Are the reasons behind the move purely ‘business’, ‘financial’?

Well you can’t run a team without money so that’s a given, but for us it was vital that if we were to move it had to be about progression. It was about finding a team of people that we can work with to build better bikes, develop our team and the sport as a whole and above all to win races. We had a great relationship with GT, they listened to us and supported us all the way, so it was even more important for us.

Trek are one brand that has never won a male DH World Championship title. Does that put pressure on the team and especially on Gee?

Nobody could put more pressure on Gee than he puts on himself, whoever he’s riding for, in whatever circumstances the pressures are from within, the external factors aren’t an issue.

“It was about finding a team of people that we can work with to build better bikes, develop our team and the sport as a whole and above all to win races.”

And what will happen to Martin (Maes)?

Martin is not only a phenomenon as a rider but the best team mate that we could ever have wished for. When he joined us as part of the Atherton Academy in 2012 he was just 15 and pretty shy; he’s grown-up with us and we’ve watched him lay waste to the Junior fields in Enduro and Downhill World Cups and develop into a very serious contender for an Enduro World Series win this season. We’ll be cheering him on all the way and we’re delighted with the move, it’s the perfect step for him and we’re confident that he’s in the best possible hands at this stage of his career. We’re expecting an announcement from his new team anytime so it’d be wrong to steal their thunder.