Giant Factory Off-Road Team is looking a little more Canadian, even if its roster of racers isn’t changing. Iconic Vancouver Island rider Mark Wallace is joining the downhill side of GFORT as the squad’s performance coach.
It’s exciting to see Wallace find a new place in the sport after his long and storied career. The quiet Canadian was one of the leading Canadian presences on the World Cup circuit for many years. During that time he raced with Canyon Factory Racing and, briefly, with Norco’s downhill outfit.
Now Wallace will help shape the careers of two young Canadians. Jakob and Dane Jewett are both from B.C. and both race for Giant. While they live on the mainland, they spend plenty of time in Wallace’s back yard: on the legendary trails of Mt. Prevost.
The whole team is currently in New Zealand for Crankworx Rotorua. That’s the last big pre-season test before World Cup kick’s off with an all-new venue in South Korea in a couple months time.