The Canyon Factory Downhill Team is Here

Jan 12, 2017 at 6:43
by Canyon  
CFDT

Canyon can finally put an end to months of rumours and speculation—the all-new Canyon Factory Downhill Team is here. Leading the charge will be World Cup winner Troy Brosnan of Australia, together with Canada’s next big thing, Mark Wallace, and former Junior World Champion, Ruaridh Cunningham of Scotland. The Canyon Factory Downhill Team (CFDT) will be gunning for individual, team and overall wins aboard the Canyon Sender CF on the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit, as well as other top-flight downhill events throughout the season.

Meet the CFDT

by Canyon-PureCycling
Views: 21,754    Faves: 17    Comments: 0


The goal of the CFDT is to equip the best riders in the world with the best setup, and provide them with a team and support system unlike any other on the scene. Leading up the project is multiple World Champion, Fabien Barel, who will, in his own words, be responsible for ‘‘putting the right people and the right structure together to bring our bike and our riders up on the podium".

’’Our bike’’ will be the Sender CF. Troy, Ruaridh and Mark will be the first riders to race Canyon’s flagship downhill bike at World Cup level. Canyon is eager to work with the team to receive in-depth feedback and further advance the company’s mountain bike and downhill technologies. Barel, whose role in the Canyon Development Team drove the creation of both Strive and Sender models, echoed the sentiment saying, ‘‘I believe that downhill is the Formula One of bike racing and that more generally racing is the best method for developing a bike. Being at the top of the World Cup circuit with our bike will definitely raise the bar for the performance and technology of the product and hopefully bring us to a new level!’’

CFDT

After a busy off-season including extensive testing and visiting Koblenz to see the Canyon facilities and meet the engineers, the riders are just as excited about the new partnership. For Troy, ‘‘it has been amazing for me coming to Canyon. It’s really like a small family where you know all of the right people, in all of the right places, and if you want something done, it doesn’t have to go through too many people to actually get to the top.’’ The team’s staff will be rounded out by Team Manager Mathieu Gallean, Head Mechanic Nigel Reeve, Troy’s Personal Mechanic Aaron Pelttari and Mechanic Yoann Jurgaud.

The CFDT will work with Mavic, SRAM, RockShox and Maxxis.

Learn more about the team at www.canyon.com/factoryracing.

MENTIONS: @Canyon-PureCycling / @SramMedia / @Maxxis


Author Info:
Canyon-PureCycling avatar

Member since Feb 18, 2013
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203 Comments
  • 357 5
 Will they be delivered to the races via back order?
  • 12 4
 Hah!
  • 250 6
 There was no riding in the video because the new team is getting their bikes in 6-8 weeks.
  • 40 2
 Draw the line - love isn't always on time.
  • 2 1
 @endlessblockades: Good song choice for their "off the bike" training montage.
  • 5 1
 @endlessblockades: that's some funny clever shit right there.
  • 2 0
 @endlessblockades: but its just like tinder the pics dont always resemble the ride characteristics
  • 2 0
 savage, lol
  • 177 17
 Exciting German video! Almost like Santa Cruz...
  • 50 14
 Worst video ever
  • 22 9
 @mickawalch: Get back to work, you trolls
  • 126 7
 I appologise for our country not posting a rad riding vid.
  • 61 163
flag WAKIdesigns (Jan 12, 2017 at 10:52) (Below Threshold)
 @Jim-laden: I sympathize with Germany. Santa Cruz video was the dumbest and crappiest promo ever made. I watched it by rewinding it in hope for anything funny but it was just getting worse. I had to listen to Slayer for three hours to burn out the pain. To cope with the realization in what state humanity is. I saw the comments and I wanted to burn the world. I wanted to see the skies raining blood.

