The SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing team is planing its future towards the next Olympics with quite significant changes. Both Kate Courtney and Lars Forster, two extraordinary athletes, join the team. Two riders remain from the past years, Olympic and World Champion Nino Schurter as well as Andri Frischknecht. Matthias Stirnemann (SUI) and Michiel van der Heijden (NED) will leave the team.
Not many had Kate Courtney on their shortlist for a medal at World Championships. Although she won Cape Epic and the US national title in her first year as an elite pro rider, she was considered to be a dark horse only by some optimistic experts that knew about her potential. However, with the ride of her life she not only surprised her competition but also the whole mountain bike community.
The SCOTT-SRAM team trusted in her talent already prior to the World Championships and believes this was just the first spark of a firework to come.
Kate is known as a person who knows exactly what she wants and is ready to give 110% to reach her goals. The World Champion title came unexpectedly early even for her, but she did believe in herself at all times and worked hard towards the rainbow stripes. The future will bring a lot of changes to her. New team, new bike and high expectations that come with her status. She explains where she is heading to.
“I am very excited to join the SCOTT-SRAM Team. This team represents an incredible opportunity for me to work with the legendary Thomas Frischknecht and ride alongside talented teammates, notably current Men’s World Champion Nino Schurter. The team has a very unique atmosphere which both maintains a champion standard and continues to breed enthusiasm and love for the sport on all levels. I am honored to have the chance to learn from such knowledgeable individuals with a strong passion for the sport and a wealth of experience chasing big goals and achieving Olympic dreams. With their support and a shared vision for the future, I am eager to get to work and see what we can accomplish together in 2019 and beyond.”
23 year old Kate Courtney was born and lives at the birthplace of mountain biking in the San Francisco Bay area, where she also graduated from Stanford University before she set her full focus on the sport. The 2 time US National Champion has quite a palmares in her books. In 2017 she won the U23 overall World Cup and a silver medal at the U23 World Championships.
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