The Complete Guide to the 2021 World Cup XC Teams

Feb 10, 2021
by Ed Spratt  



With the Tokyo Games rescheduled from last year, we are set for a big year of XC racing action as long as everything goes to plan. Here, we take a closer look at some of the top Elite teams from last year and any that have seen some big changes in the offseason team shuffle.





Absolute - Absalon - BMC
Mathias Azzaro, Titouan Carod, Filippo Colombo, Pauline Ferrand Prevot

2021 sees a huge change on the Absolute Absalon team with the Elite Men's World Champion leaving the team to be replaced by the Elite Women's World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot. Filling out the rest of the team is Mathias Azzaro, Titouan Carod and Filippo Colombo, who all carry on with the team from the 2020 season.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot will be super confident heading into World Champs as she tries to defend her rainbow stripes.



Alpecin - Fenix
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Ronja Eibl, Sam Gaze, Puck Pieterse, Loris Rouiller, Mathieu Van Der Poel, Niels Vandeputte

This year the Alpecin - Fenix team stays mostly unchanged from 2020 with the departure of the Norwegian rider Petter Fagerhaug being the only personnel change. Joining the team this year to fill the space of Fagerhaug is the young Puck Pieterse from the Netherlands.

Van der Poel will be drawing a lot of attention this year in what he has previously said will be his final in mountain biking. The Olympics is his main focus this year although he will be heading to Tokyo shortly after his first Tour de France so will have to ensure he is recovered well for the showdown in Japan.
Mathieu Van Der Poel lead Nino Schurter out in the last lap and stayed there.



Axxios - Infinity
Lukas Flückiger, Andreas Moser, Camilla Pedrazzi Fochetti

Axxios Infinity is a brand new team for 2021 taking on three Swiss riders including Lukas Flückiger who finished 12th and 28th in the two 2020 XC World Cup rounds. They will be another group of riders running Canyon bikes as they have been spotted riding Lux frames with DT Swiss suspension and wheels.
Lukas Fluckiger was back up on the podium with a fouth place finish.



Cannondale Factory Racing
Simon Andreassen, Henrique Avancini, Manuel Fumic, Alan Hatherly

There are big changes for the Cannondale racing team in 2021 as Maxime Marotte heads to Santa Cruz to be replaced two new riders. For the upcoming season, Simon Andreassen and Alan Hatherly both make the switch over to Cannondale after great results racing for Specialized in 2020.
Henrique Avancini



Canyon Collective Factory Team
Laurie Arsenault, Emily Batty

After the departure of Pauline Ferrand Prevot, the XC side of the Canyon Collective brings on two new riders for 2021 with the Canadians Laurie Arsenault and Emily Batty joining a stacked list of DH riders. After 12 years with Trek, it will be interesting to see how Emily performs with her new Canyon.
photo



CST Postnl Bafang MTB Racing Team
Yana Belomoina, Martins Blums, Sebastian Fini Carstensen, David Nordemann, Mariske Strauss, Anne Tauber, Jeroen Van Eck

The CST Postnl Bafang stays mostly the same for 2021 with just the addition of Jeroen Van Eck for this year's racing.
Anne Tauber lead the race out the gate with Jolanda not far behind. She had a mishap on a technical climb and couldn t recover.



Ghost Factory Racing
Carolina Bohé, Nicole Koller, Lisa Pasteiner, Nadine Rieder, Anne Terpstra

The offseason saw the departure of Barbara Benko and Sina Frei from the team for 2021 but in their place Ghost remains an all-women team and has picked up Nicole Koller and Nadine Rider to race alongside Anne Terpstra, Caroline Bohe and Lisa Pasteiner.
Anne Terpstra with a great ride into second place.



Giant Factory Off-Road Team
Reto Indergand, Antoine Philipp, Cameron Wright

Apart from Cole Paton leaving the team, Antoine Philipp, Reto Indergand and Cameron Wright stay with Giant for the upcoming season of racing.
Cam Wright took a commanding win for the Junior men. He will be one to watch in the future.



