The 2025 Enduro World Series kicked off in the picturesque coastal town of Pietra Ligure, Italy an iconic destination known for its rugged Ligurian terrain, stunning Mediterranean views and famously grippy limestone trails. Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Pietra has long been a favorite stop for riders and fans alike, offering some of the most dynamic and technical riding on the calendar.
Kicking off the season with a new two-day race format meant two long days of practice followed by two big days of racing, totaling a massive 6,236 meters of climbing over the four days. This translated to long, physical stages with equally demanding descents, pushing riders to the limit from start to finish.
The week’s forecast didn’t inspire much confidence early on, with consistent showers dampening the higher elevation trails. But as the week progressed the skies began to clear, and race day delivered a bluebird finish. The result was a unique mix of trail conditions, moist, tacky dirt up high and fast, dusty lines closer to sea level. Riders were treated to an incredible variety of terrain that kept things exciting and unpredictable. The new two-day race format was a welcome change, giving riders more time on course, better trail conditions and a full-on challenge to kickstart the season.
Edward Masters, returning to racing after a major injury only nine weeks ago, showed incredible determination. Following surgery to reattach his olecranon in his elbow, Ed looked composed and fast in practice. However the pain proved too much after the first day of racing and he made the smart call to pull out ahead of day two to avoid risking further damage. A brave effort and a clear sign of his grit, he’ll be back stronger.
Matthew Walker looked confident in practice, showing strong pace on all terrain. Unfortunately a mechanical on day one forced him to nurse his bike through the stages. Still he pushed through to complete the day, but an off on Stage 4 of day two slowed his comeback charge. Despite the setbacks, Matt brought it home in 34th, a commendable result given the circumstances.
Morgane Charre wasted no time showing she’s back to business. Picking up where she left off last season, Morgane delivered consistent and fast stage times across both race days. Her solid performance earned her a 3rd place podium finish, a fantastic start to the season and a clear statement of intent for the year ahead.
While the enduro team battled it out in Italy, our Pivot Downhill teammates were getting some pre-season laps in Poland, but not without incident. In a heartbreaking twist, Bernard Kerr and Ryan Griffith both suffered serious crashes on the same trail, only 20 seconds apart, during their final runs of the day. Witnessing the chaos unfold was teammate Jenna Hastings, who was deeply shaken as both riders required immediate medical attention.
Ryan sustained a deep facial laceration and was knocked unconscious, while Bernard suffered fractures to both his left hand and right arm. Incredibly Bernard still managed to assist in getting Ryan off the mountain, highlighting his resilience and character. Both riders have since been discharged from hospital and begin their road to recovery. Unfortunately this sidelines half of the Pivot DH team for the upcoming Poland race. More updates on their condition will follow.
