2024 TEAM RUMORS

I wonder if he'll have a similar deal to Brendan at Scott . Attached to the team but still able to bring along his own personal sponsors.

I'd love to know who instigated this . If GM is still serious about getting top results , and I have no doubt he's capable of it , then Norco seems a less than obvious move . Specialized gravity or trek maybe , but I can't see Norco having the resources of those top teams .

imagine next week they say "introducing Santa Cruz factory racing, with our rider Greg Minaar" I will be pissed lol

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/announcements/2023/11/14/norco-adds-key…;

Norco has a new head of brand as of a few weeks ago. A quick search shows she is from South Africa. Would be a hell of a coincidence. 

Speculation is that Greg was supposed to have a big year last year (World Champs Fort Bill) and go out 'on top'. Or at least with a good year under his belt. Santa Cruz hurting like all other brands right now probably planning to have him off the payroll for 2024--which was likely a huge relief. Then his season started going to shit and and it all started piling up. He had tons of bad luck and his season was lack-luster. He has said himself he didn't want to go out like that. 

Also, I don't think Greg is getting along the best with Laurie and Jackson could be his child. Rob is gone, Kathy gone. The only one there he can bro-out with is Peaty.  

He's always looking for the next edge, a change, etc. He probably realized he was not going to have a team next year, or come back to Santa Cruz with a huge pay cut so he started shopping around mid-season. He wanted a brand he could have a lot of control over (the bike, etc.) and Norco, given their pension for development of the DH bike lately was a good fit. Norco cuts Wallace, Kintner and Bryn to allocate budget to pay for Greg. Big gamble for Norco on some levels, but on others it's a slam dunk. Everyone will be focused on 'the Goat on a new rig' next season. If he does well, the bikes will sell well. If he does bad, it's not a total loss as it could be blamed on the switch to a whole new platform and his age.  

Greg was not ready to go out like that (2023 season) and like anyone still wants to get paid. He probably could have stayed at Santa Cruz for a major pay cut but opted to try something new to stoke the fire and get paid well, while doing it. My guess is a 1 year deal with a 2 year option or something like that. 

As to him possibly switching to Rockshox/SRAM. My guess is that he's open to it--he's always searching for the 'the best'. SRAM drivetrain is a no-brainer, the new Boxxer is excellent and the new Maven brakes are said to be next level as well. He will have nearly 5 months to adapt. It's not out of the question. Also, in terms of money, Fox is hurting right now (40% off sales, etc.)... Rockshox/SRAM would definitely kick another $100k into Greg's pay to get the Goat to switch to their side for his farewell tour. All of that said, he has enough power to switch Norco to Fox/Shimano.

greg to nicolai, because they're the only other company with a bike frame large enough for him

My speculation is that last year was planned to be Greg's last season.

Based on that and the season Jackson had, Santa Cruz allocated funds to lock Jackson in for a long time. It was stated that Santa Cruz has Jackson locked in for a long term contract and it's clear they view Jackson as their future star. 

They didn't budget for a 2024 season for Greg. By the time Greg decided that he didn't want to finish on bad season and wanted to race 2024 the team budget was spent.

With the struggles at PON and all bike companies currently, they weren't willing to come up with the additional funds to keep Greg at a price he was willing to stay for.

Greg to Frameworks?

Didn't they say they would have a 3rd rider who has podiumed at World cups? 

Referring to Minnaar as a guy who “has podiumed” is like saying Jordan is a guy who “scored some points” in the NBA.

i think they’d word it different if he really was going that way  

Unless they were trying to keep it secret. Classic misdirection. 

Brilliant

Of course I'm kidding and just talking shit. 

Just wild speculation here, but at this point in his career he's probably playing the long game. Switching brands just to avoid a cut in salary doesn't seem like it would move the needle. However, starting your own race team and anchoring it at least the first year would set him up long term. With ESOs push to make the sport more "elite", the established teams could become more valuable.  

FMD trolling ???

Phoebe commented saying tony (team manager) had access to the insta. Either he's drunk and leaked something or taking the piss 😂

FMD up to something?

[created an account just to post this and for sure somebody was faster..]

100% just trolling. Good for them for taking the piss. 

We are all assuming a lot here and it will take some time to find out what really is going on, if there really were chemistry issues with the younger stars and what not. I am still curious about the Kathy/Rob/Steve/Greg dynamics and IF it affected things and mayb how. But it's not my business. On the other hand, as passionate fans we are obviously interested in all of this.

