Canyon’s Top Moments of 2021

The 2021 season started off with a bang as Mathieu van der Poel became the World Champion again in the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in January. Racing atop his Canyon Inflite, the dutchman defended his 2020 title as he stormed to victory in Belgium. This performance would be the harbinger of things to come, as van der Poel would go on to dominate the world stage across multiple disciplines. Be sure to follow Canyon closely as Mathieu comes to the United States in January 2022 to defend his title in Bentonville, Arkansas

This year (2021) was Peter Stetina's best season to date. From dominant performances in the Belgian Waffle Ride series to taking legendary 'Fastest Known Times,' Pete cemented himself as a modern living legend.

As Canyon's own desperado, Stetina won both the San Diego and Utah editions of the Belgian Waffle Ride, Rebecca's Private Idaho, The Rift (Iceland), and nearly took the top spot at Unbound. Whether opting for his Grizl, Grail, or Ultimate, Stetina proved that he is the man to beat in the growing world of professional gravel racing.

The year of 2021 saw more people than ever getting into cycling, and we couldn't be more proud to see countless riders accomplish goals previously thought impossible. From The Ground Up grew out of this celebration of our community.

Canyon took three everyday riders and chronicled their journey to tackling one of the hardest off-road races in the world, the Leadville Trail 100. Share with us what your greatest accomplishment was this past year, and tag us on social with hashtag #mycanyon.

St. Augustine's University made history in 2021, by becoming the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to send a cycling team to compete in sanctioned races. In their Chasing History series, Canyon chronicled the journey of the athletes and staff who worked tirelessly to realise this mission. SAU didn't just break barriers by being the first HBCU to compete in cycling; SAU is trailblazing the path forward to making cycling accessible for all.

Without a doubt, the United States is in a "renaissance" when it comes to gravel cycling and off-road endurance events. Despite the fervor around the sport, there is still much to be done in the creation of its "legends". The Impossible Route Series was launched to define what these legendary rides are in the U.S., and to test the ultimate limits of what can be accomplished on two wheels. Catch the latest episode here, where the Impossible Route attempts to find the single, hardest one-day, off-road ride in the U.S.

Mathieu van der Poel had an incredible season racing on the road, from a victory at the Strade Bianchi, to 3rd in the Paris Roubaix. Those standalone results would be a season highlight; however, his biggest accomplishment this year had to have been wearing the Yellow Jersey at the 2021 Tour de France. The gravity of this accomplishment is underscored as it came following the passing of his late grandfather, Raymond Poulidor. MVDP won stage 2 of the 2021 Tour de France, crossing the line in near tears, honoring his late grandfather.

Samantha Soriano, the 2018 Women's Pro Downhill National Champion, had an incredible 2021. At just twenty years old, she represents the future of American freeride. The Canyon rider competed in her first ever Red Bull Formation, the international all-women's freeride event in Virgin, Utah (home of Red Bull Rampage). In Canyon's Road to Formation series, we followed Sam as she prepared to take on the most challenging big mountain terrain in the world.

This year (2021) was an important year for Paul Basagoitia. After a crash in 2015 left the American legend with below-the-waist paralysis, Paul persevered through surgeries and rehab to overcome his injury and reclaim his life. In March of this year, Paul joined the Canyon CLLCTV, and continues to thrive on his Spectral:ON mountain bike.

The 2021 Enduro World Series was hotly contested this year with teams and riders fighting to claim the top spot. Over the season, Jack proved himself the best enduro rider atop his Strive, as he notched five victories to claim the overall title for the Canyon CLLCTV Enduro Team.

Worlds collided in 2021: BMX and MTB. Canyon kicked it off early in 2021 with the release of the RAD tribute edit with Braydon Bringhurst aboard the Spectral 27.5, proving that BMX-inspired tricks translate well on the poppy and playful Spectral platform.

Yet the connection was taken a step further when BMX X-Games medalist Brad Simms joined the Canyon CLLCTV. Brad continues to push the boundaries on what is considered trail riding, bringing his well of BMX mastery to the woods with his Spectral.

Canyon claimed multiple UCI World Championship titles in 2021. German athlete Andreas Seewald took home the rainbow jersey in the Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, taking on the gruelling 6-hour race atop his Canyon Lux. From cross country to enduro, Canyon athletes claimed top spots across the spectrum of mountain biking in 2021.

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? The triathlon world dared to answer that question when two of the biggest names in professional triathlon (and Canyon Speedmax riders), Jan Frodeno and Lionel Sanders, faced off head-to-head in the Tri Battle Royale. The result? Jan Frodeno claimed victory over Lionel Sanders, and set a new world record for the fastest full-distance triathlon time of 7 hours, 27 minutes, and 53 seconds.