It seems that now the communication is to make people talk about themselves in all cases: the closure of the team is announced and then reopened under another guise. After the announcement of the closure of Intense Factory, now Intense announces the reopening with a staff of emerging young people. And, in a few hours, there will be the announcement of another big brand (stay connected).
Gone will be Aaron Gwin, who already announced he was leaving the team, but big question marks remain over where Dakotah Norton will ply his trade this season. The brand has confirmed that Joe Breeden, Louise Ferguson, Oscar Griffiths and Ryder Lawrence will be racing for them this year.
The IFR elite charge will now be led by Britons Breeden (24) and Ferguson (27). The former has been on Intense bikes since his pro debut for the UK Saddleback team, while the latter is a new signing having competed last season for Continental Nukeproof. His outstanding achievement came to the UCI World Championships in Glasgow, where she placed fourth at Fort William.
In this team I am seeing the opportunity to take on a new responsibility. I wanted to create a team that not only suited my racing needs, but also provided a platform for other drivers to perform at their best and provide as much value as possible to the brands that support us. The team's vision is to offer an environment for personal growth, a place where we develop people and create cyclists, providing a platform where champions can develop – Joe Breeden
Oscar Griffiths (17) is a highly regarded British junior driver who previously competed under the Resolute Racing banner. Ryder Lawrence is one of the most decorated young riders to emerge from the competitive national ranks of the United States and will make the step up to the UCI Mountain Bike World Series level for the first time in 2024. His father, Randy, competed for Intense at the end 1990.
Olly Morris will be at the helm while Jon Stout will be in charge of the mechanics. Intense Cycles founder Jeff Steber expressed his excitement for the upcoming season:
This year's team reminds me of why I started INTENSE and it feels like the story is coming full circle after 30 years. The relaunch of the M1 combined with the introduction of a new IFR program combines old traditions with new possibilities. Joe has been riding INTENSE since his early days as a Junior. Ryder and Oscar are both very promising Juniors. Added to this is the team's exciting return to the Elite Women's field with the talented Louise Ferguson. With such an exceptional group, on a completely restructured staff, it will certainly be an exciting season! – Jeff Steber, founder and CEO of INTENSE
The question remains where both Aaron Gwin and Dakotah Norton will race this season. Norton took a second-place finish at Loudenvielle-Peyragudes last year, won the Fox U.S. Open of Mountain Biking, and scored another podium finish at Snowshoe, W.Va.
