Change: These gravity bikers will change their sponsor in 2023

These changes are official or as good as

Downhill and enduro racer Johannes Fischbach will only ride e-bikes in 2023, but in the newly created E-Enduro World Cup (EDR-E). Here's all the info on the new UCI Mountain Bike World Cup calendar 2023. Top enduro mountain bike pros Jesse Melamed and Jack Moir will be riding German mail-order bikes in the new racing season and Insta-Shredder Korbi Engstler will be riding Ghost bikes in 2023. The 50to01 crew frontman Josh Lewis is switching to the Swiss brand Scor.

Korbi Engstler to Ghost Bikes

After four years on R Raymon Bikes, insta-shredder Korbinian Engstler is moving to Ghost Bikes in 2023. On Madeira, the rider from the Allgäu already had the opportunity to test his new work tool, the new Ghost Riot CF AM Full Party, to test. "It was time for something new and the brand and the bikes suited me perfectly," Korbi told us on the phone. Fun fact: Korbi Engstler's first mountain bike was a Ghost Cagua, which he bought from local hero and idol Guido Tschugg for 1400 euros at the age of 15.

>> Driver change: All transfers of the cross-country stars for the 2023 season

Josh Lewis to Scor

He is one of the most creative bikers on the planet, but for many he is an unknown quantity. The Brit from Sheffield is the face of the trail rowdies 50to01-Crew. The thoroughbred jibber loves to play with his bike like no other. He looks for lines where there are none, slides over tree trunks and invents unique trick combinations. You can see it all on his Insta account. Josh tricked on his Santa Cruz 5010 trail bike for a long time, now Josh is surprisingly switching to the Swiss label Scor. Scor was founded in 2021 as a brand within the BMC Group.

Johannes Fischbach to drive for Gasgas in 2023

Germany's most prominent MTB downhill racer also has his long-standing sponsor R Raymon left. Fischi last competed in the UCI Downhill World Cup races with a third-party frame because his sponsor R Raymon did not have a downhill mountain bike in its programme. According to our information, a downhill bike was being tinkered with, but apparently without success.

In 2023, Johannes Fischbach will now start as a works rider for the Gasgas brand and wants to prove himself in the newly created E-Enduro World Cup. This is because the Spaniards from Gasgas only have e-mountainbikes in their programme. The 34-year-old from the Upper Palatinate is therefore putting his downhill career on ice for the time being. Fischi got his first taste of the E-Enduro racing series last year at a guest appearance in Finale Ligure. Alongside his racing career, Fischbach wants to continue entertaining his fans with his iconic YouTube clips about his life as an athlete. Fischi is currently training in Ibiza for his E-Enduro racing debut in 2023.

I've never been a big enduro race fan, but the E format with technical uphills is really fun. - Johannes Fischbach.

Jesse Melamed to Canyon

The Enduro ace and reigning Enduro World Series overall winner from Canada is leaving his long-standing sponsor Rocky Mountain. EWS champion Melamed is set to make up for the loss of last year's EWS champion Jack Moir and compete for Canyon in the UCI Enduro World Cup.

Jesse has delivered incredible performances over the past few seasons. His approach and his input when it comes to finding even more speed on the track have already been extremely valuable. - Race legend and Canyon Team Manager Fabien Barel

Jack Moir and Christian Textor on YT Industries

Much has been rumoured, now it's official. The YT Mob is attacking the 2023 UCI Enduro World Cup with two new celebrity racers. Australian Jack Moir is moving from Canyon Bikes to the Franconian bike supplier YT. At the side of Jack Moir, the overall EWS winner of 2021, Germany's fastest enduro racer will Christian Textor start. The enduro MTB pro from the Siegerland region rode Bulls bikes for many years. Scene insiders suspect that "Texi" will start with a modern enduro bike like the YT Capracould make the breakthrough to the top of enduro racing. Textor can prove this for the first time at the first stop of the newly created UCI Enduro World Cup in Tasmania, Australia on 26 to 26 March 2023.

I celebrate what YT has built. They are not like other brands and remind me what mountain biking is all about... Good Times! They have developed an enduro programme that gives the team all the support we need from every conceivable angle. We even have the freedom to choose our own components, so we can use whatever parts we think will maximise our potential. - Jack Moir

Kyle Strait will ride for Vitus Bikes from 2023

The British bicycle manufacturer Vitus is entering the US market and has now hired the American Kyle Strait (35). Kyle is regarded as Red Bull Rampage-veteran. He competed at the age of 14 in the first edition of the freeride mountain bike event in the Utah desert in 2001. Strait won in 2004 and 2013 and mesmerised spectators with his fearless no-hander suicide moves. Strait most recently rode for Commencal. Whether Kyle Strait will start at the Rampage in 2023 and if so, on which bike, remains questionable. Vitus does not currently have a downhill bike in his programme.

Sam Pilgrim 2023 on Canyon bikes

The Englishman Sam Pilgrim dominated the FMB World Tour for years - in 2013 Pilgrim even won the overall title and became FMB Champion. That was a long time ago. At some point, Pilgrim switched to Haibike: a change that surprised many in the industry. Pilgrim disappeared from the FMB screen and subsequently focussed on his YouTube channel. Here he entertained his fan community with entertaining videos - also on an e-mountainbike. In his videos, Pilgrim flips women's bikes, gives riding technique tips or explores foreign cities on a dirt bike. His videos are clicked millions of times. The 32-year-old has now signed a contract with Canyon and will be entertaining his more than 1.8 million YouTube subscribers on Canyon bikes with immediate effect.

Chris Akrigg leaves GT Bikes

For many, the British all-rounder Chris Akrigg is the most complete mountain biker ever. Why? Chris can do just about anything on a mountain bike - hopping, styling, riding fast. And he can do it on a trials bike, enduro MTB, gravel bike or e-bike. Chris Akrigg switched to the US brand GT in 2020 after twelve years on Mongoose bikes. Akrigg recently announced his departure on his Instagram account. In his post, he ruled out an internal move within the Cycling Sports Group. We don't yet know which brand Chris is moving to.