Powered by Outside

Norco Teases New Factory Racing Rider

Jan 3, 2024
by Sarah Moore  


In perhaps the biggest news of the off-season, Greg Minnaar and the Syndicate parted ways after 16 years. The rumour was that he had signed for Norco. Now, Norco has released a social teaser with the caption "New guy in town".

On first glance, the rider in the teasers looks like the GOAT, but on closer inspection and after some screenshot sleuthing, we're not so sure. It looks like there are actually three men, one with Oakley sunglasses, one with Smith sunglasses, and one with a moustache. This could be the team's support crew or maybe Norco used a stunt double or two for this teaser.

photo
photo

photo
photo

We'll keep our eyes peeled for an official announcement.

Posted In:
Racing and Events Racing Rumours Norco


Author Info:
sarahmoore avatar

Member since Mar 30, 2011
1,457 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
[UPDATED] Final Results & Overall Standings from the Combloux Enduro World Cup 2024
48952 views
First Ride: The 2025 Specialized Stumpjumper Has a New Dual Chamber Air Shock
47506 views
Welcome to the 2024 Downhill Field Test
41261 views
DH Field Test: Intense M1 - For Your Gnarliest Trails
40557 views
First Ride: Magura Relaunch the Gustav Pro Brakes
37419 views
Randoms: Bespoked Show 2024, Manchester
36364 views
It's Not Presta, It's Not Schrader - Schwalbe Introduces New Clik Valve
36200 views
SRAM Releases S-1000 Budget Transmission Drivetrain
33528 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

150 Comments
  • 428 2
 Norco will be riding for Greg Minnaar.
  • 256 4
 He's going to do pretty well this season if he doesn't get hurt. Top 10 for sure. Mostly because it will be him and the 10 other factory riders going to every race.
  • 75 0
 Minnaar vs Commencal
  • 37 1
 Maybe BK sport will get his first win in the reduced field
  • 2 1
 I’m genuinely curious how they handled the contracts of the other riders on the team. Mark Wallace get bought out or is he still racing for them.
  • 3 5
 @Kleinstone: no
  • 2 2
 @Kleinstone: has to win a race before dh gets nixed
  • 4 0
 @shredddr: sure hope they bring Mark back
  • 1 0
 @shredddr: www.norco.com/athletes Sadly not seeing him on their "Athletes" page...
  • 1 0
 @Ianjmalcolm: The bike in the video has Fox 40s, Norco team last year were on Rockshox. They have purposely flashed images of Greg'ish looking folk. All points to what we already think.
  • 1 0
 @Davec85: sorry for lack of clarity in my post. Was referring to Mark Wallace not being on the athletes page.
  • 130 0
 Maybe they have hired an actual goat. You heard it here first folks.
  • 17 0
 Or E.T i saw a film where he could make a BMX actually fly
  • 6 0
 Or this is the cleverest ad campaign ever from Norco. They create lots of rumours associated with famous people and have their name mentioned a bunch. In the end they piggy back on the name recognition, get mentioned a bunch, and don’t pay out a single contract.
  • 1 0
 I’d be cool with that as long as they didn’t reveal a rider other than GM…that’d be gnarly!
  • 1 0
 @Compositepro: saw that moviefilm as well. He wasn’t even in the saddle whilst in flight!
  • 90 12
 Greg Minaar has parted ways with the rumour that he was going to be riding for Norco and will actually be riding for Norco but Minaar looks forward to the future rumour that he will be parting ways with Norco and/or that Norco will not be racing in future seasons though if the above happens Minaar hopes to stress that he is open to parting ways with any more future teams a few years after that if indeed there are teams interested in parting ways with him also.
  • 29 1
 thanks my brain hurts reading this before the coffee kicked in
  • 5 0
 * Greg Minnaar
  • 22 0
 When you have to finish a 500 word essay commentary on the upcoming downhill season
  • 9 12
 I hate to be the grammar police, but punctuation goes a long way.
  • 25 1
 This would have been way funnier if you spelled Minnaar's name differently each time. Minnar has a name that a lot of people have trouble spelling, which is weird because Minaar isn't that difficult. Two N's, two A's: Minar.
  • 2 0
 No Godzilla! Don't read that!
  • 1 0
 word math score 97.2!
  • 3 0
 @GTscoob: Nayinenejah, what’s so hard about that?
  • 2 0
 @CMRider: That's a Minnaar mistake.
  • 1 0
 @jomacba: in this case this was grammatically correct cuz that’s how it would read anyway ok thanks yeah obviously im biased right ok bye
  • 1 0
 @cuban-b: Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
  • 51 0
 Maybe I'm blind, I don't think any of those people look like Greg?
  • 8 0
 That was my thought too lol
  • 5 0
 They are definitely not Greg.
  • 35 0
 Maybe these guys are other guys named Greg, and their new campaign is all about getting progressively better Gregs until the get to the GOAT Greg. Neighbour Greg, Barista Greg . . . Greg Brady . . . Greg Minaar.
  • 65 0
 @rrolly: Old Greg?
  • 11 0
 Oakley glasses man seems to be Tom Duncan. For those unaware, stepped in as Greg's mechanic in place of Lyle for the latter part of last season. Regardless, the rumor mill continues to swirl, and we are all along for the ride. Well done, @norcobicycles
  • 10 0
 Nathan Rennie is the last one for sure.
  • 7 0
 @rrolly: Fudge yeah!!! My name is Greg. I just ended up with a shot ton of free time, and now I’ve got a factory ride from Norco. Today is a good day.

