Over the past year, we’ve seen teams on the enduro circuit dip out, and less coverage being broadcast, so it seemed that, at the face of it, top-level enduro is on the way out. However, at La Thuile’s night stage, we saw downhill-sized crowds, plenty of heckling and rider-produced videos. Surely that’s enough evidence to suggest enduro isn’t really dead?
In terms of broadcasting, enduro is a really tricky one to nail. Riders aren’t riding just one course throughout the weekend like in cross-country and downhill. Rather, they’re riding several tracks that span the breadth of a mountain. But, at any given point, there will be riders on track over multiple tracks. So, unlike downhill or cross-country, camera crews can’t just rock up to certain points of the race and stay put. Instead, the crews will need to be larger but more manoeuverable.
I get it, it’s not an easy race to film, but surely if the people who organise the race managed to get the job done better, maybe we’ll see wider viewership? Better still, TV broadcast?
With enduro not being televised as much, we’re seeing lots of brands exit from supporting the top level of enduro. In 2025, 12 teams rolled up to the season, whereas in 2026, there are but five. However, some key players are competing on self-supported programs. With that in mind, it’s clear that one of the most relevant genres of mountain bike racing is fizzling out.
However, the passion for the sport is still there. That was proven at La Thuile’s night stage just last weekend. Spectators lined the track in a fashion that’s usually reserved for XC and downhill, just to see the world’s top enduro riders take on what looked to be the spiciest of tracks.
And I’ll say night stage a little loosely. It’s not quite like the night rides you and I might partake in. Rather, most of the stage is lit by lights hung over the track. But yes, it took place as the sun set, and we might have seen some of the best enduro racing we’ve seen for ages, with some riders struggling to tackle the rocks, while others found glory.
This proves that people still want to see enduro racing happen. And folk is doing a solid job of providing top-notch content, but rather, it seems to be more on the rider, rather than the organiser. People like Iago Garay are filming and publishing their own videos, with loads of others posting their attempts on social media. Perhaps that’s the way enduro is going?
If you head over to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ YouTube channel, there are a couple of videos to get stuck into, with race highlights for perusal, and even a course preview, led by Elliot Heap, joined by Ritchie Rude. The views aren’t too shabby, either, so people want to consume enduro racing. Even then, a lot of the footage is generated by the riders and the views are something of a drop in the ocean compared to the DH and XC videos.
For me, enduro is the most familiar form of racing. While at UCI-level, the tracks are super gnarly and very demanding for us mere mortals, these races are as close as we’ll get to our regular Sunday rides. It’s no walk in the park for the athletes, either, as they have to manage their energy and attack each stage while making their own way to the next, under their own steam. So it’s a shame that the sport isn’t more popular.
The UCI is doing the right things, though. The night stage made an excellent opportunity for spectators to gather and for athletes to create content that was different from the norm. And for me, it’s one of the most memorable slivers of enduro we’ve seen for ages.
Perhaps enduro just needs more of this. A bit more novelty, and more opportunities to create interesting videos, and for crowds to gather. Perhaps it’s a genre that revolves more around social media than television broadcasts.
Is enduro dead? It may be going that way, but La Thuile’s night stage has proven that it is at least still treading water.
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Only the brainwashed still watch television.