Press release: Gunn-Rita Dahle signs up
for six further years with Merida.
- This was the final piece of the
puzzle for us.
Gunn-Rita Dahle and the Multivan Merida Biking Team have signed a new contract together. The contract covers the next six years, and comes in two parts. For the coming three years, Gunn-Rita is to work for Merida as a professional cyclist. For the following three years she will function as an international ambassador for the large bicycle brand Merida.
For a long time now, Dahle has been the foremost cyclist on the professional Multivan Merida Biking Team. During the past two cycling seasons she has secured her position as the world’s best female mountain-biker, by winning both the World Cup, the Norwegian championships, the Nordic championships, the European championships, the World Championships and the Olympic Games. The new contract rewards her for these merits, a contract which has taken two months of intense bargaining, also involving Merida Norway and Stians Sport to conclude the deliberations.
- This was the final piece of the puzzle for us. The contract is both solid and gilt-edged, with much better conditions than we’ve had previously, says Gunn-Rita Dahle. She prefers not to divulge any of the financial details of the new contract, but emphasizes that both she and Merida are very satisfied.
- Both parties have been set on coming to a conclusion quickly, so we could round off the season without having to start discussing a contract again later. The entire package from Merida is such a good offer that we went for it, explains Dahle, who, after many years of professional cycling, has clear notions of what she wants out of a new contract.
- It was important for me to focus on security, since this is probably the last contract I sign as a professional cyclist. We had to focus on future security, says the 32-year-old, who will now be doing more extensive representation jobs for Merida.
- Obviously, with the results I’ve been having, Merida is interested in using me to a greater extent as a face for the company. So I have to be prepared for more travels, both in Europe and to the rest of the world. It’s going to be a challenge, combining this with full concentration on top results in cycling, but we have the necessary experience to be able to tackle such things, says Gunn-Rita, who is still very hungry for success.
- Oh yes, we’re definitely still hunting for gold, even though we’ve won everything there is to be won. But at the same time, we don’t have this constant pressure to perform and win all the time in order to secure a new contract.