Dunbar Racing: a new era for Canadian DH

If you’ve really been paying attention, you may have noticed a new DH team popping up in various lists circulating online. That team? Dunbar Racing. As in Dunbar Cycles out of Vancouver. What the heck is a shop doing sponsoring a UCI world cup team? We had to find out. So we called up Rob Venables, the owner of Dunbar and Coras Cycles.

In the beginning

It all started with a phone call.

Matty Dupelle, the manager of what was once the Forbidden Synthesis team, reached out to Rob Venables, the owner of Dunbar with a dilemma. The team was struggling to secure sponsors and without immediate support, a group of talented Canadian riders would be left without a path to compete on the UCI mountain bike world cup circuit.

For Rob, the decision wasn’t just about business. It was about keeping the sport alive.

“Racing is thriving, even if the industry is struggling”

As any insider knows, the bike industry has been in a bit of a rough patch. But while sponsorship dollars have tightened, the love for racing hasn’t faded.

“We needed to make sure these boys had an opportunity to compete,” Rob explained. “Racing is thriving even though the bike industry has been suffering a little bit. If we want the sport to continue to grow and thrive, we need to keep adding fuel to the fire.”

So Dunbar Cycles stepped up, taking over the team registration and securing a spot for a fresh squad under the new banner of Dunbar Racing.

A roster built for success

The new Dunbar Racing team features a lineup of elite-level talent, many of whom have deep ties to the Canadian racing scene. Confirmed so far are:

Connor Fearon (AUS)
Emmy Lan (CAN)
Magnus Manson (CAN)
Rhys Verner (CAN)
Ryder Wilson (CAN junior)
Jon Mozell (CAN)

“Three of the guys—Magnus, Ryder, and Jon—actually raced for Dunbar when they were juniors,” Rob said. “They moved on, did their thing, and now they’re back on the team.”

The Challenge of running a world cup team

Starting a world cup racing team isn’t just about throwing a few logos on a jersey. The UCI’s strict team registration requirements mean that squads need enough ranking points to qualify, which can be a major hurdle.

Then, there’s the financial burden.

“You definitely have to be able to put together a team with enough points to be able to compete,” Rob explained. “And yeah, you have to cough up some money.”

So why do it? Why take on the challenge?

“Well, we’re pretty synonymous with downhill in Canada,” he…