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Must Watch: Greg Minnaar - Not Done Yet (Full Documentary)

Jun 12, 2024 at 8:45
by Sarah Moore  

Eurosport Cycling's 45-minute documentary on Greg Minnaar that premiered at Fort William before the start of the season is available to watch now on YouTube.

An ever-present of the UCI World Cup circuit since making his debut in 1997, the documentary follows the G.O.A.T’s incredible career and his quest to end it on an all-time high.

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96 Comments
  • 41 5
 Eye opening! Wow. Pretty wild hearing what Rob had to say and Greg had to say about the current team dynamics, preparation or lack thereof, and more. Very good video! Watched last night Really stoked for Minnaar and what he found with Norco! Great things happening and great things to come!
  • 18 2
 Seems crazy that he didn't have his own long time mechanic that he trusted at that point in his career
  • 27 10
 Has Rob even been involved in the past few years? I thought when he sold and got his 75 million he checked out bought race cars.
I think this showed both Rob and Greg poorly
  • 3 2
 @peebeejay: How so?
  • 27 11
 @FoxRedLabs: Well, it was pretty clear he was slagging off his team and mechanic, which was super unprofessional and unwarranted.
  • 7 2
 @deco1: was it though if the team dropped the ball and let him down ?
  • 8 0
 @deco1: I watched a lot of the interviews during the season, and he seemed toe like he was not really saying what it was that he felt was not working.

He wen't a little deeper in this documentary, but I thought this was about as toned down und un-complainy as it could be, considering how bitter he may actually be after that season.

Whether his performance really does have that much to do with the team is a different question, but he seemed reluctant to mention that until now, which I think is shows a lot of professionalism.
  • 18 3
 @FoxRedLabs: I think Jordie’s context on how Greg thinks about things is important here. It seems like Greg needs things to be exactly the way he wants them and if they aren’t then he blames any problems he has on whatever isn’t perfect, whereas I think we all know the rider is the most important factor. Even if the team did drop the ball it’s super unprofessional to shit on your team in public like that. You keep that stuff in private where it belongs.
  • 2 0
 @whistlam8: He waitied until he had left the team before releasing it to be fair therefore not shitting on the team in public when he was still there . He could have been bitching and moaning about them all throughtout the season but he didnt
  • 17 2
 @FoxRedLabs: My take on this is Greg wasn't getting the No. 1 treatment he had in past years. The new guys on the team were flying and he was struggling. Like a lot of athletes at the top of their sport - they must be a nightmare to work with. Greg wasn't winning so he spat the dummy.
  • 1 0
 @thewho07: he did have a bad year but was that down to him alone, or was a lack of support a contributing factor ? we dont know as we were not there so its all opinion at this point we dont know anything for a fact
  • 3 0
 The whole team changed around him as it just didn’t sit well with him - it’s fair enough.

They probably did put all their effort in to the younger guys as the dynamics fit with them.
  • 4 4
 @FoxRedLabs: we do know that the rest of the team had wins and podiums and the team won the team of the year for the first time.
Greg could have retired after his second place in Andorra and left gracefully, but chose to stay and try to do better, but unfortunately he isn’t. That came at the cost of a few good riders on Norco and employees who lost jobs to pay for him.
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: oh , are you norco's accountant then? . FFS all ofthis is opinion and speculation unless you are on the inside at Norco ? how many people lost their jobs to Pay for Minnaar exactly?
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: 4 riders and at least two in the marketing department.
  • 1 2
 @FoxRedLabs: you mean the part in the video where he is in the Santa Cruz pits slagging on the team during the season? Yes, this video came out after the season was over, but at that point Greg was expecting to be re signed. (as he says later). If Greg was so unhappy, why did he try to go with Santa Cruz in 2025?

Have you ever seen an interview where a rider blames his mechanic before? I can't recall.
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: he didn't release it until after he left. If he had stayed we never would have seen it . And where's your evidence that signing him has cost other people at norco their jobs?
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: he didn't release it until after he wasn't riding for them anymore, if he had re-signed we never would have seen it. And where's your evidence that signing him has cost others at norco their jobs like you claimed?
  • 1 1
 @FoxRedLabs: You know this how? This was a Eurosport production, not Greg's. He still is on tape slagging the team, and then wants to re-sign?
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: because it was released after he left that's how I know it was released after he left.
Now about your claim that "signing him has cost people at norcos their jobs" , got any evidence of this ?
  • 31 2
 Dude is an absolute class act. He was so kind to me and my family in loudenville last year. we only had a day, I happened to get on the gondola with him out of chance and had an insane conversation about anything and everything. I never fan boyed till that day and it was so awesome how kind and friendly he was. Now seeing he was goin through the stress and struggle of a rough season makes me appreciate him even more
  • 28 3
 doesnt really throw a good light at santa cruz and the syndicate.
  • 27 5
 I think someone could ask Luca and Loris what Greg is like as a teammate
  • 5 13
flag nvranka (Jun 12, 2024 at 17:38) (Below Threshold)
 @peebeejay: you got a bone to pick?

I haven’t watched the doc yet, but seeing a few of your comments defending the syndicate and anti-Greg, was the overall tone of the doc really one sided and petty?

I doubt I’ll watch it regardless. Would rather spend that time on wyn tv. But am curious.
  • 27 8
 Major victim vibes here. Sounds like one of the greatest DH racers of all time is struggling to finish his career, understandably. It’s gotta be difficult to end such an incredible career gracefully, but playing victim like this and blaming everyone and everything around you for not having your fairytale expectations of a final season met is probably not how he’d want his “legacy” to pan out. Would be a lot easier to sound convincing if the Syndicate didn’t have such an incredible year in 2023 otherwise. Stereotypical professional athlete.

I do like the positivity at the end with Norco and am stoked to see Greg still racing.

Also hilarious to see Rob literally crying about… what? What was he crying about? f*cking hell hahaha.
  • 11 3
 ^this^
Some elite athletes don't know when to stop.
Some businessmen don't know when to call it a day and enjoy the tons of money they received when they decided to sell their own company.
  • 7 1
 Crying all the way to the bank.
  • 22 1
 He's got a few more in him! Lets go!
  • 15 0
 Someone send a fruit basket to Greg’s old mechanic (the one after Marshy). Guy got decimated in this video, yikes.
  • 11 0
 I'm sure it's just me but low key Peaty and Roskopp gave me bad vibes in this film. Listening to Jordy it's like he wanted to say something else, but he took the middle road. Great film and def portrays the GOAT as such. Best of luck, Greg. You still send. Still have ample amounts of steeze left
  • 12 1
 Still picking him for my fantasy team! Cheers to the old dogs!
  • 11 0
 Major ungulate alert
  • 13 1
 That is a BALLER word that I have just learned. Brain is full for today. Thanks.
  • 11 1
 You can never count this man out!
  • 6 1
 Except you can, im a Minaar fan but like Woods, Slater, Ali, Jordan etc even the GOATs get old and can't perform at the top of the game any more
  • 1 1
 @45Sox: say that again about Sam Hill and you'll get downvoted to heeeelllllll!
  • 8 0
 I remember Minaar racing on a Haro frame and the legendary Honda frames. He's been around forever
  • 8 2
 A good mechanic never blames his tools, or something like that. Would like to hear Mark Wallace, loris or Lucas take on the "G.o.a.t"
  • 13 9
 He's fast and all that but he seemed like a real jerk in some of those Fox YouTube behind the scene videos a while back. He was a bully to that Fox mechanic all through the race leadup and after party. As they say, a true measure of persons character is how they treat people they don't need to treat well. I'm not impressed with him.
  • 2 1
 "that Fox mechanic": do you mean Jordi?
  • 5 1
 @FloImSchnee: No, not Jordi. They just joke around with each other. There was another Fox mech, a young European, that was over weight and just trying to do his job for Greg. Greg was rudely doubting his experience and full on making weight jokes at the after party. Greg is trash.
  • 13 10
 Minaar is tall and rangy. A kinetic, hard charging rider.Then think of Jackson Goldstone, who needs ballast to keep him on the ground - a rider who dances lightly down the hill. Different ends of the spectrum. Really out there different. When Minaar repeatedly ripped off rear tyres is seemed pretty obvious that Santa Cruz were building rigs which suited a rider like Goldstone and were not on top of what Minaar needed. It was heartbreaking in 2023 to see him poleaxed by mechanicals. and then came '24....DH is just so unforgiving - a broken femur for Cruz and a trashed shoulder for Minaar is just a terrible roll of the dice. I am sure that Minaar can support Gracie H find the raw speed to go with her amazing bike handling skills. Skils 10 speed 7 ... get that up and she can push the front guys. Minnar and Cruz are damaged but then 2022 and 23 saw so many of the top riders broken...Nicole, Balanche, Pieron1. Again it's heartbreaking to see the solid prep of the Norco team compromised by ill fortune. The thing they need to know is that those of us who love the sport know that while it's good to watch the leaders cross the line, everyone in the circus makes it the wonderful thing that it is.
  • 25 6
 Greg has said in videos that he was a key part in designing the new V-10 and was happy with how it turned out. If he didn’t have a good year, I think he should look at himself instead of blaming it on everyone around him.
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: I read that he pushed for a high pivot version and the new owners said no . I dont know how true that is but itsinteresting he has ended up somwhere with a high pivot bike
  • 7 0
 @FoxRedLabs: youtu.be/YmgYO2Ov3Yo?si=HEaHnN6r3CkRprRQ

