Lapierre Parts Ways With Pure Agency
Looks like World Champion Loic Bruni and the rest of Team Gravity Republic will not be riding Lapierre Bikes next season.
![Loic having a bit of fun during a photoshoot for ONE Industries in France.]()
Statement from Lapierre Gravity Republic Facebook page:
"After 8 years of partnership, 2016 will mark the end of the journey shared by Lapierre & Pure Agency, who managed Team Lapierre Gravity Republic. Both partners are launching new challenges for the next season, after climbing to the top of the world in 2015."
In the paddocks, the continuous progression of Team Lapierre Gravity Republic since the very beginning has not passed unnoticed. Crowned best UCI Gravity team in 2014 with Loic Bruni, Loris Vergier, Sam Blenkinsop and Emmeline Ragot; the team claimed the ultimate title in 2015: the Elite Men’s World Championship jersey, to draw the curtains on an amazing adventure. In total: 4 overall World Cup victories, 3 World Championship titles and dozens of podiums… What a way to end!
Gilles Lapierre, MD of Cycles Lapierre, reflects on this achievement: « It has been an incredible adventure at the side of talented riders and renowned staff. We can’t forget that we started from scratch! Over the years we have battled with the best MTB teams in the world. Loic Bruni’s title of World Champion has been the grand finale of this adventure, we couldn’t have hoped for better. It’s now time to move on.
![Despite all the tough luck Loic was still all smiles when he received the trophy for 2nd overall in the Word Cup.]()
The end of DH sponsoring does not mean the end of Team Lapierre Gravity Republic as we are staying very active in Enduro, which continues to develop with the Enduro World Series. Nicolas Vouilloz, who we don’t need to present, & Adrien Dailly, winner of the EWS U21 in 2015 will have new teammates for 2016 … You’ll be hearing more about this soon. We are therefore staying committed to MTB competition. We are also supporting the development of ebike competition, which is undergoing massive expansion, and for which our Overvolts are already a reference. Many new challenges lie ahead of us once again!
An incredible showpiece for Lapierre’s savoir-faire, the Team help develop their MTBs to benefit from the cutting edge technology. Our latest DH model, launched in 2014, won its first race at the Fort William round of the World Cup with Emmeline Ragot. Loris Vergier then became Junior World Champion on this machine a few months later. He was followed by Loic Bruni using it to take the ultimate title in septembre 2015 à Vallnord. The final proof, if it was needed, that this collaboration functioned in the best possible manner.
![Loic takes a lap of the finish arena following another top performance in Italy.]()
Laurent Delorme, Manager of Pure Agency, looks back on the years of partnership: « Working with Lapierre for 8 years was an amazing adventure. Gilles Lapierre, the teams at his side and all the company were a reliable and efficient support, right from the start. With a strategy of developing young talents, we have pulled the performances of our riders to the highest level, thanks to the technological innovations responding to the needs of competition. Gilles, particularly involved in this project, both when we were victorious and in the hard times, always knew how to drive our performances. We are proud to have grown with Lapierre.
Thank you to all our partners who have followed Team Lapierre Gravity Republic during these eight years"
So where to next?
MENTIONS: @Lapierre-Bikes / @SramMedia / @ride100percent / @LizardSkins
Statement from Lapierre Gravity Republic Facebook page:
"After 8 years of partnership, 2016 will mark the end of the journey shared by Lapierre & Pure Agency, who managed Team Lapierre Gravity Republic. Both partners are launching new challenges for the next season, after climbing to the top of the world in 2015."
In the paddocks, the continuous progression of Team Lapierre Gravity Republic since the very beginning has not passed unnoticed. Crowned best UCI Gravity team in 2014 with Loic Bruni, Loris Vergier, Sam Blenkinsop and Emmeline Ragot; the team claimed the ultimate title in 2015: the Elite Men’s World Championship jersey, to draw the curtains on an amazing adventure. In total: 4 overall World Cup victories, 3 World Championship titles and dozens of podiums… What a way to end!
Gilles Lapierre, MD of Cycles Lapierre, reflects on this achievement: « It has been an incredible adventure at the side of talented riders and renowned staff. We can’t forget that we started from scratch! Over the years we have battled with the best MTB teams in the world. Loic Bruni’s title of World Champion has been the grand finale of this adventure, we couldn’t have hoped for better. It’s now time to move on.
