Norco lands adidas in major boost for Canadian downhill racing

In a sport that has felt full of shutdowns, budget cuts and nervous sponsorship talk, Norco just did something very different.

It got bigger.

The Canadian brand has officially unveiled the Norco adidas Race Division (NaRD?), a new multi-year title partnership that pairs Norco’s downhill program with one of the biggest sports brands on the planet. In mountain biking, where teams often struggle to attract support from outside the bike industry, that is no small thing.

This is not some startup team trying to make noise. Norco Race Division was already one of the healthiest-looking downhill programs heading into 2026. Now it adds adidas to the title.

Canadian talent at the centre

The most obvious reason this matters in Canada is Gracey Hemstreet.

The Sunshine Coast rider put together an incredible 2025 season. Three World Cup wins, second overall in the elite women’s standings. As Canadians we’re all expecting a lot out of Gracey.

Bodhi Kuhn also returns to the squad, giving the team another important Canadian piece as it builds toward the new season.

While the roster is international with Danny Hart, Erice van Leuven and junior standout Lina Frener, the team still feels Canadian. Norco is a Canadian brand. Hemstreet is one of the country’s brightest gravity stars.

Bigger than just one team

The adidas move also raises a bigger question: is the brand finally making a more committed return to cycling?

That part remains to be seen. The press release mentions that, “adidas will provide the team with performance footwear and off-bike lifestyle wear.” It then mentions the 5.10 Hellcat Pro as the shoe of choice for riding. So to assume addidas is getting into the MTB apparel game would be a big jump. But even without answering that, this partnership is a win for the sport. Downhill needs more outside investment, not less. You’ll hear team managers use the term, ‘non-endemic sponsors,’ all the time. This is a big one.

For Norco, it means more visibility, more credibility and hopefully more resources.

Debut comes soon

The new Norco adidas Race Division will not have to wait long to get going.

Its first event is expected to be the World Cup in Korea, although Hemstreet and Kuhn already raced last weekend in Rock Creek. But South Korea in early May is where the real test starts.