The first two minutes explain it. He put the stamp of approval on the v-10.
It seems to work pretty well for the rest of the team
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: ta will look at that , trying to find the article I read about the high pivot thing bear with me was a long time ago,can't remember if it was from a credible source or not , who knows with information on the internet these days.
  • 7 0
 @juanargent: I think he's saying his race bike wasn't prepped well for mud and that his mechanic dropped the ball, and nobody on the team seemed to care since their focus was on the newer 2 riders. Greg being a notoriously picky guy plus that might have been enough for him to feel that way.
  • 4 0
 @juanargent: I remember while watching the v10 development videos, wondering if Greg was truly impressed and satisfied, or whether it was more just contractural loyalty. I don't know why I got that vibe. Maybe I was just being synical. But Greg seems fairly genuine, and I think one can tell when he is not fully convinced.
  • 2 0
 @atrokz: I think this is a sensible conclusion. With that many top tier riders, the team was fairly thinly spread. Having been in the game this long (and being that picky), I think Greg needed more TLC. And I don't mean that demeaningly.
  • 2 0
 @FrederickJ: I found it interesting that he has ended up at a team with a high pivot bike when he was saying in the v10 videos that they decided not to go that direction at santa cruz . Could just be coincidence though , all of this is speculation and opinion ,none of us were there or know anything for a fact
  • 2 0
 @FrederickJ: exactly this
  • 2 0
 @juanargent: …I don’t think that’s right. The V10 he developed is a fast thing….he didn’t break the bike, and he was fast in the splits. He had repeated mechanicals, mainly ripping tyres off rims. He’s a heavy guy, so more attention should have been paid to rim hook profiles, rim width, tyre carcasses, inserts, pressures…all the fine tuning which must happen at the elite level. That kind of attention was exactly what he said he wasn’t getting…
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: Greg also said it took most of the season to get the bike set up. Plus he is 6 foot something and the rest of the team are all 5 foot something. And as i hate to say it, the team worked/designed towards what was becoming their stronger side of the team, which were the smaller riders. That coupled with the change in the team dynamic and set up, just yeah adds to them putting the writing on the wall. Sucks that he had to tavel to California to be told, that's your lot.
Time to bring it with Norco!
  • 1 0
 @minesatusker: Yep rest of the team are like half his size and it's team choice who they put their focus into that's up to them . I find it interesting after all the talk of how much they looked at high pivot decided not to go that way and he ends up at a team with high pivot
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: I hadn't heard about SC discussing about going with a high pivot set up (would it have messed up the VPP?). My little understanding of HP bikes are they are better for hitting bumps as the rear wheel moves more backwards. And the rest of the team, kinda more "floaters" when it comes to going over the bumps, so a HP doesn't become a big advantage.
But who knows, we're not flies on the walls during the internal discussions.
  • 1 0
 @minesatusker: agreed we don't know anything for sure all just opinion and speculation as we weren't there on the inside
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: this is true, but they put out a lot of videos that give some insight. I re watched the V-10 development series again and it's got some pretty telling points.
  • 1 0
 @juanargent: yeah so did I and they mentioned trying high pivot and it was more comfortable on square edge hits but wasnt any faster so guess that's why they stuck with an evolution of the vpp
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: Yep very true. That all said though, i feel fairly certain, that Rob Roskop, as with what should be all team owners/managers/creators feel "its all or fook all." As in if you're on the team, you get full support and no half measures.
  • 4 0
 Username checks out. I wont count him out just yet. The ol dawgs always get better late season. Andorra and msa will turn heads
  • 2 0
 ARGH Hemstreet down.
Minaar wounded.
Lucas out.