The end of DH sponsoring does not mean the end of Team Lapierre Gravity Republic as we are staying very active in Enduro, which continues to develop with the Enduro World Series. Nicolas Vouilloz, who we don’t need to present, & Adrien Dailly, winner of the EWS U21 in 2015 will have new teammates for 2016 … You’ll be hearing more about this soon. We are therefore staying committed to MTB competition. We are also supporting the development of ebike competition, which is undergoing massive expansion, and for which our Overvolts are already a reference. Many new challenges lie ahead of us once again!
An incredible showpiece for Lapierre’s savoir-faire, the Team help develop their MTBs to benefit from the cutting edge technology. Our latest DH model, launched in 2014, won its first race at the Fort William round of the World Cup with Emmeline Ragot. Loris Vergier then became Junior World Champion on this machine a few months later. He was followed by Loic Bruni using it to take the ultimate title in septembre 2015 à Vallnord. The final proof, if it was needed, that this collaboration functioned in the best possible manner.
Laurent Delorme, Manager of Pure Agency, looks back on the years of partnership: « Working with Lapierre for 8 years was an amazing adventure. Gilles Lapierre, the teams at his side and all the company were a reliable and efficient support, right from the start. With a strategy of developing young talents, we have pulled the performances of our riders to the highest level, thanks to the technological innovations responding to the needs of competition. Gilles, particularly involved in this project, both when we were victorious and in the hard times, always knew how to drive our performances. We are proud to have grown with Lapierre.
Thank you to all our partners who have followed Team Lapierre Gravity Republic during these eight years"
So where to next?
MENTIONS: @Lapierre-Bikes / @SramMedia / @ride100percent / @LizardSkins
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This coming from a tubby beerbellied old fart.
But if you are into riding bikes for the sport if it, as most of us are, why the f*** would anyone want one of these? Isn't the whole point of riding bikes for the challenge? The exercise? Being able to push ones limits?
To me an ebike runs contrary to all these things. It runs contrary to all the reasons I would throw my leg over a bike in the first place.
WTF?
1. The views of ONE European company does not reflect the views of an assembly of countries. Get real.
2. Most big American bikes Co's are also getting in the E-bike game one after another, whether you like it or not.
3. They will have their place, not necessarily on our favorite trails, but elsewhere, even just as a transportation means. I would definitely choose that over a stupid big SUV or even an hybrid vehicle. Cheers.
In fact, a DH bike uses more e-devices than an e-bike, so I guess dh riders should be skinned alive twice and doubly buried in salt.
www.pinkbike.com/photo/11870586
Do you not comprehend what kind of damage a motorcycle can do to trails? Would you get pissed if I took a kids 50cc dirtbike on bike trails? Because they aren't a hell of a lot different.
Why so much hatred? please...... respect
We as a community should be supporting all things cycling (road, dirt, commute, electric, etc...) and it all comes down to RESPECT out on the road or trails. We as cyclist/bikers have had to battle this issue with automobiles, horse riders, and hikers from the beginning of time and the only way we were able to utilize the roads or the same trail networks is to respect the other users. If you are riding a pedal assist Ebike out on the trails be respectful of the environment and other fellow trail users as you should regardless of your bike.
Now, here is where the line becomes blurred, if you are riding a HIGH powered THROTTLE based Ebike, then go to your local motocross facilities and enjoy. The petro/gas powered gear-heads will give you shit there but get over it and ride whatever gets you out to ride. Just respect the trails and those using it as always.
www.ktmfreeride-e.com/en
somebody needs to show up at these up-coming e-bike races in sea otter and europe with one of these bad boys and just school the tools.
I have an ebike on order and can't wait for it to turn up to allow me to get out on the trails and have fun something apparently I shouldn't be allowed to do?
Instead of venting negativity at something that doesn't relate to you try swapping and putting positivity into something that does.
no motorized vehicles on bicycle/hiking/horse trails.
too easy.
Why do people want to end up like those fat people on Wall-e?
one of, if not the most out of touch comments made in a while.
my fourwheeler has no engine except for my heart, lungs and arms.
i will always be welcome on non motorized trails.
laziness is the disease of the century.
