Lopes might have gone to GT, and Sydor left for Trek, but Cannondale are still fielding a line up of big hitters.

French downhill queen Anne-Caroline Chausson and fellow Frenchman Cedric Gracia will continue straddling those big blue bikes on the downhill circuit, while the Australian king of the XC pixies Cadel Evans gets additional antipodean support from Kashi Leuchs. Grand old man of the mountain bike affro Tinker Juarez, keeps his bunk on the team bus as does Swiss nipper Cristoph Sauser who took bronze at the Olympics.

Those whose names aren’t listed but are still interested in booking themseleves onto a brand new Cannondale for at least one race of the season, could do a lot worse than check out the Cannondale Chain Gang team at the Cannondale website and get training now.