Germany is cool.
  • 24 4
 @mickawalch: The video might not be funny, but the team is rad, and the bikes are awesome, it's all that really matters to me!
  • 16 39
flag jimmythehat (Jan 12, 2017 at 11:02) (Below Threshold)
 @WAKIdesigns: I agree it was lame
  • 8 7
 is the claw still on canyon?
  • 40 10
 @WAKIdesigns: man shuuutt uppp already!! pinkbike mass opinions are the right opinions! jeezzz lol you either learn the bro code or the bros get there nickers knackered
  • 21 8
 @makripper: Dude, your taking the bait, he is a troll, his job is to piss people off and cause trouble, ignore him!
  • 6 2
 @fullbug: lmgtfy.com/?q=canyon+factory+freeride+team
  • 10 3
 @Bomadics: how do i know that you aren't a troll? some trollception going on over here guys
  • 17 1
 @makripper: I'm a troll, and so is my wife
  • 3 3
 @makripper: i woulda believed you if ya typed "yes". google-fu on the fritz
  • 20 63
flag WAKIdesigns (Jan 12, 2017 at 11:40) (Below Threshold)
 @Bomadics: no. I wasn't intending to troll. I believe that Santa video was a fkng disgrace as much as I believe that Leprechauns didn't cause 9/11. Greg and Loris are my role models for riding style, Ratboy has amazing stoke factor in his short FB videos, but that video Is just fkd up. It was like mayonnaise on chips... and then some haggies with Ice cream on top.
  • 27 7
 @WAKIdesigns: what's wrong with mayonnaise on chips?
  • 23 7
 @WAKIdesigns: you're definitely one of the weirdest guy on this forum...
  • 4 1
 @rokboy: imgur.com/r/shittyfoodporn/rE6puqK I feel like i would rather have this
  • 2 2
 @fullbug: Ye but he's not on the factory downhill team, since he doesn't race.
  • 2 2
 @OhsoGrizzly: i know. just was curious as sometimes mfgs will make moves to make room financially for other things or shift in sponsorship focus.
  • 2 1
 @makripper: Jesus, is that real?!? ????
  • 7 3
 @makripper: You again? You are legitimately waki's lover
  • 2 2
 @me2menow: you again? you must love me. i'm not into dudes but i respect if you are.
  • 30 39
flag WAKIdesigns (Jan 12, 2017 at 13:07) (Below Threshold)
 @me2menow: even if we sucked each other knobs, what's wrong with that? You don't like homosexuals? The older I get the more I like man bodies. Graves, Kovarik, Lopes, Barel, Gee? Mmmmmm. I'd literally like to go to the gym and watch them train. I'd like to see Ryan Gossling naked. I want to see bottocks of Barel. I love male body. I shaved myself on my chest and belly lately. Shaved my balls I just love my body. My wife freaking loves me for it. Ever since I got obsessed with himan bodies of all sexes I am a fkr. I last 10 mins, fk I love myself, I just can't help myself. Excuse me I will suck my own dick now.
  • 5 1
 @WAKIdesigns: tbf Santa Cruz hit there market audience with that vid square in the face, they love the cheese
  • 14 6
 i wonder if mods will ban waki for that last post
  • 6 3
 @MattBobby: like your comment. Very precise and not very funny....

