This One Time, At Team Camp
Off-season. A phrase that conjures mixed emotions... Sure, there are those able to regard it in a positive light—an opportunity for much-needed rest—time to relax the body and mind away from the saddle and the race track. For others it's all about the hard grind—a sufferfest spent putting in the hours with a brutal physical training regime that will allow them to climb another rung of the long ladder to the top. But sadly for many of us, it's a dull and dirty word… an empty chasm of nothing but a long, dark, lonely, cabin fever-inducing void that must be endured while the weather goes off the rails outside. There are also, however, the lucky few who continue to live the vida loca on bikes all year long. These are mainly pro riders blessed by the latitudes they call home. Australians, for example. And Californians.
Record levels of rainfall were (another) shaky start to 2017 for residents of Trump's South-west, but for the stars of Intense Factory Racing it was soon time to make off-season... very good... again. The long awaited team camp was upon them; a coming together of riders, old and new, with the management at the home of the legendary bicycle brand in the SoCal city of sun, Temecula. Testing, training, getting to know sponsors, and above all... riding, would feature heavily in a month-long schedule of nigh-on exclusively good times. Before anyone's eyes glaze over green with envy let's remember; the door is open. If you too would like to be a professional mountain bike racer and live this kind of a life there really is absolutely nothing and no one stopping you. Except; Aaron Gwin, Rachel Atherton, Danny Hart, Manon Carpenter, Troy Brosnan, Tahnee Seagrave, Greg Minnaar, Tracy Hannah, Connor Fearon, Emilie Siegenthaler, Loic Bruni… you know, those type of people.
What exactly goes on at Team Camp for the accomplished and privileged few at the sharp end of downhill racing, too often remains a mystery. Well, this time Pinkbike was there to share a piece of this American pie. Come aboard as we penetrate that warm and fruity interior, with a more than ride-rich highlight reel.
Decades of heritage or not, you can't be caught standing still in an industry that moves on this fast. The aluminium workshop at Intense HQ is but a fraction of its former self and just a couple of expert fabricators remain on hand to build prototypes, of which two types, each in different sizes, had to be ready for testing with the arrival of the team.
Jeff Steber (above left), founder of Intense, remains well at the centre of proceedings. Even after some 24 years in the game, he's still got the bug, riding, digging trails and building bicycle frames himself.
The long road to the all new Tracer, lines the walls of the workshop just two weeks before launch.
Charlie 'Chuck' Harrison – USA.
Dean 'Deanos Machinos' Lucas – AUS.
Jack 'Shark Attack' Moir – AUS.
Nik 'Nasty Jr' Nestoroff – USA.
 | We are very happy to continue the team with the Aussie boys, Jack and Dean, alongside our youngster, Nik. They are all great guys and better riders. For this year we've added Charlie Harrison, who I think is a great fit for us, being born and raised here in SoCal and of course already chalking up promising results at the races. It's a young and very talented team and we are looking forward to exciting times ahead. I would expect team camp to show a little more of their potential as riders and I'm hoping also prove a huge asset to our product development. We've got a lot of work to do on some exciting stuff in the pipeline |
The weapon of choice for the long season of competition ahead...
the Sram-equipped M16C.
Bad hombre's... The squad that spans the hemispheres is back in town.
//FONTANA//
Rain ruts the size of Horseshoe Bend had just written off many of SoCals most popular riding haunts, including a couple of the closest and best. Thankfully Fontana, aka Fontucky, not far from L.A., runs well rain or shine, so the boys found themselves back on the hill that hosts the winter series testing wheels and a fresh prototype from Jeff.
Definitely not camo... The IFR squad have all kinds of colors to roll out this season thanks to their new partnership with fellow California originals, TLD.
Considering the extreme wet the team found plenty of grip amongst the granite and put their new Enve carbon wheelsets to the test. Ignoring the infamously flat 'wall' section, the track offers a super easy shuttle and the chance to smash out many a consecutive lap, the perfect place to compare set-ups.
Team mechanics, Ernie and Chappy, were there along with Enve's Eli for the regroup and to dial in the changes between laps.
Charlie Harrison is the man here at Fontana, winning about as many races as he enters in these climbs, here leading out the guys on one of the many winding paths of destruction.
| We've got into some real solid testing and training here in Cali and I reckon everyone's feeling pretty on it coming into the start of the new season. After a long time riding at home alone in Aus. it can be hard to tell what kind of pace I'm at, so to get out with the boys for a month was an awesome way to gauge our speed and have a blast at the same time. There's a bunch of sweet tracks out this way, but that Fontucky bedrock holds a special place in our hearts. |
Thanks to a heavy lunch order of foot-longs, all with extra avocado, the squad made it all the way through to sundown and the best light of the day.
