30 XC & DH Squads to Vie for World Cup

2011 WORLD CUP SEASON SCHEDULE

Fifteen cross-country and 15 gravity teams will contest the 2011 World Cup season.

Of the 30 squads there are seven U.S-based teams: Specialized Factory Racing, Subaru-Trek and the Luna Pro Team will race cross-country while Yeti, Santa Cruz Syndicate, Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain and Monster Energy/Specialized/Mad Catz will contest gravity events.

The International Cycling Union “Elite Mountain Bike Teams” benefit from numerous advantages, the most important of which is free entry at all the UCI MTB World Cup events and all races on the UCI Mountain Bike International Calendar, according to a UCI release. In return, the teams will be obliged to enter at least one rider in all rounds of the 2011 MTB World Cup and to display the UCI Elite Mountain Bike Team logo on their race outfits and team vehicles.

This new system should stimulate competition between the teams wishing to achieve the status of “UCI Elite Mountain Bike Team.”

Invitations to join a new higher tier of UCI registered mountain bike teams were issued to the best teams of a UCI ranking established on Sept. 27 by adding up the UCI points of the best riders within each team. The teams then had until Dec. 10 to confirm their interest.

All the cross-country teams contacted accepted this new statute. For the gravity (downhill and four-cross), one team refused the statute; the invitation was then issued to the 16th ranked team.

The final list of UCI Elite Mountain Bike Teams for 2011 in the ranking order is:

XC:
• Specialized Factory Racing Team (USA)
• Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing Team (SUI)
• Subaru-Trek (USA)
• Multivan Merida Biking Team (GER)
• Orbea Racing Team (ESP)
• Trek World Racing (ESP)
• Team Colnago (ITA)
• Luna Pro Team (USA)
• Central Pro Team (GER)
• Cannondale Factory Racing (GER)
• Topeak Ergon Racing Team (GER)
• BH SR Suntour (FRA)
• Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team (NED)
• Rubena – Birell – Specialized Cycling Team (CZE)
• Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team (GER)

Gravity:
• Scott 11 (SUI)
• Commencal (GBR)
• Yeti Cycles Races Team (USA)
• Suspension Center (SUI)
• RSP 4 Cross Racing Team (AUT)
• Santa Cruz Syndicate (USA)
• Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain (USA)
• Trek World Racing (ESP)
• Chain Reaction Cycles / Nuke Proof (GBR)
• MS Evil Racing (AUT)
• Commencal Superiders (FRA)
• Alpine Commencal (AUT)
• Lapierre International (FRA)
• Monster Energy – Specialized – Mad Catz (USA)
• Norco World Team (GBR).