Absolute - Absalon - BMC
Mathias Azzaro, Titouan Carod, Filippo Colombo, Jordan Sarou
There are two big additions to the Absolute Absalon team in Titouan Carod and Filipo Colombo who come in to replace Thomas Bonnet and Axel Zingle. Carod makes the move over from BMC having proved himself a podium regular in the past two seasons. Colombo makes the move up to elites this year after finishing second overall in U23s last year and picking up three wins.
Alpecin - Fenix
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Ronja Eibl, Petter Fagerhaug, Sam Gaze, Loris Rouiller, Mathieu Van der Poel
Corendon Circus has rebranded but there are a lot of familiar faces here. All eyes will be on Van Der Poel in the run-up to the Olympics but don't overlook his new teammate, Sam Gaze, who joins from Specialized. Gaze is also a previous World Cup winner who will be looking to re-ignite his results alongside the Dutch superstar.
Cannondale Factory Racing
Henrique Avancini, Manuel Fumic, Maxime Marotte
Cannondale ended the year as the top-ranked men's team last year as its trio of riders all delivered strong results throughout the year. They remain unchanged in 2020 and will be hoping for more of the same amid some stiff competition.
CS Carabinieri - Cicle Olympia Vittoria
Daniele Braidot, Luca Braidot, Filippo Fontana, Nicholas Pettina'
2020 sees no change for the CS Carabinieri that features the strong Italian riders Daniele and Luca Braidot. The pair got plenty of top 20 results last year and they will be looking for more this season. We could even see one of the Braidot's take their first Elite XC World Cup win.
CST PostNL Bafang MTB Racing Team
Yana Belomoina, Martins Blums, Sebastian Fini Carstensen, David Nordemann, Mariske Strauss, Anne Tauber
Bart Brentjen's World Cup outfit also had a rebrand this year thanks to a takeover in the Dutch postal service. The team itself remains largely unchanged apart from Mariske Strauss who will be hoping to put her stamp on the team. Anne Tauber and Yana Belomoina both delivered multiple podiums last year and will be looking for more of the same in 2020.
Ghost Factory Racing
Barbara Benko, Caroline Bohe, Sina Frei, Lisa Pasteiner, Anne Terpstra
Ghost's squad of five women stays the same for 2020 with the biggest change being Sina Frei officially moving up to elites. Frei raced as an elite in 2019 despite being eligible for U23 and earned three podiums as well as being crowned U23 World Champion. She will be one to watch as she continues to grow in strength and could be a wild card for Olympic glory too.
Giant Factory Off-Road Team
Reto Indergand, Cole Paton, Antoine Philipp, Cameron Wright
Reto Indergand is the big signing for Giant this offseason as he comes on board from BMC to Join Cole Paton and Cameron Wright. He is no stranger to the top 10 at World Cups and will be a strong addition to bolster Giant's ranks. Antoine Philipp also comes on board as a U23 rider.
KMC - Orbea
Malene Degn, Victor Koretzky, Annie Last, Thomas Litscher, Milan Vader
Helene Clauzel's departure is the main change for KMC Orbea but otherwise, the team remains the same for 2020. Every rider on the team picked up at least one top ten last year with Degn, Koretzky and Last all appearing on the box at least once.
Liv Racing
Kaysee Armstrong, Savilia Blunk, Sandra Walter
For 2020, U23 rider Savilia Blunk joins Sandra Walter and Kaysee Armstrong onboard the Liv Racing team.
MMR Factory Racing Team
Nadir Colledani, Maritexell Figueras Garangou, Lucia Gomez Andreu, Lucia Macho Jiiminez, Juan Luis Perez Rodriguez, David Valero Serrano
The Spanish MMR team has made a huge expansion for 2020, going from three riders to six. Nadir Colledani is the big scoop here as he moves over after the Bianchi team closed its doors. The former U23 overall winner broke into the top ten at Snowshoe and will be keen to show he has plenty more to come as part of this new team.
Moebel Maerki MTB Pro Team
Irina Kalentyeva, Nicole Koller, Karl Markt, Gregor Raggl, Matthias Stirnemann
The Moebel Maerki stays mostly the same for 2020 except for the absence of Fabienne Schaus. The team picked up some good results last season and all the riders will be wanting more with the Tokyo Games only months away.
