Video: Orange Factory Racing Gets the Team Together In South Wales

Words: Orange Bikes

Back for its 3rd year, Orange Factory Racing launched with a bang in classic British conditions at Cwmcarn, South Wales.

New riders Christo Gallagher and Becky Cook joined team OG Tom Wilson for three days of bike setup, good times and team bonding all set against the backdrop of South Wales’ classic trails.

The Team Camp kicked off with the big handover of the team's Factory Racing Edition Orange Switch 7’s, decked out in the team’s sponsored components.

It was the first time the riders had seen their new bikes and, as you'd expect, they were stoked to finally get their hands on the bikes they'll be racing all year at the Enduro World Cup.

The bikes are brand new to Becky and Christo, so with Tom’s experience, the crew moved straight into shake-downs and suspension setup with the Cwmcarn Downhill track providing a perfect test lab.


It wasn't all work though and the team also took the chance to stack clips and just have some fun together on the trails.

The trip was spent lapping South Wales' finest, covering everything from the fast and fun Twrch surfaced trail, to the big hits of Y Mynydd and then over to some local, techy steeps.

And, of course, there was some time to hang out as a team in the evenings and get to know each other ahead of the first big events of the year. Whilst the riders have all spent time together on the race circuit in the past, their week in Wales was their first 'proper' meet-up as a team and a great chance to break the ice before they start travelling and racing during the season.


Tom Wilson is a familiar face to Orange Factory Racing, having been part of the team since day one and the wider Orange family for even longer.

He worked his way up through the junior field on Orange's roster and will spend 2023 at the UCI Enduro World Cup and E-Enduro World Cup events, racing his Orange Switch 7 and Phase MX eMTB.


Newcomers Becky and Christo are both entirely fresh faces to Orange and the team camp was a great chance to get to know them a little better.

With her roots in motorbike trials, Becky was European Trials Champ in 2012, seven-time Trial Des Nations World Champion and eight-time British Trials Champion. She also placed second five times at the Women's World Trials Championship.

Her MTB CV is set to be equally impressive. In 2022 she won a heap of British gold medals, plenty of top 15 positions at the EWS and took 5th at the tough and technical Sugarloaf EWS round.


Christo won the overall elite title at the 2021 British National Enduro Series as well as placing 2nd at Ardrock in the same year, then going on to bag an impressive 14th place at the 2022 Innerleithen EWS. All done whilst working a busy job in tourism and on a privateer setup at the races.

We're excited to see just how fast he can go with proper factory support.


The big handover of the Switch 7s gave the rides a chance to really get stuck into their new bikes and a new lineup of sponsored components.

For those unfamiliar with the Orange Switch 7, it was launched in 2022 and developed hand-in-hand with Orange Factory Racing. It takes Orange’s proven made-in-Halifax frame design and adds the new STRANGE power link to create even more progressivity, perfect for the brutal and technical stages of the Enduro World Cup.

It'll be Tom, Christo and Becky’s go-to for race days around the world, guaranteeing World Class performance and Orange’s trademark ride feel and reliability.

The riders will be kitted head to toe in Leatt clothing and protection, keeping them safe and stylish in all conditions.

They’ll ride Goodyear tyres, Ohlins suspension, Hunt wheels, Hayes brakes, SDG Components saddles and seat posts, Burgtec controls, Granite Design tools, Rapid Racer Products mudguards, RideWorks headsets and bottom brackets and STRANGE Components finishing kits. The team will also be supported by Better Bolts, CrankBrothers and MRP.

And remember that blurred logo on our team launch announcement? We can finally reveal that one as Motul Bike Care, with the iconic motorsport brand keeping the team's bikes spotlessly clean, beautifully maintained and in perfect condition.


You can follow the athletes here on the Orange Insta or on the athlete’s individual accounts (Tom, Becky, Christo).

See them in person at the Enduro World Cup, British National Enduro Series or at the ArdRockEnduro.

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