Athertons Off Commencal
Five Years Of Greatness
Date: 2011-11-09
The Edge of Reason
Together we have written some of the most beautiful story lines in the history of World DH, the story of one family, two brothers and a sister, as united in life as they are by their talent. A story that the sporting world loves to generate.
Back in 2007, encouraged by COMMENCAL UK, the Atherton family started riding the Supreme DH. Passionate about competition and the emotions generated by the discipline, Max Commencal, the founder of the Andorran brand, lost no time in making them his ambassadors.
The worlds DH elite dominated by a single family!
Between 2007 and 2011, Rachel, Dan and Gee claimed no fewer than 52 victories, 17 of which were World Cup events. Obvious highlights include world championships won by Gee and Rachel in Val di Sole in 2008. That same year, during the Vallnord World Cup, on COMMENCAL's home turf, Gee and Rachel dominated the DH while Dan, the eldest of the three, won the 4X final. A truly epic weekend, almost beyond belief. In 2008 and 2010, Rachel and Gee were respectively crowned overall DH World Cup winner, a triumph.
A Parallel Evolution
Partnering with the worlds best riders has always been the generator behind the evolution and performance of Commencal's bikes. During these five years of cooperation, athletes and engineers have strived to create new, more modern, stiffer frames, with optimized weight distribution and lower center of gravities. All with one goal in mind: to be on the top step of international competitions. Given the track record acquired by the Supreme DH throughout its three incarnations, with two world championship titles and two overall World Cup wins, we are not exaggerating when we say the partnership was beneficial!
But it is not just about the material and technological aspects of the relationship. Over the past five years, the association between COMMENCAL and the Atherton family has resided especially in their mediatization and accrued recognition for both sides by the riders and followers of the sport.
The connection between these two entities shows primarily that, without each other, we would certainly not be where we are today. We would all progress, of course, but this partnership has on the whole brought some panache to what is a beautiful story.
Today we are about to go our separate ways (the contract runs until the end of the year), but the entire COMMENCAL staff would very much like to thank Rachel, Gee and Dan, as well as their manager Brownie, and their staff for all the beautiful moments spent together, the ups and downs, doubts and victories, which ultimately will be part of two stories forever united.
Good luck...
What are your thoughts of the Athertons leaving Commencal? Leave a comment below
Comments
Add your comments here! Note that all posts as guests will be put into a moderation queue.
It will be interesting to see what happens next.
They'll be on Scott with Fairclough! :p
|
Originally Posted by semaj
(Post 2587349)
They'll be on Scott with Fairclough! :p
|
Well - my big question was would comments from the front page replace the board - but I see that they are transferred directly to the board - very interesting...
New team with new sponsors? I doubt they'd want to split up the family. Any major bike brands out of the World Cup Scene at the moment?
|
Originally Posted by GladePlayboy
(Post 2587364)
New team with new sponsors? I doubt they'd want to split up the family. Any major bike brands out of the World Cup Scene at the moment?
|
:rave:
gt
|
Originally Posted by boomforeal
(Post 2587367)
gt
|
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
Originally Posted by FullMonty
(Post 2587374)
that is the @teamrumours
|
I'm interested to see what will happen with the Athertons, but REALLY interested to see what will happen to Commencal.
Anyone remember Orange bikes?
|
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 2587377)
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
|
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 2587377)
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
I'm with Heckler. Ride your bike.
|
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 2587377)
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
Its not going to make any difference to race results though really. Peaty used to kick ass on some shitty single pivot and ran brakes that never worked (which if you want to go fast is probably not a bad combination....)
Cannondale
Interesting to see who will take all 3 of them and who will be displaced eleswhere if that happens. That said, they have acheived so much collectively it might be beneficial to spread their wings a little. Dan is still making a recovery ....
Gee Tee ! for GT
the real rumor is they'll be with Speci.
but.... as heckler well said....
ride on.
this very interesting.....cant wait for next year UCI DH season
|
Originally Posted by PUNKY
(Post 2587481)
Cannondale
|
|
Originally Posted by IFO
(Post 2587366)
Cove ???
:rave: |
|
Originally Posted by walleater
(Post 2587477)
Peaty used to kick ass on some shitty single pivot
|
|
Originally Posted by Aeropusher
(Post 2587631)
I keep checking the website....but no updates yet....
|
|
Originally Posted by DaveM
(Post 2587655)
ever ridden one?
|
I guess I should have added the winkie....
