By Jos Dyer, 1 year ago
The Madison Saracen Development Team returns for 2023!
In an exciting move, Madison Saracen is bringing back its Development Team with three young riders for the 2023 season to help nurture the UK’s next generation of mountain bikers.
The team will return with George Madley racing in Youth, Felix Griffiths as a first year Youth and Liv Taylor who will be first year Juvenile. All three riders will receive support in the form of product, mechanic assistance, advice, training and race weekend preparation. Managed by former World Cup and Madison Saracen Factory rider Matt Simmonds, the team will be in safe hands too!
Madison Saracen started out as a development team for young British riders back in 2011 and has seen great success over the years. Manon Carpenter, Matt Walker and Jordan Williams are arguably the three most well-known products of the development team. It is where each of them began their racing careers at a young age before progressing onto the Factory Team where they would become World Cup winners and World Champions.
The long-term goal of this team is to help young riders develop, improve and give them an opportunity to ultimately replicate the same level of success on the world stage. The riders will be closely linked to the Factory Team and share the pits at any National races where they are both competing, to help them learn more about what it takes to compete at the pinnacle of Downhill racing.
All riders will be racing the same Saracen Myst Team that the Factory Team riders use. The Myst Team is a bike with World Cup-winning pedigree and over the years has won countless races. It is set-up as a Mullet and the CNC custom link makes this one of the only specifically designed, mixed-wheel size downhill race bikes on the market today. It really is a dream race bike and will give these young riders every chance of success in 2023 and beyond. It is available to buy now on www.saracen.co.uk.
Matt Simmonds, Madison Saracen Development Team Manager said: “I am so excited to be a part of this program to assist and develop upcoming UK talent. Having experienced the level of support Madison provides, I’m confident we can achieve success and can’t wait for the team to get stuck into the new season.”
George at 15 years old will be looking to develop this season before stepping up to the World Cup circuit as a junior next season. Liv, 12, and Felix, 14, are a bit younger so will be using the next couple of years as an opportunity to learn and develop to give them the best possible opportunity to step up to World Cups when they are old enough.
Dominic Langan, CEO of Madison and Sportline, said: “With the pandemic now behind us, I am delighted we are able to re-establish the Madison Saracen Development team, which in the past has helped so many great riders develop their skills, their race craft and propelled them onto podiums, World Cup wins and World Championships. We want to invest in our young home-grown talent and provide them with the equipment, coaching and all-round support to prepare them for the top echelons of world class downhill mountain bike racing. George, Felix and Liv are highly motivated, driven and intelligent individuals, in whom we see huge potential and with the guidance and support of Matt Simmonds and Will Longden, we are giving them our absolute best shot at achieving success.”
George, Felix and Liv will have exactly the same Madison Clothing kit as the Factory Team as well as product from the same sponsors including Lazer, Shimano, PRO, Park Tool, ODI, FOX, DT Swiss, Maxxis, 7iDP, Premax, SiS and Finish Line.
Keep an eye on the Saracen website and Madison Saracen social media channels for updates about the riders as well as where they will be racing over the course of the year. Everything that the team ride in and use can be bought on the Saracen and Freewheel websites.
You can also follow the riders on Instagram:
- George Madley: www.instagram.com/george.madley.mtb
- Felix Griffiths: www.instagram.com/felixbgriffiths
- Liv Taylor: www.instagram.com/livshreds