Interview: Eric Carter's Magic Season
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 | Standing on that stage in Fort Bill when we were announced as top team on the day when Troy took his first World Cup win and slotted into second overall, and Aaron took fourth and retained the leaders jersey was, well, you can imagine the sense of fulfillment. - Eric Carter: Manager, Specialized World Cup DH Team |
Specialized is too large and important of a brand to suck at anything and get away with it for long. One might expect, with its Demo 8 outselling every other DH bike in the history of downhill, that the mammoth of Morgan Hill would be killing the World Cup Downhill series, but such was not the case. The last big hurrah for Team Big S was Sam Hill’s gold medal at the 2010 World Champs. Since that shining moment, no Factory Specialized sponsored pro had occupied the top three steps of the elite men’s podium at a World Cup or World Championship DH race.
Everyone has an excuse for losing, but there could not have been a worse moment for Specialized to have claimed the unofficial Team Hoover award for four consecutive World Cup DH seasons. During that period, the quality of venues, the public’s perception, the live viewing options, and the closeness of competition of international downhill racing had jumped to the next level. Smaller brands, like Santa Cruz, Lapierre, Devinci, and GT were winning World Cups and quickly gaining prominence and suddenly, DH podiums became a business decision for the likes of Trek and Specialized. The big boys had to be in it to win it. Trek made the first move, with Trek World Racing and Aaron Gwin.
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 Aaron Gwin put two seconds on a stacked field at the South African World Cup opener riding a modified Specialized Enduro. |
| We knew after yesterday that Troy and I would both be on the podium, it was just a matter of where. We have a really dialed team right now and I'm stoked to get the win. Now, we just need to keep the momentum rolling. - Aaron Gwin at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa |
Following the beating that Aaron Gwin and Trek World Racing handed to the best of the rest, Specialized put everything in place for the 2013 season, signing Gwin, retaining junior phenom Troy Brosnan, and betting on uniquely skilled Mitch Ropelato, for what appeared to all outsiders to be the World Cup DH dream team. For reasons, unknown, however, it was not to be, and the team often floundered outside of the top ten for what may have been the most awkward year in the history of Specialized Racing. Specialized responded by taking sole control of the team and hiring an unlikely hero to be the team’s new manager for the 2014 racing season.
Eric Carter had stacked up a number of Championship titles in BMX and both World Cup and National Championships in mountain bike racing, including a gold medal at the 4-Cross Worlds, but this was to be his first stint as a team manager. By his own admission, Carter was not the type of leader that Specialized typically seeks out. Traditionally, Specialized heads for the shark tank to select high-profile hires. Carter, by contrast, is a soft-spoken man who rarely shows anything but a genuine smile and is honest to a fault. Behind the pleasant demeanor, however, Carter is a fierce competitor and one of the sport’s most brilliant tacticians. EC, as most of his friends call him, made his intentions clear from the beginning: “If you are looking for Excel spread sheets, facts and figures, I’m not your guy. I know how to win races. You give me some help on the organizational side and I’ll get this team on the podium this year.”
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| Troy Brosnan earned the number one plate at the 2010 Junior Worlds for Specialized/Monster Energy. Troy then struggled as a pro, but the determined and talented descender was steadily climbing the results ladder and to the chagrin of those who believed otherwise, mid-way through 2014, the lad recaptured the number one spot again - leading the World Cup series going in to Mont Sainte Anne. |
EC’s baptism of fire as a team manager began at South Africa, with new mechanics, boxes of unbuilt 27.5-inch-wheel bikes and a pile of 26-inch tires. Somehow, after scrambling to assemble prototypes, scrounging for compatible tires and dialing in the team’s yet untried suspension, Gwin posted a win - on a modified trailbike, sporting a reduced-travel DH fork. And, the craziness continued. In spite of the facts that the team’s corporate leadership changed hands and the riders were given new and untested Carbon Demos at the peak of their winning streaks, by mid-season, Gwin and Brosnan were both in the hunt for the overall title. All told, Team Specialized stood on the podium at six out of the seven stops on the World Cup DH series, took second and third in the overall, and Brosnan won the bronze medal at the World's. Was it serendipity, or was it EC power?
