23 Degrees Sports Management, the company hired by the Honda Racing Corporation to manage Team G-Cross Honda, has announced that the programme will end in 2007.
According to the statement released by Honda Racing Corporation: “As a motorcycle manufacturer, the challenge was to apply our technology to downhill mountain bike racing.
“The correctness of our approach has been validated by the fact that we have been the number one international team for the past two years, and proven by the race results, including winning the NORBA title [2004] and UCI World Cup title [2005].”
Martin Whiteley, CEO of 23 Degrees Sports Management, the company that looked after the running of the team, added:
“As a company, we are indebted to the Honda Racing Corporation for letting us carry out its objectives, but we are also extremely appreciative of the co-sponsors that joined in with our efforts.
“I also want to pay tribute to the talented riders and staff who have formed part of the World Team since 2004, namely riders Greg Minnaar, Matti Lehikoinen, Brendan Fairclough and Cyrille Kurtz; mechanics Mike Van Zyl, Mark Maurissen and Adam Bonney; road manager Paul Schlitz, and photographer Gary Perkin.”