Video: Comparing Privateer & Factory Team Setups in Fast Life Season 5 Episode 3

 Phil Atwell, you fecking legend

 I think both sides of the coin bring different problems and different benefits. The pressure to perform well must be incredible for the factory guys... but on the opposite side of the coin, they've got factory/suspension/support etc... which must be brilliant.
But i do wonder if it takes away the fun ?

 Dakota Norton got faster and better as soon as he had support. He could rest after a run instead of ride back to his car and spend his 'down time' working on his bike etc. He mentioned being able to offload most of the non-racing tasks off to support folks helped him focus on the racing.

 Obviously if multiple teams are backing their athletes in the same ways then it's making their riders faster. I hear a lot about the stress from Factory Teams making it a job, not fun. Maybe it's just me, but I think that the structure makes it more fun. Without the structure I constantly wonder if I'm doing enough, which is really not fun. All this is to say that while the pressure makes the losses hurt more, it makes the wins much sweeter. I'm willing to sacrifice a few beers for the top step.

 I think Katy Winton has summed up the factory team vs self run program pretty well. Self run program gives you the freedom to choose the bike and components you want but also puts all the organisation, logistics and everything else that goes on behind the scenes of the factory envelope on your shoulders. Being a fully funded factory rider lets you focus on just riding without worrying about anything else. I think some riders on factory teams with less than optimal components and tight budgets will suffer more than semi supported “privateers” that are able to get some funding to ride the bikes and components they want but will never match the top end teams on full factory budgets.

 “Live to ride and ride to win” truth

 Phil Freerace

 I am so stoked to race next season!