Fox team riders took the top two spots after some wild racing on the ultra-dry Vallnord World Cup track. The competition was incredibly close with the top three riders separated by only 1.2 seconds. In the end, Loic Bruni threw down an incredible run to beat his French compatriot, Loris Vergier, by just four-tenths of a second! Fox rider Laurie Greenland made some small mistakes but still had the speed to finish eighth – his second top 10 of the season! No rest for the crew as they head to the Legendary slopes Les Gets, France next weekend. Congratulations to Loic, Loris and the rest of the Fox MTB team. No rest for the crew as they head to the Legendary slopes of Les Gets, France next weekend
Vallnord Race Results
Men’s Results:
- 1st – Loic Bruni (4:11.055)
- 2nd – Loris Vergier (+0.423)
- 3rd – Troy Brosnan (+1.202)
- 4th – Amaury Pierron (+2.948)
- 5th – Danny Hart (+5.595)
- 6th – Brook MacDonald (+6.866)
- 7th – David Trummer (+6.979)
- 8th – Remi Thirion (+7.989)
- 9th – Laurie Greenland (+8.383)
- 10th – Jack Moir (+9.260)
Women’s Results:
- 1st – Rachel Atherton (5:00.622)
- 2nd – Marine Cabirou (+2.497)
- 3th – Tracey Hannah (+7.131)
- 4th – Emilie Siegenthaler (+12.859)
- 5th – Eleonora Farina (+15.098)
- 6th – Kate Weatherly (+18.497)
- 7th – Veronika Widmann (+18.538)
- 8th – Mariana Salazar (+20.011)
- 9th – Nina Hoffmann (+20.646)
- 10th – Sandra Rubesam +26.707
For raceday UCI Downhill coverage, follow Fox Racing on Instagram @foxmtb
The Fox MTB team had a busy weekend at the annual Crankworx Festival in beautiful Innsbruck, Austria. Brett Rheeder, Kaos Seagrave and Jackson Goldstone each collected wins while Keegan Wright picked up valuable points which propelled him into second place in the King of Crankworx Competition.
Brett Rheeder Highlights
In what was one of the most exciting freestyle competitions in years, Brett Rheeder dug deep on his final run to lay claim to his first Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle victory. The event was postponed for over 5 hours on Saturday before being moved to Sunday due to high winds. By Sunday afternoon the winds had calmed down enough to allow the competition to move forward and after the first of two runs, Brett sat in first place with a top score of 92 points. That position didn’t last long as Emil Johansson threw down an impressive 95. Brett would have to wait through 11 rider runs before getting his chance to reclaim the lead. In the end, he did just that with a solid run where he added additional difficulty on several of his jumps. After a lengthy review, the judges awarded Rheeder the victory by just a half a point over Johansson. The win is his second Crankworx Slopestyle in a row to start the 2019 season and keeps his journey toward the Crankworx triple crown on track. The third and final round will take place this August at Crankworx Whistler.
Kaos Seagrave Highlights
After several podium finishes in the event, Fox athlete Kaos Seagrave finally cracked the code and landed on the top step of the Crankworx Whip-off podium in Innsbruck. The jam format of the Whip Off event is always exciting, and Kaos threw down some of the most stylish and over-rotated jumps of the day. The competition pushed hard and brought their A games, but Kaos’ consistency and volume helped him edge past the rest to claim his first ever Crankworx victory.
Keegan Wright Highlights
Keegan was once again one of the busiest Fox athletes over the 5-day event as he competed in nearly all the elite men’s contests on offer. Finishes of 19th, 7th, and 4th - in various events - earned him valuable points for the overall King of Crankworx title. His performance at Innsbruck propelled him to second place, less than 60 points off the lead heading into Crankworx Whistler. In one of the most talked about performances of the week, Keegan rode his enduro bike to a top 20 finish in the men’s elite downhill race, outperforming more than 85% of the competitors racing on purpose-built downhill bikes. Always a crowd pleaser, Keegan will be looking to claim the King of Crankworx title in August.
Jackson Goldstone Highlights
Fox team rider Jackson Goldstone took first place in both youth events in Innsbruck. He started off with a hard-fought victory in the Dual Slalom event on Thursday. The Canadian phenom followed that up with an impressive seven-second victory in the IXS Innsbruck Downhill race. Jackson will be looking for another solid performance, on home soil, at Crankworx Whistler in August.
