Agassiz and Bizet Remain on Kona's 2015 Athlete Roster

Dec 1, 2014 at 12:46
by Kona Bikes  
New for 2015, the Kona Team splits into two separate groups: Kona Gravity and Kona Endurance. The move is designed to further the focus and brand reach of what was once the Kona Team. Kona Gravity includes both our big mountain athletes and our World Cup Team, while Kona Endurance includes our cross-country, marathon, cyclocross and endurance road athletes. Each group will be running different sponsor groups, with the Gravity team very excited to continue with a new 2-year contract with SRAM components and RockShox suspension, and another year on Stan's No-Tubes wheelsets. The Endurance squad will be running Shimano drivetrains and wheels, Fox suspension and Pro Cockpits, and clothing from Champion System. Both teams will be running Maxxis tires, WTB saddles and FSA headsets.

Kona Gravity: Graham Agassiz, Antoine Bizet, Connor Fearon, Andrew Crimmins, Tegan Molloy
Kona Endurance: Barry Wicks, Spencer Paxson, Kris Sneddon, Cory Wallace, Helen Wyman


Agassiz, Bizet and Fearon sign new 2-year Contract Extensions
It's one of the most high-powered collections of young gun, gravity mountain bike athletes in the world. All in their early 20s, and all having grown up on Kona, we couldn't be more excited to be continuing our relationship with Aggy, the Canadian freeride superstar, Bizet, the French slopestyle aerialist, and Fearon, one of Australia's fastest downhill riders and a rising star on the World Cup DH circuit. All three have just signed new 2-year contract extensions and will be riding Kona Gravity bikes through 2016.

Antoine with a laaaaaaaazyyy fronty in the Utah desert.

Huge front flip in the Utah dirt. Image by Lars Scharl


"The Kona family fits perfectly with my personality and the bikes are badass! I'm so stoked to go two more years with the cool Canadians. The best years of my career are coming and I'm stoked to spend them on my Kona." –Bizet

Graham Agassiz

Bike check image by Sterling Lorence


"This will be my 10th year with Kona, and what an amazing journey it has been. It's a real dream come true and I'm very thankful for all these years of support. The future just keeps looking brighter and brighter, and I couldn't be happier with where I'm at."Aggy

UCI World Cup 2014 Rider Profiles

Bike check image by Ewald Sadie


"I'm really happy to be signing again for my 5th and 6th years with Kona. I'm looking forward to continue to improve my results and help create the best bikes we can with Kona." –Fearon


Spencer Paxson

Spencer Paxson is setting his sights on the Olympics. Image by Scott Robarts


He's one of North America's fastest XC racers, and he's been doing it all while holding down a full time job. Yes, by all accounts and measures a real workingman's pro rider. But that's all about to change for the 29-year-old Paxson, who has decided to go all in this year, putting 100% of his focus into racing as he makes a run at the World Cup XCO circuit and ultimately, the 2016 summer Olympics. Atta boy Spence!


Cory Wallace and Chris Sneddon. Kona s kick-ass cross-country contenders.

Cory Wallace sticks it to the World Marathon scene. Image by Margus Riga


He's a quiet, humble Canadian hard man who spends his winters logging in the far reaches of the Great White North. But over the last decade or so of racing, Cory Wallace has emerged as one of the world's top marathon XC racers. He travels the world battling it out in epics like the 9-day Crocodile Trophy, which sees 100 of the world's best marathon racers grind it out over 700kms in northeastern Australia. From the Himalaya, Mongolia and East Timor, the current Canadian Marathon champion is either winning or earning a spot on the podium. Follow his always adventurous exploits on his blog.


Helen Wyman did her traditional North American tour to start the 2014-15 cyclocross season. Building on her strong showing state side, the UK superstar strung together a series of top three finishes in the opening rounds of the Superpresige and GVA series, and also finished 2nd at the opening round of the World Cup circuit in Valkenburg. Helen looks to continue her success through the remainder of the season, focusing on securing a record 7th British National Championship title and doing her best to better her silver medal ride at last year's Cyclocross World Championships.


 1 Plate secured for another year - Kris Sneddon in fine dominating form.

Kris Sneddon to keep focused on Endurance events.


Following his string of impressive wins last season at the BC Bike race and Single Track Six, along with his third consecutive silver medal ride at the Canadian Marathon National Championships, Kris brings his amazing skills and undefeatable attitude back to the Kona Team. Sneddon is a legend of mountain bike racing, always ready for the next chance to hammer anyone who dares challenge him. This season he will continue to focus on endurance racing, while also accompanying Paxson on his World Cup campaign, offering guidance and support from his years of racing.


Barry Wicks coming out of the woods on the Storm King trail.

