Aaron Gwin and Specialized Part Ways - Here's Why

[rouxtjie]

Let's face it:  comparedTroy was turned into complete spesh stormtrooper, right down to his undies i'm sure, he treated them like a frame sponsor. I see it very possible that he could command a higher salary on aggregate if he milks all his other fawning sponsors.

 

So maybe the higher salary was a dice-roll response to spesh's fawning over him, along the lines of "oh, you say i'm that important, then how's this number sound?".

 

They blinked and he left. I think Alan Jones was referring to this as being "a total professional". But i was just tinfoiling: its rather more likely Gwin is after top dollar, same way he stiffed Martin Whiteley at the last minute. But gwin seemingly learnt his lesson in terms of PR management, because he sure as hell got out in front of the rumor mill in a sweet hurry, giving his side of things.

 

Giant as a frame sponsor would be a good fit. Marcello has been riding solo for too long without making bigger progress. Having a faster team mate can do wonders if you don't have an attitude about it. Marcello seems a pretty chilled dude, and I'm sure Giant has a giant bank balance to boot.

spot on

[Stretch]

Regardless....This year had to be the most moves we've seen in a long time... Outside of the syndicate... Everyone seems to be chopping and changing.... Makes you realise what a tight team they are.... And I think the only one that can join that team is loic... But it will only be after peaty retires. As for gwinn...yt giant red bull.. Does not matter... He will still be competitive... And a massive knob

[DIPSLICK]

Regardless....This year had to be the most moves we've seen in a long time... Outside of the syndicate... Everyone seems to be chopping and changing.... Makes you realise what a tight team they are.... And I think the only one that can join that team is loic... But it will only be after peaty retires. As for gwinn...yt giant red bull.. Does not matter... He will still be competitive... And a massive knob

AND A MASSIVE MASSIVE GIGANTIC KNOB

[Shebeen]

Gwin for Schwinn

[Spoke101]

From what I've herd from someone who should defiantly know, is that the move is to YT. Whether that is only the frame I'm not sure. There is speak of a Red Bull team and KTM motorcycle division pitching in.

 

Loic Bruni was spotted in a pair of Spez shoes the other day and there is talk of the team sticking together but with a new bike sponsor which could be the big S.

[Capricorn]

From what I've herd from someone who should defiantly know, is that the move is to YT. Whether that is only the frame I'm not sure. There is speak of a Red Bull team and KTM motorcycle division pitching in.

 

Loic Bruni was spotted in a pair of Spez shoes the other day and there is talk of the team sticking together but with a new bike sponsor which could be the big S.

 

lot of those tidbits you've HEARD, surfaced on Vital, and to a lesser extent PB. 

NicoBos was the first local to mention YT before this whole gwin walk-away.

 

But seems the rumors are aligning along Gwin to YT+RB+others, and Loic to Spesh.

[Spoke101]

lot of those tidbits you've HEARD, surfaced on Vital, and to a lesser extent PB. 

NicoBos was the first local to mention YT before this whole gwin walk-away.

 

But seems the rumors are aligning along Gwin to YT+RB+others, and Loic to Spesh.

 

Yip, seams so.

 

I don't really care about Gwin, just imagine the Syndicate with Minn, Rat and Loic

[Capricorn]

Julien Absalon rakes in 500k euros per year? This article (its in spanish, but Chrome will translate for you) is making that hectic claim, and guestimating that Gwin is pulling $400k p/a.

 

Tidy sums of cash that 

[raptor-22]

Lots of pros and cons in going either way. If he wins and dominates, like we know he could, then being on a Spez will be good. For them of course. If not then it would have been a VERY expensive exercise.  To pay top dollar to sell some DH bikes vs a DH and Enduro team covering a wider field is the real question.

 

Spez, like any other brand, is surely selling more AM / Enduro bikes than DH bikes so it would sense to have a strong presence in that discipline rtaher than a VERY expensive DH racer.

 

 

So good reasoning here but that's one way of looking at it and I would'nt expect Specialized to attach such linearity to their marketing campaigns.

Winning is winning and having strong contenders across disciplines gives you a much better shot of having your brand on the cover, especially if the rainbox stripes of WC are the reason.