I'm currently building an 'ebike' complete with sitski seat to allow me to get back out riding with my mates and to the trails and places I never thought it possible for me to be able to see again..... Alas sadly according to this message thread a place I won't be welcome and should be banned from riding?!!!
I really wish people would sometimes see further than their own bigoted opinion and try find postives in things rather than constantly championing the negative.... But I guess this is the Internet a place where people will always rather be opinionated than be informed.
Those that are hung up on what you ride need to grow up.
Shucks guess I had it all wrong.
Also, DH bikes are ridden on one directional DH trails. Wait till you run into some newb with "pedal assist" (AKA a motor) trying to ride up a trail you shouldn't be riding up.
Also, as history will prove: anything with a motor will be made faster and more powerful. Every new motorized vehicle on the face of the earth has some sort of limiter built in and either ten minutes in YouTube or $400 can make them go bye bye. Think that will be any different on eBikes?
Nobody is going to be fitting a set of wet screams and 'ragging' and ebike around on your local trails tearing up ruts everywhere! That's left for chavs and beaten up old CR80's.
Poor peddling technique and rubbish braking causes damage to trails and if you want to ban the causes of them then Morzine and most bike parks etc are gonna be pretty damn quiet next season.
Shucks guess I had it all wrong."
Of course you can, and if my main hobby was mx then I'd be getting a Hansen rep Kawi with a frame, auto clutch and be smashing out laps at my local track.... But my hobby is mountain biking with my mates, has been for the last 20+ years and hopefully will be for many more. Just because I now require a small electric motor attached to my mountain bike I shouldn't be allowed on the trails with my friends anymore? Seriously?? Give your head a shake lad, somethings not connecting.
A more worrying article that was published in the uk used STRAVA times to try shut down access to trails in a local park area. Basically stating look at the dangerous speeds these mountain bikers are doing and here the proof. They only quoted the fastest speed they could find and then made out that was the speed at which everyone was riding everywhere which is proper sneaky! But it could set a pretty crappy president for the future.
yeah, thats exactly what we are saying dude, you are NOT welcome to ride a motorized vehicle(it does not matter what the power source is) on a bicycle, horse or hiking trails, and for christs sake keep you motor-cycle out of established mtb riding areas and bike parks.
don't be a selfish prick and ruin it for all those mtbers that have been doing this for 30 years plus.
and this has nothing to do with disabilty or age or obesity, its about not facking up the mtb scene.
go ride your ebike on a bmx track, a mx track, a forest service road, go for a commute, go get groceries, go exploring on crown land, go fishing, go anywhere , but stay the hell off mtb trails.
i got a couple friends that rock the ebikes, they are very respectfull towards the established ridng areas, and spend alot of time accessing places i could never go on human power, its cool what they do and i respect it. and in turn they respect what i do, but we will never ever ride together.
you are building a motorcycle, so be prepared to use it in the appropriate riding areas.
oh ya one more thing, just because i have a broken spinal cord, please don't associate me with this shitty ebike movement.
i have stated many times , ebikes have their place, but the bikeparks and dh trails ain't that place.
i hope you project works out and you get to ride you motorcycle, but we will never cross paths because i believe, support and promote human powered vehicles, including bikes, fourwheelers, and skateboards.
fack it,, i'll say it, even rollerblading is cooler that ebikes.
easy huh?
the other thing i should have mentioned for me, this has nothing to do with the environment or being green, i really could care less about some wacked out, right wing bullshat snow-job, that is environmentalism.
hell, i'm burning a box of endangered species in a styrofoam box in my backyard right now.
this isn't about being green, its about traill access.
youtu.be/XaBOvw4UCMA
go for it, have fun riding that ebike on that terrain like martin was doing.........
where was he? down by the boardwalk?
at least he knows were the appropriate ebike riding area is.
he rode down some stairs and did a lil wheelie.
have fun.
actually being full of shit is really on the mark for this conversation, because the engine on my bike is fueled by clean, veggie based foods and some quality whey protein ,and cool refreshing water. the waste product of said engine is exactly the shit you are talking about. good call randybadger.
lol
Now mountain bikers themselves are dehumanizing e-bike owners, picturing them as a stupid dude on a bike with the most powerful electric engine out there, riding up a hill as if he was on a redneck moto hill climb derby. They see warning signs and feel a perfectly understandable fear, like I do to, but some follow temptation to descend into a posterized black and white world, at best seeing shades of grey - they never see colors. Then they go ahead accusing the imagined group of evil e-heads of all sorts of own treats: poor riding skills, trail erosion, disregard to own safety, following trends etc. I rode one and it was super cool. If my kids will start riding with me, I will fix one to my wife, because she hates the pedaling part of MTBing.
