Bike manufacturer Orbea is making some changes to its sponsorship within mountain biking. While it will continue to back the successful Luna Pro women's team, which primarily races cross country mountain bike events, it has eliminated its World Cup-level elite men's team in favor of sponsoring enduro racing according to its website.
Orbea dropped sponsorship of its Europe-based Orbea Racing Team that supported racers like Julien Absalon, Iñaki Lejarreta and Rubén Ruzafa. Former Olympic cross country champion Absalon is moving to BMC starting in 2013.
The Luna team's top racers continue to include 2011 cross country world champion and winner of the 2012 cross country World Cup Catharine Pendrel, bronze medalist in London Olympic Games Georgia Gould and Katerina Nash. Its racers also compete in cyclo-cross events.
In 2013, Orbea will sponsor OKI Orbea, a Spanish cross country racing team including Carlos Portilla, Ever Alejandro Gómez and Javier Salamero.
In keeping with recent trends supporting the fast-growing discipline of enduro racing, Orbea is focusing on a new enduro racing project. It is also continuing to sponsor all-mountain racing, including test riders and product advisors Ian Baquerín and Tom Malecha.