2021 Mountain Bike Team Rumors

iceman2058
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Edited Date/Time 7/9/2021 8:04am
You heard it here first! Or maybe you SAID it here first? Either way, this is the ultimate place to be if team rumors, racer gossip and the odd snippet of verifiable truth is what your offseason dreams are made of. Nobody wants to to see Christmas ads in October but finding out how your favorite brands and riders will mingle and mix next year is like opening your presents early! And sharing is caring, so if you know something, say something.



On with the show!
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iceman2058
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10/13/2020 7:35am
To kick things off with some truth before the rumors, Madison Saracen has announced that they are parting ways with Danny Hart for next year:
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After a year where it’s fair to say that things haven’t gone to plan in the downhill world – or the sports world in general – here at Madison Saracen we’re looking forward to 2021 with a renewed sense of optimism and some changes to the line-up.

For 2021 we’re introducing a well-rounded team capable of great results in three different categories. First up is Jordan Williams, an exciting young talent who joins the Factory team to ride in the junior category after two successful years as a development rider. We’ve been committed to developing young talent at Madison Saracen, and with our Elite Male rider Matt Walker there to mentor Jordan he’s in good hands. Matt himself has his sights set on more World Cup podium success at the Elite level next year and we’re really excited to see him back on the hill on race weekend again.

Brand new to the team for next year is Elite Women’s rider Veronika Widmann. Ranked no.3 by the UCI, Veronika has shown tremendous improvement and determination to make it onto the World Cup podium and we’re incredibly excited that she’s chosen Madison Saracen to be the next chapter in her career. Veronika will be a valuable addition to the team both on and off the race track, and her presence and interaction with fans makes her an excellent ambassador for all things MTB.

Veronika said: “I’m beyond stoked and grateful for the opportunity to begin with Madison Saracen. It’s a dream setup and I can’t wait for the new season.”

One final addition to Madison Saracen as Assistant Manager is Harry Molloy, returning to the team where he was one of the original riders back in 2011. Harry has gone on to manage his own team whilst continuing to race, picking up knowledge and experience that will help all the team riders as he supports them on and off the hill. Harry will also take on some individual challenges and events that showcase the best in our sponsors products. From gravel to big mountain, it’s time to share some adventures.

Looking forward to 2021 Will Longden, Team Manager said “I’m excited to be heading this talented team of riders, who each show a fresh enthusiasm and determination to achieve their best. It reignites my passion for the sport and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead. Getting stuck in to what Madison Saracen Team is all about, developing talent to the highest level and inspiring everyone to get out and ride.”

Dom Langan, CEO of Madison and Sportline, said “Firstly I would like to thank Danny for everything he brought to the team over the last three years and I wish him every success for the future. I am also delighted to see Jordan Williams move up from our development team to follow in the footsteps of Matt Walker, as the development of young talent is key to the ethos of the team. The Madison Saracen team enjoyed early success with our first female rider, Manon Carpenter, and I am very pleased to have Veronika joining the team with a very promising future ahead of her.”

As you may have realised by now, we have made the decision not to renew Danny Hart’s contract for next season. Thanks to Danny for a great three years including a memorable World Cup win in Snowshoe and best of luck for the future.
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Where will Danny end up? Time will tell...or maybe somebody in this forum?
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Eoin
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10/13/2020 8:00am
Nice, 2021 rumors thread before the 2020 season has even started, what a year!
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SB14
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10/13/2020 8:35am
Any info on contracts that ends this year?

Loris and Luca? Might be three years since they went to syndicate. Laurie?
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harorider13
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10/13/2020 8:39am
Just because 2020 racing is still on going, or just getting started, doesn't mean the mill wont start churning. Love it
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Primoz
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10/13/2020 8:48am Edited Date/Time 10/13/2020 8:49am
With talk about Danny doing his own thing/team and Athertons buying a defunct company to start their own brand and Gwin basically investing in Intense, could we see someone setting up a team with non-frame-related sponsor (gear and outside sponsors) with a relatively big budget and get someone to design and build a bunch of one-off, proto style bikes and make dunno, a new frame specifically for each track or like Nico used to do it, designed around the world champs track?

