Podcasts about grand depart

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP The Giro has finished for another year, which means all eyes are now shifting to the big one; Le Tour. We're just under a month away from the Grand Depart, so who better to speak to than an Aussie legend that's won stages in all three Grand Tours, nearly won the Vuelta last year, bagged himself the Silver medal at the World Champs, and narrowly missed the podium at the Tour back in 2021 - that's right, it's Perth's own Ben O'Connor!  Now in his 9th pro season, Ben's just joined the Aussie team over at Greenedge. I wanted to know what it's like for him finally signing for the only Australian World Tour team as an Aussie rider representing over in Europe. He's a proud Western Australian, hailing from Subiaco over in Perth, and I wanted to know how he felt about the riding and racing scene over there; especially after they hosted the Aussie nationals over this year! Ben's career so far has seen him consistently improving year on year, and without doubt 2024 was the best season he's had so far. He won himself a stage early on in the Vuelta - completing the Grand Tour set to go along with his stages in the 2020 Giro and 2021 Tour - led the race for 2 weeks and almost won the overall before being Roglified by a storming Slovenian on his way to his 4th victory at the Spanish race. On top of this, Ben finished 2nd at the World Champs - establishing himself as a real one-day contender after getting the better of the likes of Van Der Poel and Remco!  Of course, a lot of you might know Ben best for his role in the ‘Tour de France: Unchained' series over on Netflix. I wanted to find out more about what it was like racing the biggest race of the season with cameras in your face all day, and how he felt about the way the series portrayed him.  As always, we end up talking about all sorts: Ben's career so far, the highs, the lows, fatherhood, what Ben likes doing away from cycling, and more. I also wanted to chuck in some listener questions! That's right, those of you that heard the call and sent in your questions for Ben'O get some airtime on this month's pod. I love hearing your questions and pitching them to Ben, so make sure you listen to hear what he had to say! I've loved watching Ben's career and seeing him grow into a real Grand Tour contender. How could I not, he's an Aussie - especially now he's over on Greenedge rocking that fresh MAAP kit! It's no secret that Ben's number one goal this year is the Tour de France, so I had to ask him if he thinks Pogi can be beaten. What does Ben think? You'll have to listen to find out… Enjoy this ep, guys. Ben's a great guest and I had a blast having a yarn with him about bikes, wine, Netflix, and heaps more. Good luck in France this July, Ben! Can't wait to see you giving it to old mate Tadej!  Cheers, Mitch! ----more---- This episode is brought to you by our friends at Saily. If you're heading overseas for your next ride or trip? Avoid nasty roaming fees and get set up with Saily, the eSIM app from the legends behind NordVPN. Download the app and use the code PELOSURF for 15% off your next data plan — or hit shokz.com and use the code LITP to score yourself a special listener-only discount.

Vertrekt de Tour de France in 2027 vanuit 't Gooi????  Met deze vraag kondigden we de show van vanmiddag aan. Wetende dat de motie veel ruimer was geformuleerd …. Want met het organiseren van een grote wielerronde denkt men een impuls te kunnen geven aan de bekendheid, het toerisme en de economie van deze gemeente. In de studio ….. Vera van Etten, raadslid WIJ Gooise Meren ligt wel, ze komt vertellen.Op zaterdag avond 29 maart zal het Loosdrechtse koor Fun4All een concert organiseren dat begeleid zal worden door het Vegas Orchestra … en nu even meetellen … want een koor van 45 leden, waarbij zich 14 zgn meezingers voor hebben aangemeld … en zoals gezegd ….. begeleid door een orkest van 21 personen. Een en vindt plaats vanaf 19.30 uur en de locatie is De Morgenster te Hilversum. In de studio violiste Desiree Wijma.Mark Winter is een sportman Pur Sang ! Dat wisten wij al bij Gooische Business, want wij hebben al eens op bezoek gehad toen hij een paar jaar geleden de Sportschool Mea Gym opzette. Nu wij tegenwoordig met onze Podcast veelal op locatie zijn, is een goede conditie van het team van groot belang. Immers trappen op en af met apparatuur, van hot naar her !  Zo kwamen wij op het idee om eens uitgebreid te praten met Mark, niet zozeer over zijn sportschool, maar wel over zijn sportieve roeping als "Personal Trainer"  en begeleider van allerlei mensen die iets aan hun gezondheid wil doen. Hoe doe je dat, wanneer doe je dat en waarom doe je dat, allemaal vragen, waarop je een antwoord krijgt van Mark in onze Podcast van aanstaande vrijdag 21 Maart, de dag waarop ook nog eens de Lente begint.Adverteren? Dat kan gewoon ..... mail ons voor de opties.

"The Log Driver's Waltz isn't a race; it's an invitation. An opportunity for anyone curious about bikepacking to show up, ride at their own pace, and share the experience. It brings people together—whether you're pushing yourself against the clock or taking time to enjoy the landscape and small communities along the way.”That's how Jen Adams and Eric Betteridge describe the Log Driver's Waltz—a stunning 800-kilometer bikepacking loop weaving through Ontario's Ottawa Valley and into Quebec. For them, it's all about community, shared experience, and adventure at your own pace.In this episode, Jen and Eric share how decades of adventure together—17-day canoe trips, countless rides through their home region, and racing the Tour Divide—led them to create this unique route. The Log Driver's Waltz isn't just about the terrain (though with 75% unpaved roads, forested trails, and rugged paths, it's no joke). It's about inviting riders to show up, ride how they want, and share the experience.We also dive into what it's like to ride as a couple, how they balance different rhythms on and off the bike, and why building an inclusive bikepacking community matters. Plus, Jen and Eric explain how the Log Driver's Waltz became part of the St. Lawrence Bikepacking Triple Crown and how they've intentionally created stepping stones—from accessible rallies to the full 800k loop—to help more people get into bikepacking.If you've ever been curious about lining up for a Grand Depart, wondered how to build confidence for your first bikepacking trip, or thought about what it takes to ride (and create) a route like this, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we talk about:The story behind the Log Driver's Waltz and its ties to Canadian cultureHow decades of adventure—from canoe trips to the Tour Divide—shaped Jen and Eric's approach to route buildingRiding as a couple: balancing different strengths, rhythms, and goals on the bikeThe creation of the St. Lawrence Bikepacking Triple Crown and fostering connections across the regionWhy community-building, safety, and accessibility are at the heart of the Log Driver's WaltzHow the route offers something for everyone—from those chasing FKTs to riders seeking a leisurely multi-day adventureTips for tackling the route, including bike setups, resupply points, and managing its surprisingly punchy climbsDetails & Links for the Log Driver's Waltz2025 Grand Depart: August 23rd,8 AM, Almonte Hills, Ontario, CanadaSpring Rally: For those who want to experience the route in more digestible chunksLog Driver's Waltz Official WebsiteLog Driver's Waltz Tips & Planning Facebook GroupFollow Jen & Eric's updates and rally details on social media @thelogdriverswaltzAs always, a huge thank you to Albion for supporting Detours this year. Follow along:Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rohan Dennis drops by the podcast ahead of the Grand Depart in Brussels and has a chat with Christophe and Macca

In 2000 Chris Smith was diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease, by 2009 he was declared legally blind. No longer able to drive he turned to the bike as a way to get to work 3 miles from his house. At the time he tipped the scales at over 300 lbs and the 3 mile ride to work was a real challenge, but Chris wasn't discouraged. He kept at it, joined friends for group rides, and eventually went on to earn a buckle at Leadville in 2019, to mark his 10th year of blindness. He went back the following 3 years, each time earning a buckle. For his 15th anniversary of being declared legally blind he set his sites higher, much higher. After watching Ride The Divide he decided to take on the holy grail of bikepacking, the Tour Divide. An ambitious goal for anyone, but particularly so for Chris since he hadn't done a multi-day bikepacking trip, and he's blind. Undeterred, he hired a coach, and started training for the Grand Depart, only 8 months away. It took him 47 days and 10 hours, he was the 2nd to last finisher, but nothing stopped Chris from accomplishing his goal, and after riding the Tour Divide, I doubt anything ever will. Chris was riding to bring awareness to blindness and raising money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Through his efforts he was able to raise $28,000 which will go to help finding cures for blindness diseases like his. You can find out more about Chris, and donate, on his website. EPISODE SPONSORS Red Granite Grinder - Epic gravel race in Wisconsin on Oct. 12th, 2024. Smash the link for more information and registration. Follow My Challenge - The official tracking service for Texas Showdown Series any many other premier events. New Patrons  Nathaniel Ray Join them won't you? Now is a great time to sign up at Patreon!

Abby, Tilda, and Loren are on the ground in Rotterdam for the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. All the fastest Dutch women wanted the first stage victory, but only one rider could pull on the first yellow jersey. The stage was not without some controversy, some ice cream needed, and some of that first stage hype.

Abby, Tilda and Loren are on the ground in Rotterdam for the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. All the fastest Dutch women wanted the first stage victory, but only one rider could pull on the first yellow jersey. The stage was not without some controversy, some ice cream needed and some of that first stage hype.With audio diaries from Emma Norsgaard (Movistar), Quinty Ton (Liv AlUla Jayco), and Léa Curinier (FDJ-Suez).

Vi är på plats i Rotterdam för damernas Grand Depart! Och inte nog med det, vi har cyklat med Andy Schleck, kollat etappen och intervjuat båda svenskorna som är på plats och rejsar! Stort tack till Skoda som bjudit ned oss på resan!

De Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is van start gegaan! Met de bijzondere Grand Depart in Nederland! Voormalig profwielrenster Vera Koedooder en haar voormalig ploeggenoot en kamergenoot tijdens deze Tour de Femmes Chantal Beltman blikken terug op de knotsgekke eerste dag van Rotterdam naar Den-Haag. Zij rijden deze week namelijk in koers rond met VIP gasten. Vera voor gasten van LIV Cycling en Chantal voor Zwift. Wie denken Vera en Chantal bij de voorspellingen? Veel luisterplezier! En vergeet niet mee te doen met onze winactie van Liv Cycling!De witte jongerentrui van Liv is namelijk te winnen! Gesigneerd en wel door de beste jongere in deze Tour de France Femmes. Hoe kun je deze unieke prijs winnen?1. Schrijf een originele motivatie waarom je deze gesigneerde witte trui wil winnen in een review op Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Instagram of Facebook. 2. Geef de Koerage Podcast 5 sterren op Spotify of Apple Podcasts3. Volg @liv_benelux en @koerage op de kanalen waar je de reactie achterlaat.Veel succes!De shownotes:Sociale kanalen van Koerage:Website: www.koerage.ccInstagram: www.instagram.com/koerageFacebook: www.facebook.com/koeragecyclingconceptsTwitter: www.twitter.com/KoerageCCSociale kanalen van Vera:Website: www.verakoedooder.nlInstagram: www.instagram.com/verakoedooderFacebook: www.facebook.com/VeraKoedooderTwitter: www.twitter.com/VeraKoedooderLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/vera-koedooder-oly-32704810Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7BxSZXsgZ7VDO33Wwl5w

Abby, Tilda and Loren are on the ground in Rotterdam gearing up for the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Starting Monday, August 12th the top women in professional cycling will kick off the third edition of the Tour de France Femmes, and we'll be bringing you daily episodes on the ground all week long, with audio diaries from riders in the race. Before the start, we preview the stages to come, who we are looking at the feature in each stage and who can beat Demi Vollering on Alpe d'Huez.   

