Emanuel
Pombo.

Madeira, a first bike and a national jersey

Pombo grew up in Ponta do Pargo, in the municipality of Calheta on Madeira. His first bicycle was a reward for doing well at school: he learned to ride at twelve, then discovered downhill with friends on the steep terrain around home. What began close to his own back door developed into a career that would take him far beyond the island.

In a 2010 interview, he recalled his first national downhill title, won in the cadet category in 2003, as a particularly meaningful victory. That early national jersey was the beginning of a long association with competition, and with the technical demands of downhill.

Downhill, World Cups and The Comeback

Years on the downhill World Cup circuit gave Pombo experience on some of the sport’s most demanding courses. His progress was interrupted by a serious crash at Val di Sole in 2010, followed by months of rehabilitation. The process of rebuilding his strength and returning to riding became the subject of António Abreu’s 2012 documentary, The Comeback.

The film follows the work behind that return and the importance of Madeira, family and friends in his recovery. It records a part of his story that a results sheet cannot show: the patience involved in getting back to the activity around which he had built his life.

His downhill career continued to deliver victories. In 2018, he secured the Portuguese Downhill Cup in Porto de Mós, winning both qualification and the final run at the deciding round.

Winning the first Trans Madeira

The inaugural Trans Madeira in 2018 became another defining moment. Pombo won the five-day event ahead of Jérôme Clementz and Josh Bryceland, overturning the lead on the final day as racing reached the western side of his home island. It was a home victory, but in a format that asked something different of him.

In the organiser’s interview after the race, he explained that it was his first multi-day “trans” event. Riding trails without prior practice required him to read obstacles quickly, while the length of the week demanded careful management of effort. He described starting conservatively, saving energy through the middle of the race and attacking over the final two days. The victory brought together his familiarity with Madeira and his ability to adapt to an unfamiliar style of competition.

A new chapter in e-enduro

Enduro led Pombo towards electric-assisted racing. His downhill background carried into a discipline that combines timed descents, technical climbing and demanding days in the mountains. He finished third overall in the EWS-E series in both 2020 and 2021, establishing a strong record in the championship that preceded the E-Enduro World Cup.

In a 2023 BIKE feature, he described the appeal of e-enduro through its intensity, varied trails and the experience of moving through the mountains. The same article showed a practical side to his racing: reliability came first, because long race days and difficult tracks place sustained demands on the equipment.

Racing and development with Miranda

Pombo’s place in the Miranda Factory Team extends beyond individual results. The team’s 2022 introduction identified him as a rider involved in its creation and described his role as captain, sharing experience with younger teammates. It also highlighted the involvement of both Pombo and Tiago Ladeira in developing Miranda’s range of components.

That connection between rider and equipment was visible in the 2023 BIKE report on his race bike. His setup included short, 155 mm Miranda cranks to improve clearance on technical climbing stages, while the team was also testing prototype components. These are details from that period of his career, and a concrete example of how competition feeds back into product development.

Still competing. Still sharing the ride.

The more recent chapter includes the Portuguese elite electric-enduro title in 2024, confirmed by the Portuguese Cycling Federation. The results supplied for his latest seasons add second place overall at Bosch Pro Verbier in 2025, followed by wins at Verbier and Whistler in 2026.

Away from the start line, his own riding platform reflects another motivation: sharing what he has learned. He presents riding as a way to explore new places and develop physical and mental confidence, inviting other cyclists to join him on the trails. After years of racing, that enjoyment of the bike and of being outdoors remains a clear thread through his story.