French enduro specialist Jerome Clementz will line up Sunday September 23 against an international field to defend his title in the fourth Mavic Trans-Provence multi-day enduro.

Clementz faces tough competition from the likes of French megastar Nico Vouilloz, the multiple downhill world champion who was second last year; the USA’s Mark Weir (fourth last year); and his countryman Ben Cruz who will be hoping to have a better this year after a damaged ankle on the fourth day of last year’s event forced him to drop out.

Mavic Trans-Provence is claimed to be the only multi-day gravity-orientated itinerant mountain bike enduro in the world. It comprises seven days of riding over 310km, 15,000 metres of descending, 10,000 metres of climbing (each day has an uplift shuttle at some point) and 26 special stages.

This year, 70 riders from around the world will tackle the punishing terrain of the Trans-Provence. From Gap in northern Provence to Monaco on the Mediterranean coast, there will be representatives of every mountain biking discipline from from World Cup downhillers to World Cup cross country racers, plus the new enduro specialists, first time racers and some just there for the adventure.

Another former downhill world champion, Fabien Barel will be hosting a series of videos over the week. Barel was third last year, and this year will be chatting with riders, checking out bikes and sharing his in depth of knowledge of all things racing. Oh, and racing the event himself. Sleep? Pah, who needs it.

Here’s Fabien getting ready for this year’s event:

See the Mavic Trans-Provence website for more.