Durability, versatility, or mobility? As one of the only riders to complete every stage of the Enduro World Series since its inception, Mark Scott knows a thing or two about mountain bike gear. For training in the beautiful hills around Edinburgh, Scotland, he mixed the mobility of the Flexair Collection with the versatility of the Proframe Helmet. This was the perfect combination to keep him agile while riding through the lush green trails.
“Flexair is my all-time favorite summer riding jersey; it's been my go-to over the last few years as it's very light feeling and dries out super quick. It makes it perfect for my longer endurance rides and EWS racing"
-MARK SCOTT – ENDURO PRO RACER
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
Durability, versatility or mobility? Kaos Seagrave spends as much time building trails in the Welsh countryside as he does shredding them. For digging and riding, he mixed the Ranger and Defend gear to give him the protection and style he needs. Add in the versatility of the all-new Dropframe Helmet, and you have a kit made for his ride. Like Kaos, you can use our kit builder to create your own custom look.
“Looking good is always a big part of my riding, and this kit gives me the chance to look good and feel comfortable when I’m out shredding"
-Kaos Seagrave – Pro Downhill Athlete
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
The Fox MTB team got off to a great start in the UCI Downhill World Cup Season Opener in Maribor, Slovenia. The sun broke out Sunday Morning and started to dry the track after Saturday’s downpour during quail’s. The track suffered from mixed conditions which caught out more than a few elite riders during the race. Runs during the morning practice session were crucial to make final tire choice and other preparations. While the day resulted in ups and downs for the Fox DH team, the overall result was a great start to the season with victories for both Loic and Tahnée in their first time riding Maribor!
Loic Bruni - First place Mens Elite DH:
Loic started his 2019 the same way he ended 2018 - on the top step of the podium. Winning back to back races for the first time in his career was a much better start to the season than last year when he crashed in Losinj: “Compared to last year it’s a big improvement. I was a little bit looking for redemption.. I was not so confident and I didn’t know if it would be enough for winning. I did my best and attacked a lot. I did not look so loose but in my head I was super loose and I was on the limit and I’m happy I rode like that because I think that was the only way to do it and the times were so close and you had to push… coming into the bottom I was aware that my run was pretty solid and I thought ‘OK now it’s time to keep it steady and not crash' and I didn’t and I’m happy no one was close enough to win at the bottom. Solid first race with the new bike, let’s hope it’s the start of a good year!” The defending World Champ heads to next month’s race in Fort William with both the Rainbow Stripes and the WC leaders vest for the first time in his career!
Tahnée Seagrave - First place Womens Elite DH:
Tahnée spent nearly two weeks in Maribor in preparations for the World Cup opener and though things were up and down during that time, the practice paid off on race day as she blitzed the course and ended up with the victory: “I felt like I was behind, I’m not gonna lie so I had some work to do but I love the chase and I pulled it out on top at the end which I’m really happy with. It took a lot of hard work so I’m pretty stoked to start the season off with a win!” A training injury in December curtailed her early season training but she worked hard in the months and weeks leading up to the race and it showed in her confidence during her run: “I knew it was a good run, I knew where I needed to get the work done so when I came in and I did it how I want to I kinda knew it was a good run.” Tahnée also heads to her home race in June with the World Cup leaders' vest for the first time. No doubt her home fans will be going crazy in Ft. Bill!
Laurie Greenland – Ninth place Men’s Elite DH
Laurie G rode a fast and calculated race to gather ninth place at the finish. Laurie has been steadily progressing the last two season and staring the season with a top ten finish is another great step in his progression as and Elite rider. He was obviously happy with such a great performance to start the season: “I’m stoked because I gave it my all today! Good tight Racing! P9 to round up the weekend and 8th in points!" Laurie heads to his home race in the UK next month with confidence and momentum from his great run in Maribor!
Finn Iles – 52nd place Men’s Elite DH
Finn had a great weekend going in Maribor and was pushing massive speed in the first segment of the race. He was in the lead by a fraction of a second but a tiny mistake on an off camber root section proved disastrous as his front wheel washed out, effectively ending his shot at the podium. He rebounded quickly and finished the race with blistering times on the lower segments. His crash meant a 52nd place was disappointment but his comments post race show he is in the right place in his head to overcome this challenge: “This weekend we had a really good process, the race run didn’t go how we wanted it to but I think the process just needs to stay the same and I just need to stay a little bit more focused on what I’m doing when I’m racing and just tone it down a little bit. The speed is there and the focus is there, I think I need to go slow to go fast. It’s all a learning process because I’m still nineteen. I just need to be a bit slower and have a few good results and get my confidence and be good in the overall, then I can really push it because as much as I want to win, I need to have good results to back it up. I just need to continue on and it will work out, seven more chances.” Finn and the Specialized Gravity team head to chance number two in Fort William next month.
