On Dec 22nd, fans of the Santa Cruz Syndicate and, downhill mountain biking in general, were given a somber yet heartwarming statement announcing that Laurie Greenland would be stepping away from his team of the last four years for the 2026 season. The Instagram post confirmed what many had been speculating after the announcement that Andreas Kolb would be joining the Syndicate. But after a number of less-than-ideal back-to-back seasons of racing for Greenland, his leaving the Syndicate was a topic of conversation with fans of the sport.
Greenland is undoubtedly one of the most exciting racers to watch throughout the season, and there is no denying the style that he brought to the Syndicate team. We’ll be curious to see where the fast and fun Australian ends up for the next season of racing.
Despite the decision, his fellow Santa Cruz Syndicate riders and fans alike have nothing but wonderful things to say about Greenland, and the Instagram post is a respectful tip of the hat to the talent Laurie brought to the crew.
“From day one in 2022, he slotted straight in: rapid on track and somehow even better in the pits. World Cup podiums, a World Championship bronze medal, clutch runs when it really mattered… but just as many moments off the bike we’ll never forget.
Calm, no-nonsense race mornings. Dry one-liners dropped at exactly the right moment. Keeping things light while everyone else overthought it. Add freestyle rapping, the uncontrollable ostrich face, and generally being a tonic for the whole team – Loz brought it all.“
If you haven’t already, you can read all the comments and the full statement from the Santa Cruz Syndicate below.