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"I'm particularly happy when I see the make-up of this year's COMMENCAL/VALLNORD Team! It adds great value and importance to have all race categories represented together; Juniors, Women and Men. The arrival of Thibaut and Amaury, partnering alongside Pompon and Rémi, should allow us to fight for the team titles. This will be one of our goals!
As a brand, our challenge will be to provide these exceptional riders with the best bikes because everyone knows that DH is a mechanical sport where the quality of the equipment is paramount. Our riders will have a choice of configurations and our engineers will work tirelessly with them throughout the season. I also want to thank our other partners, especially RockShox, SRAM and Spank. The season promises to be exciting and I cannot wait to be at the first World Cup!"
Full Press Release from Riding Addiction:
Two new riders are joining COMMENCAL/VALLNORD!
It's our turn to announce the changes for the coming season and we're very proud to say that two new riders are joining our crew!
First is Amaury Pierron! After standing on two World Cup podiums (Lourdes 2016 and Val di Sole 2017), he has proved he has the speed to be one of the fastest riders and it's an honour to welcome him to our team!
He has already been riding COMMENCAL bikes for the past two seasons so it won't take any time at all to get up to speed! We can't wait to see him training and racing with Rémi Thirion and what they can achieve together.
Amaury Pierron: "I'm really happy to join the COMMENCAL/VALLNORD team! This is the kind of team you dream about when you watch the World Cups when you're a kid. And now I'm going to be part of this team, it's just crazy! Some dreams are coming true. We had the opportunity to meet up in Spain to ride, and I felt at ease immediately. The atmosphere is very cool, I think we’ll get on!"
Up next is a talented young rider named Thibaut Daprela! He won the U17 French Championship twice and won Crankworx Les Gets DH race in 2016 and 2017 in this category. His skills and ability to perform in big races have impressed us and we're curious to see what he can do in his first year as a junior.
Thibaut Daprela: "I am delighted to join the COMMENCAL/Vallnord team for my debut in the World Cup series. The good atmosphere and professionalism are one, which makes me feel at home for this first junior year."
Our other big news is that Myriam Nicole and Rémi Thirion have both signed for three more seasons with the team!
Myriam Nicole had an incredible season, winning the World Cup overall and she's super motivated to do even better, which we're sure she can… Go Pomp!
Rémi Thirion saw his season cut short by a serious injury after his crash last June in Leogang for the World Cup. He took the time his body needed to come back and he's now fully recovered. He can't wait to race again at the very highest level.
The team wouldn't be the same without the Ruffin brothers, Gaëtan and Thibaut, who will both continue to race and manage at the same time.
Thibaut Ruffin, Team Manager: "I honestly cannot believe how far we have come in all these years. We would not be here without the support of COMMENCAL and all our partners and the work of the Riding Addiction team. At Riding Addiction, we’re beyond stoked to open another chapter, as well as the addition of these two young guns along with Myriam and Rémi will make the coming seasons more exciting than ever!"
Another piece of good news is that COMMENCAL has signed a deal to continue as Riding Addiction's title sponsor for the next three years. It's an honour to have had their support since the birth of the team in 2009.
The team has extended its partnership with VALLNORD and is delighted to work once more with SPANK for cockpits and wheels, SRAM for drivetrain and brakes, RockShox for suspension and IXS for race apparel. We would like to thank them for their continued work and support! We're pleased to add SCHWALBE to the list! The German brand will provide the team with a full selection of tyres benefiting from the new ADDIX technology to deal with anything the
weather can throw at us!
OAKLEY, LIZARD SKINS, AXXIOS TECHNOLOGY, CN SPOKE and E-THIRTEEN stay on board as well and we really appreciate what they do for us! We're happy to welcome WTB as our new saddle sponsor.
Our other technical partners for 2018 include: Unior Tools, HT, Five Ten, Forbike, Finish Line, Feedback Sports, Super Alloy Racing, GoPro, Ryno Power, Ride Alpha, Thomson, Works Components (a few more partners will be announced soon!).
