2018 Racing Rumors - What's True and What Isn't

Nov 15, 2017
by Mike Levy  



The 2017 World Cup and EWS seasons are long behind us; the drama is wrapped up, champions crowned, and losers probably off training harder than they did this time last year. So, with the exception of a few "urban downhill'' events that combine crumbling cement staircases with sketchy wood kickers and street dogs, it's a quiet time of the year for those who look forward to early morning Red Bull live feeds.

In lieu of actual racing, we're left with bench racing. Sure, most big names like Gwin and Minnaar are tied up, but a few are going somewhere new, while others were able to find leftover crumbs from the soggy biscuit of mountain bike sponsorship that sees a few guys get a lot and a lot of guys get very little. And as always, there are a couple of interesting rumors to stir the pot with.




Sam Hill leaving Team Chain Reaction Cycles Mavic and going to YT - FALSE

Let's start with the juiciest rumour of them all: Sam Hill, the 2017 Enduro World Series champ and World Cup downhill boss, moving from Team Chain Reaction Cycles Mavic to ride for YT Industries. Sam might not have been winning World Cup downhill races when he left to do the enduro thing, but his stock was still remarkably high because, well, he's Sam Hill, of course. Oh, and that sixth place at the DH World Champs in Cairns after spending an entire season away from downhill racing. But now that the Australian added an Enduro World Series title to his already thick résumé, he's no doubt worth even more to a company that has a lot of coin to spend.

Enter YT, who are apparently selling a metric shit ton of mail order bikes, enough to cover Gwin and, if you believe the rumors, Mr. Hill as well. Talk about a super team, eh? As awesome as it sounds, Gwin and Hill both riding for YT isn't in the cards according to their Media and Advertising Manager Martina Bogott. ''There were rumors, indeed,'' Bogott said. ''But this is not going to happen.''

The latest whispers have Hill re-signing with Team Chain Reaction Cycles Mavic, but that's an unconfirmed rumor and Team Manager Nigel Page has been tight-lipped whether that is true or not. My money is on Hill staying put for 2018 and beyond.
Sam Hill isn t the type to give too much away generally keeping to himself but that smile when he found out that victory was his says it all.



Danny Hart leaving Mondraker and going to Saracen - LIKELY

While Danny's 2017 season wasn't full of wins like the prior year, the exciting Englishman is always a threat, and he's a threat that has rainbow stripes on his jersey. Saracen saw their star racer, Manon Carpenter, move to Radon (and then retire from racing) this year, thereby freeing up a spot on the payroll and creating a need for a big-name rider to be on their Myst downhill sled. Multiple sources say that Hart signed up to ride the all-carbon Myst awhile back, and it would be quite the coup if the UK brand scooped up the quickest UK rider, wouldn't it? Mike Anderson, Madison Saracen Press Officer, declined to comment when I put him on the spot about Danny being on their payroll for 2018 and beyond.

Mondraker also declined to comment on if Hart, who has become known as a bit of a wet conditions specialist, has left their team (contracts often don't end until January 1st), but this one is a safe bet in my books.

Laurie Greenland is sticking around, but Markus Pekoll announced his retirement this past August, and word is that Mondraker will be filling that spot with a racer who has been on the team in the past. My guess is that Brook Macdonald will be coming back to the outfit where his first and only World Cup race in Val d'Isère back in 2012.
Danny Hart is a true mud specialist and when he played down a near perfect but slower run many began to doubt anyone would be able to knock Dean Lucas off the top step.




Rachel and Gee Retiring - FALSE (for now)

Well, it's not like Rachel hasn't already won everything there is to win, right? And Gee has had a rough few seasons, relatively speaking, so it wouldn't be too much of a surprise to see the siblings move on to a different challenge after some injury-filled last few years. Rumor has it that Gee was going to pursue rally racing of some sort... you know, taking it easy in his retirement years, or something.

This one is false, however, with both speedy siblings being fully committed to racing next year, according to Trek Mountain Bike Marketing Manager Travis Ott. ''They’re currently still rehabbing and getting back to 100-percent,'' Ott said when asked about the Atherton's plans. ''Here’s hoping they used up all their bad luck and it’s nothing but sunshine and podiums next year.''

Considering that she's already dominated the sport, anything but exactly that would probably be a disappointment for Rachel, and Gee no doubt will want to get back to his winning ways. Rally can wait.
Rachel Atherton sits in 4th going into the final round not at all bad having missed two rounds and carrying her shoulder injury.