KMC - Orbea
Oliver Aviles Gilabert, Malene Degn, Victor Koretzky, Thomas Litscher, Luca Martin, Milan Vader

The KMC Orbea team sees the departure of the British racer Annie Last who is replaced by Oliver Aviles Gilabert and Luca Martin. Malene Degn, Victor Koretzky, Thomas Litscher and Milan Vader all stay with the team for at least another season.
Milan Vader makes his way back from the far end of the course. He d settle in into third.



Kross Orlen Cycling Team
Ondrej Cink, Bartlomiej Wawak, Maja Wloszczowska

The Kross team only loses one rider for 2021 as Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez leaves to join the MMR Factory Racing Team.
Ondrej Cink took fifth today in front of a home crowd.



Liv Factory Racing
Kaysee Armstrong, Sarah Hill, Linda Indergand

Kaysee Armstrong stays with the Liv Factory Racing team for 2021 but the rest of the team is brand new for the coming season of racing with Sarah Hill and Linda Indergand coming onboard.
photo
Photo by Martin Bissig



Massi
Cristofer Bosque Ruano, Julie Bresset, Joshua Dubau, Magdalena Duran Garcia, Thibaut Francois, Sara Gay Moreno, Thomas Griot, Loana Lecomte, Israel Nunez Baticon, Olivia Onesti

A group of 10 French and Spanish racers makes up the stacked roster on the Massi team in 2021. With Athlete of the Year nominee Loana Lecomte on the team, they could be a regular podium threat once the World Cup season gets underway.
Loana Lecomte came out swinging and never looked back. The gap was just over a minute when she crossed the line.



Norco Factory Team XC
Peter Disera, Quinton Disera, Sean Fincham, Gwendalyn Gibson, Jennifer Jackson, Andrew L'Esperance, Haley Smith, Carter Woods

Norco has put together a huge list of riders for 2021 with eight North American riders looking to take on the Olympics and XC World Cup Season.
Major milestone for Haley Smith today. She earned her first UCI World Cup podium in third and the fastest lap time in the Women s field. She s been climbing that ladder steady now.



Primaflor Mondraker XSauce
Francesc Barber Arguimbau, Jofre Cullell Estape, Jose Marquez Granados, Daniel McConnell, Rebecca McConnell, Sara Mendez Berlanga

The Primaflor Mondraker XSauce team shrinks slightly in 2021 with the big departures of Anton Sintsov and Githa Michiels. But the top riders of Daniel McConnell and Rebecca McConnell stay with the team for the next season.
Rebecca Mcconnell sneaking into the top 10 with a ninth.



Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team
Martina Berta, Luca Braidot, Maxime Marotte, Greta Seiwald

One of the biggest team changes of the year was a serious injection of international talent into the Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team. It was previously an Italian domestic set up but clearly there are some big plans afoot for 2021 with Martina Berta, Luca Braidot and Maxime Marotte joining the only remaining member from 2020, Greta Seiwald.
Fifth place for Luca Braidot. Hell of a day for the Italian on home soil.



Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team
Kate Courtney, Lars Forster, Andri Frischknecht, Nino Schurter

There are no changes on the Scott-SRAM team for 2021 but expect plenty of podium appearances from a super-strong roster.
Nino Schurter had his work cut out for him. He fought his way back to the lead pack and then dueled it out with Flueckiger at the very end of the race. Insane power on display.



Specialized Racing
Sina Frei, Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Jordan Sarrou, Laura Stigger

This year sees the Specialized team get a total refresh as its seven riders from 2020 are replaced by four new faces. Sina Frei, Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Laura Stigger and reigning World Champion Jordan Sarrou form what is effectively a new team heading into Tokyo.
photo
Photo by Michael Cerveny



Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team
Vital Albin, Alexandre Balmer, Noëlle Buri, Mathias Flueckiger, Steffi Häberlin, Alessandra Keller, Timo Müller, Kathrin Stirnemann, Luke Wiedmann

The Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team is once again a stacked field of some of the top Swiss racers with both Mathias Flueckiger and Alessandra Keller there could be more than a few podium finishes this year.
Alessandra Keller with a great ride to 9th.