De Tour de France Femmes gaat bijna van start! Met de bijzondere Grand Depart in Nederland! Voormalig profwielrenster Vera Koedooder en haar voormalig ploeggenoot Eva Buurman blikken in Koerage Koers #28 vooruit op deze 7-daagse etappekoers die op 12 augustus van start gaat in Rotterdam en op 18 augustus zal finishen op de Alpe d'Huez. Wie denken Vera en Eva bij de voorspellingen? En hoe ziet het parcours eruit? En Vera maakt onze nieuwe partner bekend voor tijdens deze Tour de France Femmes. En dat is Liv Cycling! Veel luisterplezier!En vergeet vooral niet mee te doen met de gave winactie! De witte jongerentrui van Liv is namelijk te winnen! Gesigneerd en wel door de beste jongere in deze Tour de France Femmes. Hoe kun je deze unieke prijs winnen?1. Schrijf een originele motivatie waarom je deze gesigneerde witte trui wil winnen in een review op Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Instagram of Facebook. 2. Geef de Koerage Podcast 5 sterren op Spotify of Apple Podcasts3. Volg @liv_benelux en @koerage op de kanalen waar je de reactie achterlaat.Veel succes!De shownotes:* Startlijst op Procyclingstats.comSociale kanalen van Koerage:Website: www.koerage.ccInstagram: www.instagram.com/koerageFacebook: www.facebook.com/koeragecyclingconceptsTwitter: www.twitter.com/KoerageCCSociale kanalen van Vera:Website: www.verakoedooder.nlInstagram: www.instagram.com/verakoedooderFacebook: www.facebook.com/VeraKoedooderTwitter: www.twitter.com/VeraKoedooderLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/vera-koedooder-oly-32704810Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7BxSZXsgZ7VDO33Wwl5wSociale kanalen van Eva:Instagram: www.instagram.com/eva_buurmanFacebook: www.facebook.com/eva.buurmanTwitter: www.twitter.com/evabuurmanLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/evabuurman

Can anyone throw a spanner in the SD Worx this year or will it be a double for departing Demi? It's all eyes on Rotterdam for the Grand Depart of le troisieme Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Join the conversation! You can now drop us a line at cyclinglegendspodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you!

We have another heavy hitter in our lead up to the Tour de France Femme avec Zwift; Kate Veronneau the Director of Women's Strategy at Zwift, and arguably #1 fan of The Tour. Kate is a former professional cyclist, and has been leading the charge on the Tour de France Femme for three years. She offers some incredible insight on the route, including the Grand Depart in Rotterdam and what is sure to be a jaw dropping finish on the top of the Alpe d'Huez. This year will be unique compared to the previous two, as the tour will be starting just after the Olympic Games wrap up in Paris. Kate shares why she thinks this pairing of events is a great advantage for cycling, and how this can benefit the entire women's field. Follow Kate on Instagram @kateveronneau, as well as @gozwift and @letourfemme for all of the Tour de France Femme avec Zwift action.

Riders at the 2024 Tour Divide endured all kinds of weather as they made their way south from Banff to Antelope Wells. Our guest this week, Meaghan Hackinen, found a way to prevail despite the less than ideal conditions, winning the women's race and also setting the fastest Grand Depart time. Meaghan got her start in cycling commuting to school, eventually finding her way to long bikepacking trips to fulfill her sense of adventure. Inspired by Lael Wilcox's win at the 2016 Trans Am Bike race, Meaghan decided to dip her toe into competitive ultra distance cycling. Since then she has raced ultras all across the world, proving time and again to herself that she is stronger than she thinks. Follow Meaghan on Instagram @meaghanhackinen Follow us on Instagram:@girlsgonegravel @feisty_media Girls Gone Gravel Website:https://www.girlsgonegravel.com/ Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ Support our Partners:Use the code gggfierce for 30% off at fiercehazel.com Buycycle: save up to $100 on your purchase by entering code GIRLSGONEGRAVEL at buycycle.com Precision Fuel & Hydration: Use this link to get 15% off your first order https://visit.pfandh.com/girlsgonegravel Tifosi: Use the code FM20! to get 20% off your order at tifosioptics.com Use the code FEISTY for 15% off first-purchases at pillarperformance.shop, or TheFeed.com for North American listeners.

Hablamos con las escuelas de ciclismo de Bizkaia y con la Federación sobre la situación de la cantera del territorio y si la salida del año pasado del Tour desde Bizkaia ha aumentado el interés de los más jóvenes por esta disciplina con gran tradición aquí

The Italian talks about his very first Tour de France, an emotional Grand Depart on home soil and why he's sometimes impersonating Primož Roglič - on and off the bike. 

An einer Auto-Waschanlage irgendwo in der Nähe von Troyes steht der Besenwagen. Eine dicke Staubkruste muss wieder runter. Die Tour de France 2024 ist 9 Etappen alt und hatte nach dem Grand Depart weiterhin einiges zu bieten. Mark Cavendish holt den alleinigen Rekord mit 35 Etappensiegen. Biniam Girmay gewinnt 2 Etappen, lässt Eritrea jubeln und führt mit einem guten Vorsprung die Wertung um das grüne Trikot an. Jonas Abrahamsen ist der Motor der ersten Woche und bügelt jeden Hügel Weg den er finden kann und trägt dabei mit 20 Kilo mehr Gewicht das Trikot des besten Bergfahrers. Aus dem Duell Pogačar-Vingegaard ist ein Dreikampf mit Remco Evenepoel entfacht und knapp dahinter ist Primož Roglič in Lauerstellung. Dreck und Seife werden abgespült, das Wasser läuft in willkürlichen, unvorhersehbar verlaufenden Linien den gelben Lack herab. Wir fahren weiter Richtung Orleans, die letzten Tropfen werden durch den Fahrtwind nun geradlinig über den Besenwagen verteilt. Ob die Tour von jetzt auch so verläuft? Wir glauben nicht!

Sykkelpodden varmer opp til sommerens vakre sykkeleventyr med spådommer, betraktninger og nyheter fra Tour de France feltet. Hvem er de største sammenlagtfavorittene, hvordan er løypa, og hvor mange av feltets spurtere klarer å karre seg til mål i Nice med en siste uke uten særlig muligheter for de som sliter mest når det går oppover.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buongiorno from an Italian start to the Tour de France. Caley and Jonny stop at a lovely seaside town en route to the Grand Depart and discuss the contenders and storylines of the upcoming Tour de France.  For complete access to our Tour de France coverage, become a member for only $1 this month. You'll get bonus episodes and members-only interviews, no paywall on the website, access to our hopping Discord full of fellow cycling fans, and lots more. 

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP The Tour de France is here, and this week's Race Communique podcast is our Tour preview with a difference! I'm joined, as always, by Luke Durbridge and Tom Southam, who'd literally just got their fresh TDF haircuts, to discuss our takes on the race.  Luke will be on the start grid of his 10th Tour in a row, and Tom will be hopping into his air-conditioned team car and directing what will be his 8th.  The two of them have a huge amount of experience in and around the race, and we get right in behind the scenes as a rider and a DS at the big show!  Before we got into the details of the Tour, there was plenty of action to catch up on in recent races, and I asked what their take was on the performances they had seen at the warm up events in France, Switzerland and Slovenia.  Luke also took us through what it takes to get ready for the race and how it feels to make selection for the Tour, which is something every rider wants but not everyone gets to do.  Meanwhile, Tom explains how this process works from the other side of the fence, what influences decisions and how it is to make the calls on who is at the Grand Depart and who isn't.  As well as our Tour tips and a hint of our tactics for the Escape Collectives Fantasy Competition (which we will be hoping to smash the armchair pundits in!), we also bring you the Communi-quiz, where Tom managed to find a board game to help him out as quiz master.  We recorded right before we all hopped on flights to the Tour, so it's as fresh as the boys Tour haircuts!  Have a bit of fun with this one, and get involved in the Escape Collective Fantasy league here. Cheers! Mitch The Life in the Peloton book is OUT NOW! Get your copy now exclusively at maap.cc! Can't wait for you to read it.

Show NotesMeg Knobel is the organizer (or as you'll come to learn, “disorganizer”) of the wildly popular bikepacking event in Southern California, Stagecoach 400. From her first experiences tackling the route, to taking the reins from Brendan Collier in 2019, Meg was an absolute joy to chat with. She talks about hosting the first Grand Depart and how her confidence grew over time, and gives us a behind the scenes look at just how much effort goes into putting on these Grand Departs. This year's edition of Stagecoach 400 kicks off March 29th at 8AM PDT in Idyllwild California. Follow Stagecoach400 on InstagramDotwatch this year's StagecoachThe Stagecoach 400 route00:00 Quick catchup w/ Mel & Cynthia09:10 Interview with Meg13:20 Meg's Background and Stagecoach 40033:55 Hosting the First Grand Depart vs. Now42:39 Advice for Folks Touring the Route57:16 Planning and Organizing the Event01:01:58 The “Perfect” Bike for Stagecoach 40001:05:04 Why Keep the Event Unsanctioned01:19:37 Fun Banter you don't want to miss out on 01:29:26 Giving Stagecoach Tattoos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten years after the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in Yorkshire, road racing in Britain is in crisis. We examine two strands of that state of affairs...We start by interviewing British Cycling CEO Jon Dutton, who has announced a rescue plan for the men's and women's national tours. Dutton explains how the newly formed British Cycling Events will set about saving these two emblematic races, but admits that they may not be as substantial as they previously were, in the short term at least. He also provides an update on the Tour de France's mooted UK start in 2026...Next we turn to Brexit... While the British government insists that leaving the European Union is going swimmingly, there's plenty of evidence of the negative effect Britain's decision has had on many facets of life. Cited as one of the reasons for the collapse in the UK's elite road scene, we examine the specifics of Brexit's impact, speaking to the former Tour of Britain organisers, the Dave Rayner Fund that helps aspiring Brits find club teams in Europe, and to Bingoal-WB new pro Tom Portsmouth, who's spent three years dealing with its complexities.Our final story takes us, once again, into elite racing's political netherworld, and specifically the SafeR (SafeRoadcycling) initiative that was established last year by the sport's key stakeholders to making racing safer.  Everyone agrees it's needed, but no one can agree on who should run it. Almost inevitably, Visma Lease a Bike are at the centre of this storm. From there, we move swiftly into the latest knockings from the One Cycling saga, and explain why it may happen soon... or maybe in the long term... or even not at all...    Support the show

We talk to Minister of State at the Department of Sport Thomas Byrne.