Florian Nicolai to Canyon - LIKELY

If there's one competitor whose 2017 results don't live up to their skill, it has to be Florian Nicolai. The Frenchman netted four top-tens through the 2017 Enduro World Series, and while the majority of racers would be over the moon with those placings, Nicolai's handling skills are worth far more than what his season shows. But that was the case in 2015 and 2016 as well, so the rumors of Flo moving from the Rocky Mountain Urge bp Rally Team to Canyon's factory outfit do make sense - a change of scenery can make all the difference in the world. Nicolai would then be working with Fabien Barel and racing aboard Canyon's redesigned Strive (which is making the rounds on Instagram) in 2018, which might be exactly what he needs to nail those consistent top results.
Back inside the top 10 for Florian Nicolai.




Richie Rude Re-Signs with Yeti - TRUE

An Enduro World Series event is like a whole bunch of World Cup downhills in a row, but they're way, way longer, often gnarlier, and you usually have to get to the start line under your own steam. In other words, it's like a downhill race but on a shorter-travel bike and with way more variables involved.

And after two EWS championship-winning seasons, those variables caught up with Richie, with 2017 probably being a year that he'd rather not repeat.

What the 2013 Junior Men’s Downhill World Champ is going to repeat, though, is racing with Yeti. Richie confirmed to me that he's signed to race turquoise-colored bikes for 2018 and 2019, and you know the two-time champ has got to be hungry after seeing Hill swoop in and take his crown. In a Hill VS Rude battle for during the 2018 Enduro World Series, who would you pick to take the championship home?
Ireland always brings the drama and last year Richie Rude had the comeback of the season here. 78th after a flat tire and all the way back to 3rd by days end.




Isabeau Courdurier on Her Own Intense-Backed Programme - POSSIBLE

Sunn's Isabeau Courdurier spent much of the 2017 Enduro World Series chasing Cecile Ravanel, with four 2nd places in the first four races and then a 7th in Ireland. The pint-sized French racer finally got the win that she was looking for at the final round of the year in Tasmania, locking up her second overall in the series to Ravanel. You'd think that Courdurier would want to continue on with a program that's obviously working well for her, but there's talk of Isabeau doing her own thing on an Intense-backed program for 2018 and beyond.
Isabeau Courdurier takes her first EWS win.




ENVE and the Santa Cruz Syndicate Parting Ways - TRUE

It's going to be odd to not see those big white ENVE stickers on the Syndicate team bikes in 2018, but ENVE's Director of Marketing, Jake Pantone, did confirm to me that the US-made carbon brand and the Santa Cruz race team are going in different directions. Given that Santa Cruz now has their own carbon wheel program with their Reserve range, they probably want to spec their own wheels on bikes that they're selling, and it doesn't make a ton of sense to do that while still using ENVE on the team bikes. No, there's no Reserve downhill rim... yet. There surely will be one at some point down the road, though.

So, where's ENVE going? Intense Factory Racing will be running ENVE in 2018, Pantone said, as well as an unnamed Enduro World Series team - let the guesses begin. Here's what Pantone had to say about the ENVE and Syndicate split: ''We are sad to see the Syndicate chapter of our World Cup DH story come to a close. The past eight years have been an incredible journey. We legitimized carbon wheels and handlebars for gravity disciplines, we won a lot of races including two world championships, were the first to win on carbon in 26”, and then on 29” wheels this season. Looking to the future, we are committed to continuing our investment in both downhill and enduro disciplines to drive product innovation and performance for riders who demand the best.”
World Champs 2017



Jesse Melamed Re-Signs with Rocky Mountain - TRUE

It's been said that nothing beats the winning feeling, but I think I know what can top that: winning at home, of course. And that's exactly what Rocky Mountain Urge bp Rally Team racer Jesse Melamed did last August when he won in his hometown of Whistler, BC, the most prestigious stop of the Enduro World Series. Melamed has had a host of top results over the last few years yet that top step on the podium had eluded him up until Crankworx 2017, but it wasn't an easy win for the Canadian (are any EWS wins easy?) as it was a battle with Sam Hill throughout the entire day.

There's no doubt that the victory put Melamed on the shopping lists of many team managers, but he decided to stay with the team that's supported him for ages now. ''I am staying true to my Canadian roots! I have been on one Rocky Mountain program or another for over ten years,'' Jesse told me when I asked him about his plans for the future. ''There are a lot of great companies and people out there that I would love to ride for, and I wish I could have accepted all of the offers, but Rocky Mountain is in my blood. I like the people, the brand, the bikes, and I'm happy here. It feels good to sign with them for another three years. We are setting up a really good program for the coming years, so watch out!"
Jesse Melamed was loving all the sunshine that kicked things off on Friday.


Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

228 Comments
  • 464 12
 2018 truth = UCI will still suck.
  • 43 29
 Just like that Croatia track
  • 29 13
 @nojzilla: you saw this track? Not online, but in real?
Yes, its short, but its hard all the way.
  • 106 5
 Hard to fathom that it will be the 3rd year in a row with no race here in the US. Sad.
  • 12 14
 REAL NEWS
  • 6 2
 @cebe: saw the video on vital, looks to be smooth, then very rough, then literal pavement. Hopefully they cut out some of the flow and all of the urban, could be an interesting track.
  • 22 2
 @hetfield1: Agree it is sad. Thing is that most US resorts/bike parts refuse to pay the unearthly UCI fee (bribe) to hold a WC DH race. That along with first class travel & accommodations for UCI 'staff'. I know friends of friends connected to a few resorts here Colorado. Two said 'we don't need the UCI to get coverage'. Pretty true I suppose. Still sux no US race though.
  • 11 1
 @bman33: I figured as much. At some point it might be like the IOC, where only countries like Russia and China are willing to put forth a bid on the Olympics. I don't know why the mountain bike industry puts up with this garbage.
  • 6 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: I think they'll have to keep the tarmac section as there's no room for a finishing arena further up, hopefully there will be some jumps/wallrides, cause that part of the 'track' will be dull as dishwater otherwise
  • 48 3
 @hetfield1: Maybe the US could set up the Downhill World Series and have it exclusively in North America?

It worked for baseball.
  • 5 1
 @cebe: I'm all for races like Taxco and Valparaiso, but leave that stuff out of WC DH... worst finish ever.
  • 43 1
 @metaam: "This paved path looks to be a perfect place to set up 50% of the cameras for the live feed!" -UCI
  • 2 0
 letting anything that goes by three letters into your happy place makes baby Jesus cry.
  • 10 1
 Still wondering why their is no WC in Whistler
  • 4 7
 @dubod22: there are Canadian teams in mlb and it's the most popular sport in Japan and HUGE in Mexico...
  • 1 4
 @RedBurn: epic burn Germany.
  • 5 4
 @ZachZ77: Whistler doesn't need the UCI. Now Vail owns it, pretty sure it won't ever happen. Vail is too business minded to pay UCI bribe money
  • 9 0
 @bman33: How many World Cup and World Champs races has Vail held? More than any other resort in the USA
  • 2 1
 @davetrumpore: A few, but not in over a decade I believe. They are now too busy buying up everyone else. I could be wrong though. It happens. ????
  • 4 5
 @ZachZ77: They have a wee bike event called Crankworks. Maybe you've heard of it...
  • 4 1
 @shaowin: He specifically referred to the world series and North America. I don't believe Mexican or Japanese teams can qualify for the baseball version, and Canada is the other part of north america he was referring to.
  • 3 1
 @bman33: Yeah I know, I'm just saying it would be a sick course for a World Cup.
@ridestuff Noooooo I haven't, is that where they work on cranks.......
  • 1 0
 @ZachZ77: Mystère total for me!
  • 2 0
 @ZachZ77: Indeed. Kinda like it that they don't and are super successful without the UCI for the most part
  • 1 0
 @metaam: hey, leave dishwater alone, its great!
  • 1 0
 @hetfield1: except next 3 summer Olympics are Tokyo, Paris and Los Angels
  • 1 0
 @metaam: I’m not sure wall rides are and other urban features are fast, so I wouldn’t expect anyone to hit those (even though they will never be built) during a WC race run.
  • 2 0
 @cebe: that's what she said
  • 6 0
 @raditude: wrong flag, bro
  • 3 0
 @mfoga: You are aware that LA and Paris were the ONLY 2 cities to put in a bid for 2024 and 2028? Several other major cities dropped out, and therefore the IOC voted unanimously this July to give an Olympics to LA and Paris in case those cities got ancy. They had no other choice. While you are right, these aren't Chinese or Russian cities it sure doesn't bode well for the Olympics when they only have 2 prospective bidders. The same goes for Winter Olympics, no one wants them.

