Team News: Brian Lopes to ride for Intense in 2014
Gravity champ Lopes lends support to SoCal brand’s Renaissance
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=49xIlIywfzo
Intense Cycles released a video today confirming the signing of multi-time national and world mountain bike champ Brian Lopes. Though the company preferred to let their 40-second intro video do the talking and offered no details on plans, it’s presumed Lopes will compete on Intense’s new Tracer 275 and possibly the Carbine 29 in select gravity and enduro events.
The eyes have it: Lopes is one of the most—pardon the pun—intense bike racers on the planet. Image capture credit: Rich Van Every/Intense.
While never having raced directly for Intense, Lopes has long had ties to the Temecula, Calif.-based company. In the late 1990’s he and then teammate Leigh Donovan raced downhill and some dual slalom events on Mongoose-branded bikes that were built by Intense. Lopes is also good friends with Intense Founder Jeff Steber and the company’s new CEO Andrew Herrick.
Fast, fluid and smooth are three words often associated with Lopes’ riding style. Image capture credit: Rich Van Every/Intense.
Though Lopes is known primarily for his gravity acumen, winning four wold championships, six world cup titles and nine national mountain bike championships in dual slalom, four cross and downhill, the 42-year-old has won races on just about every kind of bike imaginable from BMX to road and time trial to enduro. He’s also held the bunny hop world record, co-authored a book, been featured in a video game and done Hollywood bike stunt work.
Earlier this month Lopes amicably parted ways with prior bike sponsor Ibis Cycles after six years.
Known for a low and fast racer riding style, Lopes can boost it big when he wants to. Image capture credit: Rich Van Every/Intense.
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