Multivan MERIDA Biking Team

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.

Multivan MERIDA Biking Team: 2010's season in retrospect

No.1 UCI Team World Cup 2009

The Multivan MERIDA Biking Team has triumphed no less than eleven times at World championships thus far. In September 2010, however, the team got to celebrate its first Worldchampionship title in the men's elite class: José Hermida rode to a superior victory in Mont Sainte-Anne's World championship race over the Olympic distance. After already having won both thejunior and the under 23 World championship, he finally managed to win the title in men's elite category as well. And Hermida proved to be not only the fastest mountain biker of the past season,but also the most popular one: No one in the world of mountain biking would have envied the likeable and jolly Spaniard this phenomenal triumph.

2010's season was marked by important championship races for the Multivan MERIDA Biking Team. Before Hermida became crosscountry World champion, Ralph Näf won at the Europeanmarathon championships, with Andreas Kugler following shortly after in third, winning the bronze medal. A bit later on at the World championships, Ralph Näf narrowly missed out on the medals, finishing in fourth. On a national level, the Multivan MERIDA Biking Teams got decorated with some titles as well: Moritz Milatz (XC), Andreas Kugler (MX) and Jochen Käß (MX) all werewearing national champion jerseys at the end of the season. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå managed to close the gap to the world's elite riders during 2010's seasonas well. The eight-fold World champion finished in sixth at the marathon World championships after she had already won the silver medal at the European marathon championships. The Norwegianalso got back to her old strength in races over the Olympic distance, finishing in third at the starstudded Roc d'Azur race. She can be expected to be back on the podiums for 2011.

By winning the Worldcup's team overall ranking, the Multivan MERIDA Biking Team has proved yet again to be part of mountain biking's elite group of the world's strongest trade teams.On top of that, the team has also deserved this status in marathon racing, where it leads the world ranking by a huge margin.

It's not only the athlete's performances that are impressive, however, but also that of the employees in the background. The Multivan MERIDA Biking Team has competed in no less than 98 racesduring 2010's season. The professional work of the team's mechanics, physiotherapists and management all added up to win in no less than 32 of the races that the team competed in.

After such a successful year 2010, we are all looking forward to next season. Most of all, we are thrilled by the prospect of changes in the Worldcup such as courses getting shorter and sprint racesgetting integrated into the race program, team manager Andi Rottler comments on the team's Ausgangslage. He stresses that defending the status as the strongest team in the world in bothcrosscountry and marathon races is going to be one of the major targets. After all, no other team has ever achieved this status on such a competitive level before!

The biggest successes of 2010's season

World champion title crosscountry by José Hermida
European champion title marathon by Ralph Näf
silver medal at European marathonchampionships by Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå
bronze medal at European marathonchampionships by Andreas Kugler
national champion titles by Moritz Milatz, Jochen Käß and Andreas Kugler
1st at Worldcup race in Houffalize by José Hermida
three times winner of the team overall at Worldcup races
victory in the 2010 Worldcup's team overall standings
1st overall at the Trans Schwarzwald stage race by Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler
1st at Birkebeiner Rittet Marathon by Hannes Genze
overall victory in the MTB Bundesliga by Moritz Milatz
1st at Roc d'Azur's marathon race by Jochen Käß