@stacykohut - brace yourself, I have already heard of a super powerful, "hyper-tech", e-assisted prototype four wheeler for park and AM use (from the horses mouth of world's famous high performance recumbent maker). My prediction is that assisted e-bikes will remain as a niche. They will be passionately used by people with disabilities and poor wives forced to ride by their husbands needing to show a riding wife on insta. Since one is not willing to take effort to ride up the hill or ride down the ridge on his own power, he will simply be unwilling to follow his latest "I'm so bored with life" hobby, after the first serious crash. Loss will overtake the wins. Or a dude who liked it a lot will buy a proper motorcycle. So in my view - don't worry, there will be very few of them. You can always cover kids eyes. My problem is... a very realistic scenario where an MTB purist daddy is out there with his kid and e-biker catches up on them on descent, passes them and sends a fat whip off a jump ahead? I saw such scenario two weeks ago... a CX elitist desperately convincing his 10yr old son that our pumptrack is not as cool as CX short track next to it, then being owned on that CX track by one of pumping dudes who decided to take a lap for a change...
have fun with your 'disabilty' and your ebike.
feel free to run your mouth once you have actually accomplished something with your disabilty, not just planning and talking and blowing smoke.
there is a whole bunch of u.k. paralympic athletes that you and martin couldn't even polish their medals.
how many you got?
It just amazes me when in here actual bikers are firing up exactly the same Ill conceived arguments as walkers have been shooting at us since the beginning.
E bikes aren't going to destroy the world or ruin the trails. Anyone rocking a £4000 e assist full Susser has likely been in the game long enough to know what they is doing and I say all power to them. It's a poor day when we can't embrace something new and interesting
Cheers will do
Xx
sugar and alcohol are the medication/pacifier of the masses.
drink up buddy.
I see the same phrases that hikers living in my little town uses against MTB.
You destroy trails...
That knobby tiresthat eat ours mother earth....
The mountain is pure only if you are alone and on your feet...
That kind of argument is a delusional one.
I don't like when my MTB cruises in the middle of a big pile of horse poo but it ever crosses my mind that horse owners should get the f@#&k out the trail I am riding.
I don't like to slow down when I know hikers are on the trail I am descending but I do because I respect them and their desire to enjoy the mountain and the countryside.
If a horse owner or a hiker tell me to get out "theirs" trail when i am enjoing my bike I'll get mad and be really pissed off.
So I give and pretend respect on the trail. If I am riding my old clunker, a new super endubro squishy fullcarbon 6inches 650b plus 1*11 whatever or an electric MTB doesn't matter.
(And by the way I think a newbie starting with a electric bike today could be a "real" MTB rider tomotrow, so a potential asset not a potential menace).
@WAKIdesigns @stacykohut - keep slugging guys, this ones going to round 12. On a serious note I think each riding area is going to have their own rules on E-bikes. Where I ride in the Surrey Hills I don't think anyone is going to have an issue if someone rocks up on an E-bike. I am sure somewhere like Whistler (or any other bike park either in North America or Europe) there will be issues.
I see the issue is the classification of E-bikes. Whilst out riding the other night I saw a sign stating "No Unauthorised Motor Vehicles". We could debate if an E-bike is a motorised vehicle or not till the cows come home. I don't think they are but others will probably interpret the rules differently.
Personally I don't have an issue with them and don't think they will cause a problem in the UK as long as riders are tolerant towards other trail users.
That's my 2 pence worth. I'm off to roost some berms on my 27.5 plus mud tyred 500W Electric Geared E-Bike....
Why not just get a MX bike?