Ernie packs up ready to head back to base for an evening on the tools with a delicious In 'n' Out Burger take-out for nourishment. Thick shakes and animal fries all the way.
As the saying goes; a mechanic's work is never done, but a rider's... is. Or something. Dean takes flight after a long day behind bars.
The hot-tub doesn't need the time-machine function when the good times are now... Definitely the 'happy place' for the boys at team camp, as well as for Jeff and Jenn (his wife and the Intense marketing manager). They had their own tub next door but rented their neighbour's luxury pad for the month to put the team up in style.
//SAN MARCOS//
A washed-out shuttle road saw an end to the plan to session the more highly-acclaimed 69 trail, so the crew drove on towards Nik's turf in the city of San Marcos. As you can see he likes to scent mark his territory before getting down to it.
The ever good-natured, Bernat, has his work cut out keeping the boys out of harm's way.
Cougars are about the least of it.
Harrison preparing to drop into the biggest season of his young career.
Nik's local mountain isn't the steepest, but it's an easy shuttle and another good hill to put in the laps and get up to race speed.
Spot the rider among the trees and the cougars.
This year will be a big one for the 19yr old California local with the moto background. Stoked to be part of a full factory set-up this season, Charlie will now go toe to toe on an even footing with the American greats of the circuit like Gwin, Shore, Mullaly and Jackson.
//FILMING//
With a half-done team video that wasn't going to finish itself, the boys had work to do with bikes of all shapes and sizes. Making a dubious call, in light of recent conditions, the team decided to gamble on a trip up into the San Bernadino mountains, hoping they wouldn't have to break out the snowboards. Luckily the drive paid off and despite a good coating up top, the lower steeps were ready to rip after a little bit of graft on the mcleod. This is a legendary, but unofficial trail that has stood the test of time for over 20 years of big bike abuse, actually before a couple of the team were even born. Anyway, it proved to be a great choice to show the cameras what the guys could do and the loam was flying.
Who doesn't love fresh donuts? Bernat signs his name in the lawn before the morning commute.
With the morning spent filling in clips for the Tracer launch video the crew couldn't wait to get their claws into the dark dirt for the team edit.
| It was awesome sending it out this way to film. It was a bit cold and snowy in the morning, but that just made it more fun as I'd never had the chance to ride in snow. By the afternoon it had all melted off and the track was running quick... Definitely one of the fastest and roughest downhill tracks I have ridden in Socal. The team camp 'routine' has been rad, I could get used to it... just riding all kinds of bikes, training and hanging out with the fellas. That's living, Barry! |
Dean is the only rider on the team who's had an elite podium and the champagne initiation from Greg Minnaar in Switzerland 2015 is a memory that surely can't be beaten. Maybe matched, though—watch this space.
A nice solid POV shot, easily achieved, with plastic bottles.
Stable as a horse's bedroom. Jack gets strapped in ready for action.
Time was of the essence, with so much to fit in on the shoot...
so priorities came first for the boys, as ever, such as tipping this boulder into the ravine.
Sooner or later, shredding this old track to bits was back on the itinerary and it was obvious exactly why each of the four is a threat for the season to come, flowing through the gnarly ruts as if on rails.
Not a typical section of trail for your average Australian, but Jack's no average Australian.
Jake helps gets the switchbacks into decent shape ready for the next loam bombing of the Suspended Productions lenses.
The Aussies smashing their way down through the ruts and onto the road-crossing.
Charlie sees off the last of the winter snow headed towards the final field section and most importantly, dinner, on the last lap of the day.
//AIRTIME//
Built by Eric Carter and friends long back in the day, the iconic SoCal jump spot is just a stone's throw down the highway from Temecula. Overlooked on their 2016 team camp it was a must-visit location to put some respectable distance between the team's wheels and the ground.
With the management all about the airtime the team had some added pressure to go big and look good doing it. Bernat and Chappy up the ante.
| This was the first place I ever trained on a downhill bike so it was great to session it again with the boys... Jack and Dean are pretty aggressive looking on the bikes, both great to watch and Nik rides likes the miniature bodybuilder that he is, haha! I like to think my style's okay, but I couldn't really tell ya! I guess Ern-dog and Chappy stole the show today, though! |
Mechanic, Ernie, soaring like a majestic Catalan eagle.
