With Pace

Latest Episodes:

Whiskey Off-Road Special, with Haley Smith, Andrew L'Esperance, and Todd Sadow, founder of Epic Rides May 08, 2022

Show notes

Payson sits down with professional mountain biker racers Haley Smith and Andrew L’Esperance to talk about racing a 50/50 World Cup and North American schedule in 2022, snagging spots on the podium at their first Whiskey Off-Road this year, and their new podcast, OffRoad InRoads.
He also chats with Todd Sadow, President and CEO of Epic Rides, about adapting to wildfires and the pandemic, expanding the series, and why he wanted to revolutionize American mountain biking when he helped create 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo more than 20 years ago.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Quinn Simmons, WorldTour cyclist Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

Quinn Simmons is a professional road cyclist who rides for Trek-Segafredo. At just 20 years old, he is part of a new generation of American road cyclists achieving success in the WorldTour that the country has not seen in generations. He was the first junior male road race World Champion since Greg Lemond, and won the Tour de Wallonie overall in 2021. He's also achieved top results in the Vuelta a España and the Strade Bianche, and was long-listed for the 2021 Tour de France.
In this conversation, he and Payson talk about the driving ambition and competitive mindset that have rocketed him to success after his junior career. He talks about the influence of his family and the potential of his younger brother, Colby, who recently joined the Jumbo-Visma Development Team. They discuss his tumultuous relationship with the media at the beginning of his WorldTour career that left him suspended from the team for two months in 2020. He talks about how his view of the media and professional racing have shifted since then, and why he's more determined than ever to become World Champion. They also talk about his interest in another White Rim FKT attempt, setting a Leadville 100 course record, and his thoughts on gravel after crashing out of Unbound in 2021.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Justin Williams, on recovering from injury and growing cycling in the US and abroad Apr 23, 2022

Show notes

Justin Williams, founder of L39ion Los Angeles and winner of eleven national titles, returns to the show to talk about recovering from shoulder surgery and his latest moves within the industry. He discusses his decision to focus on Belizean Nationals rather than US Nationals in the past two years and how he’s using his influence to grow the sport and support racers in the country. He and Payson also talk about franchising L39ion, whether he has plans to run for the UCI presidency, and NFTs.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Sea Otter Recap, with Mo Wilson and Rob Britton Apr 16, 2022

Show notes

Payson is joined by two standout racers from last weekend’s Sea Otter Classic, Mo Wilson and Rob Britton.
Mo won the race, beating a formidable field that included Olympians, national champions, and former WorldTour riders. Having made a mark on the gravel circuit in 2021, winning Big Sugar and placing second at the Leadville 100, her decisive victory at Sea Otter demonstrated her potential in other disciplines. Mo talks to Payson about her mindset going into the race, her childhood ski racing career, and how she only got into gravel racing during the pandemic. She also shares some breaking news about some big career moves she's making this year.
Later in the episode, Payson is joined by Rob Britton, who finished eighth out of the Grand Prix roster and tenth overall. His result comes barely six months after announcing his retirement from a 12-year road racing career, six years of which he spent with Rally Cycling. He talks about why he decided to leave the WorldTour, being pleasantly surprised by his Sea Otter result, and why his 2022 racing schedule is more packed than ever.
Payson also highlights some of the breakout rides from Sea Otter and discusses some of the implications for the Grand Prix.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Grand Prix preview with Geoff Kabush and Kateřina Nash Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

Payson is joined by Geoff Kabush and Kateřina Nash to talk about all things Life Time Grand Prix. The six-race gravel series kicks off this weekend with the Sea Otter Classic. Both Geoff and Kateřina have won Sea Otter multiple times, and are racing it again this year. Neither of them, however, is participating in the Grand Prix. Earlier this year, Geoff penned an article in Cycling Tips that criticized the points system and entry requirements of the race, questioning its impact on the careers of pro racers. In this conversation, he, Kateřina, and Payson discuss his concerns and how the Grand Prix might adapt in the coming years. They also pick their favorites to win the series overall and talk about how they think racers with a ProTour background will stack up against racers with a mountain biking background.
They also discuss Geoff and Kateřina’s own careers. After decades of world titles, they are still winning races (including Moab Rocks, which they both won the weekend this interview was recorded). They discuss longevity, adapting to the social media demands of the “modern athlete,” and where they think professional racing is headed.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Dave Hagen, Director of Fort Lewis College cycling program Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

