With Pace
Professional mountain biker Payson McElveen hosts candid, unscripted conversations with notable figures from sports, adventure, and beyond. The discussions range from survival stories and current events to practical advice, offering a diverse mix of perspectives. As McElveen travels for his cycling career, he connects with athletes, entrepreneurs, and academics who share what drives them. The podcast aims to uncover the mindset behind high achievers and inspire listeners to pursue greatness.
Episodes
Sepp Kuss on racing all three Grand Tours this season
Sepp Kuss is back on the pod after yet another historic season racing all three Grand Tours, and after his stage 19 win at the Giro d'Italia this year, he is now one of the few riders to have won a stage in each. Sepp caught up with Payson during a break in racing to talk about his infamous crash while leading stage 20 of the Tour de France this year, whether he actually enjoys doing all thre
Jacob Hora, the 21-year-old shaking up the ultra endurance mountain bike scene
Most high schoolers spend their time hanging out with friends and worrying about college applications. Jacob Hora spent his time getting trench foot in Central Asia and riding solo across 800 miles of Armenia. At 15, he tackled the notorious Iditarod Trail Invitational with his mentor, Jay Petervary. The following year, he did the 1,200-mile Silk Road Mountain race in Kyrgyzstan. Now a senior at F
Mārtiņš Blūms on Chequamegon and pursuing gravel alongside XCO
Fans of XCO World Cup racing might have been surprised to learn at the beginning of the year that Mārtiņš Blūms was headed for the Grand Prix. The Latvian rider has been a mainstay on the World Cup circuit for a decade, racking up podiums and even winning the 2017 overall as a U23. But as he tells Payson in this conversation, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for cross country riders these d
Sarah Sturm on motherhood and the future of US gravel
One month after giving birth to her daughter, Sarah Sturm is back in the studio with Payson to talk about what has changed and what has stayed the same in these past few transformational weeks. After a relatively smooth pregnancy and birth, she’s already been able to ride again, and she’s found that her relationship with the bike has been permanently altered. In this episode, Sarah discusses the d
Quinn Simmons on Leadville, the Tour, and his Dauphiné stage win
Quinn Simmons made headlines last month when it was announced that he’d be jumping into Leadville just a couple of weeks after racing the Tour de France. He sat down with Payson in Durango this week to talk about his last-minute decision to do the race, his standout performance at the Tour, and the stage win at Dauphiné that helped get him there. He also talks about what it’s like racing against t
Leadville 100 recap with Cobe Freeburn and Lauren Aggeler
This year’s Leadville 100 was unlike any other, with wildfires last month necessitating a reroute of the iconic course and cool temperatures and rain contributing to a chaotic race. Quinn Simmons and Rosa Klöser dropped in just after finishing their respective Tour de Frances, and Keegan Swenson had to sprint for the line for the first time thanks to a standout ride from Matt Wilson. Payson sat do
Cam Jones on racing the Grand Prix as the defending champion and his Leadville strategy
A lot has changed for Cam Jones since our last episode with him a year ago. Back then, he’d just had his breakout ride at Unbound, winning the biggest gravel race in the world as a Grand Prix wild card. Now, he’s the defending champion of the entire series and anything but an underdog. He joins Payson this week to discuss how the racing dynamics have changed now that he’s a known quantity in the p
Chad Cheeney on tracklocross and Sepp Kuss’s Tour de France crash
For the past 20 years, Chad Cheeney has been one of the most influential people in U.S. cycling, even if you’ve never heard of him. As the co-founder of Durango Devo, he’s helped foster the childhood talents of Sepp Kuss, Chris Blevins, Howard Grotts, Riley Amos, and Quinn Simmons, to name a few. More importantly, he’s instilled a lifelong love of cycling in countless Durango kids, regardless of w
Matt Wilson on winning Tulsa Tough on a gravel bike and his breakout year
If you were racing with Matt Wilson last year, it was pretty clear that he was one of the strongest in the bunch, but through mechanicals and various other extenuating circumstances, he never managed to translate his talents into a top finish. This year, the Kiwi rider is out to prove what he can do. First, he snagged third at New Zealand Road Nats and second at XC Nats. Then, he earned one of the