While the Word Cup MTB is nowhere near the level of an Olympics, UCI is becoming a microcosm of the IOC. It's an entitlement mentality. They think these places should wine and dine them simply because it's always been that way. It's troubling and it's not helping our sport, either in coverage or money for the athletes. It's high time someone else take over.
  • 2 0
 @dubod22: No desire for that - it's a World Cup, I'd just like to see the UCI change the bidding process so it wasn't so difficult to host a race.
  • 1 0
 More in 2018 than ever.
  • 1 3
 @hetfield1: I'm pretty sure that Windham NY is back on the list for 2018. Don't quote me on that one, but they were talking about it earlier this year
  • 2 0
 @BikeRipperVT:

April 21/22 – Lošinj, Croatia, DHI.
June 2/3 – Fort William, Great Britain, DHI.
June 9/10 – Leogang, Austria, DHI.
July 7/8 – Val di Sole, Italy, XCO/DHI.
July 14/15 – Vallnord, Andorra, XCO/DHI.
August 11/12 – Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada, XCO/DHI.
August 25/26 – La Bresse, France, XCO/DHI
  • 1 0
 @ZachZ77: dat Crankworxs thing...
  • 1 0
 @dubod22: lol Don't forget Grid Iron
  • 1 0
 @hetfield1: true or false folks- Aaron Gwin is switching glove companies
  • 1 0
 UCI, IOC, FIFA, all based n Switzerland. Guess why?
  • 1 0
 @lxtherider: That was the joke!!!!!! bro
  • 3 0
 @Boardlife69: For the scenery, obviously Smile
  • 1 0
 @Boardlife69: can't be for the cheap booze.
  • 1 0
 Rumor has it windam has a bid in for next year and Killington in VT also has shown interest.@hetfield1:
  • 1 0
 @Rickjonesbicycles: I wish them the best of luck, that'd be sweet to see a US date again.
  • 3 0
 @Boardlife69: a love of chocolate and clocks?
  • 2 0
 @ZachZ77: ask whistler. They could easily apply for one. Crankworx aside, they just need to apply, have something like $2M to pay, and chances are it would happen.
  • 2 0
 @atrokz: I'm fairly certain the idea has been explored before... being Whistler and all. How incredible would it be to have a WC DH stop down Garbanzo? I'd love to see how Marcelo stacks up with all the top gunners there.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: it would be incredibly awesome, and would make up for that long lost Vancouver venue they used to use.... haha.
  • 1 0
 I've been waiting wince 2014 for the new @yeticycles DH bike with Switch Technology to come out, maybe they can sponsor someone like Blinki and get the ball rolling. It is Yeti after all they have a huge cult following so even if they did a limited run im sure they would all sell like hot cakes
  • 2 0
 @atrokz: haha, yeah and I feel like it'd be the best DH stop ever done. Whoever is deciding against hosting a Whistler stop, whether it be at Whistler mountain ops or UCI, should be fired promptly. This needs to happen.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: agree. Could be whistler as uci would prob want a stop there as its money.
  • 1 0
 @davetrumpore: Squaw Valley had one in 99 - my first DH race/
  • 1 0
 Along with USAC
  • 156 5
 Santa cruz breaking it off with enve? That crushed my heart! I wonder, who cracked first?
  • 85 16
 Santa Cruz Syndicate to run unbadged ENVE wheels next season - LIKELY
  • 23 7
 @polarproton, doubtful, especially since Santa Cruz has their own carbon wheels now. Why would they want to buy from ENVE?
  • 25 0
 I'm sure with the new wheel line, there was a lot of tension between the two though it is tough to leave the tried and true
  • 13 2
 @racerfacer: true is right, but round all the way through a run? Minnaar says no.
  • 17 0
 Hope they've ended on good terms and spoken it through.
  • 16 1
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs Ask Greg Minnaar who cracked first...
  • 1 3
 As I understand, SC prepares they own carbon wheels and other stuff.
  • 10 2
 Well Enve crack all the time so it was most likely them..
  • 11 0
 SC will be fine w/o Enve, I can give you full warranty on that.
  • 5 2
 @ismasan: I'm sure they will eventually be, but as of today, they still don't have any DH wheel in their catalog.
Plus, I believe ENVE has built some experience in carbon wheel crafting that SC does not have yet ( although they probably hired intelligent people who know their stuff + exp in carbon frame crafting).
  • 12 1
 can we all just sit back and admire how subtle and finely crafted this pun was.
  • 5 1
 @hamncheez: I don't seem to be very good at these things, it turned into a serious conversation about wheel sponsorships Frown
  • 14 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: Yup. This shit just got wheel.
  • 2 2
