Squad Goals

When the tape comes down and the leaves drop; race season wraps for most of the field.

For Cannondale Factory Racing, it only pauses. Briefly.

A little time off. A little time home. Friends. Family. A reset, then straight back into it. By January, the squad is back together again. Riders. Staff. Crew. The jokes show up early. So do the hard miles, the testing, the timing checks, the race sims, and the steady return to form that sets the pace for the season ahead.

This is the pulse of “CFR Fresh Dirt 2026—Episode 1.”

“Squad Goals” takes us inside the early season antics of CFR and shows what makes this team one of the most fun follows in the World Cup pits. The work is serious. The mood, not so much. One minute it is training blocks, split checks, bike setup, and long days under load. The next it is poolside laughs, table talk, side-eyes, and the kind of camaraderie that turns a roster into a proper crew.

XC knows the feeling. Gravel knows it too. Road riders know it by heart. Different race calendars. Variable surfaces. Same deal. Heavy legs. Dry mouth. One more pull. One more lap. Pain has a funny way of making the world smaller and the bond tighter.

CFR knows this well.

Episode 1 brings the full picture into view. Training. Racing. Testing. Recovery. Goofing off. Dialing in. Showing up again the next day and doing it all with a crew that knows when to push, when to laugh, and when to hand over a bottle and keep things rolling.

This is pre-season, CFR style.

Fast. Loose. Focused. Fully together.

Watch the first episode. Read the full story. See how the season starts before the gate ever drops.