blt2ride
03-12-2005, 10:18 AM
Here is the offical Cannondale press release. It is no big secret that Mick was hooking up with Cannondale, but it was a subject that no one could talk about...
The Thunder from Down Under Strikes Cannondale-Mick Hannah signs a two-year deal--putting his ultra-smooth style onboard Cannondale
The best way to describe Mick Hannah’s riding style is ‘silent storm.’ He has an ultra-smooth style that outsmarts the most technical courses on the World Cup DH circuit. Yet in 4X, he has the ability to aggressively find the line that puts him past the competition before they’ve even snapped out of the gate.
“When we choose athletes to put on our machines we focus on performance and personality,” says Matt Mannelly, Cannondale CEO. “Mick’s commitment to winning will push us to the next level in our approach to product, and his unique lifestyle sets an example of complete dedication towards his craft.”
Whilst many of the world’s best athletes have sought glamorous lifestyles with fast cars and flashy houses, Mick Hannah has spent the last year living in a shack. We are not talking just a slightly run down house - we mean a full-on, out in the middle-of-nowhere, no telephone, no roads, no running water, no front door shack. His humble housing suited this Aussie rider down to the ground. In order to hone his skills in between races, his front yard is a BMX track and his backyard a DH course with some of the scariest natural terrain Cairns has to offer. With bricks holding the roof down and on-again/off-again power (not to mention a landlord who is strangely reminiscent of Grizzly Adams), Mick is a wildman of the bush.
“When I first heard that there might be a chance of a deal with Cannondale I was jumping out of my skin to get the details,” said a usually very reserved Mick Hannah. “It is just one of those brands that all the riders respect. The hands-on approach Cannondale takes to involve its riders in product development sealed the deal.” Mick has already been shipped Cannondale’s new prototype DH Platform, ‘The Judge’ for his product development input.
At barely 22 years of age Mick is already respected as one of the worlds top DH and 4X riders. He’s not finished. His plans are to become a truly dominant force in racing and take the next step up in free-riding to be the worlds best. He is planning an assault on the world jump record over the coming 12 months. Mick will also focus on the World Cup, World Championships, select NORBA events, and select freeride events. Grateful for his talents, he is interested in helping the sport develop to the next level, which means more bike camps, school visits and demo sessions.
As far as the Cannondale rig he is testing…riders everywhere will soon be ‘The Judge’ of his inputs.
The Thunder from Down Under Strikes Cannondale-Mick Hannah signs a two-year deal--putting his ultra-smooth style onboard Cannondale
The best way to describe Mick Hannah’s riding style is ‘silent storm.’ He has an ultra-smooth style that outsmarts the most technical courses on the World Cup DH circuit. Yet in 4X, he has the ability to aggressively find the line that puts him past the competition before they’ve even snapped out of the gate.
“When we choose athletes to put on our machines we focus on performance and personality,” says Matt Mannelly, Cannondale CEO. “Mick’s commitment to winning will push us to the next level in our approach to product, and his unique lifestyle sets an example of complete dedication towards his craft.”
Whilst many of the world’s best athletes have sought glamorous lifestyles with fast cars and flashy houses, Mick Hannah has spent the last year living in a shack. We are not talking just a slightly run down house - we mean a full-on, out in the middle-of-nowhere, no telephone, no roads, no running water, no front door shack. His humble housing suited this Aussie rider down to the ground. In order to hone his skills in between races, his front yard is a BMX track and his backyard a DH course with some of the scariest natural terrain Cairns has to offer. With bricks holding the roof down and on-again/off-again power (not to mention a landlord who is strangely reminiscent of Grizzly Adams), Mick is a wildman of the bush.
“When I first heard that there might be a chance of a deal with Cannondale I was jumping out of my skin to get the details,” said a usually very reserved Mick Hannah. “It is just one of those brands that all the riders respect. The hands-on approach Cannondale takes to involve its riders in product development sealed the deal.” Mick has already been shipped Cannondale’s new prototype DH Platform, ‘The Judge’ for his product development input.
At barely 22 years of age Mick is already respected as one of the worlds top DH and 4X riders. He’s not finished. His plans are to become a truly dominant force in racing and take the next step up in free-riding to be the worlds best. He is planning an assault on the world jump record over the coming 12 months. Mick will also focus on the World Cup, World Championships, select NORBA events, and select freeride events. Grateful for his talents, he is interested in helping the sport develop to the next level, which means more bike camps, school visits and demo sessions.
As far as the Cannondale rig he is testing…riders everywhere will soon be ‘The Judge’ of his inputs.