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News | GT Factory Racing Unveil 2015 Bikes

19.03.2015
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GT Factory Racing have unveiled the bikes that they hope will carry them to a clutch of World title victories this season. Both the GT Fury and GT Sanction are housed on 650b wheels and are the result of three seasons close collaboration between the Atherton family and their bike partner GT.

After a season of adjustment to 650b Rachel is ready and looking fast for 2015!
After a season of adjustment to 650b Rachel is ready and looking fast for 2015!

The five-strong 2015 GT Factory Racing team will be looking to recapture the title of World’s Fastest Downhill team and to establish the Enduro team as a force to be reckoned with.

Over on the Enduro circuit Dan Atherton first unveiled his GT Sanction for the 2014 season. He said “I designed this bike to race, and two years later I still have a massive grin on my face every time I ride it.”

Dan getting some pre-season airtime on the 2015 Sanction.
Dan getting some pre-season airtime on the 2015 Sanction.

Unfortunately a knee injury sustained on a routine training ride kept Dan out of most of the 2014 Enduro World Series but young team-mate Martin Maes flew the GT Factory Racing flag, racing in the General Classification despite his junior status he racked up an amazing 7 stage wins across 7 races.

Speaking about his GT Sanction Dan said “The bike is unchanged since 2014, apart from a fresh lick of paint. People often underestimate the severity of the EWS courses – basically they are six World Cup tracks to be ridden in a day, it’s not terrain that all Enduro bikes can deal with. The Sanction has the suspension and pedaling characteristics of the GT Fury but in a scaled down chassis. It’s a tough bike and 2015 is going to be the year that Martin and I push it even harder.”

The Sanction's aluminum frame is designed to comfortably handle the roughest courses with no worry about durability.
The Sanction’s aluminum frame is purpose built to comfortably handle the roughest courses with no worry about durability.
The prototype FOX RAD shock features a bulge in the air can to fine tune it's characteristics.
The prototype FOX Float X shock features a bulge in the air can to fine-tune its damping characteristics.
The Athertons will be running the tried and true XTR mechanical drivetrain.
The Athertons will be running the tried and true XTR mechanical drivetrain.
Check out that oversized pivot on the GT I-Drive system.
Check out that oversized pivot on the GT I-Drive system.
I-Drive is designed to isolate pedaling forces for surprisingly good uphill performance.
I-Drive is designed to isolate pedaling forces for surprisingly good uphill performance.
Everything about this bike screams downhill performance, from the stubby and wide cockpit, to the brutally powerful Saint brakes.
Everything about this bike screams downhill performance, from the stubby and wide cockpit, to the brutally powerful Saint brakes.

Team Director Dan Brown said “I have never seen the team this focused going into a season. Without exception the five riders have trained super-hard this winter and cannot wait to get started. Gee has a World Championship that he’s not going to give up without a huge fight, Rachel wants her titles back and Dan is more focused on racing than I have ever seen him, he’s concentrating on Enduro 100%, I haven’t even needed to hide his shovel!”

Martin Maes will ride his second season in the EWS Elite class while Taylor hits his first season in the senior ranks. Both of them have the confidence of a World Cup win behind them and are starting to put the lessons of the last two years’ into practice. They are still learning but they are aiming for the very top.

Rachel has a custom teal frame to stand out from the men.
Rachel has a custom teal frame to stand out from the men.

The 2015 bikes will carry striking new liveries, for the first time Rachel will fly the flag for female riders with her own teal colour-way.
The new bikes can be seen in action when Dan and Martin take part in the Torpedo 7 Coronet Enduro at Queenstown Bike Festival, NZ on March 20th and at Round 1 of the Enduro World Series (part of the Crankworx Festival at Rotorua) just eight days later. The Downhill team will open their season at the Crankworx Downhill presented by IXS which takes place on Friday 27th March. Expect to see all of our riders in the mix.

AthertonRacing Pre Season Riding Camp, Queenstown New Zealand.

The team would like to thank all of our partners for their essential and unwavering support, GT Bicycles, Silverline Tools, Jeep, Shimano, IXS, Continental, Fox Shox, Go Pro, Bell, Stans No Tubes, Pro, Muc Off, Hope, Oakley and SRM.

Words & Photos: GT Press Release

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