What the UCI team list tells us about the 2024 season

2023/2024 was a wild off-season, with some teams closing, new ones stepping in to fill the void and all kinds of shuffling amonst the world’s top talent. But, with the release of UCI official 2024 teams list, the speculation is mostly wrapped up for the year. Mostly.

Even with a ream of rider announcements over the last month, there are still several big surprises to be found in the list. Especially for Canadian racing fans in enduro and downhill.

What really exciting news is hiding in the pages and pages of rosters on the 2024 UCI team list?

The Bulldog is coming to Canada

Well, for Canadian downhill fans, it is really cool to see Brook Macdonald joining the Forbidden Synthesis. The Vancouver Island brand launched its Supernought recently and, while the team has several riders already racing it, it’s sick to hear the Bulldog will be on one at World Cups this year as well. He’s ride alongside Magnus Manson and a fleet of Australian’s, with returning Conner Fearon joined by William Ireland, William Hynes, William Pope on the downhill side. In a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” move, the enduro team of Emmy Lan, Rhys Verner and Alex Storr remains unchanged.

With Greg Minnaar joining Norco, Macdonald on the Synthesis,  and We Are One launching a new project, Canadian downhill brands are looking as strong, both in domestic and international talent, as our country’s riders have for years. Exciting times!

Danny Hart moves to Continental Nukeproof Factory Racing

One of the biggest question marks at the end of 2023 was the fate of Danny Hart. When the iconic racer was let go from Cube Factory Racing, he made it clear he did not yet have a new team lined up. Fans can now relax, knowing the Redcar Rocket will be supported by Nukeproof Factory Racing. Hart joins Harry Molloy, Veronika Widmann and Christopher Cumming on the four-rider squad.

Rocky Mountain’s enduro team looks a little different

The long-running Rocky Mountain Race Face Enduro Team is looking a little different for 2024. The team is now called Rocky Mountain Gravity Racing and, with the name change, is based out of France. Much of the 2023 roster returns, aside from Andréane Lanthier Nadeau who left for Commencal 7Mesh. Remi Gauvin, Lily Boucher and Emmett Hancock are all back, but now joined by a quintet of French riders. Luca Fourcade, Justine Henry, Alizes Lassus and Enzo Perez will join the Canucks on the Enduro World Cup circuit while Lévy Batista will race EDR-E events on Rocky’s Powerplay bikes.

Jack Menzies joins Jesse Melamed at Canyon

After launching from We Are One’s enduro project to the now-closed Polygon factory program, and landing some impressive results with both, Jack Menzies earned a spot on the powerhouse Canyon CLLCTV Factory Enduro Team. That puts him on the same roster as 2022 EWS overall winner, and fellow Canadian racer, Jesse Melamed.

Peter Sagan splitting time Specialized Factory Racing and… Pierre Baguette

There was never much doubt that Peter Sagan would stay with Specialized, no matter where he was racing (the brand followed him to Bora-Hansgrohe then Total Energies). But the three-time road world champion is officially  on both the Specialized Factory Racing roster and the, uh, Pierre Baguette Cycling roster for 2024. The later, which could be our favourite team name so far, is a Slovakian continental team that will allow Sagan to do some road racing as he prapares for the Paris Olympics. Adding the reformed roadie to the Factory Racing roster at Specialized will give him a level of support, in the pits, feed zones and tech zones, that Sagan wouldn’t get as a solo rider, no matter how famous he is.

There are only seven Canadain-registered teams

There are a ton of Canadian riders doing amazing things on the world stage, but there are not as many teams. Only seven UCI teams are registered in Canada. Norco, We Are One, Pivot Cycles-OTE, Pittstop Racing, Forbidden Synthesis, Forresco Holdings ProCo RL Pro Team and Outlaw Racing are holding down the fort on the world stage. Numerous Canadian teams race World Cups, but aren’t registered as UCI teams, of course.

Seven might sound low, but it’s been lower. The last low-point was in 2019, when only Kona DH, Norco Factory Team and Pivot Cycles-OTE reigstered with UCI. Before that, in 2014, only Devinci Global Racing and Scott-3Rox signed up. In fact, for several years in the early 2000s, Rocky Mountain was the only Canadian team registered. Part of this expansion is due to the growth of downhill (adding junior World Cup categories, for example) and the addition of enduro to the UCI umbrella.

Wyn Masters joins Gravity Cartel

With the closure of GT Factory Racing at the end of 2023, Wyn Masters was one of the riders left looking for a new home. His teammate, Ryand Pinkerton, joined Ronan Dunne and U.S. racer Dakotah Norton at Mondraker Factory Racing. Ethan Craik went to Scott. Jess Blewett went to Cube. Masters, and his wildly popular WynTV, heads to Gravity Cartel – Rogue Racing. The Italian squad brings on GT as a sponsor, though, so it’s likely GT will keep up with his broadcasts from the pits uninterrupted.

There’s more, of course. Check out the list for yourself.