Considering what Barelli said about the Grim Donut and the possible performance of it in Chile, it could be the 'unfair advantage' that nobody is taking advantage of right now. And it could take DH closer to the mythical (and currently far from it) 'F1 of cycling' status. Plus it's not such a daft idea with sales of DH bikes dwindling...
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sharpy212
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10/13/2020 9:10am
All the best to Danny and his new three year deal. He is better off away from that power hungry bully!
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puddings
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10/13/2020 10:15am
SB14 wrote:
Any info on contracts that ends this year?

Loris and Luca? Might be three years since they went to syndicate. Laurie?
Loris Looks pretty well established in the Syndicate but Luca has struggled. I know some of it is injury related but will he take the opportunity to reset his career by moving teams?
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ezmb
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10/13/2020 10:32am
Basically the first day of the UCI race season, and we are headed straight into the off-season talk! What a year.
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rockchomper
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10/13/2020 10:36am
Will Kirt Vories leave Niner if they don't start selling recumbent bikes!?! these are the questions we should be asking people!
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bizutch
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10/13/2020 10:50am
SB14 wrote:
Any info on contracts that ends this year?

Loris and Luca? Might be three years since they went to syndicate. Laurie?
puddings wrote:
Loris Looks pretty well established in the Syndicate but Luca has struggled. I know some of it is injury related but will he take the opportunity...
Loris Looks pretty well established in the Syndicate but Luca has struggled. I know some of it is injury related but will he take the opportunity to reset his career by moving teams?
I don't think Luca is struggling. He's had uber talent since he was tiny. I think it's just that he qualified 1st for multiple World Cups, came down leading and his runs got scrambled & he might be still trying to figure out "how" he leaped over everyone to be #1 qualifier but couldn't punch the finals ticket.

This is probably another thing for Eliot Jackson to track or Roots and Rain, but I'd love to see how people fair after their 1st #1 seeding run. My guess is that most everyone hits a big wall. The first person who comes to mind is Bruni.

Can't recall the #, but he qualified 1st who knows how many times and couldn't finish and now a different story.
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Petder
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10/13/2020 11:16am
Vergier signed with trek
Danny back to ms mondraker
Charlie harrison to syndicate

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sspomer
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10/13/2020 11:29am
Petder wrote:
Vergier signed with trek
Danny back to ms mondraker
Charlie harrison to syndicate

:popcorn:
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sharpy212
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10/13/2020 11:29am
Petder wrote:
Vergier signed with trek
Danny back to ms mondraker
Charlie harrison to syndicate

Is this just a guess?
puddings
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10/13/2020 11:38am
SB14 wrote:
Any info on contracts that ends this year?

Loris and Luca? Might be three years since they went to syndicate. Laurie?
puddings wrote:
Loris Looks pretty well established in the Syndicate but Luca has struggled. I know some of it is injury related but will he take the opportunity...
Loris Looks pretty well established in the Syndicate but Luca has struggled. I know some of it is injury related but will he take the opportunity to reset his career by moving teams?
bizutch wrote:
I don't think Luca is struggling. He's had uber talent since he was tiny. I think it's just that he qualified 1st for multiple World Cups...
I don't think Luca is struggling. He's had uber talent since he was tiny. I think it's just that he qualified 1st for multiple World Cups, came down leading and his runs got scrambled & he might be still trying to figure out "how" he leaped over everyone to be #1 qualifier but couldn't punch the finals ticket.

This is probably another thing for Eliot Jackson to track or Roots and Rain, but I'd love to see how people fair after their 1st #1 seeding run. My guess is that most everyone hits a big wall. The first person who comes to mind is Bruni.

Can't recall the #, but he qualified 1st who knows how many times and couldn't finish and now a different story.
I agree he is very talented. Yes he qualified first place three times in 2018 but he was in 20th place overall in the WC in 2019 following his injury at the season start and did not perform at the same level in qualification as the previous year once he was back.
Sometimes it a change of scene that is needed to spark that next step - do the same thing everytime and get the same results. I am not saying he should step down from Elite, I am not suggesting that the Syndicate will kick him out. If you read my statement I said 'HE' might take the opportunity to make the change, to seek a different environment, different equipment, an alternate philosphy to help him achieve what he has the potential to do
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Petder
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10/13/2020 11:47am
Petder wrote:
Vergier signed with trek
Danny back to ms mondraker
Charlie harrison to syndicate