Norco Factory Team XC
Haley Smith, Peter Disera, Quinton Disera, Sean Fincham, Gwendalyn Gibson, Jennifer Jackson, Andrew L'Esperance, Carter Woods
The all North American Norco Factory XC team picks up two young racers in Carter Woods and Gwendalyn Gibson for 2020. Haley Smith will continue to lead the charge for the Canadian team and will be looking to build on her podium in Nove Mesto.
Primaflor Mondraker XSauce
David Arroyo Duran, Francesc Barber Arguimbau, David Domingo Campos Motos, Jose Marquez Granados, Daniel McConnell, Rebecca McConnell, Sara Mendez Berlanga, Githa Michiels, Anton Sinstov
There have been big changes at Primaflor Mondraker XSauce this year with the team expanding its roster to nine riders. Joining the team this year are Sara Mendez Berlanga, Jose Marquez Granados, Francesc Barber Arguimbau and David Arroyo Duran. While adding four more Spanish riders to the team, Primaflor Mondraker XSauce did lose both Pablo Rodriquez Guede and Maria Rodriguez Navarrete.
Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret
Maxime Loret, Isaure Medde, David Menut, Olivia Onesti, Alex Riboulet, Jens Schuermans, Lucie Urruty
There are some big changes for the Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret team in 2020 with the departure of four riders for the upcoming season. Pierre Chabaud, Brice Dujardin, Raphael Gay and Hugo Peyroux have all left the team while 17-year-old Olivia Onesti joins the team.
Specialized Racing
Simon Andreassen, Hayley Batten, Christopher Blevins, Howard Grotts, Alan Hatherly, Annika Langvad
With Sam Gaze moving to Alpecin - Fenix, Specialized have brought in Hayley Batten to shore up their team. The rest of the team has remained unchanged as we head into an Olympic year.
Team Trek - Pirelli
Simone Avondetto, Michele Casagrande, Vlad Dascalu, Gioele De Cosmo, Samuele Porro, Fabian Rabensteiner
Vlad Dascalu was incredible while racing as a U23 rider in the XC World Cups last year. For 2020 he is off the Brujula Bike Racing team and joins the brand new Trek Pirelli XC team. The Romanian rider will be racing alongside five other riders on the team.
Thomus RN Swiss Bike Team
Vital Albin, Alexandre Balmer, Mathias Flueckiger, Alessandra Keller, Ursin Spescha, Kathrin Stirnemann
The Thomus RN Swiss Bike Team is another group of riders that remains mostly the same as 2019 with the only change being the inclusion of the young Swiss rider Alexandre Balmer. With Alessandra Keller looking to be recovered from her injuries sustained last year and Mathias Flueckiger wanting to build on a successful season, we could be seeing plenty of Swiss riders topping the podiums in 2020.
Trek Factory Racing XC
Emily Batty, Anton Cooper, Jolanda Neff, Evie Richards, Stephane Tempier
The Trek Factory team adds Stephane Tempier to their strong lineup of riders for 2020. With Evie Richard's move into Elite racing, their roster of female Elite riders becomes even stronger.
BH - Wallonie Team
Sabastien Carabin, Pierre de Froidmont, Emeline Detilleux, Clement Horny, Arne Janssens
BH - Templos Cafes UCC
Carlos Coloma Nicolas, Rocio del Alba Garcia Martinez, Pable Rodriguez Guede
Bike Team Solothurn
Nick Burki, Elia Nascarella, Luke Wiedmann
Birk Sport Racing
Odd Berg, Lars Granberg
Caloi Team
Ulan Bastos Galinski, Pedro Lage E Silva, Marcela Lima Braga Matos
Cannondale Brasil Racing
Yuri Bogner Gouvea Pereira, Edson Gilmar De Rezende Junior, Guilherme Gotardelo Muller
CST 7R MTB Team