The Tour de France 2025 will begin in the northern french city of Lille and Jonas Vingegaard could be targeting the World Championships in Switzerland in 2024. While Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock look to be skipping the 2024 Cyclocross World Championships in Tabor and GCN + to close down forever. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theecheloncyclingpodcast

Looking for a unique and challenging gravel cycling experience? Look no further! In this episode of the podcast, host Craig Dalton introduces the founders of Gray Duck Grit, an exciting grass roots gravel cycling event in Southern Minnesota. Joining Craig are Kris Jesse, Nate Matson, and Mark Jesse, who share their passion for gravel cycling and the origin story behind Gray Duck Grit. Kris Jesse discusses her journey into gravel cycling, inspired by a friend's social media post, and her background in distance running. Mark Jesse, having participated in the Day Across Minnesota event and other ultra-endurance events, shares his love for gravel cycling's magical moments in solitude. They also delve into the details of the challenging 240-mile Day Across Minnesota event, which takes riders on a scenic route from Gary, South Dakota, to Hager City, Wisconsin. The founders highlight the unique aspects of Gray Duck Grit, including atypical distances and the creation of an ultra-endurance event. They discuss the beautiful terrain of the Driftless region near Northfield, Minnesota, where the event takes place, and the challenges riders may face, such as unpredictable weather and relentless winds. The episode wraps up with a discussion about the event's inclusive atmosphere, its charitable aspect in supporting Fraser of Minnesota, and a warm invitation to join the Gray Duck Grit experience. Topics discussed: Introduction of Gray Duck Grit founders The inspiration behind Gray Duck Grit  The Day Across Minnesota event  The challenging terrain of the Driftless region  Weather conditions and preparation  Inclusivity and the event's charitable aspect  If you're a gravel cyclist seeking an unforgettable adventure and an opportunity to push your limits, Gray Duck Grit is the event for you. With its scenic routes, challenging terrain, and an inclusive atmosphere, this event promises an experience like no other. So, buckle up, find some dirt under your wheels, and join the Gray Duck Grit community. Episode Sponsor: Dynamic Cyclist (code: THEGRAVELRIDE for 15% off all plans) Support the Podcast Join The Ridership  Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: [00:00:00]Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. [00:00:28]Craig Dalton (host): This week on the podcast. I welcome the founders of a grassroots cycling event in Southern Minnesota called gray duck grit. It's happening this upcoming October 6th and seventh. Yes. I said two dates in there because there's multiple distances. They're offering a 333 mile race, a 222 mile race. Uh, 111 mile race. And a 69 mile race. Each of these distances has a significance. That we'll learn about during the conversation with this trio. This is the first time I've had three guests on at one time. There's a lot of fun. I wanted to push the podcast out as early as possible. To give anybody in the Southern Minnesota and surrounding area, an opportunity to jump on this event. It looks like a lot of fun. It's presented by the angry catfish bicycle shop and has a lot of great local sponsors and supports a great cause. Before we jump in i do need to thank this week sponsor dynamic cyclist The team at dynamic cyclists offers video based stretching and strengthening and mobility routines focused on cyclists. As you can imagine from their name. They just recently dropped an updated injury prevention program. The one I like to follow, which is the six week low back injury prevention program. It's always timely. Getting an update from my friends at dynamic cyclists. Because it reminds me that I have absolutely no excuse. To not fit these 10 to 15 minute routines into my day. I waste 10 or 15 minutes doing something not productive for my body. So it's a constant reminder that I should be stretching. I've dedicated myself this year to try to strengthen my lower back. In particular to improve my longevity as a cyclist for these long gravel cycling events. And I've found the stretching routines, particularly the injury prevention routines of dynamic cyclists to be super helpful. It's very focused on what we need as gravel, cyclists for me. It's tight hip flexors. It bands everything around my low back seems to draw everything in a tight bundle if I'm not careful. So having access to a content catalog of different stretching routines has been super important to me and motivating to just kind of frankly, get off my ass. And do the stretching I need to do. If you're interested in giving it a shot, dynamic cyclist always offers free access to, I think, a week's worth of content. For you to check out what they're doing. I'm on an annual plan. If you're interested, just use the code, the gravel ride, and you'll get 15% off. You can do month by month. If you're just someone who wants to do it in the winter. Or they've got a pretty affordable annual plan. That's just kind of the easiest thing to do. To make sure it's always there. When you need it. So head on over to dynamic cyclists.com and remember the code, the gravel ride for 15% off. So with that business behind us, I want to welcome mark Jesse, Chris, Jesse, and Nate Mattson to the show. Hey guys, welcome to the show [00:03:44]Kris Jesse: Thank you. It's great being here. . [00:03:47]craig_dalton-q2xxdhaa3__raw-audio_gray-duck-grit-ii_2023-sep-06-1110pm_the_gravel ride pod: So let's get started by just, let's go around the room, maybe starting with Chris and just talk about, um, a little bit about your backstory and then we can get into, I'm going to blub it, flub it every time. Gray duck grit. [00:04:03]Kris Jesse: Great at grit. You got it. Um, I would love to start. Uh, it's kind of funny. Um, I fell into gravel cycling from, um, just seeing a post on Facebook. A friend of mine, he was going to ride this crazy ride across Minnesota. 20 some miles, um, called, um, the dam day across Minnesota. And, um, my background really is, uh, distance running. And so that is where I came from. Um, that's my passion. Um, I'm reaching Saturday. I'm heading to Utah tomorrow now, where it'll be my almost 40th marathon. And so I'm really, uh. runner at heart. And I thought, Ooh, I can do this, this gravel, uh, cycling. And so, um, after seeing his post, signed up quickly and then did my first 50 mile gravel ride and sold my race registration for that long one. So really it is, uh, that's kind of my cycling, uh, background a couple of years ago, but now just fell in love with it. Like it's my peaceful time. Um, uh, as you'll hear, Minnesota has amazing gravel, uh, to ride and to be, um, had, and so I just love it. I'm falling in love with it and kind of transitioning to just cycling. So that's my, my background. Um, [00:05:24]Craig Dalton (host): Well, I've got lots of questions about Minnesota, I'm going to table them for a minute to allow everybody to introduce themselves. So Nate, how about you? How did you get into cycling? Do you have a running background as well? [00:05:35]Nate Matson: Uh, wow. I do actually a little bit. Um, so I actually have a triathlon slash running background and, uh, it's kind of a curious fitness person and I, I fell into gravel cycling because I got injured and I couldn't run, so I leaned more into cycling. And through this one specific friend of mine, he, he also did the dam the day across Minnesota. And he was like, yo man, you should come out with me and we'll start gravel cycling together. So I got in with him, we started going out almost every weekend. And that is how I met Mark was actually on a gravel ride. So there you go. And, uh, I can run now, but I run a lot less and I cycle a lot more. [00:06:23]Craig Dalton (host): All right, Mark, your turn. [00:06:25]Mark Jesse: Yeah, I, uh, you know, Chris, Chris is a friend of ours who, who did sign up for the dam. Um, that was sort of my introduction to gravel cycling as well. Um, and, uh, it just. I went out and participated in the dam and 2019 that was my first big ultra endurance events and gravel cycling. Prior to that, it was a 50 miler with alongside Chris, as she mentioned, and it was. During that 2019 day across Minnesota that I realized how magical gravel cycling is and, um, you know, being in the middle of nowhere, not having any bearings as to what direction you were headed. All I knew is I was following, following this trail of blinking red lights and, um, it was, I would look up and all I could see were stars and it was one of the most magical. Moments I've ever experienced on a bike and yeah, go ahead. [00:07:31]Craig Dalton (host): Amazing. I'd love to just learn a little bit more about Day Across Minnesota, because that seems like it's, you know, it's the origin story of, for the three of you, and it sounds like you had friends who were drawing you into it. How long of a ride is it? And what is it? What is the experience like? [00:07:46]Mark Jesse: It's, it's a 240 mile distance. It starts in, it started, um, it is no longer for the record. Um, but when, when it was in existence, it started in Gary, South Dakota, and you would make your way across the state of Minnesota and you would end up in Hager city, Wisconsin, um, and Trenton Ragar is the. Race director. He is also the current race director of the filthy 50, which he was his first events. And, um, and I believe that started in 2013, um, uh, the filthy 50. So the dam was a five year event that took place and I participated in 2019 and 2020. [00:08:28]Craig Dalton (host): Okay. And how long does an event like that take a sort of average cyclist? [00:08:34]Mark Jesse: Well, you know, my first year, it took me 22 and a half hours. Uh, there is a cutoff, um, of 24 hours. So the expectation is that you would, to get an official finish time, right? You would need to finish, it starts at midnight on Friday and it would end on mid at midnight the, uh, the following day, Saturday. So that was the format. Um, and it was, it was pretty, it was a pretty amazing event. [00:09:00]craig_dalton-q2xxdhaa3__raw-audio_gray-duck-grit-ii_2023-sep-06-1110pm_the_gravel ride pod: And with those kind of early experiences that drew you into the sport, did you subsequently travel outside Minnesota to do events to kind of get an idea of what the flavor was in other territories? Or have you mostly been participating in Minnesota based events? [00:09:15]Mark Jesse: I. Haven't done a ton of official, uh, races or events outside of Minnesota. I did the Redfield Rock, Redfield Rock and Roll down in Iowa, my hometown or my home state, um, last year, and that was a heck of a challenge. Um, but I did a lot of other, um, I did some gravel cycling in Florida. I've done some gravel cycling in California and, um, mountain biking, uh, in Arizona and Oregon and places like that. Um, so I've done. Um, some cycling, some pretty long distances as well, um, over several days, but nothing necessarily official in other states as of yet, but I definitely plan on doing more of that because how can you not, there's just so much to be had now, right? [00:09:59]Kris Jesse: hmm. [00:10:04]Craig Dalton (host): to those longer Distance events right from the get go, whereas a lot of people come into the sports, you know, being conjoled to do their first 25 miler and then 50 miler, et cetera. So it's going to be interesting as we talk about your event, the distances that you offer as they're a little bit atypical from what I see out there in the world, with the exception of some of the, you know, the well known ultra endurance races. [00:10:30]Mark Jesse: Well, I think that has a little bit to do with our running background. Um, I, I also came from the running background. I, I have 17 marathons under my belt, I guess. Um, so the, our fitness level was there, I think. And so it was a, it was a, wasn't the difficult transition to make, um, because we had motors. We just had to. You know, adjust the legs a little bit and get those legs and those muscles used to pedaling as opposed to running. So it wasn't a difficult transition. And I grew up on bikes, typical 80s era child did, you know, so. You know, it wasn't, I was very comfortable on the dirt growing up in Iowa on a, on a giant RS 940, 12 speed on gravel was a lot more difficult than riding a high end carbon gravel bike on, on, you know, the gravel around most anywhere else. Right. [00:11:28]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah, yeah, for What made you guys think about coming together to put an event on? I mean, you've participated in events, you've seen the hard work, but there has to be something that really made you have this burning desire to put in the hard hours, the money, etc., to create an event. [00:11:48]Nate Matson: I'm going to give this to Mark, but I just want to say before he gives a very official answer that we were, we were just having a lot of fun riding our bikes together, you know, and, uh, we, we knew that we were riding with some really good people and we just loved, loved that the way it made us feel. And, uh, I saw marketing sort of a glimmer in his eye. So when, so when he started talking about this ride, uh, when he invited me to be part of it, it was not really, I mean, it was a surprise, but it also oddly made sense to, [00:12:26]Craig Dalton (host): Got it. [00:12:27]Mark Jesse: Yeah, that was, you know, I didn't know what was going to come of this idea I had to, um, consider doing something like this. Um, you know, it all, it all went, it all dates back to, so the, here's the official origin, uh, origin story going back to 2018, I was running the Anchorage. Anchorage mayor's marathon in Anchorage, Alaska, along with Chris here. And I was experiencing some heartburn, um, during the first few miles and it, and it subsided, I took some Tom's because Chris would, would carry Tom's with her as, as we run marathons. And so I took some times it subsided, but, um. And, and I ended up finishing, but I was really sluggish. Um, and when I finished the, the world was spinning. I thought I was going to kind of faint or pass out, but I just sat next to a food truck and gathered my bearings. But to make a long story short, about two weeks later, I went for a run, just a recovery run. Um, that was maybe a week later and I ran two blocks and I. Thought my heart was gonna pop outta my chest. It was just not good. And I knew something wasn't right. So I, I went to the doctor and, um, it, it, I just ended up having, um, essentially I was diagnosed with a 90% blockage of my coronary artery. And, and here I ran that marathon with that blockage. Um, so, you know, it was a miracle that I even survived it. And, um, had a, had a stent placement. Um, and I. Fully recovered, but it was during that when they were reading, anytime you go in for something like this, they, they read all the possible outcomes and that really freaked me out. I, I, and so I made this promise to myself that if I, if I make it through that. I want to focus more, not just on myself and to, you know, be in better health. It was a genetic thing for me. It wasn't because of my diet. It wasn't because of my fitness, I wanted to do more for others while I had this time, um, available to me moving forward and. I didn't know what that meant, but I knew that I wanted to do something. And so then it was just a couple of years later, um, doing the dam, I wanted to prove to myself that, Hey, I'm not, I'm not be, you know, I'm not too far gone. I can still do this. You know, I'm not, I don't, I didn't want to live my life in fear of never being able to participate in something I loved, which was that, that endurance, um, activity, because, you know, it was through running that I fell in love with endurance sports. Um, not just what it does for me physically, but it's, it's cathartic, it's therapeutic, you know, um, just like it is for people who ride bikes, you get out there and, and you forget, and you, and you solve a lot of the problems that you're, you're going through and that you're experiencing. Um, it's just a very special thing to experience. And so, um. That was the, the, um, the start of it really. And, um, COVID came and went, I saw some events come and go. And then the day across Minnesota, the, the gravel event that really, um, caused me to fall in love with gravel cycling, um, they announced Trenton announced that it would be their last event in 2021. And, um, or their last year of doing it. And I just felt like, you know what, there was a void that could be filled. And, and we are by. No means trying to be the damn, um, that isn't our intent, nor is that our goal. But I do feel like there is a demographic of, of cyclists out there that would truly appreciate what I appreciated in, in doing an event that is an ultra endurance events. So that's what we have created. And. Um, it started out by doing some Strava group rides with some of the friends that I, I, I followed on Strava. I announced it, um, a couple of weekly rides and lo and behold, I, I, I