2019 Silly Season
FreerideRacing
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Daily Updates – Race Team Sponsors and Rider changes for 2020

Ho Ho Ho, ‘Tis the Off-Season to be Jolly. It’s December 2019, and plenty of pro bike racers wrote their letters asking for a new bike. It seems that quite a few of them got a nice new shiny team contract in their Christmas stocking this year. There are a lot of interesting team/sponsor changes happening in DH/XC World Cup and the Enduro World Series. There are also a few big names in freeride making changes.

Here’s a roundup of things that we think are believable. (not just hot air from the depths of a web forum!) We’ll update this story when we hear what has been confirmed.

DOWNHILL

Tahnee Seagrave off Transition.

FMD Racing joins Canyon Factory Racing to become the ‘Canyon Collective’ with Troy Brosnan, Mark Wallace, Kye A’Hern, Kaoss Seagrave and Tahnee Seagrave racing DH.

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Pretty good bike tbf ? 10/10

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Bruce Klein off Commencal / 100%

After 2 years racing for Commencal / 100%

David Trummer and 2 new juniors join the YT Mob

David Trummer (AUT) will join Angel Suarez (ESP) in the DH World Cup Elite, while  Óisin O’Callaghan (IRL) and Guy Johnston (NZL) will be joining the Mob as first-year Juniors.

Marcelo Gutierrez takes a year out of racing World Cup

For 2020, Marcelo has decided to focus on projects to build the MTB scene in Columbia, also allowing him to spend more time at home with friends and family. Recently, he has also suffered from illness and needs time to recover. He warns us not to count him out of racing!

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@redbullcol @giantbicycles

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Jack Moir off Intense

Maybe to Scott?

Camille Balanche off Devinci and onto Team Dorval AM

Camille Balanche, 2019 European champion, completed her first World Cup season as seventh overall. With two podiums, 3rd in Val di Sole and 5th in Lenzerheide. She will be joining Monika Hrastnik and Mariana Salazar on Commencal bikes.

George Brannigan off GT, onto Propain Factory Racing

George joins Luke Williamson and Henry Kerr, along with Luke Meier Smith as the 2nd new rider

Alex Marin off Madison Saracen, joins new team ‘The Brigade’

Alex Marin moves to a new DH team ‘The Brigade’ on Santa Cruz bikes.

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HERE SHE IS ?? New team, new structure, great group of people to work with, and the best mechanic next to me! ? It’s a pleasure to announce that I’ll be joining @thebrigadeteam for 2020 season! The amount of work we’ve put the last month has been unreal. From having a dailed set up on the suspension, to ride the new bike as much as I could! You wouldn’t belive how good this thing is! Thanks for believe in me team!? Let’s go bike racing now ⚡️ || pc by the man itself @sbarnilsphoto || @thebrigadeteam @srsuntour @monkeyssauce @veetireco @kennyracing81 @productionprivee @brakingbrakes @hxr_components @hexisenergy @crankbrothers @ij_racingmtb #bikelife #teamrumors #mtblife #mtb #bike #fun #team #worldcup #mtbworldcup #santacruz #hexis

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Denim Destroyer joins GT Factory Racing

Johannes von Klebelsberg goes from privateer legend to the GT Factory Racing Team. Still got those jeans on though!

ENDURO

Isabeau Courdurier off Intense

After 2 amazing race EWS seasons in the bag, Isabeau says thank you to Intense. No word yet on where she is headed.

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? Merci ? These two years have been the most valuable experience in my career so far. I am beyond thankful I got the chance to ride for a brand I’ve always looked up @intensecycles . The Enduro Collective was a real challenge that was a success thanks to the brands that could see our potential. It is incredible to look back and see what we achieved together. 16 podiums over 16 races ! ? And 2 of them with an hand welded prototype built by @jeffsteber . I am very happy we could work on the next enduro bike together. I would like to thank all my Intense family ? for this adventure and I feel very lucky I got the chance to meet you all. For what’s coming next please, I am excited but you’ll have to wait and please respect that? ? @charliecoquillard @world_enduro #intenseforlife #racingisourtruenorth

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Greg Callaghan off Cube

After 5 years on the Cube Action Team, Greg is off to a new ride in 2020

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All good things must come to an end! Cannot thank everyone at the @cubeactionteam enough for all the memories, successes, struggles and friendships over the last 5 years. Especially to @wxm_sports who brought me into the team all those years ago. When we first met at Eurobike in 2014 who could have known what the future held, so proud of what we accomplished together during these years. Thanks to everyone at @cube.bikes, the team staff, team mates and all the partners of the team who helped me and shared the good times, I’ll see you all again at the races for a ? and a chat. As for what’s next for me, you’ll have to wait a bit longer for that… ? #excited #freshstart #thankyou #bikesareclass #cubeyourlife

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Florian Nicolaï off Canyon, onto Trek Factory Racing

After 2 good seasons racing EWS for Canyon, Florian Nicolaï is moving to Trek

Cole Lucas off Pivot, onto Ibis

Jared Graves off Specialized

Graves has spent the last year recovering from a brain tumor, he plans to return to racing in 2020

Jerome Clementz off Cannondale

After 11 years and many great enduro race results, Jerome Clementz is moving. But he says he is not done yet.

