With Pace

Trains, a moto crash, the hero pull of the day, and two peeing mishaps are just some of the crazy moments from Unbound that make the cut in this episode. As the race expands every year, so does the potential for chaos within the peloton. Payson rounded up some of the most striking examples that you didn't see in any on-the-day coverage. Click to WIN: TIME XPRO 12 SL Pedals + Sockeloen x Payson Aero SocksYou can find out more about TIME pedals here Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

This year’s Unbound was one of the most dynamic and exciting in the event’s history, featuring two new winners, separate starts for the elite men and women, and a nine-up sprint at the women's finish. Payson caught up with two of the top riders to get the lowdown from inside the men’s and women’s fields. We also hear from some of the riders across the other categories, from 50-milers to the Unbound XL.Payson and Pete Stetina discuss how the men’s race played out, including Lachlan Morton's crowd-pleaser of a win, how Gravel World Champ Matej Mohorič ended up being less of a threat than expected, and why starting separately from the amateurs and elite women actually impacted the race in a big way. Lauren De Crescenzo joins Payson to talk about her ill-fated solo breakaway, why the new rules for the women’s race didn’t go far enough, and which Grand Prix riders over and under-performed. Watch the Unbound race highlights hereClick to WIN: TIME XPRO 12 SL Pedals + Sockeloen x Payson Aero SocksYou can find out more about TIME pedals here Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Professional cyclist Jasper Ockeloen discusses Unbound predictions, founding Sockeloen, and the Dutch Mafia. Topics include Euro tactics in American gravel, safety concerns, and balancing racing with business ventures.

At 46, Kateřina Nash has been racing bikes for three decades and continues to compete at the highest level. Originally from the Czech Republic, she competed in skiing throughout her early life, even competing in two Winter Olympics before discovering a love for mountain biking. She was part of the first cohort of the groundbreaking LUNA Pro Team in 2002, and stayed with the team for more than two decades. In that time, she won seven Cyclo-cross World Cups, competed in three Summer Olympics, and, for the past few years, has served as a Vice President of the UCI and President of the Athletes’ Commission.Payson caught up with Kateřina in Bentonville last week to talk about growing up behind the Iron Curtain, moving to the U.S. on a ski scholarship, and why she still can’t believe she got to sign with the LUNA Pro Team. She talks about how her training has changed as she’s gotten older, why she still loves professional racing, and how she’s managed to stay so fast for so long. She also talks about how her roles within the UCI came about, and the phone call she received last year that is an athlete’s worst nightmare. Use code PAYSON20 for 20% off at voler.com through May 30th.Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Kenny Belaey started riding professionally at age 9 when he and his brother began doing trial biking shows in their native Belgium. Since then, he’s racked up nine UCI world championship titles in the discipline, more than any other rider. But even during the peak of his racing career, Kenny kept up with the performance circuit, using the shows as a training ground for the next competition. In 2007, for example, he did 170 shows in 17 countries on four continents while maintaining a full schedule of racing. Since 2012, he’s been a regular act during NBA halftime shows. Now living in Bentonville, he runs the Bentonville Bike Fest, an ever-expanding three-day event featuring nearly every style of cycling. Payson caught up with Kenny in Bentonville this week to talk about his more than two decades as a Red Bull athlete, landing an Adidas commercial alongside David Beckham, and the grueling training regimen he maintained during his competitive career. He also talks about his many trips to the Middle East for Red Bull in the early 2000s and his unique artistic side hustle in which he uses his trial biking skills to paint large canvases. Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

After participating in the Life Time Grand Prix in its first two years, Taylor Lideen missed out on a spot this year. While that might leave some riders struggling for motivation, it’s done the opposite for him. Two weeks ago, at Sea Otter (the first Grand Prix race of the season), he snagged 6th place, just seconds off the podium. The next weekend, he placed 6th at Whiskey Off Road. In February, he and Lachlan Morton set a decisive record at 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. Taylor attributes these results to multiple factors, including a brand new approach to training that has put him in the best shape of his career. Without the pressure of having to wrestle for points at all the Grand Prix races this year, he's pursuing an ambitious and varied schedule, including Unbound XL, Leadville, and Vapor Trail.Taylor sat down with Payson in Bentonville this week to talk about missing out on the Grand Prix, why his new training methods might be controversial for some, and why seat tube angle was one of the things he was most excited about when he joined Allied this year. They also talk about the exacting approach to nutrition that helped him win Unbound XL in 2021 and the time he came face-to-face with a mountain lion on a training ride.Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

The Grand Prix is back and Hannah Otto is here to give a rundown of the first race of the season. She and Payson discuss the opposite tactics that played out in the men's and women's races, which new and returning riders caught their attention, and how the Cape Epic might have influenced the podium. They also answer a few listener questions and reveal the nutrition tip Hannah gave Payson the day before the race that ended up saving him on the day.Watch Life Time's Sea Otter Race HighlightsInstagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

After four years of pestering, Payson has finally convinced Nichole to return to the show to talk about her most recent trip to Uganda. In 2017, she visited the country for the first time to teach pathology residents and, based on her experiences and newfound connections there, started Path of Logic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving cancer diagnostics and outcomes in equatorial Africa. She’s returned every year since to expand Path of Logic, and even started a Master’s program in Public Health at Johns Hopkins to deepen her work. In this episode, Nichole and Payson talk about the animated film she and her colleagues are working on to help destigmatize breast cancer in Uganda, her side project of riding her bike into rural towns around the southwest of the country to deliver solar-powered lights to school children, and how her work at Johns Hopkins is pushing Path of Logic forward. She also talks about getting stranded in Brussels on the journey to Uganda and why she thinks Payson’s lifestyle has made her soft. Get 15% off everything on the Dometic website with code PAYSON15Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

It takes a particular kind of grit to win the grueling 800-mile Atlas Mountain Race, and Cynthia Carson did it on less than five hours of sleep. The rising bikepacking star has had quite a year, winning Spain’s infamous desert race Badlands in September and becoming the first woman to finish in the top 10. Cynthia joins Payson this week to talk about how she rose so quickly from casual gravel cyclist to one of the top ultradistance racers in the world. She explains why she’s chosen to focus on non-U.S. races since the start of her career, why her extreme competitiveness and relaxed approach to planning are a winning combination, and how an impromptu tea ceremony during the Atlas Mountain Race helped get her over the finish line. She also talks about nutrition, bike setup, and why she started her own race, Gravista, a few years ago. Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

At 21 years old, Luke Lamperti is already riding for one of the biggest teams in the WorldTour, Soudal–Quick-Step, and he's hit the ground running. Since the season began, he’s racked up podiums at the Challenge Mallorca, the Muscat Classic, and the Tour of Oman, solidifying his place as a young rider to watch. Before signing with Quick-Step, he raced alongside Tom Pidcock on the Trinity Racing development team where he honed his reputation as a formidable sprinter, but he’s still figuring out where his skills lie. At the start of the season, Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere invoked Tom Boonen's name when speculating about Luke’s potential as a Classics rider, and the team has already given the newcomer plenty of opportunities to flex his muscles.Luke sat down with Payson in Girona earlier this month to talk about his first few months in the WorldTour, including what it’s like to have your idols become your teammates, coming to terms with just how good riders like Wout van Aert are when you have to race alongside them, and why his lifestyle hasn’t changed much despite having joined the highest echelons of the sport. He also talks about growing up in a ranching family, his love of motocross, and keeping a level head despite the breathless media coverage surrounding his first season. Instagram: @withpacepodYouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc