Marcelo Gutierrez and Crew at the Enduro World Series Round 2, Manizales, Colombia 1

Giant Factory Off-Road Team rider Marcelo Gutierrez gave the home fans something to cheer for when he won the prologue stage and finished second overall at Round 2 of the Enduro World Series in Manizales, Colombia.

With the EWS visiting Colombia for the first time, the seven-time DH national champion in this Central American country made a special appearance, taking a break from his downhill racing and training to give enduro racing a try. The two-day event started with a unique urban downhill on Day 1, then continued with more traditional enduro racing in wet, muddy jungle terrain on Day 2.

Day 2 presented a completely different set of challenges for Gutierrez and his teammates Josh Carlson, Mckay Vezina and Rae Morrison. Heavy rain made for treacherous conditions in the 8-stage race through dense jungle terrain. Vezina was unfortunately sidelined after crashing in practice and requiring 6 stitches in his knee. Morrison, representing the women’s Liv brand, also experienced bad luck, dealing with an acute asthma attack and a crash that caused her to abandon.

Carlson, persevering with a cold throughout the weekend, fought through the conditions to finish 27th overall, finishing on a high note with a 4th place finish on Stage 8.