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CRC/Nukeproof release 2011 World Cup race team

RUFUS

RUFUS

e-douche of the year
Dec 1, 2006
3,480
1
Denver, CO
Very excited to see how this team and the Nukeproof works out. Good to see Matti back into it.

http://dirt.mpora.com/news/crc-release-2011-world-cup-race-team.html

On the downhill roster, Matti Lehikonen and Matt Simmonds continue to ride for the team, joined by two young British pinners Joe Smith and Lewis Buchanan. Nigel Page, team manager said: “Matti and Matt both had a great season in 2010 and are focussed to improve further in 2011.”
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slyfink

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,352
5,102
Ottawa, Canada
Was Lewis Buchanan not on Evil last year? Is that the same guy? Wonder what that means about Evil... 'specially since there's rumblings of Smith going to DeVinci... (though it wasn't the same team I don't think). Anyways, it'll be interesting to see how the new bikes do under that roster...
 
Tomasis

Tomasis

Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
681
0
Scotland
nukeproof frame looks interesting.. not so expensive in CRC shop , hm.. will be interesting watch matti in WC :)
 
Cant Climb

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
Wonder who or if anyone going to be on Kona now....Joe Smith was the lead Kona racer....
 
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Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
Matti seems like such a big risk to take on a team. When he's on, he's super capable, but such a long history of injuries. I never take him for my fantasy team, can't imagine betting real money on him. At what point do you let it go for some younger potential or up and commers? Same could be said for Kovarik and other riders that used to produce but just haven't shown it recently.
 
quickneonrt

quickneonrt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2003
1,611
0
Staten Island NY
Tdiddy said:
Matti seems like such a big risk to take on a team. When he's on, he's super capable, but such a long history of injuries. I never take him for my fantasy team, can't imagine betting real money on him. At what point do you let it go for some younger potential or up and commers? Same could be said for Kovarik and other riders that used to produce but just haven't shown it recently.
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sometimes it takes change, something fresh.
 
monkeyfcuker

monkeyfcuker

Monkey
May 26, 2008
912
8
UK, Carlisle
Wasn't it said recently somehwere (maybe here) that Matti is an amazing rider when it comes to developing bikes, knows exactly what he wants and can explain it well?? Sounds like the kind of person you want at the head of what is still a damn young team to me!
 
William42

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,936
680
Given how many different bicycles and companies matti has ridden for, its no surprise the dude is inconsistent. Has he ever gotten to ride the same bicycle more then a year consecutively? Just off the top of my head, hes ridden for honda, intense, evil, intense again (different bicycle) and now nukeproof. am I missing any? The dude gets traded around more then a 10 dollar hooker, poor bastard. Its no wonder he suffers from poor self esteem and hurts himself all the time.
 
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Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
other riders seem to perform quite well when switching teams, so I'm not sure that's an excuse. Hill won the overall his first year on specialized. I think he just maybe pushes a little too hard like a lot of the young racers do. It takes a few years to figure out the limit where you can be consistant, he's just had the misfortune of it costing him some nasty injuries.

I hope he does really well on the new team because when he's healthy he's fun to watch.
 
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EVIL JN

Monkey
Jul 24, 2009
491
24
as far as i know sam hill hasnt switched team in ages just frame sponsor. Sam, Jacy and Sean i think has been a team since sams early years on the circuit. I agree that Matti has had to change his ride a bit to often, like every year, and that cant be to good in the long run.
 
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Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
I would say that a lot of riders have to switch teams quite frequently. Staying on one team for a long time seems to be the exception to the rule, not the rule. And I was replying to the "given how many different bicycles" part of the post above mine.

Teams and bikes come and go, but the top riders seem to perform despite the changes.
 
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EVIL JN

Monkey
Jul 24, 2009
491
24
Except like gee, minnar, peat and sam they have been on the same team for quite some years now and they seem to dominate the top spots. Getting some kind of family feeling in the team i think is quite important to be able to perform to 110% which it is going to take to stand on the top place of the podium.
 
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Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
EVIL JN said:
Except like gee, minnar, peat and sam they have been on the same team for quite some years now and they seem to dominate the top spots. Getting some kind of family feeling in the team i think is quite important to be able to perform to 110% which it is going to take to stand on the top place of the podium.
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Minnaar went from Animal Orange, to Global on Orange, to Haro (on Intense Bikes), to G Cross Honda, to Santa Cruz. He won on Global at 19 the overall, then on Haro he was world champ at 21. 2 years later he won the overall again on the Honda. 3 years after that on another team, Santa Cruz, he won the overall again. Sounds like a lot of movement and a lot of success.

Steve Peat has been on 5 different teams.

These guys are good on anything you give them. I think as long as they have support they can get the job done, no matter who is on their team or what bikes they are riding. I hope Matti puts it together this year to make things even more interesting in the top five. If Barel is ready to go as well it will be a real crapshoot every race.
 
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WBC

Monkey
Aug 8, 2003
578
1
PNW
I obviously don't know the real game as I'm far from being anything like a WC rider, but from my observations:

They are good on anything you give 'em no doubt. I mean just the fact people could qualify for a WC on a 951 speaks volumes for the rider over the bike argument.

The difference with Matti vs Minnaar is that Matti is on a different frame every year, whereas Minnaar stays aboard a frame for a few seasons. I don't think you need to have this all the time, but think about how signings go. Once the WC season is over you spend a few months just ****ing off with whatever bike you still have, then you go through the sponsor game again, probably test a few frames out, and by spring you're finally on your bike for the season. If you're going from a 10" VPP bike to an 8" Singlepivot, a month before RSA isn't really enough time to get comfortable.

And building on that, with Minnaar, Atherton or Peat, they had enough time aboard one frame at one point in time to where they could build their consistency and then transfer that to the new steed.
 
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