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| For fans, the arrival of Specialized's new carbon fiber Demo in July, 2014 was the best news to come from Morgan Hill in a decade. For the team, however, with Brosnan and Gwin poised to win the series, switching mid-season to a new and largely unproven bike with 27.5 wheels was a very risky proposition. |
I’d bet on EC power. Those familiar with the team remarked that the usual tension and angst in the pits were gone, replaced by a sense of up-beat camaraderie, and interviews with the team mirrored the same sentiments. EC's track walks, video captures and regular briefings became part of the team's routine each race, and the athletes were visibly calm and confident. Ask EC and he will shrug it off and tell you that it takes a lot of people to make successful race team. Consider, however, that the team was racing for the same company, facing the same competition, racing the same venues and, for most of the season, riding the same bikes, as they did for what was arguably Specialized’s most disastrous season just one year earlier, and you may agree with me. The only major difference was the addition of Eric Carter. - RC
Ryan Cleek photo
Let's cut to the chase. Before EC, Team Specialized was at best, languishing somewhere mid-pack in the World Cup DH results. After EC, they were back on the podium or eating at the top five spots. Same guys, same bikes, same venues, and the same competition. How did that happen? Before I answer any questions, it needs to be said that I am grateful for the recognition in the title of this interview, but really, the success we achieved is the result of many people.
When I arrived, everything about the program made sense on paper. Sean Heimdal has a nice resume of results as a team manager. Jacy Shumilak is regarded as one of the best mechanics in the business, and the riders and equipment were all there. I think there may have been a disconnect between the team operations and the company internally and it just ran downhill. That’s not pointing fingers at anyone. I just think it was missing something and the program, as it was, couldn't get over the hurdles they were faced with.
Both the team and the racing program was brought in-house and I was hired by Specialized. We all agreed as to what the objectives would be and how we would achieve them; what each person’s strengths and weaknesses were and how to achieve objectives with what we had to work with. Nobody is perfect and realizing strengths and weaknesses up front and then confronting them, allows you to plan for situations that could be a problem later. I also think my light hearted approach was something new for the DH program and it allowed for a slightly more relaxed atmosphere.
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| Post-practice debriefing in the Specialized pits: team track walks, filming practice sessions and timing sections of the course were Carter's routine during his racing years. This time Carter was behind the lens. |
What motivated you to take the position with Specialized as DH team manager?A few things: First, was the ability to help facilitate change. After talking with Geoff Rogers, Brad Benedict and Benno Willeit - listening to the problems they felt they had and what they would like to see - I knew I could come in and make a difference. Knowing I could come in and play a part in turning around a program as prestigious as the Specialized DH program was exciting to me. I guaranteed Geoff that the program would win some races this year.
Second, was knowing how to win at the top level. My days as an athlete on the highest level that our sport has to offer are long gone, but I still thirst for that tension, atmosphere and competitive stage. This is as close as I am ever going to get now. Being a part of a winning program on the World Cup Circuit was exciting to ponder and even more exciting to turn into a reality. Standing on that stage in Fort Bill when we were announced as top team on the day when Troy took his first World Cup win and slotted into second overall, and Aaron took fourth and retained the leaders jersey was, well, you can imagine the sense of fulfillment. To see these young men achieve at that level, to have the mechanics and staff be so excited, and to deliver that type of success to Specialized - it was very rewarding day for me, to say the least. Something I am very proud to have been a part of.
Third, was for the money. To be very honest, I needed a job.
It is hard to imagine that Specialized's big wigs were in a power meeting and somebody said; "Hey, we're not winning World Cups, why don’t one of you call Eric Carter and have him fix it for us." How did you get tagged for a candidate?
