Despite only being 32 years old, Canadian cross-country athlete Emily Batty is one of the veterans of her sport. And thanks to her "Emily Batty Project" to promote young bikers, she is also regarded as a strong role model beyond the borders of race tracks worldwide. It is therefore an extraordinary honor and pleasure for Canyon to welcome this likeable and successful athlete to its ranks. Emily not only brings four Canadian national championship titles, two third overall World Cup placings and two bronze medals from world championships with her to Koblenz, but also great ambitions to follow up these titles with a few more big ones.

"So much was unknown last season and I had no intention of wasting valuable mental and physical energy going into 2020 without knowing for sure that races were still taking place," says Emily Batty, looking back on the special 2020 season. "So while my performance could have been far better, I feel that I'm going into 2021 even hungrier, more rested and more motivated than many of my competitors. And I have big goals that I'm really looking forward to: the Olympic Games, the World Championships and, of course, the World Cup. As far as my performance is concerned, I want nothing less than the maximum in the 2021 season!"

"Emily is a great addition to the Canyon family, both athletically and because of her committed personality and role model character," says Canyon CEO Armin Landgraf, delighted with the addition to the professional Olympic cross-country team. "I am sure that with her experience she will not only be successful on our bikes, but will also be able to give us valuable feedback for further development steps." Emily herself is also positive about precisely this aspect of the collaboration: "My new Canyon bikes are fantastic! The Exceed and Lux are both so perfectly balanced that I can push them at any time without having to worry about my front wheel. Canyon are already asking for my feedback and I'm happy that I can finally have a voice and a part in how a product is developed." The Canadian has also already identified the particular strengths of her new Lux and Exceed: "Most manufacturers are responding to the changing demands of modern cross country with increasingly slacker head angles, longer top tubes and a shorter rear end. But it's not that simple. Canyon really does an impressive job of looking at the big picture, i.e. every attribute of a cross-country bike."

However, it wasn't just sporting aspects that prompted Batty to switch to the world's most successful direct-2-consumer bike brand: "It was time for a change. I learned that it takes more than just the equipment and infrastructure to make progress in our sport. The very first time I visited Canyon in Koblenz, Roman Arnold invited me straight to his home for lunch with his family. I felt incredibly welcome and connected to the values and core of the brand. Everyone ticks like me, and Canyon is forward thinking and impressively innovative. When you experience this in person, meet the people and get to know their company culture, you quickly realize: it doesn't get any better than this."

Emily shares this impression with Canyon founder Roman Arnold: "I've been following Emily's career for a while now, after all, Olympic cross country is not a new segment for us in professional sport. I am delighted that she has placed her trust in us and I am sure that Emily will be able to develop even further in this new constellation than we have seen from her to date."

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