November 17/12 10:06 am - Plaxton To Sho-Air/Cannondale Team

Posted by Editoress on 11/17/12
 

Canadian cross-country champion Max Plaxton has signed with the new Sho-Air/Cannondale team.  After Specialized cut back on their U.S.-based squad at the end of the season, Plaxton was left scrambling to find a new team.  He has signed with the new team for three years.

The team release:

Cannondale is happy to announce its partnership with Team Sho-Air Inc. and launch Sho-Air/Cannondale. Operating out of Southern California. Sho-Air/Cannondale will be Cannondale's North American arm of its global mountain bike race category. The team will represent Cannondale's factory mountain bike efforts in North America and will support the Cannondale Factory Racing Team during their North American World Cup appearances.

The Sho-Air/Cannondale force will consist of professionals Max Plaxton, Pua Mata, Alex Grant, Jeremiah Bishop, Tinker Juarez, and Manny Prado as team support. Before joining Sho-Air /Cannondale, Grant, Bishop, and Juarez were members of Cannondale Factory Racing. Also featured on the team will be motorsports legends Eric Bostrom and Josh Hayes. The team will be managed by five-time amateur National Champion and Director of Team Operations, Tyson Kady.

Plaxton is a five-time National Champion, two-time Pan-American Champion, and was awarded a Bronze Medal at the 2006 U-23 World Championships. Juarez has represented the U.S. in two Olympics, is a three-time U.S. Cross-Country National Champion, and is a four-time U.S. 24-Hour National Champion. Bishop has led the U.S. National Team on seven occasions, including his gold medal winning performance in the 2003 Pan American Games and his eighth place finish at the 2006 World Championships. Mata is the reigning USAC PRO XCT, PRO UET and Marathon National Champion. Most recently, Mata placed first in the La Ruta de Los Conquistadores race in Costa Rica, her first ever attempt. Grant placed second on the men's side, his third second place finish in the past four years.