Tom Evans on his Hardrock 100 training camp and early military career
Tom Evans is one of the best ultrarunners in the world, having won both UTMB and Western States. Now, the British runner has his sights set on the Hardrock 100, one of the most technical of the major ultradistance races that starts at 9,300 feet above sea level and covers 33,000 feet of climbing in the rugged San Juan Mountains. Tom talks to Payson about the challenge of preparing for such a remot
Levi Leipheimer on reckoning with the past and his life after the WorldTour
This week, Payson sits down for a candid conversation with Levi Leipheimer. They discuss his long road to processing his time in the WorldTour in the early 2000s, which was marked by remarkable professional success but marred by the doping scandal that shook the cycling world in the early 2010s. Levi talks about how he went from an idealistic kid in Montana dreaming of the WorldTour to his decisio
Nino Schurter on retirement, gravel, and his unprecedented longevity in the sport
Nino Schurter hardly needs an introduction. Widely considered the greatest XCO mountain bike racer of all time, he's won 10 World Championships, nine World Cup overalls, and Olympic bronze, silver, and gold medals. Having retired from World Cup racing at the end of last year, he's been dipping a toe into gravel racing in 2026. In this conversation, Nino talks to Payson about his longevit
Unbound recap pt. 2: the age-group race (with Will, Emily, and Justin)
In the second part of our Unbound recap, Payson speaks to three age-group riders who finished in the middle of the night during torrential rain and thunderstorms. First up is Will Bledsoe, who completed the 100 last year and did most of his training for the 200 this year on an indoor trainer. He talks about his preparation for the race, why he was the very last rider to leave Emporia at the start,
Unbound recap pt. 1: the pro race (with Danni Shrosbree)
This year’s Unbound was humbling. Mud, thunder storms, and mechanicals galore plagued the racers and culled the pro field. To recap the carnage, Payson is joined by Danni Shrosbree, who battled multiple crises to grab a top 10 and secure a wildcard position in the Grand Prix. They discuss their top 5 “What the f*ck” moments from the race, their 5 silver linings, and the 5 most painful parts of the
Unbound course preview with four-time winner Dan Hughes
Dan Hughes is a certified Unbound legend, having won the very first edition way back in 2006 and another three times for good measure. He’s seen the race go from 34 people in a hotel parking lot in Emporia to the most prestigious gravel race in the world. An Emporia local, he now works for Life Time as a Content Specialist and has already spent hours doing recon in the Flint Hills. In other words,
Sam Shaw on setting a new FKT on New Zealand’s Great Tracks
Sam Shaw isn’t your average FKT setter. The Kiwi rider has raced XC, gravel, and Enduro over the years (he was on the podium at XCO nationals just this year), but since getting married and starting a family, he’s worked full-time off the bike as an ecologist and carpenter. Last year, he set the fastest known time between Auckland and Wellington, beating Lachlan Morton’s record. Earlier this month,
Maddie Munro on battling the mud to her first World Cup podium
The first World Cup of the season took place in a new country (South Korea) and featured treacherously muddy conditions that forced riders to navigate large sections of the course on foot. 24-year-old Maddie Munro crossed the finish line in third, using her cyclocross background to propel herself to the best result she’s had since joining the Elite ranks last year. Payson caught up with Maddie to
Lauren Stephens and Levi Leipheimer on Levi's GranFondo
This week, we continue our recap of Levi’s GranFondo with this year’s winner, Lauren Stephens, who checked in from the Tour of the Gila to talk about running her own team, the dismal state of road racing in the US, and her controversial use of race radios during the Sea Otter Classic last month. Then, Payson talks to Levi Leipheimer about why he decided to create Levi’s GranFondo back in 2009, why
Brennan Wertz on his unexpected Levi's GranFondo podium
Brennan Wertz wasn’t expecting much at Levi’s GranFondo last weekend. At 6’5” and over 200 pounds, he isn’t the type of rider who usually excels at races with nearly 14,000 feet of climbing, and, to use his own description, he'd “got his doors blown off” last year. But through savvy tactics and a sense of having nothing to lose, he managed to spend most of the six-hour race in two breakaways
Sea Otter recap with Sarah Sturm
