News: GT Drops Kinter and Atkinson; Other Rumors Swirl
After an astounding list of accomplishments GT will not be re-signing Jill Kintner, or Bry Atkinson, for '09. Stay tuned to Bikemag.com and find out who picks up their ride.
Colin Meagher |
It's mid September, the time when most industry insiders have their eyes firmly glued to the events surrounding Interbike, the quasi-bike/tribal gathering in Sin City (aka Las Vegas) at which industry hacks parade their wares before the all-consuming public, as well as the media.
Unbeknownst to Joe Q Public, there's also a lot of horse trading that goes on at Interbike. Behind-the-scenes stuff that has made it renowned as "the Silly Season". In short, it's a giant game of musical chairs as (a) riders dissatisfied with teams or sponsors swap one or the other, (b) teams dissatisfied with sponsors or riders seek new ones, and (c) sponsors dissatisfied with riders or teams look for fresh meat. It's incestuous, and always a hoot to watch--from the sidelines, that is. If you're caught in the middle, it can be pretty hectic: after all, your fortunes for the next year or two hang in the balance.
This year's Silly Season promises to be interesting, with changes to the GT line-up at the vanguard of what looks set to be a week of flux. With rumors flying that GT might be making meaningful changes to its racing program, it has been confirmed that Bryn Atkinson and Jill Kintner will not be renewed for 2009, and there are whispers of possible migrations from the XC side as well (big red S, anyone?).
From Jill's blog: "We just received a phone call that both Bryn and I will not be re-signed with GT for '09. We were really happy there, and love the bikes, so we are sad to leave after all the promotion and success, but it's their call. 3 years, 2 National Championships, World Cup overall title, 2 World Championship titles, and now an Olympic Bronze in a different sport. Just wanted to say thank you for the support over the years."
Among the many other burning questions is who is going to be on the sharp end of the racing stick for Trek's new world cup team? Podium players aren't in large supply, and neither Martin Whitely nor Trek are interested in mediocrity. Look for some firepower in that squad.
On the product side, Michelin is looking to upgrade their rubber program, in an era when all you see spinning on the race scene also starts with an “M”. So look for a very different Michelin tire program for 2009. Head tester? Well, he's rumored to have rainbow stripes, is from France, and isn't named "Nico".
The Ironhorse Era is over. Sam Hill and Brendan are going to be aboard something very different next season. Most of you will have already heard the rumors regarding the big red S, but at this stage those are exactly that: rumors. Sources at Specialized wouldn't confirm them. But then again, they weren't denying them either.
Team Maxxis had a contract with Litespeed through the Olympics for XC (is that like a grocery store coupon? As in "good for only one Olympics"?). And, with Ironhorse being out of it on the gravity side, Team Maxxis will be looking for new wheels for both sides of the equation. Rumors are swirling that they're searching in the Great White North.
Marie Helene Premont was supposedly going to hang it up after these Olympics. And then she absolutely slayed it all season long, with the icing on the cake a World Cup Overall podium spot. Do you really think she's ready to be a pharmacist? Look for her to do one more year.
There are loads more rumors, but I'll keep them under my hat until I get further confirmation, so keep an eye peeled here at Bikemag.com for the latest Silly Season reports. We'll be huddled around our monitors, debating the latest conspiracy theories 24/7, just for you.
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