Two sides of the job: Carter
celebrates Brosnan's first time on
the top step and talks over Gwin's
disasterous no-tire race at Leogang.
Red Bull Media image
Yeah it didn't happen like that. Those guys were getting the news that Sean Heimdal was looking to back out of the team manager gig. There were a few people behind the scenes who threw my name in the hat: Stikman at Troy Lee Designs was a big advocate of getting me involved. He had been dealing with the existing racing program and he had some knowledge of what needed fixing and felt that I would be a good fit. My brother-in-Law Rich Houseman takes care of Aaron Gwin from the management side and he also dropped my name in the hat. At that same time, I was inquiring through a personal friend there, Ryan Cleek, about being a brand ambassador for Specialized, doing dealer visits and festivals. Through those three, I got a call asking if I was interested in the position. I said, “Certainly.” A flight was booked and I headed up to Morgan Hill, where we talked through it all and came out of the meeting in a good place.
We understand that your plan was a simple one, can you give us some illumination?
Yeah. My mantra was to, "win races and have fun doing it." The number one issue that the company explained to me that they wanted addressed was a more open pit area, with a light-hearted feel that was welcoming to fans, media and sponsors. We all agreed in the initial meeting that, if we could achieve this one thing, the team would have the atmosphere needed to succeed. Anybody who knows me knows that’s right in my wheel-house.
As far as the execution of managing a team, I think there are two approaches: when coming into a program, you can start in with a light or a heavy hand. I choose to come in and be observant. I wanted to get an understanding of what was good and bad within the program. If only 15 percent needs fixing, it could actually be counter-productive to come in heavy handed with a "my way" approach and change things 100 percent. Of course, there are things that must be addressed when you see a glaring wrong, but overall, I did not observe a lot of negatives or changes that needed to happen - just earnest, positive reinforcement for the riders - win or lose.
We understand that your plan was a simple one, can you give us some illumination?Yeah. My mantra was to, "win races and have fun doing it." The number one issue that the company explained to me that they wanted addressed was a more open pit area, with a light-hearted feel that was welcoming to fans, media and sponsors. We all agreed in the initial meeting that, if we could achieve this one thing, the team would have the atmosphere needed to succeed. Anybody who knows me knows that’s right in my wheel-house.
As far as the execution of managing a team, I think there are two approaches: when coming into a program, you can start in with a light or a heavy hand. I choose to come in and be observant. I wanted to get an understanding of what was good and bad within the program. If only 15 percent needs fixing, it could actually be counter-productive to come in heavy handed with a "my way" approach and change things 100 percent. Of course, there are things that must be addressed when you see a glaring wrong, but overall, I did not observe a lot of negatives or changes that needed to happen - just earnest, positive reinforcement for the riders - win or lose.
A world cup athlete’s mind can be very fragile. They constantly need to know that they are supported and that the sponsoring company, from the top down, will be supportive. I think my past as a top-level racer helped the riders when I would talk with them about mindset and the day-to-day happenings during the season. Small things I did, like trying my best to accommodate flight schedules that the riders wanted; filming practice and qualifiers and going over footage with the riders at the end of each day; and most importantly, always be smiling. Laughter and positivity are contagious - it is also a choice. I choose to be happy, even on the hardest days.
| I feel like his experience definitely helped us at certain times this year and made it easier for Troy and I to relate some of the things that we felt like we needed. Overall, having him around just made for a lighter atmosphere and a more relaxed time at the races. That's always a plus when you're on the road together for weeks at a time. - Aaron Gwin |
How were you received by the team members when you started making changes?Ha ha! Actually, not as good as I thought I would be, but it’s a funny story. At team camp, I had this big plan for the team edit that we were producing. It was going to highlight the objective of having fun, so I planned this competition with riders and mechanics to play a round of miniature golf - and the loser had to drive go-karts that evening in a dress! So, we show up to the lodging, and the riders and most of the staff are there. I am with the film crew and the cameras are rolling when I announce the plan. It was like a scene out of a movie – pin-drop quiet - and I'm just standing there, thinking to myself, “Oh shit! That didn't really go as planned.” So, I start to go into the details of the plan and Gwinner just throws it out there, Gwinner style, mid-sentence: "Hey man, what are you talking about with this whole dress plan?" So, I laugh and I try to explain it to him again. He just says: "Hey man, I don't wear dresses. I ain't into that kind of stuff." And he just walks away with the other two riders. That was a real eye opener for me. I had to step back and realize that my sense of humor and my ideas for the program were going to need some adjusting.
