Aaron Gwin comes home to Frameworks Racing
American downhiller comes full circle as he signs with the Frameworks Racing team
Aaron Gwin used to be the biggest name in downhill racing. He was unbeatable at five races in 2011 on his way to winning the World Cup overall, the first American man to do so. Injuries and team change led to fading results, but Gwin has always been on the scene. Now, his move to Frameworks Racing is like coming home.
That season in 2011, Gwin was teammates on Trek World Racing with Neko Mulally, then a young rider in the elite field. Their paths diverged when Gwin joined Specialized, but they joined up again on The YT Mob program as well as later years on Intense.
In recent years, Mullaly—who is perhaps most known for his fourth place chainless run at the Norway World Championships—designed a novel downhill bike and founded Frameworks Bicycles. He also supported rising downhill racers like Asa Vermette through the Frameworks Racing team.
Like Mulally, Gwin has an entrepreneurial streak. He partnered with Crestline Bikes in 2024, becoming a part owner and bringing on the bike company as a sponsor of his Gwin Racing team. According to Gwin, his contract transitioned to just a racing agreement rather than ownership, which allowed him to join Frameworks for 2026. It should also be noted that Gwin now owns the Windrock Bike Park in Tennessee, which Mulally previously held a stake in.
In media appearances, Gwin said he still wants to race and win, and Frameworks will allow him to focus on being an athlete again rather than running a race team.
On Frameworks he is joining Vermette and Anna Newkirk. Vermette is stepping into the elite ranks this season after a fast junior career, and Newkirk is coming back from a broken hand mid-season and a crash at Mont-Sainte-Anne to end the year.
“I’m excited for this new, and possibly final, chapter of my racing career with Frameworks,” Gwin said in a press release. “I’ve got the support to fully focus on racing again and the equipment to win. That’s what I was looking for, and I’m stoked to be doing it with a great group of friends. I’m looking forward to enjoying all the hard work and seeing what we can accomplish together.”
Gwin will focus on the World Cup and World Championships, in addition to Red Bull Hardline, and the Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series. The arrival of Gwin also elevates TRP brakes to a title sponsor of the team, and gives Vermette and Newkirk the opportunity to be mentored by a legend of the sport.
“Bringing Aaron on board makes us more competitive at the highest level, and in addition to his own racing goals, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team and his younger teammates,” the team said.