For those w/out Insta, broken hip socket (acetabulum) from a freak moto crash (he didn't provide deets), surgery, no weight-bearing/walking for 3 months.
Well, shit. That's probably the 2025 season dusted if he can't even start walking until April.
I wonder if Mondraker will bring someone into replace him for the season like Ollie Davis and the Syndicate last year . I assume at this stage everything is paid for anyway so you might as well bring someone else along .
Max spending BIG. Also on red?2 former Union riders on TFRSyndicate expanding with some gromsThe Mob expanding but also looking at other optionsNorco will have a...
Max spending BIG. Also on red?
2 former Union riders on TFR
Syndicate expanding with some groms
The Mob expanding but also looking at other options
Norco will have a world champ racing
Former union riders are Lachie and Ollie
Syndicate groms Ellie and Felix Griffiths
World champ to norco is Erice
Also luke wayman has already been seen riding his Atherton
Reece Wilson creating his own team apparently being gamux bikes and getting heaps of funding from somewhere out of industry Seems loris and Benoit to commencal with...
Reece Wilson creating his own team apparently being gamux bikes and getting heaps of funding from somewhere out of industry
Seems loris and Benoit to commencal with a huge commencal team being formed with all muc off riders too
Ellie Hulsebosch has signed with syndicate for next year, Felix Griffiths also signed
Stevens mcnabb to trek
Anna Newkirk to frameworks
Also unior sinter apparently loosing trek and riders just riding their own bikes
I posted this a few months ago also, let’s see how much of it turns out to be true #rumours
Reece Wilson creating his own team apparently being gamux bikes and getting heaps of funding from somewhere out of industry Seems loris and Benoit to commencal with...
Reece Wilson creating his own team apparently being gamux bikes and getting heaps of funding from somewhere out of industry
Seems loris and Benoit to commencal with a huge commencal team being formed with all muc off riders too
Ellie Hulsebosch has signed with syndicate for next year, Felix Griffiths also signed
Stevens mcnabb to trek
Anna Newkirk to frameworks
Also unior sinter apparently loosing trek and riders just riding their own bikes
Reece Wilson creating his own team apparently being gamux bikes and getting heaps of funding from somewhere out of industry Seems loris and Benoit to commencal with...
Reece Wilson creating his own team apparently being gamux bikes and getting heaps of funding from somewhere out of industry
Seems loris and Benoit to commencal with a huge commencal team being formed with all muc off riders too
Ellie Hulsebosch has signed with syndicate for next year, Felix Griffiths also signed
Stevens mcnabb to trek
Anna Newkirk to frameworks
Also unior sinter apparently loosing trek and riders just riding their own bikes
I wonder if Mondraker will bring someone into replace him for the season like Ollie Davis and the Syndicate last year . I assume at this...
I wonder if Mondraker will bring someone into replace him for the season like Ollie Davis and the Syndicate last year . I assume at this stage everything is paid for anyway so you might as well bring someone else along .
For points they will have too! Although a well funded and supported team like mondraker would likely get a wild card sport for 2026. Just not a 2-3 World Series Team thing.
Also luke wayman has already been seen riding his Atherton
Big surprise to see Erice leave Commencal Les Orres for her first elite season. That stability and familiarity for a first elite year, on a proven bike too, is often what riders want. Norco paying big or talking big game?
Well you were wrong about Felix paying to be on the Syndicate
Any proof on this or are we just taking their word for it? If his parents have paid for a ride it wouldn’t be at all surprising if it was written into the contract that it has to be kept quiet. I wouldn’t even be surprised if felix himself is unaware.
Big surprise to see Erice leave Commencal Les Orres for her first elite season. That stability and familiarity for a first elite year, on a proven...
Big surprise to see Erice leave Commencal Les Orres for her first elite season. That stability and familiarity for a first elite year, on a proven bike too, is often what riders want. Norco paying big or talking big game?
I did wonder about that? Norco's race budget must be getting pretty bloody big by now! I also wonder with the speed of Norco's team creation under Minnaar, how much (if any) Minnaar had of an insight as to what was coming via WBD demands? And how to position Norco to be one of the very few teams to survive into the new format. He was very much more in the loop at UCI than the average rider.
