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Unbound recap pt. 1: the pro race (with Danni Shrosbree) Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

This year’s Unbound was humbling. Mud, thunder storms, and mechanicals galore plagued the racers and culled the pro field. To recap the carnage, Payson is joined by Danni Shrosbree, who battled multiple crises to grab a top 10 and secure a wildcard position in the Grand Prix. They discuss their top 5 “What the f*ck” moments from the race, their 5 silver linings, and the 5 most painful parts of their bodies when they crossed the finish line. Plus, we hear from listeners who participated in the race, and Payson gives an overview of the Grand Prix points standings.

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Unbound course preview with four-time winner Dan Hughes May 24, 2026

Show notes

Dan Hughes is a certified Unbound legend, having won the very first edition way back in 2006 and another three times for good measure. He’s seen the race go from 34 people in a hotel parking lot in Emporia to the most prestigious gravel race in the world. An Emporia local, he now works for Life Time as a Content Specialist and has already spent hours doing recon in the Flint Hills.

In other words, there is no better person to talk to about the course. Payson sits down with Dan this week for a detailed breakdown of this year’s route. For the 20th anniversary of the event, the organisers decided to make this one extra special, incorporating new roads and some old favourites. They discuss weather, water crossings, trains, a new feed zone for the pros, and much more. But first, Dan provides some backstory on the race that has become the focal point of the gravel calendar.

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YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Sam Shaw on setting a new FKT on New Zealand’s Great Tracks May 18, 2026

Show notes

Sam Shaw isn’t your average FKT setter. The Kiwi rider has raced XC, gravel, and Enduro over the years (he was on the podium at XCO nationals just this year), but since getting married and starting a family, he’s worked full-time off the bike as an ecologist and carpenter. Last year, he set the fastest known time between Auckland and Wellington, beating Lachlan Morton’s record. Earlier this month, he set the FKT on the Great Tracks Traverse, a 240-mile route that covers New Zealand’s Paparoa Track, Old Ghost Road, and Heaphy Track, which Payson tackled in 2024.

Sam caught up with Payson during his lunch break from building a roof to talk about how he took on the route, including training while commuting, riding a bike he received just hours before setting off, having to plan around conservation laws that put part of the route off limits at night, and fueling.

Head to NordVPN.com/WithPace for 4 months off their two-year plan.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Maddie Munro on battling the mud to her first World Cup podium May 06, 2026

Show notes

The first World Cup of the season took place in a new country (South Korea) and featured treacherously muddy conditions that forced riders to navigate large sections of the course on foot. 24-year-old Maddie Munro crossed the finish line in third, using her cyclocross background to propel herself to the best result she’s had since joining the Elite ranks last year.

Payson caught up with Maddie to talk about starting the race on tires she’d never ridden, battling with the World Champion at the front of the race, and the emotional reception she received from her team at the finish. They also discuss the broader implications of her result. After signing with Trek Factory Racing at just 18, Maddie did not have her contract renewed after last season, which left her scrambling to find an alternative. Now racing with Liv Cycling, she says she felt at home almost immediately.

Head to Saily.com/WithPace and use code WithPace for 15% their new eSIM.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Lauren Stephens and Levi Leipheimer on Levi's GranFondo May 03, 2026

Show notes

This week, we continue our recap of Levi’s GranFondo with this year’s winner, Lauren Stephens, who checked in from the Tour of the Gila to talk about running her own team, the dismal state of road racing in the US, and her controversial use of race radios during the Sea Otter Classic last month.

Then, Payson talks to Levi Leipheimer about why he decided to create Levi’s GranFondo back in 2009, why putting on road races is so much more expensive in the US than it is in Europe, and what gravel events can and can’t learn about race coverage from road events.

Head to NordVPN.com/WithPace for an extra four months on their two-year plan.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Brennan Wertz on his unexpected Levi's GranFondo podium Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Brennan Wertz wasn’t expecting much at Levi’s GranFondo last weekend. At 6’5” and over 200 pounds, he isn’t the type of rider who usually excels at races with nearly 14,000 feet of climbing, and, to use his own description, he'd “got his doors blown off” last year. But through savvy tactics and a sense of having nothing to lose, he managed to spend most of the six-hour race in two breakaways and landed in fifth after a bunch sprint for the win. On this episode, Brennan gives a play-by-play of his race, including insights on how to pace a breakaway, how he drafts off of much smaller riders, and the moment that he truly took in the magnitude of his effort.

This episode is sponsored by Saily. Head to Saily.com/WithPace for 15% off their eSIM.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Sea Otter recap with Sarah Sturm Apr 18, 2026

Show notes

The 2026 Life Time Grand Prix is officially underway after an action-packed day at Sea Otter. In the injury-ridden men’s field, Bradyn Lange surged to victory in a sprint finish with Keegan Swenson. In the women’s field, Sofia Gomez-Villafañe took the win in a stacked field that battled headwinds and countless attacks throughout most of the day.

Payson sat down with Sarah Sturm to recap the day’s events. Her pregnancy and deferred Grand Prix spot meant that she got to view the race from the other side of the tape, this time as a commentator for the livestream. They discuss the disproportionate number of challenges that faced many of the favorites this year, as well as the standouts, the treacherous finish, and the ascent of the U23 category.

Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring this episode. Head to NordVPN.com/WithPace to get four extra months on their two-year plan.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Morgan Aguirre on preparing for her first Grand Prix season Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

It’s been more than two years since we last had Morgan Aguirre on the show, and since then, a lot has changed for her. After two strong seasons racing gravel mainly in Europe, she is headed for the Grand Prix this year for the first time. Payson caught up with Morgan in Northern California this week, where they are both preparing for Sea Otter. They discuss her suboptimal start to the season, how she’ll be blending European and American events this year for Pas Racing, and which Grand Prix race she’s most nervous about.

Get 15% off Saily eSIM data plans with code 'withpace' at https://saily.com/withpace.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Mike Woods on his unlikely WorldTour career and multi-sport retirement plans Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Mike Woods' career in the WorldTour was practically a fluke. After earning a full ride to college for running, he quit the sport over a series of injuries and started riding his dad's bike on the weekends. Fast forward about a decade and he had won three stages of the Vuelta a España and one stage of the Tour de France. Last year, he announced his retirement after over 10 years in the WorldTour.

Payson caught up with Mike last week in Andorra to talk about his Cinderella story in cycling and his decision to race some of the toughest endurance events in a wide range of disciplines during his first season of retirement. They also talk about how road racing has changed since Mike first signed a WorldTour contract, and the one race that still haunts him.

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Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Samuele Bressan, Head of Global Marketing for Pirelli's cycling division Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

During Payson’s trip to Italy last week to race The Hills, he stopped by the headquarters of his new tire sponsor, Pirelli, for a tour of the factory floor. Afterward, he sat down with Samuele Bressan, the company’s Head of Global Marketing for its cycling division. They discuss why Pirelli, which is primarily known for its high-performance tires for luxury sports cars and Formula 1 racing, decided to start making gravel tires back in 2018, and how their products in that area have evolved since then. They also talk about the testing process (one of their recent tires was tested in no fewer than four wind tunnels), the importance of tire compound in gravel, and Samuele’s history with freeriding and BMX.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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