After that, I think I was received well. Keep in mind, I brought in new mechanics as well, so I have to say that the riders were very understanding of it being my first year to the program and forgiving some of the mistakes I was making, but overall, I think we found our stride early on, and we really came together as a program.
You are a family man. How did you plan on coping with the heavy travel schedule that comes with being a World Cup Team manager?Yes. Anyone who knows me, knows that my wife and two boys are the most important things to me. The topic was addressed in the initial meetings. The schedule was looked at and it was agreed, that if there were windows between races and if it did not alter the ability to do my job, that I would be able to go home to see my family. Geoff felt, if I was really the right person for the position, it was important for me to stay in a positive mindset. Part of that was making sure that I had ample time to return home to see my wife and kids.
Success came quickly. Did Specialized back you up 100-percent from the start, or did they take a wait-and-see approach?The company was very supportive from the onset. Everyone was extremely helpful. For example: when Specialized introduced new bikes and 27.5 wheel sizes, we ran into some issues. Some of the team’s parts were ordered prior to my arrival and were not reflective of the changes being made. Jacy had ordered parts prior to leaving the company. The mechanics and I were brought in late and because we didn’t place those orders, we really got caught out on tires and wheels, because everything previously ordered was 26-inch. Internally, the company jumped through hoops on fire to remedy this situation. Guys who didn’t have anything to do with the race program helped us to plug that hole and keep the ship sailing
| Last year was pretty incredible and at the same time, for the riders, it's where they were aiming to be - consistent and always up there. From the first race, it was clear we had a great group dynamic and when Troy and Aaron were sitting one-two in the overall points, it was a dream start. We celebrated Aaron in second and Troy, third overall, and then again and in particular, Troy's podium at World Champs. We were proud of the efforts of everyone and not just the riders - Eric Carter as team manager and John Canepa and John Hall as our team mechanics. Eric brings a wealth of experience at the events and John and John made sure everything on the bikes were 100-percent dialed in. It's a big team effort - Gavin Noble: Global Sports Marketing Manager for Mountain Bike and Triathlon at Specialized |
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| Is it still Green? Troy Brosnan does not yet realize that he has won his first World Cup downhill at its most prestigious venue. |
Tell us about the moment when you could sense that the team had gelled into a working whole and the season was progressing as you had hoped it would. Well we had good results from the start, but we were still growing and getting to know each other. Fort William and that week was when I got a real sense of the team as a family. We stayed close enough to the village that we could walk to dinner and everything just seemed to start clicking. Riders and mechanics were wrestling and goofing off on down time - the shields seemed to lower that week.
After the boys started placing well and suddenly, both Aaron and Troy were on point for the championship title, how did you keep the momentum going in the second half of the season?Well, I just tried to keep doing the same things we were doing. I just kept instilling a "we can do it” attitude. I firmly believe, had Aaron not had that flat at Leogang, that he would have been overall champion, but “IF” is the biggest two letter word in racing, isn't it? Nothing is a given and that’s why we race. We had a super solid season right to the end. Both Aaron and Troy had exceptional seasons and I am super proud of what was achieved by the riders and mechanics.
It needs to be said: “Hats off to Josh Bryceland!” He too had a mechanical at the very first race in South Africa, when he smashed his chain guide on a rock and lost his chain at the top - less than ten seconds into his run. The kid never gave up and coasted down the flattest course of the year to a 15th place. I’m not sure if anyone else noticed, but he was on my radar from that day on. Josh caught fire at the end and rode lights-out to win the overall.
