Trek World Racing adds Aaron Gwin to Downhill Line Up for 2011

Nov 9, 2010 at 8:07
by Tyler Maine  
Addition of Aaron Gwin Highlights a Stacked Roster

23 Degrees Sports Management is thrilled to announce the addition of Aaron Gwin (USA) to the Trek World Racing 2011 downhill roster.

Currently the UCI World #3, Gwin will race a Team-issued Trek Session 88 throughout the 2011 World Cup calendar alongside his Trek World Racing teammates. A relative newcomer to the sport, Gwin has experienced a meteoric rise in his young career and is widely known as one of America's brightest downhill stars. "I'm really excited to be joining Trek World Racing. I've looked up to Trek bicycles since I was a kid watching Lance Armstrong win the Tours so to be a part of that same American brand and adding to that racing heritage is pretty cool. The support this team provides is second to none and I believe I'll have all the tools I'll need to achieve my goals." Aaron said.Returning for 2011 will be World Champion Tracy Moseley (GBR), World Silver Medalist Neko Mulally (USA), and World Top 10 rider Justin Leov (NZL). All three riders have had their best career years while riding aboard Trek, and are looking forward to welcoming Aaron to the team. Tracy said, "It's great to be returning to Trek World Racing for a 3rd year and this time in the World Champion's jersey! I'm looking forward to an exciting year and hope to be able to help Trek World Racing become the number one team in 2011."

The title sponsor is as excited about the 2011 roster as the team is. When asked about the brand's involvement with the team, Trek Vice President Joe Vadeboncoeur remarked "Trek is more dedicated than ever to racing and to the Trek World Racing Team. Its value to our product development and brand is immeasurable but beyond that, we really, really just like to race. Our roster is filled with young talent that is going to provide a lot of energy mixed with mature riders that will continue to produce results. Our intention is to be at the top level of racing at all disciplines." On the continued success of the team, Team Owner, Martin Whiteley said, "After the first 2 years of the program, and all we've learned both on and off the bikes, it's clear we’re ready to take the momentum from the two medals won in Mont-Sainte-Anne and spend more time on World Cup podiums in 2011. It would be great to end next season with the yellow plates aboard our bikes, and be crowned the number one team in downhill racing. With this line up, it's certainly a real possibility."

Justin Leov said today: "I know this program as well as I know the bike, inside out now, and working with amazingly focused people is what I'm all about. I look forward to having a solid crew of staff and riders to work alongside these next two years and a lot of fun times and great rides along the way. I just want to get on with it for 2011 and prove I can put down great race runs in the World Cups and at World Champs." Neko Mulally said: "I'm really looking forward to racing next year. To have such top notch support and a great group of people around me allows me to be the best I can be. I have taken in a lot this past year with Trek World Racing and with a better understanding of racing at the professional level I can't wait to put down some solid performances in 2011."

The Trek World Racing XC Team Roster will be announced in the coming days.

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136 Comments
  • 25 6
 NO!! Having the top American on an American bike was the best.. He was a good face for Yeti.
  • 17 2
 Err, where are Trek from then?
  • 14 0
 Imaginationland! Imaginaaation, imagiiinaaaaaation, imaginaaaaaaaaaaaation
  • 10 3
 Yeti still makes its top tier bikes in American. And runs its entire operation out of America.. Trek, not so much..
  • 6 0
 Yeti makes their employee bikes and racer's in America, the rest is over seas.
  • 2 2
 oh so you are distinguishing better and worse Americans?! Shennenigans! (or however you write that...)
  • 2 1
 WAKI I like your references. Screw you guys...
  • 1 0
 no now seriously. I totaly appreciate buying local stuff that is made localy to highest possible degree, basicaly giving jobs to people around you, spending money that stay in your economy and using as little shipping as possible to make the product "happen". A little patriotic feelings for such purchases won't harm anybody either (I said A LITTLE!!!).

But how is that relating to Aaron Gwin riding for anything let it be chipmonkey pigs playing a banjo team? I don't know...
  • 3 0
 "Yeti still makes its top tier bikes in American. And runs its entire operation out of America.. Trek, not so much.."

