UCI code MAD Founded 2011 (2011) Status UCI mountain bike team | Registered United Kingdom Discipline MTB Bicycles Saracen | |
Madison Saracen is a British-based UCI trade team, specialising in downhill mountain biking.
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Founded in 2011, the team went on to achieve great success with original member Manon Carpenter.
Carpenter became junior UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Champion in the team’s debut season, before going on to take the senior titles of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup and World Championships in 2014.
In December 2015 Madison Saracen announced its new roster and the signing of Marc Beaumont.
Formation
Launched in 2011 the team’s aspiration was clearly laid out by Madison CEO Dominic Langan.
“The first year is mainly a development squad, with a couple of people riding the world cup series. It’s a minimum three-year program and hopefully we’ll be doing much more beyond that – the aim is to get more riders into the world cup series.
“We hope to build that up and hopefully we can get some champions. We just want to get good British riders out there.”
Team progression
Manon Carpenter took the team’s first major win at the junior world championships in Champery, Switzerland.
The win was followed by the appointment of Tim Flooks as team manager in November 2011, but he was forced to stand down soon after due to health problems.
In February 2012, Will Longden took the position of team manager.
Longden – himself a four-time British champion in downhill, fourcross and dual slalom – took the reigns of the team following a period of time coaching the MBUK development squad. He was also British Cycling’s rider representative for downhill mountain biking.
In 2012 Manon Carpenter took the team’s first world cup and world championship podium results.
Longden strengthened the team in 2013 signing Sam Dale, as Carpenter visited the world cup podium in five out of six rounds.
By 2014 the team was split in two. A factory race team would contest the biggest races spearheaded by Carpenter, Dale and new signing Matt Simmonds.
Alongside the factory team a development team was launched.
Following the split the team had its most successful season as Carpenter won the world cup series overall and the world championships.
A second-place from Simmonds at the final world cup of the season was enough to place the team third in the end-of-series standings.
In 2015 the Madison Saracen factory retained the services of Simmonds, Carpenter and Dale.
After a tumultuous start to the season, Carpenter would recover to finish second overall in the world cup and take silver at the world championships.
Team roster
2017
Factory Racing Team
2016
Factory Racing Team
2015
Factory Racing Team
Development Team
2014
Factory Racing Team
2013
2012
2011
Title sponsors
Madison Clothing
Saracen bikes