 @slumgullion: As it says in the article... SC doesn't make a DH rim yet.
  • 4 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: haha yes, not every commenter got round to it...
  • 7 0
 @Globu: oh snap, time someone spoke the truth. But they'll get it seated, they need to keep on rolling...
  • 3 6
 @Kainerm: their relationship is now Ocean fill
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I thought you were so totally over that ocean fill statement, uhu?
  • 3 0
 Hope the SC 29er rims can keep a tyre on and crack up less than poor Greg's ENVE's
  • 2 3
 @vinay: I can't... it has hurt me deep to the bone how so many people can be so naive...
  • 4 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: You want this whole conversation to revolve around your PONs then? I just spoke to Waki and as SC chose to ditch US made rims for their own, the ocean will be bearing an even bigger burden of carbon. Yes I'm getting tired too. The whole thing is over inflated and now you're just putting pressure on us to come up with a pun? It is twisting my nipples until they go snap.
  • 3 2
 @vinay: I agree, the subject delaminated, but the important thing is that the "MTB is such a green sport" argument is no longer air tight.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Good thing is, technology now exist to 3D print that bone from titanium. #areyoumachined
  • 1 1
 So my bros and I are at a bar when this ratchet comes over and orders a round of Stan's...someone is going to be airtight tonight!
  • 130 0
 Can we see this kind of article more often? I love it!
  • 120 1
 Sure
  • 9 3
 @mikelevy: I have a question. Is Elliot Jackson signed with RedBull? That video that was posted of him the other day was uploaded by RedBull Bike. Or am I wrong?
  • 5 21
flag otto99 (Nov 15, 2017 at 14:56) (Below Threshold)
 R atherton is the Rhonda rousey of Mtb
  • 18 0
 @mikelevy: What about the return of Devinci???
  • 2 2
 @otto99: I'm guessing that you were comparing ronda rousey's record title defenses, but I think the neg proppers are thinking about that other thing about Ronda...
  • 4 0
 @chillrider199: Redbull posts a lot of non sponsored stuff on their channel just cause. I’m also legitimately positive they will sponsor him just cause he’s like the coolest and nicest dude. He’s also wicked fast!
  • 2 0
 @chillrider199: Rude started the same way... 6 months later Redbull sponsor him.
  • 68 1
 A lot of these deals make at least some sort of sense, but who in their right mind thought that Sam Hill would leave the team that gave him the very support he needed to change careers...
  • 12 0
 precisely. Hill would not betray Nigel. NEVER!
  • 6 1
 @trauty: Hows this one. Sam joins Canyon to be with former team mate Brosnan and a dedicated focus to lift brand exposure and penetration in combat of direct shipping YT in Australasian market. Aligns Sam to Bike Park sponsorship assocaitiona of Madena in Tasmania, and creates a super team with less travel obligations and expectations under Chain Reaction. equally, Nigel, also with young family and having done the hard yards in getting Chain Reaction team up first in DH and now EWS, decides that he also wants to step back from Team Management of both disciplines, and focus on just endure and his aspirations to take the No1 Masters Enduro spot, decides an offer to run a Team Rider/Manager of a enduro focused outfit under same brand, and moves also, then physically relocates to a climate to focus team and training objectives consistent with less travel and more favourable climate. The DH side of the team continues to be run out of Europe by the former Multi World Champ. Both the Chain Reaction loyalties and indebtedness have been paid back in spades by these two, and the duration has been longstanding, due for change.
  • 1 0
 @trauty: While they probably have a rock solid relationship, always remember money talks...
  • 2 0
 @gonzoracing: fair words.
  • 3 0
 Also I'm sure Sam gets some revenue from his Nukeproof signature series products and that can be the case even after racing ends
  • 1 0
 @Knackerbags: watch canyon fill this gap in coming periods, aftermarket named components.
  • 2 0
 @gonzoracing: Nigel Page would never betray Intense cycles so maybe he'll go back there again? Then again I somehow still think Peaty suits a good old fashioned Orange with Hope brakes and Rockshox suspension.
  • 68 0
 Another 2018 truth = Richie Rude is Matt Damon’s stunt double.
  • 10 0
 Richie Ruuuude
  • 4 0
 Bruce Venture too
  • 35 2
 Minnar very publicly destroys and flats on ENVE wheels - Santacruz release their own wheels which are "mooooar betterer"