Are you serious? Trek HQ is based out of Waterloo, Wisconsin. All their top tier road bikes are hand-made on site by Americans. Everything else is outsourced to Taiwan.
  • 3 0
 ^^^niceley said and swan learn your facts before you say something.
  • 1 0
 Wait... wasn't he saying what you're saying seraph? Except you have facts?
  • 1 0
 ...no, he said "Yeti," not "Trek." Read, then comment.
  • 1 0
 i thought yeti was making there stuff in colorado or did they just switch over seas within the last year?
  • 2 0
 Most of the Yetis are made in Taiwan, just like every other bike you see. The 303 and the ASR Carbon, however, are handmade in the US.. at least that is my understanding ( I work at a Yeti dealer). The other exception is the aniversary edition 575. 250 US made frames.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: haven't slowed down a bit? Huh ????
  • 8 0
 YETI is like a goldmine for having amazing prospects that go on to the bigger mfgs. Wonder who the next ripper will be that rides for the tribe.
  • 2 0
 Chris Boice hopefully. Maybe T. Immer.
  • 4 0
 Good for Gwin, we all love the small player Yeti, they make awesome stuff, but this is a career move for Gwin and Trek will be able to offer much more in terms of support world wide, they are 500 times the size of Yeti and have the budget
  • 4 0
 I'm shocked the 'Needles' isn't part of this squad. His results were awesome, he rode well, got tons of exposure all positive, contributed and was very gracious to his supporters. HOPE YETI NABS NEEDLES! There- I said it. My condolences to Andrew, Stoked Gwin drives to the bank in a nicer car too. He does deserve the suport Trek brings.
  • 2 0
 Couldn't agree more. If the dollars were the same he would have stayed. You'd make the move too if some one just offered you a huge salary jump and crazy support too.
  • 2 0
 Yeti has plenty of Home-grown Blood in the lower ranks with the developmental Team RPM. They have lifelong member Graves, Milan (can step up again) and they still have Schusler. Damion Smith still races, Nevan Steinmetz, Evan Powell, Trevor Trinkino and many more. Racers come and go but family stays true. Yeti/Ride Driven.
  • 9 3
 NOOOO!!!!!!!!! shoulda stuck with yeti
  • 5 1
 Definately. gwinny's my hero and yeti my favourite company Frown
  • 2 0
 So who is riding for Yeti now? Theres Graves, but all he does is dominate 4X. I dont think Joey qualified for more than 2 world cups this year. Immer and Boice still need time before they are ready for the World Cups. There are no top 10 finishers on the best companys team. The Yeti video updates are going to get boring.
  • 3 0
 dude i look at that website just because Aaron rides those XC bike like a DH. what the deuce?
WHAT IMA GONNA DO NOW!!
  • 2 0
 It's sad..... I love Yeti, and I've been following Aaron for a while, and it's sad to see him leave yeti. Although Yeti has grown up from the little boutique bike manufacture it used to be, it still has a sort of majesty and edginess that Trek will never had. Sure maybe he'll get to spend some quality time with Emily Batty, but other then that.... why the heck would he leave Yeti.
  • 3 2
 What's with all the yeti bum boys leaving stupid comments ? The trek sesh88 is one of the best dh bikes on the circuit at the moment the results say it all! Has someone above mentioned before yeah everybody knows someone with an 88 and the reason behind that is because there a damn fine bike! Has for the frame issues there no worse than the over priced yeti 303 rdh which my friend has had crack under the headstock on the bottom tube twice,so is now on is third frame in six months what a joke! I also had the same problem with a yeti dj frame. Won't touch the brand again! Go trek!!!
  • 2 0
 Yeti are great at finding the talent but can't afford to keep them because bigger companies can pay better salaries. Yeti somehow need to become more mainstream and sell more bikes so they can afford to keep these riders.
  • 1 1
 then buy more of there bikes.... some companys cant get the capital to go "mainstream", or mabey they simply dont want to and are happy to be the groomer company, finding new talent to race they're bikes and do the r&d on the cheap
  • 2 0
 i don't think "mainstream" is where Yeti wants to be ever. Don't think they're worried about price points and the recreational mountain bike market. It's not what they do. They're race driven products. atleast that is how I see them and they're small enough to search out that core race scene and run into all the talent they've given chances to who help them develop new rides not just results. ...or maybe not.
  • 3 0
 I wouldnt want Yeti to be mainstream. It wouldnt be the same if you saw the same number of 303s as Glorys and Demos at bike parks. Yetis wouldnt be as special if everyone had one.
  • 2 0
 Yeti are relatively young. Specialized, for example, were one of only two bike manufacturers (the other was Gary Fisher) supporting downhill in the early days of the 80's and so they have a lot of history and have built the reputation, sales and buying power. No business wants to stay small and limit growth along with the potential to re-invest profits in new technology, so I believe we will see Yeti grow from beautiqe to something more mainstream.
  • 1 0
 you have no idea about yeti do you olstar? they have been in the DH game much longer then trek or specialized
  • 1 0
 Mate, what are you talking about. Yeti only started as a company in 1985. I don't even mention Trek. Learn to read.
  • 1 0
 I can read just fine, i think its your ability to understand that's in question. I was suggesting that yeti was not a young company at all, you do realize 1985 was 25 years ago? If you look at the younger world cup players like santa cruz, intense, evil etc you'll know that the age of the company has nothing to do with what you have suggested in your previous comment. And many bike company's like to keep it small. Turner, Yeti, Intense, titus. All these brands have stayed small. In the mid 90's kona had a deal to manufacture more affordable bikes for turner. turner decided not to do it. Yeti will continue to keep doing what they are doing in the hands of the current owners.