Note this is pure speculation on my part, nothing more.
I wonder if Mondraker will bring someone into replace him for the season like Ollie Davis and the Syndicate last year . I assume at this...
I wonder if Mondraker will bring someone into replace him for the season like Ollie Davis and the Syndicate last year . I assume at this stage everything is paid for anyway so you might as well bring someone else along .
For points they will have too! Although a well funded and supported team like mondraker would likely get a wild card sport for 2026. Just not...
For points they will have too! Although a well funded and supported team like mondraker would likely get a wild card sport for 2026. Just not a 2-3 World Series Team thing.
I don't remember seeing in the UCI documents anything saying a team member has to race in any of the races in order to contribute points.
So, Dak might be contributing to Mondraker's total even if he can't race until late in the season. If he's ON the team and he's inside of the constraint of "maximum of four riders per category" then I think he's contributing his points to the total used to decide an Elite team. He's just injured. Injuries happen in the sport. If Loic dislocates his ankle coming out of the gas station driving to the first race, he'd be just as "out" as Dak is for that first race. I doubt the Powers That Be would take a chance at a freak accident injury keeping a major team out of the 15 Elite Teams group.
Felix Griffith’s mum is an A List Hollywood actress… it wouldn’t surprise me if the pay to ride stuff is true, or that SCS are hoping for some good PR having him / his mum around the pits. I’d say the latter is the more likely scenario.
Maybe the kid is simply good enough to get a spot on the team. He is national champ in his age group and I doubt SCS would have taken him on if they didn't think he has potential.
Maybe the kid is simply good enough to get a spot on the team. He is national champ in his age group and I doubt SCS...
Maybe the kid is simply good enough to get a spot on the team. He is national champ in his age group and I doubt SCS would have taken him on if they didn't think he has potential.
Kids certainly talented, and has more speed in his pinky toe than I’ll ever have, but all it takes is a glance over his roots and rain page to realise he isn’t a generational talent… take his Saracen teammate George Madley as an example. Was lighting up juniors when he was a first year youth. Felix doesn’t seem to be doing that. This isn’t an entirely talent based decision from SCS.
Got to remember not too long ago they ran a public pay to ride team called the Steve Peat Syndicate. This wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for them.
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked by everyone who knows the truth) is causing doubt for some people. I’ve always found the MTB community to be open and positive and I hope we can continue to be supportive of kids who are chasing dreams.
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked...
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked by everyone who knows the truth) is causing doubt for some people. I’ve always found the MTB community to be open and positive and I hope we can continue to be supportive of kids who are chasing dreams.
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked...
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked by everyone who knows the truth) is causing doubt for some people. I’ve always found the MTB community to be open and positive and I hope we can continue to be supportive of kids who are chasing dreams.
and with that, the discussion of this topic of kids and parents and teams and who's paying what in the team rumors thread is now closed.
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked...
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it. It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked by everyone who knows the truth) is causing doubt for some people. I’ve always found the MTB community to be open and positive and I hope we can continue to be supportive of kids who are chasing dreams.
Paying for a ride is nothing new, maby for the syndicate it is, it was discussed some pages back.
Nothing new at all. Anyone remember the Canadian oil magnates son on Norco Factory Racing for a while? Teams need the money to race and since outside sponsorship is deemed a dirty concept in our sport, then this is the only way the incestuous mtb racing Ouroboros will keep itself alive.
Team rumours for shitzngiggles:
Brook Macdonald self funding a world cup campaign while still riding forbidden.
Connor Fearon to race select worldcups but focus on fun stuff.
Pivot to drastically shrink as second hand porsche market dwindles.
Well, shit. That's probably the 2025 season dusted if he can't even start walking until April.
Dammit.
2025 pro dh series calendar here - https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2025-race-talk?page=13#comment-550701
(please discuss in that forum thread, not here...just wanting people to see it and team rumors is a big crowd)
I wonder if Mondraker will bring someone into replace him for the season like Ollie Davis and the Syndicate last year . I assume at this stage everything is paid for anyway so you might as well bring someone else along .