Cheers from everyone at COMMENCAL/VALLNORD!
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YETI FOX FACTORY AND NATIONAL TEAMS READY FOR STACKED RACE SCHEDULE
Factory, National and Development Teams to Race BME and EWS Stops
(Golden, Colo.) – For the upcoming season, the Yeti Fox Factory and National Teams will set sights on the international and U.S. race circuits including the Enduro World Series and Big Mountain Enduro. The team will be led by two-time EWS World Champion Richie Rude and returning Yeti National Team riders, Shawn Neer and Jubal Davis. Neer locked down the BME overall title last year and is looking to do the same in 2018. The pro-team riders will be joined by U21 athlete, Duncan Nason. Nason captured a second-place finish at EWS Aspen in 2017, showing he has the muster to take on more international racing this season.
Additionally, with a history of creating some of the best mountain bike racers in the industry, Yeti will continue to focus efforts on younger enduro racers through the Yeti Devo Team. Utah Siblings Bryn (16 years) and Lauren (14 years) Bingham, and Coloradan Quinn Reece (16 years) will round out the youthful group. Each athlete will race throughout the west, including the Big Mountain Enduro Series where the young riders will race and train with Yeti Fox Factory Team athletes.
Yeti Cycles president and owner Chris Conroy is eager for the 2018 race season to begin with this diverse group of athletes.
“We have a solid mix of racers for 2018. Our team structure allows racers to move up as they improve, so we’re excited to see how Shawn and Jubal respond at EWS races this year,” Conroy said. “We also expect Richie to return to the dominant form that allowed him to win back-to-back championships.”
Mechanical support will continue to be led by experienced and long-time head mechanic, Shaun Hughes. He will be assisted by Nate Espinosa. Hughes and Espinosa worked in lockstep domestically supporting Yeti athletes in 2017 and will be taking their teamwork internationally to numerous EWS stops. Damion Smith will continue to manage the team and looks forward to building on Yeti’s legacy of racing.
“Yeti is synonymous with racing. It is in our DNA,” Smith said. “We are stoked to see how Richie, Jubal and Shawn push each other this year. Each athlete is extremely unique in what they bring to the table in terms of speed, experience, style and raw talent.”
The Yeti Fox Factory Team continues to thrive with the support of long-time and generous sponsors that offer high-performance products put to the test on the most grueling race tracks in the world. Sponsors for 2018 include Fox Racing Shox, Maxxis, Shimano, DT Swiss, Ergon, Toyota, Giro, Motorex, OneUp Components, Ion, Renthal Cycling, Stages Cycling, Backcountry Research, Chris King, Feedback Sports, Victory Circle Graphix, Honey Stinger, RockyMounts and CushCore.
After two years in turquoise for the Yeti Fox Factory Team, Cody Kelley will be departing from Yeti Cycles. Kelley sealed a career-best EWS finish with a ninth place at EWS Aspen. His unmistakable style and skill pushed the limits of other Yeti team members. Yeti wishes Kelley the best as he continues on the EWS circuit.
Yeti Fox Factory Team will kick off the season at the first stop of the EWS circuit in Lo Barnechea, Chile at the end of March.
Scott on trp brakes, trek with renthal and hope....
Wondering whats going on there...
I think if you listen to that inside line podcast episode The chick from sram kina explained it as a necessary evil. Maybe same thing happening with Shimano.
TREK FACTORY RACING SIGNS CHARLIE HATTON AND ANNOUNCES THREE NEW PARTNERSHIPS FOR 2018
The Trek Factory Racing team are pleased to welcome an Elite rider with enormous potential – 19 year old Brit Charlie Hatton.
Charlie’s 2017 was packed with great performances; two National wins, the overall British Downhill Series title and three World Cup top 20 results, the highlight 11th place at the World Cup Finals where he was just tenths of seconds off the top ten.