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| Josh Bryceland, Aaron Gwin, Troy Brosnan, Sam Hill and Gee Atherton on the podium for the overall 2014 World Cup Series title at Meribel, France. Surely, a year to remember. |
| It needs to be said: "Hats off to Josh Bryceland!" He too had a mechanical at the very first race in South Africa, when he smashed his chain guide on a rock and lost his chain at the top - less than ten seconds into his run. The kid never gave up and coasted down the flattest course of the year to a 15th place. I'm not sure if anyone else noticed, but he was on my radar from that day on. - Eric Carter |
Looking back at the season, how would you assess the team's performance? Your performance?I would say, “Exceptional.” Certainly, the program turned around, as the company had requested. The media and sponsors made sure we knew how appreciative that they were with the open pits. We won some races. Had a bunch of podiums - sometimes double podiums - and we had fun doing it.
From a personal standpoint, I think I did a good job. There are certainly some things that I need to improve on if I am to continue being a team manager at this level, but for my first year, I would say I took some lumps but I'm still standing with my chin up.
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| I firmly believe, had Aaron not had that flat at Leogang, that he would have been overall champion, but "IF" is the biggest two letter word in racing, isn't it? Nothing is a given and that's why we race. - Eric Carter |
So, if we are to believe Rob Warner's comment at the Méribel final, Specialized may not be planning to re-up your contract. What is in store for you next season?That remains to be seen really. At this point I highly doubt I will be asked back. Rob's comment was based on some discussions I had with him earlier in the week, He had asked me about next season and what I thought the guys were capable of. I explained to him that I thought they were capable of big things, but that I wasn't even sure I would be back, due to a new guy brought in to replace Geoff Rogers in the management position who I heard was unhappy with the job I was doing, and a number of things with the DH program.
I know Specialized is currently in the process of seeing what the program will look like for next year and beyond and trying to reduce spending. Based on the emails I have received, and the fact that it’s Mid-October now and discussions on next season for me still have not been opened up, I am sure the stuff I was hearing about me internally was correct. I honestly have no idea what the program will look for next year. The structure may change a bit and I am not sure if it will include me or not. It is unfortunate really, I had a three year plan for the program and we were ahead of the curve. I was really excited to see what this team could do with a year under its belt and to see how I could grow as a team manager. Hopefully, the riders and the program can continue with the vibe and atmosphere that we had. Either way, I am very grateful for the opportunity and I don't care what anyone says: I know we did a kick-ass job for our first year together as a team.
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| Videographer John Lawlor (left) rides the chair to the starting box at Windham with Aaron Gwin and mechanic John Hall. Most onlookers would be surprised at the number of people who work behind the scenes to drive a successful World Cup effort. |
| I learned such an incredible amount from EC. It was my rookie season on the circuit as a mechanic. He had a wealth of knowledge that he was more than willing to share. At the same time, he never looked down on me because of being fresh to the circuit and would always take the time to listen to what I had to say, whether it was a good idea or not. The best thing about working with him was being able to be completely honest with him, whether it was good or bad, and him having the ability to take it constructively every time and his willingness to learn, despite his vast experience. - John Hall: Mechanic |
Any shout-outs to your team?My "Home Team" for sure. My wife Laura was a trooper this year, taking care of our two boys while I was gone. She is a former road and team manager for the Schwinn program during the late 90's, So she knows what it's like on the circuit. She was nothing but supportive of my decision to take this job. And my two boys for agreeing to dad being gone so much - they actually got into the team spirit, watching the live feeds of the races. I also gotta say thanks to my mom. "Mama C" did a lot of airport runs for me this season.
