Two New Riders for Madison Saracen – but where’s Danny Hart going?

Madison Saracen has revealed who will be on the team next year – but the surprise omission is Danny Hart.

Jordan Williams joins the Factory team to ride in the junior category after two successful years as a development rider. If you’ve been following our Making Up The Numbers race reports you’ll have seen he’s a podium regular, rarely beaten.

Matt Walker sticks with the team and has his sights set on more World Cup podium success at the Elite level next year.

Brand new to the team for next year is Elite Women’s rider Veronika Widmann. Ranked no.3 by the UCI, Madison says Veronika ‘will be a valuable addition to the team both on and off the race track, and her presence and interaction with fans makes her an excellent ambassador for all things MTB.’ Veronika said: ‘I’m beyond stoked and grateful for the opportunity to begin with Madison Saracen. It’s a dream setup and I can’t wait for the new season.’

On the management side, Harry Molloy joins as Assistant Manager, returning to the team where he was one of the original riders back in 2011. Madison Saracen says:

‘Harry has gone on to manage his own team whilst continuing to race, picking up knowledge and experience that will help all the team riders as he supports them on and off the hill. Harry will also take on some individual challenges and events that showcase the best in our sponsors products. From gravel to big mountain, it’s time to share some adventures.’

Looking forward to 2021 Will Longden, Team Manager said “I’m excited to be heading this talented team of riders, who each show a fresh enthusiasm and determination to achieve their best. It reignites my passion for the sport and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead. Getting stuck in to what Madison Saracen Team is all about, developing talent to the highest level and inspiring everyone to get out and ride.”

Dom Langan, CEO of Madison and Sportline, said “Firstly I would like to thank Danny for everything he brought to the team over the last three years and I wish him every success for the future. I am also delighted to see Jordan Williams move up from our development team to follow in the footsteps of Matt Walker, as the development of young talent is key to the ethos of the team. The Madison Saracen team enjoyed early success with our first female rider, Manon Carpenter, and I am very pleased to have Veronika joining the team with a very promising future ahead of her.”

What this doesn’t tell us is where Danny is off to. We asked our Downhill Guru, George Thompson – between his Making Up The Numbers podcast and racing, he’s pretty well connected. He says:

‘Danny Hart wins races. Danny Hart sells bikes. He’s the people’s champion and he’s a big part of why Saracen has taken over from Orange as the most popular bike on the UK race scene. He’d be a great fit on the Santa Cruz Syndicate. They have a history of having multiple riders who can win races and I think it might be contract time there as well. Imagine how many Megatowers he’d sell…’

Is George right? Where do you think he might be heading?

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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