The fact is Yeti was one of the first company's that supported mountain bike racing, they're bikes were born and bred under some of the biggest names in early racing. they have if anything more history in mountain bike racing then any other company.

And no you didn't mention trek, but since they just signed Gwin and are the only reason this article even exists i figured you'd have the mental capacity to pick up on why they were mentioned

Next time you'll think on someone else's comment before calling them out eh?
  • 1 0
 Listen dude. I didn't call on your comment. You called on mine. I started the thread. I simply said that Yeti are great at finding new talent and in order to keep them they need more cash. To do that they need to sell more bikes. What is wrong with that?
  • 1 0
 Here are race results for the 4th Annual Whiskeytown Downhill event in June 1984. I see Specialized and Fisher, no sign of Yeti. Sorry Bomberdave but your rant is weightless...
"bomberdave (Nov 10, 2010 at 22:59)
you have no idea about yeti do you olstar? they have been in the DH game much longer then trek or specialized"
www.mountainbikeroots.com/images/W84_RN05_results.jpg
  • 4 0
 damn yeti is pretty screwed for dh this year hope joey steps it up and they get some solid up and comers
  • 4 0
 I'm sure he will kickass on trek, but its going to be weird not seeing him on a yeti.
  • 4 0
 Trek do seem to like pinching Yeti riders. Haha. And yeah what news of Needles?
  • 2 0
 maybe there's a hefty "referral/head hunting" fee. Free agency dh style.
  • 3 1
 I would've like to see Gwinn with the Specialized Monster Boys. That would be a very dominating team setup. With the help of Hill, Brendog, showing him other lines, he would of killed it.
  • 3 1
 fat chance anyone else is getting on that team for a wile
  • 1 0
 sadly, that is true ...
Maybe they'll get Gee too so they're sure to win 70% of the races ^^
  • 2 1
 i wouldnt think gee's will ever make a move away from dan and rae or atleast when theyre not injured.
  • 2 0
 (i was just kidding about that ...) There's no way he'd join a team without Rachel and Dan. I reckon he'll stay with Commencal at least for a few years, especially now that they did a complete overhaul on their frame
  • 2 0
 Gee just re-signed with commencal for another 3-4 years I believe
  • 1 0
 2011 supreme looks sooo sick!!
  • 3 0
 gee is like the biggest shredder on the world cup. hes done like everything that means going big and fast on a dh bike
  • 1 0
 Good news for Gwin, new bike be interesting to see if he can step it up another notch next season. Good luck good to him and good to see the USA competing at the top level again. Go the Kiwi's though lol.