sharpy212 wrote:
Is this just a guess?
No, directly fom leogang!
For danny: the team manager of ms has personaly wanted danny back. He needs someone to put pressure on laury to finaly start winning more frequently and since mike jones is probanly leaving, no better person than danny to fill the spot
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Karabuka
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10/13/2020 12:01pm
Primoz wrote:
With talk about Danny doing his own thing/team and Athertons buying a defunct company to start their own brand and Gwin basically investing in Intense, could...
With talk about Danny doing his own thing/team and Athertons buying a defunct company to start their own brand and Gwin basically investing in Intense, could we see someone setting up a team with non-frame-related sponsor (gear and outside sponsors) with a relatively big budget and get someone to design and build a bunch of one-off, proto style bikes and make dunno, a new frame specifically for each track or like Nico used to do it, designed around the world champs track?

Considering what Barelli said about the Grim Donut and the possible performance of it in Chile, it could be the 'unfair advantage' that nobody is taking advantage of right now. And it could take DH closer to the mythical (and currently far from it) 'F1 of cycling' status. Plus it's not such a daft idea with sales of DH bikes dwindling...
Well the bikes used to be more like that (remember khs going 29" on dh bike in ?2012, Barels moondrakers with HTA below 60° years ago, legendary honda g-cross, Vouillozes bikes etc.), many pros would ride custom bikes (to some extent) but now the difference with production bikes is almost nonexisting, especially with carbon molds and build in adjustability... The persionalization can now be found more in the suspension than geometries, these seem pretty dialed!

Nevertheless I'm really curious if there will be some development in the direction of Grim donut because if experienced world class rider said there is obvious potential in it would somebody consider it, or has downhill market simply shrunk so much that it just doesnt make sense to put so much effort into it? Anyway I still hope that a weirdo like Levy would change the industry with his joke :D
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10/13/2020 12:08pm
Petder wrote:
Vergier signed with trek
Danny back to ms mondraker
Charlie harrison to syndicate

sharpy212 wrote:
Is this just a guess?
Petder wrote:
No, directly fom leogang! For danny: the team manager of ms has personaly wanted danny back. He needs someone to put pressure on laury to finaly...
No, directly fom leogang!
For danny: the team manager of ms has personaly wanted danny back. He needs someone to put pressure on laury to finaly start winning more frequently and since mike jones is probanly leaving, no better person than danny to fill the spot
I honestly doubt that.
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Eoin
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10/13/2020 12:42pm
Great start to the thread, a whole bunch of nonsense!

I think the syndicate would be nuts to let Vergier go, he is the best performing but also the most entertaining with his goofy funny style. They know it too with how much they put him into their edits.

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bizutch
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10/13/2020 12:45pm
sharpy212 wrote:
Is this just a guess?
Petder wrote:
No, directly fom leogang! For danny: the team manager of ms has personaly wanted danny back. He needs someone to put pressure on laury to finaly...
No, directly fom leogang!
For danny: the team manager of ms has personaly wanted danny back. He needs someone to put pressure on laury to finaly start winning more frequently and since mike jones is probanly leaving, no better person than danny to fill the spot
ms-racing wrote:
I honestly doubt that.
So MS Mondraker did not get the memo that a successful Team Rumours thread relies on random speculation and endless guessing so the conversation can stay dramatic.

If a team manager drops in with a "nope", its a shocker. Hah!
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Ahab
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10/13/2020 1:15pm
MS Racing coming in and stomping a large, sandal-shaped footprint on that one
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LLLLL
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10/13/2020 1:52pm
Ahab wrote:
MS Racing coming in and stomping a large, sandal-shaped footprint on that one
Yeah such a kill joy! :D
mfoga
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10/13/2020 2:14pm
Maybe they mean "i honesty doubt that" because they plan to sign two of the riders in the prediction?
stoic_machine
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10/13/2020 2:27pm
Could we see the Cannondale DH bike make a return and have Danny Hart piloting it?
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10/13/2020 2:43pm
I’ve heard from a reliable source Cannondale has a 170 29er with an idler coming out next year, a DH bike would be sweet as well!
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10/13/2020 3:38pm
I’ve heard from a reliable source Cannondale has a 170 29er with an idler coming out next year, a DH bike would be sweet as well!
Not really a rumor. You can see the new Jekyll on the Waves riders instagrams. The queston is, will the "SE" model come with a dual crown fork!!?? Smile

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