As far as the race program, a successful World Cup team requires a big effort. It takes a mountain of dedication and funding to make programs like these successful. There are a number of people that helped me grow this year and I need to thank them for the help with this season:
Team sponsors: I am not going into details, but the support of the companies we call partners is invaluable. I am so grateful that we had the support we did. When my mechanics needed parts at a moment’s notice we always knew we had them.
Individuals:
Many of these people never get thanked and yet they are the true glue holding the program together.
• Geoff Rogers, for your faith in me to lead this program.
• Claire Rushworth, for your patience and incredible job with logistics.
• Brad Benedict, Sam Benedict, Jason Chamberlain, these guys would often lend a helping hand when things got a little crazy and we needed help inside HQ. Thanks boys.
• Dylan van der Merwe, our in-house parts order guy - he kept us dialed with the parts we needed from Specialized.
• Eric Saletal, in-house management of the team’s parts stock and North American support vehicles. Thanks for getting the stuff out to us when we needed it.
• Benno Willeit, for being the true MTB programs leader on the road - always dialed and never missed a beat.
• Paddy Behan, for filling in with the enduro support rig in Fort Bill.
• Werner Faust and Christine Gegeckas, Massage and Physio for the XC and DH teams - You kept the human machines running smoothly.
• Pieter Wehmeyer, this dude kills it - cooks lunch and dinner for both XC and DH teams, does massage, airport runs and anything else needed - founding member of the Wolf Pack!
• Sandy Gilchrist and Jumanji, XC mechanics and an integral part of the team’s dynamics
• John Hall, AG's mechanic - super solid dude who was a first-year wrench and jumped in head first, and killed it! First race first place!
• John Canepa, TB and MR's mechanic, the salty vet! I knew you would be dialed all season and you didn't disappoint. Thanks for coming out of retirement for me and the program, and for being you, brother.
• Aaron, Troy, Mitch, Thanks for being professionals and laying it on the line each weekend for the program and allowing me to compete through you guys. I had a blast with each of you during the course of this season.
• John Lawlor and Victor Lucas, you guys do a fantastic job of telling the story of what it is we do on the road. Thanks so much for your help, and sometimes being the sounding board over a couple of cold ones. It was appreciated.
• And Specialized, thanks for the opportunity to steer the ship.
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| Mechanics John Hall (left) and John Canepa revel while Aaron Gwin is crowned at the South African World Cup opener. - EC photo |
| I don't care what anyone says: I know we did a kick-ass job for our first year together as a team. - Eric Carter |
Mentions: @ECMTB1 @Specialized @troyleedesigns @SramMedia
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This may be adding an entirely new can or worms but.... From the "unknown specialised managers" perspective - perhaps he doesn't see mountain biking (specifically the somewhat niche market of DH) as a large money making machine like road, and sees that the success that specialized teams have on the road operates differently to the management that EC offers for the DH program? I don't know but its a completely different market and i believe DH operates on fun.
Perhaps one day, we will see the other major companies (Giant, Trek, Scott and Specialized etc) put a larger emphasis on getting results and having fun rather than being dominated by the smaller companies such as the syndicate, Devinci, Lapeirre, GT, Madison etc.
EC may or may not have had a massive impact on the success of the team and may or may not fit in with the new management's view of the world... but there is no doubting that for the first time in ages there in something about Specialized that actually connects with the public in a positive way (EC's infectious love for the sport and no nonsense approach) to finally makes the big S something approaching like-able.
Or did Gwin just have an off season last time and bounced back and Troy finally found his winning pace and it's coincidence and irrelevant who was manager ?
What I don't get is that Sean Heimdal guy was an arrogant prick yet everyone at Specialized thought the sun shined out of his ass. Then they get a guy with some real substance who gets real results and isn't all BS image and they want to get rid of him? It makes little sense to me. The bikes and R&D are great but most other aspects of the company are dismal.
Thanks for the objective journalism, Pink Bike.
Hill and gwinn are two of my favorite riders, glad to see hill back on track on a new bike. Hoping the new demo finally suits gwinn and he can get back to his dominating form next year
1.Did the little things to create positive atmosphere and winning.