Dave Hagen has been the Director of the Fort Lewis College cycling program for 18 years. In that time, he’s seen it grow from a club sport to one of the most dominant collegiate teams in the country. He’s helped guide the careers of future pros such as Sarah Sturm, Sepp Kuss, Chris Blevins, and Sofia Gomez-Villafañe, and watched the team secure 15 USA Cycling Collegiate national titles in mountain biking and cyclocross. But under his leadership, the program has focused just as much attention on amateur cycling enthusiasts as future Olympians and World Champions.
In this conversation, Dave talks to Payson about fostering an inclusive culture within the team, which welcomes about forty freshmen each year. He explains why he’s glad that cycling is not an NCAA sport, and how he’d like to see collegiate racing change. He also talks about the influence of FLC cycling colleague and former downhill champion Elke Brutsaert, and discusses his own racing career for Yeti in the early 90s.
Sponsoring this week's episode:
jojebar.com, code MUSTACHE15
dometic.com, code ADVENTURESTACHE

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Cole Paton, winner of The Mid South Mar 23, 2022

Show notes

Payson sits down with this year’s winner of The Mid South, Cole Paton to discuss his victory and unpack the race. Having spent much of his career winning collegiate XC titles and chasing the World Cup circuit, the 23-year-old was as surprised as anyone when his fitness and savvy tactics snagged him the top step at the season’s first major gravel race. Despite his decisive win, Cole says that self-doubt and low expectations followed him all the way to the finish line, even after his solo breakaway with only a few miles to go. He discusses the influence of his teammate and mentor, Dennis Van Winden during The Mid South and throughout his intensive preseason training. He also talks about graduating from college at the end of 2019 with several national titles to his name but without contract offers from any major teams. In 2020, as the pandemic shut down racing around the world, he considered quitting cycling altogether and moving back to his hometown in Washington. He credits his girlfriend and teammate Savilia Blunk with inspiring him to keep racing. He also tells Payson about how he's viewing his future now that he's pursuing a full gravel schedule, and the races outside of the Grand Prix lineup that he's most looking forward to.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Keegan Swenson, mountain bike racer Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

Keegan Swenson joins Payson one week after setting a course record at 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. They talk about his pivot toward endurance racing after narrowly missing out on a spot at the Olympics for XC, and how he managed to beat out stiff competition to take the top step at 24 HOP in spite of it being his first 24-hour solo race. He talks about how his XC training informs his endurance racing mentality in good and bad ways, and the gravel rookie who he thinks is the rider to beat in the upcoming gravel Grand Prix. He also talks about whether he has plans to dip a toe into road racing now that he's jumping into the gravel scene, and his no-holds-barred racing mentality.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

The Mid South preview with Ted King Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

Ted King joins Payson to talk about The Mid South, the unofficial kickoff of the 2022 gravel season. They discuss this year’s course, the weather forecast, and where they think the race fits into the bigger picture of gravel. They discuss of the depth of both the men's and women's fields and choose their podium favorites and a few dark horses.
They also talk about how they’re feeling as they gear up for a packed 2022 schedule and how Ted is fairing after two broken bones five months apart curtailed his 2021 season.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Remi Gauvin, enduro racer Mar 01, 2022

Show notes

Remi Gauvin is a professional enduro racer from Squamish, BC who has made numerous podiums and top ten Overall Series finishes in the Enduro World Series. In this conversation, Remi talks about how riding dirt jumps in Jordie Lunn's backyard as a kid fueled his passion for cycling. He talks about finding early success as a downhill racer and working on an oil rig to support his cycling career, at one point working 56 days in a row on night shifts in temperatures around -30ºC. He talks about why he transitioned to enduro, the different skillset required for downhill, and what it’s like dating a fellow pro racer (2017 Downhill World Champion, Miranda Miller). He also talks about his tips for fast descending and the Youtube channel he created with Miller and teammate Jesse Melamed to highlight the community and skill-building of pro riding.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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