how much was that potentially worth to santacruz?
  • 74 2
 10/10 tinfoil hat theory
  • 26 1
 What? no one signing on with Haibike for 2018?
  • 13 0
 Valentino Rossi will switch to Electric "Motor" Cycle for 2018
  • 2 1
 You know they already have Guido Tschugg?
  • 17 0
 @Brightside: THE internationally known and renowned Guido Tschugg!??!?!
  • 17 1
 @wibblywobbly: no the other one
  • 1 0
 @Brightside: Guido Who?
  • 21 1
 I'm not sure if there's any truth to the rumour that Bruni is threatening to quit the big S unless they build him a 29er for next season. ;-)
  • 16 16
 hasn't he been one of the most public riders openly against 29ers?
  • 30 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs:
Please note: Use of winking emoji.
  • 9 0
 @YouHadMeAtDrugs: If only there was some kind of clue whether it might be a sarcastic comment ;-)
  • 7 0
 @slimboyjim: ;-)
the nose threw me off.
  • 4 0
 @bikeis4life: His screen name says it all.
  • 2 3
 @metaam - nobody is threatening the Big S, even Chuck Norris...
  • 1 3
 @WAKIdesigns: Chuck Norris doesn't threaten fellow a*sholes
  • 3 3
 @uphill-blues: what did Specialized do to you? Or any of your friends or family? Do you know anyone working there? Is their janitor an antichrist strangling puppies or flushing 3 day old kittens alive? Looking for social points for witch hunt much?
  • 3 3
 @WAKIdesigns: OR, maybe I was just making a joke. Smoke a doobie dude, you need to chill.
  • 3 0
 @uphill-blues: if that is your kind of joke , then you are very special. the kind who say a joke and is the only one laughing . makes you weird ...
  • 1 3
 @trauty: why thank you, you must feel special yourself putting me in my place. Tell me, are you sucking your own cock right now as a congratulations to yourself? Jesus people this is Pinkbike not CNN.
  • 22 1
 Finn to Devinci - true or false?
  • 2 0
 sounds like a wet dream for Devinci to come back with him in the roster.
  • 29 10
 two overpriced (enve) outdated (intense) brands team up for 2018 = TRUE
  • 106 6
 Rumor has it that the teams title sponsor will be the JensonUSA Sale Section.
  • 5 3
 I heard their bikes will be ~$12k now
  • 10 2
 How does a brand become outdated?
  • 8 3
 actually, imo with cesar rojo coming aboard and doing their kinematics and helping design the bikes, Intense are about as up to date wrt to the dh bike as it is possible to be. Overpriced - sure, outdated - surely not (or, their graphics kinda are Smile )
  • 14 1
 dunno man that intense dh 29er sled looks tits to me
  • 8 2
 @otto99: Ask Ellsworth.
  • 15 0
 Finally, some concrete sales numbers:

"Enter YT, who are apparently selling a metric shit ton of mail order bikes"

Maybe they'll increase sales to 2 MSTs next year.
  • 27 1
 I like to be very, very precise with my numbers.
  • 4 0
 @mikelevy: Awesome! The whole industry is clearly moving away from Imperial Shite Tonnes.
  • 1 1
 @mikelevy: especially the number 69 mirite?!
  • 1 0
 @Tmackstab: no one gets that number wrong, not even me.
  • 20 5
 How about some intel on Bryceland! Might just be hopeful wishing for his return to full-time racing.
  • 50 0
 Keep dreaming, he gone
  • 28 1
 The good news is, He making a full movie with 50to01 The bad news, Nothing
  • 10 3
 Bryceland is still one of the most gift riders around and has the most stylish riding around.
  • 20 0
 Making 50to01 edits and riding trails all over the world. Making his own schedule. No drug screening.
  • 35 9
 No chance he is too busy doing skids and makining crap videos with his hanger on wanna be famous mates.
  • 4 3
 @derryair: Phil, Brendon, and tawni are wanna be famous now? That's news right there!
  • 2 1
 @plplplplplplplplplplplp: bryceland is no john travolta.
  • 2 0
 He has been on the bmx a lot recently.
  • 4 0
 Not coming back until pot isn't tested.....
  • 1 2
 @derryair: Hey dummy - he also races EWS and will race more next year. Why you gotta pipe up?
  • 3 1
 @endlessblockades: that's not exactly World Cup downhill is it lol
  • 1 0
 @derryair: He's done with that! EWS is a bit more than skidding with his entourage - that's all I'm saying. The Rat puts in work.
  • 2 1
 @endlessblockades: iv been at the same races as him since he started, he is an amazing rider and always has been, if he trained for the EWS he would be winning it. He isn't training like a professional athlete any more he is like Jay n silent bob or Cheech and chong lol and just riding for fun......
  • 1 1
 @derryair: And that's wrong, why? He owes us nothing. He already sacrificed his foot. f*ck training.
  • 2 1
 @endlessblockades: didn't say it was wrong just he us riding for fun!!!
  • 1 0
 @derryair: You said "No chance he is too busy doing skids and makining crap videos with his hanger on wanna be famous mates." Don't try to flip the script Keep on DV me ya Chav.