 

I suspect those Specialized marketing folks just have an upper ceiling that they're prepared to pay a mountainbiker. Lets face it AM/Enduro and DH have a smaller following than XC or Road. Even in those disciplines Specialized is not the highest remunerator (inside info).

 

So I'm not convinced its to do with a preference for having more sponsored riders in another discipline because they think that that discipline is where its at right now but rather because they get better value for money having another rider or two on the books cost effectively. Picking up another top DH'er is a lot harder than picking up a top Enduro type.

 

it amkes sense if you consider DH the F1 of gravity disciplines and Enduro is the Formula Renault

[KingTJ]

So good reasoning here but that's one way of looking at it and I would'nt expect Specialized to attach such linearity to their marketing campaigns.

Winning is winning and having strong contenders across disciplines gives you a much better shot of having your brand on the cover, especially if the rainbox stripes of WC are the reason.

 

I suspect those Specialized marketing folks just have an upper ceiling that they're prepared to pay a mountainbiker. Lets face it AM/Enduro and DH have a smaller following than XC or Road. Even in those disciplines Specialized is not the highest remunerator (inside info).

 

So I'm not convinced its to do with a preference for having more sponsored riders in another discipline because they think that that discipline is where its at right now but rather because they get better value for money having another rider or two on the books cost effectively. Picking up another top DH'er is a lot harder than picking up a top Enduro type.

 

it amkes sense if you consider DH the F1 of gravity disciplines and Enduro is the Formula Renault

Definitely, even though Enduro is all the buzz right now, DH remain the pinnacle of the sport with the greatest exposure (gravity genre)...like you said MOTOGP VS SBK...you feel the one is for the guys who couldnt quite make it at the top.

[Duane_Bosch]

Julien Absalon rakes in 500k euros per year? This article (its in spanish, but Chrome will translate for you) is making that hectic claim, and guestimating that Gwin is pulling $400k p/a.

 

Tidy sums of cash that 

Yes and no. Just my opinion here.

 

For a top pro at the top of their game I think Cyclists in general and particularly gravity guys are underpaid. Especially when you consider the grave risks they face on pretty much a daily basis.

 

If you look at golf vs cycling in terms of equipment spend/athlete salaries it reckon there's a HUGE disconnect. Particularly when you go a little deeper down the quali lists. We saw the "Bergamont Factory Racing Team" in Morzine last year and they were literally squatting in the Carrefour parking lot.

[Patchelicious]

I'll say it again--it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter Heaven.

 

So let's hope for his sake that he puts his money where his mouth is and gives it all away.

[Eldron]

Agree, was just so much easier to hope Gwin see his koek  / get a flat / drop a chain(not that it helped) when he was riding for EvilCorp

 

 

EvilCorp hahahaha I just reverse schnarfed coffee all over myself.

[Eldron]

 

I don't really care about Gwin, just imagine the Syndicate with Minn, Rat and Loic

 

 

Dear any and all deities,

 

Please send Loic to the Syndicate. That is a 3some I'd watch all day long!

 

Many thanks

 

Eldron.

[Super_mil]

Gwin is certainly not my favourite rider but he is a flippen good rider with the results to back it all up. Steve Jones did a great write up/opion piece in DirtMTB regarding AG and "Is he worth it?"

 

Just one of the stats below:

 

World Cup Winners 2011-2015

Gwin                          14 World Cup wins

Greg Minnaar            5

Steve Smith                4

Josh Bryceland          3

Gee Atherton             3

Sam Hill                      2

Brook MacDonald      1

Remi Thirion              1

Troy Brosnan             1

Total                          34 Races

[Odinson]

Gwin is certainly not my favourite rider but he is a flippen good rider with the results to back it all up. Steve Jones did a great write up/opion piece in DirtMTB regarding AG and "Is he worth it?"

 

Just one of the stats below:

 

World Cup Winners 2011-2015

Gwin                          14 World Cup wins

Greg Minnaar            5

Steve Smith                4

Josh Bryceland          3

Gee Atherton             3

Sam Hill                      2

Brook MacDonald      1

Remi Thirion              1

Troy Brosnan             1

Total                          34 Races

 

Clearly race wins isn't the only thing Spez looks at when determining an rider's value. 

 

There is obviously a lot that has been going on behind the scenes that we're not privy to.