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Giant Off-Road Team Goes To Camp
1 April 2011
The Giant Factory Off-Road Team gathered in Santa Barbara, California, this week for its pre-season team camp. With several new riders, including top World Cup contenders in downhill and cross-country, the team will field its strongest lineup ever in 2011.
This year 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. All three of these riders have already collected their first wins in early-season 2011 racing. The California team camp marked the first opportunity for the team and staff to get together and meet with equipment sponsors and the media.
The downhill squad will be led by Hart, who last year emerged as the world’s top young downhill 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.”
With a win at the March 20 Maxxis Cup opener in Portugal, Hart is already off to a great start in 2011.
Neethling, a consistent top-10 World Cup finisher and winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, already has two wins on the Giant Glory this year. The newest downhill member of the team won both the South African National Championship and the African Continental Championship over the last two months.
“Giant has always had a great racing heritage and I’m really excited to be part of the team,” Neethling said. “I know I now have the bikes, support and environment to reach all my racing goals.”
The third member of the downhill squad is two-time U.S. National Champion Duncan Riffle.
The XC division of the team sees the return of veteran Carl Decker, whose successful 2010 season on the Anthem X 29er included wins at several major U.S. events including the All-Mountain World Championships in Downieville, California, and the Super D at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California.
Also returning this year is diverse all-around talent Kelli Emmett, defending champion of the Downieville All-Mountain Worlds. Emmett has won races ranging from short-track and Super D national titles to Single-Speed World Championships and will continue to focus on a wide range of endurance events.
New to the XC team is British national champion Killeen, a two-time Olympian who is aiming for his third Summer Games at London 2012.
Also new this year is a team partnership with SRAM. All Factory Team bikes will be “Powered by SRAM” featuring the latest cutting edge components including SRAM drivetrains, Truvativ componentry, Avid brakes and RockShox suspension. Other sponsors include DT Swiss wheelsets, Schwalbe tires, Fi'zi:k saddles, MRP accessories, Fox Head kits and apparel, Contour video cameras and Northstar-at-Tahoe resort.
The team has a full quiver of Giant bikes for every type of terrain—from lightweight composite hardtails to full-suspension bikes. Cross-country riders will race on Giant Anthem X Advanced SL and Anthem X 29er framesets with Maestro Suspension, as well as XtC Advanced SL and the all-new XtC Composite 29er hardtails. For downhill, the team will rely on the Maestro-equipped Giant Glory frameset.
In the video above, Riffle talks about his Glory, as well as training in his home town of Santa Barbara. You can also see Riffle and teammates Hart and Neethling testing new gear in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
For more photos, videos, news and other inside information on the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, you can also follow them on their Facebook page.
This year 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. All three of these riders have already collected their first wins in early-season 2011 racing. The California team camp marked the first opportunity for the team and staff to get together and meet with equipment sponsors and the media.
The downhill squad will be led by Hart, who last year emerged as the world’s top young downhill 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.”
With a win at the March 20 Maxxis Cup opener in Portugal, Hart is already off to a great start in 2011.
Neethling, a consistent top-10 World Cup finisher and winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, already has two wins on the Giant Glory this year. The newest downhill member of the team won both the South African National Championship and the African Continental Championship over the last two months.
“Giant has always had a great racing heritage and I’m really excited to be part of the team,” Neethling said. “I know I now have the bikes, support and environment to reach all my racing goals.”
The third member of the downhill squad is two-time U.S. National Champion Duncan Riffle.
The XC division of the team sees the return of veteran Carl Decker, whose successful 2010 season on the Anthem X 29er included wins at several major U.S. events including the All-Mountain World Championships in Downieville, California, and the Super D at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California.
Also returning this year is diverse all-around talent Kelli Emmett, defending champion of the Downieville All-Mountain Worlds. Emmett has won races ranging from short-track and Super D national titles to Single-Speed World Championships and will continue to focus on a wide range of endurance events.
New to the XC team is British national champion Killeen, a two-time Olympian who is aiming for his third Summer Games at London 2012.
Also new this year is a team partnership with SRAM. All Factory Team bikes will be “Powered by SRAM” featuring the latest cutting edge components including SRAM drivetrains, Truvativ componentry, Avid brakes and RockShox suspension. Other sponsors include DT Swiss wheelsets, Schwalbe tires, Fi'zi:k saddles, MRP accessories, Fox Head kits and apparel, Contour video cameras and Northstar-at-Tahoe resort.
The team has a full quiver of Giant bikes for every type of terrain—from lightweight composite hardtails to full-suspension bikes. Cross-country riders will race on Giant Anthem X Advanced SL and Anthem X 29er framesets with Maestro Suspension, as well as XtC Advanced SL and the all-new XtC Composite 29er hardtails. For downhill, the team will rely on the Maestro-equipped Giant Glory frameset.
In the video above, Riffle talks about his Glory, as well as training in his home town of Santa Barbara. You can also see Riffle and teammates Hart and Neethling testing new gear in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
For more photos, videos, news and other inside information on the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, you can also follow them on their Facebook page.
