With Pace

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Haley Smith on becoming a privateer in 2026 while doing her PhD Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

Haley Smith has been on one factory team or another since she was in her teens. In that time, she spent a decade as a World Cup XC racer, went to the 2021 Olympics, and won the inaugural round of the Life Time Grand Prix. But this year, she’s embarking on a new chapter as a privateer. She’s also doing it while completing her PhD.

Haley caught up with Payson in Girona this week to talk about the challenges and opportunities of privateering, including why it was the best way forward for her and how she’s pieced together her program. She also talks about the all-star coach she’s been working with since November and why she felt that now was the time to continue her academic work.

This episode was made possible by:

Maap.cc

Osprey.com

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Mads Würtz Schmidt on his transition from WorldTour to gravel Jan 18, 2026

Show notes

Mads Würtz Schmidt might be a newcomer to gravel, but he’s already established himself as one of the best in the world. The 31-year-old Danish rider went all in on the sport last year with little financial support and ended up winning the Traka, becoming the European Gravel Champion, and snagging fourth at Unbound. This year, he’ll be racing alongside Keegan Swenson and Matt Beers as part of the new Specialized off-road team.

Mads joined Payson in Girona to talk about his reluctant departure from the WorldTour, how becoming a dad has changed everything, and why he prefers doing heat training to altitude training. They also talk about his dominance as a junior and U23 rider, the low point in 2022 when he thought about quitting cycling altogether, and how he thinks the introduction of teams into gravel (including Specialized Off-road) will change the sport.

Thank you to TrainingPeaks for sponsoring this episode. Go to TrainingPeaks.com/withpace and use code DREAM20 for 20% off TrainingPeaks Premium.

Thanks also to Osprey.com for sponsoring this episode. Head to their website to shop last year’s collection for up to 40% off.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

2025 in review (with Nichole Baker) Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

We're back from our holiday break, and Payson and Nichole are here to recap a packed 2025. They offer a peek behind the curtain at their year, from the emotional toll of Payson's broken hip last spring to finally offloading one of the worst investments of all time. They also answer listener questions about Nichole's first year of structured training and racing, their favorite off the bike accomplishments of the year, and coffee.

This episode is sponsored by TrainingPeaks. Visit trainingpeaks.com/withpace to sign up now.

This episode is also supported by Osprey. Visit Osprey.com to learn more.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Staying fit in the off season and Privateer Parts with Sarah Sturm Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

Sarah Sturm is back for another monthly catch-up, and this time, she and Payson are talking gym routines. How much lifting is too much? Should you be lifting heavy or doing high reps? And how bad is it for Sarah’s cycling career that she can’t do toes to bar? Then, they do their Privateer Parts segment in which Payson tries to figure out what is in the box that was addressed to him but which definitely wasn’t meant for him.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Kevin Vermaak on founding the Cape Epic and Gravel Burn Dec 14, 2025

Show notes

When Kevin Vermaak left his job in IT to found a brand-new type of bike race, he had no idea how much money he’d lose up front or how successful the resulting event would become. 20 years in, and the Cape Epic is one of the most famous bike races in the world. After leaving it behind in 2016, Kevin began mulling over a new idea — a gravel stage race that explored a completely different part of South Africa. This year, he launched Gravel Burn, a seven-day event in the Great Karoo. It took years for Cape Epic to grow into what it is today, but Gravel Burn attracted some pretty fierce competition from year one, including Tom Pidcock, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Matt Beers, and Lauren Stephens.

In this episode, Kevin tells Payson about how a series of globe-trotting adventures in the early 2000s inspired him to start the Cape Epic, why he thinks Gravel Burn has the potential to be even bigger, and the logistics of planning such a remote, multi-day event. He talks about the things he hopes to do better next year, why he’s actually glad that the infamous stage six of the race had to be neutralized, and why he needed nearly twice as many staff members as there were race participants in order to pull the whole thing off.

