Events

Giant Factory Off-Road Team Adds New Talent for 2021 Race Season

· By Press Office · 3 comments

With a strong group of World Cup contenders and national champions, veterans and rising stars, the Giant Factory Off-Road Team enters the 2021 race season boasting a diverse mix of new talent and returning riders. This year’s squad consists of 14 riders competing in a variety of off-road disciplines including downhill, enduro, cross-country, gravel and E-bike racing.

One of the team’s key additions this year is French downhill pro Rémi Thirion, bronze medalist at the 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Thirion, a veteran pro with six World Cup podiums to his name, captured his first World Cup win in 2013. The 31-year-old is coming off a strong 2020 season that saw him finish second at a World Cup race in Maribor to go with his podium at World Championships.

ccs-144148-0-26567300-1614162187.jpegFrench DH pro Rémi Thirion joins the team following an impressive year that saw him finish on the podium at the 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Kéno Derleyn photo

I’m excited to be joining forces with Giant this year and can’t wait to get the season started. I’ve been training hard, getting the new bike and gear dialed in, and thrilled for new opportunities with this team on both the racing and product development side.
Thirion

Team technical specialist Sebastian Boyington said Thirion brings a proven track record and veteran experience to the team as it looks to elevate its stature at the World Cup level.

Remi is a proven contender, always one to watch at the World Cup level, and we’re all excited to see what he can do this year on and off the race course.

In addition to Thirion, the team welcomes new arrival Luke Vrouwenvelder, a promising young American XC racer, along with the core group returning from 2020.

ccs-144148-0-08651500-1614162349.jpgLuke Vrouwenvelder, pictured here with his Anthem Advanced Pro team bike, is a six-time collegiate national champion in the U.S. A new addition to the team this year, he is considered one of the top young American talents in XC racing. Jack Looney photo

2021 Giant Factory Off-Road Team

  • Josh Berry (USA), Gravel
  • Josh Carlson (AUS), E-bike
  • Stephan Davoust (USA), XC
  • Carl Decker (USA), Gravel/XC
  • Youn Deniaud (FRA), Enduro
  • Jacob Dickson (IRE), DH
  • Reto Indergand (SUI), XC
  • Antoine Philipp (FRA), XC
  • Matt Sterling (USA), DH/Enduro
  • Rémi Thirion (FRA), DH
  • Tristan Uhl (USA), Gravel/XC
  • Cameron Wright (AUS), XC
  • Mckay Vezina (CAN), Enduro
  • Luke Vrouwenvelder (USA), XC

2021 Giant Factory Off-Road Team sponsors

  • Suspension forks/shocks: FOX
  • Wheels: Giant
  • Tires: Maxxis
  • Pedals: HT
  • Drivetrain & Brakes: Shimano
  • Bar/Stem: PRO
  • Saddle: Giant
  • Seatpost: FOX dropper and PRO seatposts
  • Grips: ODI
  • Chain guides: MRP
  • Tire insert: CushCore
  • Cycling shoes: Giant
  • Race kits: Cuore
  • Cycling eyewear: 100%
  • Helmet: Giant & 100% (full-face)
  • Protection: 100%
  • Gloves: 100%
  • Other: Honey Stinger nutrition, Park Tool, Finish Line lube and cleaning products, Stan’s tire sealant, GoPro cameras, Thule gear

DH and Enduro

Thirion is joined on the downhill squad by three-time Irish men’s downhill national champion Jacob Dickson. Following a season that saw most major events cancelled due to the global pandemic, Dickson is looking to get back on track to his 2019 form, when he won two races including a national championship and collected several podium finishes at national-level events.

ccs-144148-0-60879000-1614162467.jpgThree-time Irish downhill champion Jacob Dickson is aiming for consistency and top-10 finishes on the World Cup circuit with his Glory Advanced Pro DH bike. Victor Lucas photo

The third member of the DH squad is American Matt Sterling. The 19-year-old is the 2019 U.S. junior men’s DH national champion, and last year he won the Junior Men’s Downhill race at Crankworx Innsbruck. This year the California native makes the jump to elite men’s competition.

ccs-144148-0-72346900-1614162492.jpgAmerican Matt Sterling, the 2019 U.S. downhill national champion in the junior men’s category, is looking to excel in international competition this year. Victor Lucas photo

Thirion, Dickson and Sterling will compete primarily on their Glory Advanced DH bikes with FOX suspension. All three riders will also be working closely with Giant product developers and the team’s technical staff to develop and test next-generation DH bikes and gear.

The enduro team sees the return of Youn Deniaud, a top talent from France who made the most of the short 2020 season with a top-10 finish at the Enduro World Series race in Pietra Ligure, Italy. Deniaud earned the “EWS Breakthrough of the Year” award in 2018 and is once again aiming for podium finishes at this year’s EWS.

Joining Deniaud on the EWS is 25-year-old Canadian Mckay Vezina, who won the North American Continental Enduro Series in 2019. Vezina’s 2020 season was limited to Canada, where he had a strong showing at the Crankworx Summer Series, consistently finishing in the top-10 at each of the three locations.

