The 22-year-old Vidaurre and former U23 World Champion from Chile met with his new team in California at the Specialized Bicycles headquarters to get to know the new equipment, the engineers and product managers and to test the material for the 2023 season.

"I am happy and very excited to join the Specialized Factory Racing Team. So many factors influenced my decision, but Specialized is a racing company, one of the best out there, and I'm sure I've made the best decision for me. The bikes have a long history and the team knows how to win. On the other hand, there is the big community of Specialized in South America. It won't be easy for sure; there is a lot to learn, but I will keep my style and try something crazy. I don't have a lot of pressure, so it's time to take my chances and gain more experience. My goal is to remain consistent throughout the season," says a delighted Martin Vidaurre.

Team manager Benno Willeit is delighted with the new riders on the team and believes that this is the strongest cross-country squad in his 17 years at Specialized.
"Personally, I'm thrilled with the two new riders we've been able to sign for the next few years. Martin made his first impression in 2020 at the World Championships in Leogang, he was the standout rider of the weekend as he enjoyed the crazy wet and muddy conditions and managed to entertain the crowd without winning the race. From then on, we followed his development and did everything we could to convince him to join our team in 2023. We exchanged a few words with Victor during the season, as he is also a very talented and exciting rider who has the right attitude and shares the team spirit. However, as his contract with "B&B Hotels" runs until the end of 2023, we were ready to start 2023 with five riders in the team. When the rumor about the "B&B team" being dropped came up and Victor was allowed to have talks with other teams again, we continued our talks with him. Together with Bora Hansgrohe, we were able to offer him the ideal environment to fulfill his wish of becoming a champion on the mountain bike and hopefully on the road as well. This is the most exciting and hopefully strongest cross-country team I've worked with since my time at Specialized," says Willeit.
Viktor Koretzky joined the team very late after his road racing team folded, but the Frenchman is motivated and has big goals for the new year. Unfortunately, Viktor was unable to join the team in California, instead joining the Bora Hansgrohe team in Spain.
"I'm looking forward to joining the Specialized Factory Team for 2023 and beyond. The decision was made very late after my last team couldn't fulfill their commitments, but I'm happy to have signed with a team where I can pursue my dreams. I'll be riding for Bora Hansgrohe on the road and we'll be targeting some one-day races. My goal is to be in good shape at the start of the season and do well in these road races before turning to mountain biking. The World Championships in Scotland are important to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games and I will give everything to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to join the team at the last training camp, but I know all the riders and look forward to getting to know them even better soon.

With two new male riders on the team, Christopher Blevins is the most experienced Specialized rider and he is delighted to have two strong riders by his side. "The team dynamic is excellent this year. We had a good start in Santa Cruz with surfing, bowling and shredding trails. We will all push each other to get better and have fun. I'm happy that we have Martin and Victor on board this year. Two super strong riders with a style that is very good for cross-country racing and we are well on our way to wearing the yellow bibs at the World Cups. We're going to have a lot of fun together, on the bike and off.

While the team experienced mixed fortunes in the 2022 season, Performance Director A/Prof. Michael Posthumus is looking forward to the new season. "2022 was a year of challenges and misfortune, but we still achieved some excellent results. We all had big goals going into the 2022 season, but we soon realized that Rome wasn't built in a day. However, there were so many positives towards the end of the season that I'm really looking forward to 2023. I want all the riders to continue to make progress in the new season and stay healthy. The ultimate goal is to improve year on year and improve consistency. With the current squad, we can add a new dimension to the 2023 cross-country season. We are building on the experience of 2022 and I am confident that we have the riders and the experience to dominate as a team. Every one of our riders has the potential to get to the top. I'm looking forward to seeing the team come together and fight for podiums in 2023," says Posthumus.

The Specialized Factory Racing Team continues to consist of a 50 percent ratio of men and women on the team, and there are no changes to the women's squad either. Haley Batten, Sina Frei and Laura Stigger have built a close relationship with each other, and all three praise each other. "The relationship with my two teammates Haley and Laura is excellent. We can push each other on and off the bike, which is a lot of fun. I can learn a lot and it's nice to have these two women by my side, who create a great team atmosphere. I think we'll be the strongest team in the entire mountain bike circus in 2023. I feel good about the two new team members and have a feeling we're going to have an epic year ahead of us. Martin and Victor are a perfect fit for our team," says Sina Frei.

"After a year with Specialized Factory Racing, I feel like our environment continues to improve. I am grateful to be supported by great people who are committed, work hard and have fun at the same time. We have experienced many special moments and I know there are more to come. Sina, Laura and I have built great relationships and I believe that together the three of us can achieve a lot on the world stage. I am also looking forward to welcoming new riders to the team. Our team is set for a great year of racing, especially with the new Specialized equipment that the engineers and people behind the scenes have been working so hard on to get it up to World Cup speed. It's go time," says a delighted Haley Batten.

And Laura Stigger also raves: "It's so cool to be part of this strong women's group at Specialized! It's fun, we can learn a lot from each other and we can achieve a lot together. But in general, we have a strong team of men and women. I'm excited to see what the 2023 season will bring!"

The Specialized Factory Racing Team continues to focus on the World Cup season, Sea Otter Classic, Cape Epic, Specialized events and national championships. The team continues to be supported by Sram, Rockshox, Wahoo, Maurten, HT Components, Retül, Roval, Motorex, Evoc and Supacaz.