After a great year for GT last year Alison Dunlap has signed for the Clif
Bar sponsored Luna Chix team.

The future of the GT team, which also includes top GB downhiller Steve Peat,
is looking very doubtful, hence Dunlap’s move. The Luna Chix (named after
Clif’s female specific ‘Luna’ energy bar) have also announced that they will
be riding Santa Cruz bikes. No confirmation whether that means actual Santa
Cruz’s or the more appropriate Wylder women’s bike range that Santa Cruz
build for ex-racer Julliana Furtado.

French boy wonder downhiller Fabien Barel has now also abandoned GT and
signed for the Maxxis Europe team. Like his previous teamate, Steve Peat he
was sidelined by injury early this season but should be a contender for top
honours next year.

1998 XC World Champion, Michael Rasmussen, has joined other XC riders in
leaving mountain biking entirely, and taking up a Pro road place. Rasmussen
was already trialling on the road this year so his move to CSC-Tiscali isn’t
really a surprise. Anyway, he won’t be alone in the peloton. Miguel
Martinez, Cadel Evans and Bas Van Dooren are all familiar faces from the
front row of the World Cup grid who are now tearing up the tarmac.