Trek Factory Racing
Anton Cooper, Harriet Harnden, Madigan Munro, Jolanda Neff, Evie Richards, Stephane Tempier

2021 sees the departure of Emily Batty from the Trek XC after 12 years with the brand. To bring in the new year, it looks like Harriet Harnden has been officially included in the roster after her success on the EWS circuit and a 4th place finish in the U23 Women's race at Nove Mesto.
What seemed like Pauline s race quickly turned into a sprint to the front from round one s winner Evie Richards after a crash in the late stages.





Here are all the other registered UCI MTB teams that will have riders on the start line throughout the World Cup season:

Beaumes De Venise - Massi
Lucas Grieco, Lea Gros, Raphael Gros, Benoit Igoulen, Marine Philippe, Alycia Pippia, Thibault Soula, Axelle Zanardo
BH - Wallonie MTB Team
Pierra De Froidmont, Emeline Detilleux, Julia Grégoira, Clement Horny, Arne Janssens

BH Templo Cafés UCC
Jaurne Bosch Pico, Nuria Bosch Pico, David Domingo Campos Motos, Carlos Coloma Nicolas, Ivan Feijoo Alberte, Rocio Del Alba Garcia Martinez, Pablo Rodriguez Guede, David Valero Serrano
Bike Team Solothurn
Nick Burki, Elia Nascarella, Fabio Püntener, Joel Roth, Luca Schätti

Caloi Henrique Avancini Racing
Ulan Bastos Galinski, Edson Gilmar De Rezende Junior, Guilherme Gotardelo Muller, Marcela Lima Braga Matos
Computer Mania MTB Racing Team
Cherie Redecker, Daniel Van Der Walt, Johan Van Zyl

CS Carabinieri - Cicli Olympia Vittoria
Daniele Braidot, Filippo Fontana, Emanuele Huez, Nicholas Pettina
Cube Pro Fermetures Sefic
Mateo Chedaleux, Helene Clauzel, Perrine Clauzel, Thibault Daniel, Leane Delanoe, Antoine Le Coq, Constance Valentin, Anthony Zaragoza

Cyklostar Trek Pirelli
Josef Jelinek, Tomas Moravek, Jan Skarnitzl
Dinamo - Bikexpert, Superbet
Tudor Cazaceanu, David-Felix-Heret Cristea, George-Bogdan Duca, Miruna-Maria Girbacea, Alexandru-Andrei Ilie, Eduard Kubat, Gerhard-Cristin Moldansky, Ede-Karoly Molnar, Alexandru-George Stancu, Andrei Tabacu

Expres CZ - Tufo Team Kolin
Karolina Bedrnikova, Robert Hula, Timofei Ivanov, Jakub Kucera, Matej Pospisil, Tereza Tvaruzkova, Matej Ulik, Daniel Zvak
Fischer-BMC
Noah Blöchlinger, Ronja Blöchlinger, Casey South

Four ES International Project
Sara Barcella, Anthony Bilic, Sara Cortinovis, Patrizia Critelli, Ivan Perusko, Edoardo Renna, Giovanni, Giorgia Stegagnolo, Borbala Toth-Almasi
Gapp System - Kolofix MTB Racing Team
Jitka Cabelicka, Vojtech Hrstka, Lukas Kobes, Tomas Parpstka, Jan Rajchart, David Sulc

Head Pro Team Opava
Marian Böhm, Max Figel, Simon Koller, Josef Machac, Michal Neugebauer, David Pravda, Jan Sindelar, Lukas Szczepanski, Tomas Vitek
Irontech Tecnic Mendiz Ambisist
Pau Aguilera Masnou, Didac Carvacho Sevilla, Juan Francisco Diaz Torres, Oriol Frigola Ribas, Aniol Morell Coll, Pau Romero Barcelo, Laura Terradas Ill, Paquito Valles Mejias, Marc Vilardell Torra

