FRÉJUS, FRANCE – October 8, 2026 – VAN RYSEL, the high-performance cycling brand born in Lille, today announces a major turning point in its history at Roc d'Azur.
Renowned for its excellence on road, gravel and triathlon, VAN RYSEL takes a new step toward its goal of becoming the world's number one cycling brand by officially entering the mountain bike market, unveiling its race bike: the RCR-XC.
Behind-the-scenes work and intensive in-house development
This official launch is the culmination of a long process. For several months now, VAN RYSEL has been building an MTB structure, bringing in recognized top talent from the discipline, including an R&D team based in the French Alps. Away from the spotlight, the brand's engineers and product managers have mobilized all their expertise to develop entirely new products and shape their own interpretation of high performance in mountain biking. With a single goal in mind: to develop the ultimate machine to win the biggest XC races.
The RCR-XC: a data-driven technological breakthrough
The RCR-XC was designed according to the strict methodology VAN RYSEL developed on the road: detailed analysis of race scenarios, wind tunnel sessions, collaboration with the best industry partners (such as ZIPP, RockShox and VITTORIA) and co-design with professional riders.
Since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games race, engineers first meticulously analyzed all the data from the World Cup circuit. From the vast amount of data collected, VAN RYSEL focused on the three most important variables in determining the foundations of the brand's first mountain bike: speed, power and time.
This led VAN RYSEL to develop its first competition MTB, in the burgeoning 32"standard, that VAN RYSEL believes offers real world performance advantages!
And that's not all: we wanted to push the boundaries even further, with the same rigor that has driven our success on the road.
Despite this new wheel diameter, the carbon frame - whose stiffness was fine-tuned through several days of field testing with DECATHLON FORD riders - is actually lighter than the 29-inch platform currently used by the team: -230g (on a size M frame).
Aerodynamics was also placed at the heart of development. Wind tunnel testing helped shape a bike that delivers a significant saving of 15.5 watts at 35 km/h compared with the 2026 mountain bike used by the team.
VAN RYSEL partners with the DECATHLON FORD team
To prove the value of this machine at the highest level, VAN RYSEL is partnering with the DECATHLON FORD team (managed by Samuel Roces). From 2027, VAN RYSEL will be the team's official bike and apparel supplier, with the RCR-XC ridden by world-class names including Luca Martin (UCI world number 1), Samara Maxwell (2 World Cup wins) and Savilia Blunk.
Availability of VAN RYSEL MTB products
VAN RYSEL's arrival in mountain biking will begin with an initial apparel line, available in Europe from 2027, with other markets, including the United States, to follow.
The RCR-XC will first be used by DECATHLON FORD's professional riders, so their feedback can be incorporated under the most demanding World Cup conditions. It will go on sale at a date to be announced later.
Our products will reflect the same commitment as in our other areas of our business: enabling every cyclist to access the best equipment on the market at the fairest possible price.
About VAN RYSEL
VAN RYSEL, meaning "From Lille" in Flemish, is the cycling brand born in the heart of Flanders, just a few miles from the iconic cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix and the pavé climbs of the Tour of Flanders. Founded in 2019, the brand set out to create high-quality products for cyclists of all levels, whatever their goals or outlook on the sport.
Driven by research, design and innovation, VAN RYSEL holds itself to the highest standards to meet the needs of both professional riders and amateur cyclists. Every watt, every second and every mile matters, whether in competition or on a Sunday ride. This same performance-driven mindset now also underpins the brand's growing commitment to rider protection and safety innovation.
Since 2024, the brand has been a key technical partner of the DECATHLON CMA CGM WorldTour team, supplying cutting-edge bikes and equipment including the RCR-R, RCR-F and RCR-X.
For more information, please visit: www.vanrysel.com.
