French brand Lapierre have launched their new Lapierre Mavic Unity Team to mark a headline return to Cross-country racing after an 11 year absence from the top tier of Endurance racing. Partnered with the iconic French wheel manufacturer, Mavic, the squad's clear mission statement is to produce riders capable of shining at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
The new team are proud of their 50/50 gender split headed up by Annie Last and Thomas Litscher. Joining them are Malene Degn, Isaure Medde, Sebastian Fini Carstensen and Erik Haegstad. The team has sprung from what was the KMC Orbea Ekoï outfit so already has established roots in the UCI World Cup pits.
It’s a change in continuity! Both for the athletes and for the team: we are changing frame brands but we are continuing with the same values around a unifying project full of ambitions. We are proud to represent the Lapierre brand for its return to XCO competition, and we can continue with our historical partners such as Mavic, which is becoming a title sponsor.
Céline Hutsebaut, Lapierre Mavic Unity Team Manager
Last and Litscher are the two senior pros on the team, the Brit having won a UCI World Cup in Lenzerheide in 2017 and having claimed second in the UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup last season. The Swiss rider claimed a bronze medal in Cross-country Short Track at the 2022 UCI World Championships in Les Gets.
The Lapierre Mavic Unity Team will compete on either the Lapierre XR full-suspension machine or the lightweight Prorace hardtail.
