Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) is off to the races! The team is kicking off the 2023 season with its youngest and most dynamic athlete roster yet, as well as a fresh new look. CFR is known for its impressive young talent, consistently delivering exciting racing across multiple disciplines and finding themselves on the podium. With the new addition of 21-year-old Elite XCC European Champion, Charles Aldridge, this year’s roster averages 23 years old among the four riders.
For 2023, the CFR team consists of human rocket ships Aldridge, Alan Hatherly, Simon Andreassen, and Mona Mitterwallner. This year’s Shimano Gear S-Phyre kit is sure to grab attention bringing a fresh perspective to traditional XC kit designs and bright colours to match the riders’ young and eager personalities. Athlete names have been added to the jerseys to create recognition for CFR fans.
The teams’ overarching goal this year is to be the world’s most competitive and engaging cross-country mountain bike team on the circuit. CFR is also expanding athlete participation in World Cups, MTB Marathon events, road, cyclocross and gravel events, hoping to welcome new fans to the sport.
Racing begins this month starting with the Chelva HC (XCO race) followed by Banyoles HC (XCC & XCO races as a World Cup test event).
2023 Cannondale Factory Racing Team
Alan Hatherly (26) – Hatherly is from South Africa and is CFR’s anchor rider targeting World Cup & World Championship wins as well as the 2024 Olympics. Hatherly is also trying his hand at road races with Cannondale-supported road teams. 2022 was a breakout year for Hatherly with the overall title in the World Cup Short Track (XCC) including a win at the Petropolis World Cup XCC, plus17 more wins and podiums throughout the season, Hartherly ended the season as the #3 ranked rider in the UCI World Cup overall title series.
Simon Andreassen (25) – CFR’s Danish rider returns on a new agreement through Paris 2024 bringing his World Cup winning skills, speed and style to target World Cup, World Championships, and 2024 Olympics wins and podiums. Coming off a 2022 season of battling injuries and illness, he still managed to capture the bronze medal at Marathon World Championships on home soil.
Mona Mitterwallner (21) – Hailing from Austria, Mitterwallner enters her second year with CFR after a successful 2022 season as a first-year elite rider with four wins (including the Austrian Elite Women’s National Championship), four World Cup podiums, and 5th overall in the UCI XCO cross-country rankings. Mona looks to shift into another gear and hit the top step of the podium in the Elite Women’s field, bring home another World Championship (in XCO or XCM) and build towards Paris 2024. Mona will also be competing in select road races with Cannondale supported road teams.
Charles Aldridge (21) – This incredible young U.K. rider joins CFR in his first year as a factory rider. A junior World Champion in 2019, 2022 European Elite XCC Champion, U.K. Elite XCC Champion and U23 XCO Champion, Charlie brings speed, power and some youthful exuberance to an already fresh team. Charlie will be guided this year by the team’s management and performance staff while on the job training with his three teammates as he steps up to the Elite category.
All photos by – Cannondale l Michele Mondini @cannondalemountain & @mmondini_photo
