Radon factory teams for cross country and downhill

The Bonn-based bike brand Radon is significantly increasing its involvement in international professional sport and is sending two brand-new elite teams to the World Cup starts in the coming season. And they consist almost entirely of world champions.

The newly founded Radon Factory Cross Country Team led by team manager Ralph Näf will compete in the UCI World Cup in the Olympic discipline. The three-time world champion from Switzerland previously managed the disbanded Stöckli Racing Team, which he was able to take almost entirely with him to Radon.

In addition to himself, former junior and U23 world champion Mathias Flückiger and former junior world champion Alessandra Keller also joined the new bike sponsor. Only Jolanda Neff opted for a different team (BIKE reported). Instead, Kathrin Stirnemann, 2014 sprint world champion and, like the other team members, also from Switzerland, will be joining the Radon XCO team, which is therefore made up entirely of world champions.

New members of the Radon Factory Downhill Team

The newly formed Radon Factory Downhill Team - for which the Radon-Magura Factory DH Team has been downsized - is almost exclusively made up of world champions. Under the leadership of Joost Wichman (4X World Champion), British rider Manon Carpenter, 2014 Downhill World Champion, reigning City DH World Champion Johannes Fischbach and French rider Faustin Figaret will compete in the World Cup. Raphaela Richter, who was crowned Enduro U21 World Champion in 2016, will occasionally strengthen the team.

Christopher Stahl, CEO of Bike Discount GmbH and founder of the Radon brand, described the involvement in the Elite World Cup as a logical step. He hopes that this will not only increase awareness of the brand, but that the feedback from the pros will also stimulate product development.

"As an active motorsport athlete, I know that I need the challenge of professional sport and feedback from riders if I want to improve my product down to the smallest detail," said Stahl in a press release. The experience of racing athletes will therefore flow into the development of a new cross country race fullys and a carbon version of the Swoop downhill bike. In addition, the development of the Radon E-MTBs will also benefit from the feedback of the factory professionals.