After incredibly successful seasons from both Christopher Blevins and Haley Batten in 2021, they have been picked up by Specialized’s factory team for the 2022 World Cups and more. Christopher Blevins has his sights set on a win at the Cape Epic and he will be looking to defend his XCC Short Track World Championships title. Haley Batten will be looking to further improve upon her great first season as an elite where she took eighth place in the overall standings.
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I am excited to join the SFR. It is a great environment, and a lot of excitement is building towards the 2022 season, including the Cape Epic, XCO World Cups, and everything in between. The SFR setup provides me with world-class equipment, but what makes me feel at home is the environment within the team. Everyone in the team has heart, and there is some good humor too, so when things get hard, everybody stands together.
I am targeting the Cape Epic in the spring. It is a race that I have wanted to for a long time, and now that I am old enough to handle it, I am going there to win. With nine world cup XCO races in 2022, there are plenty of races to peak for, along with some short track races. The short track is inspiring, and I would love to fight for a podium spot there. Being on the same team as Jordan Sarrou and Gerhard Kerschbaumer is exciting, and I look forward to learning from them. |
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Being part of Specialized Factory Racing team for 2022 is extremely motivating for me. The program is built with passion and big goals, which is an environment I’m excited to be part of. After progressing as an athlete in 2021, I believe that this team and the people involved will help me improve and prepare for the season to come. As my second season in the elite World Cup in 2022, I’d like to show more consistency and make my mark on big events like World Championships. I know that there are a lot of aspects of my preparation that I can continue to improve upon, so I plan to show that I am capable of being one of the top riders in the world. |
Alongside the new additions of Christopher Blevins and Haley Batten, the Specialized Factory Team will still feature 2021 XCC World Champion and Olympic silver medalist Sina Frei, Laura Stigger, Jordan Sarrou and Gerhard Kerschbaumer. The team will be supported by SRAM, Rockshox, Wahoo, Cliff, HT Components, Retül, Roval, Motrex, Evoc, and Supacaz in 2022.
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Adding two more elite riders to the team is very exciting, especially young, talented riders like Haley and Chris, but make no mistake, we have to be at our best to allow every rider to achieve their goals in a racing year. Adding riders to an existing structure means adding staff to handle the additional mechanical, physical, and logistical challenges. We are confident in our world-class support team working hard and passionately to make sure no one feels left out. With six elite riders, split equally between male and female, we, the team, can be present at the biggest races of the year, performing at the highest level while ensuring that riders get the necessary rest and training to perform at the highlights set and for them. A new era to structure an elite team, and with Paris 2024around the corner, just the right time to get started. |
