Hoke, Edsall and Woodall join new mountain bike squad
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Ryan Woodall going over the ramp.(Image credit: Nathan Long)
The new Pro's Closet - Stan's NoTubes team kit(Image credit: The Pro's Closet - Stan's NoTubes Pro MTB )
Drew Edsall with the Dirt DEVO kids(Image credit: The Pro's Closet - Stan's NoTubes Pro MTB )
Drew Edsall creatively carries the enduro tag at the end of the fourth segment.(Image credit: A.E Landes Photography)
Mitch Hoke (Kenda Felt) was with the leaders for much of the race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The Pro's Closet and Stan's NoTubes have teamed up to form the new Pro's Closet - Stan's NoTubes Pro Mountain Bike Team for 2014. The mountain bike squad will focus on a combination of US national-level races and international cross country, ultra endurance and enduro races.
Former Kenda/Felt teammates Mitch Hoke and Drew Edsall, both from Boulder, Colorado, will be joined by Ryan Woodall of Ocala, Florida to make up the newly formed team.
Woodall and Hoke will focus on the US Pro XCT and the US Cup Pro Series races. Both riders had excellent 2013 seasons with multiple top five Pro XCT finishes and a fourth place overall in the series.
"I am honored to join forces with Drew and Mitch," said Woodall. "I have some lofty goals for 2014, and I am confident the new team and excellent equipment are exactly what I need to accomplish them."
Edsall will lead the ultra endurance side of the team, continuing his focus on the National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series and select ultra endurance stage races, such as the Trans-Sylvania Epic and the Breck Epic.
In addition to racing, the team will have a focus on youth development. Hoke will continue to work with the Clif Bar Development 'Cross Team and other Boulder Junior Cycling aimed at developing youth riders while Edsall will continue his presence with his newly formed junior team, Drew Edsall's Dirt DEVO.
"I am ecstatic to be more involved with junior development in 2014," said Edsall. "The new team is a small stepping stone to helping build the next generation of riders. I am looking forward to seeing what this leads to in the near future."
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Their season will kick off with a team camp in Boulder at the end of February, followed by the US Pro XCT opener, the Mellow Johnny's Classic, at the beginning of March.
The team is backed by co-title sponsor, The Pro's Closet, which is known for selling used bike products and apparel on eBay. "We are excited to get back to the roots of where we came from in the racing community," said Pro's Closet co-owner Pete Lopinto about team.
The team will race Felt's 2014 Edict FRD and Nine FRD bikes. Felt Sport's Marketing Director Doug Martin said, "We were very excited to see the formation of this new team including Mitch, Drew and Ryan--three athletes we know quite well and all of whom we consider Felt family. Each is a huge talent and we have great respect for all of them. With the skill to carry it in place, this new program fits perfectly into Felt's ongoing commitment to the sport - we cannot wait to get going."
2014 Pro's Closet / Stan's No Tubes Pro Mountain Bike Team Roster Mitch Hoke (cross country, short track, enduro) Ryan Woodall (cross country, short track) Drew Edsall (ultra endurance, stage race, enduro)