Does Norco make an ebike? The reasons that I got some free time are the same reasons I need an ebike.
  • 1 0
 @ctbiker888: what happened to Lyle? I vaguely heard Greg was mad about tires, but didn't dig more into it.
  • 1 0
 Maybe it's 3 other gregs
  • 7 0
 @whateverbr0: WC winners must now drink Bailey's from a shoe.
  • 1 0
 @rrolly: "Neighbour Greg, Barista Greg . . . Greg Brady . . . Greg Minaar." and finally ..... Greg Minnaar.
  • 2 0
 @rrolly: I’m the only Greg
  • 1 0
 @greg1: there can be only one Greg
  • 29 0
 Judging by the UFO at the start of the video, my first guess is they have signed Levi? Connect the dots people!
  • 16 0
 Mike Levy
  • 27 1
 White guy with moustache to race mountain bikes. That narrows it down.
  • 18 0
 Can't wait to be riding a North Shore trail and some guy passes me at twice the normal speed (on a Norco).
  • 11 0
 Been there, done that.
  • 3 0
 That rider thinking "Can't wait to be riding a North Shore trail and I have to pass some guy going half the normal speed"
  • 16 0
 I'd say the dude in the Oakley glasses in Tom D (I shared a room with him for 6months so I know that sexy face well) Greg's mechanic for the latter part of last season....
  • 8 0
 Norco engineering team getting some great looks in this teaser vid, respect to those dudes!
  • 5 0
 He came by the house team Norco had rented right by my house at the MSA World cup in October where he had lenghty parking lot discussions after each day, so maybe there is something there
  • 4 1
 Were you like watching from the window?
  • 6 0
 @pargolf8: What do you do with your windows?
  • 9 3
 would be pretty funny if greg and norco were just trolling the team rumor mill and he signed elsewhere.
  • 5 2
 Top 2 photos are Greg. Bottom right is Tom, Greg's mechanic. Bottom left is a norco engineer who has been featured in their content before: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHt1TCFvMV4

We all know Greg has joined Norco, this site even reported it months ago. Just formally announce it already.
  • 10 0
 The top photo looks nothing like Minnaar.
  • 3 2
 @brainbckt: i wouldn't say he looks "nothing" like him but I will say there is a strong chance I am wrong and all 3 faces shown are support staff.
  • 4 2
 This rumor is so fun. I'm excited to see what the official word is on all this, but until then I'm loving all the mystery and 90% confidence of it being Norco. I hope there's more back and forth and maybe even a new rumor. My friend Gerry said that Minnaar will be going to Pivot to spend the rest of his days having way more fun with Bernard than he did he ever did with Santa Cruz.

