With the season approaching, Duncan Riffle and Danny Hart dial in new gear and fine tune their training

With new recruits Duncan Riffle and Danny Hart leading the way, the downhill racing contingent of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team has a whole new look for 2010. With their focus turned to the 2010 World Cup Downhill Series, Riffle and Hart spent a good portion of March training and prepping in Southern California.

“It’s been super motivating,” said Riffle, a two-time U.S. Downhill National Champion. “I’ve never had such a positive off-season of development and training. Just knowing I have such a great support structure behind me is really exciting.”

The entire Giant Factory Off-Road team gathered for team camp at the renowned Woodward West action sports facility in Tehachapi, California, the first two weeks in March. In addition to training, they spent time getting their new Giant race bikes dialled in and exploring local trails. Riffle, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, played tour guide to his teammates including Hart who lives in Redcar, England.

Hart, the winner of the Downhill World Cup Junior Series last year, had dreamed of riding Woodward’s parks and trails since he was an 8-year-old BMX competitor. His trip to Giant Team Camp was his first opportunity to ride mountain bikes in the U.S.

During camp, both Riffle and Hart trained under the watchful eye of the team’s downhill coach Oscar Saiz. The veteran World Cup downhill racer and former Giant Global Team rider from Spain will work with the two young riders during the World Cup season, which takes place primarily in Europe. Saiz will lend his technical expertise and valuable course knowledge to Riffle and Hart throughout the season.

Riffle said that kind of support is a welcome change. “That’s what’s been missing for me in the past,” he said. “I’ve never been part of anything this big. This season I want to utilise this support and get a real firm grasp on the World Cup racing scene. I’ve been right in the mix for a lot of years but becoming a consistent top finisher and podium contender is definitely a goal for me this season.”

At Woodward, Riffle and Hart worked with Saiz performing timed runs and making small adjustments to their Giant Glory bikes and gear. They also met with the media and spent some time riding trails near Riffle’s hometown of Santa Barbara.

Though the start of the World Cup Series is nearly two months away, both Riffle and Hart will be busy this spring with other major events in the U.S. and Europe. Both will compete at the April 16th-18th Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, before embarking on the full World Cup Series, which kicks off on May 15th in Maribor, Slovenia.