Adidas and Norco establish the Norco adidas Race Division for the UCI Downhill World Series. The team with Gracey Hemstreet, Danny Hart, Erice Van Leuven, Bodhi Kuhn and Lina Frener will start on 1 to 3 May 2026 in South Korea. Adidas supplies shoes and clothing, Norco provides the race bikes.
The partnership marks Adidas' first involvement as title sponsor of a UCI World Series Downhill programme. The Norco adidas Race Division starts May 2026 in UCI Downhill World Series. Team with Hemstreet, Hart, Van Leuven, Kuhn and Frener debuts in South Korea.
Equipment and material
Adidas equips the team with shoes and clothing. The riders use the 5.10 Hellcat Pro click shoe. Team director Greg Minnaar gave insights from his career into the product development of this shoe. The Hellcat Pro is considered one of the most successful click shoes of its generation.
For off-bike use, adidas supplies the Terrex Agravic GTX and the Adizero Evo SL. The clothing comes from the Z.N.E range. Norco contributes its 60 years of experience in frame construction and supplies the downhill racing bikes for the team.
Product development and tests
The partnership is based on athlete-led product development. Tests take place at race level. Both brands rely on feedback from the riders. The development of Norco's downhill racing bikes continues at the highest level.
"The launch of the Norco adidas Race Division marks a new chapter for adidas. We are increasing our visibility in mountain biking and demonstrating our commitment to developing performance products specifically for elite downhill athletes.
Interesting facts about Adidas
The Group is headquartered in Herzogenaurach and employs around 65,000 people worldwide. The company achieved a turnover of 24.8 billion euros in 2025. Norco was founded in 1964 as Northern Cycle Industries. The mountains and trails of British Columbia characterise the brand's DNA.
Short & sweet
- Team: Norco adidas Race Division
- Drivers: Gracey Hemstreet, Danny Hart, Erice Van Leuven, Bodhi Kuhn, Lina Frener
- Team Director: Greg Minnaar
- Competition: UCI Downhill World Series
- Season debut: 1 to 3 May 2026, Republic of Korea
- Equipment: 5.10 Hellcat Pro click shoe, Terrex Agravic GTX, Adizero Evo SL, Z.N.E clothing
- Partnership: Multi-year title partnership between adidas and Norco
- Special feature: First adidas title sponsorship of the UCI World Series Downhill programme
Laurin Lehner
Editor
