Cannondale and Cannondale Factory Racing have announced that Manuel Fumic of Germany, Marco Aurelio Fontana of Italy, and Anton Cooper of New Zealand will compete with the team for two more years. With the recent signing of Henrique Avancini, the Cannondale Factory Race team is complete. The athletes are ready for the 2015 season and eager to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Through the years, Manuel Fumic, a three-time Olympian, former World Champion and frequent visitor to the World Cup podium; and Marco Fontana, Olympic Bronze medalist and winner of multiple Italian Championships, have created a unique style of XC racing that has propelled them to stardom within the sport. Fumic and Fontana win races, but they do so in such a way that makes the sport approachable, while inspiring their fans to get on the mountain and shred. Over the next two years, they will continue expressing themselves and developing their riding skills to remain at the top of the sport.
“This will be my seventh year with the Cannondale family,” said Fontana. “Honestly, I cannot think about being anywhere else. Over the last two years, I went through some tough times, but found my best at the end of the 2014 season. Therefore, I am burning to shine again over the next two years. The commitment the team has to the sport, and the great vibe among us is really important for me. I cannot wait for 2015 to start.”
When discussing his teammate, Manuel Fumic mentioned, “Marco and I are like brothers, and I hope we will race together at the next Olympics. We will work hard to get ourselves on top of the podiums in races around the globe, and do it our way,” and added, “Expect some cool stuff to happen along the way.”
Cannondale Factory Racing’s young gun, Anton Cooper is the future of XC racing. Since entering the sport, Cooper has achieved great results in his short career. Currently, he is the reigning Commonwealth MTB Champion. At only twenty, Cooper is the youngest winner of a U23 World Cup event to-date. “We went through some ups and downs over the past two years, but Cannondale Factory Racing has become my second home. The team has supported me on the rough road to becoming an Elite rider. Signing for two more years is an amazing honor, but it will also be a huge challenge for me,” said Cooper.
These riders, including Henrique Avancini, show an incredibly strong commitment to the sport of XC racing and mountain biking in general – they live the lifestyle and encourage others to ride. In turn, these riders also showcase Cannondale’s continued support of XC mountain bike racing as the brand positions itself as a leader in the sport.
During the 2015 season, Cannondale Factory Racing will focus on a full World Cup campaign, with appearances in Europe and North America which will start a great Olympic qualification period as the team sets their sights on the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
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