SRAM Launches International Race Program With Shaw Brothers and Finsterwald

Feb 28, 2014 at 10:40
by SRAM  


SRAM, in partnership with Troy Lee Designs, announced today the formation of its own mountain-bike team for the 2014 season. The Chicago-based bicycle component manufacturer has had a longstanding tradition of supporting racing, from grass-roots contests through the World Cup level, and currently provides product sponsorship and technical assistance to 27 teams and 100 professional athletes around the globe. Now, the company will also fly its own colors in local, national and World Cup competition.

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“For years we’d been talking about starting our own in-house team but extra resources and athlete opportunities never seemed to coincide,” says John Dawson, SRAM Mountain Bike Sports Marketing Manager. “Then it all just came together at Ft. William last season, hanging in the pit with longtime friend Craig Glaspell from Troy Lee Designs. We got all fired up on caffeine and started brainstorming the idea of creating a program that was free from outside influence. The foundation being each athlete would have total freedom to race any frame they felt was the fastest and we would take care of the rest. Now that it’s a reality, I can’t be more stoked to announce the coolest team on the mountain bike race scene—SRAM / Troy Lee Designs Racing.”



The all-American squad currently consists of downhillers Walker and Luca Shaw, and cross-country racer Russell Finsterwald. Hendersonville, North Carolina-based Walker Shaw was the 2013 U.S. Junior National Downhill Champion. As a first-year pro, Walker will campaign a carefully selected schedule that will include national and World Cup downhill events and enduros. Younger brother Luca starts the 2014 UCI Junior World Cup Downhill series ranked 3rd. Russell Finsterwald, from Colorado Spring, Colorado, was the 2012 U23 U.S. National XC Champion and is a former U23 Pan Am Champion. Finsterwald will concentrate on a national and UCI World Cup cross-country schedule.

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Beyond being the program’s co-sponsor, and clothing and design partner, Troy Lee Designs’ rich racing heritage and dedication to athlete development played a key role in SRAM’s decision to create the new team. Its TLD / Lucas Oil / Honda Supercross team, in fact, provided a model on which to pattern the program.


“Ever since I heard the idea of a global SRAM development team from John Dawson, I knew we had to be involved,” says Craig ‘Stikman’ Glaspell, Troy Lee Designs Global Bicycle Marketing Manager. “Our brand is seeing a lot of growth in mountain-bike riding currently, but as most people know, our roots lie heavily in racing. When it came around to becoming a reality, Troy was adamant about being involved and doing whatever it takes to be a design partner for the team. Troy knows what it takes to be a team owner, as TLD is the only protection and apparel company to have an in-house Supercross team, so he embraces SRAM’s dedication to racing and product development from his own experiences.”

www.sram.com
www.troyleedesigns.com

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36 Comments
  • 32 0
 Yeah Luca and Walker!! So pumped for you guys, good luck this year!
  • 1 0
 WINNING MACHINES!!
  • 26 4
 "The foundation being each athlete would have total freedom to race any frame they felt was the fastest and we would take care of the rest. Now that it’s a reality, I can’t be more stoked to announce the coolest team on the mountain bike race scene"

Ever heard of hope
  • 7 0
 Hope don't take care of the rest though. SRAM has almost everything else you need for a bike, and TLD come through with kit, and probably custom painted frames!
  • 19 0
 @tomshark, thanks and the truth, we are the design partner taking care of kit, protection, helmets and mixed drinks of Lemonade and carbonated water.
  • 13 1
 Mmm, fizzy lemonade. Key.
  • 22 0
 TRUCK YEAH!!!!! that manual to that lip was insane. THAT VIDEO WAS WAY TOO SHORT!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 11 0
 You can ride any frame you want as long as it's a Demo...
  • 7 0
 A team where you can pick your own frame now that's just rad man!!!
  • 4 0
 But do you seriously think there will be much frame swap other than the demos they are used to its hard enough for riders to just choose tire presurre let alone dial an entire fucking bike in less than a week.
  • 4 0
 True enough man but the option is there which I think is cool, although I'm no team rider myself I would love to have a few frame choices if I were
  • 1 0
 I would like to see someone race a 26" evil uprising, just to get a true idea of wheel size performance by a pro in the same race conditions
  • 4 0
 Kill it boys! Stoked to see WNC continuing to get some world class representation.
  • 2 0
 The whole time I was reading/watching this I was thinking they sound like the crimmins brothers a few years ago, young, riding way above their age, and destroying riders much older and more experienced.
  • 4 0
 North Carolina is in the House!!!
  • 3 0
 it'd be great to see a DH edit with more NC riding spots. homestate love, but also the riding is pretty great.
  • 3 1
 Chances are that these guys will have their own frame sponsor...right?
So if that's correct, money would still be part of the frame selection equation
  • 3 1
 It would be amazing if the racers actually did pick the fastest frame. I think you might see some frames you don't currently see on the WC circuit, like a Turner DHR or something. I don't see it working out that way though. It'll just give them the freedom to source the best frame deal/sponsorship.
  • 2 2
 i believe theyre specialized if that was ur question
  • 2 0
 Damn the new troy lee designs sprint pants, and jersey look killer! And love how they can race what frame they want too!
  • 2 0
 Proud to say I got to watch these guys at the BMX track when they were tiny. Monsters even back then on the cranks.
  • 1 0
 These guys pin it super hard, definitely deserve the opportunity. Stoked for them, good luck in 2014!
  • 3 0
 Way to go WNC boys!
  • 2 0
 Alright! Pisgah boys, wnc represent!
  • 1 0
 WNC Represent! pretty sure i was a senior, when walker was a freshman at my highschool an hour away!
  • 1 0
 This is nothing but great news. Glad to see these 2 companies put their backing behind a team with US riders.
  • 2 1
 these guys look soo steezy
  • 1 0
 So stoked for this team! I love the concept, good luck this year guys!
  • 1 0
 tom and bas's replacement?
  • 5 0
 Tom and Bas won't be going anywhere. They also were never on SRAM...
  • 1 0
 Yeah js these brothers look much more suitable for all those brother vids now and stuff because Tom is so much into slopestyle and bad Is into dh/freeride
  • 2 0
 EastCoast!!!
  • 1 0
 This is awesome on so many levels ! Congrats all !
  • 1 0
 Awesome news, the video was 5 mins too short.
  • 1 0
 You should get marcelo gutierrez litle brother the kid is a fraking beast!
  • 1 0
 Crush it guys!







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