How many years have you signed with Trek for, and are there performance bonuses penned into the contract?

Gee

It won't be just the Athertons on the program, though, will it?

Rachel: Watch out for more from the Atherton Academy over the next season and next couple of seasons. We want to bring on new talent, and we’ve had some pretty awesome success already... For Tay to come back from a crash like he had to take his first World Cup just a year later shows he’s got proper guts.



Dan: Yeah, the first edition of Atherton Academy did pretty well, with a World Cup win for Tay and Martin Maes proving himself a total phenomenon, Junior World Champ in enduro and then mixing it up with the GC to take a podium this year. I think people forget that he’s still a junior. We loved it when he took the downhill World Cup at Fort William two years running - that made people sit up for sure!

Taylor Vernon is following the Athertons from GT to Trek.

It's common practice in some circles for an athlete to test a prospective sponsor's bike (or motorbike, car, etc.) before signing a contract. Did you spend time on the Session before you committed?

A World Cup racer is obviously going to be extremely quick on any bike, but how much time do you believe being on the right bike for you really counts for?

We saw you heavily involved in the development of the second-generation GT Fury. Is this a process that you enjoy, and should we expect the same sort of approach with Trek?

Who will be the key suppliers for the team when it comes to drivetrain, suspension, and brakes?

When I get into that start gate, the feelings are as intense as they were when I was 15 or 16 and racing Dragon Downhills. What has changed, of course, is everything around the race. We have an awesome support team, great race set-up, and the sport has exploded in popularity, which is something we're real keen on helping to promote. - Gee Atherton

Have you tested and will you be running Bontrager tires for the 2016 race season?

Gee, you're going into your 15th season on the World Cup circuit. How have your feelings about the sport changed since you first lined up in a World Cup start gate back in 2002?

Rachel, does having such a commanding performance in 2015 make the off-season easier? Or do you feel like you need to increase your efforts even further to make sure you stay at the front of the pack?

Dan, will we see you at some (or all?) of the EWS races in 2016? And if so, did you spend time on a Remedy before signing a contract?

What exactly are Trek getting by putting the Athertons on their bikes?

FOX and Shimano will continue to support the Athertons, but look for them to be running different tires next season. Bontrager rubber would be the most obvious answer. Dan's plans for 2016? Probably more insanity like the Red Bull Hardline.

What are the Athertons getting by signing with Trek?