The 2026 Life Time Grand Prix is officially underway after an action-packed day at Sea Otter. In the injury-ridden men’s field, Bradyn Lange surged to victory in a sprint finish with Keegan Swenson. In the women’s field, Sofia Gomez-Villafañe took the win in a stacked field that battled headwinds and countless attacks throughout most of the day. Payson sat down with Sarah Sturm to recap the day’s
Morgan Aguirre on preparing for her first Grand Prix season
It’s been more than two years since we last had Morgan Aguirre on the show, and since then, a lot has changed for her. After two strong seasons racing gravel mainly in Europe, she is headed for the Grand Prix this year for the first time. Payson caught up with Morgan in Northern California this week, where they are both preparing for Sea Otter. They discuss her suboptimal start to the season, how
Mike Woods on his unlikely WorldTour career and multi-sport retirement plans
Mike Woods' career in the WorldTour was practically a fluke. After earning a full ride to college for running, he quit the sport over a series of injuries and started riding his dad's bike on the weekends. Fast forward about a decade and he had won three stages of the Vuelta a España and one stage of the Tour de France. Last year, he announced his retirement after over 10 years in the Wo
Samuele Bressan, Head of Global Marketing for Pirelli's cycling division
During Payson’s trip to Italy last week to race The Hills, he stopped by the headquarters of his new tire sponsor, Pirelli, for a tour of the factory floor. Afterward, he sat down with Samuele Bressan, the company’s Head of Global Marketing for its cycling division. They discuss why Pirelli, which is primarily known for its high-performance tires for luxury sports cars and Formula 1 racing, decide
George Hincapie on Modern Adventure Pro Cycling and his storied racing career
After more than three decades in the sport, George Hincapie has started a new venture this year as the founder of the UCI Pro Road Team Modern Adventure Pro Cycling. It’s already gaining steam much faster than he expected — so fast, in fact, that they’re headed to the Volta a Catalunya and Paris Roubaix this year. George sat down with Payson this week to talk about why he wanted to start a new tea
Alex Miller on growing up in rural Namibia and joining Swatt Club
Alex Miller is a two-time Olympic XC racer from Namibia with multiple road and XC marathon national titles. These days, he lives in Girona and races for Swatt Club, splitting his schedule between gravel, road, and mountain bike races. He joins Payson this week to talk about growing up on a 49,000-acre farm in Namibia, his journey to becoming an XC Olympian, the time he beat Matt Beers in a sprint,
Luke Lamperti on opening weekend of the Belgian Classics and chasing marginal gains
The last time we spoke to Luke Lamperti was two years ago, when he was just starting out as a WorldTour neo-pro with Quick-Step. This year, he’s switched to EF and has already racked up some impressive finishes. In fact, Payson ran into him just a day after he got back from snagging two top 10s at opening weekend of the Belgian Classics. Luke sat down with Payson to give the inside scoop on those
Sahara Gravel stage 4 recap with Leoni Kolberg
To close out our Sahara Gravel coverage, Payson sat down with race volunteer Leoni Kolberg, who has spent the past four years riding around the world, often solo and sleeping in a tent. Last year, she rode across South America. Before that, she rode across Iran and Pakistan. Leoni sat down with Payson amongst the sand dunes to talk about what it’s like to live on the road for so long, dealing with
Sahara Gravel stage 3 recap with Eddy Le Huitouze
Stage 3 of Sahara Gravel took the riders away from the Atlas Mountains and towards the Sahara Desert, with 95 kilometers ending in a tailwind. Payson is joined by stage winner Eddy Le Huitouze to discuss how the race played out, but first, they do a little background on how he got here. The 22-year-old Frenchman just completed two years in the WorldTour with FDJ and has been racing bikes since the
Sahara Gravel stage 2 recap with Nicolas Roche and Marta Torà
Stage 2 of Sahara Gravel comprised 105km and 1800 meters of climbing. To recap the day, Payson is joined by former WorldTour pro Nicolas Roche and mountain biker Marta Torà, who are taking on the race together in the pairs category. They talk about how they’ve worked out their pacing strategy, what they each bring to the table with their vastly different racing backgrounds, and the tight battle th
Sahara Gravel stage 1 recap with Lizzie Hermolle
