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Team Director Martin Whiteley ex-UCI mountain bike manager said choosing Orange wasnt a snap decision:
After seeing Greg Minnaar’s [of Team Animal] excellent performances in 2000, we sent
our Head Mechanic Patrick Griessen to make an evaluation of the Orange program, and he was extremely impressed. They are very committed to making the best bikes possible, and will be making Global Racing new Downhill bikes in 2001 based on rider feedback, including a whole new model that Missy will be helping design.
It was announced on other websites and in magazines that Global Racing, being an indie outfit, was originally going to let riders choose whatever bikes they liked but that it was felt a solus bike brand deal would be more logistically sensible. Howeever, Whitely stresses that it was always the intention to sign just one bike brand.
The full team line up is: Missy Giove, Greg Minnaar, Markolf Berchtold, Mick Hannah, Naoki Idegawa, Daisaku Kaneko, Sean McCarroll, César Rojo and Marielle Saner.
The team was formed late last year and is bankrolled by a Japanese businessman with interests in the Mt Arai downhill course in Japan.
Global Racing is managed by 23 Degrees Sports Management and has lined up a raft of top brands as Official Suppliers. Whiteley stressed that all the products had been carefully considered by the team members before picking them.
"It was very important for us to have a list of Official Suppliers that we could confidently claim to be our products of choice, globally. The riders were consulted and have given their resounding support for this list of suppliers.
Global Racings Official Suppliers are:
Orange Mountain Bikes – bikes
Shimano – components
RockShox – suspension
Azonic – competition clothing and handlebars and stems.
Michelin – tyres
Mavic – rims
Tioga – seat accessories, headsets and mudguards
DT Swiss – hubs and spokes
Pedro’s synthetic lubes
23 Degrees Sports Management have also secured the coaching services of the highly respected international mountain bike coach, Damian Grundy of Australia.
Grundy was formerly coach at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and coach of XC riders Cadel Evans and Mary Grigson. He will be the
team’s Senior Coaching Consultant and will assist with training camps
at the AIS. He will be assisted by Brit Rolf Woodward, who comes to the team from a diverse academic and coaching background.