met some new people. Um, and I met Nate, I met a guy named Greg Simogyi, um, in the process. Sam and some other people. And, um, it was just a great experience just meeting these people who basically we like the same band, you know, and you're not strangers when you like the same band, you know what I mean? [00:17:00]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. Exactly. Well, thank you so much for sharing that story, Mark, and thank God you're still around to share it. It is a takeaway, I think, for all of us to think about, you know, how big of a void, if you're an endurance athletic participant, how big a void it create in your life. To not be able to do that thing, because as you stated eloquently, for so many of us, it's rolling meditation. It's where we process a lot of things that go on in our lives. And I know as someone who's faced challenges in my life, like the idea of managing the rest of my life without endurance athletics would be a real difficult pill to swallow. [00:17:44]Mark Jesse: Exactly. I mean, when I'm having a tough day, when I'm stressed out, the very first thing I think about as, as far as how am I going to deal with this, this stress, this anxiety, this pressure I'm feeling, I got to get on my bike. I got to go. And it's, it's the pressure relief valve. Um, you know, radiators have them. Why can't we have them? Um, so, um, you know, it's, it's, um, you know, on, on those days I go out on my bike or when I was running, I'd go run and I finish up, you know, after 25, 30 miles on my bike, it's rainbows and butterflies after that. So, um, it feels good. [00:18:23]Craig Dalton (host): there something specific about Northfield, Minnesota? Is that where y'all live? Or is it just where you knew of amazing terrain? [00:18:34]Nate Matson: I'll, I'll take this one and Mark, please interject or Chris. Um, so Northfield is awesome. First of all, it's a great, it's a great little city that it's a college town with. Coffee shops and a lot of green space, and there's a great bike biking culture there. Um, but it's also close to what is known as the Driftless region, uh, of Minnesota, which basically, uh, it's not just Minnesota, by the way, it's Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, parts of Illinois. And basically there were icebergs around this part of the world, uh, uh, during the ice age, except in the Driftless area, there weren't, so it's a very like specific little region. And that is full of caves and rivers and valleys and buttes and really, I think it has like more freshwater streams than anywhere else in the country. And it's just like this little pocket, this little area and Northfield sits right on the edge of that. So it's kind of like the gateway to this really beautiful sort of bucolic scene. And uh, it's a, it's a gravel cycling haven for sure. It's wonderful. [00:19:45]craig_dalton-q2xxdhaa3__raw-audio_gray-duck-grit-ii_2023-sep-06-1110pm_the_gravel ride pod: gotcha. So if you're a gravel cyclist in Minnesota, in sorry, Minneapolis, you might on occasion go down there as a starting point for a [00:19:52]Kris Jesse: Right. [00:19:52]Nate Matson: Totally. So Northfield, uh, is about 45 minutes. [00:19:55]Mark Jesse: from Minneapolis. So it's, it's [00:19:57]Nate Matson: So it's, it's a really, it doesn't take all day to get there. You just, you know, put your bike in the back of your car. You drive down, you can have a great ride. Mark and I were down there last weekend. So it's, it's an awesome place to be. And they have the infrastructure for cyclists there. [00:20:13]Mark Jesse: infrastructure and [00:20:14]Craig Dalton (host): all those geological attributes you described sound wonderful for gravel cycling. How does it actually translate to What the terrain feels like when you're riding, what kind of gravel, how would you describe it to people coming from out of state or out of the area in terms of how they would equip their bike and what they should expect? [00:20:33]Mark Jesse: it was really [00:20:34]Nate Matson: Well, it was really fast last weekend in parts, you know, uh, we were cruising. Uh, and at the, so when you're, there's also lots of farm roads and fields. So you can be. You know, being passed by combines and tractors, uh, one minute, then you can go down in these valleys. And you might experience something completely different. Uh, and, uh, Minnesota is known as a pretty flat state, but in the Driftless region, it's constant hills. Um, I think the, the, the 333 mile route that we have that, which Mark will talk about, I think that has almost 20, 000 feet of climbing. So, cause it's just constant up and down and up and down. And in those hills, like it can get pretty. Pretty chunky, pretty chunky. But what's really cool about the water runoff is the, the, a lot of the roads never really, uh, flood or wash out. You might get wet, but you won't have to carry your bike. [00:21:25]Mark Jesse: you won't have [00:21:26]Craig Dalton (host): Okay. So Mark was sort of describing how, you know, his passion for the sport, you guys started to get together. You find other members of the community. You have this interest in maybe putting on an event. What happens next? You form an entity. Do you set a budget? How do you get the original, the first version of the event off the ground? [00:21:50]Mark Jesse: Well, I, you know, we, we get, you get together at a bar over some drinks is how you do it. Right. That's, that's the right way to do [00:21:57]Nate Matson: That's what happened. [00:21:59]Mark Jesse: but before I did that, I, I reached out to Trenton, the filthy, filthy 50 and Dan race director. And I asked to get together with them and just go over my idea. And, and I figured if he liked it, then it gave me, it was going to get, and he may not know this and, and I apologize Trenton, but if, if he liked it, um, it was my green light to, to move forward. And, [00:22:24]Craig Dalton (host): can can I interject and ask a question about Trenton and the dam? Was it, he was just sort of tired of doing it or was there some logistical problem with doing the event? I'm just sort of curious what, since it was such a important event in your lives to see it end, if you understood what the end story of that event was. [00:22:45]Mark Jesse: I, I would, I hesitate to really comment. I just know that the, he had, you know, he's, he's, you know, uh, middle aged. He has a lot going on. Uh, he has, you know, a wife and kids, um, and he's, he's, he's a dad. And so, you know, he, he probably wanted. Maybe part of that back and, and already, you know, really 50. That's a very successful event. That's that sell, they sold out, I think, in, in less than 24 hours, a thousand registrations this year. So it's very popular. Um, and, and he's. Killing it with that event and um, you know, maybe he thought that it was something that you know, it isn't done done I don't think he he did announce that it was gonna be the you know, the last year But I get the impression he isn't done done with it. I have a feeling it could be resurrected at some point and the website still exists so and he does Encourage people to do it on their own, um, and, and he will record, uh, you know, um, any times in, in the record books or, you know, official times. So, you know, it is still a thing, um, it isn't gone forever, but, um, you know, I have a feeling it might come back. I don't want to suggest that it will, but, um, but yeah, that's, that's sort of, um, what I do know about, you know, it not being around. I, I don't want to. Speak for Trenton, but [00:24:12]Craig Dalton (host): got it. No, thanks for that with what I've seen about gray dot grit and the number of distances you do that first night at the bar. Maybe you had more than enough drinks because instead of just saying we're going to do 100 kilometer race. You actually offered a bunch of different distances and they're not short distances. [00:24:32]Mark Jesse: I'm a bit obsessed with the number three. I don't know if you could tell, um, you know, three ones, three twos, three threes, three is, you know, and numerology represents completion, uh, three strikes in a baseball game, three outs, um, nine, nine players, three outfielders. You know, nine innings, it's, it's, it represents completion. And, and I kind of being a baseball geek growing up, um, I, I, uh, it just made sense to me that, why not, you know, uh, 111, that's, that's no walk in the park. The 69 or that Nate and I rode last Saturday is no walk in the park. It's going to challenge you. [00:25:17]Nate Matson: We thought it was going to, you know, we thought it was going to be 70 miles. And we were both like, this is so much harder than we thought it was going to be. It was a reality check for sure. [00:25:29]Craig Dalton (host): So for the listener, just to put a pin in it, you've got a 69 mile race, 111 mile race, 222 mile race, 333 mile [00:25:39]Kris Jesse: Yes. [00:25:40]Nate Matson: Yeah. And as he's telling us these numbers over a beer, again, I could see his eye glistening. Like you could just kind of tell, like it's, it's happening, you [00:25:49]Mark Jesse: It's the mad scientist look. [00:25:52]Nate Matson: like, we can make this [00:25:53]Kris Jesse: And Craig, that doesn't mean I'm always like, what about a 50 miler? What do we think? And I'm not giving up that yet, that request. [00:26:03]Craig Dalton (host): I'm just imagining the kind of orchestration required, and I've seen the start times on your website from, I think it was 10 a. m. Friday for the 333, 9 p. m. for the 222, and then you start the next day for the 111 and the 69 Is the idea that theoretically everybody should be finishing around the same time? [00:26:25]Mark Jesse: Yeah, that was sort of the, the idea, right? Is that no matter when you started, you could be riding next to someone who just is a, is like they, they, they don't even know where they are because they're riding in the three 33 and, and you're, you're in the last 10 miles of your, your one 11 or your 69 mile route. Um, so to have that, you know, there is something special when. You know, by by the time you're coming around through the road to Burma, which is a section of the route just north of Northfield, um, When you, when you're coming back home, um, in the last 10 miles, um, there's something pretty cool anytime you come across someone on a bike and you know that they're doing it too, right? And so there's that instant bond that you have with that person and you've never met them before. You don't know their name and you may forget their name, but you're a brother now, or you're a sister of theirs because it's when you're out there, your family. [00:27:27]Craig Dalton (host): When you're starting at the, at the 333 mile distance. Are you offering aid stations? What type of infrastructure exists for those riders who are going to be doing it 24 plus hours? [00:27:43]Nate Matson: we, we definitely had aid stations and I would say last year was also a learning experience for what we need to offer writers and when in the sort of level of support that we should give them. Uh, I don't know, Chris, if you want to talk [00:27:56]Kris Jesse: I can, [00:27:57]Nate Matson: we learned a lot last year. [00:27:59]Kris Jesse: did. We did. I do the nutrition for the aid stations and I think what's unique about Great Oak Grit is that we do actually have, and we are thoughtful about our nutrition. I know, you know, and that's kind of what some gravel races are about is you're on your own and you know, we may supply a water stop. Or, you know, throw out some pizza or donuts or whatever. But, um, you know, so we are, uh, thoughtful about our aid stations and, um, have like, um, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and pickles and things like that, that we had last year. Um, this [00:28:34]Craig Dalton (host): so even if I'm out in the middle of the night somewhere, [00:28:37]Kris Jesse: Yeah. So you will, you'll find us. Yep. Yeah, we'll have an aid station for you. And this year, um, we are, we were sponsored, we're sponsored by Kodiak and so we'll have like protein balls and then NOM nutrition and they're right out of Utah, um, Salt Lake City, kind of a new hydration. And so we'll have that, um, we're going to be really purposeful about the, and thoughtful about that long distance. Distance, yeah, nutrition, and so we'll have these aid stations set up for all the distances and, um, yeah, we'll have things like that and the finish and start. So we're really excited that we're able to do that, [00:29:15]Craig Dalton (host): that's great. Yeah, it's interesting as you sort of think about the spectrum of like bikepacking, [00:29:19]Mark Jesse: packing [00:29:20]Craig Dalton (host): Grand Depart, just start and fend for yourself. To something like this, where maybe somebody who may be a little bit intimidated to go off by themselves and forage and worried about, you know, if they're going to get the nutrition and hydration they need to be able to do an event like yours and have that infrastructure around, maybe a good starting point for people who want to. Attempt their first ultra distance event. [00:29:43]Mark Jesse: their first [00:29:44]Nate Matson: definitely, [00:29:44]Mark Jesse: Right. Definitely. Yeah. [00:29:46]Nate Matson: we also have fire pits. So [00:29:48]Mark Jesse: Minnesota in [00:29:50]Nate Matson: in October is cold and you never know, uh, what the weather's going to be. It could be, it could be 60 degrees. It could be 30 degrees. So it, it, we really don't know yet. So we're prepared. Um, but we had, we started a couple of fires last year and that was one of the things that riders, especially the 333 riders, where they were. By the fire just sitting there, you know, uh, heating up and we could tell that why not let's keep doing [00:30:18]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. Yeah. [00:30:19]Nate Matson: a vibe. [00:30:20]Mark Jesse: the year before our first event, um, so this would be 2021, yeah, 2021, uh, that very weekend, it was 70 degrees and sunny the weekend of, uh, you know, a year prior. So in Northfield and, um, you know, it ended up being a little bit colder than that. Um, but, um, and it, it does definitely impact at what. You as, as a cyclist and what you should prepare for. Um, but we're going to assume that we're going to have 70 degrees and sun this year. Um, and, but if we don't be ready, you know, [00:30:58]Craig Dalton (host): Was there, um, was there a reason for choosing an October event date? [00:31:02]Mark Jesse: it's beautiful. It's peak autumn foliage in Minnesota. So if you geek out on autumn foliage, if you appreciate, if you like Thomas Kincaid paintings or Bob Ross paintings come to Northfield in October, because you're going to see it. And you're going to see it like every other turn. It's absolutely beautiful. [00:31:23]Kris Jesse: that's another, in this region, this area, Craig, it's so beautiful. It's, it's just that fall crisp and you see, you know, you just look out in the leaves and the trees and it's really nice, [00:31:37]Nate Matson: It definitely has like Sunday morning PBS specials. You know, vibes when you're riding around, it's just really beautiful, you know, and there's tons of farmland and you'll be cycling past cows and [00:31:51]Craig Dalton (host): Is it a lot of, a lot of farm roads or are you getting onto narrower trails? [00:31:57]Mark Jesse: There's some pretty narrow roads. Um, there's some roads that you're going to go down and it's like, how, how do, how do cars pass each other on this road? You know, um, they're pretty, we have some MMRs, um, and, uh, yeah, some, that's the thing about it is despite how, um, remote it can be and how narrow some of the roads are, um, when it, it isn't a course that's going to punish you as far as the surface. Um, and, and we love unbound, um, but we're not going to, you know, if there's a storm the night before, you're not going to have to hike your bike three miles. Um, it drains very well. So, um, there's, there's the course, the distances are going to punish you more than anything. Um, the surface will not [00:32:42]Nate Matson: And the wind potentially, the wind can definitely be brutal. Um, and relentless until you get into a valley, then you get some, uh, some peace, but if it's a, if it's a windy day, that can be. [00:32:56]Mark Jesse: like any, like anywhere. [00:32:57]Nate Matson: any ride, but there's not a lot of tree cover in parts of the ride, so you're really open. [00:33:03]Kris Jesse: I always say if you're not cursing the race director halfway through your ride, they didn't do something right. [00:33:10]Craig Dalton (host): yeah, that's for sure. I haven't done an endurance event that I haven't wanted to curse the event organizer. Uh, man. So as you guys were thinking about creating this event, and maybe this goes to kind of Minnesotan cycling culture, were you thinking about, we're building a race and we want a competitive front end. We want lycra clad athletes to come all over this. Or did you have a different orientation? And maybe if it's differs from year one to year two, let me know. But I'm just curious because there's kind of, there's no right or wrong answer here. It's just curious, like what the intention was. [00:33:47]Mark Jesse: The intention was to get people to push themselves beyond what they think they're capable of. Because that's what my experience was. When I did the dam the first year in 2019, I had no idea if I could do it. And when I finished, I realized that was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. And then like, two days later, I'm, and I was thinking to myself, I got to do that again. And I did it. And I improved by five hours on my time the following year. And I realized I can't be the only one who feels this way. I'm also not the fastest, you know, out there. I'm a middle of the pack type of rider. Um, there are people I know who are far faster than I am. I ride with them pretty regularly. Um, Our motto and, and our, our mindset is you should ride your ride, ride your ride. That's literally everywhere on our social media, on our website, because it isn't up to me to tell you, Craig, how you should ride. Um, coming from a different background, a different experience, life experience. Some people are overcoming cancer. I'm coming from my own health issues, as I've talked about. Um, people ride for, uh, uh, for every person out there is a different reason that that person's on a bike and we want them to take away from our event, whatever it means to them, if you want to race it, race it, take first, make a name for yourself, do something that, you know, is going to the event. Thank you. You know, make you happy. If you just want to finish, do that. If you don't know if you're going to finish, do it anyways. Challenge yourself, push yourself. Exactly. Even more reason to do it than the person who might podium. [00:35:40]Nate Matson: And Mark will be there to cheer on every one of them too, by the way. It's kind of a magical thing to see Mark at a finish line. It's its own meme waiting to happen because he's there cheering. Literally every person on who crosses the finish line. It's, it's so great. [00:35:58]Mark Jesse: I can't, I want to see every person finish. Like every single person. I truly, I truly give a damn about every single person that's out there. Um, I'm thinking about what they're experiencing. I'm hoping that they're experiencing what I experienced. I'm hoping they don't experience what I've experienced in the dark moments because you do go to dark places literally and, and, and mentally as well, but it's how we come out of those dark places that changes who we are and, and, um, and we're, we become better for that. [00:36:29]Craig Dalton (host): What's the rough breakdown between the different distances, if you guys had to guess, in terms of the number of participants? [00:36:37]Mark Jesse: it dropped significantly as, as we go, you know, you know, we're, we're like right now about half our participation, just over half our participation or registrations thus far this year with our new 69 mile route. We didn't have that last year. This isn't, this is a thank you and ode to those who did participate last year because we only had. 69 official registrations last year. So that's why we have a 69 miler. Um, it isn't for what maybe other people might think it is. It is because we had 69 participants for the record. Um, but when you go past and when you get past that, yeah, it starts to drop off. We have about half of that for the one 11 right now. So, um. And, and then, you know, the 222 I think is our crown jewel, quite honestly, because you get pretty deep into that driftless region and you're going to be riding overnight. Riding overnight is, is something I think anyone who's, who's thinking about, um, you know, going beyond that 100 mile distance. It's, it's just surreal. I can't even describe it. I can't find the words to describe it. It's so special to me. [00:37:48]Craig Dalton (host): I to say, that's the slippery mental slope I've been going down lately. I've done plenty of night riding. But I've never asked my body to ride completely overnight, short of a 24 hour kind of team mountain bike event. And there's a curiosity there from talking to other people I know about like, what will happen when I have to ride all night? [00:38:11]Kris Jesse: Right. [00:38:12]Nate Matson: and there's something just so spooky and beautiful about rolling out in the middle, uh, of the prairie, basically, or the farmland with crystal clear skies. It's the moon, the stars, and you're, you're just kind of like, to Mark's point, you just take it in and you never forget it. And then just seeing them kind of roll out into the darkness. We're all wondering, I hope this all goes okay for everybody because, because they literally disappear. It's amazing. [00:38:45]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. [00:38:45]Mark Jesse: And, and that's why, you know, uh, where was I recently? I had on a damn jersey. Um, and I can't remember where it was. It was at an event and Oh, a young, a young guy came up to me. He's like, I want one of those pointing at my Jersey. And I'm like, Oh, I can't do it anymore. They don't, they don't sell them anymore. You can't get it. You know? And so, but he knew what having that Jersey meant. Um, and, and every, every time I see someone with that Jersey on, and this, this, the dam can't be the only event like this. Right. Right. But. Anytime you see someone with that kit on, there's a respect level. You know, it's kind of like You know, something that it's like you've been through, you've been through something together. It's a bond. [00:39:33]Craig Dalton (host): I think that's one of the interesting things in digging into your event. You guys starting out with these four distances, I think it creates sort of this aspirational journey for athletes attending to say, Oh, I'm going to do the 69. Oh, that went well. I think I can do the 111. I think I can do the 220 and just sort of inspiring people to go up. So not surprised at all to hear that kind of percentage breakdown between the different ones, but it's going to be curious to see how it changes over time. And from return participants, do they come back and do the same thing or are they changing their distances? [00:40:11]Mark Jesse: We found that there are, uh, a good number of people who, who didn't, uh, the one 11 last year and they're, they're trying for the two 22 this year. Um, or maybe they're doing the one 11 last year and they dropping down to the 69. Um, you know, it goes both ways, but I guess the, the, the idea behind it for me was. To especially this year with a 69 miler is to send a message that, Hey, we know we're not the 30 mile distance. We know we're not the 50 mile distance. There are plenty of other events and group rides that do offer that throughout the spring and summer months. We're towards the end of the season. Um, and we're hoping that people can maybe work up to that. And, and if the 69 miler seems like a lot, maybe we can be the final hurrah for you this year. Um, and, um, but you know, we're at the end of the season and, and people who are looking to do something beyond what they did last year, or maybe they haven't done a 200 miler this year or ever, maybe the 222 is what they're, they're, um, hungry for. [00:41:17]Craig Dalton (host): exactly. As the athletes complete the event, what kind of experience do they arrive to in Northfield when they hit the finish line? Are you building a kind of festival type atmosphere? [00:41:30]Mark Jesse: It is, it's definitely fest, it's definitely festive. Um, you [00:41:35]Craig Dalton (host): know we get Mark's hug first, [00:41:37]Nate Matson: It's Mark with a [00:41:38]Craig Dalton (host): then, [00:41:39]Nate Matson: bullhorn. It's Mark with a bullhorn. First of all. [00:41:42]Mark Jesse: yeah, uh, if, yeah, we should hand out earplugs as they're crossing the finish line, cause I feel like I am, they're kind of almost turning away from me, their heads to maybe, [00:41:52]Nate Matson: No, it's great. [00:41:53]Mark Jesse: I get excited about it, you know, I'm passionate about it, which is why we're here, but, um, because I've been there, I know what that feeling is and it's just like. Such a relief. I'm so glad this is over. And then it's just, we just want to be, we're all happy. One of the, one of the, um, one of the, my favorite moments is, is a gentleman who crossed from last year is, he crossed, he was one of the last people to finish. Um, maybe the last, within the last dozen or so people who finished and He finished, I, I ran up to him as I did with all the other, uh, finishers and I put my arm around him and his head was hanging. And I'm like, Oh, this, he's not in a good place right now. And maybe he's even upset. What's he going to say to me? How dare I, you know, kind of like I was expecting, expecting something negative. And he looks up at me and he says to me, you, you are proof that perception can become reality. And I had no idea. I like tears. I just had tears because I, I felt that from him, you know what that meant. And then he reaches in his wallet, who I've never carried my wallet with me, but this gentleman had his wallet on him and he reached in and pulled out a hundred dollar bill and handed it to me. He's like, I love what you're doing and I want to do more. And he said, you're changing gravel cycling. And obviously more tears. So that was very, it was very unexpected. Um, but it was, it was very special. And that's one of the moments I remember the most. [00:43:31]Craig Dalton (host): Amazing. If a listener was attending this year's ride in October. Is there anything else you'd want to share with them about how to prepare to be successful at the event? [00:43:46]Mark Jesse: That's a tough one. Be prepared to do something that you've never done before. Um, it's, it's as, as. Difficult as it can be physically, it's just as much mentally, but at the end, when you finish, you're gonna, it's gonna be one of the most rewarding experiences, I think, that a lot of people ever experience in their life. Um, you know, we do have big aspirations, um. We, um, we just want it to be, we, we're, we're sharing our, our, you know, our labor of love with the world we're, we're creating something, our own flavor of gravel. Um, this is our version of what a gravel, what, if we were to, you know, if we wanted to do an ideal event or create one, this is our version of it. Um, you know, we want to, we want to be all inclusive. We want to, um, you know, we give women 20 percent off their entry automatically just because you're a woman, because we want to create that diverse space. We want it to be an all inclusive event, as inclusive as we can be, despite the challenge, right? We realize that the challenge itself is not necessarily inclusive. It isn't all welcoming. Right. But we're hoping that people can understand and they get our message that, Hey, it's okay to challenge yourself and to push yourself. There's nothing wrong with that. Um, that's a healthy thing to do. And, um, That's, you know, that's what we want people to, I guess, maybe get out of it is, is that, that experience. And, um, as far as the prep, just, you know, put it in as many miles as you can. And, you know, quite honestly, we had, I had a cyclist email me the other day saying, Hey, you know, I signed up for this, this distance this year. And they, and they did participate last year. Right. But he's like, I signed up for this distance this year and I just don't have the training. I didn't, I'm not where I thought I would be. When I signed up, is there any way I could drop down to the, to the, you know, shorter, shorter of the next shorter distance and I gladly obliged him and, and made that accommodation for him. Um, you know, that's, that's what this is about is being able to, to, um, you know, do, do what you can do and, um, Yeah, let's ride your ride. [00:46:11]Kris Jesse: And watch the weather. [00:46:14]Nate Matson: I would say prepare for the weather too. Pragmatically be ready for anything almost, you know. Especially if you're flying in from another state. [00:46:24]Kris Jesse: Yeah. [00:46:25]Nate Matson: Be prepared for 72 or 32. [00:46:30]Kris Jesse: Or both. [00:46:31]Nate Matson: Or both! Yeah! [00:46:33]Mark Jesse: You could, there is a possibility of, of, yeah, maybe one day there, you know, we had a 20 degrees swing from yesterday's weather to the, to today. Yesterday it was in the 90s and, and today it was, I think it may have hit 70, maybe not. [00:46:50]craig_dalton-q2xxdhaa3__raw-audio_gray-duck-grit-ii_2023-sep-06-1110pm_the_gravel ride pod: Yeah. Well, guys, I love the energy of the three you are putting out there in the world. Um, if the event translates through your love of what you've intended to put on and what you're putting out there to the Minnesota cycling community and anybody who comes in to sample it, I'm sure it's going to be an amazing event this year and I can't wait to hear about it after the fact. [00:47:12]Kris Jesse: Thank you, Craig. [00:47:13]Mark Jesse: Yeah, thank you. We, we just. Yeah, we're just trying to build on, on everything that people here in Minnesota have already, you know, the foundation it's, it's rich, rich history of cycling with, with all the companies that have come out of here. Um, the, the cyclists, uh, you know, current pro cyclists as such as chase work, who's out there. He took second at gravel worlds just recently. Um, he's a great ambassador of the sports and he's a great, you know, home hometown talents. [00:47:42]Kris Jesse: my coach [00:47:43]Nate Matson: And her coach, [00:47:45]Kris Jesse: think he's a great guy. [00:47:48]Mark Jesse: but, you know, instead of just, you know, solely focusing on ourselves. Um, as athletes and endurance athletes and gravel cyclists, you know, we want people to know that, you know, this is a fundraiser. This is, you know, we are giving a portion of the proceeds to Frazier of Minnesota, which is a mental health nonprofit, and they, um, help families, um, who have, um, You know, children with autism, um, they have a school for those individuals as well. Um, they also help other people with mental illness and other disabilities. So, you know, when going back to, if I could just say just briefly, going back to why and, and that promise I made, that's the doing things for others. [00:48:28]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah, [00:48:29]Mark Jesse: Um, so yeah, you're gonna, you know, we, we do charge a fee. But know that every person involved with this event is a volunteer. I didn't pocket a dime from last year. In fact, I paid a little bit, you know, out of my own, out of my own pocket at the end of the day. But the point was, was we wanted to do something good for the community and give back in, in meaningful ways that, you know, in ways that are going to leave, you know, positive ripples throughout our communities. [00:48:56]Craig Dalton (host): Yeah. Thanks so much for making sure that you mentioned that because I was remiss and not asking you about the Frazier charitable donation and just another, another reason to flock to this event. Everyone. [00:49:10]Mark Jesse: Oh, well done. [00:49:13]Nate Matson: Uh, man! [00:49:15]Mark Jesse: We have a spot Open [00:49:16]Nate Matson: Perfect! Yeah! Thank [00:49:20]Mark Jesse: so, yeah, and, and people can find out more these, if they just go to www.gr grit.com. That's our website. You can find us on Facebook at GR Grit, Instagram on at gr grit. Um, and just check us out, you know, um, we just, we, we want people to, uh, It's just, we're just trying to share what Minnesota has to offer and, and continue that, that amazing community that is already here and share that with the rest of the world. [00:49:46]Craig Dalton (host): Thanks you guys. Have a great evening. [00:49:48]Kris Jesse: Greg. [00:49:48]Mark Jesse: Craig. Thanks for having us. [00:49:52]Craig Dalton (host): That's going to do it for this week's edition of the gravel ride podcast. Big, thanks to Nate, mark and Chris for coming on and telling us all about. Gray duck grit. It sounds like an amazing grassroots event out there in Minnesota. I love the challenge of those various distances. I wish there was something like that in my neck of the woods. Just something that year after year I could go back to and kind of up the distance and challenge myself in different ways. You'll hear from another upcoming podcast. I'm super curious about riding overnight. As I mentioned briefly, I've done it in some 24 hour. Mountain bike races, but I've never fully written the night. I've always sort of been part of a team and jumped in and done a lap or two while it's dark out. Anyway, go check out gray dot grit on the website. You can learn everything you need to know. And if you do it, make sure to ping me. I'd love to hear about it. Big, thanks to this week. Sponsored dynamic cyclist. Remember use the code, the gravel ride. You get 15% off any of their plans and they've got a free one week trial. So no excuse other than like me laziness for not stretching, but give it a try. I think you'll enjoy it. If you're interested in supporting the show, ratings and reviews are hugely appreciated and go a long way in the podcast game. Also, if you have a moment share this podcast with a gravel cyclist, you know, that's another great way to help out as well. Until next time. Here's to finding some dirt under your wheels   