Loris Vergier – 58th place Men’s Elite DH
Much like Finn, a great start to the weekend took a tough turn for the worse for Fox and Santa Cruz Syndicate rider Loris on Sunday. A solid fifth position in qualifying had him confident for race day and his run started well as he was only six tenths of a second of the lead heading into the third timed segment. Things went sideways quickly both literally and figuratively as he washed his back tire and clipped a tree. The spectacular crash was scary to watch but thanks in part to his new RPC helmet he popped up quickly and finished the course, even setting some of the fastest times on the lower segments: “It was the first race of the season so it’s always a tricky one. I felt good, no pressure on, I was just trying to ride well and I ended up doing a mistake on the corner that I should have not approached as fast, it’s my mistake but it happens. The new helmet works good, I crashed hard and I feel like I have nothing wrong pretty much and the MVRS (Magnetic Visor Release System) is good. Let’s focus on the rest of the season!” His 58th place finish means he’ll need to do some work over the next couple of races to get back into contention for the overall title, but with his speed and confidence he’ll be back competing for a podium quickly.
After a fantastic start to the season in Maribor, the Fox MTB DH team has a some time to rest and recover before training starts again for UCI Downhill World Cup race number two in legendary Fort William, UK. One of the most iconic races in the history of Downhill, Fort Bill is a coveted race, a win there can make a riders year or even their career. Watch as these athletes compete during the rest of the season in the all new Rampage Pro Carbon and Defend and Flexair gear which was made for their ride! Check the full Fox MTB one at www.foxracingcom/mtb.
Sunny with a chance of rowdy. The perfect conditions to put our new Spring MTB Collection to the test. In our Made for Your Ride video series, we ask our pros two simple questions: where do you want to ride? And, what do you want to wear? For our second episode, Loic Bruni matched the fast and technical terrain of La Garriga, Spain with a tough-as-nails Defend kit. The result, as you just witnessed, was pretty fun and very fast.
“Riding in a kit this comfortable will make your day. I love the blend of durability, stretch and ventilation. Plus, red sure makes you look fast."
- Loic Bruni – UCI DH World Champion
LOIC BRUNI’S GEAR
Well said, Loic. We couldn’t agree more. Red can make you look fast standing still. And, in our totally-nonscientific opinion, will cut at least a few hundredths off your time.
It may have been hard to see, but that red blur in the video was the all-new Defend jersey and pants. Defend, as in defending you and the garment from abrasion and trail-related wear and tear. In our arsenal of mountain bike apparel, it’s the go-to for the perfect balance of durability and comfort. All thanks to the abrasion-resistant fabric, strategic stretch zones, and smart venting.
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT RIDE?
Mirroring the Made of Your Ride video series, we now pose you a similar set of questions: where do you ride? And, which features would make it the best ride ever? The choice is yours:
Flexair – super breathable and wonderfully forgettable; it’s the next best thing to bringing an AC along for the ride. Ranger – a discrete lunch-ride kit with a casual aesthetic which conceals exceptional moisture-wicking properties. It’s a kit that says “yeah I ride” but will blend in with the crowd when you're enjoying a couple of cold ones at the local brewery. Defend – an mtb kit that would make Tony Stark jealous. Not only is it armored with durable fabrics like Kevlar®, but it also has intelligent features like targeted venting and strategic stretch.
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride in.
*Use arrows to scroll entire photo gallery
Photos by: @freeridenewzealand
The off-season training put in by the Fox MTB team paid off big at the kickoff to the 2019 season - Crankworx Rotorua. Threatening skies held off most of the week and the dirt was prime for racing and ripping all week long. With 2 wins and 10 podiums across the 7 different disciplines the Fox athletes made Rotorua feel like a second home for Fox fans in attendance!
For the second year in a row, Brett Rheeder started his season off with a bang. Adding multiple new tricks to his program, he rode a nearly flawless run to capture the top step of the podium in the annual Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza.
