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Dak's 4th today certainly helps his cause for next season...
Today's results plus everyone becoming a huge Dak fan over the last year following along with his recovery... Mondraker not resigning him would be brutal PR wise lol
This is not to take away anything from Dunne, I think he's one of the top of the heap right now, especially in the long run, but he can be a bit ride or die, which has come through a few times this year with big results or none at all with crashes/smashes that caused DNF's or low placements, or podiums with 10-15th places otherwise, which is amazing don't get me wrong
Dak on the other hand, even missing half the season because of the non race related accident and having to rebuild from not being able to train or even walk for the first race, is simply more consistent. He still placed 23rd over all this year without even qualifying before Andorra. Missed half the season and placed 23rd? Insane. If he'd kept that pace from last year into this season I have no doubt he'd have met Dunne's 9th over all or been better. Dude crushed it.
Tbh, the whole Mondraker team right now is amazing. Pinkerton as well in 11th and hopefully Veronika having a more solid season next year if she knows she has a team and is racing more than a month before the first race. Hopefully they keep the gang together. If Dak isn't staying, hopefully he's on a solid team next year, but Mondraker IMO would be crazy to pass him up given their investment so far.
I don't see why Dak would move, unless he gets more money and better training conditions at another team.
The bike is fast, the team is clearly working. Unless they are being underpaid, there isn't a lot better out there.
Then again, maybe I'd take the pay cut to get of E13 rims.
To play devil's advocate Dunne is s 2 time world cup winner and a fair bit younger than Dak so I think if the team has a hierarchy Ronan has a fairly good claim on the no.1 spot .
Having said that if Dak can have a good off season and get stronger then he's definitely a potential race winner , I'm not sure who Mondraker could get from the available riders who you would say is an upgrade on Dak . That's assuming its Mondrakers decision and Dak hasn't had an offer and it's his choice to leave .
Dunne has said in multiple interviews that his riding style is exactly that, except he puts it as "podiums or helicopters".
Anyway is there a suggestion that Moonraker isn't keeping both him and Norton?
Dak off Mondraker seemed to be a speculation, especially with the YT riders looking for homes.. Dak and Pinky in the top 5 at MSA is great for both of them. Dak's US Open win is a comeback story that could be a Lifetime movie.. Pinky has been trending in the right direction lately.. Ronan is damn exciting to watch because you know he'll be pinned and it will be, in his words, helicopters or podiums.. Hopefully, the team just holds onto all 3 of them..
In one of the last b practice Dak wouldn’t say what he is doing next year. I assume if it was mondraker it wouldn’t be a secret. But that’s just speculation on my part.
Maybe still in talks? It seems like OO may have found a home if previous posts are true.. Still leaves Kolb potentially shopping.. Maybe a couple of strong showings here at the end are enough to convince Mondraker to keep him if they were potentially looking at someone else..
according to an austrian newspaper andi kolb will present his future plans next thursday. sven martin also said that he would shoot andi with his new gear/kit on monday or so which indicates that everything is signed.
I’d love to see Kolb on the syndicate, seems like a great fit and Sven is practically their in house photographer. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Laurie moving on, maybe to Atherton bikes? I hope Mondraker keep things as they are and let that team continue building. From a marketing pov I don’t think they’d sign OO when they already have Ronan, Ireland’s not that big of a market.
people have stated before that double-O to trek is a done deal and they even wanted him mid season after the YT turmoil began. but YT was shitty enough to not pay him AND won't release him so that he couldn't switch teams.
Points are added up end of October, right? So if they sign with new teams now do the new teams gets the points? I know we were wondering what happened if they switched teams before the season was over. But have the rules created a high stakes transfer period where teams can snatch up points immediately after the last race?
In Ed Masters recap video, he was talking to Sven about taking pictures of him with his new bike. And Masters said, you’ve Scott to be kidding me. Could be Masters just fucking with everybody though.
i just saw this on instagram:
with kolb on the podium with luca and jackson, could this mean he is joining the syndicate. he is good friends with goldstone...
