Trek World Cup DH Team Announced
by Tyler Maine
Oct 30, 2008
One month following the announcement of the three Cross Country riders that will form half of the new World Cup team sponsored by Trek Bicycles, 23 Degrees Sports Management announces today that the downhill half of the new team will also be made up of three riders; two men and a woman. The two men will be Justin Leov (NZL) and Andrew Neethling (RSA), while the top level woman rider will be announced on December 1st.
Having just turned 24, Justin Leov is a highly accomplished rider who's had a great season in 2008; most notably his 6th place finish at the World Championships which was the best ever performance by a New Zealand man at the Downhill World titles. Justin has had a string of top 10 results over the past few seasons and therefore joins the team as a regular World Cup top 10 rider.
Also 24 years old, Andrew Neethling has impressed many in his past 3 seasons showing constant progression. His 6th place on the physical track at this year's Canberra World Cup (the venue for the 2009 World Championships), and his impressive top 10 on the steep and technical Schladming course in Austria, shows that 'Needles' has the potential to be top 10 on any course he races.
Team Director Martin Whiteley says: "Apart from always striving to run one of the most professional teams on the circuit, one of my goals has always been to take riders and give them the opportunity to shine and reach their absolute goals. Our previous two teams have satisfied both these goals, and in the case of these two talented top 10 riders and our new program, we will be giving them every opportunity to further improve on their results to date. With the first round of the World Cup in South Africa next year, we are thrilled to have a super competitive South African on the team, and we feel that our combination of two top ten men, and a top level woman, will put us in a good place to compete with the leading gravity teams for the coveted UCI DH Team trophy, something our teams have won 3 times before."
Trek Mountain Bike Brand Manager Michael Browne says: "Trek believes that the Session 88 is the best downhill bike on the market with exceptional technology that spans the breadth of the Trek suspension line-up. Trek also believes in the power of racing to both prove the solvency of, and further evolve, a product. We are happy to offer the best downhill bike to an elite roster of athletes. Like Trek, these riders only want to outperform their competitors. We look forward to the challenge that lies ahead."
Further details on the team's female downhill rider will be released on December 1st, and details on the team's co-sponsors and race schedule will be released at a later date.
http://www.23degrees-sports.com
Also 24 years old, Andrew Neethling has impressed many in his past 3 seasons showing constant progression. His 6th place on the physical track at this year's Canberra World Cup (the venue for the 2009 World Championships), and his impressive top 10 on the steep and technical Schladming course in Austria, shows that 'Needles' has the potential to be top 10 on any course he races.
Team Director Martin Whiteley says: "Apart from always striving to run one of the most professional teams on the circuit, one of my goals has always been to take riders and give them the opportunity to shine and reach their absolute goals. Our previous two teams have satisfied both these goals, and in the case of these two talented top 10 riders and our new program, we will be giving them every opportunity to further improve on their results to date. With the first round of the World Cup in South Africa next year, we are thrilled to have a super competitive South African on the team, and we feel that our combination of two top ten men, and a top level woman, will put us in a good place to compete with the leading gravity teams for the coveted UCI DH Team trophy, something our teams have won 3 times before."
Trek Mountain Bike Brand Manager Michael Browne says: "Trek believes that the Session 88 is the best downhill bike on the market with exceptional technology that spans the breadth of the Trek suspension line-up. Trek also believes in the power of racing to both prove the solvency of, and further evolve, a product. We are happy to offer the best downhill bike to an elite roster of athletes. Like Trek, these riders only want to outperform their competitors. We look forward to the challenge that lies ahead."
Further details on the team's female downhill rider will be released on December 1st, and details on the team's co-sponsors and race schedule will be released at a later date.
http://www.23degrees-sports.com
Must Read This Week
- 1. 2010 Trek Scratch 9 and Remedy 9.9 Launch 34287 reads
- 2. Crank Brothers - Mallet One 16811 reads
- 3. LOCations - Full length film! 16449 reads
- 4. Brandon Semenuk Fall Training Video! 15529 reads
- 5. Flair 540 tap footjam! 15432 reads
- 6. Stund 2 - Episode 1 Available Tomorrow! 15429 reads
- 7. PRO - Vanderham gets a go! 14267 reads
- 8. The Last Ride (of the season) 13627 reads
63 Comments
- + 14
whitetux
(Oct 30, 2008 at 9:24)
leov off yeti 
what yeti is much much better then trek. guess his contract was up or somthing because i could not think of any reason he would just leave
If you watch the yeti podcast, Damion Smith says that Blinky, Leov and Gwin are staying for 09. So i don't think that its anything to do with contract.
Leov didn't get the best world cup result for New Zealand..... Sam Blenkinsop just one the last WC round??
Lovely bike and i think its sickest design of the year....there is no better one ....only problem is the price...:\
the price?! as Dh bikes go, i'd say it was well priced! have you seen the cost of some of the '09 designs? hopefully it doesnt keep going in this direction, it was already crazily expensive this year.
