Thibaut Daprela Turns Privateer For 2024

News

by Hannah Dobson March 14, 2024 46

Having made something of a surprise move from Commencal Muc Off to Canyon at the end of last year, Thibaut Daprela has now announced he’s leaving Canyon for life as a privateer. His Instagram profile still lists Monster Energy, Fizik and Ride 100 Percent as sponsors.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thibaut Dapréla (@thibautdaprela)

I will race in 2024 as a privateer as it’s been decided mutually to end my partnership with Canyon Factory Racing.

See you at a race soon.
Thibaut Daprela Instagram

We have reached out to Canyon and Thibaut for comment.

Update:

Following a mutual agreement, we would like to inform the Downhill community that Canyon will no longer be the official bike sponsor of Thibaut Daprela. This decision has been aligned and carefully considered between Thibaut and Canyon. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Thibaut for his service to Canyon CLLCTV racing team and we wish him a healthy and successful season ahead.
Canyon

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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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This topic has 46 replies, 25 voices, and was last updated 6 months ago by Simon.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 46 total)

Thibaut Daprela Turns Privateer For 2024
weeksy
Full Member

Article doesn’t seem to open when i click it… but i’m massively curious on this one.

Posted 8 months ago

mashr
Full Member

You’re not missing out, the article tells you nothing extra. Left Commencal, left Canyon “by mutual consent”. Be interesting to see what comes out in the wash

Posted 8 months ago

finbar
Free Member

I am shocked he’s not on a factory ride. Surely he’s not going privateer as first choice?

Posted 8 months ago

weeksy
Full Member

I’m guessing Commencal have filled their spots, it’s gone sour at Canyon and Privateer is the only real option left to him.

Massive shame for him in many ways as he’s one of if not my favourite rider to watch as he’s just a missile when he’s on it…. and a torpedo when he’s not 😀

Posted 8 months ago

scaredypants
Full Member

Are the 2 bikes very different? Maybe he “couldn’t” ride the Canyon

Be interesting to see what bike he’s on for race 1

Posted 8 months ago

1

matt_outandabout
Full Member

Do his ears not hurt in that hat?

Posted 8 months ago

captain_bastard
Free Member

There’s rumours doing the rounds regarding off the bike behaviour, if true doubt he’ll ever get a factory ride

Posted 8 months ago

BoardinBob
Full Member

Very interesting that Pinkbike aren’t reporting on this. I suspect it’s because of how the comments section will go…

He’s disabled commenting on his original Instagram post

Posted 8 months ago

wipperman95
Free Member

One can only guess something has happened that is unacceptable to a Factory team…..and they’ve parted ways. So, a Privateer programme it is……

Posted 8 months ago

ocrider
Full Member

There’s rumours doing the rounds regarding off the bike behaviour, if true doubt he’ll ever get a factory ride

@captain_bastard , I think you could give him your handle, it’d be quite fitting.

Pinkbike will have to tread very lightly because of the incel population below the line

Posted 8 months ago

mashr
Full Member

Very interesting that Pinkbike aren’t reporting on this. I suspect it’s because of how the comments section will go…

I suspect they are just looking for more understanding of what’s happened first

Posted 8 months ago

1

captain_bastard
Free Member

One can only guess something has happened that is unacceptable to a Factory team…..and they’ve parted ways. So, a Privateer programme it is……

I can’t see him on a privateer program, or allowed within the same time zone as any event

Posted 8 months ago

BearBack
Free Member

gonna be tough to insure the liability of someone who lays it all on the line!

Posted 8 months ago

crab
Free Member

Be interested to know what’s gone on here, was surprised there wasn’t much pre season talk about him. From my armchair commentator perspective, outside the top 3 of Bruni, Goldstone and Pierron there’s about 10 guys who could beat any of them on a good day, Deprela probably the wildest and undoubtedly quick, still young too.

