Norco race division: Just Getting Started Season 2E2; Sky’s the Limit

The team rides in brutal conditions, with a podium for Lina’s first World Cup, and comes out of the race weekend feeling more positive and excited for the season than ever.

Episode 2 of Just Getting Started Season 2 is out now! After braving brutal conditions this weekend in Bielsko-Biala, Poland, and putting new team systems to the test, Norco Race Division is coming out of the race weekend feeling fired up about the rest of the season:

I think this will be the best season yet. I’m excited.

– Gracey Hemstreet

Lina Frener blew us away with her performance, placing second in juniors at her very first World Cup race. Incredible for her first race with a new team on a new bike. She made quite a mark with her blistering pace and composed riding on course – watch out for this one 👀 .

It was amazing seeing how calm she was at the top. She just wants to go out there and beat everyone. She wasn’t phased by the start gate, saying, “I’m going to just try and win.“

– Alan Milway, Team Manager

In all his years racing, Danny Hart has only seen snow on course a couple times, but Poland came through for the new team’s first race of the season:

I was going up in the lift and Gracey was about to start, and I couldn’t see out of the gondola it was that iced over. She was in the midst of a snowstorm.

– Danny Hart

Despite rough conditions, the team had a lot of fun this weekend:

It felt more like party laps while practicing, we were just having fun and I ended up riding really well too… The snow was pretty rough but we were all in the same boat.

– Gracey Hemstreet

Bodhi rode well, pushing through a cold to show up with his raw speed to the races as usual. Lucas was charging hard at his first race back since his injury last year at Fort William, with a fire in his belly and more drive than ever. A snapped chain in Q1 prevented him from qualifying for finals but it’s safe to say he’s back, folks.

This was Greg Minnaar’s first race in his new role of Team Director—supporting riders with his wealth of experience from a different angle than he usually takes at World Cups. These athletes pour so much of themselves into this sport. It’s unpredictable and wild, but with a solid team to help navigate the variables, and a deep love for racing, it’s always worth it for those moments when everything clicks. There’s nothing better.

Check out the episode for more behind-the-scenes details of this wild ride – rumour has it that the full team will be reunited at Loudenvielle. As always, stay up-to-date on what the team has been up to on norco.com/athletes.