So who's the next star for Yeti?
  • 4 4
 Joey Schusler !! he is gonna be the new up and coming star from yeti !!! yea
  • 2 2
 immer!
  • 3 1
 Joey wasn't ready this year. Boice would have done better. I hope he does better next year.
  • 2 0
 Face it Fellas - Yeti doesn't have the $$$ that the Treks and Specialize's have. It's a business after all. He went where the cash was - It's a small window for most professionals to make a living at.
  • 5 0
 face it, there's only one reason he went to trek - EMILY BATTY!
  • 3 1
 "Trek HQ is based out of Waterloo, Wisconsin. All their top tier road bikes are hand-made on site by Americans." Yeah right, 'by americans'... no mexicans at all...
  • 2 1
 I'm bummed Gwin left yeti but I'm glad he went to trek. I know Neko personally and he is a great guy. I hope him and Gwin can dominate some world cup races and make the sport a little bigger in America.
  • 2 1
 Cant beleive it, its like changing Ferrari for VW. Anyway......money talks I just dont think he would be able to do what Rennie did. Leave Yeti and become world champion, I just dont see it.
  • 1 4
 He's got more chance of winning on a sesh 88 than on a yeti! When was the last time yeti won the dh championships? Like switching from farrari to vw get a grip^^^^^
  • 1 0
 i think this is going to enable him to be able to win worlds. bigger team, better training program etc but its just my opinion
  • 6 0
 Bike wise, they are both extra bad ass bikes that won't hold anyone back from winning a race. Making a change like this comes down to additional support and funding that sometimes is tough to get from a smaller brand. Yeti grooms some of the best racers we've ever seen and that is one of their great traits. They love racing and breed racers, and then when the time comes they let them go onto things they can better enable those racer's futures.
  • 1 0
 We can continue this conversation in one year after the results. Like I said money talks. noah007 I am not looking for a fight at all but I have been in both factorys and been distributor for Trek in the past and even if Trek is who knows how many time bigger than Yeti, you cant compare one bike with the other.Yeti is work of art. Cheers
  • 1 0
 If yetis are so wonderful, great and well priced why don't we see hardly anybody riding them eh??? Trek has been slated on this blog cause it's sold a lot of 88s how stupid is that? Maybe they've sold so many 88s because there a quality bike! I was clearly stateing the facts that cause yeti doesn't sell many bikes(not through the lack of trying) it doesn't make them an exclusive brand does it?
Has for you saying the results will speak for themselves,they already have haven't they?(Tracy mosley) when was the last time a yeti rider won a race in the worlds let alone the world championship!
  • 1 0
 that was pretty good. except for you last sentence. jared graves won the 4x world championship in 2009 on a yeti
  • 1 1
 Yes but were not on about 4x, are we? Were on about gwinn who races DH aren't we! And I was referring to the DH world champs not shitty 4x who's bothered about that?Mmm!
  • 1 0
 "when was the last time a yeti rider won a race in the worlds let alone the world championship!" maybe you should be more specific because you asked when a yeti RIDER won a world championship, which would mean jared graves. and why do you hate 4x? that is a extemely difficult discipline to race and very cool to watch.
  • 1 0
 4x is just bmx but not has good either to ride or watch.Has regards to being more specific this blog is all about a DH rider isn't it so I'm not going to bring a 4x rider into the equastion am i.
  • 1 0
 well duh its DH but you said yeti rider which refers to the yeti team which has both DH and 4x riders. so there fore you are wrong and you have to just admit it.
  • 1 0
 Yes I said yeti rider! Seeing this is in a DH blog you should of realised that I was regarding dh riders and there results! Not jared and is pokey little hardtail!
  • 1 0
 aha dude chill out. i was kidding but i was just stating maybe you should be more specific...haha
  • 3 1
 Semenuk, McCaul, Gwin, Mullaley, Moseley, Leov, Lance the One Nut Wonder and even more??? Goddamn, Trek must have sold a lot of bikes this year
  • 1 0
 i can't believe gwin is going to trek. i had to read the whole article and all your comments just to be sure there's nothing fishy goin' on. i would've preferred if he stayed with yeti. the chemistry was just awesome.
  • 4 0
 That sucks he was way better off with yeti.
  • 1 1
 Welcome to professional sports, home of the mercenary. This is a good move for both Gwinn and Trek. There is nothing wrong for rooting for the small underdog boutique brands like Yeti, but you also must give Trek props for not standing still and always advancing their brand. Why wouldn’t the top USA bike manufacturer not want the top USA rider, sounds like a perfect fit? There is a reason Trek is one of the top selling bike brands in the World.
  • 8 8
 trek bikes suck, to light, dent wayy easier then any other, this sucks, good for Gwin but damn, i used to work at a trek shop but still paid more and bought a different bike then cost on a trek
  • 1 1
 classic!
  • 6 7
 i sell treks at the shop i work at too but i would NEVER ride one... too bad gwin didnt go to a different team :/
  • 8 3
 i love educated and well backed up statements like "trek bikes suck" unless you have extensive time on a bike how do you know they're to light? have you dented one? i also worked at a trek dealer and spent time on other bikes before making my decision... 1.5 years going strong on trek; all bikes dent in the right situation.
