Photo – Olly Forster
Kiwi Matt Walker has picked up a well-deserved factory ride with the Cube Global Squad for 2016. One of the most likeable riders on the travelling circus and a mainstay of the Vanzacs, Matt will be hitting up the World Cups in a bit more style this season and will be one to watch for some big results.
Cube Bikes are well known around the world for their full suspension trail bikes, but have been absent in the downhill scene for a long time. In 2016, with their all-new Two15 DH bike, one of Europe’s largest bike manufacturers has joined with BTC Racing to strike back and form the Cube Global Squad. From the get go, the main objective was to build a competitive bike that can compete in the World Cup circuit. Because of his, kinematics expert and head engineer at Cube Bikes, Michael Prell, has put a huge amount of effort into its development:
“The goals that we wanted to achieve with the development of the new Two15 DH bike was to build a race ready bike for the DH World Cup, but would still be adaptable for the needs of different riders. This decision helped us to decide upon aluminium as the material of choice and help to keep it both reliable and lightweight.” – Michael Prell, Head Engineer, Cube Bikes
Photo – Olly Forster
Greg Williamson from Scotland and Matt Walker from New Zealand will ride in 2016 under the flag of the Cube Global Squad. Greg is only 23-years old, but has managed to already get some solid results under his belt. Along with Matt Walker, the 25-year-old privateer for the last couple of years, the Squads roster is complete.
“Greg and Matt are great individuals and I’m more than stoked to have both gentleman on the team. Matt impressed me in 2015 when he managed to nail down an 11th place finish at Windham out of nowhere. I knew from the beginning that I wanted this guy on the roster. Along with Greg who has proven many times he has the momentum to gain frequent top results and has some experience being apart of a professional race team, the Cube Global Squad is complete. It’s gonna be a hell of a year.” – Andi Nitsche, Team Manager
Photo – Olly Forster
During his young career, Greg has achieved several top 30 positions including a 9th place finish at the Méribel World Cup in 2014:
“I was honored to be approached by Cube Bikes/Bliss Protection and proud to be representing such a good family of people and from what I have seen already, it’s enough to put my utmost trust in them and now, all that’s left is for me to give back the results I know I’m capable of. Joining ‘Cube Global Squad’ as the new factory team is cool for me because it’s a blank canvas in World Cup downhill racing and I’m really looking forward to loose on the new ‘Two15’ DH bike at Lourdes, France, for round 1 of the 2016 World Cup series.” – Greg Williamson
Photo – Olly Forster
Matt is a man of many faces. From City Downhill, to Crankworx and the UCI downhill World Cup, he does it all:
“After doing all the hard work as a privateer, I’m so pumped to be on board with the Cube Global Squad and to have the support needed to race consistently and competitively at the highest level. Straight away I feel at home on the bike and with a dream build and ultimate support from the team’s sponsors, the bike is dialed and 2016 is looking to be a great year! I’m hoping to improve on last seasons results with more consistency and with the correct preparation that I now have in place, I feel like 2016 is going to be my best season yet!” – Matt Walker
Photo Credit – Olly Forster