Posted 8 months ago

captain_bastard
Free Member

Be interested to know what’s gone on here,

Something happened, when commencel got wind of the allegations he was gone. Canyon didn’t know, they found out and kicked him off. Apparently Lots of chat around the French DH scene, it’s been known about since August. What’s being talked about is very very serious

Posted 8 months ago

weeksy
Full Member

Vital MTB has a thread with quite a bit more detail. But it’s not my place to be throwing words or accusations about

Posted 8 months ago

crab
Free Member

“What’s being talked about is very very serious”
😕

Posted 8 months ago

submarined
Free Member

I won’t link from here, but last page of the Vital team rumours thread contains all the rumours you need to know, which unfortunately seem to add up

Posted 8 months ago

sharkattack
Full Member

The allegations are very serious which makes me wonder why there is no mention of any criminal charges. Nothing at all outside of the MTB rumour mill.

Considering how long some people have known about it, it looks odd that Canyon signed him in the first place.

If it all turns out to be true it looks very bad for the brands who continue to support him. I can’t see people lining up to get him on their frames.

Posted 8 months ago

chakaping
Full Member

Very interesting that Pinkbike aren’t reporting on this. I suspect it’s because of how the comments section will go…

I suspect they are just looking for more understanding of what’s happened first

A bit of both IMO. They like to at least try to do real journalism, and they know they have an issue with part of their readership.

It’s unclear from the posts on Vital whether this alleged serious thing is in the hands of the authorities or not. If it is, then I believe French law allows him to be named. If not, that makes reporting more difficult.

Obviously we don’t want to give the STW mods a hard time by saying anything more specific here.

It’ll be interesting to see if he’s now shunned by the rest of the World Cup scene anyway.

Posted 8 months ago

nickc
Full Member

Very interesting that Pinkbike aren’t reporting on this. I suspect it’s because of how the comments section will go…

Probably not a massively long meeting to discuss it though. Either report it, and turn off the comments, and that pretty much confirms the rumours that everyone’s heard by absence, or report it and leave comments on and moderate it for the rest of time…

Posted 8 months ago

munrobiker
Free Member

Remember that every day is International Women’s Day on STW. I’m surprised they’re not standing up and saying what’s happening here, given it involves alleged sexual offences.

https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2024-team-rumors?page=140#comment-435411

Posted 8 months ago

1

ossify
Full Member

Remember that every day is International Women’s Day on STW. I’m surprised they’re not standing up and saying what’s happening here, given it involves alleged sexual offences.

Because no one knows what’s happening here? Or at least they’re not saying, publicly.

No matter what rumours have been going round and no matter for how long, when you get down to it that’s still just what they are: unsubstantiated rumours.

An article publicising this and either explicitly or tacitly accusing him of *something* would be a very bad idea at this point. Legally and morally.

Posted 8 months ago

3

sharkattack
Full Member

They could have just not posted this non article. It’s only a DH rider changing his arrangements at this point.

STW isn’t exactly the DH news website.

Posted 8 months ago

1

Gribs
Full Member

It’ll be interesting to see if he’s now shunned by the rest of the World Cup scene anyway.

I’d be very surprised by that. The scene seems to have no problem with a team manager appearing to be in a relationship with a much younger rider on their team.

Posted 8 months ago

weeksy
Full Member

Ooooft now the claws are coming out !

Posted 8 months ago

munrobiker
Free Member

They’ve also had no problem letting Pierron back into the fold after the racist instagram post he made a few years ago.

“He’s apologised so he’s not racist” seems to go a long way these days.

I think you could report it fairly as “Daprela leaves Canyon amidst allegations of sexual misconduct”. None of that is untrue.

Posted 8 months ago

matt_outandabout
Full Member

Remember that every day is International Women’s Day on STW. I’m surprised they’re not standing up and saying what’s happening here, given it involves alleged sexual offences.

At present it seems to be an accusation and rumour.
Until there is a legal charge or similar level of evidence from authorities, or a public statement from him or the accuser, then there is nothing to report publicly.

Posted 8 months ago

BruceWee
Free Member

then there is nothing to report publicly.

