‘Tis the season to unveil your World Cup mountain biking team, and Trek Factory Racing is ready to announce theirs. Back for more in 2017, the Atherton Family will be flying the flag for Trek aboard the Session 9.9 downhill race bike. Rachel Atherton has more targets on her back than ever before, after a perfect season in 2016 where SHE WON EVERYTHING. As one of the most successful downhill racers of all time, Atherton is expecting the pressure to build from the competition in 2017 from the likes of Tahnee Seagrave and Manon Carpenter.
In addition to Rachel Atherton, Trek Factory Racing bolsters one of the strongest female mountain biking lineups of the World Cup scene. On the XCO side of things, Emily Batty continues her longstanding relationship with Trek (and Gary Fisher prior to that), and will return off the back of good form through 2016 to see if she can go even further in 2017. On the enduro side of things, Scottish XC-hopeful-turned-enduro-shredder, Katy Winton is on board for big things this year, and she’ll be teammates with Canadian Casey Brown. Between the two of them, they’ll be all over the Enduro World Series.
There will also be men on the Trek Factory Racing team, including the other Athertons; Gee & Dan. Gee will be hoping to bounce back after a lacklustre 2016 season, where he was eclipsed by the performance of his World Champion-winning sister. Dan will continue to make sick edits that go viral on YouTube. Joining fellow Scot Katy Winton on the EWS team is Lewis Buchanan.
On the XC side of things, there’s been significant movement in the Trek Factory Racing Team. Aussie riders Bec Henderson & Dan McConnell are off the team, as is Japanese fast-man Kohei Yamamoto. However, Spanish rider Sergio Mantecon remains, and the XC team has been bolstered by the addition of New Zealand rider Anton Cooper, who is steadily rising through the Elite ranks after dominating the junior scene for many years. This is a big move from Trek, who have taken Cooper off the Cannondale Factory Team. Cooper can thank Trek for his first professional sponsorship many years ago, and so he returns to the team for 2017. Expect very big things to come from Cooper.
Press Release
[Waterloo, WI] – Trek Factory Racing announced new rosters today for its downhill, cross-country, and enduro mountain bike teams, redoubling its efforts to win at the elite level in all disciplines. With returning athletes as well as new and emerging talent, Trek Factory Racing’s new teams signal a strong investment in the present and future of its marquee mountain bike programs.
On the heels of an extraordinary season, TFR Downhill and Rachel Atherton hope to accomplish even more in 2017. Rachel, Gee, and Dan Atherton (GBR) return with a focus on World Cup DH. The first family of downhill will also participate in heart-stopping Red Bull events, world-class track-building, and the production of new mountain bike films. Stay tuned for more roster info from the squad in the coming weeks. Going into 2017, TFR Downhill will follow Rachel’s historic perfect season and World Championship win aboard Trek Session.
World Cup luminary Emily Batty (CAN) will lead the 2017 cross-country squad. Coming off her best season yet, Emily looks to improve on a 2016 that saw a 4th place finish at the Rio Olympics, and a podium at the World Championships. She will be joined by strongman Sergio Mantecon (ESP), as well as 2012 Junior and 2015 U-23 World Champion Anton Cooper (NZL). Sergio returns to TFR after a 2016 plagued by injury, while Anton returns to the Trek family looking to expand on his junior season wins aboard Trek, and ready to make a statement with World Cup results.
“Things have come full circle since I became the Junior World Champion in 2012 whilst piloting a Trek,” said Anton, “and I’m really looking forward to being back on board with the brand in 2017. Trek gave me my first opportunity as a professional rider at just 17, and it feels just as exciting for me to link up with the brand as it did back then.”
TFR Enduro returns with the ever-competitive talents of Katy Winton (SCO) and Casey Brown (CAN). Both will look to expand on their momentum of 2016, when Katy saw numerous top-10s and Casey found herself on the podium at several Enduro World Series races. Katy and Casey will race in EWS events alongside up-and-coming talent Lewis Buchanan (SCO). Lewis is coming off an injury-laden season, but has exactly the attitude and potential the program seeks to foster:
“Signing with Trek Factory Racing is a great opportunity that I could not pass up. To be part of the team is a dream, and to be on such awesome equipment is a major confidence booster. I look forward to the season ahead and getting racing underway in new colors.”
Trek Factory Racing is a professional cycling team that competes globally at the highest level. Woven around unique, rich personalities, the team is open, engaging, and welcomes all to experience the grit and glory of professional cycling.