Anthony Messere was riding on the limit all week and put together a great run to place 6th in the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza. His top six finish means he's punched his ticket into the next round at Crankworx Innsbruck!
Finn Iles put in a blistering run in the warmest conditions of the week in the men’s Crankworx Rotorua Downhill. He rode clean and in control and his performance left him just 0.09 seconds off the top step of the podium. It was a great performance, but being so close left him a little frustrated - something he will use as motivation for next month's Maribor!
It was a disappointing start to the year for current UCI DH World Champ Loic Bruni as a flat in the top section of the course derailed his chances in Friday's Crankworx DH race. He looked good in training and was ready to compete in his first test of the 2019 season. Always a fan favorite, Loic lightened a bad moment as he asked a spectator for his pump and tried to bring the tire back to life. "I just wanted to finish," said Loic moments after the race. This has motivated him even more for the first UCI DH race in Maribor.
Tahnée Seagrave battled through multiple injuries throughout the week to put together a great set of results. She rode multiple disciplines and ended up with three third-place finishes - Dual Slalom, Downhill, and Pump Track. Truly an all-around talent, Tahnée is also a crowd favorite who made the Rotorua fans feel special all week long!
Speaking of fan favorites, local boy Keegan Wright was the hardest working athlete in Rotorua. Competing in nearly every pro men’s division race, he finished the event with a silver medal in both Pump Track and EWS as well as taking the top step in the Crankworx Dual Slalom. His amazing overall performance finds him in second place overall for the King of Crankworx points!
Bas van Steenbergen was another all-around performer in Rotorua. He finished second behind teammate Keegan Wright in the Dual Slalom and was the only Fox athlete to podium in the Rotorua Air DH. These points have him in the running for the overall King of Crankworx title.
Look for Fox MTB athletes at the start of the UCI DH World Cup season in the historic Maribor, Slovenia and then at the second stop of the Crankworx series in Innsbruck, Austria.
Shop MTB New Arrivals
Durability, Versatility or Mobility? For Kirt, riding in the high desert of California, with varying temps, sharp rocks, cacti, and the occasional zombie apocalypse, led him to select this kit. Like Kirt, you can mix and match our purpose-built collections to form a kit perfectly suited for your ride.
“Conditions can change quickly in the desert. Having gear that has complete protection from the terrain but can keep your temperature controlled is a must!"
Kirt Voreis – MTB Legend
Every rider is different, and no two rides are the same. So, to meet your individual needs, we created three purpose-built lines of gear – each providing you with a unique set of benefits. Whether you need gear with a focus on durability, versatility or mobility, we’ve got you covered. Use our all-new kit builder tool to create a kit tailor-made for your next ride. Use our all-new kit builder tool to create a kit tailor-made for your next ride.
TOUGHER THAN DIRT
Rugged conditions, abrasive trail overgrowth, the occasional fall: These are certainties on the mountain. The Defend Mountain Bike Collection stands up to this trail-related wear and tear – ride after ride. Using super tough Kevlar fabric and reinforced taped seams, this range of MTB jerseys, shorts, and gloves will be the most durable in your arsenal.
PERFORMS EVERYWHERE
The look and feel of your favorite t-shirt packed with technical features and cut for comfort in a mountain bike riding position. Introducing the all-new Ranger Mountain Bike Collection. With natural-feeling fabrics concealing technical features, this range of jerseys and shorts allows you to hit the trails on your lunch break and get away with it.
MAXIMUM MOBILITY
Flexair is our lightest and most breathable MTB gear. It’s so light, airy and flexible, in fact, you might forget you're wearing it. On your hottest rides, the Flexair Mountain Bike Collection of shorts, jerseys and gloves will keep you comfortable with ventilation, advanced moisture wicking, and limitless mobility.
MADE FOR REVOLUTION
The introduction of the Proframe helmet was a radical new direction for the mountain bike helmet industry. Taking everything we learned from that endeavor, the Spring 2019 MTB Helmet Collection builds on the rebellion with a new version of game-changing innovation for riders in every discipline.
WELCOME TO THE ARMORY
Aiming for endless improvement, our design team gave our collection of mountain bike guards a serious update. Our best-sellers have been modernized with CE certifications, we've launched our revolutionary Fox F3 Armor, and a host of brand-new styles are here to fill any gaps. This collection of guards is our most comprehensive ever, featuring everything from hard-plated guards and pedal-friendly slip-on styles to armored shorts and base layers.
