For 20 years, Scott-Sram MTB Racing has been a team that has worked with top talent but has nurtured some of the future stars of the sport. As the team looks back on another memorable racing season, preparations for future success begin. For the 2025 season, the Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team announces high-profile additions and promising young talents who will strengthen the team and make their debut in elite racing in 2025.

The team proudly announces Emilly Johnston (22) and Bjorn Riley (22) as part of the team squad for the 2025 racing season and beyond. Both riders will move up to the elite class after successful U23 years with the Trek Future Racing Team in Austria. Johnston and Riley have already proven their strong performances in recent years. Now that they are entering elite racing with the full support of the Scott-Sram team, it's time for Emilly and Bjorn to show their potential there too.

"With Emilly and Bjorn, we have two great talents for the future in our team. They are both very talented and ready to take the next step in their careers. The whole team wants to support them in their further professional development in mountain bike racing. And I am sure that we can also learn a thing or two from them," says Thomas Frischknecht, Team Manager of the Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team.

Bjorn Riley

The young American from Boulder, Colorado, already made a name for himself last season and proved his class. In the last U23 season, he was able to claim two World Cup victories in a field full of up-and-coming top talents. In Les Gets, he won both the short track and cross-country races and secured several podium finishes in the 2024 World Cup season. But that's not all: the U23 rider already shook up the US elite scene by winning the national titles in short track and cross country in Macungie, PA, in July 2024. As the reigning US champion, he is now strengthening the team and gaining his first experience in the elite World Cup.

"I'm looking forward to learning from my incredible new teammates, soaking up their experience and pushing myself to new limits. Riding at this level has always been a dream, and I can't wait to see what I can achieve with such a supportive and inspiring team by my side," says Bjorn Riley.
Following Bjorn on his social channels, you quickly realize that he is much more than an extremely talented cross-country rider. He demonstrates his technical prowess on two wheels, whether he's jumping drops in the Utah desert or doing wheelies on his road bike. He would probably describe himself as both a cyclist and an artist, and when he's not on his bike, it's easy to see why. A talented painter, he brings as much creativity to his art as he does to his life on two wheels. Beyond racing, he hopes to combine his love of bikes and art in the future. It will be interesting to see.

Emilly Johnston

With the young Canadian from Vancouver Island, Scott-Sram is bringing female reinforcement to the team. Emilly Johnston is another name that was on everyone's lips last U23 season. She won the U23 World Cup short track race in Crans Montana, a race that was one of the most physically and technically demanding of last season. Emilly recorded a total of nine podium places in the U23 World Cup season, which earned her an excellent second place in the overall standings. She also underlined her strong form with a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships.

"I'm really looking forward to working with everyone to get the best out of myself and take the next step into the elite category," said Johnston.

In recent years, Emilly has lived in Austria during the racing season, where she found ideal conditions to pursue her passion for the outdoors and in particular her love of fly fishing. The move to Scott-Sram not only opens the door to world-class racing, but also to more time with the team in Switzerland - a mecca for outdoor activities. "The team can't wait to welcome Emilly to the local bike trails, ski slopes, hiking trails, and fishing spots," adds Frischknecht.

scott-sram.com