Crelan AA Drink Duo will help American bike manufacturer to develop cross products
After using Colnago frames since he turned professional with the Rabobank team in 1998, Sven Nys’ long association with the brand is coming to an end. The world cyclo cross champion and his Crelan AA Drink team-mate Sven Vanthourenhout are switching to using Trek bicycles, with the new partnership being officially announced today.
The news will see Nys and fellow Belgian Vanthourenhout using Trek frames henceforth, with sister company Bontrager supplying equipment and components.
“The partnership with Trek and the work we put into the bikes is another dimension for me in cyclocross,” said Nys, confirming the new partnership. “I am really happy to be part of the family of Trek and to do something special with them.”
Both he and Vanthourenhout will work with Trek's product development team (DEV) to further evolve Trek's cyclocross products.
Matt Shriver of Trek’s Race Shop said that the new deal is part of a long term strategy in the area. “When we really dedicated ourselves to cyclocross a few years back, we had a strategy to support racing with the full commitment of our product development team and partner with some of the biggest names in the sport,” he said. “This move in particular is a huge step for us, and one that we are really excited to take.”
The Trek company has focussed mainly on road and mountainbike since it was established, but is increasingly turning its attention to the cross scene. It is the backer of the UCI-ranked Trek Cyclocross Collective Cup and also backs the US-based Trek Cyclocross Collective team.
Women’s World Cup champion Katie Compton is part of that squad and she, Nys and Vanthourenhout will be part of a press conference to be held on New Year’s day at the GP Sven Nys in Baal, Belgium. The new bikes will be unveiled then.
Nys has long been regarded as one of the best cross riders of all time. He is a two time world champion and a multiple winner of the World Cup, Superprestige and GvA Trophy series.
Vanthourenhout is a former world under 23 champion in the discipline and picked up bronze medals in the worlds elite race on two occasions.