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Demanding wasn't the best word. I didn't mean it to say SHE was demanding a paid salary. I'm saying that signing a top 3 or top 5 (Yeti expectation) woman for the 2023 season would require a salary.
I do think that her adding the performance thing is flaming Yeti a bit. Most riders are not re-signed or let go because the didn't reach performance expectations (be it results or social media) and you never hear/see riders posting that in their 'goodbye/contract termination posts'. It's a reality for all riders, but seeing them put it in a post, makes people backlash against the team. Just look at the comments on her post. Lots of people talking poorly on Yeti about her performance comment.
Pinky wrote in an IG comment the other day that he didn’t have the new bike yet. Anyone have the inside line yet?
Still relevant, sets the scene for more rumors, I don't want to be switching threads all the time cause the topic Karen's want everything split .. scroll on if you don't like it .
Does anyone have info about how contracts are structured? (Since we have no idea what Bex's looked like I'm just trying to understand what might have led to this; she's always seemed very positive/pro on Insta and this post is def out of character for her).
I'd expect that the "performance expectations" would be pretty explicit and you either meet them or you don't.
Bex's post makes it sound like this came as a surprise to her (which I think is why folks are reacting negatively to Yeti).
On Adam Brayton's most recent 'GastoVlog' with Danny Hart there's a lad doing shuttle laps with them on the new Forbidden Druid, and they block his face out.
Not sure if it's just a joke or if there's a new UK rider signed to the Synthesis race team. Any ideas who it could be?
Unfortunately sound like Danny is still looking for a ride.
Probably just Alex
edit….its not
I know the 2 of them ride with Elliot Heap at times. As a Nukeproof rider maybe he's had to look for an alternative?
Edit; Just watched the vlog and I don't think it's him.
Could dropping Bex be a move to clear some race budget for a DH rider?
Probably not synthesis team, there was a lot of Hope gear on that bike, and Schwalbe tyres.
Maybe a new British enduro team?
Matt Stuttard doing his own thing?
Looking at her results it wasn't about her performance, so likely budget priorities
GCN+ has also been dropped for 2024... https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/gcn-app-and-gcn-no-more
Elliot can’t stay quiet for that long (3 seconds)!
It's pat campbell, he's the UK forbidden guy and he lives in the lakes.
Anyone besides me think that the performance note in Bex's post is to imply that Yeti found a way to get out of her contract by essentially making something up? Like perhaps she had bonuses that she was entitled to or an automatic renewal of her contract if they didn't find fault in her.
Pointing that part out makes it sound like she had to be fired for cause or her contract would auto renew so they just made it up because the standard wasn't specifically stated as a ranking # in the contract and Contract language was intentionally vague so that they had an out if needed?
Seriously. The only thing lamer as a pro sport than e-edr is e-xc.
Seems that way, when you check her results and stage times she was consistently good. Above the average. 6 races in top ten, one win. Riders make lucrative careers out of less.
So we can assume Yeti want to cut costs and budget etc..?
That is exactly how I read it. Bex thought she was locked up with Yeti for the next season and then they dismissed her due to a contract stipulation they chose to pursue.
She also recently posted a photo of some cabling she did into a fuse board and seemed quite proud of how neat a job she did.. Hardly belittling...
Here's a great interview with Sam Hill, conducted by the Australia Supercross crew, where he talks about everything from early days, success at racing, family, and even the future - no big answers yet but an indication of what he'd like to do in 2024:
The way he answered about 2024 that he's "still working all that out" made me think he's probably leaving CRC/Nukeproof (or the team is folding given all the financial conundrum CRC, wiggle etc are facing)...
doesn‘t really look in racing shape… more like retiring shape.
or is it just me seeing the added kilos/pounds on sam hill?
Pretty disheartening to see all of these athletes without a ride but to be honest I’m surprised any brands are fielding an EDR team at this point. Zero coverage last year and sounds like 2024 will be its last season. Why would you pump cash into a sinking ship?
Separately I wonder how old Chris Ball is feeling about all this? Yes probably not too badly on his big pile of cash but there must be some conflicting emotions seeing as EWS was his baby for an entire decade.
It seems to me that there's a lack of proper journalism in mountain biking i.e. who's asking ESO, Discovery etc the difficult questions given what Discovery's investment was supposed to bring to EWS.
Is it that journalists aren't asking or ESO and WB/Discovery not answering? I might be wrong, but I think I've seen statements along the lines of " We reached out to ESO/WBD but they declined to answer".
On the one hand, I'm the same age and body type as Sam, yet I reckon I look much fitter despite doing a maximum of 6 hours riding a week on an ebike (and 40 hours sitting at a desk).
But on the other hand, some dudes just look like that despite training, looks at Danny Hart for example, he can look like a dude who lives in a pub, yet is still a podium threat.
that might be, but not if you compare videos/pics of sam from the last couple seasons... he's way slimmer usually.
might just enjoy life and calling it quits after that disappointing try in DH again in 2023 and the probable news of his team folding.
Sam’s sat with a smashed foot in a cast (that’s only recently been taken off) for the best part of half a year. That’s how I’d expect him to look. Hope the CRC / Nukeproof riders and staff get some things sorted out, it was a large umbrella that supported lots of people.
I'll play armchair QB for a second...
Shaun Palmer once said there isn't a drug on the planet that compares to winning. As a total loser of a mountain bike racer (lol) I don't personally know, but imagine he's right.
We see this behavior, chasing victory past your prime, most often in combat sports where a top tier fighter is reluctant to retire, even though its very clear his best days are behind him. The feeling of winning, especially in a sport where your life feels on the line, is impossible to replicate in everyday life. There is no substitute.
I'm a huge Sam Hill fan, I so badly want to see him atop his game again. But the reality is Sam's best game in 2023 (extra kilos aside) is not akin to his best game from 2013. I want to see him return, I want to see Sam Hill things, but I also know what I really want is likely something that is in the rearviews; a ghost of yesteryear.
I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'd also hate to see him continue to battle injuries and compromise quality of life into his retirement (or whatever is next). Hope those around him steer him toward what will make him most happy, now and into the future!
He's recently purchased a truck , fitting it out. looks like possibly sold house as well. so I would be very surprised if he does a full program next year given those factors unless family was going everywhere with him(and good on him, if he chooses to spend time with family tripping around aust).. him and moi boy need to get up to some shenanigans.
.. Sam & gwin in the commentary booth for 24 and beyond would be lit too.... 
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