Max Plaxton joins Cannondale Factory Racing Team

Canada’s Max Plaxton will join the Cannondale Factory Racing Team during the 2014 mountain bike season. He will focus on the World Cup circuit and other top-level races in North America.

“This is one of the top World Cup factory teams out there and I’ll have nothing but the best team support at the World Cups and world championships,” Plaxton said. “I’ve never done a full season of World Cup racing yet, I’ve had plenty of top 10s and a couple top-five podiums, so the goal will be to get consistent top 10s and podiums. I’ll also do some select high-level UCI races in the USA, and nationals is always a goal.”

The former national mountain bike champion spent last season with Sho-Air/Cannondale where he had success on the World Cup circuit placing 7th in Albstadt, 5th in Nove Mesto na Morave and 9th in Mont-Sainte-Anne. He also won the Whiskey Off-Road Fat Tire Criterium.

“Sho-Air/Cannondale is the American-based team and its focus is mainly in North America and marathon-type races,” Plaxton said. “Cannondale Factory Racing is the World Cup-focused team and Sho-Air is now also a team sponsor. The two teams are quit related and Sho-Air, amazingly, sponsors both teams.”

Plaxton was forced to pull out of the race at the 2012 Summer Games in London after battling with a knee injury. His longterm focus is on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“The 2016 Olympics are a huge goal after competing in London 2012 with a knee injury and not being able to compete at my potential,” Plaxton said. “Now with the body really healthy and signing on with a top international team, I feel like I have everything I need to be able to qualify and go for a medal in Rio 2016.”

Other members of the Cannondale Factory Racing Team include Keegan Swenson, Marco Fontana, Manuel Fumic and Anton Cooper.