Remi Thirion Signs for Giant Factory Off Road Team

Jan 29, 2021
by James Smurthwaite  

Giant has confirmed it has signed Remi Thirion for 2021 and beyond.

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The 31-year-old rider from Vosges France, announced his departure from the Commencal / Muc Off team earlier this off season after racing for 8 years on the Andorran brand. Thirion joins Giant on the back of a resurgent season in which he earned the bronze medal in the Elite Men's DH World Championship and 2nd place at the Maribor World Cup. Thirion says his goal with Giant is to "consistently finish in the top-10 and finish top-5 overall in the World Cup. And to win the world championship title"

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bigquotesA new addition to the Giant Factory Off-Road Team for 2021, Rémi broke onto the international DH scene in 2013 when he stormed to a surprise World Cup victory in the pro men's field at Vallnord in Andorra. It was close to a home victory for the French rider who favors tracks that are steep, technical and physically demanding. In the years since that big win, Rémi has earned a reputation for pushing limits with creative lines. He has become a consistent contender in the races that count, with a number of World Cup podiums over the past few years. In the 2020 race season, which was condensed due to the global pandemic, Rémi was on top of his game, scoring a second-place finish at a World Cup in Slovenia and taking the bronze medal in the Elite Men's DH race at the World Championships in Austria.—Giant Factory Off-Road Team


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76 Comments
  • 67 4
 That's a giant step in the right direction for giant
  • 45 17
 Great signing for Giant but seriously the same bike same colour could even be the same year! Giant need to spend some money getting some new graphic designers and paint I reckon! That also goes for @GTBicycles if you are listening, covid is depressing enough but if we see a smaller race calendar and the same blue bikes in 2021 I'll start watching road cycling!
  • 6 3
 I hope there going to reign in some new riders as well as him
  • 9 1
 Yeah, nice tranceaction
  • 1 4
 @heavyp: they feel those colors leave riders in a trance when they see their bikes
  • 3 0
 @heavyp: You must have sharper eyesight than me, Giants have been a bit blink-and-you'll-miss-it on the live feed in recent years.
  • 5 1
 Hopefully we’ll get to hear his Anthem on the podium!
  • 3 0
 Quite the maestro they got there.
  • 6 0
 @heavyp: You'd think they'd also be able to afford a few more pixels for their rider portraits.
  • 3 0
 @mashrv1: We always do ! Sorry, couldn't resist
  • 1 0
 @fracasnoxteam: well you Frenchies do like to..... Propel yourselves to the top step!
  • 2 1
 I think they will get some dh glory this season
  • 2 1
 @heavyp: I agree about Giant, but GT cannot improve perfection.
  • 1 0
 Congrats remi
  • 1 11
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Jan 29, 2021 at 22:18) (Below Threshold)
 Or how about changing the dumb name Giant? How the hell does anybody think Giant is an appealing name for a bike company? Only if you are born in Asia and have a rough understanding of the English language.
  • 6 0
 @DoubleCrownAddict: true, if they’d choose a ‘better’ name maybe they could’ve been the worlds largest bike manufacturer.....
  • 1 9
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Jan 30, 2021 at 8:01) (Below Threshold)
 @mashrv1: you mean the worlds largest Chinese press fit bb generic cookie cutter manufacturer.
  • 1 1
 @DoubleCrownAddict: still largest
  • 1 0
 @heavyp: no you won't
  • 44 0
 Polite request to the UCI & Red Bull - Please can you make sure Remi's run is on the live feed for every race, no matter where he qualifies?
We wouldn't want to miss any of his amazing looseness.
  • 8 0
 This! Also kade edwards and phil atwill.
  • 26 3
 Will he convince Giant to put an idler pulley and a mullet set-up on the Glory when they see he is slower than on his Commencal?
  • 35 13
 No because the giant has active braking and doesnt look like a chairlift
  • 2 3
 @housem8d: bwahahha! You win the internet today????
  • 2 1
 The team have already run mullet setups.
  • 2 0
 @housem8d: (...) and racers care more about marketing talking points and look than the results Wink

Thirion is not a youtuber. Race times will speak, the rest is noise.
  • 1 8
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Jan 29, 2021 at 22:21) (Below Threshold)
 If racers could choose their own bikes you wouldn't see any Giants out there, and most of the field would be on Commencal, Specialized, or Santa Cruz.
  • 3 0
 @DoubleCrownAddict: it’s almost like you forgot about the grim donut. Anyways Giant is the best they won world champs with Reece Wallace.
  • 23 0
 Finally some real commitment from giant towards DH. Stoked for remi and can't wait to see him race!
  • 2 0
 It is a step in the right direction at least
  • 5 0
 Seriously. I forgot that they even had a DH program
  • 4 3
 Real commitment means spending money on R & D and updating your outdated design.
  • 19 2
 They spent all their money on Remi and had to take his headshot with a potato
  • 8 0
 Bring on a new DH bike to drool over.
  • 5 0
 Yeah hopefully this shows Giant may be developing a new glory. The glory is old now, I don't think they even have a 29 version.
  • 2 0
 @melonhead1145: Me too. The glory that we see now was launched in 2010. Before that it was the one where the shock went through the down tube. It was 26 then went 27.5, but they dont have a 29er. Its had geo tweaks, colours, grown in size and carbon. They are fantastic bikes, light and super strong. Everyone says if it aint broke then dont fix, but we want a new DH giant. I had a 2013 glory, Now ride a 27.5 reign SX which is a mini glory that you can ride everywhere and I love it.
  • 1 0
 @melonhead1145: Thirion never was a big fan of 29" ... will see what Giant does.
  • 7 0
 saw a few sneak pics of the proto 29 Glory. Looks tidy, but prob still a bit off production.
ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb9880233/p4pb9880233.jpg
  • 1 0
 @melonhead1145: the issue is maestro suspension in 29’er long travel versions gets into patent infringement. Same reason the 29’er reign took forever to appears after endless spy shots.
  • 1 0
 @bonfire: is that why the 29” reign is shorter travel than some of its contemporaries?
  • 1 0
 Thirion is on a Glory 29
  • 7 0
 Great news! I was worried that Remi will struggle to find a good team.
  • 4 0
 Great for both Remi and Giant! For the first WC or two it'll be strange to see Remi on a bike that isn't a Commencal, though.
  • 1 0
 having owned both bikes it will be interesting, I think the supreme suited remi really well as it just smashes gnarly steeps in ways the glory doesn't. cant underestimate the mullet glory the team has been running though, still a solid bike
  • 3 1
 Big move. Giant 'should' be one of the big players on the circuit but they just haven't had made an impact over the last few seasons. Getting Remi on board is a bold move. Hopefully they'll return to their former...ahem...Glory.
  • 4 0
 Im just going to say this once. Reminds me of Sam Hill. Revitalised rider on a bike everyone said was sub par. Results speak. Go Remi.
  • 1 0
 I was thinking the same things as other folks. Is the Glory still dated on 27.5 f/r, same geo as 5 years ago ? I mean it was a good bike, with a decent platform... but Remi speed may require some tweaks. Dude is an animal. So fun to watch.
  • 2 0
 Is it dated though? IDK, its geo is on par with all the drooled over new bikes.
  • 3 1
 Stoked for Giant to have a top shelf rider again! I hope they give him the support and bikes necessary to stay there.... Viva Remi!!!
  • 1 0
 Loving those low-res images, poorly cropped too. Really inspires me with confidence. I[m sure Remi too will love having the same level of detail at testing and training camps as with Commencal, oh wait!
  • 4 0
 Welcome back Giant!
  • 3 0
 OH YES !!! BEST NEWS THIS YEAR
  • 3 0
 Nice to see the wild man has a ride.
  • 3 0
 When was the last time they updated the Glory?
  • 41 0
 1938
  • 1 0
 @pablo-b: Hahahahaha
  • 1 0
 Serious answer I think it was 2015? When they moved from 26" to 27.5"
  • 4 0
 If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Wink
  • 1 0
 I think that we will see a 29er soon
  • 2 0
 @martin737: if the concept is good, you tweak it and improving it and not just do nothing for 5 years.
  • 3 0
 Could this mean a return to Glory for Giant?
  • 2 0
 Great News for both Giant and Remi! Nothing but glory days ahead .. as long as they can reign in his speed..

P"
  • 2 0
 Wow! Big news! Hell of a rider!
  • 1 0
 SO will they be going to the races then? Was weird they didnt for last couple years right
  • 1 0
 Is he on a 29er in that insta vid? Kinda looks like it.
  • 2 1
 That's one small step for Remi, one Giant leaping in those kind of videos.
  • 2 1
 Total shocker! My Trance just got up in value.
  • 8 0
 No it didnt.
  • 1 0
 @chillrider199: there's a 2016 trance in the buy sell and dudes asking new MSRP. I msg guy, and shit you not.... the current trance sells for that dollar amount.
Mofo is crazy.
  • 1 0
 He must be getting some mean Green to have signed with Giant.
  • 1 0
 So stoked for remi's second wind. He will be on the box in 2021.
  • 2 0
 Go Remi, nice for Giant
  • 4 3
 Nooooooooooooooooo
  • 1 0
 Yes! Supercool. Go Remi!
  • 1 0
 Baller!
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