Team MBUK /Scott has been launched as a 12 strong squad split between XC and Downhill / Duel on the UK, European and World race circuit.

The Cross-Country squad will be headed by New UK National Champion Oli Beckingsale, followed closely by the graduating Elite rider from the 2001 SCOTT MBUK Youth Development Scholarship. The remainder of the team will be made up of 2 Expert and 2 Junior Riders.

The Downhill/Duel squad will be headed by Pro-Elite Will Longden*, companioned by the graduating Youth Development Scholarship Senior Rider from 2001, 2 Junior and 2 Youth riders. In both cases, the four junior members of each discipline will continue under the scholarship banner taking guidance and training from the more senior riders, hoping to turn them into future world champions. The scholarship riders will be recruited through the pages of Mountain Biking UK over the coming months.

Commenting on the new team, Managing Director of Scott Sports UK, Ian Hughes said – “We have been running a Scholarship to help up and coming riders for 3 years now, the last 2 years with MBUK, and helped develop Oli Beckingsale over 7 years to become New National Champion. This partnership with MBUK and the Race Team makes a lot of sense for both parties. We can combine developing young riders in Downhill and Cross-Country with excellent tutors (Current National Champion Oli Beckingsale and Will Longden) and as a brand this will help strengthen our brand identity even further” Hughes went on to say “I’ve always admired what future publishing and MBUK have done to help grow the market, we have very similar views on attracting new business.”

Kris Hollund – Publisher of MBUK commented – ” This is a perfect marriage between a bike manufacturer that is looking to really forge its brand with high performance, and a magazine aiming to encourage newcomers to the sport. It meets all the objectives of the magazine, continuing to support mountain biking, making it more accessible to public and developing new talent for the future.”

No doubt we’ll be seeing plenty of them on the pages very shortly.