2012 Hutchinson United Ride Team Announement

Starting out as a conversation in the Morewood Bikes factory some years ago, the United Ride team was created and has come a long way since then. A diverse race team with riders hailing from France, South Africa and now Australia. For the 2012 season United Ride gains some great sponsors and continues to grow the team as we are proud to announce Hutchinson as our title sponsor and the signing of Mick and Tracey Hannah.

Mick Hannah is one of the most respected riders on the circuit known for his solid work ethic, toughness and training:

Mick Hannah

“I’m really excited to be joining with United Ride. We have very similar goals for the next 2 years and I feel like with the support of Morewood and Hutchinson and the great atmosphere within the team we can achieve all that we set out to do. I am also very excited about the opportunity to travel and race with Tracey. She is really focused right now and I think that together, along with the rest of the team, we will have a great season! Thanks very much to everyone that’s getting behind us! It’s going to be a great year!”

In the past Tracey Hannah has shown she could win by taking the Junior Womans World title. Her motivation and speed are still there as she will participate at select World Cup rounds in 2012:

Tracey Hannah

“It’s always been in the back of my mind!
Racing on the “World Cup Circuit” again! What is even more amazing, I will be racing right beside my big bro “Sick Mick” who taught me some of the things I know…… ha! I am so excited to be on the Hutchinson United Ride team, riding for Morewood bikes. Not only to be back racing but to be on a team that is going to help us achieve some of the goals that we have set out to achieve.
There is nothing better than feeling confident and ready going into a season, and because of United Ride we both can relax knowing we will be on one of the best teams out there, riding with some awesome new gear.

I am looking forward to the racing season. I can’t wait to see what unfolds in the up and coming months. I couldn’t be happier!”

We are also glad to welcome  Guillaume Cauvin who finished 3^rd at the last Junior World Championship in Champéry. Guillaume fits in perfectly with the team’s spirit as he is motivated, relaxed and trains hard so it is a pleasure for us to help a young rider like him:

Guillaume “JR” Cauvin

“It’s a great opportunity for me to ride as part of the Hutchinson United Ride which is composed with such good riders. It will help me to improve my skills for sure! We’ve already done some training camp and there is good vibes. I love my MOREWOOD!”

Fabien “ CousCous” Cousinié / Team Manager-Rider

“In 2011, I’ve been in the top 20 during the first half of the season, I wanna do it again in 2012 but for the entire season! My study finally achieved, it’s going to be my first school free season, can’t wait for the PMB!
As a team manager, I’m really happy of the riders. More than the performance aspect, everyone has the same spirit which announce: good times!”

Tim Bentley

Our South African rider stays with the team for 2012 and will be racing the clock with style once again. After a solid first season on the World Cup circuit we are certain that he will keep improving and reach his potential.

« I am really excited to be on the team again this year! I had such a great time and i am looking forward to see what happens this season. I learnt alot last year and i hope i can use the experience to help me !

A NEW NAME GOING INTO 2012:

United Ride Team is very proud of its new partnership with Hutchinson (www.hutchinsontires.com). The brand has worked a lot on the development of some new tire compounds and profiles. The team has run some tests with the new tires and are confident to have them keeping their Morewood’s on track this season:

Arnaud Zumaglia / Hutchinson Marketing Director

“Genetically links to competition, Hutchinson built its success and reputation with the performance and quality of its products. On all kind of terrain and in all kind of circumstances, road ride or mountain ride, Hutchinson works for more than one century with the biggest names of this sport to improve its nowadays products and create the future ones.
With no doubts downhill is the more demanding discipline for the tyres, that’s why we are really proud of those new objectives with the Hutchinson United Ride. An cosmopolitan UCI team with a strong potential with whom we expect to see some international podium in 2012.
A few new tyres will equip the bikes : Dzo, Squale, Toro or Cougar which ones will lead our riders toward the best results.”

Richard Carter / Morewood Bikes (www.morewoodbikes.com)

“It is a great pleasure for us to be moving into our 4^th year supporting the United Ride team with bikes, even if not as title sponsor. They are effectively our factory team and with the addition of Mick, Tracey and Guillaume, we really believe that we have one of the strongest teams on the circuit. From its inception United Ride has worked tirelessly in the development of all Morewood products, and we look forward to their continued involvement. It will be great to have them in our home town of Pietermaritzburg for the first World Cup race in March”

Once again we would like to welcome as one of our main partners, the online bike shop ALLTRICKS. Alltricks’s team is passionate, motivated and really efficient and that aids us in functioning efficiently as a professional race team:

AllTricks (www.alltricks.fr)

“Alltricks.fr is really proud to be a part of the United Ride Team and to support each riders for the next two seasons. Its team manager’s energy and the strong potential of its pilots seduced us straight away. We were looking for a team to join and an international adventure to share and confirm our product offer competitiveness. The partnership represents for us a real showcase of what is our offer in Dh, Freeride, Dirt and 4X.
Working with all the team’s sponsors and selling their products will help us being able to advise better our customers.”

Our official 2012 team presentation will be held a few days before the first World Cup in March where we will unveil our gear sponsor and other news.

We would like to thank everyone from our sponsors to the media to our fans for their support. The future has never been so exciting and our adventure keeps going with the same core ideal : DREAM RIDE SHARE.