Definitely no match for the many styles of down-under from Mr. Lucas...
The crew reloads the manual way.
'Nasty Nik Jr', never afraid to go big.
Moir owning the scrubs for the day, albeit in a narrow win over long-time sender of this spot, Chappy.
The squad reflects on their squad goals.
Intense FR are go! Nothing unmanly about good team spirit my friends.
//THE ENDURO SPOT//
With just a couple of days to go before the new Tracer launch, we headed out late in the afternoon with Bernat for an enduro shoot, another quick trip from HQ. There's many a great fun lap to be had among the bushes and boulders at this place.
| Last year was my first as a Team Manager and man, it was challenging. I didn’t remember feeling so beat up after every World Cup when I was racing, but it was totally worth it. I made the statement to help my boys make it as World Champions and what can I say, I’m more than happy to be still involved in what my life has been spinning around for the past 15 years; DH racing |
SoCal sunset at its finest and despite World Cup DH retirement, this old guy's still got it.
| Team Camp is my chance to make sure I still know how to ride! It's guaranteed to be a good laugh, ripping the trails and living the SoCal life with those, crazy guys. There are so many things going on at Intense in terms of prototypes and new bikes and it's great to have the factory team more and more involved with every new project. You know developments are in the right direction when you have bikes that get people excited to ride. |
Breakfast with Nik. Some would say six eggs just for him is excessive, but this is a man on a mission and with ex-bodybuilder, Brian 'Nasty' Nestoroff, for a father you understand the path he's on.
Hosting Spomer of Vital MTB for breakfast and an all-important, USA versus AUS, grudge-match quiz.
//ONE LAST RIDE//
One of the last outings on the big bikes before the long flight home, well for 50% of the team at least, was a return to the San Bernadino mountains. With all the snow melted away on the upper slopes, the boys were able to pack in the shuttle runs. It would be the last training session together before the first significant regroup of the season in Rotorua, NZ.
Ernie once again bringing that textbook style to the hill.
| I think the boys have gained some good momentum already and we are ready to put some statements on the table! Intense is back and is back for good! I can't thank enough everyone involved with this project, not only the sponsors but the people who put all their passion on making this team possible. Just come by our pits at the first World Cup and you will see what I’m talking about |
Back at base and hard on the chill once again.
Yes, indeed camp-life sure looks ideal. It would be remiss of us as journalists, however, to present this photo-set as a complete and thorough representation of what these pro-riders really experienced here in Temecula. The following list includes some of the aspects that, for better or worse, have been omitted in the pictures:
Gym sessions, protein shakes, bananas, foot-long subs, burritos, jerky, pancakes, fish tacos… let's just say 'food'; sleeping, stretching, Reflex Motocross, shoe shopping, California traffic jams, dirty laundry, surfing, sky-diving, Whatsapping, toilet blocking, BBQs, opening boxes of fresh kit, faffing, Instagramming, iPhones falling into hot tubs, XC riding, being sick in swimming pools, and rap music.
Nothing but Jack Moir floating blissfully on a giant white swan in a California infinity pool. A level of calm we should all be aspiring to.
| Team camp was absolutely all-time with the boys this year. Definitely top of the highlights for me was getting thrown out of a plane for the team video... it was also the most nervous I got all trip, but hands down one of the best experiences. If I was forced to pick out a low point I think it would have to be losing a bet to Jenn and having my hair dyed a pretty horrific yellow come strawberry-blond. Two days and $150 dollars in repairs later I was back to my old self. Anyway, overall it was unreal here in Cali; Jenn and Jeff went all out giving us the best place to stay and train. How could it not put you in a good mood coming back to such a nice spot, having that hot tub with a view and some cold ones at the ready! World Cup season, here we come... |
Look out for these not-so-far from Hollywood A-listers and their fresh new sound at a World Cup near you. It's the sound of speed so don't blink or you'll miss it.
MENTIONS: @intensecyclesusa / @natedh9 / @troyleedesigns
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Member since Jul 19, 2007
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There's no right way to do the wrong thing.
Maybe it should be "Intense Shipping and Receiving Racing "
have been hearing about his path through second hand info (friend of his dad's)...sounds like a great kid with a bright future.
With a new linkage design, there's at least 1 dh in 275 and 1 in 29. (AL both)
its so WOW factor