Episode 41! Today's episode is a cracking conversation with Melbourne based, April Drage. April recently returned from taking part in the grand depart of the iconic Tour Divide - a 4000KM+ mountain bike route stretching from Banff, Alberta, Canada to the New Mexico border at Antelope Wells. April completed the route on "Miles" her Curve Cycling, XS Big Kev. If you're interested in a different perspective on the route, on Episode 12 we talked to Toby Lukins about riding the same route, outside of the grand depart, on a bike he made of wood.  We barely scratched the surface in this hour long chat, but a few of the discussions you can look forward to - all accompanied by April's genuine and infectious enthusiasm for riding bikes and her witty storytelling: hearing about April's origin story and how she came to love riding bikes - and after years as a social worker, now even working in the bike industry for Curve Cycling Using bikepacking as a means to work through emotions and explore herself, including riding significant bikepacking races and routes including Race to the Rock, Rhino Run, Kudlila Rally, Karnu Rally, Mallee Blast 1000, Munda Biddi and many Mawsons! becoming a Curve ambassador in 2021 and truly integrating herself in the bike/bikepacking community Riding Tour Divide 2023 and "finding the sweetspot between enjoyment and efficiency" Racing versus adventure and "April's holiday" riding through nights and completing the route in a seriously competitive time at just over 18 days (or just under 19 - in April's words!) The awesome women's field - albeit low representation still; a hugely significant representation in the top 30 - and how taking part in niche activities means you have alot in common with fellow riders The iconic Brush Mountain Lodge experience!  Solo versus shared adventures - and bikepacking with kids plus April trains (commuting with pumpkins on her bike), including a shout out to Alice Marsh at @mtb_bods .... and more! You can find April on Instagram at @aprilawol April also shares some great writing on Curve's Blog. If you are keen to help keep the lights on for this podcast, you can support us on Patreon, or you can leave a review on whatever platform you listen to podcasts on like Apple or Spotify. We appreciate the support of all of our listeners! 

