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There’s something about the first round of the season that you can’t replicate.
It’s the moment where all the quiet work and testing no one sees finally gets put under pressure. And this year, we’re showing up alongside four teams who all approach that moment in completely different ways - shaped not just by how they ride, but by who’s on the bike.
Commencal Muc-Off: All In, Every Time
They ride with a kind of commitment that only works if you fully believe in what you’re doing - line choice, speed, decisions made in a split second and never second-guessed.
With Amaury Pierron leading the charge, alongside Loris Vergier and Myriam Nicole, and a new generation coming through in riders like Max Alran and Till Alran stepping up into the Elite ranks, that belief runs deep. After a huge season last year, Max arrives with real momentum - the kind that can shift expectations fast.
When a track gets faster or rougher, that’s not where they lose time. It’s where they find it.
It’s why they’re so hard to ignore when racing gets serious.
Commencal Schwalbe Les Orres: Control in the Chaos
Not every kind of speed looks the same. Commencal Schwalbe Les Orres are proof of that.
With a World Champion in Vali Höll, and riders like Antoine Vidal and Lisa Baumann bringing their own style rocking custom Muc-Off helmets - and setups dialled to the finest detail - this is a team built around control. Where others fight the track, they seem to settle into it. Smooth where things get rough. Precise where it matters most.
They don’t always shout about it - but the results have a habit of speaking for them. And over a full season, that kind of consistency becomes a real weapon.
Specialized Gravity: Pushing the Limit
Everything about their approach feels dialled toward maximum commitment - bigger hits, faster sections, and no interest in playing it safe.
With Chris Grice and Hayley Watson in the mix, that mindset shows up in different ways. Chris brings a measured, technical approach - building runs that hold together under pressure - while Hayley rides with a directness and intensity that can change the pace of a race in an instant.
It’s high consequence racing, where the difference between gaining time and losing it is measured in moments.
That’s what makes them so exciting to watch - and so difficult to beat when it comes together.
Specialized Factory XC: No Let-Up
It’s constant pressure - from the start line to the final lap. Positioning, pacing, decisions that stack up over time.
With riders like Chris Blevins and Sina Frei, that pressure never really lifts. Blevins brings sharp race instinct and the ability to turn small moments into decisive moves, while Frei’s consistency and control keep her in contention across every lap.
There’s no single defining moment, just a thousand small ones that decide the outcome.
And when everything clicks, it looks almost effortless. But it never is.
Where We Fit In
At this level, it’s never just about the rider. Every decision is co-ordinated and everything has to work.
Our job is to stay in the background and make sure nothing gets in the way - keeping things running as smoothly, quietly, and efficiently as possible so the focus stays where it should: on racing.