Yes, I've owned a '91 Clockwork (actually that did suck....), a Patriot and ridden various others. I've also a Bullit and CNF Prophet MX (for 10 minutes....)SP. I've also owned VPP, horse links, SP with idler pulley etc, and am pretty sure that in 2011, the bike a top pro rides has feck all to do with how successful they will be, so personally I don't care what they ride.
Orange are doing OK for themselves and seem to be largely ignoring internerd arguments re. axle paths, chain growth and the like.
|
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 2587377)
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
i gotta agree, never understood the star following business..
|
Originally Posted by C.Lee
(Post 2587615)
no dh bike lineup at cannondale
|
Rumour has it they are going to GT
|
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 2587377)
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
Just like it's no fun watching the Canucks if you don't care. Competition can be an interesting prism through which we can gain perspective on effort, hardship, greatness, performance under pressure, failure, success reinvention, confidence... The list goes on.
If those elements of life don't interest you - or if you can't learn about them from following any sort of competitive endeavour - there is no reason to care. There are other ways to observe and gain insight into what it is to be human - like reading fiction or watching films - but few offer such a distilled and raw opportunity to see elements of the struggle and effort all humans face.
|
Originally Posted by cam@nsmb.com
(Post 2588827)
Following DH racing is no fun if you don't care.
Just like it's no fun watching the Canucks if you don't care. Competition can be an interesting prism through which we can gain perspective on effort, hardship, greatness, performance under pressure, failure, success reinvention, confidence... The list goes on. If those elements of life don't interest you - or if you can't learn about them from following any sort of competitive endeavour - there is no reason to care. There are other ways to observe and gain insight into what it is to be human - like reading fiction or watching films - but few offer such a distilled and raw opportunity to see elements of the struggle and effort all humans face. |
It's almost official! OMG
http://www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/UC...ker-Listed,402
GT? Gag....
MS Mondraker! Good for Bulldog but no factory team? Where is Spagnolo going?
|
Originally Posted by cam@nsmb.com
(Post 2588827)
Just like it's no fun watching the Canucks if you don't care.
|
|
Originally Posted by cam@nsmb.com
(Post 2588827)
Competition can be an interesting prism through which we can gain perspective on effort, hardship, greatness, performance under pressure, failure, success reinvention, confidence... The list goes on.
If those elements of life don't interest you - or if you can't learn about them from following any sort of competitive endeavour - there is no reason to care. There are other ways to observe and gain insight into what it is to be human - like reading fiction or watching films - but few offer such a distilled and raw opportunity to see elements of the struggle and effort all humans face. |
but in my experience, there's very little that's compelling, let alone raw and honest, in how most athletes convey their emotions. most can be counted on to trot out the same stream of meaningless axioms and trite non-insights when asked or given an opportunity to speak: "i like to carry speed," "i want to win races," "i just tried to give 100%," etc. there are the rare exceptions but most athletes are pretty inscrutable and lousy communicators - gee atherton, steve peat, sam hill, aaron gwinn, none of them give you much insight into what's going on for them on the track. you're left to fill in the gaps between tidbits, or project emotion onto them.
i like watching sports to see athletes perform at the highest level in their field. it's fun and sometimes breathtaking to see. but the idea that you're gaining valuable insights into the human condition from these guys, sorry that's a stretch
|
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 2587377)
why do people care? no really, I'm curious.
|
|
Originally Posted by boomforeal
(Post 2599419)
but in my experience, there's very little that's compelling, let alone raw and honest, in how most athletes convey their emotions. most can be counted on to trot out the same stream of meaningless axioms and trite non-insights when asked or given an opportunity to speak:
|
Gwin's interview a few months back was kinda interesting. He basically said he never stresses about races or his overall career because, beyond training, he believes its all in god's hands.
|
Originally Posted by Duncan
(Post 2600120)
Why does anyone care about the Vancouver Canucks?
|
I guess for the sporting occasion, but I don't suppose 95% of the fans care what hockey sticks they use. I might be wrong though.
|
Originally Posted by Bryce
(Post 2600166)
pretty much.
Gwin's interview a few months back was kinda interesting. He basically said he never stresses about races or his overall career because, beyond training, he believes its all in god's hands. |
|
Originally Posted by cam@nsmb.com
(Post 2600262)
So does that mean if he wins it's because god likes him more than the other guys?
|
|
Originally Posted by boomforeal
(Post 2600466)
|
Stumble this!
Tweet this!