Stage 1 of Sahara Gravel was 99 kilometers in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Payson is joined to recap the day by UK Gravel National Champ and today's stage winner, Lizzlie Hermolle. They discuss the profile of the route, an unexpected camel caravan, and the difficulty of riding through the desert sand. Lizzie also discusses her bike setup for the race and provides some background on h
Caleb Swartz on transitioning from cyclocross to the Grand Prix
Caleb Swartz started racing cyclocross when he was eight years old, but the discipline has been dwindling in the US since the 2010s, and the writing has been on the wall for any American racers wanting to make a sustainable career from it. Last year, Caleb started branching out into a few gravel events just to see where it would take him, and he ended up with two standout performances at Grand Pri
Allied FITZ is here: CEO Drew Medlock and Director of Product and Engineering Sam Pickman on the new trail bike
You might have heard that Allied just released a new feather-light trail bike this week. The FITZ is new territory for the brand, so it seemed like a good opportunity to bring in Allied’s CEO Drew Medlock and Director of Product and Engineering Sam Pickman to talk about why they decided to add a trail bike to their lineup and what makes this one so unique. They discuss the nitty-gritty specs, of c
Riley Amos on his first year as an Elite and his love of product development
Most riders spend their first year in the Elite ranks just trying to find their feet, but Riley Amos was determined to be different. He had good reason for it. Not only did he have a dominant final season as a U23 in 2024, but he also finished 7th at the Paris Olympics, the highest an American male has ever finished in the Olympic XC race. Looking back on his mindset coming into 2025, though, he a
Haley Smith on becoming a privateer in 2026 while doing her PhD
Haley Smith has been on one factory team or another since she was in her teens. In that time, she spent a decade as a World Cup XC racer, went to the 2021 Olympics, and won the inaugural round of the Life Time Grand Prix. But this year, she’s embarking on a new chapter as a privateer. She’s also doing it while completing her PhD. Haley caught up with Payson in Girona this week to talk about the ch
Mads Würtz Schmidt on his transition from WorldTour to gravel
Mads Würtz Schmidt might be a newcomer to gravel, but he’s already established himself as one of the best in the world. The 31-year-old Danish rider went all in on the sport last year with little financial support and ended up winning the Traka, becoming the European Gravel Champion, and snagging fourth at Unbound. This year, he’ll be racing alongside Keegan Swenson and Matt Beers as part of the n
2025 in review (with Nichole Baker)
We're back from our holiday break, and Payson and Nichole are here to recap a packed 2025. They offer a peek behind the curtain at their year, from the emotional toll of Payson's broken hip last spring to finally offloading one of the worst investments of all time. They also answer listener questions about Nichole's first year of structured training and racing, their favorite off th
Staying fit in the off season and Privateer Parts with Sarah Sturm
Sarah Sturm is back for another monthly catch-up, and this time, she and Payson are talking gym routines. How much lifting is too much? Should you be lifting heavy or doing high reps? And how bad is it for Sarah’s cycling career that she can’t do toes to bar? Then, they do their Privateer Parts segment in which Payson tries to figure out what is in the box that was addressed to him but which defin
Kevin Vermaak on founding the Cape Epic and Gravel Burn
When Kevin Vermaak left his job in IT to found a brand-new type of bike race, he had no idea how much money he’d lose up front or how successful the resulting event would become. 20 years in, and the Cape Epic is one of the most famous bike races in the world. After leaving it behind in 2016, Kevin began mulling over a new idea — a gravel stage race that explored a completely different part of Sou
Scott Bowden on his Crossing Tasmania FKT attempt
Scott Bowden set out two weeks ago to tackle a 580km route across Tasmania. His goal was to beat Payson’s FKT from 2021, but most importantly, he just wanted to finish. With 11,000 meters of elevation, multiple river crossings, all types of weather, and punishing terrain, the route is brutal to say the least, and when Scott found himself struggling to keep his body temperature, he thought about pu
Ride With Pace: HolySpiritOfGravel