Former union riders are Lachie and Ollie
Syndicate groms Ellie and Felix Griffiths
World champ to norco is Erice
Also luke wayman has already been seen riding his Atherton
I posted this a few months ago also, let’s see how much of it turns out to be true #rumours
Well you were wrong about Felix paying to be on the Syndicate
Like I say all just rumours I’ve heard
That wasn't posted anywhere before you created an account on Vital.
For points they will have too! Although a well funded and supported team like mondraker would likely get a wild card sport for 2026. Just not a 2-3 World Series Team thing.
Big surprise to see Erice leave Commencal Les Orres for her first elite season. That stability and familiarity for a first elite year, on a proven bike too, is often what riders want. Norco paying big or talking big game?
Would be crazy 🤩😮💨
Any proof on this or are we just taking their word for it? If his parents have paid for a ride it wouldn’t be at all surprising if it was written into the contract that it has to be kept quiet. I wouldn’t even be surprised if felix himself is unaware.
I did wonder about that?
Norco's race budget must be getting pretty bloody big by now!
I also wonder with the speed of Norco's team creation under Minnaar, how much (if any) Minnaar had of an insight as to what was coming via WBD demands?
And how to position Norco to be one of the very few teams to survive into the new format.
He was very much more in the loop at UCI than the average rider.
Note this is pure speculation on my part, nothing more.
I don't remember seeing in the UCI documents anything saying a team member has to race in any of the races in order to contribute points.
So, Dak might be contributing to Mondraker's total even if he can't race until late in the season. If he's ON the team and he's inside of the constraint of "maximum of four riders per category" then I think he's contributing his points to the total used to decide an Elite team. He's just injured. Injuries happen in the sport. If Loic dislocates his ankle coming out of the gas station driving to the first race, he'd be just as "out" as Dak is for that first race. I doubt the Powers That Be would take a chance at a freak accident injury keeping a major team out of the 15 Elite Teams group.
Felix Griffith’s mum is an A List Hollywood actress… it wouldn’t surprise me if the pay to ride stuff is true, or that SCS are hoping for some good PR having him / his mum around the pits. I’d say the latter is the more likely scenario.
Maybe the kid is simply good enough to get a spot on the team. He is national champ in his age group and I doubt SCS would have taken him on if they didn't think he has potential.
Kids certainly talented, and has more speed in his pinky toe than I’ll ever have, but all it takes is a glance over his roots and rain page to realise he isn’t a generational talent… take his Saracen teammate George Madley as an example. Was lighting up juniors when he was a first year youth. Felix doesn’t seem to be doing that. This isn’t an entirely talent based decision from SCS.
Got to remember not too long ago they ran a public pay to ride team called the Steve Peat Syndicate. This wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for them.
Paying for a ride is nothing new, maby for the syndicate it is, it was discussed some pages back.
I like that Felix and his brother have found Downhill racing and are passionate enough to pursue it.
It’s a shame that an untrue internet rumour, (debunked by everyone who knows the truth) is causing doubt for some people.
I’ve always found the MTB community to be open and positive and I hope we can continue to be supportive of kids who are chasing dreams.
Agree!!!
and with that, the discussion of this topic of kids and parents and teams and who's paying what in the team rumors thread is now closed.
We need Gwyn + Dak in the booth.
Amen to this
Nothing new at all. Anyone remember the Canadian oil magnates son on Norco Factory Racing for a while? Teams need the money to race and since outside sponsorship is deemed a dirty concept in our sport, then this is the only way the incestuous mtb racing Ouroboros will keep itself alive.
Team rumours for shitzngiggles:
Brook Macdonald self funding a world cup campaign while still riding forbidden.
Connor Fearon to race select worldcups but focus on fun stuff.
Pivot to drastically shrink as second hand porsche market dwindles.
Elise Empey signing with a bigger team.
Newkirk to frameworks is confirmed.
Oli Zwar to new team
Trek with Semenuk, Kade, Emil and Brage would be something else
I guess they got hacked???
does it come with points? Could be that ticket into the top 15!
If further confirmation is needed, I’ve seen with my own eyes Yolanda riding Pisgah on a bike with a single sided front suspension.
Post a reply to: 2025 Team Rumors