Well priced? yeah sure ....except the fact that 09 specialized Demo II, Giant glory DH or Kona stab supreme are cheaper than Trek....only one that is actually more expensive is Santa Cruz V-10. dont get me wrong here I like treks and I love new design of 88.
ohh one more thing ....believed or not but even Iron Horse Sunday World Cup is cheaper than trek...difference is only $170 but still ..
Its the best looking bike. I think ...ride sweet too but I am not saying its the best dh bike because I never tired that one or any other ones ...you have try it before you make any kind of judgment....so dont say its not and dont say it is.
right, late reply i know, but i have ridden one now... it is a good bike, and i never said it was the best but now having ridden it i can confirm that its not any better/worse than any other major player in the DH bike market. it is really good considering it comes straight out a box and rides well - i can see where the magazines are coming from.
i rode it, an 08 commencal (mine), 09 commencal and a soccom all on the same section of track, and for all the difference in designs and costs, the differences werent massive (the soccom was the better of the lot tho - amazing levels of grip!)
i am curious of your price info tho... the trek is £3500, the sunday WC is £4600(ish) maybe these prices are different in America, but theres no way the sunday could be cheaper!!!
i rode it, an 08 commencal (mine), 09 commencal and a soccom all on the same section of track, and for all the difference in designs and costs, the differences werent massive (the soccom was the better of the lot tho - amazing levels of grip!)
i am curious of your price info tho... the trek is £3500, the sunday WC is £4600(ish) maybe these prices are different in America, but theres no way the sunday could be cheaper!!!
Trek finally gets serious with their WC downhill team, It's about time! Can't wait to see how the 88 does on the WC circuit.
Then you haven't seen the Trek Dolphin team last World cup season,Nico Vink was riding the 88 at whole world cup season and the worlds.
And what was the best place Vink finished? Vink is an incredible rider but he is not the one to take Trek to the podium. Leov and Neethling are big names who are ready to podium for Trek.
Of course I know of Vink, who doesn't!
Of course I know of Vink, who doesn't!
he's best result is 16th place with the new 88 at the last world cup season but he isn't a podium rider than neetling or leov but he does excellent job in some belgium and german DH races.You are rigth about leov and neetling they are the ones that need to get Trek to hit the podium stages at the new world cup season and off course at the worlds.
loev and needles will be a great team. especialy on such great bikes
i wonder who the female rider will be??
i wonder who the female rider will be??
i heard rumours about rach leaving her brothers gee and dan . i dont know is that really true but i dont know if she would leave her brothers.
oh one ore thing i realised now. One of women riders will be Tracey Hannah, she has been off this year but i bet next year shes with trek.
that sounds about right, would make some sense! tho the athertons WONT split up. they've always said that they come as a package so i doubt vey much that they will split, especially at this point in their lives.
yh, if you watch athertons section in f1rst than you see Dan saying that if anyone of them would quit it would ruin everything
Thats totaly true.. all three of them becoming top pros was something people said couldnt be done and if they hadnt all been on the same team as a group i dont think it could of happened. i don't think any of them would want to leave as they are at the top of their game and not exactly losing everything.
Spot on geometry! 63degrees HA (despite the chart says 65,5 it's actually 63). Super tuned rear shock with an excellent damping.. Decent weight and a fairly reasonable price.
I dont doubt that this bike is and rides badass but with all that money spent I guess I would expect something revolutionary, especially for the price of it.
[Reply]
what? looks nothing like an Apalache - those are basically Balfa BB7's - I had one and likely my favorite bike of all time.
Session 88's look to be the stuff for '09. These 2 riders are going to rip and they'll have a great team backing them.
Session 88's look to be the stuff for '09. These 2 riders are going to rip and they'll have a great team backing them.
I dunno man, other than the swing arm they look really similar, see: http://www.nsmb.com/images/shore_news/interbike06/fergs2/appalache.jpg
true the front triangles look similar but the rear suspension of the Appalache and Trek Session 88 are very different.
I'm my opinion when Trek developed the Session 10 they ripped off the Balfa BB7/Appalche system.
I'm my opinion when Trek developed the Session 10 they ripped off the Balfa BB7/Appalche system.
[Reply]
If you read a little on the new system of suspension of Trek (Full Floater), you quickly will understand that it is far from working like a Kona or even look like a Kona...
Yea go leov, New Zealand rep, i still think he should have stayed with yeti/fox but well see how things go.
[Reply]
[Reply]
Would a manufactures point system like they use in Formula one be a cool thing ? Think that would push the sport a little more ?
Leov goes out from Yeti :S
but they still got Blenkinsop, many big changes for the next seasson wich I think is gonna be crack!
but they still got Blenkinsop, many big changes for the next seasson wich I think is gonna be crack!
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
Post A New Comment
Why was a comment deleted?
1. add additional on topic info to the article that other users will find useful
2. add props and support/encouragement for the video/photo/article/product/story
3. add and explain constructive criticism for the video/photo/article/product/story
1. add additional on topic info to the article that other users will find useful
2. add props and support/encouragement for the video/photo/article/product/story
3. add and explain constructive criticism for the video/photo/article/product/story
RSS