Leni Carrillo, a self-proclaimed "gravel normie" from San Antonio, Texas is the genius behind the HolySpiritofGravel meme account on Instagram. With her lighthearted and extremely specific takes on the world of gravel racing, she brings some much needed levity to a sport that can take itself pretty seriously. In doing so, she's earned a passionate fanbase. Payson caught up with Leni
The 2026 Grand Prix roster with Sarah Sturm
This week on the show, Payson sits down with Sarah Sturm to talk about the roster for 2026’s Life Time Grand Prix, which was released last week and contained more surprises than all the previous years combined. Payson and Sarah chat about the lengthy list of brand-new riders, the heartbreak and shock of seeing one of the most promising young racers of the past few years shut out of the series comp
Gravel Burn recap with Bradyn Lange and Dan Craven
With the inaugural edition of Gravel Burn in the rearview mirror, Payson sits down with Bradyn Lange for an overall recap. Due to illness, Bradyn wasn’t able to compete in the pro field and instead dropped in partway through the seven-day event to capture some media from inside the bunch. Then, Payson, chats with Dan Craven, a former professional road racer from Namibia who served as Gravel Burn c
Gravel Burn stage 6 recap with Hayley Preen
Stage 6 of Gravel Burn did not go according to plan. Strong winds led to treacherous conditions, and after Swiss rider Andri Frischknecht suffered a crash due to high crosswinds, the 144-kilometre stage was neutralised. To recap the day, Payson is joined by South African rider Hayley Preen, who is currently sitting in third place in the GC. They talk about the weather out on course, what it was li
Gravel Burn stage 5 recap with Tom Pidcock
Stage 5 of Gravel Burn was slow despite being more than 50% paved, and it finished on a 2500-foot climb. Tom Pidcock took the stage win and joins Payson to recap the day. They also discuss the logistics of his Il Lombardia / UCI Gravel Worlds double-header earlier this month, why he decided to take a break from his off season to come to South Africa, and how he chooses which events and disciplines
Gravel Burn stage 4 recap with Lukas Baum and Georg Egger
Stage 4 of Gravel Burn was 111 kilometres of near-constant headwind. Payson is joined by Speed Company duo Lukas Baum and Georg Eggers to get the lowdown on their moves that shook up the race early and how Lukas’s flat impacted his third-place GC position. Lukas and Georg have been friends since they raced as juniors. After becoming XC Junior World Champion in 2013, however, Lucas fell out of love
Gravel Burn stage 3 recap with Simon Pellaud
Stage 3 of Gravel Burn was rough and tactical. Simon Pellaud, who has raced in just about every corner of the world this season and is hot off his second-place finish in the Life Time Grand Prix, took the stage win over Matt Beers and is currently sitting in second in the GC. He joins Payson to talk about how the stage played out, his strategy for securing the win, and the crash he witnessed. Than
Gravel Burn stage 2 recap with Haley Smith
Stage two of Gravel Burn was 108 kilometres from Avontuur to Willowmore and it was much drier than yesterday. Both Matt Beers and Axelle Dubau-Prévot managed to hold on to their leads, but there were shakeups in the rest of the field. Payson is joined by Haley Smith to break down the day, including her tight finish for third, why she was so excited to compete in the event, and how she's appro
Gravel Burn stage 1 recap with Axelle Dubau-Prévot and Hugo Drechou
Stage 1 of Gravel Burn is done and dusted -- a cold, rainy 84 kilometers with a spicy 2,000+ meters of climbing. Payson is joined by French gravel national champions Axelle Dubau-Prévot and Hugo Drechou to break down the race. Despite viewing this trip more as a holiday than anything else, Axelle took the win today over WorldTour legend Ashleigh Moolman and her fellow South African Hayley Preen. H
Gravel Burn preview
Our daily Gravel Burn recaps start tomorrow, so we're bringing you an overview of the seven-day South African stage race, including a day-by-day breakdown of the route and a rundown of the start list, which features the likes of Tom Pidcock, Lachlan Morton, Alison Jackson, and Lauren Stephens. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Big Sugar recap with Paige Onweller
The 2025 Life Time Grand Prix finished with a bang thanks to a razor-thin margin in the men’s field and a last-minute course change due to weather. Payson is joined by Paige Onweller to break down how it all played out. Paige was sidelined from the season after she was hit by a car a couple of months ago, but as a Bentonville resident, she knows the route better than anyone, including the pros who
Little Sugar recap with Andrew L’Esperance, points analysis, and listener experiences
