100,000 € reward for the first person to win a DH World Cup with this system

The American company Gates has announced that it will give 100,000 euros to whoever is able to win a DH World Cup with a bike equipped with one of their belt drives. The prize is open to both male and female categories and far exceeds the usual 3,750 euros received by the winner of these events. 

In search of victory: Gates and the 100,000 euro reward for winning a DH World Cup with a belt

Gates - a well-known manufacturer of belt drives based in the United States with a global reach - has issued a statement to announce an initiative that will brighten a rider's season. The idea has generated the impact and buzz typical of a good marketing campaign and will fill the pockets of whoever is able to achieve the challenge. The so-called Gates Belted Purse is a prize with which the company aims to highlight the advantages of using a belt in DH.

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Belt drives offer unique attributes - lightweight, silent, and almost maintenance-free - although their progress in the market has always been hindered by their incompatibility with chainrings and cogs. Some industry players are already exploring how to overcome this barrier, although Gates assures that their system is completely valid for Downhill racing. 

Thus, they have put up a prize of 100,000 euros for the first rider - or rider - who wins a DH World Cup race with a belt drive bearing the Gates seal. The Downhill World Cup season started earlier this month in Fort William, Scotland, and includes five other events throughout the year: Bielsko-Biala, Leogang, Val di Sole, Haute-Savoie, Loudenvielle, and Mont Sainte-Anne.

The riders of Gamux Factory Racing - Mike Huter, Lino Lehman, and Pascal Tinner - are the best positioned to win the 100,000 euros. The Swiss DH team rides a Gamuz Sego with a Gates Carbon Drive belt after testing the prototype last season - the system was only approved by the UCI from the previous campaign onwards.

The 100,000 euros are an extraordinary prize for riders who are used to receiving much more modest rewards. Far from the money involved in other sports, even many steps below other cycling categories, as the prize for winning a DH World Cup is 3,750 euros; in other words, less than 25 times the prize now offered by Gates.

Additionally, the American manufacturer has explained that if no one manages to reach the top of the podium, the prize will roll over to the next season.

In the statement released by Gates, CEO Chris Sugai stated that the company aimed to show that belt drives "are applicable to the highest levels of mountain bike racing."