Maybe Norco should throw a blinder and bring a clutch of privateers into their pits, like Commencal did last year and Cathro did in 2022….select the quick ones who could do with support and then Norco boosts its presence and positive impact on the sport….
  • 2 0
 I feel like the wheels let him down quite often over the later years. Don't know whether they used not fully hardened prototypes or messed with spokes or inserts of if it was just bad luck.
  • 4 0
 I think he started the season on prototype tyres from maxxis with a new casing as a maxxis test pilot , maybe that had somthing to do with the punctures
  • 13 9
 Dismal look for the Syndicate if the impression him and Rob are giving is true.
  • 19 4
 I would like to see the other side of the story. I think the current Syndicate is pretty awesome
  • 1 0
 Did it get sold to a multi national?
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: sold to PON holdings about 9 years ago. They are a Dutch family owned private company with several divisions. I think the bike part is pretty small
  • 1 0
 @FoxRedLabs: sold to PON. A Dutch family owned company private with several divisions. I think bikes are a pretty small part of their business, but they also own GT Cervelo and a bunch of others
  • 4 0
 @juanargent: Not to mention, They seem invested in growing the companies and steady growth. They got in way before the big rush of private equity saw the dollar signs during covid - and rather than the current "gut the company and sell it for scraps" model that seems to be exciting for most private equity, PON seems actually interested in long term viability of the companies they own.

Could be way worse as far as private equity goes.
  • 3 0
 Excellent piece on a legene of a rider. Wishing all the best (and maybe a win or two) to Greg this year and years to come. He is part of DH intrisically.
  • 6 1
 This is like interviewing the barenaked ladies about their old apartment
  • 10 8
 Greg has said in videos that he was a key part in designing the new V-10 and was happy with how it turned out. If he didn’t have a good year, I think he should look at himself instead of blaming it on everyone around him.
  • 1 0
 seems like it was primarily mechanicals, maybe he liked the frame and didnt like the stray away from when they ran enve wheels for example. Additonally when a rider at a pro level is contracted/sponsored they arent gunnasay the bike they are currently riding and the company who is paying their bills is gunna be bad till they have moved on.
  • 1 0
 Greg has been amazing to watch all these years. I hope he can do what Neko is doing with Frameworks. Picking up a smaller brand and creating a fast team but also a solid product for the end users- weekend warriors like me who love DH.
  • 1 0
 Should have not said brand in that context. I should have been clearer on what I meant. Locally Norco has very little representation at the races- Commencal, Specialized, Trek, all have larger market share and have higher visibility. I hope that changes.
  • 22 22
 The old team is gonna be one of my all time favorites. Ratboy, Peaty, n Minnaar were just the perfect combination!! The new team feel so genetic. I love the guys (and whatever they identify as) on the team but the essence of the syndicate is just not there anymore!!
  • 15 0
 I totally agree with you. The Minnaar, Peaty and Ratboy team was my favorite too. I used to get all excited when they'd drop a new YouTube episode with that team. Unfortunately, things slowly started to fall apart. First, Kathy disappeared. Then Marshy. Ratboy quit racing all together. Then when Roskopp sold Santa Cruz. It felt like the magic is gone. I'd love to hear Santa Cruz/Pon Holdings side of the story. But they'll never tell us.
  • 8 5
 Pretty amazing to see the transformation from his focus on his own results, to his focus bringing up the next generation.
  • 9 4
 i don't think he has a choice at this point in his career. collect a paycheck running a team or be a walking ambassador for the rest of his time
  • 6 1
 @ace9: it may come as a shock to you, but I’ve met a few ambassadors and most of them could walk.
At least as long as they were sober..
  • 5 2
 @ace9: The greatest DH racer of all time doesn't need to work at this point in life. It's not about staying in the game to remain relevant or collect a paycheck.
  • 5 4
 @Jodaro: unlikely. most high net worth people have expenses and need income whether passive or active. i doubt he's squared the family away to be set for the rest of his life... high earners typically have expenses to match
  • 1 0
 @hubertje-ryu: ..... ha ha ....
  • 3 0
 @ace9: I think he lives in tax free Andorra for a reason. He’s doing just fine
  • 2 0
 @ace9: I just cant even believe this. He I am sure does not need to work any more.
  • 4 5
 I'm sure it's just me but low key Peaty and Roskopp gave me bad vibes in this film. Listening to Jordy it's like he wanted to say something else, but he took the middle road. Great film and def portrays the GOAT as such. Best of luck, Greg. You still send. Still have ample amounts of steeze left
  • 2 0
 He might not be done, but he is getting Dunne this season.
  • 1 0
 That Honda still a beauty!! With an geometry update would still be a dream bike!
  • 5 5
 It was all Lyle’s fault!
  • 2 0
 I'm going to blame the dogs by extension. They're cute but they are also to blame for messing up Greg Minnaar's legacy. They made Rob Roskopp cry!
  • 1 0
 speculation is blah
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