Chris Del Bosco Signs With Cove Bikes For 2011

The kid who could write the book on come backs is back on a bike for 2011. Chris Del Bosco is set to return to mountain bike racing in 2011 aboard Cove Factory Racing bikes. The former US National DH Champion was on a hiatus from bike racing while focusing on skiing for Canada in the Vancouver Olympic Games. He was originally set to return to bike racing last summer following the Olympics, but underwent knee surgery to repair a nagging injury that he’d been skiing on all season. Recovery from that injury was supposed to sideline Del Bosco until Winter X Games this weekend, but being a true master of the comeback story, Chris returned in time for the start of the World Cup Ski Cross season and has already won another World Cup event this year.
Chris’ mission to return to bike racing is pretty bold: World Cup wins in both ski cross and mountain biking. But Chris is a bold athlete, and he’s already accomplished the first part of that mission this season. But perhaps even bolder, Del Bosco has also already bounced back from having his National Championship in DH mountain biking stripped away and being kicked off the US National Ski team for marijuana and alcohol abuse issues. After winning a tough battle in rehabilitation that resulted in a new life outlook, a clean bill of health, and new found training focus, the once pure raw talent has rebuilt himself into an elite world caliber athlete with an ever filling trophy case to prove it. That trophy case now includes X Games Gold and Bronze Medals and multiple World Cup wins and podium prizes.
Skiing on a bad knee all last season, his childhood dream of Olympic Gold came to a spectacular crashing halt as he gave up his sure lock on the bronze medal in probably the riskiest pass attempt in Olympic history. With the weight of the Gold starving nation on his shoulders, Chris tossed himself and his sure Bronze straight over a cliff. Instead of taking the 2nd last jump of the race the normal way (which was a hip jump to set up an easy turn to the last straight away and finishing Hollywood jump) Chris invented his own uber aggressive line. He went straight over the top of the hip and catapulted himself massively up in the air, straight into a resulting 80 foot step down and exploded on the landing. Asked if he regretted not settling for the easy Bronze he had wrapped up, Chris simply replied “I race to win, and I didn’t win today. I would have been frustrated with second. Some people are happy with just placing. I’m not one of those people.”

Chris Del Bosco Signs With Cove

Dirt TV Presents Finally 2 Part 2

Finally 2 Part 2

Cam Zink Signs With Evil Bikes

Kevin Walsh, the marketing manager for Evil Bikes, had this to say about the signing:

"This marks chapter two in the book of Evil and I look forward to writing many new chapters with Cam as the star of this twisted romance novel. I have always been impressed by Cam, I mean who isn't? This guy should be on The Bachelor, or something. Aside from the obvious, it's rare to find a guy who can 3 a 50 ft drop, yet be motivated, creative and business minded at the same time. If by some odd chance a female actually reads this which is highly unlikely, he is single, that's right!

Cam Zink Is On Evil

Specialized Partners With FMB

With preparations for the 2011 Freeride Mountain Bike (FMB) World Tour in full swing, Specialized is joining the circle of official partners of the upcoming season’s World Tour. Securing the support of this giant in the bicycle industry is another step towards establishing the FMB World Tour as the freeride sport’s overarching World Series event, and the FMBA is looking forward to kicking off the 2011 World Tour well prepared with the Vienna Air King in Austria on April 2nd and 3rd.

Tarek Rasouli, president of the association, is delighted with the partnership. “Naturally, we are very excited to count Specialized among our official partners. A strong association needs strong partners, and the bicycle manufacturer is one of the strongest worldwide. Currently we are talking to several further possible partners and will be able to announce new partnerships soon. It is great to see a growing understanding of how important it is to support and further develop freeride!”

Specialized And FMB Tour

2011 Tara Llanes Classic Dates Set

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort Again to Host MTB Downhill Race

After another wildly successful race in 2010, organizers and competitors are eagerly looking forward to the 2011 Tara Llanes Classic. The fifth edition of the event is set for September 24-25, 2011, and will again be held at Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort -- the beautiful, world-class skiing and mountain bike racing venue near Truckee, CA.

The extremely popular Mega DH course that provided both challenges and excitement returns—albeit with a few changes to keep things fresh and exciting! New for the 2010 race were the Shimano Kid’s Race and a special outdoor BBQ, and both events will again be on the 2011 schedule. Shimano’s Ryan Vergeront had this to say: “Shimano is proud to continue our long time support for a great athlete as well as a great event – The Tara Llanes Classic.”

Continuing the tradition established in the past two races, another major bicycling film will premiere in 2011 at the Tara Llanes Classic. In 2010, the film “Lifecycles” drew cheers from all participants.

The Tara Llanes Classic provides world-class competition for both pros and amateurs. Proceeds from entry fees and donations will benefit the Tara Llanes Road to Recovery Foundation, the Reeve-Irvine Research Center (RIRC), and new for 2011 is C.O.R.E. – the Center for Restorative Exercise. Each of these organizations is instrumental in the treatment and therapy of spinal cord injuries; we encourage you to click on the links at the bottom to learn more.