;-D
  • 6 2
 @kompostman: hey guys a German actually made a funny! Wink
  • 5 3
 @WAKIdesigns: Hahahaha, so funny Waki but you should leave the drugs...
  • 2 2
 @rokboy:
Je mY mean what you call crisps in britain. Wen call them Chips. You Guss in Britannien say chips to french fries... Which ich Love with Mayonnaise
  • 4 1
 @makripper: I'm a proll, a positive troll, here to spread help and goodwill, don't like it f*ck off! Wink
  • 4 1
 @makripper: I'm a proll, a positive troll, here to spread help and goodwill, don't like it f*ck off! Wink
  • 5 2
 @makripper: I'm a proll, a positive troll, here to spread help and goodwill, don't like it f*ck off! Wink
  • 11 2
 @fullbug: @fullbug: no chance my friend. Pinkbike is an online community, moreover it's a internet village. And what's a village without an idiot? Pinkbike needs waki to ring the church bells, drink outta the swine trough, and play with his own shit. And talk about prolific, this idiot makes Quasimodo look like a Swiss watchmaker.
  • 3 2
 @obee1: great points, obee. still remember his post on wishing a certain member would get cancer but hey, he can draw stuff. must take your observation and stay outta the scene when i hear the bells ringin.
  • 2 2
 What tf you mean almost like Santa Cruz.. they were literally two mfuckin different videos you idiot
  • 1 2
 haha someone send me a link cant find it
  • 2 2
 I cannot fucking believe I missed waki wishing cancer on someone. That's pinkbike comment section gold right there.
  • 4 4
 @Session603: yeah that dipshit throws insults like that as soon as he realizes that his current comment section adversary is using logic to counter his dross. It's not worth looking up, but i think he poked the always astute and ready to pounce bblb, and Leroy flat out destroyed him with linguistic radiance. It was like a pigeon chirping at an eagle, and the eagle got hungry.
  • 7 0
 The vibes here are becoming negative, it's only the internet remember?
  • 2 2
 @rokboy: fair play. just callin out a post. cuz just internet. carry on. it always rights itself here.
  • 6 2
 @enduroFactory: I think the audience that is appreciative of that movie doesn't have cash for a new Santa Cruz bike... I am not shittin on them, I liked stupid stuff as a kid too. But it's just... as far as audience with cash for ENVE cc build is concerned the sarcasm may have been so deep that it looks stupid...
  • 3 0
 @Bomadics: 5/7 I will always upvote glorious tripple posts!!
  • 94 5
 So the world's #1 and #3 WC guys are on direct-sales bikes (and the #2 female). The bike industry is undergoing some big changes right now, things might look very different a few years from now!
  • 8 63
flag polarproton (Jan 12, 2017 at 9:28) (Below Threshold)
 Do you have problems with Maths and numbers?
  • 13 1
 Maybe WC DH is like advertising to big companies. New brands have to pay out big to get their names out there, so they buy up the top riders (sort of like buying lots of top advertising slots). More established brands care a bit less. At this point Trek doesn't need name recognition.
  • 3 2
 If DH bikes were a larger part of the market then off be inclined to agree
  • 10 1
 not so much large market but it's the most visible to consumers
  • 43 1
 Anyone notice how Troy said basically the same thing about specialised that Aaron did last year? I.e. That the new team had a much more relaxed way of getting changes made.
  • 27 1
 echoed by just about everyone who raced DH for the big S.
  • 3 1
 Well it's natural to make out that a new company/bike/product is always better than the last.

But anyway I would imagine there would be very little difference between teams - either way every team on the circuit is going to compromise of nice and friendly people who are (obviously) happy to help their riders in every way possible - otherwise they wouldn't have that role.
  • 5 3
 @Jack-McLovin: I don't think that's necessarily true Jack, larger more corporate companies will have a lot of engineers who think they know better than the riders, so when they ask for things it might get waved away or just be so long in being processed it won't be mentioned again. The smaller companies can facilitate the changes quicker and more effectively.
Remember when Sam Hill left Spesh, he said the same as AG and Troy, never bad mouthing them directly, just saying how much better the new company were at changing things up.
  • 5 0
 @pimpin-gimp:
I don't understand where you get the idea that Troy is slagging of S? I think when he says, 'You can make it the way you want it', he's referring to it being a completely new team - so they [Canyon] are going to be heavily relying on Troy and the crew to shape this team into what it's going to be.
Exactly the same situation with Aaron and YT.
  • 1 2
 I was just about to say the same thing. Lots of riders feel specialized is too "big business" for the mtb scene.
  • 4 0
 On the opposite side of the spectrum big S has helped a lot of big name riders get where they are. they maybe tough to work for (maybe) but they sure get results. At the end of the day thats what counts
  • 72 35
 told ya it's yt.
  • 21 4
 Wrong germans
  • 66 2
 Do YT employ people to mention them in every post, and thumb up any mention of their name?
  • 13 5
 @zzRider: no, we just like to give free publicity
  • 7 4
 Hey thats my thing
  • 7 4
 @zzRider: I wish. I'd be freaking rich
  • 1 0
 @zzRider: Upvote
  • 1 0
 wait....."azzrider"?
  • 35 1
 So when does Canyon start selling to north america?
  • 8 1
 when they win the overall
  • 26 1
 Exactly! Claw and Wallace, but no bike sales in Canada? Blarg.
  • 3 1
 @spinko: You want a canyon?
  • 6 0
 @Jokesterwild: The sender and strive are pure sex. I want it. Can I afford it? Unlikely. Wink
  • 1 0
 @spinko: i am sure it is coming soon!
  • 29 3
 All the americans jumping up and down for canyon to get to usa will be same ones moaning about their customer services, shame they seem to have money to heavily back a dh team yet cant get a proper basic customer aervice going for the people that fund them
  • 26 23
 I am a troll a dick and an idiot. That's why I think that budget for marketing the company has nothing to do with the budget for customer support... these are separate budgets. There is a kin of politicians who move money from education to infrastructure but that's nothing to be happy about Wink
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns:

