Home > MTB

Canadian migration: tracking 2023 team moves

See how the approaching season is shaping up

Jesse Melamed jumps off a rock mid-stage at Sugarloaf EWS

As 2022 winds down and riders start preparing for the 2023 season, many Canadian athletes are getting used to new bikes, new gear and new teams. It seems like an especially busy transfer season for the Canuck crew, with several high-profile changes and at least one major team disappearing (mostly).

If you’re trying to keep track of who is racing where, here’s our list of Canadian team moves. We’ll keep updating the list as we move into the new year and teams are finalized.

Mark Wallace ends his six-year run with Canyon CLLCTV. Photo: Clint Trahan / Crankworx

Downhill

Mark Wallace (Canyon CLLCTV -> Norco Factory Team)

After six years with Canyon, Mark Wallace is moving on. He joins Gracey Hemstreet and Lucas Cruz to make an all-Canadian version of Norco Factory Team.

Jake Jewett (Canyon CLLCTV -> Pivot Factory Racing)

Wallace’s Canadian teammate Jake Jewett takes off, too, for a new spot at Pivot Factory Racing.

Norco Factory Team

Gracey Hemstreet, Lucas Cruz remain at the streamlined Norco Factory program and will be joined by a mystery third rider veteran Canadian racer, Mark Wallace. Elliot Jamieson remains with the brand, but in a new role. Sam Blenkinsop moves on while Henry Fitzgerald has not stated plans.

Tristan Lemire (Commencal Muc-Off -> Transition Factory Team)

After joining Commencal at 15, Quebec racer Tristan Lemire heads into the elite ranks with a new team.

Drew Mozell (Devinci Development Racing -> Forbidden Synthesis)

JESSE Melamed and REmi Gauvin on the podium at the Whistler Enduro World Series

Enduro

Jesse Melamed (Rocky Mountain Race Face –> Canyon CLLCTV)

After winning the 2022 Enduro World Series season title, Jesse Melamed waves goodbye to his long-time team, Rocky Mountain Race Face. Update: The Whistler rider announced he will head up Canyon CLLCTV’s enduro squad.

We Are One enduro team

After one, fantastic year, We Are One is wrapping up its enduro experiment. Jack Menzies announced he’s moving to Polygon Factory Team. The other three riders, Emmett Hancock, Jackob Tooke and Johnathan Helly have not stated plans yet.

Emmy Lan (Norco -> Forbidden Synthesis)

Emmy Lan stormed the 2022 under-21 women’s EWS season, winning the title and every individual race round she entered. Looks like that success is translating to a new team for ’23. Update: Lan will ride with the Forbidden Synthesis, riding with a brand based out of the same Vancouver Island community she is from.

Kasper Woolley (Yeti Factory Team -> YT Mob)

After a very good 2021, and a very unlucky 2022, Kasper Woolley is getting a fresh start, and a new very fast teammate, at the revived YT Mob.

Carter Krasny (Norco -> Theory Racing)
Jenn Jackson races Bear Crossing GP
Jenn Jackson raced her last race in Canyon colours at Canadian CX nationals. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.

Cross country

Norco Factory Team folds XC squad

The XC side of Norco’s long-running team is folding. That left the remaining roster of five riders (and all staff) looking for new squads. The result, so far, is that Gwen Gibson moves up to Trek Factory Racing, Emilly Johnston lands at Trek Future Racing while Peter Disera joins his brother at Pivot Cycles-OTE.

Jenn Jackson (Canyon -> Liv Factory Racing)

2021 Canadian elite women’s XCO national champion is stepping up to join the long-running Liv Factory Racing squad. Jackson is one of two new signings to the squad, joining Olympic medallist Linda Indergand.

Canyon MTB Racing narrows focus

Both Jenn Jackson and Laurie Arseneault end their stay at Canyon MTB Racing. That leaves just co-founder Emily Batty on the team. Arseneault was one of the original team members, spending two years with Batty and Adam Morka’s project. Jackson joined, and left, in 2022. Both riders had impressive success while with Canyon MTB Racing, helping the squad sweep XCC and XCO podiums at Canadian mountain bike national championships in 2022 and posting very solid results internationally.

Carter Woods (Norco -> Giant Factory Off-Road Team)

Under-23 national champion Carter Woods is part of a big shift a Giant Factory Off-Road Team. The Vancouver Island rider is one of five new signings on the 10-rider squad. It’s part of a major refresh that sees Giant re-invest in youth and downhill. Woods replaces outgoing U.S. riders Luke Vrouwenvelder, Stephan Davoust and the now-retired Reto Indergand, among others.

Sandra Walter (Liv Collective -> ?)

Sandra Walter is one of a long list of long-time Liv racers that are no longer with the Liv Factory Racing or Liv Racing Collective teams.

Pivot Cycles-OTE

The Blue Train adds serious horsepower with brothers Peter Disera and Quinton Disera and Quebec junior Simon Ruelland. Marianne Théberge, reigning under 23 national champ, steps away from Pivot Cycles-OTE after three years.

Cody Scott (Giant Canada Off-Road Team -> Competitive Edge Racing)

Rising Canadian cross country and cyclocross talent Cody Scott shifts to the Massachusetts-based Competitive Edge Racing cyclocross squad after a few seasons with Giant Canada’s off-road team.

Raphaël Gangé joins FQSC as mountain bike coach

Quebec athletes win as Canadian Olympian Raphaël Gangé takes on a new coaching role with Quebec.

Gwendalyn Gibson holds up the American flag
Gwendalyn Gibson had a breakout year in 2022. Well timed with the end of Norco Factory Team, as the U.S. rider moves to Trek Factory Racing in ’23 Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Canadian-ish

There are some Canada-adjacent moves happening, too.

As mentioned, Gwen Gibson left Norco for Trek Factory Racing when the Canadian team folded.

Christopher Grice leaves Finn Iles team, Specialized Gravity Racing, for a new role with Specialized. That, in theory, opens up a spot next to Loic Bruni and Iles. Or Specialized could stay with two riders for the new year.

Jack Moir also parted ways with Canyon CLLCTV. Moir is Australian and Canyon is German. But their split does leave room for newly crowned EWS champ Jesse Melamed to stem the outflow of Canadians from Canyon if he takes Moir’s place after leaving the Rocky Mountain Race Face squad. That’s entirely in the realm of rumours at this point, but it’d be nice to see the Canadian’s win rewarded with a big contract and full support as the EWS transitions into the EDR World Cup this spring.