Yoann Barelli joins Devinci – Canadian Cycling Magazine

38-year-old French-born Whistler local Yoann Barelli has a new home. The freeride, and founder of Into the Gnar, will add to his CanCon credentials, singing with Quebec’s Cycles Devinci.

Barelli has shifted from his race background, where he was one of the early personalities of the Enduro World Series, to a focus on freeride and coaching around the Sea-to-Sky region. He joins Devinci as part of the Canadian brand’s “We Make Riders” mission.

Barelli has developed a substantial online following for his wild antics around B.C, exuberant personality and contagious stoke for mountain biking. That energy is channeled into projects like Into the Gnar, the Tour de Gnar and his coaching program.

Barelli joins just as the Quebec brand shifts its focus away from the long-running Devinci Global Racing program, shuttering the enduro program after shifting its focus from downhill to the new discipline.

Here is what Devinci has to say about its latest signing:

The French saying joie de vivre translates to “the exuberant enjoyment of life.” It would be hard to find better words to describe the spirit of Yoann Barelli. “Madman” or, simply, “crazy” could do the trick too. But, behind the hype and howling laughter, there’s a passionate rider dedicated to sharing his love for the sport. Devinci is proud to welcome Yoann to the family. Bienvenue Yo!

Yoann got his start as a pro enduro racer and was French national DH champion back in the day. His love for freeride, creativity and outgoing personality pulled him away from the racetrack and into the palm of our hands on social media. His high-stoke riding content is becoming more and more about pushing other riders to progress. Yoann’s Into the Gnar coaching programs and infamous Tour de Gnar put riders outside their comfort zones and into, well, the gnar.

Off the bike, Yoann is a vocal environmentalist. He’s not afraid to pick up trash on the side of the road and he believes in riding bikes that have a lower impact. Yo will be riding aluminum Devinci mountain bikes that are made in Chicoutimi, Canada with local aluminum. Devinci is investing in further development of aluminum manufacturing, which is creating lower emissions compared to carbon. Yoann chooses the aluminum Devinci Chainsaw for day-to-day gnar.