We hate to say we told you so, but… well, we did. At least, we told you the rumour that we were hearing and that has finally become official news today: Danny Hart joins Cube.
It’s not just a case of Danny joining Cube though – it’s apparently a ‘long term contract’, and they’ll now have a dedicated Downhill Factory Racing team. That might seem like a bold move to sign a rider not known for his social media presence or coverage away from the race tape in a year when we could still see restrictions on racing… but Cube has invested plenty in the new Cube TWO15 downhill bike, and Danny’s existing fan following and bike park will surely go some way to highlighting their flagship product, even if races do end up few and far between.
No doubt a big name like Danny costs a fair bit to bag, and for 2020 the new Downhill team will consist of just Danny and existing Cube rider Max Hartenstern. It looks like Cube has slimmed down its EWS team too – last year’s Gusti Wildhaber looks to be the only remaining rider from last year’s four person team as the Cube website shows just two more EWS riders to be announced. Or maybe they’ve just putting to use the savings they made on not having a 2020 bar bill at their near-legendary dealer show?!
Today’s official press release reads:
29-year-old Hart exploded onto the elite downhill scene with his now-legendary gold run at the 2011 World Championships. Hailing from Redcar on England’s north-east coast, the two-time UCI Downhill World Champion has multiple World Cup wins under his belt. Fondly known as the “Redcar Rocket”, Hart has made a name for himself as unstoppable on treacherously steep tracks in muddy conditions. In 2019 Danny finished on the podium at every round of the World Cup.
Starting 2021, Danny, who with his wife Sophia has just welcomed a baby daughter, will ride for the CUBE Factory Racing team under a long-term contract.
“I’m stoked on the new team and the bike. The first tests with the TWO15 were super promising and I can’t wait to be out there racing on it. Being a new father, it’s important to me to plan long term and be on the same wavelength as my partners. I was welcomed into the CUBE family straight away and really felt at home,” says the CUBE Factory Racing rider.
Taking the team to the next level
CUBE is a big proponent of a family atmosphere and working closely with its athletes, and the long-term focus of this partnership serves to cement these values, says CUBE’s founder and owner, Marcus Pürner.
“As part of our decision to develop a race-ready downhill bike for 2021, it was clear to us that we wanted to take our team to the next level. Danny is at the top of his sport and can establish our team amongst the world’s elite. It is the ultimate endorsement of our downhill product portfolio as a major contender at this level. Not only that, but it means we can offer our customers top-quality bikes tested by the pros themselves.”
Danny joins existing team member and five-time German Champion Max Hartenstern. Max’s goal is to make the transition to world elite level and he intends to capitalise on Danny’s experience.
A post shared by Danny Hart (@dannyhart1)
CUBE TWO15: completely redesigned for 2021
Max played a key role in developing the new TWO15 series. Last October CUBE launched its completely redesigned downhill bikes to mark the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill Worlds. CUBE has given the bike a longer reach, slacker head angle and enhanced kinematics for the best handling. And there’s even a built-in angle set, to tweak the geometry to suit the rider perfectly. Extended protectors on the down tube and seatstays ensure it’ll stay looking good through the rough and tumble of downhill.
With a super-agile 27.5” alloy version or lightning-fast carbon 29er race bike to choose from, there’s a perfect TWO15 partner for everyone.
The first round of the UCI Downhill World Cup is scheduled to start in Maribor, Slovenia at the end of April with the season highlight, the World Championships, due to take place in Val di Sole, Italy at the end of August.
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I like Danny. Seems a good bloke to me.
Uhh, Greg Callaghan did announce his move to Devinci, but it was in January last year.
@lewzz10 doh! Brain fart, bike news equivalent to when you write last year’s date on cheques until February.