Downhill sensation Neko Mulally joins Trek World Racing

Trek World Racing signed the young American gravity star Neko Mulally for the 2010 season. Mulally, who hails from Reading, Pennsylvania, will join the downhill team, including Tracy Moseley, Justin Leov and Andrew Neethling for a full UCI World Cup program as well as other key events throughout 2010. His first race with the team will be in Vigo, Spain, at the end of March.

Neko had an impressive 2009 season. Despite being too young - at 16 years old - to race World Cups, he had the privilege of being the course fore-runner at the Mont-Sainte-Anne and Bromont World Cups, and had some great results throughout the year in east coast racing culminating in a win at the US Pro Gravity Tour finals. At Crankworx, his fifth in the Canadian Open Downhill, only a few seconds behind established World Cup top 10 pros, turned some heads. He also finished fourth in the dual slalom at Crankworx.

"I'm so excited to get my first full pro tour of the World Cup circuit confirmed, to be racing at the level I have always dreamed of, and to have such a professional team supporting me," said Mulally, who is transferring from Specialized Team America. "I'm stoked on the bikes and equipment and technology.

"I can't wait to learn as much as I can from my teammates. Like any junior in my position, I will be hoping to do well in the junior World Cup standings, and win a medal for the US at the World Championships at Mont-Sainte-Anne on a course I like. I can't wait for the season to start!"

Mulally began mountain biking at age 13 after a BMX career that he started when he was five-years-old.

"Adding Neko to our team makes perfect sense. He has the right attitude, is a committed athlete who takes his training very seriously, and has a head that is far wiser than his years," said Team Director Martin Whiteley. "He will fit in perfectly and we are confident we can support him in reaching his goals. Next year we will have seven riders in total, with our four downhill riders, Mathias and Lukas Flueckiger in cross country, who both had impressive seasons with us this year, and a third cross country rider we'll be announcing shortly."

"Bringing Neko to Trek World Racing is an addition that makes sense on so many levels. His talent, professionalism and enthusiasm are something for all youth to look up to, and having a rider from yet another continent truly adds to the global scope of this program," said Trek's Mountain Bike Brand Manager Michael Browne. "We're excited to see what the best equipment, the best infrastructure and the best support can do for this young athlete."