Trek World Racing drops XC team

[ewarnerusa]

Clicky -> Trek World Racing discontinues cross country race program for 2013


So this seems like kind of a big deal. The Flueckiger brothers are a big deal, they were 2nd and 3rd at Worlds 2012. The story says Trek will continue to support XC via a separate Trek Cross Country Program. Will this affect the Subaru-Trek team? Anyone with inside info? Blame it on Lance?

[pk1]

my optimistic reading of this is that they;'re just separating them into xc and dh specific teams which could actually be better for everyone with more specific support... i hope!

[strader]

That's the way I read it as well, but it certainly could have been worded better if that is the case. The cycling press of course reported it as Trek dropping the XC'ers.

[ewarnerusa]

pk1, I hope so too!
Trek World Racing to discontinue XC program, focus on gravity for 2013
Both the cyclingnews and velonews stories seem to imply the XC team will go on independent of Trek World Racing and managed by Subaru-Trek director Jon Rourke. That's why I wondered how it will affect Subaru-Trek as well.

[NoahColorado]

They're just separating the teams.

There are a lot of events that don't have both gravity and XC, so running separate programs makes sense.

Most other big factory teams I can think of are like this...Giant, Specialized, etc.

[bryantreams]

I would think they would have to keep the brothers on board. They need someone to show off those Superfly SLs! Plus they've got some up and coming riders on treks (Sam Schultz, Anton Cooper [junior world champ]) so I cant see them throwing the whole program down the drain when it looks that promising...but we'll see.

[zippinveedub]

Sam is on Subaru Bontrager Trek, I bet theyll just expand that program internationally as opposed to just the us and canada.

[ewarnerusa]

Trek Continues Support For Cross Country Mountain Bike Racers | Cyclingnews.com
Looks like they are still trying to figure it out, too.

[ewarnerusa]

Lukas Flückiger And Ralph Näf Join Absalon At BMC | Cyclingnews.com
Well Lukas Fluckiger has signed for a new team away from Trek. BMC is looking like it is going get some serious exposure at the front of races next season! Shout out to Stephen Ettinger, he's raced a few local Montana races when he's in Bozeman.

[bikerboy85]

Any news on Lukas's little brother ?

[Puxa!]

Yes, Matthias signed for the Stöckli (Stöckli outdoor sports - Ski, Snowboard, Nordic, Bike, Trekking, Running, Walking: STÖCKLI OUTDOOR SPORTS), after being rumoured to follow Kulhavy to the road(if the czech finally gets a road team)

What's really impressive is the team BMC has built.
Absalon, Lukas, Näf, Milatz...How many world cups, world championships, european championships, olympic medals are there?
Just wow!

[bikerboy85]

Yep BMC is the team to beat in the up coming season. Has it been confirmed that kulharvy is going to the road next season

[Puxa!]

Has it been confirmed that kulharvy is going to the road next season

Has it?
Last news I've read said that he was a little pissed off with Spec because they were the hinge to get him a road team.
They could push one of the pro teams riding Specialized bikes to find a place for him in their roster.

[Circlip]

Last news I've read said that he was a little pissed off with Spec because they were the hinge to get him a road team.
They could push one of the pro teams riding Specialized bikes to find a place for him in their roster.

I can see where Specialized might have little motivation to help Kulhavy find a spot with a road team. They have a current Olympic and previous world champion MTBer who will have undetermined success as a roadie. Some former top XC riders have Cadel Evans made it big on the road side, while others who seemed to have similar qualifications on paper, like Miguel Martinez, achieved very little in terms of results or value to their sponsors once they moved to the road.

Was Kulhavy's XC contract finished at the end of this event year? If yes, he's free to go whatever team he wants but as an unproven roadie he may not draw the level of contract he was looking for, or capable of getting if he stays on the MTB side. Specialized may choose to leave him out in the wind a bit looking for big deal with another team, hoping he'll eventually come back to ride XC for them.

Even as a proven champion, he's going to find it a rude awakening if he's expecting any of the teams or sponsors to treat it as anything other than "just business".