GET A GRIP
As the most important connection between rider and bike, gloves have been a focus for us since day one. For 2019, we’ve raised the performance level yet again with all-new gloves and completely re-engineered versions of some of our best-performing styles. Partnerships with iconic manufacturers Kevlar®, D3O™, and Clarino®, combined with a forward-looking design philosophy have resulted in an MTB glove collection which is truly made for your ride.
MADE FOR WOMEN
For women, by women. At Fox, we're lucky enough to work with some of the most talented athletes in the world. Our all-new Women’s Collection is here thanks to intensive research and development in partnership with our women’s racing team. This range features women’s Defend, Ranger and Flexair Collections with a female-first design and specific fit.
ALL-NEW HYDRATION PACKS
Fox hydration bags are designed to take you from your house to the top of the trail and back again. Every ride is different, so we offer packs in three key sizes - equipping you for everything from all-day epics to quick local loops. Select your perfect pack based on your individual hydration and storage needs.
When we set out to develop class defining products, our intention is not awards, metals or other accolades. However, it still feels good to be recognized for our efforts. We are honored that our Flux MIPS received a 2019 Design & Innovation Award for offroad equipment – an achievement reserved for the bike industry’s highest-performing products. Not only does this award validate our efforts but it motivates us to continue to provide you with the best gear possible. That's our promise to you.
“With the adjustable visor and the easy Fidlock magnetic buckle, the Flux [MIPS] is extremely convenient in everyday use. The intuitive adjustment system also ensures an optimal fit for almost all head shapes. Fox Racing has given its previous bestseller a fundamental update. With success: the new Flux is a stylish and modern helmet with all-round convenience.”
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Design & Innovation Award is both a seal of approval and the benchmark achievement for the bike industry’s highest-performing products. The Design & Innovation Award is more than just a title-giver or a round of applause for brands. It’s the definitive award that decisively tests products in the real world, assessing them in their entirety and reaching considered verdicts. This year once again saw select international journalists, professional test riders, and industry experts invest more than 6,000 hours of their time to partake in the DI.A process.
Domination. Fox riders Brett Rheeder, Andreu Lacondeguy and Ethan Nell sweep the podium at the world’s toughest mountain bike event!
BRETT RHEEDER - 1ST PLACE
In his sixth trip to Red Bull Rampage, Brett Rheeder showed the perfect combination of speed, amplitude, and his patented style to take the top step of the podium and his first Rampage win. His huge styled out flat 360 was done on a line only he attempted and helped to separate him from the competition with a final score of 89.66. He only needed that first run score and his second became a victory lap after waiting out the runs of his competitors. Brett adds this victory to a stunning list of achievements in the sport of Freestyle Mountain Biking. Congrats Brett!
Watch Brett Rheeder Winning Run
ANDREU LACONDEGUY - 2ND PLACE
Always a fan favorite, 2014 Redbull Rampage winner and Mountain Bike legend Andreu Lacondeguy showed passion and precision as he pulled out all the stops and pushed his Fox teammate Brett Rheeder to the limits with his final run. Adding his iconic style to giant airs during his second run he was on a burner until a late crash cemented his second place position with his incredible first run score of 87.33 - only 2 points behind Rheeder. Another Rampage podium adds to his already astonishing competition history, and you can bet he'll be back with his eyes on the top step for 2019!
Watch Andreu Lacondeguy Second Place Run
ETHAN NELL - 3RD PLACE
At only 21 years of age, Ethan Nell has already positioned himself as one of the most exciting new stars in the world of Freestyle Mountain Biking with his second podium at Rampage. Only 2 years ago, Ethan was digging for competitors like Andreu Lacondeguy. He got his first shot at the event in 2017 and made the most of it with a 3rd place finish. He had to up his game dramatically this year to maintain that podium position. His aggressive riding style and in-depth knowledge of the terrain in Virgin, Utah set his first run apart and came in at 86.33 - good enough to best everyone except his two Fox teammates. Big things are on the horizon for Ethan, and we expect him to keep climbing that podium in 2019 and beyond!
Watch Ethan Nell's Third Place Run
Brett, Andreu, and Ethan are part of the Fox MTB Global Freestyle team and compete in our podium proven products including the Rampage Pro Carbon helmet and Flexair jersey's, pants and gloves.