edit - I give you props for your username, though - just dawned on me.
  • 14 0
 Finn and Brook moving to Devinci??
  • 2 0
 There are also rumors about Unior switching from Trek to DeVinci in the next season.
  • 13 0
 Enve is famous for colorful decals and its director of marketing's name is Pantone?
  • 2 0
 They have a janitor named Technicolor too. It's weird.
  • 12 1
 Biggest news of the year? The final return of Devinci's downhill team. #longlivechainsaw
  • 5 0
 I've been looking forward to this article for weeks! All this team shit, it ain't racing but it's great. I've finally found something 'they' could make Reality TV about, and I'd watch it; EWS team dramas. Will GT lose their rising star? Can they hold on to the women in the team, and will the females deliver wins in 2018?
  • 4 0
 I can so see Rachel Strait presenting that
  • 9 0
 @jessemelamed stoked on you signing back woth Rocky good luck in 2018.
  • 27 0
 Me too! Thanks!
  • 5 2
 Perhaps the biggest rumor that is not being addressed above: The Mob loosing the YT part of the moniker. True? I have no idea. Personally i really like the vibe of the YT Mob, but then that ain't going to change much just due to a new, bigger named frame.

also, hasn't it pretty much been confirmed that the new Canyon bike that is so sender'esque in shape is a new Canyon Torque? I would be kind of surprised if Canyon decided to ditch the Strive design rather than seeking to refine it gradually. It is pretty darn good as is, if a bit steeper up front than it could be. The frames have been updated since they first were released and are still doing more than well both sales wise (as far as i know) and test wise. Replacing it with a non-bottle front triangle seems to be an odd thing to do for an enduro race bike - as bottles are all the rage now, while transitioning the current strive to a 29'er with a similar frame/geo would make a lot of sense. But then again, there are rumors of a second new Canyon long travel enduro bike, so that might be the strive replacement being tested.
  • 3 3
 Anyone doing the slightest bit of research would know that all contracts related to that team (except perhaps Neko Mulally , who came on a year later) have a 3 year duration. So unless Martin Whiteley and Aaron want to buy out of what is perhaps the biggest contract this sport has seen in a long time, which by the way would be a huge waste of money considering how well everything is going for them, I really don't see this happening.
  • 3 3
 @fabdemaere: I see now that what you referred to above is correct though, so thanks for sharing. Oddly the three year length of the YT mob contracts has not been mentioned in any of the other rumor threads as far as i can remember, but then i have not been following them that closely. With this being you know rumors and not a doctoral research, my research on the matter is as you so succinctly point out, non-existent. Kinda like your ability to convey information without it being a put down. Oh well. I guess just typing " The YT mob are on three year contracts" with a link would not been as easy.

but year three for the YT mob should be good.
  • 2 0
 I am sorry for Angel Suarez, doesn't seem to get anywhere.
  • 3 0
 He goes to the ER quite often.
  • 3 0
 great pinkbike and vitalmtb's team rumors is so rad Smile more of this style thanks guys! twitter.com/teamrumours?lang=en

also this is great go brooke! www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G6DY4gADoQ

