Almost six month’s after successfully defending his Norba title and finishing a close 2nd in the World Downlhill MTB Championships, South Africa’s Greg Minnaar is hungry and ready to mix it up with his rivals for another season with the strong backing of his G-Cross Honda Team. 

The twenty-three-year old who hails from Pietermaritzburg will be contesting the full UCI World Cup tour in 2005, along with other major events, aboard his new Honda RN01 Bike.
 
Before the international DH season kicks off shortly, Minnaar will be traveling to Spain for the final test on his Honda RN01 2005 spec with his team-mate Matti Lehikoinen. Matti is the 2001 Junior European Champion.

The "Finnish Pinner" placed consistently in the top 10 at 2004 World Cup races, including his 7th in Livigno, Italy, which will also play host to the 2005 World Championships. Lehikoinen is no stranger to the team having been alongside Minnaar in 2001 and 2002 and like his South African team-mate is eager to get the first World Cup race of the season under his belt. 
 
With a lot of pre-season training in the gym, on his mountain bike and MX bike, Minnaar is determined to regain his World Cup title this year which he last won in 2001 and was very close to winning in 2003.
 
"As always I’m a little anxious going into the new season, but I’ve had a good summer’s worth of hard training and feel that I have the right people backing and supporting me.

“I’m super stoked this year that they have extended the season to 8 World Cups, this gives me some time to get a good rhythm going", said Minnaar
 
 
Minnaar will also be looking at getting back onto the top step of the podium at the World Championships to be held in Livigno, Italy from August 29 to September 4.