Aaron Gwin officially on YT Bikes
American Aaron Gwin is a three time World Cup overall champion (click to enlarge).
After months of rampant speculation, Aaron Gwin has officially announced that he is riding for the German direct to consumer brand YT Industries. He will be spearheading the downhill team with Angel Suarez, a young Spaniard whose best result last year was a top twenty at Lenzerheide.
The YT Mob consists of 28 year old Aaron Gwin and 20 year old Angel Suarez (click to enlarge).
The pair will be contesting the World Cup circuit aboard a completely stock TUES (pronounced “two-ease”) frame, outfitted with some interesting component specs – including TRP brakes and Onza Tires. Those two brands are not the first that come to mind when discussing World Cup Downhill racing, so we look forward to seeing how working with these two premiere athletes will help their product development in the years to come.
In addition to the team sponsors, Aaron will retain several longstanding individual sponsors, including Red Bull (click to enlarge).
In addition to YT, the pair known as the YT Mob will share the following sponsors: e*thirteen, Onza Tires, TRP, Renthal, SDG, Motorex, ODI, Cane Creek and Alpinestars.
Aaron and Angel will join a roster of YT athletes that included renown freeriders, such as Andreu Lacondeguy and Cam Zink.
YT Industries, which stands for Young Talent, was established in 2008 (click to enlarge).
Read the full press release below.
Exactly one week ago the terrible news about the death of YT team rider Kelly McGarry made headlines all around the globe. The team at YT is still at a loss for words regarding the sudden loss of this extraordinary character. Unsure about the right moment to release the much-anticipated news about Aaron Gwin and the downhill team, YT has now decided to make it official: Aaron Gwin is coming to Forchheim!
After an extensive search, the 28-year-old downhill superstar has decided to join the German bike manufacturer. Aaron Gwin’s team mate is 20-year-old Angel Suarez from Vigo, who can look back on a very successful motocross career and who has already showcased his immense downhill racing potential with a top 20 finish at the World Cup in Lenzerheide in 2015. With the Mob, YT joins the World Cup circus for the first time in its history.
Finally, the long-awaited wish to send the TUES onto the world’s toughest tracks to prove that the downhill machine is not just a top-notch freeride beast, but also a proper racing tool is now coming true. With his distinctive racing focus and his untamed will to win, Aaron Gwin adds a new dimension to the YT family. It was particularly important for Gwin that his new bike sponsor shares the same passion and dedication for downhill as he does. With YT he has a like-minded crew on his side, one that is completely committed to the gravity aspect of mountain biking. The set-up of the bikes out of Forchheim could not be any better: The kinematic concept and the geometry of the TUES convinced the multiple World Cup winner already after the first ride. There will be no changes made to the frame itself, Gwin will ride all the World Cup races with a stock TUES frame.
So, has YT had a change of heart, deviating from their Good Times mentality to now only heavily focus on nothing but rankings and podiums? “No way”, says CEO Markus Flossmann. “Good Times is also the motto of our YT Mob. We are going to offer our riders the best bikes and conditions, so they can focus on doing their thing. The fun of racing will always come first, because eventually the rider who can stay relaxed and calm during the heat and stress of racing will take the win. We are beyond thrilled to have Aaron and Angel joining us.”
Gwin is also excited about his new sponsor: “The unbelievable hype that we’ve seen over the last few weeks and the feedback of the fans were incredible, but I am really happy to finally announce the news. We are a great match because the guys at YT share the same passion for mountain biking as I do. I am sure we will have a great time together. The TUES is perfect and I am really happy to officially ride it from now on.”
In addition to YT as title sponsor, the YT Mob will have the following co-sponsors: e*thirteen, Onza Tires, TRP, Renthal, SDG, Motorex, ODI, Cane Creek and Alpinestars.
You’ll find more information about the YT Mob at www.yt-industries.com.
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