Canadian XCO Star Emily Batty signs for Canyon

She’s only 32, but Canadian cross-country star Emily Batty is already one of the premier names in her sport. Her resume speaks for itself, with honours including four Canadian National Championship titles, two third-place overall World Cup rankings, and two World Championship bronze medals. And through the work of her own Emily Batty Project foundation, supporting young riders, she’s also proven herself an exemplary role model beyond the world of racing. That’s why it’s an honour and pleasure for us to be able to welcome Emily as the latest addition to the Canyon family. And Emily isn’t just bringing her profile and proven track record of success to the table – she’s also hungry and motivated to take her career to the next level as a Canyon rider: "Last season, everything was so unknown, and I didn't want to waste valuable mental and physical capacity in 2020 without knowing races were for sure happening”, states Emily. “So, while my performances could have been way better, I feel like I'm going into 2021 more hungry, rested, and motivated than most of my competitors. And now, I have some huge goals I'm very excited about: I have Olympics, World Championships, and World Cup goals. I want to go big on the performance side of things this year."

“Emily is a fantastic addition to the Canyon family – both for her ability on the bike as well as what she brings in terms of her personality“, enthuses Canyon CEO Armin Landgraf. “I am convinced that, with all her experience, she won’t only perform when it’s race time – she’ll also provide us with valuable feedback that we can use in the further development of our bikes.“ Emily shares his enthusiasm on this side of her role, explaining: "My new Canyon bikes are amazing. The Exceed and the Lux are both so well-balanced from front to back, and I can push them without losing the front wheel. Canyon is already looking for my feedback, and I feel like I finally have a voice and stake in how the product is developed.” And Emily is already well up to speed with her new Canyon bikes, singling out the characteristics that make the Lux and Exceed so strong: “Most manufacturers' answer to the modern XC race bike has been to have a slackened head tube angle, longer top tube, and a shorter rear triangle, but it's not as simple as that. Canyon has done an impressive job at thinking big picture on every performance attribute of their XC race bikes."

However, as Emily explains, her move to Canyon wasn’t one purely prompted by sporting motivations: "It was time for a change, and I've learned that it takes so much more than just equipment and infrastructure to continue making progress in our sport. The very first time I visited Canyon headquarters, Roman Arnold had me over for lunch with his family at his home. I already feel so welcomed, aligned with their values, and connected to the brand. Everyone is in my corner, and they are forward-thinking and innovative. When you see it in person, meet the people, and experience their company culture, you quickly realize they are as good as it gets." Canyon founder Roman Arnold echoes Emily’s optimism: “I’ve been following Emily’s career for a while – we’ve been active in the professional olympic cross-country racing scene for some time now. I’m delighted that Emily has placed her trust in us, and I‘m sure that she will be able to develop even further in her new setup."

We wil provide more details on Emily Batty's 2021 race schedule and additional info on the Canyon team setup shortly.