Barry Wicks racing in Bend, Oregon. Image by Mike Albright


This season Barry will continue to pursue the emerging field of gravel grinder races, focusing on the Dirty Kanza 200. After amazing experiences and a sharp learning curve last season, Wicks is bringing his years of excellence and experience to this new race format. Barry will also continue to challenge at multi-day mountain bike stage racing, supporting Kris and Cory as they battle each other to be the top dogs of the Endurance mountain bike game. Barry will also continue on his cyclocross career on the North American cyclocross circuit, aiming for podium finishes and great rides.


MENTIONS @konaworld @C-Fearon @SramMedia @shimano @foxracingshox



Author Info:
konaworld avatar

Member since Nov 18, 2008
137 articles

49 Comments
  • 45 15
 Get Aggy a Redbull sponsorship already. I think dude has earned his wings.
  • 72 0
 He's a Monster's athlete Wink
  • 8 18
flag Biocoug1 (Dec 1, 2014 at 13:14) (Below Threshold)
 is he sponsored by Monster? I never noticed. I just looked through their list of athletes, he isn't on their page? Seriously, if he is I need to pay more attention then hehe Smile
  • 38 0
 dude, his helmet is right there.....
  • 8 1
 I am not saying he isnt a monster energy athlete. I didn't see him on their list. Zink and a few others are on there. www.monsterenergy.com/us/en/athletes
  • 7 0
 His event (Fest Series) was sponsored by Monster, his helmet has Monster's logo, so I think it's enought to say he's sponsored ^^
  • 22 0
 I get it I made a bonehead comment.
  • 10 0
 But you are not a bonehead. You are my favorite person ever.
  • 13 0
 Final y someone on pb who can admit they goofed. Hats off to you sir
  • 5 0
 Haha if you can't make fun of yourself then what's the point :-)
  • 1 0
 @voxran: He's already beast. He needs wings!
  • 4 0
 Why isn't Dylan Sherrard on Kona's roster yet?!
  • 1 0
 Considering he signed with specialized at the beggining of the year...
  • 17 2
 How funny would it be if Aggy donned some Lycra and was an official olympic hopeful? That would not confuse me at all.
  • 3 0
 I get why you would think that. "Making a run for the Olympics, bidding for World Championship gold, Aggy, Antoine and Connor all sign new two-year deals…" is on the main page lol.
  • 4 1
 He would race skeleton or two person luge or something insane like that.
  • 15 2
 I heard Dylan Sherrard has given up and started an underground party bike team, focused only on trying to find out where the trail starts?
  • 1 0
 Hahaha I think Knopf is on to something.
  • 1 0
 knopf for prez
  • 1 0
 So, what is Mr. Shredhard up to?
  • 1 0
 You will have to wait and see
  • 1 0
 mysterious... @jamisX1
  • 11 0
 Glad fearon is staying with kona.
  • 20 0
 so we can keep calling him kona fearon
  • 3 1
 Fear On Kona
  • 9 0
 What about the other E word. . . . Enduro's?
  • 8 0
 Matt Slaven?
  • 1 0
 Word on the street is Slaven's out. . . .
  • 5 0
 GA is the Big Bad Boss!!!
  • 6 1
 Those operators are just badass!
  • 4 0
 Yea, where's Slaven? I think he brings a lot to the Kona brand. I'd like to know the story there.
  • 1 0
 Aggy rocks, but I wasted about three grand on a cadabra in 20012. the Kona rep kelly steelman was a liar and and a jerk and the bike never worked properly no matter how much money I poured into it. I have never had such a horrible experience with a company or a product. I could go on but I will stay classy cause I am from san diego
  • 2 1
 Gravity is always cool, but seeing the times that guys like Sneddon put down on my local trails during the singletrack 6 earns them their own entire world of respect in my books.
  • 2 0
 Awesome, glad they were able to keep Aggy and Fearon! Is Sherrard just an ambassador?
  • 4 0
 Where's Slaven?
  • 1 0
 Imo, the Kona supreme operator has the best frame geometry of all downhill bike. If I had some moola, this is the bike i would get...
  • 2 0
 Wow, thought fearon was leaving.
  • 1 0
 Lots of people seemed to think that (see the 2015 Racing Rumors thread on Vital), I'm curious: Why?
  • 3 0
 Think it's because anyone following Connor on Instagram is noticing he hasn't had a downhill bike since the world champs. Hopefully he's got one to ride again soon.
  • 1 0
 No enduro riders? I'm kind of suprised with the process being such a popular bike.
  • 2 0
 Al stock and slaven are out???
  • 2 1
 Rampage is going to be dominated by kona i think... and YT
  • 1 0
 where is Dylan Sherrard ?? Frown such a great man !
  • 1 0
 I can't imagine Aggy leave Kona... where would he go?
  • 1 0
 Isn't Kona based out of Washington? Bizet referenced the cool canadians...
  • 2 0
 They are, but I'm pretty sure they have a Canadian HQ office as well.
  • 1 0
 That front flip by Bizet is so bad ass!







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