  • 6 0
 you don't need to have owned one to know about it , it's one of the most common DH bikes around at the moment so every one knows some one with one.
And I have seen them with some of the biggest dents I have seen in many years of riding , you can't knock the performance of them though they do ride really well and are scary light , but that's pretty much guaranteed when you make a bike from coke cans.:P
  • 3 0
 it dosnt matter if it dents or not for gwin. if he dents (or snaps) a frame, trek will just give him a new one
  • 3 2
 But the problem with them giving him a new one, is they can't really do that in his race run...
  • 3 0
 Unless you've dealt with warranty on Bontrager parts (which seems to be far more often then with pretty much any other component) you are probably not going to be able to defend Trek as a brand to any bike mechanic that has worked at a Trek shop. Pretty much every Fisher we sold last year came back in for various broken Bontrager componets.
  • 2 0
 no problem with trek, but Bontrager is less than desirable... so i got rid of all those parts first.
  • 3 0
 bontreger ruins treks name IMO
  • 3 0
 Trek has some issues to work out on some of their Bontrager branded stuff. But from what I learned from speaking to the mountain brand manager at Trek they warrantied all the Session's that were dinged up even though he said they were all cosmetic and the structural integrity of the frames were sound. They just dinged up easy. Hence why they added the aluminum armor to them.
  • 2 0
 Needles is a great racer, wonder what gives with the split from twr. Hopefully he gets on a solid team for 2011.
  • 3 0
 I was quite shocked when i saw this on the home page.
  • 2 0
 Wow! That's suprising! What's up with yeti? First Blenki, now Gwiny, who will be riding for them in 2011?
  • 2 0
 aww man first sam now aaron downer for yeti
  • 2 0
 and then there was Graves
  • 2 0
 Honestly, my interest in World Cup DH just went down considerably.
  • 1 1
 Gwin will destroy this next year. Money, guys. It makes all the difference to R&D to paychecks.
Also. I though for sure he was going to Intense Cycles. I was wrong.
  • 9 1
 gwin riding for intense would have been cool
  • 6 0
 I sure hope he got a dumptruck full of money. Yeti gave the dude a chance when no one else would. Wish him the best, but definately bummed he won't be on a yeti this year.
  • 1 1
 I heard 150K. Probably false, but Trek is a big company...
  • 2 0
 all i have to say is wow
  • 1 0
 luckily yeti isnt gunna act like iron horse and and have a big downfall when a great rider leaves
  • 2 1
 Ill ride for Yeti.Ill rip it up on my ASX.
  • 1 0
 what will hapen to yeti, do they have anyone riding for them?
  • 3 1
 Wow, very exciting news.
  • 58 4
 Such a bummer! No disrespect to Trek, but Yeti really had it going with Gwin. They're so good at finding talent it's incredible. hopefully we'll see him back on Yeti in the future, kind of like Kirt Voreis and his history with Specialized. Good luck to Gwin in 2011 though, im sure the support from Trek will definitely help up his game.
  • 23 2
 I agree with Chimp, Yeti just seems like such a core group of guys. Aaron seems like a rad dude, too bad he bounced on Yeti tho.
  • 3 2
 fair play to him, dissapointed he didn't stick with yeti, and yeah, what IS happening with Neethling?
  • 8 3
 omg im so sad abut this... going from yeti wich is some of the best and most epic you can get to.. trek !? what the hell ??
  • 14 0
 wow. kind of depressing :/. first sam now aaron... yeti better recruit someone sick this year.
  • 4 10
flag gnartail (Nov 9, 2010 at 10:53) (Below Threshold)
 USA!! USA!!! OOOO SSSSSS AAAAAA!
  • 4 13
flag kaibrabo (Nov 9, 2010 at 11:01) (Below Threshold)
 i would rather see him on Specialized/Monster Energy... BUT troy brosnon has sam hill, neko mulally has Aaron gwin, both to 5 in their cat.'s
  • 4 0
 As much as I hate this, Trek is sure to support him well and get a podium finish. I'm hoping Neethling finds a good home in all this.
  • 2 2
 FUCK YEAH!!!
  • 3 0
 yeti bring up loads of talent from then they seem to go when they are at the top... blenky now gwin.
whats happened 2 neethling??
  • 5 0
 Gonna miss those whips on the blue and yellow beast!
  • 4 2
 Gwin just sold himself out Trek is the man and now they have his nuts...Gwin it was great while it lasted :'-(
  • 4 2
 Gwin will rock next year
  • 4 1
 bummer. he should have stayed with yeti
  • 1 1
 Agreed, anything Martin Whiteley touches turns to gold it seems, so I think Gwin will do ever better with his team being managed by 23 degree's.
  • 2 0
 Sad to see Gwin leave the team which gave him a shot when he was a total nobody.
  • 2 0
 Gwin has sick moto style, I'd be sooo stoked on a top 5 U.S. Downhiller!
  • 2 0
 ^^Totally agreed
  • 1 0
 has andrew neethling left trek?
  • 2 0
 he has been replaced according to some articles?
his website is still all trek so i doubt it was his decision ?
  • 2 0
 Needles will be leaving TWR
  • 2 0
 but where is he going?
  • 1 0
 WHOA! As Snook said, wonder what will be of Needles!
  • 2 1
 He's going to win some races next year for sure!
  • 2 0
 they must pay better ha
  • 2 1
 i like how everybody on trek has been with yeti!
  • 1 1
 dude i cant believe it..now i got to get another bike..Trek
  • 1 1
 wow shocker
  • 2 2
 Gwin, I'm dissappointed!







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