February 9/03 7:10 am - Kona Clarks Factory Team 2003 Announced

Posted by Editoress on 02/9/03
 

Kona Clarks Factory Team
Courtesy www.teamkonaclarks.com

The Kona Clarks Factory Team has signed French national downhill mountain bike champion Fabien Barel for the 2003 racing season. Barel joins the returning members of the Kona team, including UK National Downhill champion Tracy Moseley, Canadian cross-country national champion Geoff Kabush and Canadian National Cyclo-Cross champion Peter Wedge for the 2003 UCI and NORBA racing season.

Based on last year‚s impressive results, The Kona Clarks downhill duo of Barel and Moseley is sure to be a force in 2003.

Barel had a sting of 2002 top podium finishes, including 2nd place at the Les Get World Cup, 2nd place at the Telluride World Cup and a 3rd place finish at the Maribor, Slovenia World Cup race. He ended the year ranked 5th in the UCI World Cup points standings. He also had a ton of success in the Maxxis Cup Series, with six first place finishes.

Moseley had what many consider the break-out season of the year in 2002 with her first Downhill World Cup victory of her career (Fort William, UK, May 2002) and many other podium positions in UK National, NORBA and World Cup races. She finished the season ranked 3rd in the UCI World Cup points standings, 2nd in NORBA and 1st in the British National Series.

Tracy and Fabien will be racing on team issue 9‰ travel Kona Stab Primo‚s and 8‰ Kona Stab‚s depending on the type of bike required for the course. The Kona/Clarks cross-country squad will be racing on team issue Kona Deluxe hardtails and team issue Kona King Kikapu full sussers, depending on the severity of the course.

The team will be managed from the UK by long-time downhill manager Russell Carty who will be assisted by the big man from Canada, Mr Dik Cox. Robin Sansom, our top mechanic from the U.S., is back and will be wrenching for the team at all NORBA and World Cup events. He will be supported by our other star mechanic from South Africa, Paul Walton.

Tracy & Fabien will start testing their bikes in early March in the south of France. Geoff & Peter will take part in various training camps for the next two months. The whole team will then head over to The Sea Otter Classic which will be the season opener and what we hope to be a start of a great year.

The Kona Clarks Factory mountain bike racing team is co-sponsored by Clarks Cycle Systems, Marzocchi Suspension, Dan & Jake, Bio-Racer Race Clothing, Shimano Components, Tioga Tires, RaceFace Components, Mavic Rims, Fox Racing Shox, Hayes Brakes, Heinz, Paligap Lifestyle Products, Onfire Casual Clothing, MRP Racing Products, CycleOps Trainers, Giro Helmets, Easton Tubing, Ringle Hubs, Dumondtech lubricants