Andrew Neethling: World Cup Team Moves-Highs, Lows and Rider Predictions

Change is good for some riders. Greg Minnaar is going into his 15th season with Santa Cruz Syndicate. Dakotah Norton, David Trummer and Oisin Callaghan were forced to change teams. Andrew Neethling is a World Cup pundit. He predicts a successful World Championship for YT Mob. Andrew is also a punditizer for the World Championships.

Syndicate has signed Laurie Greenland, Jackson Goldstone and Nina Hoffmann. Greenland will be the lead rider. Minnaar won the World Championships in 2021. Hoffman won a World Cup and is the 2020 German National DH Champ. She knows the bike well but she needs to handle the pressure of being on a factory team. Luca Shaw moved to another team, but he will continue to ride for Syndicate.

Luca Shaw has signed for Canyon Collective Factory Team. Luca's form has been inconsistent recently. Andrew Neethling predicts Lucas will be a success. He believes Lucus will find his form better at Canyon.

Joe Breeden is moving to Intense Factory Racing. Dakota Norton joins an American team. Mille Johnset will not stay at Atherton Racing and will join 100% Commencal. Trummer has had break-out years the last few seasons highlighted with a silver medal at the Worlds in 2020. He will be riding for MS Mondraker. Jacob Dickson will also be racing for Ms Mondracker. He didn't quite match his potential the past few years. Tuhoto-Ariki Pene will ride for the team, which also has Brook MacDonald.

NS Bikes UR lost a lot of strength with Mick and Tracey Hannah's respective retirements and Joe Breeden's move. George Brannigan and Kye A’Hern are still good riders, but the team is not as strong as in years past. Giant Factory Off-Road has changed its game plan a bit and I would love to see them with a three-rider strong team.

Dorval Commencal is a team flying under the radar. Neko Mulally is designing his own bike for the World Cups. He will work with former team manager Martin Whiteley. The sport has so many variables that any prediction could look silly come the season. The Scott Downhill Team is one such team. Marine Caribou and Florent Payet both injured themselves last year. Dean Lucas missed the entire 2020 season and needed some time to get back into it in 2021. Brendog is…well Brendos. Brendan Fairclough is not eager to race or pursue other things.

Andrew Neethling is a former World Cup DH elite racer and current host of the “Moving The Needle’ podcast.