Greg is portrayed as a picky man these days, most of this perception coming from those Fox videos. But don't forget that Greg has been around for long before that and he has pretty much set the benchmark for how to act professionally as a rider, especially regarding bike development. And he has raced quite a few very different bikes to success: Orange 222, Intense M1 (as Haro DHR), Honda RN01 and most iterations of the V10. He has also been on RS/SRAM for a while. You'd be a fool to consider he can't adapt. Or can't give proper feedback to make things work as he wants. Especially someone like him. Come on now.

I would also consider if and how much personal sponsors fit in the equation. I mean, seeing Greg in that Fox gear was pretty weird this year. I am curious if he just put former relationships on hold for a while or if something totally fresh pops up. I mean, he has been an Oakley athlete for all of his career except for 2023 and he still wore their sunnies off track. I'm willing to bet he'll be back with the Ellipse.

Otherwise... we all want to see him race at least one more year, regardless of results. If he ever has a farewell your, I just hope he announces it timely, so we can all take time off to properly say goodbye.

Mx

Maybe Sloane was right all along 

Norco sounding likely but I could also see Greg talking to someone local to him in Andorra. There’s always been a lot of mutual respect between him and Max Commencal? Or I’d be equally unsurprised if Greg/Roskopp/Whitely are working on something with Unno in Barcelona.

As for Frameworks, the boys will be back riding locally this week.  Maybe the newest rider will be with Neko & Asa?

Hey all, just wanna say this is my first ever post here. Been a reading the forum since after MSA this year. Some much good chatter 🙂

This recent confirmed news of Greg leaving Santa Cruz Syndicate is nuts. I really thought we’d see him 1 last year with SC then retire. And the rumours of him signing with Norco is bonkers. Norco is more of a lower budget factory team in my opinion but what do I know lol absolutely nothing. Norco just let go 2 riders, Jill and Bryn  I think 🤔 so maybe that frees up enough “cap room “ to sign Greg to a 1year deal. 
wouldn’t think they’d cut Mark Wallace, he just signed at the beginning of 2023, you’d think he would have done a multi year contract. 
 

I was in MSA this year and based on what I saw in the pits, once he confirmed he wasn’t retiring, I really thought he’d stay with SC and thought Laurie was leaving as he looked grumpy whenever I saw him and normally saw him with the Pivot FR and BK. 

Greg was doing an interview Wednesday after just up the hill from the Red Bull droP and over heard , he told the interviewer he was retiring. Then afterwards with Wyn Masters, he changed his mind cuz he didn’t wanna go out the way the season ended 

Greg was happier than a pig in shit when Jackson won. He was so genuinely happy for the kid. It was almost like Greg had won. 
 

Vali to YT if  YT is owned by an HVAC company and that was a tip I got in the pits after the race. Tip was from another SRAM sponsored rider 

anyways that’s all I got right meow 😸 

going back to MSA 2024 🤘

I would love to see him back on Rockshox, no more puzzling and annoying Jordi haha 

Turns out Gwen's other half is Minnaars  chiropractic from a few years back

I would think Lisa Bouladou, Lais Bonnaure, and - especially - Sacha Earnest would all be more likely. Maybe in years to come Aimi will develop, but I really don't see her having the type of athleticism that helps a DH rider progress. 

Tuhoto on Pivot? 

If they're bringing in a junior female rider, it would more logically be a rider moving up from U17 on a two year contract.

Besides, Aimi Kenyon and Lisa Bouladou will both be competing in elite next year.

I know it's from that other site, but too funny to not share

there is a rider with that profile.. a certain Aletha Ostgaard, YOB 2008..

Goat to Norco with a Fox

Jackson Cruzin with a Fox & Xmas for life

Young kangaroo suprised a few

Vali still too young so shes going home

New bike coming from the talent

Hill looking for a bike to buy at Walmart

Kiwi Baby on the Baby K

WR! developing

The Dog is barking and on the move

2 *Hearn they both resigned

The 2008's have another year in U17 and there will be quite a few very fast riders in that influx, especially in Europe; the two Rosa's (Zierl and Jensen) for starters.  I'd guess that Aletha's currently on the same plan as her older sister with Transition.

The only notable European moving up into juniors in the new year is the Dutch/Swiss rider Minu Stoffers, she was on a YT this season, but I don't think she's part of any factory program.

Greg wouldn’t move to RS. Syndicate was pushed to RS by Santa Cruz/pon/sram. That’s my guess.