Apart from getting kicked off two teams in quick succession. To which the obvious question is ‘Why?’

Maybe there’s an explanation that isn’t the one doing the rounds. If that’s the case I would be getting that explanation out there very quickly if I was either Daprela, Canyon, or the UCI because it’s difficult not to assume the worst with all this silence.

It looks very very bad for the individual, the team, and the sport.

Posted 8 months ago

chakaping
Full Member

I’d be very surprised by that.

Let’s see, eh?

BK might be contravening HR policy, if he wasn’t the proprietor of his own team, but it’s a world away from what’s alleged about TD.

I think you could report it fairly as “Daprela leaves Canyon amidst allegations of sexual misconduct”. None of that is untrue.

You really can’t report that if it’s just internet hearsay. You’d need to at least have contact with the alleged victim on record, and preferably for an arrest and charges to have happened.

Posted 8 months ago

ocrider
Full Member

There needn’t be any charge for his behaviour and abuse of position to create a toxic environment within a team.

Posted 8 months ago

2

chakaping
Full Member

There needn’t be any charge for his behaviour and abuse of position to create a toxic environment within a team.

If that’s a reply to my post, I was talking about any reporting of the very serious allegations made in comments on Vital.

And I mean in the sense of what a media outlet is legally allowed to say, without being vulnerable to a libel claim.

Posted 8 months ago

relapsed_mandalorian
Full Member

If that’s a reply to my post, I was talking about any reporting of the very serious allegations made in comments on Vital.

And I mean in the sense of what a media outlet is legally allowed to say, without being vulnerable to a libel claim.

My brother in christ, this is STW, there is no room for measured & reasonable posts.

Wild conjecture and hearsay are the only currency, especially on subjects such as this. You know this to be the way, be better.

Posted 8 months ago

4

sharkattack
Full Member

They’ve also had no problem letting Pierron back into the fold after the racist instagram post he made a few years ago.

“He’s apologised so he’s not racist” seems to go a long way these days.

Is he racist though? Or was it a couple of young French lads singing along to American rap songs in their second language?

As someone who grew up in a council estate listening to NWA I can relate.

I put that one down to a crime of stupidity rather than hatred.

Posted 8 months ago

munrobiker
Free Member

He’s probably racist.

Posted 8 months ago

ocrider
Full Member

If that’s a reply to my post, I was talking about any reporting of the very serious allegations made in comments on Vital.

And I mean in the sense of what a media outlet is legally allowed to say, without being vulnerable to a libel claim.

@chakaping, no. It was a general comment about this thread and the allegations elsewhere within the biking community which have grown in proportion since the paddock gossip about his wrongdoings last season.

Posted 8 months ago

dirkpitt74
Full Member

@Gribs

The scene seems to have no problem with a team manager appearing to be in a relationship with a much younger rider on their team.

Eh??

The Daprela case is interesting that that there are loads of rumours, but no comments from either Daprela, Commencal or Canyon other than leaving by “Mutual agreement…..”

I think we all need to be careful with what gets written/reported on hear & other sites – which is probably why PB haven’t run anything, lets face it you only have to spell something wrong and people are all over it lol

Anyway hope Pompon recovers quickly from her thumb surgery and makes it back for Fort Bill….

Posted 8 months ago

chakaping
Full Member

@chakaping, no. It was a general comment about this thread and the allegations elsewhere within the biking community which have grown in proportion since the paddock gossip about his wrongdoings last season.

Ah sorry, did you mean Bernard’s “abuse of position”?

It’s fine to talk about that as they’re in a relationship and any thoughts about it being inappropriate are “honestly held opinion”.

🙂

Posted 8 months ago

progboytam
Free Member

Some comments from Daprela:

https://www.vojomag.com/news/thibaut-daprela-sexprime-on-a-clairement-essaye-de-me-detruire/

Posted 8 months ago

weeksy
Full Member

Thanks for the link. I live in hope he’s a good guy, as I say, I love seeing the bloke ride

Posted 8 months ago

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