登山車傳奇Gunn-Rita Dale Flesja榮退，任美利達品牌大使

細數Gunn-Rita前無古人的輝煌戰績:
2004雅典奧運金牌
30次UCI世界盃單站冠軍(第30次今年達標)
10次世界錦標賽冠軍
20次國際錦標賽冠軍一代傳奇車手退役 離開了賽場 但終究離不開單車

登山車傳奇車手貓女Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå，近日決定退下職業車手身份，然而從小就喜歡戶外運動的她，仍然繼續選擇單車生活，作為後期生涯規劃的重心。歷史上從來沒有一位女車手可以維持超過20年的職業歷練，還能保有競爭力，這期間獲獎無數，讓人不得不佩服。而始終如一、陪伴在她身邊的美利達自行車，何其榮幸可以繼續與Gunn-Rita合作，邀請擔任品牌大使，繼續一起推動單車運動、貢獻社會。

回顧賽場篇章，拿下30座世界盃獎牌(2003~2006連續四年總冠軍)、10屆世界冠軍與20個國際賽事獎座，再加上一面奧運金牌。開啟傳奇的序章，是在輝煌的2002年，奪下歐洲冠軍國際賽事獎盃，這除了是Gunn-Rita的生涯首金，也同時是美利達首次嚐到國際獎牌的滋味，一個月之後又再攻得首座世界冠軍；在2004年取得所有選手都夢寐以求的奧運金牌，同年幾乎橫掃所有賽事，氣勢之盛，無人能及；2011年，當輿論認為貓女面對新賽制已無競爭力時，她卻用XCO歐洲冠軍來證明是非對錯；2018年，年已45歲，不老神話Gunn-Rita，奪第30個世界盃冠軍，除了締造登山車奇蹟新紀錄，也是為她自己的職業生涯，劃下完美句點。

離開了賽場，但這位活傳奇的故事，將繼續待在美利達的大家庭中，繼續前進。

原文：

Rumours have been going around for a number of years, but now the most successful mountain biker of all time, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå has finally decided to retire from active racing and to focus her cycling career on ambassador duties for her long-standing sponsor MERIDA Bikes. 

Gunn-Rita looks back at an unparalleled carrier with a sheer endless list of achievements. No other rider has managed to be a dominant part of their sport for more than 20 years. But let us start at the beginning. Gunn-Rita was always a very sporty girl, with interests in soccer, track and field, running, horseback riding, motor-cross and speed skating (just to name a few) and stumbled into the sport of mountain biking by accident. An invitation by the local cycling club to a MTB training session in April 1995 decided her fate and set her on her path of success. 

‘I had no idea of the sport called mountain biking, and I didn`t know at all what I was getting myself into…but the adrenaline from the first off-road downhill got me hooked from the very start. It was the perfect sport for me as I enjoyed the physical challenge while getting speed and adrenaline thrown in for good measure’, comments Gunn-Rita on her first encounter with her new sport. 

More than twenty years later and with the incredible list of 30 World Cup wins, 10 World Championships and 20 international championship Golds, her decision to give the sport of mountain biking a go, has proven the right one. When asking Gunn-Rita, what her most memorable and special victory was, she replied: ‘Winning our first European title back in August of 2002, the first international Gold medal for us but also MERIDA, will always be special for us. Then becoming the World Champion for the first time one month later in Kaprun will always be a strong memory. The Olympic Gold in 2004 Athens, a season where we (Gunn-Rita and her husband and coach Kenneth) won more or less all the races we took part in. Becoming the European Marathon champion ½ year after giving birth in 2009 was outstanding. Then winning the European Champs XCO in 2011 when most people said I was too old school for modern XC racing. And then, there is my final World Cup win earlier this year in Andorra, which completed my dream of winning 30 World Cups, this was very special. I could go on. All wins have a story to tell, and we are very proud of all of them.’

Gunn-Rita long career has seen endless changes to the sport, for example from World Cup race distances going from 3+ hours to ultra intensive and technically challenging 90 mins, but her love and enthusiasm for the sport, the dedication in her training and in her racing and her desire to get more ‘bums on seats’ has never faded and will carry on into her new carrier as a MERIDA brand ambassador. 

In her new role, Gunn-Rita will get more involved in product development, testing, promotions and events but will also keep one leg in the racing world by continuing with selected marathon and stage races as well as getting involved in other forms of cycling. 

Gunn-Rita is a living legend in the mountain bike world; enthusiastic, always inspiring and always friendly, she will shine in his new public role and we can’t wait to get his input into the MERIDA product line-up. 

‘We are so excited to carry on our relationship with Gunn-Rita and can’t wait to get her involved in some future projects. She looks back at an enormous wealth of experience and knowledge, and we as a brand can only benefit from that. We are excited to start this new chapter and work even closer together with her. With Gunn-Rita and José Antonio Hermida in our ambassador team, we are looking forward to some exciting projects in the upcoming season.’ Andreas Rottler, Director of Sport Marketing at MERIDA.

‘I am excited to carry on my relationship with MERIDA beyond my long-standing racing career. My new role will bring lots of challenges and areas which are currently new to me, but I am excited to dive into my new role as a brand ambassador, and I am looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge with all the riders out there as well as the MERIDA family.’  Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, MERIDA brand ambassador

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