Before They Were Champions: Revisiting An Early Interview With A Young Christopher Blevins

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS

In 2025, Christopher Blevins won 9 UCI World Cup races and was the first American Male to earn the UCI Men’s World Cup Overall Championship in 34 years. He raced for Team USA at the 2020 (held in 2021) and 2024 Olympic Games and won the inaugural UCI Short Track MTB World Championship in 2021. Before any of those accomplishments, in the summer of 2021, Blevins was an early guest on this podcast. We're revisiting that conversation in Episode 278 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" to showcase the wisdom, work ethic, and authenticity he exhibited as a young athlete on the precipice of becoming one of the best athletes in the world.

Episode Highlights:

• How BMX training translated to racing MTB and on the road
• The influence of Durango Devo and mentors at Hagens Berman Axeon
• Making the transition from Junior to U23 to Pro
• Starting to work with Coach Jim Miller in 2019
• Seeking balance off the bike with poetry and music

Guest Bio – Christopher Blevins:

With a background in BMX, Cyclocross, and Road Racing, Christopher Blevins developed into a MTB World Champion, World Cup Champion, and 2-time Olympian. In 2021, he made history by winning the inaugural XCC World Championship. Riding for Specialized Factory Racing, Blevins is known for his technical brilliance, tactical intelligence, and clutch sprint finishes. In 2025, he won 9 UCI World Cup races and was the first American Male to earn the UCI Men’s World Cup Overall Championship in 34 years. Off the bike, he’s a poet, advocate, and inspiration to many, using his platform to grow the sport and empower the next generation of cyclists.

Read More About Christopher Blevins:

Website: https://usacycling.org/athlete/christopher-blevins

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherblevs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/19o8lsgMX0NLiGHPfbgOud

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.
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فصول

1. Before They Were Champions: Revisiting An Early Interview With A Young Christopher Blevins (00:00:00)

2. Host Intro And Setup (00:00:06)

3. Why Replay Christopher’s Origin Story (00:00:48)

4. Early Years In Durango And BMX (00:02:41)

5. Devo’s Culture And Community Impact (00:06:30)

6. Development Path: Whole Athlete To Action (00:09:07)

7. Mixing Disciplines For Versatility (00:11:20)

8. Trinity Racing And Multi-Discipline Plans (00:12:49)

9. BMX Vs XCO: Training And Mindset (00:13:55)

10. What Kind Of Rider Is Blevins (00:17:07)

11. Devo Training: Fun First, Hidden Structure (00:19:03)

12. Coaching Shift To Jim Miller (00:22:58)

13. Volume Builds Fitness: The Four-Hour Days (00:26:24)

14. Choosing The Olympic Mountain Bike Focus (00:29:19)

15. Making The Team And Emotions (00:30:04)

16. Pandemic Reset And Purpose (00:30:42)

17. The Mock Grand Tour And KOM Strategy (00:32:02)

18. Overload, Rest, And Long-Term Gains (00:36:06)

19. Music, Poetry, And Finding Balance (00:38:09)

20. Service Work And Wider Perspective (00:41:47)

21. Parting Advice: Community And Knowing Your Why (00:44:30)

22. Closing And Newsletter CTA (00:47:02)