Whole Athlete/Specialized Team Wraps up Stellar 2013 Season

This year proved to be the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team's most successful season to date. Kate Courtney opened the season with the Pan American Junior Women's Title, then earned her second World Cup win at Mont Sainte Anne, making her the number-one UCI rider going into the World Championships. Her sixth-place finish there foreshadows amazing things to come. Teammate Lucas Newcomb ascended the World Cup podium at Mont Sainte Anne as well with an impressive 2nd place. And fifteen-year-old Haley Batten won the Sankt Vith Grand Prix in Belgium, her first-ever European race.

Kate Courtney celebrates one of two Junior titles at the 2013 National Championships. She would go on to win the Mont Sainte Anne World Cup and take 6th place at the World Championships. (Image: Cyclingdirt.org)

Here in the U.S., Batten, Courtney and Newcomb took home a total of four Junior National titles. Fourteen-year-old Cole Avery earned six wins this season, including the Sea Otter Classic. And Casey Williams brought in two XC victories in only his first year as a U23 Pro. In the ProXCT series alone, Whole Athlete/Specialized Juniors earned a total of ten XC wins.

Lucas Newcomb on his way to the Junior 17/18 XC National title. Just two weeks later he would land on the World Cup podium at Mont Sainte Anne with 2nd place. (Image: Cyclingdirt.org)

In its short, five-year history, the team has averaged 65 wins per year and qualified a total of twelve US riders to the World Championships. In 2012, the team achieved what no other US development program has as Kate Courtney became the first-ever US Junior Woman to win a World Cup.

Sean Bennett had a breakout Junior 17/18 season with a podium finish at XC Nationals and World Championship Team selection. (Image: Cyclingdirt.org)

Yet victories and podiums are only part of the team's success. The primary goal continues to be the mastery of a three-point philosophy of dedication, integrity, and fun in both sport and life. With a focus on the process rather than the outcome, the riders thrive within Whole Athlete's holistic approach.

Meet the newest 15/16 XC National Champion, Haley Batten.

At only 14, Cole Avery earned six wins in 2013, and had fun doing it!

Casey Williams earned two XC wins in only his first year as a U23 Pro.

Zach Valdez, Casey Williams, & Jacob Albrecht sweep the U23 podium at the Fontana ProXCT.

 

A huge thanks to all our team sponsors, donors, and supporters who helped make it happen!

Courtney Top-10 at World Championships!

Kate Courtney capped off an amazing season and impressive Junior career with a top-10 finish at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Battling dust, heat, and the best riders in the world, Courtney's 6th place finish added one more top result to a year that saw her win a World Cup and the US National Title.

Courtney tackles one of the technical rock gardens on the challenging Worlds course.
(Image: Darren Goddard/Cycho Media)

Sean Bennett also put in an impressive ride in his first ever World Championship bid as the top US Junior male finisher. Starting in the back of an extremely competitive field with a 65th place call up, Bennett overcame an early crash to finish in 28th, making up 37 places!

Bennett gives everything as he navigates the rocks in the dry South African heat.

The World Championships wrap up the summer race season for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Cycling Team. With over 55 victories in 2013, including three junior national titles, a World Cup win and multiple World Cup podiums, it has been an amazing year for the young development squad.

Congratulations to all the riders and a huge thanks to all who helped make it happen!

Juniors Prepare for World Championships as Youngest Whole Athlete Wins at Home

With just two days until the big season finale, Kate Courtney, Lucas Newcomb, and Sean Bennett put the finishing touches on their race preparation at the World Championships course in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Courtney hopes to take her World Cup winning form one step further in South Africa.

Meanwhile back in the US, at only 12-years-old, the youngest Whole Athlete/Specialized Junior Dylan Fryer continues to shine as he earns his second win of the summer in the Under-14 CCCX race.

Fryer with his second win of 2013.

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

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World Cup Win!!

Kate Courtney wins the Junior Women's World Cup in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada, Lucas Newcomb takes 2nd in the Junior Men's race!

Courtney celebrates her biggest win of 2013 and second career Junior World Cup victory.

Newcomb earns his best World Cup finish yet.

Joining Courtney and Newcomb, teammate Sean Bennett in his first-ever World Cup rode in the top-10 throughout most of the race. An untimely flat on the last lap dropped him back to 15th, but a solid ride nonetheless. 

Newcomb (national champ) and Bennett (left),
along with USA teammates Landen Beckner and Neilsen Powless await the start.

Courtney is now the #1 ranked Junior Woman in the world.

Next up for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Juniors: Courtney, Newcomb, and Bennett are off to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in just two weeks for the grand finale of the season, the World Championships.

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

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Victorious in Vermont

Newly crowned Junior National Champions Kate Courtney and Lucas Newcomb rode their stars and stripes jerseys to podium finishes at the Catamount Classic ProXCT, earning 1st and 2nd in their respective races. Sean Bennett rounded out the team's Junior results with a solid 4th place in a highly competitive field.

Courtney celebrates her 11th win of the 2013 season.

Newcomb gaining momentum heading toward the World Championships later this month.

The young riders now head north of the border to Quebec to tackle the Mont Sainte Anne World Cup this weekend, one of the more technical and demanding courses they will face. Then two weeks later, it's off to South Africa for the grand finale - the World Championships. 

Courtney takes the win.

Newcomb airs the A-line.

Upcoming Events

August 10th: World Cup - Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec

August 29th: World Championships - Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Four Junior National Titles!

The Whole Athlete/Specialized Cycling Team showed its class at the 2013 Cross Country National Championships with four Junior national titles and ten top-3 podium finishes. The young riders truly rose to the occasion at the biggest US event of the season.

Day 1 medalists: Haley Batten, Kate Courtney, Lucas Newcomb, and Sean Bennett.

On a technical and demanding course, Lucas Newcomb, Kate Courtney, and Haley Batten kicked off the team's weekend with cross country victories in Junior 17/18 men & women, and Junior 15/16 women. Sean Bennett took the bronze medal to complete a 1-3 Whole Athlete/Specialized Junior 17/18 podium.

Newcomb and Bennett go 1-3 at the XC National Championships.

Courtney adds a well-deserved national title to her impressive palmares.

Newcomb celebrates the result of hard work and dedication.

Batten rode a flawless race to take the Junior 15/16 XC title.

And if three cross country titles weren't enough, in the short track race Kate Courtney and Haley Batten rode away from the Cat 1 women's field for an impressive 1-2 finish and yet another national title.

An amazing weekend for the Batten-Courtney dynamic duo.

There were many notable performances by Whole Athlete/Specialized riders over the weekend, including Cole Avery's Junior Under-15 bronze medal in his first-ever short track race, Casey Williams with 3rd in the Pro Super-D and 12th in the Pro short track that saw only 13 of 60 riders finish on the leader's lap, Kate Courtney taking silver in the Junior Women's Super-D, and the U23s Cypress Gorry, Jacob Albrecht, and Casey Williams with solid 5th, 6th, and 7th places in cross country.

Avery with the bronze medal in the Under-15 short track.

Williams 3rd in Super-D, showing tremendous consistency in his first year as a pro.

Courtney and Batten on top of the Women's Cat 1 short track podium.

Gorry celebrates a solid 5th place finish in the highly competitive Under-23 XC race.

One of the behind-the-scenes reasons for the team's success exemplified by the tech/feed zone setup.

Congratulations to all the Whole Athlete/Specialized riders who competed at the 2013 National Championships. It was an inspiring showing of dedication, integrity, and fun.

Whole Athlete/Specialized Team - 2013 National Championships Top-10 Finishes

1st Lucas Newcomb - Junior 17/18 XC
1st Kate Courtney - Junior 17/18 XC
1st Kate Courtney - Cat 1 STXC
1st Haley Batten - Junior 15/16 XC
1st Dario Fredrick - Cat 1 40-44 XC
1st Liz Pinsker - Cat 1 45-49 XC
2nd Haley Batten - Cat 1 STXC
3rd Sean Bennett - Junior 17/18 XC
3rd Casey Williams - Pro Super-D
3rd Cole Avery - Junior 14 & Under STXC
5th Cypress Gorry - U23 XC
6th Jacob Albrecht - U23 XC
6th Cole Avery - Junior 14 & Under XC
7th Casey Williams - U23 XC
7th Lucas Newcomb - Junior 15-18 STXC
7th Steffen Andersen - Junior 15/16 XC
7th Matt McCourtney - Cat 1 35-39 XC

Check out all the team's top-10 results here>

Next up: The Catamount Classic ProXCT in Vermont in two weeks, followed by the Monte Sainte Anne World Cup in Quebec. Stay tuned!

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Five Wins at Subaru Classic ProXCT!

The Whole Athlete/Specialized Cycling Team put the finishing touches on their preparation for the Cross Country National Championships this weekend with the Subaru Classic ProXCT in Mt. Morris, WI. Five wins for the race weekend included Lucas Newcomb and Kate Courtney in Junior 17/18, Haley Batten in Junior 15/16, and Courtney doubling up with the Cat 1 short track victory.

Courtney does the double with back-to-back wins in the cross country and short track.

Newcomb on top in the final tune up for XC Nationals. 

Batten coming off a successful European race campaign, ready for XC Nationals.

Steffen Andersen hit the podium with 4th in a competitive Junior 15/16 field.