JB Brunex Superior Factory Racing
Elisa Alvarez, Kim Ames, Nina Benz, Frazer Clacherty, Ramona Forchini, Jacqueline Schneebeli, Finn Treudler, Simon Vitzthum, Sophie Von Berswordt
JBG - 2 Cryospace
Adrian Brzozka, Piotr Brzozka, Wojciech Halejak, Mariusz Kozak, Krzysztof Lukasik, Mariusz Michalek, Mateusz Nieboras, Jakub Zamrozniak

KTM Factory MTB Team
Matthias Alberti, Moritz Bscherer, Daniel Churfürst, Corina Druml, Maximilian Foidl, Lukas Hatz, Katharina Sadnik, Christoph Soukup, Anna Spielmann, Angelika Tazreiter
Lexware Mountainbike Team
Maximilian Brandl, Georg Egger, Luca Schwarzbauer, Martin Vidaurre Kossmann

Maloja Pushbikers MTB
Barbara Benko, Fabian Giger, Shlomi Haimy, Lia Schrievers, Karla Stepanova, Jan Vastl
MMR Factory Racing Team
Nadir Colledani, Maritxell Figueras Garangou, Lucia Gomez Andreu, Lucia Macho Jimenez, Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez, Juan Luis Perez Rodriguez

Mountainbike Racingteam
Marion Fromberger, Simon Gegenheimer, Rémi Laffont, Steffen Thum, Rob Vanden Haesevelde, Gali Weinberg
Pivot Cycles - OTE
Raphael Auclair, Felix Belhumeur, Leandre Bouchard, Marc Andre Fortier, Gunnar Holmgren, Philippe St Laurent, Marianne Theberge, Vincent Thiboutot

R1 - Cycling Education
Sofia Aguilera Oyanedel, Matias Araya Cova, Nicolas Delich Pardo, Nicolas Martin Soto
Rouvy Specialized
Samuel Jirous, Petr Kopecky, Ondrej Matejka, Zuzana Safarova, Jan Saska, Tereza Saskova, Jaromir Skala, Nela Viktorova, Jakub Vlasaty, Matyas Vondracek

Scott - Goldstar Sports Racing Team
Dimitrios Antoniadis, Aikaterini Eleftheriadou, Charoun Molla Amet Ali Oglou
Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret
Loan Cheneval, Hugo Drechou, Lilou Fabregue, Lukas Malezsewski, Alexandre Martins, Isaure Medde, Alex Riboulet, Jens Schuermans

Sense Factory Racing
Albert Guenter Erich Morgen Junior, Mario Couto Grego Santos, Diego Neumann, Giuliana
Serneke Allebike MTB Team
Oscar Lind, Emil Lindgren, Micheal Olsson

SF-Racing
Eric Lüthi, Fabio Spena, Jan Stöckli
Strüby - Bixs Team
Dominik Bollhalder, Paula Gorycka, Jeremias Marti, Anton Sintsov, Melanie Tesch

Sunn Offroad
Lucas Deloison, Antoine Orchampt, Valentin Remondet, Mathis Tonneau
Swiss MTB Pro Team
Nils Brun, Ramona Kupferschmied, Tina Züger

Team Cycles Darnanville
Robin Bonassi, Hugo Briatta, Marie Dufosse, Louise Hautreux, Nicolas Rihouey, Emma Terrigeol, Arthur Tropardy
Team Rudy Project
Lucrezia Braida, Andrea Candeago, Federico Ceolin, Lorenzo Dal Piva, Beatrice Fontana, Giorgia Marchet, Davide Toneatti

Team Skeno - Sfit Helse
Jens Bergmann, Miriam Sivertsen, Synne Steinsland
Teamisgav-Specialized
Gil-Li Gonen, Ori Heracovitz, Naama Noyman, Tomer Zaltsman, Yuval Zaltsman

Torpado Ursus
Mario Bair, Manuel Capra, Marcel Guerrini, Oliver Sølvhøj
Trek - Pirelli
Simone Avondetto, Janis Baumann, Vlad Dascalu, Gioele De Cosmo

