Jenny Rissveds joins Ibis

Rio Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds will ride into 2022 on a new bike. After years with Specialized, the Swedish star will line up for this year’s World Cup events on an Ibis Exie.

Team 31, Rissveds’ three-rider squad, will all race on the made-in-the-U.S.A. bikes. The team now includes Kelsey Urban, the 2019 under-23 U.S. champion and Linn Gustaffzon, another Swedish racer.

Team 31 was formed when Rissveds made her return to racing. After winning gold at the 2016 Olympic cross country race, the Swedish rider stepped away from the sport to deal with an eating disorder and depression. Team 31, along with advocating for mental health in sport, takes a non-results-based approach to elite racing. Not that Rissveds hasn’t ended up on the podium. The Swedish rider was frequently at the front of proceedings during the 2021 season.

Canada’s Haley Smith and Andrew L’Esperance will also be riding Ibis in 2022. The duo are at the helm of a newly formed Maxxis Factory Racing.

Ibis partners with Jenny Rissveds and Team 31

What’s Ibis say about its newest team?

Team 31 was created out of a desire to do something different. Rather than perpetuate the pressurized structure of elite racing, with its focus on podiums, followers, and engagement, the goal is to have fun and inspire others.

At the upper echelon of racing, it is easy to forget that riding bikes is fun. That is why spending time with children is so important. It is a reminder of why we ride and more importantly, an opportunity to inspire the next generation to stay active and healthy.

The team’s name also brings attention to Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that “every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities.“

The Team was inspired by the personal journey of Olympic Champion Jenny Rissveds. After overcoming a personal battle with eating disorders and depression which caused her to leave cycling, she has returned to the sport and become a major proponent for mental health.

In addition to Jenny, the team includes returning member Kelsey Urban. Kelsey is the 2019 U-23 National Champion and a US National Team Member. The third member of the team is Linn Gustaffzon, a Swedish National Rider racing on her first factory program. Together, the team will focus on the UCI World Cup events.