YT Bids Farewell to Vali Holl, Adolf Silva & Cam Zink
Press Release: YT Industries
All good things must come to an end,” they say. Good Times, however, last forever. YT Industries has had many of them with Vali Höll, Cam Zink, and Adolf Silva. We have won the World Championships together. We have flipped into Rampage together. We have even double flipped an E-MTB together. Today, we say farewell as they embark on their next adventures.
A True Young Talent
Nearly seven years ago YT announced the signing of a twelve-year-old mountain biker. The title of the announcement was ‘YT signs the 2022 Downhill World Champion’. Who would have thought back then the feat would become reality 4 years earlier? That young shredder was Valentina Höll from Saalbach, Austria. The goal was to continue supporting this Young Talent in every way possible until she was ready to take the next big step. If a pro career were to come from it, then this would be a massive achievement by everyone, but never an expected outcome. It turned out that Vali had even more fun and was even better at sending it than anyone could have anticipated. It was a pleasure to watch her grow and progress to become the fierce competitor she is today. The fact Vali has already celebrated two World Championships and World Cup overall titles is a testament to her courageous work ethic, perseverance, and dedication. Now, Vali turns the page for a new chapter of her career, and we all wish her only the very best and plenty of Good Times.
 | The past years have been amazing. Being able to take my first steps in World Cup Racing with YT and my SRAM TLD Team was a fantastic experience. The greatest memory of our time together is my perfect season. I look back on that and smile because I am proud of what we were able to accomplish as a team. Working together with YT was super relaxed and I was given a lot of room and all the time I needed to develop not only in racing but as a human being. I am very thankful for the Good Times together. |
| It feels like yesterday when I met Vali for the first time. She was eleven years old and already faster on the bike than most of the boys her age. I immediately felt we should support her because she was and still is the definition of a Young Talent. Vali was a perfect fit for YT. I’m very pleased and thankful to have had the chance of supporting her in becoming a professional athlete and World Champion. That’s precisely the DNA of YT. Thank you so much for the GOODTIMES Vali, it was a blast! All the best for the future, you’ll rock it! |
The Rampage Legend
Cam Zink has been sending it big with YT since 2014. His Tues has eaten more Utah dust than any other and there are many memories we share. We have flipped into Rampage six times; lucky number seven sadly didn’t happen in 2020… We witnessed the freerider send a massive 360 Stepdown at Rampage in 2014 and his massive 100-foot backflip is a highlight for the ages. When things didn’t go according to plan you could always count on Cam for a comeback. Like in 2017 when he bounced back from his brutal crash during Rampage in 2016 to place second at the gnarliest event in mountain biking one year later. He once said: "If you have an opportunity to ride YT bikes why wouldn't you? Sickest bikes in the world and the only mountain bike brand that is run by a bunch of crazy misfits compared to the rest of the industry.” We both have come a long way a lot since then and can look back proudly on a lot of Good Times.
Go big or go home
Adolf Silva is one of the gnarliest trick machines in mountain biking. Our time together was wild. The 23-year-old Spaniard is known to regularly break the internet while sending huge tricks on massive jumps at events like Dark Fest or Rampage. He has the world’s first Cali Roll on a big bike to his name since Audi Nines in 2018. Mentioning big bikes… Adolf took it to the next level during a shoot for the brand-new YT Decoy which was released in 2019. The Spaniard proved that the capabilities of E-MTBs know no limits by double-backflipping our Decoy in Spain.
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#NoLegacy
In all honesty, I’ll be content if Dylan become the soul free rider on YT. Would be awesome for him to get a custom painted frame. And the fact that he has a fairly successful YouTube channel and it’s still growing only helps YT to keep him for the long haul.
I don’t really follow their EWS team, so some are there.
I'd wait and see who they have lined up for 2021.
I wouldn't even be surprised if it was Vali who had initiated the split.
Maybe YT is determined to be the Yeti of the direct to consumer brands.
Sign a big name, build an image with the core DH crowd, part with riders as the pot of instant fame sales goes away since it doesn't match your mid-level budget, re-establish the brand with up and comers and let those riders peel off into bigger contracts every few years and sign the next generation, taking chances on people others won't.
Then in 5 years, dump any shred of your DH heritage and switch to making only dentist & cardiologist level builds from a relatively quiet town and only have a couple riders...
You also hilariously describe YT as finding young talent and then that talent moving on - isn’t that the point? Who else is helping young riders at that level?
I get it, YT make you an angry babba, but at least talk sense.
Which big names in EWS are not yet signed?
Still surprised about them splitting with Vali, after they invested so much time and energy into her program over the years and (from the outside anyway) appeared to manage her career in a really thoughtful way.
Gwin signing was different. He essentially brought all of his brands to a frame & pit/travel sponsor when he and Martin came on board.
Is she signed with Martin Whitley @captain23 or some other management group?
Gully off focus on the freeride side of things.
It's a given that one will receive better after sales support when paying full whack from a local dealer. That's the risk you take to save the thousands of monies when buying a YT.
Then I go on the website two days later and due to “Brexit” they can’t /won’t sell anything apart from top spec bikes this company is a full out joke ????????@mcozzy:
At some point we are going to have to realize that’s this may not always be a good thing.
Im getting some flashbacks here
"Don't worry fellow youths, I'm hip and cool like you. Now what was I saying, oh yeah, check out my cool new product for sale"
www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55173605
That movie is so damn realistic.
teammate?
Yet somehow people keep buying their bikes and just about every Pinkbike bike review has people complaining in the comments section that they don't review Evils.
Maybe Evil can hire Donald Trump to do a ad like the YT Jeffsy Christopher Walken one for their new e-bike. Word is he will be looking for a new pyramid scheme/scam and Evil bikes seems right up his alley.
They are gearing up to be a big brand, just look up the 2 latest big wigs hired. Looks like expansion time. The Athletes have already built the Name.
www.pinkbike.com/news/yt-usa-and-cam-zink-part-ways.html
But who knows, maybe they will pick up another couple athletes in the big end-of-year pro carousel.
There are going to be millions of frames hitting the shipping lanes in the near future, all from the mega-brands and destined for salivating consumers to get something with '2021' attached to it. Got to think YT is the odd man out?
This ''family business must change'' somehow. You can not live with them for more than 5 years and then just go.
Shame on YT.
They did get junior worlds with Oisin Vali has done consistently amazing and Angel top 10s all season?