Dariusz Bartek, Michal Ficek, Lukasz Helizanowicz, Oliwier Machura, Karol Rozek, Michalina Ziolkowska
Cube Fermetures Sefic
Helene Clauzel, Perrine Clauzel, Valentin Guillaud, Kevin Panhuyzen, Constance Valentin, Anthony Zaragoza
Dream Seeker MTB Team
Riki Kitabayashi, Jun Matsuo, Kohei Yamamoto
Expres CZ - Tufo Team Kolin
Karolina Bedrnikova, Robert Hula, Jakub Jencus, Jakub Kuncera, Josef Kunasek, Tomas Paprstka, Tereza Tvaruzkova, Matej Ulik, Daniel Zvak
JB Brunnex Felt Factory Team
Elisa Alvarez, Nina Benz, Max Foidl, Ramona Forchini, Annika Liehner, Jacqueline Schneebeli, Finn Treudler, Simon Vitzthum, Sophie Von Berswordt, Tamara Wiedmann
Dinamo - Bikexpert - Superbet
Tudor Cazaceanu, David-Felix-Heret Cristea, Geogre-Bogdan Duca, Miruna Maria Girbacea, Eduard Kubat, Karina Kubat, Gerhard Cristin Moldansky, Ede-Karoly Molnar, Alexandru-George Stancu, Andrei Tabacu
DMT Racing Team By Marconi Project's
Hans Becking, Jose Dias, Tiago Ferreira, Andreas Miltiadis, Pau Salva Martinez
A.R. - Efideporte Pro Cycling Teams
Fabian Alcantar De Los Reyes, Isaac Del Toro Romero, Kilian Folguera Diaz, Isabella Garcia Pelaez, Adair Zabdiel Gutierrez Prieto, Erika Monserrath Rodriguez Suarez, Jose Gerardo Ulloa Arevalo
JBG - 2 Cryospace
Adrian Brzozka, Piotr Brzozka, Wojciecj Halejak, Mariusz Kozak, Kryzysztof, Mariusz Michalek, Mateusz Nieboras, Jakub Zamrozniak
Kharkov Biscuit - KA Engineering - Victory Team
Oleksandr Koniaiev, Iryna Popova, Viktor Vodolaha
Fischer - BMC
Noah Blochlinger, Ronja Blochlinger, Casey South
Gapp System - Kolofix MTB Racing Team
Jitka Cabelicka, Tomas Dudek, Lukas Kobes, Alvin Tomasek
Gito Supernova Cycling Team
Wout Alleman, Lorenzo Pelligrini, Alessio Trabalza
Goldwurst Power
Tim Fey, Hannes Jeker, Nils Landenberger, Seraina Leugger, Nicola Rohrbach
Kross Racing Team
Ondřej Cink, Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez, Bartlomie Wawakj, Maja Wloszczowska
Hard Rocx Swix
Emil Hasund Eid, Fredrik Haraldseth, Vidar Mehl, Gabriel Cornelis Slinger, Fredrik Stephansen, Morten Vaeng
Head Pro Team Opava
Jiri Bohdalovsky, Milan Damek, Simon Koller, Monika Kucerova, Michal Neugbauer, Jan Sindelar, Lukas Szcepanski, Martin Tvarog, Tomas Vitek, Martin Vozenilek
Megamo Factory Team
Jofre Cullull Estape, Claudia Galicia Cortina, Adria Noguera Soldevila
Mountainbike Racingteam
Marion Fromberger, Simon Gegenheimer, Remi Laffont, Miriam Neureuther, Steffen Thum, Gali Weinberg
RDR Italia Factory Team
Emanuele Crisi, Roberto Crisi, Corina Gantenbien, Katia Moro, Nicole Pesse
Rouvy Specialized
Martin Dusak, Jakub Hanak, Samuel Jirous, Petr Kopecky, Oskar Marek, Simon Nemec, Zuzana Safarove, Jan Saska, Tereza Saskova, Jaromir Skala
Scott Goldstar Sports Racing Team
Dimitrios Antoniadis, Charoun Molla Amet Ali Oglou, Nikolas Moustakidis
Sense Factory Racing
Albert Guenter Erich Morgen Junior, Mario Cuoto Grego Santos, Jaqueline Mourao, Giuliana Salvini Morgen
Serneke Allebike MTB Team
Oscar Lind, Emil Lindgren, Michael Olsson
Sunn - Beaumes De Venise
Marine Allione, Camille Devi, Lucas Grieco, Lea Gros, Raphael Gros, Benoit Igoulen, Marine Philippe, Thibault Soula
Sunn Factory Racing
Lea Curinier, Amelie Darnat, Joshua Dubau, Lucas Dubau, Rodolphe Lestivent, Louis Maitaine
Team Cycles Darnanville - Adris
Damien Angot, Robin Bonassi, Nathan Celie, Marie Dufosse, Nicolas Rihouey, Emma Terrigeol, Arthur Tropardy
Team Massi Academie
Lucile Bellelle, Lea Bouilloux, Arthur Liardet, Lison Liardet, Manin Mantei, Corentin Muller, Natan Patrois, Hugo Peyroux, Quentin Schritzenberger
