UCI MTB World Cup (All forms!)

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Jan 7, 2017
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Interesting to see Red Bull are now involved, sponsoring another Road team.......
I know they sponsor individual riders, but I wonder if they've ever thought of a Red Bull MTB team?
 
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Sep 26, 2020
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Annika Langvad will return to racing with Specialized next year. When she retired it was with a wish of starting a family before it was too late, but it sadly still turn out to be a lengthy struggle for her and her partner to become pregnant, before she gave birth to a daughter five months ago.
 
Jan 7, 2017
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I'm afraid we've all heard similar things before; the proof will be what these figures mean. Sponsorship & improved/ better media coverage.
Outside of the usual MTB media, has the coverage from the non MTB media improved, as that is what they need. At the moment, nothing has changed - I'm not sure what they were expecting.

Just look at this site; MTB news is sparse, and tends to be linked to well known road racers in MTB racing.
 
Aug 19, 2011
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Litscher, Fini, Degn will leave Lapierre-Unity

Fini was spotted training with an electronic RockShox fork and Sram brakes. I'd say he'll go Decathlon (they leave TRP and Manitou, they'll go full Sram)
 
Aug 19, 2011
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yes, Orbea and KMC had some clear-out

Cink confirms he's off Mondraker-Primaflor. waiting for Rebecca's news. the rumor is there is a manage change between Orbea and Primaflor. the bikes will be Orbea, just 1 team will remain.

I wonder where Mona will end up. Orbea has the cash.
 
Jan 7, 2017
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I really wonder about her; the rumours mentioned her concentrating on XC Marathon, but there is no decent programme for Marathon racers, with the World Cup binned.
I still think she can do well in the XCO races that suit her.
 
Jan 7, 2017
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And a long instagram post from Bec Henderson........And as ever in MTB, no clue to where she is riding.

Also, looks like Loana will be on a BMC - was seen wearing a BMC helmet, and a bike with a red stem.
 
Jan 7, 2017
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Loana to BMC was pretty much to only logical direction she could take...
Yeah, there didn't seem to be too many other options - maybe Decathlon Ford, another French team, but I doubt they had the $$$ or space.

She doesn't seem to have ever had interest from WWT road teams, and seems to be a pure XC rider.
 
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Jan 7, 2017
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I did wonder whether the Road would be better for her; XCO is too explosive, and she loses far too many positions. XC Marathon is a road to nowhere for someone as young & talented as her.

But, it's yet another top talent leaving for the Road.........
 
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Aug 19, 2011
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does she even know how to ride in the pro road peloton? i haven't been checking thoroughly but i can't say i ever saw her racing any pro road race ever... i might be completely wrong though.

ps: she looks rather chunky on those photos :)

she has puffy cheeks, always. in winter they are a bit puffier
 
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Jan 7, 2017
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Worryingly, from a XC MTB point of view, 3/4 of World champions will start 2025 on WT/WWT Road teams.

Junior XCO - Philipsen (Lidl-Trek), Chaldanova (Visma)
U23 XCC - N/A, Holmgren (Lidl-Trek)
U23 XCO - N/A, Holmgren (Lidl-Trek)
Elite XCC - N/A, N/A
Elite XCO - Hatherly (JaycoAluLa), Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)
XCMarathon - N/A, Mitterwallner (Human Powered Health)
 
Oct 4, 2020
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Looking at First Cycling Mona was 11th in the 2021 European u23 champs, also rode the 2020 Watersley challenge. Also 11th overall. That appears to be it other than perhaps at a lower level.
 
Sep 26, 2020
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Looking at First Cycling Mona was 11th in the 2021 European u23 champs, also rode the 2020 Watersley challenge. Also 11th overall. That appears to be it other than perhaps at a lower level.

She also rode a selection race ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, after she had lost the MTB spot to Stigger, but she also missed out there, which obviously turned out pretty well for the Austrians.
 
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she has puffy cheeks, always. in winter they are a bit puffier
She has looked puffy for the last year or so, starting at Cape Epic 2024. She was so thin when she came into XCO elites. I really don't see her performing well on the road. She talks about recovering well for stage races in the article but she is a vegan, so if she doesn't have her supplement routine correct that's out the window as well.
 
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