This episode was brought to you by TrainingPeaks and Osprey.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Scott Bowden on his Crossing Tasmania FKT attempt Dec 07, 2025

Show notes

Scott Bowden set out two weeks ago to tackle a 580km route across Tasmania. His goal was to beat Payson’s FKT from 2021, but most importantly, he just wanted to finish. With 11,000 meters of elevation, multiple river crossings, all types of weather, and punishing terrain, the route is brutal to say the least, and when Scott found himself struggling to keep his body temperature, he thought about pulling the plug. In the end, he did finish, and he joins Payson to swap war stories.

Before discussing the ride, however, they talk about how Scott got there in the first place. He began his cycling career in XC, and even competed in the Olympics in 2016. After transitioning to pro road racing in Europe, however, his career was cut short by several factors caused by the pandemic. After moving back home to Tassie, he started a new chapter, both on the bike and off.

This episode is brought to you by MAAP, TrainingPeaks, and Osprey.

Watch Payson's new film Crossings: New Zealand here.

Watch Crossing Tasmania here.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Ride With Pace: HolySpiritOfGravel Nov 30, 2025

Show notes

Leni Carrillo, a self-proclaimed "gravel normie" from San Antonio, Texas is the genius behind the HolySpiritofGravel meme account on Instagram. With her lighthearted and extremely specific takes on the world of gravel racing, she brings some much needed levity to a sport that can take itself pretty seriously. In doing so, she's earned a passionate fanbase. Payson caught up with Leni for a little spin and chat the day before the final round of the Life Time Grand Prix, the Big Sugar Classic, to talk about how she got interested in gravel racing, where she gets her best ideas, and what she really thinks about the pros.

You can watch this conversation on Youtube here.

This episode is sponsored by TrainingPeaks. Go to trainingpeaks.com/withpace and use code CYBER2025 to get 25% off TrainingPeaks Premium before December 1.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

The 2026 Grand Prix roster with Sarah Sturm Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

This week on the show, Payson sits down with Sarah Sturm to talk about the roster for 2026’s Life Time Grand Prix, which was released last week and contained more surprises than all the previous years combined. Payson and Sarah chat about the lengthy list of brand-new riders, the heartbreak and shock of seeing one of the most promising young racers of the past few years shut out of the series completely, and what they think about the controversial changes to the prize money. But first, they talk about why Sarah decided to return to the Grand Prix after a year away and what she’s been getting up to during the off season.

This episode is sponsored by TrainingPeaks. Go to trainingpeaks.com/withpace and use code CYBER2025 to get 25% off TrainingPeaks Premium.

Listen to Sarah's podcast, Talking Over You on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Gravel Burn recap with Bradyn Lange and Dan Craven Nov 02, 2025

Show notes

With the inaugural edition of Gravel Burn in the rearview mirror, Payson sits down with Bradyn Lange for an overall recap. Due to illness, Bradyn wasn’t able to compete in the pro field and instead dropped in partway through the seven-day event to capture some media from inside the bunch.

Then, Payson, chats with Dan Craven, a former professional road racer from Namibia who served as Gravel Burn commissaire. He talks about his long-standing involvement with the event and his unique perspective on how it unfolded.

This episode was brought to you by TrainingPeaks.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Gravel Burn stage 6 recap with Hayley Preen Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

Stage 6 of Gravel Burn did not go according to plan. Strong winds led to treacherous conditions, and after Swiss rider Andri Frischknecht suffered a crash due to high crosswinds, the 144-kilometre stage was neutralised. To recap the day, Payson is joined by South African rider Hayley Preen, who is currently sitting in third place in the GC. They talk about the weather out on course, what it was like to slow roll the rest of the stage after the decision was made to neutralise it, and what they’re anticipating for tomorrow’s seventh and final stage.

This episode was made possible by TrainingPeaks. Listen all the way to the end to hear some of Hayley's numbers from the race so far.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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