2. Made open, friendly pits, for staff, riders AND fans and journos!
Uh,,, those are the two things that SELL bikes..... winning and positive vibes.
Wake up "unknown middle manager" (thanks dirtstar59).
P.S. Pay the man what he asks. Think of it not as spending money, but as saving your future as a bicycle company.
www.flickr.com/photos/srsuntourwerx/sets/72157640782900283
EC great interview, stoked people have another insight into all your bring to the MTB world....pretty rad to add WC team manager to the list of "done that"....successfully.
just imagine ratboy and peaty wearing dresses and having a nice session of miniature golf ... totally wasted of course :-)
Bye bye EC! ~Aaron Gwin
Reminds me of a Syndicate trip a few years back where Minnaar lost a bet, wore a dress and they all went and got hammered, as downhillers should. ''Oh but you have to be professional weh weh weh'' . Bryceland won the overall this year with a love of the dhrink, the moment a rider develops the attitude of Gwin to having a bit of fun is the moment they should transfer to Enduro or f*ck off to XC. The Syndicate and Santacruz is the epitome of everything that is right with the world.
As the honorable Irish poet John B. Keane once said, ''Drinking in moderation, is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. You must drink a little more than moderation''
Don't get me wrong, I love DH, but they help with marketing and promoting the brand only; most companies probably loose money on every one they sell.
My science isn't the best, but I always use the Corvette model of advertising when it comes to DH. The Vette for years (no knowledge of recently) lost money every year, but is what brings people to the dealer to buy a family car or work vehicle. Stop making the Vette, and the casual consumer no longer "ASPIRES" to be a Corvette owner.
DH bikes and the media that follows does help sell bikes, but it's nothing you could pin an exact number on. But for a company to LOSE money on DH bikes, would never be an acceptable business plan. Every bike made has a forecasted profit. Sales, marketing, placement and popularity would be at fault if a DH bike lost money in sales.
At least that's what it sounds like to me.
Also, the way the new demo and the 27.5 stuff is forced on the racers so that average schlubs like us can say "if the racers use it, it must be great" is proof of the larger 27.5 conspiracy driven by marketing departments to sell bikes.
When Sam Hill was in Iron horse he was an awesome rider (not saying that he is not now). But when he began racing for specialized we know he wasn't the same Sam Hill that came from Iron horse. Once he leaved specialized and went to nukeproof he finally kind of got back to the one he was while racing with Iron Horse
Same happened with Aaron Gwin, while in trek he just killed it. But the first year he raced on the demo was awful
Many can say that the problem is the demo but I think it isn't. Just think of this, both Aaron and Troy didn't had such a successful season in 2013 as they did in 2014. The only thing that really changed was EC joining specialized as a manager And if we even go deeper in the subject, during this last season, specialized was better in the first half of the season (while riding the old demo) than in the 2nd half of the season (riding the new demo). This is maybe due to the fact that they began to race a whole new bike and need to get use to it.
So as we can see the problem isn't the bike, but the atmosphere specialized has, which was totally changed with EC. Shame on the big S for not hiring him for 2015
@TEAM-ROBOT : I meant at world level, I should have said that. Considering the lack of competition for him in the us in the past years (I know it's changing) it does not mean a lot.
He's right, Gwin hasn't done well on the demo. Neither did Sam Hill.....but what's to blame, the bike or the company? I think a bit of both here....
Full disclosure: he's my favorite racer of all time, I'm a little biased. but I don't think I'm off base saying he has the credentials, especially now, but even before this season.
What more proof do you need that a lot of DH riders are stupid fan boys?
They hire names that has great results on other brands but as soon as they get on a Demo they don't race up to expectations. But fans buy the bullcrap anyways just because a big name rides for then.
I still say the new Demo won't be around long.
I was back stage at Fort Bill direction Troy & his 2 bikes to the podium
#keepEC