Courtney motors the challenging short track course.

Newcomb, Batten, and Courtney warm up with KewlFit cooling vests to beat the Wisconsin heat.

Check out all the team's top-10 results here>

Next up: July 19-21 - The Cross Country National Championships at Bear Creek Mountain, PA. 

Stay tuned...

Batten Wins in Belgium, Gorry & Albrecht Top-10 at Marathon Nationals

After a strong 2nd place in the Junior Women's Landgraaf International in the Netherlands, just a week later Haley Batten took the victory at the Sankt Vith Grand Prix in Belgium - then followed it up with another 2nd place at the Shark Attack in Saalhausen, Germany the very next day!

European racing clearly agrees with Batten: A win and two second place finishes in three races. 

 

Sean Bennett also rode well in his first foray into European racing, with 8th place among a strong Junior Men's field in Belgium.

Bennett earns a top-10 in his first European race experience.

Meanwhile back in the US, U23 Neo-pros Cypress Gorry and Jacob Albrecht also earned top-10 finishes at the Marathon National Championships in Sun Valley, ID with 7th and 10th respectively. The young riders faced a deep Pro field stacked with Olympians and World Cup contenders. Even a broken wheel and flat couldn't stop Albrecht from finishing in the top-10.

 

Gorry and Albrecht take top-10 finishes in their first Marathon Championships.

Next up: The Subaru Classic ProXCT in Mt. Morris, Wisconsin and Cross Country National Championships at Bear Creek Mountain, PA.

Batten Scores European Podium, U-23s Ready for Marathon Nationals

In her first foray into European racing, Haley Batten is already turning heads with an impressive 2nd place in the Junior Women's Landgraaf International in Holland. At racing age 15, Batten was the top 15/16 finisher in the combined 15-18 field.

Batten's first European race and first Euro podium.
(Annemarie Worst 1st, Haley Batten 2nd, Kaylee Blevins 3rd)

 

Batten battles eventual winner Annemarie Worst on the muddy, technical course.

Meanwhile, Cypress Gorry and Jacob Albrecht prepare at high elevation to take on the country's top pros this weekend at the Marathon National Championships in Sun Valley, ID. 

Gorry and Albrecht enjoying the high elevation trails of Sun Valley.

Next up: Marathon National Championships (Sun Valley, ID), the Sankt Vith Grand Prix, in Belgium, and the UCI Category 1 Saalhausen Bundesliga in Germany.

Under-23s Come of Age at Missoula, O'Neal & Newcomb Shine at Skyline

In only their first year racing the professional ranks, Under-23s Casey Williams, Cypress Gorry, and Jacob Albrecht took on a very elite field at the Missoula ProXCT and showed they belong, finishing 12th, 16th and 21st respectively. The professional race held at the Marshall Mountain Ski Area boasted the best talent in North America, including former Olympians, World Cup winners, and National Champions. 

Gorry negotiates one of the many switchbacks on the fast descent.

Williams on the hunt.

Valdez shows good form on the A-line gap jump.

Albrecht speeds through the tech/feed zone.

Meanwhile back in California, Tyler O'Neal and Lucas Newcomb honed their form for XC Nationals on the former World Cup course in Napa at the Skyline Classic. O'Neal took a convincing win in the Junior race, while Newcomb took on former Tour de France rider Levi Leipheimer and other fast, local pros, landing on the podium with a strong third place finish.

Newcomb on the Pro podium.

And while Whole Athlete/Specialized riders stand out in races across the US, Sean Bennett, Marcus Segedin, and Haley Batten head to Europe this week to race three UCI races in two weekends in Holland, Belgium, and Germany. 

 

Next up this weekend: The Windham, NY ProXCT and the Landgraaf International UCI C2 in the Netherlands. 

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Juniors Europe-bound as Batten Wins in Colorado, Avery Takes Silver in California

Haley Batten may be only 14 going on 15, but you wouldn't know it seeing her race. A mid-season addition to the Whole Athlete/Specialized Development Program, the 2012 Under-15 National Champ has already earned two wins with the team at the Intermountan Cup in Draper, UT and the KMC Classic Colorado State Championships in the Junior 15-18 field. Batten heads to Europe at the end of this month with fellow teammates Sean Bennett and Marcus Segedin to race three UCI races in two weekends in Holland, Belgium, and Germany.

Batten ready on the start line in Colorado.

Meanwhile, Cole Avery continues his steady season success adding a California State Championship silver medal to his five 2013 Junior Under-15 XC wins and the overall series title in the Kenda US Cup West. 

Avery on the podium with silver.

Next up: Whole Athlete/Specialized riders head to Marshall Mountain in Montana to race the Missoula ProXCT this weekend. 

Stay tuned for more exciting news!