The Tallest Order

    Duncan Riffle drops into Top of the World to start the fifth and final stage of the 2015 Crankworx Whistler Enduro race. This stage, which started above tree line at the top of Whistler Mountain and finished at the base of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, is one of the longest and most technically demanding in the short history of enduro racing.

    The Tallest Order Crankzilla's Defining Role in the Evolution of Enduro Racing

    Photos by Anthony Smith

    After more than a decade of notoriety for being one of the world’s most demanding sufferfests, the Crankworx Whistler enduro race will be going back to its roots this year as the Canadian Open Enduro— the same as its stunning debut in 2013, when five grueling stages pushed the world’s top racers to their outer limits.

    At that time, North American enduro racing was still in its infancy. The moto-inspired race format, born in southern Europe and meant by its originators to replicate the everyday experience of mountain bikers chasing their friends down their favorite descents, had captured the world’s imagination. But while enduro’s action-packed nature and lively atmosphere was appealing to many, race directors and course designers outside of Europe were still trying to wrap their heads around the logistics for such massive endeavors.

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