After a few short, but wildly successful years away, Vali Höll is reuniting with the YT Mob. The German brand took an early gamble to sign the Austrian racer when she was just 13 years old. That initial support led to a pair of junior world championship wins during Höll’s dominant junior career.
Höll and YT went their separate ways, with the RockShox Trek Race Team forming around Höll and B.C.’s Tegan Cruz. That partnership led to elite world championships and World Cup overall titles, as Höll found footing, then dominance in the elite ranks.
Now, Höll is headed back to the brand that started it all. After initially signing with YT in 2013, Höll returns to the team for the 2024 World Cup season.
“It’s amazing to come back into the family. I feel at home, and I can see how hyped YT is to push the
race team. The next couple of years will be rad,” Höll says of the return. “The TUES was definitely easy to get used to. It’s the bike I learned my basics on and made some great memories with in juniors.I’m happy to tackle something new. I could have stayed in my comfort zone and kept doing what I’m doing, but I think I’m at a perfect age where I can try something new and make the next step.”
While it’s not uncommon for riders to leave a team they found early success with, whether to grow, to seek a clean slate, fresh start or just to mark a transition in their career, not many riders return to a team once they have left. That makes Höll’s return after just a couple of years away notable.
“Rider reunions are rare. They don’t often return to a brand, which makes this homecoming even more special,” says Markus Flossmann, founder and CEO of YT Industries. “It means a lot to us both. I’m stoked to continue the history we already created together. Welcome home, Vali!”
YT Mob is back
Höll will headline a powerhouse trio of downhill racers at the World Cup. Oisin O’Callaghan and Sian A’hern will race alongside the Austrian.
Oisin O’Callaghan returns for a fifth season with the Mob. He originally joined after a world-wide talent hunt. That elaborate process paid off for YT with occasionally wild Irish shredder earning rainbows as a junior and, in 2024, an elite World Cup second at Snowshoe, W.Va.
A’hearn will join Höll in the elite racing. The Australian is hunting for her first elite World Cup podium after several years of…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…