The Tara Llanes Classic was started in 2007 by Brian and Thayne Bolin to help raise funds for downhill pro Tara Llanes and her ever-growing medical costs after the champion mountain biker suffered a horrific crash that resulted in below the waist paralysis. Since then Tara has made phenomenal progress and is now able to both help organize the Tara Llanes Classic and participate as a rider in a 4-wheel DH bike!

2011 Tara Classic

Renthal And Monster Energy Specialized Join Forces

Renthal are proud to announce their association with the Monster Energy Specialized Racing team.
The multi-year deal heralds Renthal’s entrance onto the World mountain bike stage and clearly shows the manufacturers intention to follow in the footsteps of their multi-Championship winning motocross products.
Behind the scenes Renthal forged an agreement at the back end of last season and saw the Renthal FatBar being used to win both the UCI Downhill and Junior Downhill World Championships. Team Manager, Sean Heimdal says; “Our newfound relationship with Renthal has been as good as their products...first class! We’re looking forward to a long-term relationship and helping develop some exciting new products”.

Renthal And Big S

2011 Lapierre Team

They have a new kit and also some new sponsors.

Skoda
Prefal Sofermi
Fox Suspension
SRAM
Truvativ
Easton
Giro
Hutchinson
Formula
Selle Italia

Team Lapierre

2011 Giant factory Team

With the addition of several key World Cup riders in downhill and cross-country racing, the Giant Factory Off-Road Team will field its strongest lineup ever in 2011. South African downhiller Andrew Neethling and five-time British cross-country champion Liam Killeen join a diverse squad that includes 19-year-old World Cup downhill sensation Danny Hart of Great Britain.

“Our commitment to off-road racing at the highest level is a reflection of our broader commitment to the off-road cyclist,” said Giant Global Marketing Director An Le. “Working closely with this diverse group of athletes—from Olympic XC racers to Super D champions to top World Cup downhillers—keeps us ahead of the pack in developing new technologies that benefit off-road riders at all levels.”

The downhill squad will be led by Hart, who last year emerged as the world’s top young DH racer. After winning the 2009 Junior World Cup title, Hart made a successful transition to the elites in 2010, racing his Giant Glory to eighth overall in the World Cup series and eighth at the World Championships. The only top-10 rider under age 20, he was widely recognized as the future of downhill racing.

“I am super happy to be a part of the Giant program for the foreseeable future,” Hart said. “I had a great 2010 season, and this year is going to be better. I just want to go racing!"

Neethling, a consistent top-10 World Cup finisher and winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, joins Hart and two-time U.S. downhill champion Duncan Riffle to give Giant a powerful punch in the downhill discipline.

2011 Giant MTB Team

Benoit Rioux 2010 Season

Here's a video of Ben Rioux 2010 season. He's the 2010 canadian 4x champion as well as the overall winner of the canadian dh series.

Benoit Rioux Video

Banshee Is Almost Done With Their Maxle Lite Replacement Axle

Some of you may know that we have been testing some titanium axles on legends around the world for the last few months, that will fit into anymaxle compatible frame to replace the maxle.

The V1 Prototypes were slightly out of tolerance (as is often the case with protos), so they were reworked and then sent out to racers around the globe to put through their paces.

Banshee Ti. 150mm By 12mm Axle

Bikeyard Nukeproof 4X Team Announced

Nukeproof and TheBikeYard in Lemington Spa have teamed up to create a new 4X race team for 2011 - TheBikeYard/Nukeproof.

The Bikeyard is owned and managed by pro rider Billy Cheetham. Billy organised a local team for the 2010 season and they did surprisingly well for their first ever years racing, finishing 6th on team rankings of around 55 other teams. The team is selected on club commitment and training.

As well as running the shop, Billy also voluntary runs a local cycle club RLS4X.

The team will be competing in the National 4X Series, RLS4X series, the new Dual Slalom series plus some world cup events.

Bikeyard/Nukeproof

Chainreactioncycles And Nukeproof Announce 2011 Team

Matti Lehikonen, Matt Simmonds, Joe Smith, Lewis Buchanan, Lukas Mechura and Michael Mechura will be riding and racing NukeProof bikes – Scalp for downhill, Snap for 4X and Mega for enduro downhill events and training. They’ll compete in the full UCI World Cup series, UCI World Championships, the British Halo BDS Downhill series plus other races and events.

CRC/Nukeproof Factory Team

A Bike Movie Teaser

2011 A Bike Movie Teaser

Cane Creek Implements Minimum Advertised Pricing Guidlines

To better ensure the continued quality of Cane Creek products, the integrity of the Cane Creek brand and to support and encourage our dealers to promote and invest in the sales and service of our products, Cane Creek has unilaterally adopted the following pricing and sales guidelines. The guidelines protect our brand, images, logos and intellectual property supported by a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) program for all retailers to maintain their authorized status to sell Cane Creek products.

Can Creek Pricing Guidlines

Ride Your Way Trailer

Ride Your Way

Pool Jumping And 1080 Training

The next video from the Mike Montgomery and Tyler McCaul Project. The boys start off with some pool practice then off to Zaks house for their first session on the new jumps! Things get heated up and 1080 practice is in full force! Stay tunned for more videos in the next few weeks! Filmed and edited by Justin Brantley and Devin Schmitt

Pool Jumping Video