Whole Athlete/Specialized Team Wins Four 2016 National Championship Titles!

In the thin air of Mammoth Mountain for the second straight year, the US Cross Country National Championships would once again crown the fittest of champions. And Whole Athlete/Specialized came prepared for the 8000+ ft. elevation, as the team earned an impressive four National Titles among seven podium finishes.

Gorry is the two-time U23 XC National Champion. (photo: PB Creative)

Even with a wheel change on his second of five laps, Cypress Gorry won his second consecutive Under-23 Title. He followed his XC win with a solid 6th place in the Pro Short Track the following day.

Blevins wins his second Junior 17/18 XC Title. (photo: PB Creative)

Just two weeks after his 4th place ride at the World Championships, Christopher Blevins successfully defended his Junior 17/18 Title. The win marks seven consecutive XC National Titles for Blevins since age 12.

The hotly contested Junior Men's 15-18 Short Track begins.

15-year-old Quinn Simmons stunned the Junior 15-18 Short Track with a late race attack, holding off the charging field for two full laps to take the win. His Short Track victory followed a bronze medal ride the day prior in the Junior 15/16 XC.

Simmons is the Junior STXC Champion. (photo: PB Creative)

Kelsey Urban and Haley Batten (Luna) rode away from the rest of the women's Cat 1 Short Track field with just a few laps remaining, only to battle for the win in a two-up, headwind sprint. Urban prevailed as she took her first National Title. Her win came just 24 hours after finishing in 4th in the XC the day prior.

Urban is the Women's Cat 1 STXC National Champ. (photo: PB Creative)

Anders Johnson showed once again that he excels at high elevation, landing squarely on the podium in both the XC and STXC with the bronze and silver medal.

Johnson peaking for Nationals - when it counts. (photo: PB Creative)

Gorry's season is just getting going as he prepares for the Mont Sainte Anne U23 World Cup. (photo: Bill Freeman)

Junior 17/18 XC Podium. (photo: Kenny Wehn)

Under-23 XC Podium.

Cat 1 Women 17+ STXC Podium. (photo: Kenny Wehn)

Junior 15-18 STXC Podium

2016 Top-10 National Championship Results:

Cypress Gorry - U23 XC 1st
Christopher Blevins - Junior 17/18 XC 1st
Quinn Simmons - Junior 15-18 STXC 1st
Kelsey Urban - Cat 1 Women 17+ STXC 1st
Anders Johnson - Junior 15-18 STXC 2nd
Anders Johnson - Junior 17/18 XC 3rd
Quinn Simmons - Junior 15/16 XC 3rd
Kelsey Urban - Junior 17/18 Women XC 4th
Cypress Gorry - Pro STXC 6th
Jason Rowton - Junior 17/18 XC 7th
Jason Rowton - Junior 15-18 STXC 7th

Next up for Whole Athlete/Specialized:

07/30: Boston Rebellion ProXCT - Walpole, MA
08/06: U23 World Cup #8 - Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec
08/13: Windham ProXCT - Windham, NY

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Blevins Shines at MTB World Championships

In the battle for the Junior XC World Championship title, Christopher Blevins came away with an impressive and hard fought 4th place finish. The stellar ride from the 18-year-old on a highly technical course in the Czech Republic is the top Junior men's result for the US since Walker Ferguson won the title back in 2000. The last US Juniors to hit the top-10 were in fact former Whole Athlete/Specialized riders Neilson Powless with 8th place in 2014 and Kate Courtney with 6th in 2013. A bright future awaits these talented young athletes.

Blevins comes through the technical "rock n roll" rock garden.

Nearly 100 Junior men from all over the world came to the Czech Republic to compete.

Held in a stadium built for the biathlon world championships in 2013,
fans showed up in the tens of thousands throughout each day of the MTB Worlds event.

Blevins warming up on rollers in the "box", the staging area for start line call ups.

The massive race production provided excellent viewing options on the multiple big screens around the course.

Next up for the Whole Athlete/Specialized:

07/15: US Cross Country National Championships - Mammoth, CA
07/16: US Short Track National Championships - Mammoth, CA
07/30: Boston Rebellion ProXCT - Walpole, MA
08/06: U23 World Cup #8 - Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec
08/13: Windham ProXCT - Windham, NY

Stay tuned for more exciting news!