Yeah i understand 2 separate budgets but! At the top they are the same company no point in advertising without backing up the customer services
  • 29 1
 Glad Troy has a team again. It was weird to see him all on his own last season.
  • 28 2
 where are your bikes boys?
delivery issues?
  • 25 1
 This team is a force to be reckoned with.
  • 3 0
 Indeed, awesome team, on an awesome bike!
  • 24 1
 That's a serious team!
  • 24 5
 Congrats Mark! ...is it in your contract that you have to use a chamois now?
  • 17 2
 To all the Americans and Canadians out there...I'm excited how the german brands like canyon will handle their price politics bc, for example a Santa Cruz or Devinci we have to add 50-70% of the prices you have to pay! So just be aware of that.
  • 8 1
 It isn't really that different over here. We are paying premiums on the direct sale companies originating in Germany...
  • 3 1
 @sheldonuvic: I would expect Canyon to handle things a little differently since they are a lot larger than YT and have some capital behind them for their North American venture. I'd expect them to eventually have a proper warehouse and bike assembly in North America, which should bring their prices closer to what they charge in Europe.
  • 2 2
 Really? Why? The euro is currently worth more than the dollar. I don't understand why it costs more.
  • 3 1
 @SiSandro: Since Canyon is larger than YT? Yt is on the market for only 5 Years.... Canyon is a "traditional" bike brand over here for ages.
  • 2 0
 @WaterBear: idk, mostly it`s the customs and shipping they say...
  • 4 1
 When comparing north American and European prices, you have to remember that in Europe there is a 19-25% VAT included in the SRP. In north America the SRP price is without VAT.
  • 4 0
 @ZeBraW: And how exactly is this relevant to my point? Canyon's turnover is about 10 times larger than yt's, their market entry in the US will be backed by an investment firm and they certainly won't go about it in the way yt did. Nothing wrong with yt's model, it suits their financial capabilities and will allow them to grow slowly instead of making a massive investment, but it will also mean that Canyon will be able to offer more competitive pricing in the US.
  • 1 1
 @SiSandro: I just said, that you are wrong at the point that YT is bigger than Canyon...
  • 1 0
 @ZeBraW: Um, i said that Canyon is bigger than YT and that is an indisputable fact when looking at every metric related to size: turnover, units sold, employees etc. It doesn't matter how long a brand has been around either. I assume you are taller than a four year old - it wouldn't exactly make much sense for the kid to argue that he is actually the same size since you have been around longer.

