New Year, new you. That’s what they say. The racing off-season has seen plenty of chops and changes. Here is the state of play as it stands.
Below is our easy-as-possible-to-follow round-up of racing moves and rumours. No expanded threadfest 50-page forum post. No slow-loading Instagram embeds. Wheat from chaff. Brass tacks. To the point.
Shout out to Vital MTB’s legendary Team Rumors thread (unlike some outlets we’re not going to pretend this isn’t a very useful post to pore over) and Instagram’s search function.
We’re going to break this down into three categories: completed moves, confirmed departures with suspected destinations, and confirmed departures with no clue as to where the blinking flip they’re going.
Completed moves:
Neko Mulally – departs Intense – joins, er… Frank The Welder, as a privateer (of sorts)
Martin Maes – departs GT – joins Orbea.
Tinker Juarez – departs Cannondale – joins Floyd Landis’ Leadville CDB Team (no really)
Ines Thoma – departs Canyon – continues as a privateer
Riley Amos – joins Trek Factory Racing
Gerardo Ulloa – joins Massi
Louise Ferguson – joins Nukeproof
Mona Mitterwallner – joins Cannondale Factory Racing
Barbara Benko – departs Ghost – joins Aldi’s National Buying Services (no really)
UPDATES:
Nina Hoffman – leaves Stif-support – joins Santa Cruz Syndicate as their first female racer
Laurie Greenland – leaves Mondraker – joins Santa Cruz Syndicate
Jackson Goldstone – leaves Miranda Factory DH – joins Santa Cruz Syndicate
Connor Fearon – leaves Kona – joins Forbidden (on a brand new DH bike it seems)
Confirmed departures with suspected destinations:
Luca Shaw – departs Santa Cruz Syndicate – joins Canyon?
Bex Baraona – departs Ibis – joins Yeti?
Katy Winton – departs Nukeproof – joins GT?
Angel Suarez – departs Commencal 21 – joins Mondraker?
Mille Johnset – departs Atherton Racing – joins Commencal something-or-other?
Joe Barnes – departs Orange – joins Hope?
Dakota Norton – departs YT Mob – joins Stan’s-Canyon?
Dave Trummer – departs YT Mob – joins Mondraker?
Izabela Yankova – joins Specialized?
George Brannigan – departs Propain – joins GT?
Evan Wall – departs Orbea – joins Devinci?
Confirmed departures with no clue as to where they’re going:
Joe Breeden – departs UR Team
Hayley Hunter – departs Norco
Alex Marin – departs Commencal 21
Christopher Blevins – departs Trinity Racing
Keegan Wright – departs Devinci
Matt Stuttard – departs Privateer
Oisin O’Callaghan – departs YT Mob
Guy Johnston – departs YT Mob
Carson Storch – departs Rocky Mountain
Florian Nicolai – departs Trek Factory Racing
Stephane Tempier – departs Trek Factory Racing
UPDATES:
Chloe Taylor – leaves Privateer – joins Scott?