[Rivet]

I can see where Specialized might have little motivation to help Kulhavy find a spot with a road team. They have a current Olympic and previous world champion MTBer who will have undetermined success as a roadie. Some former top XC riders have Cadel Evans made it big on the road side, while others who seemed to have similar qualifications on paper, like Miguel Martinez, achieved very little in terms of results or value to their sponsors once they moved to the road.

Was Kulhavy's XC contract finished at the end of this event year? If yes, he's free to go whatever team he wants but as an unproven roadie he may not draw the level of contract he was looking for, or capable of getting if he stays on the MTB side. Specialized may choose to leave him out in the wind a bit looking for big deal with another team, hoping he'll eventually come back to ride XC for them.

Even as a proven champion, he's going to find it a rude awakening if he's expecting any of the teams or sponsors to treat it as anything other than "just business".

Rumor was Kulhavy was going to get a ride on Specialized sponsored Omega Pharma - Quik Step along side fellow Czech cyclcross World Champion Zdenek Stybar but that appears to have fallen through. I think the Lance Armstrong shlamazzle has dialed back the money flowing into the road side. I wouldn't be surprised to see guys who switched to the road come back to their original discipline where the doping stigma isn't as prevalent. Would be nice to see Boom and Stybar back in cross and Peraud back on MTB.

[LMN]

Rumor was Kulhavy was going to get a ride on Specialized sponsored Omega Pharma - Quik Step along side fellow Czech cyclcross World Champion Zdenek Stybar but that appears to have fallen through. I think the Lance Armstrong shlamazzle has dialed back the money flowing into the road side. I wouldn't be surprised to see guys who switched to the road come back to their original discipline where the doping stigma isn't as prevalent. Would be nice to see Boom and Stybar back in cross and Peraud back on MTB.

I think you are right. I know it was rumoured that Matthias was actually going to switch to road but it appears that he is going to stick with the dirt.

[Puxa!]

Omega Pharma was most likely going to give Jarda an opportunity on the tarmac, but things seem to have cooled down a littlle, for the czech's disappointment.
But I agree, Specialized must not be very motivated to get Jarda way to go to the road, as their team would be very affected if he leaves.
Stander is young and talented, but is not the steam roller Kulhavy can be if motivated enough.
Sauser is "out", apart from long distance races.
Wells is very irregular, and not that young.
And the japanese is still to see.
They have to be willing to let time go by and hope for Jarda to change his mind.

[ewarnerusa]

Rumor was Kulhavy was going to get a ride on Specialized sponsored Omega Pharma - Quik Step along side fellow Czech cyclcross World Champion Zdenek Stybar but that appears to have fallen through. I think the Lance Armstrong shlamazzle has dialed back the money flowing into the road side. I wouldn't be surprised to see guys who switched to the road come back to their original discipline where the doping stigma isn't as prevalent. Would be nice to see Boom and Stybar back in cross and Peraud back on MTB.

I think when Mark Cavendish became available, all the eggs went into that basket.

[Puxa!]

Definitely, Jarda will ride knobby tyres next season(but the fat ones, not UCI limited in width )
Kulhavy Makes Decision About His Future | Cyclingnews.com

[ryguy135]

Saw that as well. Looks like a Specialized/BMC/Scott-Swisspower showdown on the team front next year.

Anyone heard any 2013 US Pro XTC dates? Did I miss them?

[moab63]

Saw that as well. Looks like a Specialized/BMC/Scott-Swisspower showdown on the team front next year.

Anyone heard any 2013 US Pro XTC dates? Did I miss them?

guess is due in part to the Amstrong effect. The mellow johnny race.

[Afrobiker]

Mello Johnny's is still happening and is scheduled as the first Pro XCT again. March 2-3. It's part of our local circuit's series.

[Puxa!]

Wow! Didn't see this coming.
Anton Cooper has found a new home next to Fontana and Fumic.
Great for him, those two guys seem like awesome teammates, and Cooper is one of the most talented youngsters out there.
Next year he'll be U23, will he?

[Coasting]

Good news for Anton as he has been picked up by Cannondale and ther race program is based around Europe where the real racing is.He will be well served by this company

[nov0798]

Hmm, I thought the article was rather clear
"With the Trek World Racing team focusing on gravity, Trek will continue to support cross country racing at the highest levels with a separate Trek Cross Country Program under the management of Jon Rourke, who is the current Team Director of the Subaru-Trek program."