"After three descents, we realized that they were excellent": this video reveals how the arrival of a completely new brand to DH was

OQUO and Orbea FMD Racing have just released The Jump, a video that explains from the inside how one of the riskiest and most successful movements of the season was conceived: the leap of a brand with no prior experience in downhill to the most demanding stage in the world. A bet that was born amidst doubts, generated tension in its early meetings, and has ended with one of the presentations of the year, three victories, and multiple podiums in the 2025 World Cup.

This is how the project led OQUO to win in the DH World Cup with its first specific wheel model

This year will be remembered for Orbea's arrival in DH. The Mallabia brand has entered "the Formula 1 of MTB" in grand style with the presentation of its first model for this discipline, the new Rallon DH, wheels that are up to the task, the MC32 TEAM, and the main sponsorship of one of the most powerful structures in the World Cup, the Orbea FMD Racing. But not everything was certain.

In the video, it becomes clear for the first time that the Orbea FMD Racing team did not hide their reservations about the idea of competing with wheels that had never been on a downhill race. “Entering the season with a brand that had not competed at the highest level was a huge risk,” explains Tony Seagrave, team director. Reliability in DH leaves no room for doubt: a failure can ruin a run or compromise the rider's safety.

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But while the team was analyzing the pros and cons, OQUO had absolute confidence in their product. “We know we have a product that is up to the task, and we wanted to prove it,” declares Ioritz Sasiain, communications manager. They had been working for years on a specific DH wheel, developing the MC32 TEAM and validating its strength in the lab before proposing it to the team.

The turning point came before the start of the season, during the preseason tests. There, the riders were able to compare sensations, strength, and precision on some of the toughest sections. “We had doubts about the wheels, but after three runs we realized they were excellent,” recalls Tahnée Seagrave. Those first impressions were enough to decide that the entire 2025 season would be contested with the new OQUO MC32 TEAM.

The project's debut could not have been better. In Poland, Tahnée Seagrave took the first victory of the year. But it was not the only positive news: Martin Maes, previously involved in the development of the wheel from his time in enduro, achieved a second place in his first full DH season, demonstrating a remarkable adaptation and reinforcing the reliability of the material.

The results validated the project: three victories and several podiums throughout the 2025 World Cup, a performance that far exceeded the expectations of both the team and the brand. For OQUO, it was the definitive confirmation that they could compete and win in such an extreme discipline.