Stepping Beyond: Aaron Gwin
This video was produced in partnership with Lululemon Men.
In 2008, a 20-year-old Aaron Gwin swung his leg over a mountain bike for the first time. In 2011, he became the first American man to ever win the UCI Downhill World Cup Overall Title. Since then, he has been an unstoppable force, taking the overall title in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Gwin's career has been one of podiums, and truly spectacular runs (Google 'Leogang Chainless' if you need proof), resulting in a lot of time in front of the camera. And though it may look like Gwin is the main contributor to his successful career, in his eyes, it's all about the people he works with.
In 2016, those people became the YT Mob. Now made up of three athletes and five staffers, the Mob travels the world to compete in downhill races. All of that time together has made them more of a family than a mob. And while everyone in the family works to ensure that Gwin and fellow riders Neko Mulally and Angel Suarez are ready for races, the overall expectation is that each team member works to ensure each other’s success — from the mechanics to the managers to the racers. When Gwin rolls into the starting gate at the top of a race, the Mob has dedicated a significant time to make sure he’ll be successful; but every Gwin victory means everyone has performed to the best of their ability. In the above video, Gwin reflects on how making the transition from a factory squad to building his own team didn’t just change his career, but his understanding of what a team can be.
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