Ya that's a tough one... I feel like all the other names are not due for a move (most of them having just made moves). So Vali and Andi are the only obvious ones. Can't imagine it's about juniors, including juniors moving up next year. (Also wondering if Asa stays where he is for elites or... Was the contract only through juniors so he can 'get the bag' during his elite career?
Also wondering if podium is race only in that context or also about the 'overall podium' as well? I know there was a mention of a move to Orbea (or from?) earlier in thread.
If Loz is off syndicate, I think that's the only one that makes sense. Andi in that empty slot. I can't imagine Vali going to any of the teams who had podium riders for women... Unless Commencal was gonna gobble up yet more riders. I need to go back and re-read all the rumors so far. They are FLYIN back n forth (and contradicting each other)
I think Asa's deal goes thought at least his first year in Elite, if I recall correctly..
I'm also wondering... Did Specialized subtly stake their claim by becoming a team sponsor early on? Or was that just a matter of convenience being that Neko was already close with them and needed some ebikes/trail bikes (and extra cash certainly)?
I don't want to speak ill of some of the amazing riders they have, but their elite men outside of Loic have been up and down... And Asa would fill gaps like that quite nicely. On top of... Not sure how many more years Loic has in general, or at the very least how many more competitive years he has. I don't quite see him as a 'hanger-on' but not sure. I feel like that won't be as big a part of the culture, in the modern system. (Like if you're actually missing finals and trying to qualify twice, etc. As an older rider.)
Asa signed for a couple of years with Frameworks. I'm sure he knows his worth, and I doubt he's taking a huge pay cut just to stay on Frameworks. This isn't one of those sports where guys are signing "team-friendly" deals, so I'd assume they're getting some funds from other sponsors/sources.
Cube factory racing were the only team that liked Kolb’s MSA recap post on IG… so that still seems very likely. I’d be more stoked with Kolb to Syndicate but either way stoked he’s got a ride.
If thats true, Luca to make a Syndicate return?
Iirc asa signed/extended a 3 year deal with Frameworks just earlier this year. I think that means 2028?
I think there could be some money left on the table, but I think staying at a place that seems to have less pressure placed on him is better as he moves up to elite. No matter what you did in juniors, it's a bigger jump than most realize..
Also Neko has been smart to get non bike industry sponsors who have significantly bigger pockets, like loc-tite and WD40. Yes they don't have a team truck like Trek or Canyon, but that doesn't mean they're not able to pay well.
They do have a team truck. Maybe not as fancy as others, but they have one. https://www.instagram.com/p/DK1vDTYx9wp/?hl=en&img_index=1
I recall reading or hearing elsewhere back when he signed his multi year deal that Asa was happy to be signed with Frameworks and is being paid fairly.
Neko managed to borrow one from Fox for eu rounds, then borrow the redbull one for US rounds haha.
“Teammates sharing podiums” - if he intentionally selected those plurals does he mean two sets of teammates, as opposed to “teammates sharing a podium”? He’s been clever on word choice in those posts before… Kolb was hanging out by himself with the entire Canyon crew before they went onstage for their team of the day award (TB race day vlog) - him and Luca shared a podium. Can’t imagine Rosa would go to the Syndicate but that would also fit the “someone leaving Cube” rumor. Men Junior and Women Elite results don’t fit the bill of the sharing podiums statement. Just trying to throw out some other scenarios, but based on Kolb’s reaction to Jackson’s run and his connection with Jackson, would make sense for him to go to the Syndicate to replace Loz or be another male elite for them to better compete in the team overall. Perhaps a better silly season this year with both early and late team announcements.
They are just trolling both Yeti jr riders are future teammates for next year. Nothing said they couldn't have been current teammates sharing the podium too🤣🤣
Someone here said there would be 3 Redbull helmets on a team. Jess Blewitt to Syndicate would fit both clues if she's the one off Cube.
2nd possibility:canyon.....
Fair enough. That Rubik’s cube post was from a Queenstown meme account 🤷♂️
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