three-time DH national champion in Ireland, added an enduro podium to his list of accomplishments. @yazalpizar photo
Dickson joined Kelan Grant (middle) and Gavin Carroll on the podium in Ireland. @yazalpizar photo
Philipp pushed his Anthem Advanced Pro 29 to the limit on a challenging XC course in Ussel, France. Remi Fabregue photo
Fans cheer on Philipp at the French Cup race. Remi Fabregue photo
Philipp is on track with his preparations for the next round of major XC races in Europe. Remi Fabregue photo
