NEW DOWNHILL TEAM - Steel City Media's UNION 2

During the winter months, Steel City Media and co have been grafting hard to forge a new type of program that focuses on bringing together and supporting individual riders, under the ‘UNION’ banner.

"Off to race we go"

“After spending the last 10x years growing up and filming on the world cup circuit and wider MTB scene, we wanted to try and give back and help support up and coming riders, media squids and more, with everything we’ve learnt along the way so far. Forming the UNION seemed like the best way to put our small but hopefully mighty voice to good use, by hustling on behalf of and promoting a crew of deserving people, with the aim to give them some of the opportunities we’ve been fortunate to have. It’s only just the beginning and we’re all in for the long run, so watch out for a more diverse setup going forward that reaches outside of the tape and beyond.” - Steel City Media

Even though the focus this year is definitely World Cup DH orientated, this is just the start for the UNION. The long term aim is to support privateers and future talent, whatever their two wheeled discipline may be, because whilst racing is life, riding outside of the tape is pretty sick too.

The following riders will form our first chapter:

Tuhoto Ariki Pene - NZD. Current NZ DH Overall Champion, Val Di Sole 2019 WC Junior winner, Bronze Medal Junior Worlds 2019 and itching for his first proper season in Elite. @tuhoto_ariki

Finn Hawkesbury Browne - NZD. Wakatipu Worlds 2021 winner, 4th NZ DH 2021 series overall and keen for his first overseas summer and Elite WC season. @finnhb

Ollie Davis - AUS. Reigning Aus National DH Champ U17, fired up for his first solo trip to Europe and his first go at the junior WC season. Will he discover Mutzig? @olliedavis.6

Oliver Zwar (Team manager) - SWE. Aussie expat now living in Sweden, team manager and currently ranked 41st on the circuit. Full time carer of Benny. @oliverzwar

Ben Zwar - SWE. Made the jump to Scandinavia to be closer to racing in 2020 with brother Oli, ranked 42nd on the circuit, dabbles in slopestyle. Can’t speak Swedish. @benzwar

There's strength in numbers. What we liked most about what Steel City are doing is creating a team that puts individuals first. The crew that’s assembled for 2020 are riders we’ve been supporting through our distributors for a few years already, but now they’re unified under one tent but with room to grow. - Seb Kemp / Global Brand Manager, Santa Cruz Bicycles.

For everyone else, if you fancy a chat, a beer, or for the squids, somewhere to stash your gear, our pit is always open and secure thanks to our own viking/mechanic Joakim Sundfeldt who resides in the now infamous Jarvso, Sweden.

In 2021 you can find us based out of Morzine, before travelling to all of the UCI DH World Cups, Crankworx, select EWS races and more... In cahoots with Santa Cruz Bicycles and sheltered by Bike Morzine themselves, we’re also backed by these loyal supporters of the cause:

• Fox Suspension
• Maxxis Tyres
• TRP Cycling
• Deity
• Reserve Wheels
• Crankbrothers
• Peaty’s Products
• HKT Products
• SHREDDER Magazine

Since we started filming bikes, especially fast downhill ones, we've always been in love with the scene and the people who make it what it is. With MTB growing and going in so many directions at such a pace, we believe it's trickier than ever for young riders and squids alike to navigate and garner the right support, needed to prosper in the world of MTB.

The UNION is a collaboration between ourselves and Oliver Zwar, who previously rode for and managed the Lusty/Hyperformance team that some of you may have seen on the WC DH circuit in years past. This existing 5x person squad now makes up our newly branded crew of riders.

The goal is pretty simple for us, to support and nurture riding talent whatever the discipline, whilst also bringing on and developing new media talent to capture it all. Even though in this first season we have a World Cup DH heavy roster, it's just the beginning and for 2022 onwards we're looking to create a much more diverse crew in and outside of the tape.

We hope you're as stoked to get behind this young crew of rippers as we are and if you need any more information, please just shout Joe, Nush or Oli any time.

For those attending World Cups in the future, our pit doors and beer fridge is always open for you.

“Save Our Pits”

Sign up to support now:

Instagram: @join.the.union

Mail: info@unionmtb.com