The second-to-last round of the Life Time Grand Prix shook up the points chase in a big way thanks to a ruthless course that caused a never-ending series of crashes and flats. Payson walks through the standings before the final round this weekend, in which four riders in the men’s field could come away with the series overall. Then, he sits down with Andrew L’Esperance, who got third at Little Sug
Dylan Johnson on the mental toll of injury recovery and the story behind his YouTube channel
Over the past handful of years, Dylan Johnson has emerged as one of the key voices in gravel through his YouTube channel, where he does deep dives on everything from drivetrain efficiency and crank length to tire size and science-backed training tips. At the same time, he’s been rising through the ranks of gravel racing, competing in the Grand Prix every year and taking a top 10 at Unbound in 2025
Todd Wells on bringing the mountain bike world championships back to Durango
What do Sepp Kuss, Christopher Blevins, Howard Grotts, and Asa Vermette have in common? They all grew up in the small town of Durango, Colorado. The list of cycling pros that now live there is formidable, and includes our guest, 3x Olympian and 15x XC and CX National Champion Todd Wells. Last week, it was announced that Durango would host the 2030 mountain bike World Championships, 40 years after
Ride With Pace: Ellen Campbell before Chequamegon
In this bonus episode, we’re bringing you Payson’s ride-along chat with Ellen Campbell the day before Chequamegon. They talk about how her Grand Prix season is going so far, what it’s like to be sitting just outside the top 10 going into the final two rounds of the series, and her gear choices for the race. They also talk about her Ride Dirt program, a series of workshops in which she teaches wome
Bradyn Lange on winning Gravel Nationals
Just a few hours after winning Gravel Nationals, Bradyn Lange sat down with Payson at the house they were sharing in the lead-up to the race for a wide-ranging conversation about the event and all the things that had to fall into place to get him there. Bradyn has always identified more as a mountain biker than a gravel racer, but after struggling to find sponsors and snagging a rogue 4th place at
Chequamegon recap with Melisa Rollins, last place finishers, and points analysis
In our latest Grand Prix recap, Payson takes a recovery spin with Melisa Rollins, who won the women’s race solo and made the competition for the top spot in this year’s standings even tighter. Then, he chats with Charlie and Steve, two friends who work for the Forest Service who were the last people to cross the finish line before the cutoff. But first, Payson crunches some numbers to see where th
Will Gilmore, performance coach at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center
When Payson hobbled his way into the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in May with a broken hip, he wasn’t expecting to be off crutches anytime soon, but thanks to the work of coaches like Will Gilmore, he not only managed to leave the facility without crutches, but also to jump back into racing a full month and a half before he’d planned. Will started his career in baseball, playing professiona
Maude Farrell on winning the Lead Challenge after months of balancing cycling and ultrarunning
Mountain bike racing is hard. Ultrarunning is hard. So why did Maude Farrell decide to make things extra brutal for herself this season by combining them? Earlier this month, she won the Lead Challenge, a multi-month series comprised of five trail running and mountain bike races at over 10,000 feet. The final week of the series involved racing the Leadville 100 mountain bike race, running the Lead
Ride With Pace: Zach Calton the morning after the Leadville 100
The day after placing top 10 at the Leadville 100, Zach Calton joined Payson on a ride to talk about returning to form after the toughest season of his career. They discuss how it all started a year ago at the Breck Epic, his disastrous experience at the Cape Epic, and how he’s slowly found his footing again this season. Use code PACE20 for 20% your first order of LTH supplements and take the quiz
Ride With Pace: Bradyn Lange after Leadville
Barely half an hour after crossing the finish line at the Leadville 100, Bradyn Lange joined Payson for a painful cooldown ride at 10,000 ft. They debrief about the race, talk about Bradyn’s last-minute set-up change, and debate whether Leadville is harder than Unbound. Use code PACE20 for 20% off your first order of LTH supplements and take the quiz to get a plan tailored to your goals and needs.