keep up the great work cheers and have fun!
  • 3 0
 It will be interesting to see what happens with ENVE in the next few years. Local company to me and loads of other companies coming out with quality hoops at half the price. Big new facility to pay for, man they better strategize.
  • 7 0
 Gee IS rally racing, but not necessarily instead of biking.
  • 6 0
 what about Curtis Keene and that bizzare last episode of on-track?
  • 2 0
 The only thing I can comment is that Curtis is still pedalling (pun intended) the shit out of soecialized’s stuff On social media, so it appears that he’s staying put. The rest is up to interpretation. I kinda read it as, “farewell for the season, we’ll be back.”
  • 3 0
 I interpret the episode as goodbye to Red Bull. They may have swapped Curtis out for Greg. I imagine Specialized will keep him around though it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't do the entire EWS and focused a bit more on national events.
  • 3 0
 @Trudeez: I though it meant there wasn't going to be another season of on track
  • 1 0
 @OriginalDonk: that's what I was thinking too, he's still riding like he's training for a season so if anything he's being bumped as the headline rider for On Track but will still be a prominent feature.
  • 8 2
 2018 truth or Rumour? Intense Bikes will discounted early 2018
  • 2 0
 I often wonder about riders and the brands they support. Danny is still an excellent rider after his infamous World’s race, but Giant dropped him. Sam Hill is, as the article says, Sam HIll. But Specialized didn’t think so. It seems even the best riders end-up on small, alternative brands. It seems feasible a small brand would want a big name, but it also seems more likely the larger brands would want to hog that spotlight and have the margins to do it. In the end, I would just like to see these great riders end up with teams that have the resources to help them succeed.
  • 3 0
 special-ed has a bad reputation with riders. Nearly all have tongue in cheek spoken about this.
  • 1 0
 I think Danny dropped giant
  • 6 0
 I really want to see Rude dedicate one year to DH.
  • 2 0
 Does anyone find it odd that Danny and Brook were both in Las Vegas at the same time as each other after the end of the season. Possibly confirming the brook to mondraker theory?
  • 1 0
 another year without WC in the US...come on UCI, what's up with that? it's abot time that World CUP will be around the world and not only around Europe and a once in canda, (a trip from canda to widnhum is a relatively short trip)
  • 4 0
 For 2018 Marzocchi will be FOX 40 with Zocchi Stickers? Is that True?
  • 1 0
 Yeah, pretty sure Enve #&@( themselves when they saw the press release from Santa Cruz for their reserve wheels. Since, you know, it directly calls out Enve for making inferior carbon wheels.
  • 5 3
 I think Danny Hart will go to Devinci, they need a team leader and podium/winning rider. They have the wallet for Hart..
  • 6 0
 He has saracen hire bikes at his bikepark tho
  • 4 0
 UTT on devinci next year
  • 3 0
 Q: What year was the final EWS round in Tasmania ?
  • 3 0
 Where will Jared Graves be in 2018?
  • 29 2
 Let's see...Chile,Colombia,France,Austria,Slovenia,Italy,Canada,Spain,Italy...and Australia.
  • 2 0
 What about Finn, thought his deal was for 3 year years? That is up.
  • 1 0
 Devinci
  • 2 1
 Gee is already rallying so I can see that being the way forward for him eventually, maybe not just yet though.
  • 3 1
 Would be fun to see Nicolas Vouilloz and Gee Atherton have some kind of comp with both rally and DH racing. Of course Nicolas has raced rally on a much higher level than Gee but then again Gee has raced DH on a much higher level recently.
  • 3 1
 What about Graeme Mudd leaving Trek?
  • 1 0
 Saracen Factory racing team van at Dannys King of the hill race, i'd say its true then.
  • 1 0
 Will Longdon raced it. But I think you're right regardless
  • 1 0
 Tahnee did get her first win at Tasmania. That's true. It was not, however, the last race of the year
  • 1 0
 Not Tahnee either.. Wink
  • 2 1
 New EWS team rumours start here, who's first?
  • 1 0
 I'm guessing you guys don't have the term 'soggy biscuit' in the US?!!!
  • 1 0
 s/biscuit/cookie/g
  • 2 0
 Dunking Oreos? Yea they’re great!
  • 1 0
 Nope - what's it mean?
  • 1 0
 @endlessblockades: www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=soggy%20biscuit

Sorry you had to read that, but at least you know now
  • 1 0
 And Rob Warner is moving to YT

#teamshitcraic no more
  • 1 0
 I really can’ imagine Sam Hill and Aaron Gwin in the same team.
  • 1 0
 I think Brendan will not be in Scott, what will be his new bike?
  • 1 0
 I’ve heard this rumour as well
  • 4 3
 The Isabeau rumor is the only one I care about.
  • 1 0
 So.......... Intense/TLD deal/team possible??
  • 1 0
 I am pretty surprised on that one, Sunn designed and made a pint-sized frame only for her and it worked just fine and she's leaving...
  • 1 0
 thanks pinkbike! keep us updated!!
  • 3 2
 F^ck your f^cking E-bike!
  • 1 0
 lol
cheers waki
  • 1 0
 Can’t*
  • 1 0
 Hart to Saracen - True
  • 1 2
 There was this rumor in Val di Sole this year that Santa Cruz parted ways. A bit like Fox now. A head part and a tail.
  • 1 4
 I told you for danny hart
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