Johnston and Riley join SCOTT-SRAM for their first season in Elite.

For 20 years, SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing has been a team that has worked with top talents as well as nurturing some of the sport’s future stars.

As the team comes off another memorable race season, the preparation for future success begins. For the 2025 season, SRAM MTB Racing team announces top-class newcomers and promising young talents, who will reinforce the team and will make their debut into Elite racing in 2025.

The Team proudly welcomes Emilly Johnston (22) and Bjorn Riley (22) as part of the team roster for the 2025 MTB racing season and beyond. Both riders will join the Elite class, following a successful U23 racing career as part of the Trek Future Racing Team based in Austria, where they have already attracted attention on the MTB circuit. Both riders have already demonstrated their strong performances in recent years. Now, as they step into Elite racing with the full support of the SCOTT-SRAM team, it’s time for Emilly and Bjorn to showcase their potential. 

"With Emilly and Bjorn we have two great talents as part of the team for the future. Both of them are very talented and ready to take the next step in their careers. The whole team is keen to support them in their further professional development in MTB racing. And I'm sure there is one or the other things we can learn from them as well", comments Thomas Frischknecht, Team Manager, SCOTT-SRAM Racing Team.

Bjorn Riley
The young American from Boulder, Colorado has already made a name for himself in the past season and demonstrated his class. In the past MTB XCO U23 season, in a field packed with rising top talents, he managed to walk away with two World Cup victories Les Gets in both the XCC and XCO category, as well as multiple podium finishes within the 2024 World Cup season. But that's not all, the U23 rider shook the US MTB Elite scene by winning the US National titles in XCO and XCC in Macungie, PA in July 2024. As the reigning US MTB Champion, he is now strengthening the SCOTT-SRAM team and gaining his first experience in the Elite World Cup.  

"I’m excited to learn from my incredible new teammates, soak up their experience, and push myself to new limits. Competing at this level has always been a dream, and I can’t wait to see what I’m capable of achieving with such a supportive and inspiring team by my side”, comments Bjorn Riley.

Anyone who follows Bjorn on his social channels quickly realizes that he is much more than an extremely talented XCO racer. He demonstrates his technical skill on two wheels, whether he's jumping drops in the Utah desert or doing wheelies on his road bike. However he would probably describe himself as both a cyclist and an artist at the same time, and once he’s off the bike, it’s easy to see why. A talented painter, he brings as much creativity to his art as he does to his life on two wheels. Beyond racing, he hopes to combine his love of bikes and art in the future… watch this space.

Emilly Johnston
With the young Canadian from Vancouver Island, SCOTT-SRAM is bringing female reinforcement into the team. Emilly Johnston is another name that was on everyone's lips last U23 season, winning the U23 XCC World Cup race in Crans Montana, a race that was physically and technically one of the most challenging of the past season. Emilly had a total of 9 podium finishes in the U23 World Cup season, which earned her an outstanding 2nd place in the overall standings. She was also able to underline her strong form with a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships. 

"I'm really looking forward to working with everyone to get the best out of myself and make that next step into the Elite category", comments Emilly Johnston.

In the past years Emilly has lived in Austria during the racing season, where she found ideal conditions to enjoy her passion for the outdoors and in particular her love for fly fishing. Joining SCOTT-SRAM not only means opening the door to world-class racing, but also more time with the team in Switzerland – a mecca for outdoor activites! The team can't wait to welcome Emilly onto the local MTB trails, skiing slopes and hiking trails… and fishing spots.