Just fyi, bigger doesn't mean better and objective facts and value judgements are different things. If you love yt, good for you, i certainly prefer Guerilla Gravity to Specialized, but that doesn't change anything about which company is bigger.
  • 1 0
 @SiSandro: mea culpa... Yes I should read a bit slower. Sorry bro! I've got a regional connection to YT and had a TUES and absolutely loved it. But to be honest if I had the money I'd ride V10, a Wreckoning and a Switchblade...but my wallet says, stay at your Cube Stereo and the OnOne DeeDar Wink
BTW sorry for the bad english...PB is my personal language improvement website.
Ride on!
  • 24 9
 Dis gon b gud
  • 16 3
 Damn it Canyon! When you coming to my country?!?!
  • 13 1
 Better order your senders now if you want them in time for world cup. And get a spare.
  • 12 1
 i'm glad that mark and nigel found a home! Kill it this year guys!
  • 7 0
 Nice to see Mark on a fresh team but with Nigel with him as well,all the best this season Mark.I have no doubt your gonna' kill it.
  • 5 0
 it will be interesting to see Troy riding a different bike after so many years on specialized bikes, I hope he´ll get used to it fast so we could see him on a podium soon !
  • 7 1
 Can't wait to see the sender in the UCI being piloted by great riders. really sick bikes!!
  • 8 2
 Canyon needs to do some sick paint job for the Sender, as Specialized did.
  • 8 2
 Fabien smiling like a champ, such a wonderful personality!
  • 7 2
 This is gonna be one crazy season.
  • 4 0
 Oh and direct sales team going hard at it! Radon Yt Canyon All playing the big budgets game now
  • 6 2
 BRB, watching a video worth watching... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cps6u7VEuHA
  • 6 1
 Minnar "i feel kind of creepy .....and rad"
  • 5 2
 Troy is looking less like a child these days, crazy how much he's matured Best of luck to him and the balance of the canyon team
  • 16 15
 If Troy finishes first or second to Gwin that will be rather hard for companies like Trek or Spec to motivate high prices of their bikes. Just give a Canyon or YT to Nino and Jenny Rissveds, and sht will go down. Wloszczowska and Neff will be racing on Kross which is far from high end hyped brands. Then Antidote, Unno, Geometron are offering high end bikes overperforming the big guns. The good old days are over.
  • 3 1
 You seem to be getting a lot of hate recently @WAKIdesigns , water off a ducks back I'm sure though..good ole PB lol Your points here are perfectly valid to me at least. Gwin's 1st on the debut of the YT last year was a big shot over the bows. I thought the same seeing the Canyon. Its got a top step in it, 'easily' by the looks of it-this team could well be devastating this year.
  • 1 0
 Good luck boys on a new ride. I was hoping to see some action though riding some sick trails. It looks as if the idea of a team came about quite recently as no bikes or riding are part of this release. A bit of a dissapointment.
  • 3 0
 Congrats to Mark and Nigel for landing feet (together no less) and finding a new team! It will be exciting to see what these boys can do on their new rigs!
  • 4 0
 How do you pronuice Ruaridh's name? SICK team, sorry if I sound like a dick for asking.
  • 2 1
 r oo ah r ee
  • 2 0
 @renio: almost.. its 'roo-aree' , with 2 syllables.
  • 2 0
 There the 1st to ride a sender in a World Cup?? Sure there was a at least one rider in the women's field racing a sender last year. Or dose canyon not consider women people ????
  • 2 0
 The uci dh is going to be great this year, thats one hell of a team and one hell of a bike. I have a cf8 and so far havent had to many problems with Canyons service.
  • 6 2
 its gonna be great! can't wait to see them in action.
  • 6 2
 Sick! Fast crew they put together. April can't come fast enough!
  • 5 1
 Maaann I can't wait for it to start already
  • 6 3
 So, are they going to use that funky mechanism they showed at Eurobike last year, that disconnects the freewheel?
  • 6 3
 No, that's just a concept/vapourware as of now. If they do further testing it'll be extensively off-track for the moment.
  • 2 0
 I am so happy for these guys! They have the oppertunity to wirk with one of the BEST in the industry, i mean FB is my role model to be honest! Go troy!!!
  • 5 1
 Nice!!! Ruaridh gonna kill it!
  • 4 0
 So exciting video. The Syndicate should learn from this.
  • 2 0
 Wow, look at the warehouse! As there are definitely no bike in the boxes, I assume that they are storing all the grumpyness of the service hotline people there...
  • 2 0
 Canyon sells the brand, the Syndicate (who runs on Santa Cruz, which is not exactly the same than Santa Cruz running a factory team...) sells an atmosphere.
  • 8 5
 2017 teams are way too good!
  • 3 0
 Nigel Reeve?
Was he mechanic for DGR team?
  • 2 0
 This is going to boost Canyon in ways that I wish would have boosted DeVinci
  • 3 1
 cfdt ahahahahahahah sorry french joke...
will we see some strikes this year on the dh circuit? ahahahah sorry again...
  • 2 0
 go on and des-TROY the DH Wolrd cup!!! THIS HAS TO BE YOUR YEAR.....so much dedication and hard work you well deserve it!!!
  • 4 1
 YEA MARK WALLACE!!!
  • 3 1
 Looks a solid team to me.
  • 5 2
 Yess Wallace!!!!
  • 2 2
 Makes me sad that Wallace isn't racing for a Canadian bike company. RIP Chainsaw Massacre. RIP dreams of glory and Devinci UCI Downhill World Cup Domination
  • 6 2
 @rnayel: wasn't a dream. they did dominate and made history. RIP indeed.
  • 9 1
 @rnayel: you know what would suck even more ? If Wallace didn't get a ride.
  • 2 1
 @emccurrie: I don't think that it would have happened. He's incredibly talented and any UCI team would have been fortunate to have him.