*just planting fake seeds here, but do discuss. What team would you LIKE to see Greg move to?
  • 6 0
 Barcelona
  • 2 0
 Greg's move to Norco has already taken away from anything from Santacruz, many riders will be waiting to see if the issues he faced in 2023 continue, or was the issue the new V10 not working for him?
It's gonna be interesting.
  • 1 0
 The bike seems to work well for the other riders. Laurie had health problems throughout the season, but still did well when those issues weren't taking hold.
  • 5 0
 That's Jason Bourne....
  • 3 0
 Top gals/guys (as defined by recent results) will be just fine...the rest...hopefully they have good social followings.
  • 2 0
 would not count on influencing side-hustles, ai is taking over that gig... arstechnica.com/ai/2023/12/ai-created-virtual-influencers-are-stealing-business-from-humans
  • 2 0
 @dtheio: thanks. I hate it even more.
  • 4 0
 Omg is Rennie going to mange the team? This will be legendary.
  • 5 1
 Mike Levy off Pink Bike and on Norco for '24
  • 3 0
 *spoiler alert* It's me.
  • 3 1
 Greg retires from dh to do a career in freeride?
Looking forward to the new Norco VPS Minaar edition !
  • 1 0
 That would be a fun one. I remember seeing a picture of him sending a superman off some huge jump on his DH bike, and between the altitude he got and the insane extension of that long lanky body soaring up there and making the bike look really small, it was truly impressive.
  • 1 0
 Maybe he wants a Rampage podium before he retires...
  • 7 2
 @lumpy873: he'd have to get a green card first, a new passport second and them some new friends.
  • 2 0
 @lumpy873: That would be 22 years between Rampage events for Minnaar (he was there in 2003).
  • 1 0
 @mammal: I thought he was there once, but I couldn't remember..
  • 3 0
 I went to high school in Corona, Norco was where the goats were.
  • 2 0
 Imagine if it’s some upstart who will disappoint the rumour mill. Would feel so bad for them.
  • 5 2
 This teasing is nonsense, just say who it is or f**k off
  • 3 0
 Spoiler alert, the new rider isn't me.
  • 2 0
 Looks like a real puzzler, my brus.
  • 2 0
 Eye don't know who it could be...
  • 2 3
 Top boy is greg a few years ago his mechanic the bottom mustache boy, one other hint is didn't they used to be on rockshox who else would insist on fox. Go kick some French but Greg, rooting for you.
  • 2 0
 Gwin would insist he ride Fox, he was also in Vancouver earlier this year
  • 2 1
 greg keep on winning podiums/top 10 finishes if his maxxis tires will not pop out the rim/pinch or flat Smile
  • 2 0
 Its Nathan Rennie! Awesome..
  • 1 0
 no way scott boom boom basil brush beaumont... still a shredder to this day..
  • 1 0
 Last shot appears fox suspensión and fox pant rider...
  • 3 2
 how does it look like footage of him?
  • 2 0
 DH Is not dead!
  • 1 0
 There's also a new hairdresser in town!
  • 1 0
 Why do we think Greg is going to Norco?
  • 2 1
 The fella in the Smith glasses looks a bit like Semenuk...
  • 1 0
 "These chicks don't even know the name of my band..."
  • 2 0
 LETS GO DAK!
  • 1 0
 never.........ever....count the man out
  • 1 0
 Looks like Martin Maes a bit
  • 1 0
 seems like TRIPLE H is the Third Guy... Smile
  • 1 0
 Guy with Smith sunglasses looks like Jared Graves
  • 1 0
 Bulldog being one of the guys to join Norco, you read it here first!
  • 1 0
 Does GM even do 27.5 rear wheels?
  • 1 0
 Hell yea!
  • 1 0
 Well played, Norco.
  • 3 3
 We get it…Greg is on Norco…
  • 1 0
 It is exhausting really...and its not even official.
  • 1 0
 None a them boys be Greg
  • 1 0
 fox pants as well
  • 9 0
 I wear fox pants sometimes. Maybe it's .... me?
  • 1 0
 Hey, a DH signing!
  • 1 1
 I thought they closed the racing team?
  • 1 0
 They did, but they walked that back pretty quickly: www.pinkbike.com/news/norco-re-starts-factory-dh-race-team-for-2023.html
  • 1 1
 The 2 lower photos looks like TVS to me
  • 1 3
 Mark my words, this is going to turn out just like Aaron Gwinn. Minnar will do just okay these next few seasons than fade away toward a happy retirement.
  • 4 0
 Noted. Filed under goofy.
  • 1 0
 Its Nathan Rennie! :-)
  • 3 3
 Norco bikes any good??
  • 13 0
 They’ve been going downhill for a long time.
  • 3 1
 @derekbnorakim: heyoooo!!
  • 2 3
 He old
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.524293
Mobile Version of Website