Two years after joining Norco adidas Race Division, iconic downhill racer and two time world champion Danny Hart is off to greener pastures.
“It has been an important chapter in my career, with plenty of good times, challenges and memories along the way,” Hart posted Thursday. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have represented the team and continued racing at the highest level.”
Hart joined Norco not long after his prior team, Continental Nukeproof, shut down amid the bike brand’s financial struggles. That team briefly lived on as Continental GT, but that ended within the year leaving Hart without a team.
From there, Hart headed to Canada. The 2011 and 2016 world champ, then 33, joined a very young Norco Race Division. Gracey Hemstreet, Lucas Cruz, Bodhi Kuhn, Erice van Leuven and Lina Frenner rounded out the squad with Cruz, then 23 years old, the next oldest on the team.
Two very successful seasons for the group followed, with Hemstreet finishing in the top three overall both seasons. Norco also launched its long-awaited, and long in devleopment downhill bike.
Now, Hart is moving on. From the sounds of it, he’s not done racing yet. What bike will he be on when the 2027 World Cup kicks off? That remains to be seen.
“There are some exciting things taking shape for the future, and I’m looking forward to sharing more when the time is right.”