The worst-kept secret in downhill mountain biking has been confirmed this morning with the announcement that Danny Hart will ride a Saracen from 2018.
Way back in October, the Ream Tumours Instagram feed very unsubtly hinted that the fastest man to come out of the North East was making a move from MS Mondraker.
The news is now very much official, with Danny Hart joining Junior World Champion Matt Walker and team mate Alex Marin on the Madison Saracen Team for 2018 and beyond.
After three very successful years with MS Mondraker, and his best ever season in 2017, Danny Hart leads the Madison Saracen Team in their UCI Downhill World Cup campaign. 2018 will see Danny on his first British factory team, having ridden for Giant and Mondraker’s factory outfits.
Danny won World Champs titles on both of his previous teams, so we’d certainly hope to see him take a carbon Myst to the same heights. 2016 was also Danny’s best World Cup season to date with him taking the final three rounds as well as the World Champs in Val di Sole.
2017 was more of a mixed bag but four consecutive third places at the final four World Cups is the consistency that wins titles. When Danny is on a stormer though, you can tell from the get-go. The Redcar Rocket is the UK’s hottest World Cup prospect right now, which is no mean feat considering the calibre of riders hot on his heels.
If you’re not convinced of Danny’s ability to wipe the floor with the opposition when he’s on form, how does three and eleven seconds grab you?
A flawless run in the Valley of the Sun…
With two other Mondrakers on the podium courtesy of Florent Payet and team mate Laurie Greenland, Danny set about pulling the Val di Sole track apart in an uncharacteristically smooth run. Three seconds the better by the finish line and another World Championship title.
Eleven seconds…
The run that cemented Danny Hart as a household name, if he wasn’t already one beforehand. In a style that is reminiscent of the great Sam Hill, Danny rode the steeps of Champery like it was dry. Danny’s eleven second margin over second place Damien Spagnolo, was, funnily enough, the smallest winning margin of the day.
