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GT Bicycles announces 2016 Factory Racing roster

The team, which will compete for both Downhill World Cup and Enduro World Series podiums in 2016, is a roster known for their successes both in and out of the saddle.

December 10, 2015
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As announced this week, GT Bicycles has revealed its all-new Factory Racing program for the 2016 season. It’s a fresh direction the brand is taking after a four-year partnership with Atherton Racing, assembling a squad that’s composed of some of the world’s top, most proven UCI Downhill and Enduro riders.

The team, which will compete for both Downhill World Cup and Enduro World Series podiums in 2016, GT Bicycles announced, is a roster known for their successes both in and out of the saddle.

“GT has a rich history of top-level racing successes,” said Tim Inall, GT’s global general manager, “and a line of world championship-proven bikes. The brand is extremely proud to have been associated with Atherton racing program since 2012. Now, however, we’re ready for this next chapter in GT Factory Racing. We are excited to continue the momentum to form and manage a new team of accomplished riders from around the world.”

Representing many corners of the planet, GT Factory Racing’s new roster includes:

Downhill

  • Brook MacDonald (New Zealand), whose career, thus far, has been hallmarked by 18 top 10 finishes, including a podium spot at 2015’s Val di Sole.
  • Sam Dale of the United Kingdom, who comes to the team with 19 top 25 finishes, as well as a podium spot at this year’s competition in Lourdes.
  • Fan favourite Wyn Masters, from New Zealand, a rider made a name for himself both at home and on the World Cup circuit.
  • Australia’s Jackson Frew, who starts his last year as a Junior rider with the team, carrying high expectations.

 

Enduro

  • Phenom enduro rider Martin Maes from Belgium continues his young career with GT in 2016.
  • Anneke Beerten of the Netherlands, described as “the regining Queen of Crankworx,” comes to GT Factory Racing with 16 podium finishes in all over the course of her Enduro World Series run
  • Joining the Enduro side as well, Wyn Masters brings his own Crankworx Enduro cred to the team rank, making him a double threat on GT Factory Racing’s ranks.
  • Rachel Throop of the United States, finally, rounds out the team’s roster after cutting her teeth on the United States enduro circuit—ready to take it to the world.

When the team officially gets underway in 2016, it will be managed by Mark Maurissen of Belgium, whose ties to GT as a veteran of the industry go back to the mid-’90s. His latest involvement was as GT’s head Enduro mechanic.