Overpowered ebikes (stealth bomber, bultaco brinco or similar) are massively fun (i own a similar beast, lighter than a stealth bomber and programmable on the fly so it can be a 250w PAS "legal ebike" or a mini electric dirtbike usable with throttle power) but even i belive that are something more similar to a MX than a MTB and should be used with mx bikes if not power limited.
By the way they have way more torque at 0rpm than a gas/petrol engine that's why some people prefer this kind of "toy" to a MX bike.
I have been called ginger but I'm not a proper ginger therefore probably have half a soul, unlike our mutual friend Kyle....
@k1kk0 got ya.
The fastest wheel size is a tricky one. I assumed we are talking bikes (of the pedally dirt variety as we are on pinkbike) and not rockety things like the Blue Flame and such...
And are we talking pedal assisted electric bikes to bring things full circle... or are they still the work of the devil
I am sure there are a number of us who "write" for a job and can pass on the knowledge we have to other creating a more literate biking community.
I remember reading that "The Old Man and the Sea" was written using simple English.
content.26in.fr/p/news/36592/100_195-1.jpg
ebikes are not welcome on hiking,horse, or bicycle trails.
you wanna ride an ebike anywhere else than where i mentioned above?
go for it. all the more power to ya.have fun and enjoy.
what else needs to be explained?
"ebikes are not welcome on hiking,horse, or bicycle trails"
but you forgot some relevant stuff
bikes are not welcome on hiking, horse trails, and maybe on ebike trails
hikers are not welcome on bike, horse trails,
horses (btw, I don't know wtf are they doing here) are not welcome on bike, hiking trails
Too many variables in the equation? What else can be said?
Dogs? What to do with those lovely animals? Are they welcome or not?
And the rest of living creatures? Should they be exterminated so that bikers (not e-bikers) can ride alone on earth?
important questions to be answered
and @benito...........
here in north america its taken 30 years to get three users groups to coexist on one trail , and the only reason the hikers and the horse people tolerate mtbs is because we are human powered. ad an electric engine to the equation and those two original groups(hikers and horse people) will ban all wheeled vehicles on their trails.
Dh bikes are unfortunately nothing in MTB sales for LP, contrary to Specialized/Trek. Enduro/trail/ebikes are main/growing market.
Lapierre's investors are looking for maybe 10/15% profit +royalties.
So LP focus on the best sponsoring spending with the most profitable ROI (not Dh in fact).
Bicycle industry is cool, but's still an industry
Cool for pilots to change! We all cried when Honda closed but look where is Minaar now !
that lapierre bike looked great under him.
Plus loic mentioned blenky at the end of the season so Maybe loic, blenki, and Finn on someone under the gravity banner?
GT as they have no riders, or YT they could surprise?
C'mon dudes... Go out and try an ebike then you can judge.
Yep they are not MTB in the purest form but are fun and way less damaging on the trails that a bad rider on a trail or a dirt bike going up a trail.
I use one and use also a traditional MTB both are fun both are different but no need to hate.
You should be pissed of by people damaging trails whatever they use to go up or own the mountain.
Try one the you can judge more objectively.
"The end of DH sponsoring does not mean the end of Team Lapierre Gravity Republic as we are staying very active in Enduro"
It is actually Pure Agency that parts way with Lapierre. Pure Agency is a private company that employ Bruni & Vergier. Lapierre was its bike partner. Pure Agency keeps the riders and staff and has to find a new bike manufacturer
Don't fear the unknown, embrace it, you'll probably live longer
They're not going to replace the bicycle, so what's the f*cking problem?
It's got a motor in it, big f*cking deal, is Moto GP and MX for pussies as well?
Get your heads out of your stupid f*cking arses.
Nuff said
Walkers/horses have a hard time getting used to and accepting us going down trails at speed, if people start going uphill at speed it's gonna make some people upset.
And the general public will most likely not be aware that these e-bikes are motorised and just see it as bikers riding excessively fast.
Unless you have an injury or illness you have no need for an E-bike and should either just ride your MTB or buy a MX bike
One thing that does make sense is for is my 60year old dad (who I raced with in the 90's - he rode moto and DH) to be able to go ride with me and not have to wait too much and be an ass because I'm losing a ride day.
Also - didn't read the whole thread- but what's Bruni riding next year?
try it, with it you can go to your DH spot without shuttle
gay