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Following an announcement by Honda at the end of the final JCF race series in Japan at the weekend, it can be confirmed that Team G Cross Honda will not be continuing.
23 Degrees Sports Management, the company hired by the Honda Racing Corporation to manage the international mountain bike race activities for the company, confirms today that the program will have no future beyond 2007.
According to the statement released by Honda Racing Corporation:
"First of all, we want to express our gratitude to Team Director Martin Whiteley, riders Greg Minnaar, Matti Lehikoinen, Brendan Fairclough, and Cyrille Kurtz, and the talented technical staff of 23 Degrees for their complete understanding and cooperation to the challenge; realising a completely new and world class race category for Honda.
As a motorcycle manufacturer, we had achieved the approach of this challenge by applying our technology which has been cultivated by our motorcycle development, and getting some feedback to our motorcycle technology is one of the purposes of our entry into the downhill mountain bike racing activity. The original "RN01" technology for example, frame and suspension, was designed utilizing off road motorcycle technology, including a very special centrally mounted gearbox that is able to change shift at any time; these were improved repeatedly, and were completed as we expected and hoped it would when we started this project back in 2000. The correctness of direction, and our approach, has been validated by the fact that we have been the number one international team for the past 2 years, and proven by the race results including acquisition of the NORBA title (2004) and UCI World Cup title (2005).
Again, we wish to express our gratitude to all team members and persons related to this project, and want all members of the team to continue aiming at success in all the challenges that lay before them. We deeply appreciate the cooperation and warm guidance we received as a company from both the race scene and the bicycle industry, allowing us to learn a lot over these years, and of course, we greatly appreciate and respect the warm and sincere appreciation of our efforts by the fans of Team G Cross Honda, which was obvious at every race we attended."
Statement from 23 Degrees Sports Management CEO Martin Whiteley:
"Team G Cross Honda has been a very important part of the international race scene over the past 4 years, and the successes have been well documented. However, I think the greatest success of the project has been the way in which it has asked the participants (riders, fans, media, sponsors) to look at our sport in a different light, and to think outside the box when it comes to race technology and the approach to racing. As a company we are indeed indebted to the Honda Racing Corporation for having the confidence in our abilities to carry out their objectives, but we are also extremely appreciative of the co-sponsors that joined in with our efforts, namely Alpinestars, Maxxis, Showa, Formula, Mavic, Funn, SDG, SRAM, Motorex, Sapim, PowerBar, Chris King and ODI.
I also want to pay a particular tribute to the talented riders and staff who have formed part of the World Team since 2004, namely riders Greg Minnaar, Matti Lehikoinen, Brendan Fairclough and Cyrille Kurtz, as well as mechanics Mike Van Zyl, Mark Maurissen and Adam Bonney, Road Manager Paul Schlitz and Photographer Gary Perkin. Their contributions have been invaluable."
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Santa Cruz Syndicate is excited to announce the
addition of Josh Bryceland to their powerhouse gravity
squad. Bryceland, the up and coming 17 year-old from
Manchester, Great Britain, is the reigning UCI World
Cup Junior Downhill Champion and British National
Junior Downhill Champion. Steve Peat has been
grooming him for a few years now, and this year
Bryceland has proven that he has the talent to play
with the big boys on the UCI World Cup circuit and has
earned himself a position on the Syndicate.
“I’m so happy to join the Syndicate. Steve and Nathan
are two riders I have looked up to for a long time and
to now be on the Syndicate with them, it’s a dream
come true! My goals for ’08 are to consistently place
top 15 at World Cups, keep hold of the yellow jersey,
and to podium at World Champs,” says an excited
Bryceland.
Steve Peat is pleased to have his protégé onboard and
says, “I have been helping Josh out for a long time
now and I like what I see. He has the drive to be the
best and I think he fits the Syndicate mentality well.
He is already an amazing rider at a young age and I
think he will flourish riding along side Rennie and
myself. Welcome aboard Josh!”
Rob Roskopp, owner of Santa Cruz Bicycles says of his
new addition, “Josh has what it takes to be the next
superstar of downhill. He has a great personality,
tons of skill and he’s very driven! We welcome him
into the exclusive club known as the Santa Cruz
Syndicate.”
Bryceland has had a remarkable season on the UCI World
Cup scene as well as at the NPS British National
races. Highlights of his year include qualifying 5th
and placing 9th at the UCI World Cup Downhill in
Maribor , Slovenia . At the NPS race in Ae Forest,
Scotland he took the junior win and placed 4th
overall, just ahead of Greg Minnaar and behind Matti
Leihikonen. A flat tire marred his world championship
race run, so he is hungry for the Junior World
Championship title in ’08.
The Syndicate has a focus on the downhill putting the
flagship Santa Cruz V-10 under the top riders in the
world. Our aim with Bryceland is to take him to the
top and assist his development into the caliber of his
mentor, Steve Peat. He’s off to a strong start as he
has been aboard the V-10 for the last year. With full
race support behind him, we expect Bryceland to
continue to shine in 2008 as he contests a full UCI
World Cup circuit, World Championships and British
National Series races.
Thanks to the SYNDICATE Sponsors who make this
possible:
Santa Cruz Bicycles
SRAM
Rock Shox
Truvativ
Avid
Kenda
DT Swiss
WTB
Crankbrothers
Lizard Skins
Clif Bar
Troy Lee Designs
Chris King
Five Ten
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NEW DIRECTION...
Many of you have asked "Is it true?", regarding the rumors flying around about GT and Brian parting ways. In short "yes", it is true!
After seven years of a mutually successful partnership that produced:
Four World Championship titles
Three World Cup Overall titles
One National Championship
GT Bicycles has decided to take their legendary "race-inspired" brand in a "new direction".
Which leads me to question what the "new direction" is, since Brian has been supplying them "wins" from the get-go. It is clear to me that the only "direction" to go is down, specially after this year's World Championship win. With that said, I don't wish for that to happen, since we have been fortunate enough to meet some great people through GT, but I do whole-heartedly question the thinking and strategy behind it this "new direction" set forth by corporate.
There is no doubt that life doesn't evolve without change, one needs to keep moving forward in order to improve. This holds true for all facets of life; training, riding, relationships, careers, etc. This encompasses chapters closing so that new ones may begin. 2007 marks the end of the Lopes/GT chapter in Mountain Bike racing and opens up a whole new chapter just waiting to be written!
I would like to take a moment to "THANK" the people who made a difference during the 2001-2007 partnership: Mark Peterman, Robert Stemen, Robert Kahler, Pete Garsky & everyone at the GT/Lake Forest, CA office. All the GT distributors who supported Brian & pushed the brand. Chris "Monk" Vazques, Steve Spencer, Jill & Bryn, Burry & Todd...gonna miss our traveling family!
Best of luck to all of you...see ya' on the dirt!
Posted by paula on September 30, 2007 01:54 PM
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