Is there a 2024 thread yet? Didn’t see one. Minnar off Santa Cruz and possibly off to Norco.
2024 racing thread
- Thread starter schwaaa31
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yeah, did not see that one coming. despite legend status, interesting move dropping (i assume) big $ on a dude on the cusp of retirement. curious what instigated that move.
fwiw, it was discussed at length in the "Making up the numbers" podcast they link to, but in the end, not much was really said. I think they were all confounded by it too.
I imagine that Greg can see Steve already has the team manager spot, so there’s limited future of staying on within the syndicate structure post racing.
May as well go somewhere he can have the whole team attention, not have to worry about dynamics and then he can retire into a team support role.
May as well go somewhere he can have the whole team attention, not have to worry about dynamics and then he can retire into a team support role.
Greg seemed less than thrilled this year with some of the equipment, had an abrupt, seemingly acrimonious, mid-season change of mechanic and the rumors suggest that he isn't always the easiest guy to have as a teammate. Given all of that and how the structure of the team has changed in recent years (Kathy leaving previously, Rob leaving, Jackson getting a lot of the attention, etc), it doesn't surprise me that much that they'd either be pushing him out or he'd be looking for an alternative place to ride.
syndicate already has the farewell post up on insta
no way its norco, they don't have a quadruple XL DH frame for him.
nicolai is the only other company besides SC that has a bike big enough for him.
nicolai is the only other company besides SC that has a bike big enough for him.
With Lyle? What have you heard?
Just throwing more into the rumor pool. I could be wildly off base, but I thought there was reporting that there was a blowup at World's where his mechanic was unprepared with tires or something before his final run and was then shifted to another position in the team right after. Maybe "acrimonious" is too strong of a word, but sure appeared as though he was pushed out at least partially due to a screwup.
I was wondering too, if the takeover by PON had led to changes that didn't really suit/please Greg...
But with the rearward axle path of the high-pivot bikes, the bikes grows in size under impacts and in cornering...
I can't quite remember in which video it was (I think it was in the development of the new V10 video), but Lyle was interviewed and captioned as "logistics manager". Maybe he filled in a mid-season void partway through the year? Might be easier to hire a mechanic than someone who is familiar with the team structure and able to order all the stuff they need and coordinate it for next year?
Certainly could be. Just seemed like the change was right after World's where I definitely remember reporting that was something like "Greg was at the top and wanted to switch tires based on the conditions but his mechanic didn't have them and it didn't go over well", so I'm taking a guess that the two things were related.
Who is "they"?! no, seriously, I thought Roskopp owned the Syndicate. Who's the owner now?
No idea, but if he's asking too much they can either agree to it, or put a post on tweetergram saying byeeee and pocket a big wad of cash while paying a junior up and coming rider way less money.
Roskopp parted ways with Santa Cruz awhile ago. He's involved with Unno somehow now.
The Syndicate is a factory (Santa Cruz Bicycles) owned and operated team - similar to the Santa Cruz HTSQD (gravel, endurance XC and cyclocross) but with more vowels
and now with less greg minaars
spell check didn't know what to do with it.
either way, actually
Nah they won't go to any form of enduro because it's harder to televise. They will hurt Enduro in any form more than DH just because of it.
As for Gregg - did Norco scrap their enduro team and now have dumb money? Since if POM lowered the SC team budget and Norco had extra money laying around I might get this move even if it looks like David Beckham/Messi leaving for the MLS.
I don't think Norco has had an Enduro team in a few seasons. Have they actually ever had a serious one?
Norco has done the same flip flop nonsense that Devinci has done recently. Personally, I wouldn't trust them as an athlete to stick behind me. This is pure dog shit speculation, but maybe this is why Sam Blenkisop left them.
Proof:
Press release from Norco saying they are pausing 2023 race teams, posted on October 1st 2022
Norco says they are restarting the DH team, posted on November 28th, 2022
Press release from Norco saying they are kicking off the 2023 season for their factory team, posted on March 17th, 2023
Hopefully this Greg move isn't what leads Mark to be forced off the Team. A Canadian brand booting a Canadian rider, for someone who is at the very end of their career would be in pretty poor taste.
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Well I see Norco is being run in a similar manner to the company I work for now.
Though yeah it seems like a weird move for Greg. Kinda like Dany's move to Cube some time ago. Imho the real move for Greg would be to join a team where his experience would benefit another young rider. Maybe a junior or someone in their first elite year. Still maybe Norco offered Greg a corporate job after he retires. It's pure speculation but with the industry in panic mode now it's probably hard to negotiate with anyone.
Though yeah it seems like a weird move for Greg. Kinda like Dany's move to Cube some time ago. Imho the real move for Greg would be to join a team where his experience would benefit another young rider. Maybe a junior or someone in their first elite year. Still maybe Norco offered Greg a corporate job after he retires. It's pure speculation but with the industry in panic mode now it's probably hard to negotiate with anyone.
Talking of which, has he found a team ride for 2024 yet?
That would be nice,but all I have read/heard about Greg is he is not willing to help,even his own team members.
Avy
Since this is RM and it’s always story time. My personal experience with Greg has been completely different. 15 or so years ago when Sol Vista was a thing, and Greg was on Sram he had to show up to little races there. I was pretending to be a photog then and the dude was super chill, like went to dinner with trail crew and mrs Ringle and I. Was the most approachable guy to all of the groms also. Maybe he has gotten crusty and a dick in his “old” age, but at that point he was a class act.
That was my experience the one time I met him as well, but that was not at a WC race.
I think at the "real" races he can be a dick and only looking out for himself, heard too many former teammates say that for it not have some truth to it.
Fairclough, Luca, Loris...more I can't remember right now.
I think at the "real" races he can be a dick and only looking out for himself, heard too many former teammates say that for it not have some truth to it.
Fairclough, Luca, Loris...more I can't remember right now.
Rumoured to be going to the old Continental Nukeproof team but as Continental GT.
That is exactly what I was thinking. It makes perfect sense tome that he would Not be Loved as a team mate,but fine elsewhere. However,I think it is impossible to ”keep the secret line” from the Team?
I too would not be tryin to share my Line,I’m the Goat! DH is You and the Clock. If you try to keep it private,you are an asshole for not sharin,if you share,you are not wise,but “nice”.
Avy
Or the fact that he started to look old this year, he is still fast as hell compared to most, but he is kind of a slow GOAT. I wouldn't pay him I if I was expecting him to win, and if I didn't want to pay him for results I wouldn't be willing to pay him to be a moany cunt when the rest of the team is stacked.
I mean technically you don't pay athletes for results but for exposure and shit their presence sells. Greg is still super recognizable. Sure he is probably not as media Savy as some guys but the peeps with the most money know him.
Maybe he shouldn't have sold the brand if he still wanted to be in charge of the steering wheel I guess.Roskopp is pretty blunt here.
www.instagram.com
tldr? FAFO while selling out?Roskopp is pretty blunt here.
He didn't say he still wanted to be in charge. He said he was disappointed in how his former business is being run now.
And he's perfectly entitled to that opinion. Infinitely more so than anyone here's opinion of his business decisions.
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