All

I’ve been listening to his biography on audio book when walking the dog, he’s just signed full factory for GT in California after leaving Team MBUK so I’ve no idea what Santa Cruz are doing poaching him from there.

because

” And the most important - is it over after 15 years? Not even close as the people behind the name are still very much involved in both racing and developing local communities and are even going to do mountain bike racing things on a bigger scale (for a hint take a look at the rumors sites and look for the UK-Switzerland connection…). The legacy of the team continues to live, especially strong with riders that used Unior’s factory team to either jump to the very top or quite simply conquer it!” Translation: The Gamux team will merge with Unior-Sinter...

I guess that means the awful drawn-by-a-child aesthetic is continuing into 2025. Really hoped that would not be the case.

I was wondering earlier today when I saw the FMD thing made official if we're on the brink of seeing more corporate teams. Like why would a brand want to run a team when you could just contract local rich guy who likes bikes (yes, more popular in western Canada than many other places). I'm pretty sure GM owns that Norco team and MS has been running this way forever. If I was a brand why would I want to hire a team of bike industry people to try and run a team when I could go find a rich...

With three suspects, do we have any leads that might eliminate one?

If that is the gearbox bike he gets points for blacking out where the derailleur cage would be...

Would be sick if Bode Burke found his way onto the team after the success he had on the V10 this year as a privateer. Seems like he’ll be a regular podium contender next year.

The 50 dollar aliexpress cranks cooked em'.

3 trek vans at the top of telonics today in plain sight. lachie was present.

Max spending BIG. Also on red? 2 former Union riders on TFR Syndicate expanding with some groms The Mob expanding but also looking at other options Norco will have a world champ racing

MS or intense factory racing ? I'm guessing both those teams could do with a rider with some UCI points .

I know negativity is cool and all in 2024/5, but this rule change or whatever you call it, is because previously, under UCI organisation teams were not allowed to sell merch from their pits. I think it was so the local organisers could make more money selling expo space to vendors etc... So it's basically a positive change... but ya.

I like the scores in the table, but would be really helpful to have a reference. What numbers would you give the zeb and fox 38?

I did not down vote, but your proposal is not really possible. There are many bike companies with race teams that do not make gravity bikes and gravity bike companies that don't make XC bikes.

The prospect that Gwin may not be racing at all WC is a huge bummer especially given how well he did at MSA.

I wonder how much continental champs and national champs will be worth? all the southern hemisphere riders are going to be earning their points in the world cup off season, could make calculations even more confusing.

I now wonder if there will be athletes who will want to move to a different team just because their current one is out of the Top 20 (and may potential mean not being able to join more World Cups). I now expect more World Cup athletes to join national and continental championships, as the points there will probably be vital for the following year, both for themselves and for the UCI teams.

75k to get a spot on a factory team is nothing. Hundreds of families in the US every year put a second mortgage on their house for their kids to get 10th place at lorettas super mini class. Don't even get me started with ski racing. People send kids to "academy" that costs 100k a year. Then like have a 1% chance of being on a national team. Then make 20 dollars a year unless they are attractive enough for a Rolex or Visa sponsorship.

This is basically why V&R Racing exists. To help cover the travel costs for junior (women) WC racers. (We kept Taylor Ostgaard on for an extra year in Elite cuz she's just so frickin awesome.) We'd love to expand and help more racers, but for now, we'll stay focused and try to fill the need. We'd love to see more sponsors like us helping fill this gap. We'll throw a little teaser out since this is the rumors thread - our next sponsored rider races for Gravity Collective.