All the best in 2017 Mark!!!!
  • 1 0
 Yeah troy good luck team canyon, now I can stop looking for updates on what team he would end up on.
  • 1 0
 I'm just wondering what brand gonna take the market? Specialized, yt or canyon? A war of marketing of pro riders
  • 1 0
 So no one wanted to point out the awkward, hip hug? Looked like Troy was thinking it lol
  • 1 0
 Congrats Canyon bikes for finally signing a serious DH team... it was about time! Excited for the start of the season!
  • 1 0
 I'm really loving these team shake ups. Just wish someone would sign to ride the tetrahedron.
  • 2 0
 AMAZING!!! Canyon World DOMINATION!
  • 1 0
 Canyon, YT, Radon, German's brands rule the DH world... without German riders, that's funny!
  • 3 0
 FISCHBACH mate!!!!!!!!!! Wink
  • 2 0
 Fab needs to get some black jeans. Team kit violation
  • 1 0
 So pumped for Nigel! He's an awesome dude, and I can't thank the guy enough for what him and Tianna have done for me!
  • 2 0
 Pretty solid team though!!
  • 3 1
 straight shooting: it would of been better if they never made the video.
  • 2 0
 I sit just me or does Troy look like Brook McDonald in the top pic?
  • 1 0
 Cheers to Mark. Gutted for him losing Stevie and his team in the same year. All the best.
  • 1 0
 Troy was photoshopped into that group photo, right? He looks photoshopped in..
  • 1 0
 why no video of them riding??????
  • 1 0
 Speculated above that they are all on backorder like the customer bikes. No personal experience of mine to back that up. I would have enjoyed a 3-5 min edit of them tearing up the hillside.
  • 1 1
 Free of emotions that edition... compared to the Santa Cruz Syndicate video it is just deutsche Wertarbeit, neeee no soul!
  • 3 1
 It's about damn time!
  • 2 1
 Very interesting turn of events. Watch this space
.#KeepDownhillWild.
  • 1 0
 Is it just me or does this new video player suck ?
  • 1 0
 Holy Mole' Guacamole.......Goodluck guys
  • 1 0
 we takin ova...just right this time!Wink
  • 1 1
 Yeah Boi! Gonna be a he'll of a season...
  • 1 0
 jealous. GO TROY!!!
  • 3 2
 Stacked team
  • 4 3
 Troy, yeees
  • 1 1
 hecking yeah, that's a sick line up.
  • 6 6
 Sooo happy for Mark !!! GO CANADA !!!
  • 3 2
 Ya claqué s'tête ?
  • 1 1
 Stoked to see what Troy can do!
  • 2 1
 Yes RC well done
  • 2 2
 Finally a new team to really get behind!
  • 2 2
 Canyon always with its bullshit
  • 2 2
 du lourd
  • 2 2
 My, that's exciting.
  • 2 3
 Sender is gonna be looking good this year
  • 3 4
 we just want to see the bikes
  • 2 2
 No pic of the bike?
  • 1 2
 Brosnan looks like a homeless on the 1st pic Big Grin fact
  • 6 9
 This is going to be MAAD!
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