GTs Kevin Aiello stands in third place on the hay bale at 1st Annual Hillbilly Downhill. The new Fury, Kevin Aiello and GTs Fury are both fresh faces in pro ranks but not for very long.
Although there were only a few one-offs, 2009 GT Fury is the start of the carbon fiber era in downhill racing.
The Official Press Release from GT:
The 2008 MTB race season has ended for most and off-season training has started. One-off events are part of the offseason training program. These events serve as snacks to satisfy the racing appetites of racers, until the next season officially begins. Eric Carter, Mongoose Bicycles’ founder and cycling legend, has been involved in course design for many years and has also worked behind the scenes at some major events.
Erics had a long-held dream to create and manage events by racers for racers. The first step in his quest to realize this dream was the 1st Annual Hillbilly Downhill, held at Vail Lake Resort in Temecula California. From the christening the new California downhill course to the post-ride festivities, the event was a great success. Hillbilly DH is a must-see event for all MTB gravity fans.
Kevin Aiello is the newest GT Bicycles team rider. He made the short trip to Vail Lake to ride the GT Fury, the hottest DH bike on sale, and got some riding time. Since the Interbike show, there has been quite the buzz about Kevin and the GT Fury. Both are brand new to the pro MTB scene, and everyone is eager to see them both blaze down DH courses in 2009. Lucky few were able to witness Kevin and Fury race down the Temecula foothills.
After a warm and sunny Saturday practice, competitors were forced to contend with the cold and windy conditions of Sunday. This kept everyone running for their jackets. Even seasoned racers would find the new course challenging. Kevin had been hard at work training for the race, and he was the youngest competitor in Pro division. Kevin rode well and finished in a respectable 3rd position against some of the top downhillers in America.
Kevin will be testing the GT Fury and training to prepare for his debut at the UCI World Cup series 2009.
Contact: www.GTbicycles.com