Deniaud and Vezina will have their Reign Advanced Pro 29 bikes with FOX suspension setups, along with shorter travel Trance X Advanced Pro 29 trail bikes for select events.

ccs-144148-0-79578100-1614162610.jpgYoun Deniaud and Mckay Vezina will race primarily on their Reign Advanced Pro 29 team bikes at major enduro events including the Enduro World Series. Victor Lucas photo

Rounding out the enduro squad is veteran Josh Carlson. The Australian made the transition to E-bike competition last year, and he has been training and competing locally on his Reign E+ Pro. Carlson also has the new Trance x E+ Pro 29 to choose for certain events this year. He won the first Australian E-Enduro national championship in 2019 and is targeting the Enduro World Series E-bike events this year.

ccs-144148-0-86700900-1614162646.jpgVeteran Josh Carlson won the first Australian E-Enduro national championship in 2019 and is targeting Enduro World Series E-bike events on his Reign E+ Pro bike this year. Wesley Lonergan photo

Cross-Country

This year also sees an expansion of the team’s XC and endurance squad with a renewed commitment to World Cup racing. Reto Indergand of Switzerland and Antoine Philipp of France are representing the team in the elite men’s category, while Australian Cameron Wright returns to race in the Under-23 class.

The 29-year-old Indergand, a former Swiss national champion (U23) and two-time Swiss Bike Cup series winner (2016, 2017), brings a strong résumé of international experience to the team. Philipp, 23, makes the jump up to the elites after an impressive U23 career that included a French national championship in 2019.

ccs-144148-0-76942600-1614162729.jpgReto Indergand of Switzerland (left) and Antoine Philipp of France finished first and second respectively at their opening race of 2021 season in Turkey. Both are focused on World Cups this year, using ther their Anthem Advanced SL 29 bikes for technical tracks and XtC Advanced SL 29 bikes for smooth, fast terrain.

Wright is also on an upward trajectory. The 20-year-old is a multi-time national champion and has hopes to compete for a spot on the Australian Olympic team headed to Tokyo this summer. Wright won the U23 race at the 2020 Australia MTB Nationals, earning the Australian national champion’s jersey. The first two rounds of the 2021 XC World Cup series will serve as Olympic qualifier races.

ccs-144148-0-35058900-1614162757.jpgAustralian Cameron Wright is the 2020 Australian Under-23 national champion. The 21-year-old is aiming for international success this year at U23 World Cup races. Antonio Obregón photo

In addition to the three XC World Cup racers, U.S.-based riders Stephan Davoust and Luke Vrouwenvelder will represent the squad at North American XC events. Davoust had a breakout 2019 season that saw him win a silver medal at the USA Cycling Marathon National Championship. He also scored the overall wins at two popular U.S events: the Downieville Classic and Grinduro. Vrouwenvelder, a six-time collegiate national champion, is seen as one of the top young American XC talents. He has an impressive list of top-10 results on the U.S. Cup circuit and he finished on the podium at the 2018 Pro XC Nationals.

ccs-144148-0-93860800-1614162809.jpgStephan Davoust, winner of the 2019 Downieville Classic in California, will focus primarily on North American XC events.

All the XC athletes will compete primarily on their XtC Advanced SL 29 hardtails and Anthem Advanced Pro 29 full-suspension XC bikes.

Gravel

This year’s Giant Factory Off-Road Team sees the return of its gravel racing squad consisting of Josh Berry, Tristan Uhl and Carl Decker. The three U.S.-based riders are targeting major gravel events in North America including Unbound Gravel in Kansas, the Belgian Waffle Ride series and Rebecca’s Private Idaho. All three will compete on their Revolt Advanced Pro bikes while also helping Giant develop next-generation gravel bikes and gear.

ccs-144148-0-53005600-1614162892.jpgAmerican riders Carl Decker, Josh Berry and Tristan Uhl (left to right) will be racing their Revolt Advanced Pro team bikes at major gravel events throughout the year. Jeff Clark photo

Team partners

On the technical front, the team welcomes back most of its sponsors from 2020 including FOX suspension products, Maxxis tires, Shimano drivetrain and brake components, MRP chain guides, HT pedals, and PRO cockpit components. Additional components and gear include Giant WheelSystems, saddles and dropper seatposts, plus accessories including the new Clutch tool system.

On the apparel side, the team continues its partnership with Cuore, which will supply race kits for XC, gravel and gravity racers. The team also continues to work closely with Cuore to develop and test next generation performance apparel. 100% will once again supply full-face helmets, body protection, eyewear and gloves, while Giant supplies other helmets including the Rail SX, Rev and Pursuit models for XC and gravel, plus footwear including the Charge Pro XC shoe, Line trail/ enduro shoe and the Shuttle DH shoe.

You can follow the Giant Factory Off-Road Team all season long on Instagram and Facebook.

About Giant

Giant is the world’s leading brand of high-quality bicycles and cycling gear. Part of the Giant Group, which was founded in 1972, the brand combines craftsmanship, technology and innovative design to help all riders unleash their full potential. Through its products, people and retail partners, Giant delivers a full ecosystem of bikes and gear to optimize the cycling experience and grow the community. For more information, go to giant-bicycles.com.

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Comments

Christofison

Feb 26, 2021, 5:29 AM

Siiick.

BigToe

Mar 3, 2021, 1:20 PM

No ladies in their team?

GHOST FACE

Mar 4, 2021, 7:23 AM

No ladies in their team?

Giant does not have/make ladies bikes. Liv is a different brand (under the same umbrella with Giant, Cadex and Momentum) solely dedicated to ladies cycling. https://www.liv-cycling.com/int

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