Перші три етапи Тур де Франс принесли не тільки безліч емоцій, але й яскравих виступів та розбитих сподівань.Олексій Борисовський говорить про головне зі старту ТДФ-2023.Всраті майки та розбиті сподівання. Не для всіх команд Тур почався добре.Віктор Лафей став героєм Le Grand Depart. Франції не довелося довго чекати на переможця.Головним суперником Вінжегора на перших етапах був не Погачар, а ван Арт. Чи заслуговують датчанин та Джамбо критики на їх адресу?Детальний розбір спринту в Байонне. Чи треба було дискваліфікувати Філіпсена? ПОДКАСТ ПРО ОСНОВИ ВЕЛОСПОРТУ 

Hoy nos visita en La Taberna Eneko Gárate, de Libros de Ruta para presentarnos "Landismo" y comentarnos qué tiene preparado en la librería la semana de la Grand Depart en Bilbo. También en la capital vizcaína podemos visitar dos exposiciones de Kike Ibáñez, que también nos visita para contarnos qué podemos ver en ellas y hablar de su libro "El secreot de Gino Bartali". Por último Patino y Jon Karrantza nos cuentan esa quedada ACDP que están preparando para no solo ver el Tour. Habrá cervezas, presentaciones y alguna ración de patatas bravas. Además siguen entrando indeseables a La Taberna. Libros de Ruta: Gordóniz Kalea 47B, Bilbo Exposición Biziexpo: Centro Municipal Abando (Barrainkua, 5 - Bilbo) Exposición Cycling Ilustrators: Iturriza Kalea 13 Para la quedada y cualquier consulta y comentario del programa: enekotaberna@alacoladelpeloton.es 🎵 Música: ◻ Intro: Brindemos - Voodoo Grass ◻ Eneko Gárate: Tourist Ez Go Home - Kau Kori Kura ◻ Kike Ibáñez: You're the Devil in Disguise - Elvis Presley ◻ Patino: Ensayo Sobre la Decepción - Nueva Vulcano ◻ Despedida: Rosalita (Come out Tonight) - Bruce Springsteen 📍 Encuéntranos en... ➡️https://alacoladelpeloton.es/ ➡️ https://www.twitch.tv/acdpeloton ➡️https://youtube.es/ACDPeloton ➡️Grupo de Telegram: https://t.me/familiaACDP ➡️Twitter: twitter.com/ACDPeloton ➡️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acdpeloton/ ➡️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alacoladelpeloton ➡️Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/ACDpeloton Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Something a little different this week. Last week I hung out at the 2023 Tour Divide Grand Depart to take in the energy, and to wander around with my recorder to talk to people from around the globe as they get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.It was such an exciting time for everyone. I also had the chance to meet previous MB40 guests in real life. Folks like Chris Wheeler, John and Mira as well as Steve Halligan. I met Steve in Canmore and we rode together to the start, which was a massive highlight for me.I am pretty picking about audio quality and this one needed a lot of work but I think I got it to a good place. Enjoy this sneak peak into the 2023 Tour Divide Grand Depart.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

ddie O'Dea is an ultra endurance athlete and member of the board at the Georgia Cycling Association. Last summer he became the first person to complete the 5,900-mile Eastern Divide bikepacking route over the course of 78 days and 10 hours. Why did you decide to attempt ride the full Eastern Divide Route? Tell us about the start of the ride. It seems like you ran into some snags even before you go rolling. Which sections were your favorites? Did you get to hang out in any interesting towns along the way? Are there any changes you would make to the Eastern Divide Route? As a member of the Georgia Cycling Association board, what do the high school athletes think about your achievement? How did your bike and equipment hold up? Was there any point where you wanted to give up? How did you keep going?  How long before you think someone else completes the route in one go? Will there ever be enough demand for a Grand Depart? How did it feel to finish the ride? Would you do it again? How does the Eastern Divide compare to the Great Divide? What was the final mileage that you covered? Does completing a big ride change you as a person? Connect with Eddie at cycletechniques.com and @eddieodea. The Singletracks podcast is brought to you by TPC -- The Pro's Closet. Spring is the perfect time to upgrade, and TPC has an industry-leading selection of new and Certified Pre-Owned bikes, plus frames, wheels and accessories. Each Certified, Pre-Owned bike is inspected, tested and serviced, and every bike includes thirty day returns. Visit ⁠⁠⁠tpc.bike/singletracks⁠⁠⁠ and enter code Singletracks40 to save forty dollars on every order over two hundred. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/singletracks/support

Day Fire Podcast has been around for years and from time-to-time we like to visit our archives and RESHARE some great conversations! This is an episode picked out by Clint! Forever Strong with Grace Ragland - Episode 12! (Grace has passed away - she lived her life with passion and faced her challenges head on! Her life was an inspiration to many and an example to us all!) In June of 2018 Grace Ragland set off on the Grand Depart to mountain bike the Tour Divide from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, which is 2725 miles. Part of Grace's trip was to bring awareness to her life long battle with MS. The training and preparation was over and now it was time to go, but something was a little off. From day one this elite highly experienced mountain biker was experiencing a sudden cold and fatigue and had to pull up and rest a few days. Now alone with the race out in front of her, Grace's race begins and nothing is going to stand in her way! Grace's successful journey on the Great Divide is a story in itself, but she was unaware of the cancer in her body. Like all things with Grace, cancer was no match. So her battle began and after all the chemo and months in and out of the hospital she has been set free to once again roam, and roaming is what she is going to do! We love you Grace, you light up our world! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

In this episode of the Bikepack Adventures podcast, I had the opportunity to speak with my cycling coach Peter Glassford. At the Consummate Athlete, the goal is simple; to help people lead their best active, adventurous lives through coaching, videos, podcasts, articles and events. Throughout our conversation, we talk about my own personal journey into bikepacking and what I have created for the greater community, both in terms of the podcast, route-sharing website, my own Grand Depart event and of course my latest endeavour, the Canadian Shield Bikepacking Summit. We then change directions and I throw some questions Peter's way, on things that I am constantly thinking about, such as training, eating, the importance of heart-rate as a means of measuring performance, alcohol, and more. Far from being the usual podcast style you are so used to listening to, I hope you enjoy this conversation with Peter. If you enjoy this episode and are looking for a little more guidance in your preparation for the coming season of cycling adventures, I highly recommend you check out www.consummateathlete.com.A huge thank you to Dave Weil for increasing his support pledge through Patreon.I hope you will also consider supporting this podcast.To support the Bike Tour Adventures podcast, follow the links below:https://www.patreon.com/biketouradventures orhttps://www.paypal.com/paypalme/biketouradventures Join the RideWithGPS Bikepack Adventures ClubFind them at:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consummateathlete/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consummateathleteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgI4Bth1qen4yDO-rJlGNhgTwitter: https://twitter.com/consummateathWebsite: https://consummateathlete.com/Find me at…WEBSITEYOUTUBEFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMITUNESShow SponsorsRedshift Sports --> Use code BPA15 to save 15% at checkoutRestrap --> Use code BTAPOD10 to save 10% at checkoutBrockton CycleryPanorama CyclesRaceDay...

On this episode - we have returning guest  -Taryn Davis!  Taryn tells us all about her two attempts at this very challenging Bikepack event - The Ozark Gravel Doom held in Arkansas!Starting with her 1st attempt at the Grand Depart in May, 2022 - to her ITT (Individual Time Trial) on Halloween, October 31st (Rather fitting, don't you think??)  we hear about Extreme heat, to crazy bike mechanicals and oh yeah....Flying Rabbits...so sit back and enjoy Taryn's story about this awesome adventure!!https://www.pedalpoetry.comInstagram:  @tleigh.dryan.cycling101@gmail.comhttps://cycling-101.comInstagram @ryan.cycling101Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mojo/rebelLicense code: HNJQZQMQRQX5GTHX

Do you dream about following the Tour de France in person? Perhaps you'd like to ride where the professionals are going to battle it out? Maybe you want to see the finish line on the Champs Elysées and get an autograph from some of the riders? My guest for this trip report, Tammy McKibben did all of these things. She even did something that can complicate your life a bit: they brought their own bikes to France in the belly of the plane! Listen to her experiences so you you can plan your own adventure following the Tour de France in person. Table of Contents for 'Following the Tour de France' episode [00:00:00] Intro [00:00:35] Today on the podcast [00:00:53] Follow The Tour next year [00:01:49] Supporting the podcast [00:02:27] Following the Tour with Tammy McKibben [00:02:45] Have things changed since the last time? [00:03:53] Advice in following the tour [00:04:30] Grand Depart for 2023 in Spain [00:06:37] Which stage was she in? [00:08:57] Planning stages [00:09:35] Find a hotel [00:11:21] Riding the same road before the caravan arrives [00:14:10] Arrive early [00:16:10] Booking hotels very early [00:20:43] Rent a bike or bring your own bikes? [00:22:17] Bring your own bike – Airport experience [00:27:17] Clubs or bike associations [00:29:22] With the bikes on the train [00:31:24] Renting a van [00:31:51] Renting a vehicle from a grocery store would be ideal but probably not doable [00:32:59] There are companies that can arrange all of that for you [00:33:41] The finish in Paris [00:35:35] Team and rider victory lap around the Champs Elysées [00:36:30] Watching the Tour on TV [00:43:11] Outro [00:43:32] New patrons [00:44:09] Supporting Elyse [00:44:33] Preparing a trip to France? [00:45:22] GPS self-guided tours [00:45:57] Amazon recommended products [00:46:58] This Week in French News [00:49:38] Personal Update [00:50:25] Show notes [00:50:44] Next week on the podcast   More episodes about active vacations in France

Returning guests Jen Adams and Eric Betteridge stop by for a chat on their very hectic, eventful and exciting cycling adventures in 2022!!!   Their first podcast on the Gravel Groove was Episode 16We hear all about the Grand Depart for The Log Drivers Waltz bikepacking event and then sit back and enjoy all the tales from their Tour Divide Ride this past June!Enjoy!!http://www.logdriverswaltz.cahttps://www.instagram.com/thelogdriverswaltzryan.cycling101@gmail.comhttps://cycling-101.comInstagram @ryan.cycling101Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mojo/rebelLicense code: HNJQZQMQRQX5GTHX

The 2023 Tour de France will see the Grand Depart in the Basque Country for the first time since 1992 and see the return of the Grand Colombier and Col de La Loze.   Website: www.thecyclingdane.com

