Two major announcements out of Australia’s super-pro XC / Enduro race team, Rockstar Racing this week.

Firstly, the team has now signed on to ride Giant bikes this season with the team being kitted out on the manufacturer’s 2011 top-line race bikes and in particular, the sweet 2011 Anthem X0 carbon models for the rougher courses and enduros. Troy Glennan will be hitting the trails on the brand’s 29er models too.

Rockstar team manager Dwight Woodford said the move to Giant was an easy one because “they provide an excellent level of race support at events and are just so pro-active in the general race scene, both on and off road… Its made all the more easy when you are just dealing with such nice people!”

Perhaps bigger news is that the team has now signed Josh Carlson to the team to take care of duties both at home and overseas in the XC and Enduro formats. Josh comes to Rockstar from Giant’s own race team and was with Specialized just a few month’s beforehand. Carlson finished third in the 2010 National Championships and took out the Capital Punishment 50km race earlier this year.

“Josh brings a super-high level of enthusiasm to a team which already has a massive level of depth which is really exciting. His strength lies in XC which means we’ll also be able to really take Rockstar into those areas”

And the new additions of Carlson and Giant Bicycles is already paying dividends with the team finishing second overall in the 2010 Scott 24 last weekend and Carlson already proving his value by bringing in both the fastest day and night laps over some highly vaunted riders.