Team Director Dan Brown said “ We’ve been keeping a close eye on Charlie since he was a Youth rider and his performance last year was one of the breakthroughs of the 2017 season. It’s exciting to be heading into the season with such a strong roster”.
Charlie Hatton “I’m stoked to be joining one of the very best teams out there. Growing up I used to always see the team on films and now it’s crazy to think I’ll be riding with them, I can’t wait for the season to kick off.”
Charlie will join Gee, Rachel and Junior Kade Edwards on board the Trek Sessions as the team sets its sights on regaining the title of “World’s Fastest Downhill team” which they held for both 2012 and 2013.
Kade said “I can’t wait to go racing. Last year’s podiums were Ok, a start, but I want to win… it’s gunna be a hell of a year with some good people.”
Gee Atherton said “Having Charlie on board with us is going to be awesome, we’ve already got to know him pretty well and I think he’ll be a massive asset to the team. Personally I’m coming in the strongest I have for some years, not having to rehab this past off season has allowed me much more bike time which means I’m feeling super comfortable on the Session”
Eldest sibling Dan Atherton will continue to hold a pivotal role guiding the team. Dan will concentrate on progressing mountain-biking in the UK through his work on Dyfi Bike Park, designing the fifth Red Bull Hardline and mentoring the Atherton Academy which continues to support young riders including Mille Johnset and Luke Williamson.
There are some significant changes to the team’s equipment line up for 2018 with Endura supplying apparel, Hope Technology moving up to be the key component supplier and Renthal supplying bars, grips and stems.
Dan Atherton said “My life is all about pushing boundaries, whether it's a day on the mountain digging or a day on the bikes. With Endura on board it's good to know I have a company behind me that is willing to push as hard as I am. We are all stoked to be working with a company whose products can stand up to our lifestyle! “
Pamela Barclay, Endura’s Brand Director said “Dan, Gee and Rachel offer something more and embody the Endura mantra of Renegade Progress. Sometimes, you have a hunch that a group of people share your outlook on life, and we’ve always liked the way that they go racing: with commitment and dedication, but an unmistakable sense of fun. It already feels like a good fit.”
On the bike, Barnoldswick based Hope Technologies become lead component partner, they will supply everything from headsets to hubs and brakes to seatposts.
Rachel Atherton “First day on my new bike and it feels amazing, I’m not renowned for liking change but when I jumped on the bike yesterday for the first time since breaking my collarbone I felt totally at home, the set up feels really square, and attacking which I love, I cant wait to take it to the races.”
Head Technician Joe Krejbich said “We’ve run Hope for many seasons but for 2018 that relationship has deepened so that we are finally representing them in true fashion! It goes without saying that they have a fantastic reputation of making great bombproof products.”
Rachael Walker of Hope Technologies said “Hope have worked with the Athertons for a long time, since 2012, with the supply of seat clamps and headsets. Now that partnership will expand to brakes, drivetrain components, carbon seat posts and hubs. The Athertons have been at the peak of our sport for so long, achieving what many other teams and riders can only aspire to. To build on our relationship with Atherton Racing seems like a natural step. Having some of the best riders in the world using what we feel are some of the best components produced can only mean there are some exciting times ahead.”
Renthal will provide bars, grips and stems, while chain devices will come from MRP and seats from Wilderness Trail Bikes ( WTB ).
Ian Collins, Renthal’s Cycle Product Manager said “We’re super excited to collaborate with Trek Factory Racing DH and the Athertons. Renthal chooses to work with the very best riders in the World and Trek Factory Racing DH has two distinct facets which we can draw from. Gee, Rach and Dan are legends of the sport, all still at the top of their game. Their depth of knowledge and racing experience is vital. Added to this, Kade Edwards and Charlie Hatton are young, exciting, up and coming riders, who are the next talent to push the sport forwards. This is a great combination for Renthal to continue to develop cutting edge product with ultimate reliability.”
In other partnership news, long term supporters Silverline Tools, Red Bull, Oakley. Fox, Muc-Off and Bell also remain in the mix.
Look out for further news very shortly.
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