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! The Tour de France is a beast! A beautiful beast. It is the biggest annual sporting event in the world. Cycling fan or not, everyone knows about the Tour de France.  When I was a professional it was obviously a marked goal for all the guys in the peloton. An achievement to simply get to the start line. Although never having ridden the Tour myself, the last couple of years I have been able to to visit the race from the inside – as a journalist with media eyes on. Working with my old mates from The Cycling Podcast last year and over these first 7 days of the Tour de France 2022 I have been able to absorb the energy the Tour gives to everyone who is a part of it. I wanted to try to take you, as listeners, backstage. To speak to as many different people around the start and finish lines as I could. To try to paint the whole picture for you – that, even if you've never been on the sidelines, allows you to understand why so many people want to flock to witness this race pass by.  But most of all, I wanted take you inside the red tape, into the paddock with the buses, on course at the start/finish line, up close and personal to chat to riders and staff to hear what their experiences are from day to day travelling on tour. Join me as I make my way through the first week of the Tour de France 2022 – from the Grand Depart in Denmark, to the cobbles of Roubaix and then to the first mountain climbs of the race. It's an episode jam-packed with guests and I hope you feel like you're right there at Le Tour with me! Big thanks to all those who gave me their time and insight while on the busy race: Gregory Rast (DS Trek Segafredo), Simon Geschke (Cofidis), Mat Hayman (Team BikeExchange), Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange), Nick Schultz (Team BikeExchange), Neil Stephens (DS UAE Team Emirates), Matti Breschel (DS EF Education First), Simon Clarke (Israel Premier Tech), Zak Dempster (Israel Premier Tech), Michael Rasmussen (Retired Pro), Bradley Wiggins (Retired Pro), Raj (Mechanic EF Education First), Chris Hamilton (Team DSM), Brett Lancaster(DS Team Ineos), Dylan Van Baarle (Team Ineos), Owain Doull (EF Education First), Bernie Eisel (Ex Pro/Commentator/DS), Michael Woods (Israel Premier Tech), Ben O'Connor (Team AG2R Citroen), Carlos Verona (Team Movistar), JJ (Mechanic EF Education First), Tom Cools (Çois Cycling), Matt Stephens (Commentator), Luka Mezgec (Team BikeExchange), Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo), Richard Spink (Physio Team BikeExchange), Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) & the amazing fans that I met along the way! Stay tuned next week for an extra special Talking Luft, with the riders of the Tour de France. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world's finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Merch Our Tshirt collab with Çois Cycling for the Tour de France is now live! Shop exclusively at coiscycling.com Our first release of our new Talking Luft cap has now sold out. Stay tuned for the next drop in the coming weeks. Loved the Roubaix stage at the tour? Get ready for next year's cobbles with our Paris-Roubaix Cap. Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo

Sir Bradley Wiggins returns alongside Matt Stephens and Anders Mielke to dissect the first three stages of the Tour de France. Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl doubled up over the first three stages – with successes for Yves Lampaert and Fabio Jakobsen – while BikeExchange–Jayco's Dylan Groenewegen collected the final stage in Denmark ahead of the rest day and the race heading to France. Mielke revealed that the lack of crosswinds on the Great Belt Bridge will have left director of the Tour Christian Prudhomme disappointed with a dream crushed. Wiggins, Stephens and Mielke look at Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team's stunning start to the 2022 edition of the race. Patrick Lefevere had come in for some criticism for leaving Mark Cavendish out of the Quick-Step line-up. However, Stephens added that Cavendish has no issue with Fabio Jakobsen or his selection for the race, but hinted that clear communication regarding selection was a little lacking. While Lefevere is a polarising character – who should not be immune to criticism - his winning mentality is beyond reproach, adds Stephens. The guys also talk Groenewegen's emotional win, and “the classiest act in the world on a bike” Wout van Aert. Wiggins re-lives the Grand Depart in the UK, and there is special praise for fans from Denmark after the opening three stages. The Bradley Wiggins Show is Edited by Chris Watts.Produced by Pete Burton. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kathi, Luke, Midge and Euan are here to run through the Grand Depart stages of the 2022 Tour de France. From horrible … Continue reading →

To celebrate the Grand Depart in Denmark Chris and John discuss the long history of Danish cycling.

Bobby and Jens are joined by EF Education's Neilson Powless as he prepares for the 2022 Tour de France. After an impressive 4th place at the Tour de Swiss he shares his expectations for the Grand Depart in Denmark... and the following 18 stages to Paris. Bobby and Jens is a Velonews production in association with Shocked Giraffe. This episode was produced by Mark Payne and edited by Tim Mossa.

3349,8 Kilometer in 21 Tagen, davon sechs knochenharte Berg-Etappen und zwei Einzelzeitfahren - das ist die 109. Tour de France. Wenn am 1. Juli 2022 beim Grand Depart 176 Radprofis aus 22 Teams starten, dann sind Jan-Niklas Voss und Spyridon "Spyro" Spyridonu von Continental mittendrin. Die beiden entwickeln und vermarkten Fahrradreifen - und Continental gehört zu den wichtigsten Sponsoren der Tour, stattet sechs Profi-Teams mit Rennradreifen und die offiziellen Begleitfahrzeuge mit Autoreifen aus. In dieser Podcast-Folge erfahrt ihr, was die Tour zum Mythos macht und dass der Tour-Sieger von 1904 tatsächlich "auf Milchreis" gefahren ist. Außerdem erklären Jan-Niklas und Spyro im Gespräch mit Host Oliver Forster, warum der Fahrer im Gelben Trikot unbedingt optimal abgestimmte Rennradreifen braucht und wie recyclete PET-Flaschen in Pkw-Reifen kommen. Spannend? Dann hört rein!

It's been a year since we started this podcast, which means it's Tour de France time again! That called for one thing! A 2022 Tour de France Preview with our in-house Tour winner, Cadel Evans. We discuss this year's route, the possible stand-out moments, the hidden traps along the way, and how Ben O'Connor of AG2R Citroen Team should tackle this year's race after his incredible 4th place last year as well as his recent podium at the Criterium du Dauphine. Sit back and let Cadel unleash his tactical nous on you as we count down the days to this year's Grand Depart. Be sure to follow our different social media channels to stay up to date with everything happening here at BMC, as well as catch content from inside the Tour from our different Teams and Athletes. Facebook: @bmcswitzerland Instagram: @ride_bmc YouTube: BMC Switzerland

Rouleur editor Ed Pickering talks through the biggest edition of the year - The Tour Issue. This year, it's two separate magazines in one - with equal space given to the men's Tour De France and the Tour De France Femmes. There are features on race favourites Primož Roglič and Annemiek van Vleuten, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig's guide to the Grand Depart host city Copenhagen, and the story of the first women's Tour De France in 1984. And in the second half of the podcast, Ed talks to a cycling geologist with a particular fascination for the mountains and plains which make up the Tour route. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up in Tenerife Luke, G and the Grenadiers were staying close by to Belgian star, chocolate shop owner and all round top fella Jasper Stuyven. They invited the Trek rider over for a chat about his famous San Remo win, this year's home Grand Depart at the Tour, and the usual Watts Occurring fun. Enjoy.

Road cycling has the Tour de France...bikepack racing has the Tour Divide...and the 2022 Grand Depart is nearly upon us! Episode 12 is part Tour Divide preview show and part general conversation about the state of bikepack racing. Our guest this episode is Tim Tait. A man of many talents in the bikepack racing world. Tim is the race director of The Mixed Utah Epic aswell as a brand new gravel event for this year: The West End Gravel Rush in Nucla, CO. Tim got his start in the ultra world in 2019 by finishing 4th in the Trans-AM and hasn't slowed down since. And just like Ezra, this will be Tim's rookie year on the divide. The conversation of this episode oscillates quite a bit, from Tour Divide prep to Tim's history in the sport to the current state of bikepack racing. But it's a damn good conversation, that you'll thoroughly enjoy if you love bikepack racing.  

Forhjulslir præsenteres i samarbejde med Continental Dæk Danmark, hovedsponsor for Tour de France-starten i Danmark, bannerfører for sikkerheden på landevejene og podcastens hjælperytter på viften. Jørgen Leth. Personen og stemmen, som i mange år har været stemmen af dansk sommer. Han er et synonym for Tour de France i Danmark. Og så er han netop blevet slået til ridder af 'Ordre des Arts et Lettres' (Ordenen for Kunst og Bogstaver) af Frankrig og Tour de France-chefen Christian Prudhomme.    "Jørgen Leth har sat standarden for, hvordan man formidler cykelsport i hele verden." Sådan lød begrundelsen for Leths flotte hæder.   Jørgen Leth har været forelsket i cykelsporten siden hans onkel inviterede ham med på Aarhus Cyklebane i 1940'erne. Og på denne etape af Forhjulslir skal vi høre dele af Leths over 70-årige forelskelse til cykelsporten.    Hvilke interessante personligheder og cykelryttere har han mødt på sin vej? Hvordan husker han de gyldne år i 90'erne? Hvordan ser han frem til årets Grand Depart i København og Danmark? Hvem er den unikke cykelformidler Jørgen Leth? Og hvordan vil han gerne huskes?   Mevirkende: Jørgen Leth og Anders Mielke

Medlemmer kan lytte til udsendelsen uden reklamer i vores app - download via duah.dk/app Velkommen til endnu en udgave af En Uafhængig Morgen. Danmarks uafhængige radios dækning af dagens vigtigste historier fra ind- og udland Værter Camilla Boraghi og Kristoffer Lind   Tidskoder: 12:00-30:00: Mads Brandstrup, Administrerende direktør for Danske Medier // Om de frie, uafhængige ukrainske medier, Danske Medier sender penge til, rent faktisk er frie og uafhængige. 30:00-40:00: Lars Christensen, uafhængig international økonom // Om Vestens sanktioner mod Rusland er nyttesløse? 40:00-50:00: Alex Nielsen, Ansvarshavende chefredaktør for mediehusene Midtjylland // Om de frie, uafhængige ukrainske medier, Danske Medier sender penge til, rent faktisk er frie og uafhængige. 50:00-01:00:00: Søren Søndergaard, medieordfører for Enhedslisten // Om mediestøttede danske mediehuse bør finansiere ukrainsk journalistik. 01:00:00:-01:13:00: Jesper Worre, tidligere ruteansvarlig for de tre danske Tour de France etaper // Om Jesper Worre blev uretmæssig fyret af Grand Depart. 01:14:00-01:20:00: Jakob Illeborg, international korrespondent ved B.T. // Om Boris Johnsons bøde for hans ‘coronafester' er slutningen på ‘partygate'. 01:20:00-01:30:00: Anders Puck Nielsen, militærforsker ved Forsvarsakademiet // Om  Putins opfattelse af krigen i Ukraine er helt ved siden af. 01:30:00-01:40:00: Stinus Lindgren, sundhedsordfører for Radikale Venstre // Om hvad grunden er til at sundhedsstyrelsen har købt to millioner jodtabletter. 01:43:00-01:50:00: Kenneth Buhl, Militær forsker ved Institut for Strategi og Krigsstudier på Forsvarsakademiet // Om Rusland bruger kemiske våben i Ukraine. 01:50:00-02:00:00: Morten Messerschmidt, formand for DF // Om danskerne får lov til at stemme om EUs forsvarssamarbejde igen, hvis vi en dag mister vores vetoret i samarbejdet.

Winter Game, Grand Depart, Länderspiele,..., alles Event, die einem Sportfan das Herz höher schlagen lassen. Neben Höchstleistungen sind sportliche Großevents das Salz in der Suppe des Sports. Was es bedeutet diese Events zu akquirieren, organisieren und durchzuführen . Vor welchen Herausforderungen steht man und was bedeutet die Pandemie für Sportevents, darüber reden wir mit Martin Ammermann von D.Live. D.Live Website Du möchtest deinen Podcast auch kostenlos hosten und damit Geld verdienen? Dann schaue auf www.kostenlos-hosten.de und informiere dich. Dort erhältst du alle Informationen zu unseren kostenlosen Podcast-Hosting-Angeboten.