Team Vosges VTT
Fiona Antoine, Ugo Bertrand, Pierre Curien, Teo Gattuso, Joshua Lecointre, Laurane Meyers, Vincent Sibille
Teamisgav - Specialized
Nadav Amar, Gil-Li Gonen, Ori Leonzini, Naama Noyman, Tomer Zaltsman, Yuval Zaltsman
Velcan MTB Pro Team
Baile Allard, Hugo Briatta, Coline Clauzure, Margot Moschetti, Alexis Paris, Titouan Perrin Ganier
TVeloroc Lapierre
Mickael Brunello, Line Burquier, Killiam Desbiens, Maxime Garin, Raphael Gay, Lea Houyet, Antoine Nibbio
Vtt VCA Anjos
Maxime Barbarin, Loan Cheneval, Paul Delpech, Remy Duquesne, Maxime Gagnaire, Matthieu Gayon, Lena Gerault, Charles Marchandise, Jordan Meier, Mandine Vidon
KTM Protek Dama
Alessio Agostinelli, Mattia Beretta, Emanuele Huez, Letizia Motalli, Michael Pecis, Giada Specia, Mirko Tabacchi, Marika Tovo, Andreas Emanuele Vittone, Juri Zanotti
Massi
Cristofer Bosque Ruano, Julie Bresset, Hugo Drechou, Magdalena Duran Garcia, Sara Gay Moreno, Thomas Girot, Loana Lecomte, Israel Nunz Baticon, David Rosa, Pasquine Vandermouten
Megamo Factory Team
Jofre Cullull Estape, Claudia Galicia Cortina, Adria Noguera Soldevila
Miranda Factory Team
Maaris Meier
Pivot Cycles - OTE
Raphael Auclair, Felix Belhumeur, Leandre Bouchard, Marc Andre Fortier, Gunnar Holmgren, Philippe St Laurent, Marianne Theberge, Vincent Thiboutot
Pushbikers XC Team
Felicitas Geiger, Fabian Giger, Martin Gluth, Linda Inergand, Karla Stepanova, Jan Vastl
Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team
Andrea Colombo, Greta Seiwald, Chiara Teocchi, Andrea Tiberi, Zaccaria Toccoli
Unior Devinci Factory Racing
Tanja Zakelj
Volkswagen Samochody Dostawcze MTB Team
Filip Helta, Marek Konwa, Zuzanna Krzystala, Aleksandra Podgorska
Trinx Factory Team
Lucia Bramati, Eva Lechner, Martin Loo, Luca Pescarmona
Team Bulls
Martin Frey, Urs Huber, Leon Reinhard Kaiser, Alban Lakata, Karl Platt, Niklas Schehl, Simon Schneller, Hansueli Stauffer, Simon Stiebjahn
Team Centurion - Vaude
Vinzent Dorn, Daniel Geismayr, Jochen Kass, Ben Zwiehoff
Struby - Bixs Team
Laura Valentina Abril Restrepo, Dominik Bollhalder, Paula Gorycka, Jeremias Marti, Melanie Tresch
Swiss MTB Pro Team Powered by Stoll
Nils Brun, Ramona Kupferschmied, Luca Schatti, Tina Zuger
SF Racing
Nick Baumann, Eric Luthi, Fabio Spena, Jan Stockli, Silas Valaulta
Watching Jenny & Annika at the Cape Epic should be a good show. They're riding as Team31-Outride.
@Dropthedebt
Annika is looking a bit better. Finish 8th in Spain this past weekend. From what I've read she's staying away from the road racing this year. Hayley Batten did really well and finished 2nd. They're riding together at the Cyprus Sunshine Cup (4 Day Stage Race) which starts on the 27th.
Also, PFP is in the Gym and back on a road bike. From what I've seen she's healing well and super motivated to get back to the sharp end.
Canada has two places available, but three good athletes: Haley Smith, Emily Batty, and Catharine Pendrel.
Switzerland has three places available, but many good athletes: Jolanda Neff, Sina Frei, Alessandra Keller, Ramona Forchini, Linda Indergand, Kathrin Stirnemann, etc.
And the UK has only one place available, but three good athletes: Annie Last, Isla Short, and Evie Richards.
Annemarie Worst actually has done some early season XC races too in the past and I recall she did fairly well. Would be cool to see her compete in some more XC.
www.uci.org/mountain-bike/teams/TeamDetail/14957/1002162/262
but she will most likely share the Abolute Absalon pit
www.facebook.com/KrossRacingTeam