Leadville recap, with Torbjørn Røed, Cecily Decker, Emily Fagan, and key takeaways
In this packed Leadville 100 recap, Payson chats with 4th-place finisher Torbjørn Røed about his journey to the Grand Prix and their sprint finish last weekend. Then, he talks to Cecily Decker (aka Diesel Decker), who saw her months-long preparation for the race pay off when she took third place on the day and the top spot in the Grand Prix standings. Later, he chats with Emily Fagan, a middle sch
Cam Jones on his U23 misadventures in Europe and growing up in New Zealand
Cam Jones has had a pretty memorable 2025 season, rocketing from Grand Prix wild card to winner of Unbound. And yet, that dramatic turn of events pales in comparison to his 2022 season. For his final year as a U23, Cam planned to race every World Cup in the hope that it might secure him a team for the start of his Elite career. After a promising start to the season, things went downhill fast. Kidn
Robin Gemperle on winning the Tour Divide in under 12 days
Robin Gemperle defied all previous Tour Divide records earlier this year when he finished the notorious 2,700-mile race in less than 12 days, more than 300 miles ahead of second place. Formerly a junior member of the Scott-SRAM cross country team, he felt that there was untapped potential in maximising how fast the route could be ridden, not just how efficiently riders could sleep and refuel. Brin
Kate Courtney on tackling Leadville and her first season as a privateer
Kate Courtney returns to the show the day after completing the Leadville Stage Race. Just a few months ago, it was barely on her radar, but after a broken wrist took her out of the World Cup circuit, she decided to look for a new way to challenge herself before the season starts up again at the end of August. In a couple of weeks, she’ll be lining up for her first Leadville 100. Kate sat down with
Cécile Lejeune on her steep gravel learning curve and medically retiring from sports in college
Cécile Lejeune started racing triathlons in her native France at 12 years old and quickly began picking up national titles. After gaining the attention of international recruiters, she moved to the US to race track in college. Soon, however, a chronic series of stress fractures took her out of competition and forced her into early retirement. Now, after just one year racing gravel, she’s become a
Annika Langvad on coming out of retirement after having a baby
With six mountain bike world championships, a Leadville win, six World Cups, and six Cape Epic victories under her belt, Annika Langvad is one of the most decorated off road cyclists of all time. But shortly after yet another career triumph in 2019 when she pivoted to road racing and placed second at the Strade Bianche, she decided it was time to retire from racing. She began working as a dentist,
Oregon Trail stage 5 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm, with Dylan Stucki and Nichole Baker
Payson and Sarah made it back to Bend. They may be a bit more haggard than they were at the beginning of the race, but that hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm. They sit down to talk about how the final stage played out, including all the tactics that went into the series overall standings. Then, they bring in Sarah’s husband Dylan to talk about his week, which involved a lot of mountain biking and c
Oregon Trail stage 4 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm
Payson and Sarah had two very different experiences on day four of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. They recap their respective miseries and triumphs on this second-to-last day, discuss how things are shaping up in the overall standings, and talk about the literal run-in with wildlife that left the racers shaken. They also talk about Dylan’s victory at the hot dog eating contest, the greatest gift
Oregon Trail stage 3 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm, with Skyler Taylor
Stage 3 saw the riders heading out for an enduro day that turned out to be very heavy on the climbing. Skyler Taylor, who won the men’s stage, joins Payson and Sarah to talk about how he managed to reel in Cam Jones who has so far dominated the race with his power and descending skills. He also talks about deciding to leave his full-time job to focus on gravel this year, which he quickly followed
Oregon Trail stage 2 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm, with Cécile Lejeune
After the punishing 94.7 miles of stage two, Payson and Sarah sit down with Cécile Lejeune, who is currently duking it out for first place in the overall despite having raced fewer than 10 gravel races in her entire career. They recap the day, which included multiple crashes, plenty of interpersonal drama, and a few good samaritans. They also talk about Sarah’s issue with Cécile’s snack choices, t
