Our fastest test pilots – also most successful!

Since 2004, the MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM has been scoring over 30 World Cup wins as well as Olympic gold and silver medals. Their impressive list of success also includes ten World and eleven European Championship titles (respectively), several 2nd ranks and bronze medals. But MERIDA’s professional riders do not only support our company’s reputation by stellar performance – at the same time, they fulfil another very important role as test pilots.

The top athletes of MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM are always provided with the latest equipment for testing it up to the edge of capacity during training. In return, they provide us with tons of practical input regarding handling, details and safety. When our MULTIVAN riders finally absolve competitions in the saddle of brand-new MERIDA bikes, they can rely on completely optimized configurations. This guarantees that achieved stiffness and effectively superior handling qualify our products for the most challenging situations.

In consequence, MERIDA users always benefit directly from our sportive dedication and success. Our main objective is to meet riders’ individual demands in the best possible way for complete customer satisfaction. That’s why the dream job of MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM members represents all-out commitment on each and every level.

VW-MULTIVAN

The Multivan stands for limitless leisure and sport mobility. The large capacity limousine is a practical and indispensable transporter for people who love trend sports such as cycling and surfing. With its flexible inner space concept the Multivan provides enough room for all the bicycle racing equipment anyone could need.
«Merida is the ideal partner for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Both produce high-quality products and are among the world's most successful teams in their branch of industry», according to Stephan Schaller, brand board speaker for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Information about our other sponsors can be found here.

For 2009, the «Multivan Merida Biking Team» accounts for one of the most impressive season
balances in the sport of mountainbiking. Only a select few teams have ever summed up a comparably strong track record. Multivan Merida now leads the world team ranking by a substantial margin. On 22nd June the team took over the lead in this category and it has further extended its lead ever since. Today it sums up to 639 points, and out of the world’s top ten athtletes in the sport three ride in Multivan-Merida’s colours. The team also won 2009’s Worldcup overall team standings in an equally superior manner.

This superior lead in the world team ranking is based on an impressive number of eleven worldcup
podium finishes and eightteen placings in the top15. José Hermida managed to win two worldcup races in 2009, and he finished second in two more races. Ralph Näf also made it to the worldcup podium four times. These two riders also dominated the European championships, powering to a one-two. Later on, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå won mountianbiking’s European marathon championships.

2009 was the first season where the «Multivan Merida Biking Team» laid a forceful emphasis on marathon races as well, and the team already is one of the strongest teams of the world. As a team, Andreas Kugler and Hannes Genze predominantly won the «Trans-Schwarzwald» stage race after having finished second in the «Transalp-Challenge». At the «Trans-Germany» stage race Jochen Käß and Hannes Genze were showing an impressively dominant performance, winning no less than six out of seven stages.

Another impressive feat is how Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjå returned to racing. After having given birth
to her son in March 2009, it turned summer before she rolled to the start of a mountain bike race again – and she made it to the top of the podium right away. After her victory at the Gunnrita-Marathon, she rode to another national championship title in Norway and continued her series of victories at both the Birkebeiner marathon in her home country and the European marathon championships in Estonia.

Such a team balance is unique in the history of mountainbike racing. And of course performing on an international elite level consistently also requires extremely reliable equipment and a perfect cooperation of the team’s management, sports physiotherapists and mechanics. The team also profits from years of experience, as the same staff members are in charge to guarantee smooth procedures in the background. Depending on the specific course’s characteristics, the «Multivan Merida Biking Team» was racing on either Merida’s fully-suspended «Ninety Six» platform or on the
new «O.Nine» hardtail. At its first showing in a race, José Hermida rode it to victory at a Worldcup
race in South Africa.

For 2010, the team continues with the same proven riders. With José Hermida, Ralph Näf, Moritz
Milatz, Rudi van Houts, Jochen Käß, Hannes Genze and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå the team’s lineup remains largely unchanged. Switzerland’s Andreas Kugler, who got a ride with Multivan-Merida after his trade team had folded early in the season, now has been promoted to the team whereas Robert Gehbauer is leaving. Team manager Andreas Rottler comments on the team’s plans: «Our aim is obvious: In 2010, we want to play a dominant role in both cross country and marathon races. And we want to remain what we currently are: The world’s best mountain bike racing team.»