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Everything has an end and after 11 years racing as a Pro for Cannondale, it's time for a change. Cannondale is my partner since 2009, without them I probably wouldn't have achieved the same results, be the same athlete and had the same opportunity to travel the world with my bike. They are a big part in my career and I would like to thank the company for their support but also all the people behind, who helped me in many ways. You can be strong alone, but you're stronger with a real team behind you and this has been the truth for me with Cannondale all these years This is the end of an era that I really enjoyed, but changes are exciting and I'm ready for a new start. I'll stay a fan of the brand and I'm sure that we will stay in touch. I'll keep you updated on what's next as soon as 2020 starts In the meantime some photos to remembers all these good years #racing #wins #family #followjc #notdoneyet #challenge #future ?many great photographers ??

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Eddie Masters off Pivot?

Or maybe he’s just trolling as well?

Cody Kelley off Alchemy

Damien Oton off Devinci, onto Orbea

Damien Oton moving from Devinci to Orbea

Thomas Lapeyrie off Orbea, onto his own program

French National Enduro Champ is running his own privateer program this year

Morgane Charre off Juliana, onto a new EWS team deal

Noga Korem (not) off GT

Haha very funny. Noga says thanks, then changes her mind and signs for another 2 years.

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Thank you @gtfactoryracing for an awesome 2 years!!!? In 2017 did my first @world_enduro season as a privateer. In 2018 I was lucky enough to sign my first professional contruct with this amazing team- GT Factory Racing. The past 2 years with the GT crew has being a blast ✌ I learned a lot about bike setup, riding & racing, from the staff & team mates. I had some up and downs… but in 2019 I had the best season in my career! I really enjoyed to travel all over the ? and to see so many beutiful places, I enjoyed to push my limits, enjoyed the races, the podiums and the team podiums ever more ?? Thank you @gtbicycles for the best support that I could have asked! And thanks to the crew who made these two years #srslyfun ? @markmaurissen @gt_coach @88gc @robinvangoubergen @bert.maleszka @teonati87 @martin_maes5 @wynmasters @rachelstrait1 @georgebrannigan @joeyforesta @svenmartinphoto @maddogboris I am already looking forward to be between the race types again! Can you guess which Jersey I will wear in 2020? ??? #thankful #thankyou #gtfr #funisseriousbusiness #srslyfun #2years #hasbeenablast #teamrumors ?@svenmartinphoto ?@maddogboris ?@lastlightcinema

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FREERIDE

Fabio Wibmer off Specialized, onto Canyon and Ohlins

Andreu Lacondeguy off YT

Darren Berrecloth off Canyon

Nico Vink off Scott, onto Transition

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Welcome to the Transition family @vinknico ! ⁣ We have been fans for over decade, from rewinding his segments in the infamous Earthed video series to following his current success with the Fest series, film projects and connection with Rampage. We are absolutely over the moon to begin our story together. Nico exudes the purest love for mountain biking we've ever experienced. He’s encouraging by nature, quick to welcome anyone to share a lap with him down the trail and has a passion for bikes to his core. Not to mention being an absolute wizard behind the controls of an excavator (More to come on that later!).⁣ ⁣ Nico will be riding the TR11 for his big bike adventures and the entire range of SBG trail bikes for everything under 70 feet. ⁣ ⁣ We are honored to have Nico leading our team of athletes and riders, and we are so excited to see where this leads. ⁣ ⁣ Build. Ride. Repeat.⁣ ⁣ #backinthefreeridegame #morewherethatcamefrom #staytuned @vinknico

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Reed Boggs off Trek, onto Yeti

Eliott Lapotre off Commencal, onto GT

After 5 years on Commencal, Lapotre is onto GT

Chris Akrigg off Mongoose.

After 12 years riding all kinds of Mongoose bikes in many amazing videos, the multi-talented trials/trail rider is moving somewhere new. No clues yet as to where he’s going. But this video is pretty good.

Killian Bron off Intense and onto Commencal

Commencal made this comedy video to show how much they love Killian Bron and he’s riding for them now!

Cross Country

Catharine Pendrel and Clif Pro Team off Orbea, onto Specialized

After 12 years on Orbea, Catharine Pendrel and the Clif Pro Team are now on Specialized bikes

Sam Gaze off Specialized, onto Alpecin-Fenix

After 5 years racing XC World Cup and Marathon for Specialized. New Zealander Sam Gaze is moving to a new team. Almost certain that he will join Mathieu van der Poel on Team Alpecin-Fenix (renamed from Corenden-Circus.)