Trinity Racing MTB
Haley Batten, Christopher Blevins, Alex Junior Malacarne, Cameron Mason, Chiara Teocchi
Trinx Factory Team
Fabio Bassignana, Gioele Bertolini, Lucia Bramati, Andrea Colombo, Eva Lechner, Luca Pescarmona, Noemi Plankensteiner

Unior - Sinter
Tanja Zakelj
VCA Anjos Asterion
Maxime Barbarin, Paul Delpech, Remy Duquesne, Maxime Gagnaire, Lena Gerault, Mathis Guay, Charles Marchandise, Tatiana Tournut, Amandine Vidon

Velcan MTB Pro Team
Basile Allard, Léa Bouilloux, Maxime Loret, MArgot Moschetti, Alexis Paris, Titouan Perrin Ganier
Veloroc Lapierre
Tristan Arioli, Mickael, Line Burquier, Killian Desbiens, Maxime Garin, Raphael Gay, Louis Liens, Paul Magnier, Hugo Peyroux, Romain Vocanson




Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,021 articles

27 Comments
  • 67 2
 Elite Mtb riders: I hope van Der Poel focuses on Road this year
Elite Road riders: I hope van Der Poel focuses on Cyclocross this year
Elite Cyclocross riders: I hope van Der Poel focuses on Mtb this year
  • 1 1
 He is going to focus on road whether he wants it or not because many world cups will be either postponed or canceled
  • 5 0
 @petrospit: he already said his main goal this year is MTB olympics. He's doing TDF mainly for the sponsors.
  • 4 0
 @Johanvdb: and 2021 CX world champ he already is
  • 4 0
 One last season of XC battle royale for the fans.
  • 1 0
 @Johanvdb: Yes, but he's also aiming for Paris in 2024 as far as I remember reading. One hopes he doesn't leave an Olympic medal on the road at the TdF.....
  • 8 0
 Ctrl+F "Keegan Swenson" = 0/0
Hmmmm
Where's the Park City lad ending up this year?
  • 2 0
 He's on Santa Cruz this year based on his insta but maybe not the factory team? Could just be his only thing going on.
  • 4 0
 Speaking of, new Blur under these riders?
  • 1 0
 @50percentsure: Yeah, from what I have heard there is a new one coming this spring. Thats coming from some world cup riders that know Keegan and chatted with SC about possible support so take it as you wish. But given the caliber of riders that Marotte, Braidot and Keegan are, its a pretty safe bet they will get an updated, lighter weight weapon to be on.
  • 2 0
 This is exactly what I did before comments and now here I am.
  • 4 0
 "a big year of XC racing action as long as everything goes to plan." - Pinkbike, stop it with these hypotheticals.
Oh wait.
  • 2 0
 Looking fwd to see what both Isla Short (with full Orbea Factory Team support--way to overlook them, PB), and my countryman (& current PanAM champ), Gera Ulloa, do in 2021.
  • 3 0
 I sure hope there will be a full race calendar for not only pro level events but also all of our amateur events...
  • 1 0
 Why arent they all riding 15kg Kona honzo steel hardtails with a 63 degree head angle...seems like everyone else needs them to ride over a few stones.
  • 2 0
 Is Keegan not racing WC this year?
  • 1 0
 He's on some Santa Cruz US-based team that doesn't seem to be same as the italian one.
  • 2 0
 As far as I am aware he will still be at WC races, but would he just wear the national team kit if his trade team is not registered?
  • 4 1
 where is Jenny Rissveds?
  • 2 0
 Love that Norco team! So many good Canadian riders!
  • 1 0
 So is Team 31 just a one woman wrecking crew and not a registered team?
  • 4 0
 I don't know why Team 31 is not on the register. There are 119 teams registered this year. I went back to 2018 and Jenny/Team 31 has never been on the UCI Teams list. Not as a team or as an individual on a team.
If I had to venture a guess it's that these are teams registered for the "Team Competition" and Jenny's just not interested in that kind of thing/pressure. Which fits right in with everything she's said about starting her own team in the first place.
She's listed in the Individual Rankings though.
  • 2 0
 Scott team might do ok.
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.039624
Mobile Version of Website