POC has announced a multi-year partnership with Norco Adidas Race Division, joining the team as a major partner for the UCI Downhill World Series. The agreement covers riding apparel, eyewear, and full protection, including helmets and body armour.
The partnership marks a return to World Cup downhill racing for the Swedish accessories & apparel brand, a discipline deeply rooted in its history. The full equipment package supplied by POC incorporates patented technologies developed through research and testing.
A new race kit, developed by POC with visual design created collaboratively by Norco and adidas, will debut at the World Series season opener in Mona Yongpyong, South Korea on May 1, 2026.
POC notes that downhill mountain biking provides an environment for innovation where advances in materials and protection are tested under demanding conditions. POC and Norco aim to use athlete feedback from the highest level of competition to influence future product development.
The Norco Adidas Race Division team roster includes Gracey Hemstreet, Danny Hart, Erice Van Leuven, Bodhi Kuhn, and Lina Frener. The team currently features more female riders than male, which the organisers state reflects a commitment to representation and long-term progress within the sport.
Oscar Huss, Chief Product Officer at POC, said “Returning to the World Cup downhill circuit is something we have been working towards, and doing it with Norco is exactly the right way to do it. We know that downhill is where many of the most important questions in protection and apparel development get their most honest answers.”
Elisabeth Petersilie, Brand Director at Norco, added “At Norco, we care deeply about product and how our bikes are developed, and we want to work with partners who take their category just as seriously. POC has real credibility in protection and apparel, but just as important, they bring an approach to development that feels aligned with how we think and work.”
Based in Stockholm, Sweden, POC creates protection for cycling and snow sports. Norco, founded in 1964 as Northern Cycle Industries, is a provider of high-performance mountain bikes inspired by the trails of British Columbia.
www.pocsports.com
www.norco.com