Oregon Trail stage 1 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm
As the dust settles on stage one of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder, Payson and Sarah sit down to talk about the punishing 80 miles from Bend to Gilchrist. They discuss how things played out in the men’s and women’s fields, how Sarah’s new haircut might have taken her out of contention, Evel Knievel’s leap across the Snake River, and her husband Dylan’s run-in with a skunk that has followed them t
Ride With Pace: Sarah Sturm and Taylor Lideen at Unbound
In this final episode on this year’s Unbound, we’re bringing you two interviews that Payson recorded while on the ground in Emporia. The first took place with Sarah Sturm the night before the race in which she discusses the limitations of team tactics in the women’s field. Her husband Dylan Stucki and mechanic Anna Greetis also chime in to talk about what it’s like doing the aid stations at such a
Ride With Pace: Rosa Klöser the day after Unbound
Going into Unbound this year as the defending champion, Rosa Klöser knew she was a marked woman. What she didn’t expect was that the usual crashes and chaos of gravel’s biggest event would start as soon as the first handful of miles. After a fall, a flat, and a wrong turn in the finish shoot, Rosa managed to walk away with fourth place. She caught up with Payson for a recovery spin the day after t
Unbound recap part II with Karo Migoń and key takeaways
In the second part of our Unbound recap, Payson chats with Karo Migón about her dominant win. After initiating an early breakaway with two other riders, she went solo with nearly 50 miles to go, finishing all on her own despite having a slow rear puncture. Her ride is even more impressive considering that last year was her first gravel season and she's currently on sabbatical from her job as
Unbound recap part I with Cam Jones
In the first half of our Unbound recap, Payson sits down with men's 200 winner Cam Jones to talk about his stunning breakaway with TudorPro rider Simon Pellaud that stuck from mile 50 all the way through to a massive course record. Cam went into the race hoping to earn a wild card slot in the Grand Prix and left the race as a favorite for the series overall. He chats to Payson about his decis
Unbound preview with Dylan Johnson
It’s Unbound week and Payson sat down with fellow sidelined-by-injury Grand Prix rider Dylan Johnson to set the scene and make some predictions. They talk about how last year’s race played out, what the weather is shaping up to be like and how it could impact the race, and why they think the team tactics will be completely different this year. They also have the obligatory conversation about tire
Nichole Baker on her unexpected detour into racing and graduating from Johns Hopkins
For years, Payson has maintained that Nichole is the most talented athlete in their household, but it wasn’t until this winter that she finally decided to add some structure to her riding and shoot for some concrete goals. It all came about during an unusual lull in her schedule shortly after she and Payson finished his crossing project in New Zealand and got married in Tasmania, and just after sh
Alexey Vermeulen on shaking up the Grand Prix and bringing new talent into the sport
Alexey Vermeulen has a lot of thoughts on how US gravel can improve. A 100-mile Unbound. A U23 field. Fewer elite riders in the Grand Prix—the list goes on. Since leaving the WorldTour to join the American off-road scene, Alexey has become one of the most prominent racers in the sport, finishing second overall in the first two years of the Grand Prix and being a leading voice among his peers throu
Iz King on balancing gravel racing and pregnancy
When Iz King got pregnant six months ago, she wasn’t sure how it would affect her career as a gravel racer. Like many female athletes who want to start a family someday, she was all too aware that pregnancy, like being an elite-level competitor, is contingent on a finite biological window. She knew right away that she wanted to continue racing, but she also knew that her career was going to change
Biju Thomas on fueling the US Olympic team in Paris and cooking 900 pounds of chicken at Sea Otter
Chef Biju Thomas made a major impact on cycling when he helped co-found Skratch Labs with his friend Allen Lim, but these days, you're most likely to find him cooking for cyclists at large events. For example, he was part of the squad that fueled the US cycling team at the Paris Olympics last summer. More recently, he was busy making several thousand meals at Sea Otter. Biju sat down with Pay
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