How SRAM played a role in Trek Factory Racing’s biggest moments

In 2018, Trek Factory Racing’s Enduro and Cross Country teams adopted RockShox suspension and SRAM drivetrains and brakes for the World Cup and Enduro World Series circuits. TFR Downhill and Trek-Segafredo joined the partnership with SRAM in 2019. Since, all four teams have enjoyed some of the most success in Trek’s vaunted racing history.

Coincidence? Surely not. That’s why SRAM and Trek Factory Racing will be continuing their partnership into 2022 and beyond.

SRAM has been producing innovative and reliable bicycle components since 1987. Their easy-to-service wireless drivetrains have been a game changer against the rigors of three-week stage-racing and the gnarly terrain of mountain biking’s biggest races. 

And with world class athletes testing their products, SRAM has been able to sharpen performance to a fine point.

“When it comes to developing top-tier drivetrains, there’s simply no substitute for WorldTour level testing,” Jason Phillips, SRAM’s director of racing, said. “Our deep development partnership with Trek-Segafredo means not only are these athletes getting the best road product out there, but regular riders are too.”

We can’t wait to see where the partnership goes next. To celebrate, here’s a look at Trek and SRAM’s biggest moments together, and how equipment played a role in the result.

Key equipment: HyrdoHC disc brake technology

Mads Pedersen took the cycling world by surprise in 2019 when he won a three-up sprint against Matteo Trentin and Stefan Küng on a rainy day in Harrogate. The then-23-year-old hadn’t yet established himself as a Classics favorite. He wasn’t even the Danish team’s priority that day: After the race, Pedersen said he was riding for teammates Michael Valgren and Jakob Fuglsang. 

But not only did Pedersen win, he became the first men’s rider to ever win a World Championship on disc brakes. Now, disc brakes are near-ubiquitous in the peloton, but they weren’t just a few years ago. The additional control in the wet was certainly a benefit that day, however, as Pedersen made every elite selection at a blistering pace before seizing a decisive gap and an underdog victory for the ages.

Key equipment: RockShox BoXXer Ultimate fork and Super Deluxe Ultimate Coil rear shock

Wilson, at just 24 years old, had flashed immense potential before his finals run at the 2020 World Championships in Leogang. He had finished in the top 10 finish at a World Cup only once up to that point, however. Like Pedersen, he was a tantalizing unknown. And like Pedersen, he earned his rainbow stripes in messy conditions when no one expected it. 

“Control” was the word of the day on an ultra-technical track that had been turned into a muddy mess. Wilson’s tricked-out suspension gave him some cushion in case his scouted lines had shifted. Wilson did the rest, attacking the Leogang course with what has become a signature mix of bravery and savvy. The celebration was immaculate.

Key equipment: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS drivetrain

Harnden had been steadily progressing every race in her debut elite season on the EWS circuit. She was prime to break through, but even she wasn’t expecting her first win to happen in such dramatic fashion. On the second-to-last stage, she had a slide-out crash that dropped her to fourth overall on the day. She proceeded to crush the final stage — the longest of the event — and jump from just out of the medals to an overall victory. 

Harnden needed a reliable drivetrain to pull it off. Enduro riders handle their repairs on the fly, which means they need to be confident that their equipment can handle the rigors of all-day abuse. The sport also asks riders to use everything in their skillset. Pivotally in Harnden’s case, the final stage featured a climb that she blasted to help give herself a nearly one-second victory and set a milestone.

Key components: Level Ultimate brakes and RockShox SID SL Ultimate fork

Trek Factory Racing riders won the two biggest cross country races of the year in a season that won’t ever be forgotten. First, Jolanda Neff won an Olympic gold in July on an ultra-technical course. Then Evie Richards smashed the World Championships field in Val di Sole a month later, going solo during the second lap, never to be challenged again.

Two show-stopping performances require equipment to match. The lightweight and rugged SID SL fork helped Richards maintain her rhythm as she pulled away from everyone on formidable terrain. Ultra-lightweight and dependable Level brakes gave Neff control on a course that had been altered the night before by rain. 

Together, Richards and Neff highlighted why we love XC racing in a jaw-dropping mix of power, skill and grit. In the process, they wrote themselves into the history books.

Key components: 1x Red eTap AXS drivetrain

There is no test of mind and body quite like a wet Paris-Roubaix, especially when you’re also shouldering the pressure of riding off the front in the first ever women’s edition. Lizzie Deignan’s win last October was one of the great moments in cycling history. An absolutely perfect day.

To accomplish the task, Deignan rode a 1x Red eTap AXS drivetrain. In bad conditions, the last thing she needed to worry about was a fussy front derailleur. Instead, she had the peace of mind to lay down a ferocious pace during a solo ride, while riders behind her struggled to make headway into her lead.

They don’t call her “Queen Lizzie” for nothing. Deignan masterfully maintained her poise in the midst of utter chaos, and that’s why she’s forever the first ever winner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes.