Best Payson McElveen Podcasts (2025)

1
Pro Cyclist Payson McElveen - The Hardest Ride Is the One You Don’t See - on Creativity, Pressure & What Comes Next 1:13:41

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4h ago1:13:41

1:13:41

Choose the Hard Way creator Andrew Vontz (@hardwaypod) in conversation with pro cyclist Payson McElveen (@paysonmcelveen), Red Bull athlete and creator of the With Pace podcast & Riding with Pace YouTube channel. In a sport filled with mustaches, Payson McElveen has the most famous mustache. Payson’s palmares includes a pair of wins at The Mid Sout…

1
Chequamegon recap with Melisa Rollins, last place finishers, and points analysis 1:21:34

3d ago1:21:34

1:21:34

In our latest Grand Prix recap, Payson takes a recovery spin with Melisa Rollins, who won the women’s race solo and made the competition for the top spot in this year’s standings even tighter. Then, he chats with Charlie and Steve, two friends who work for the Forest Service who were the last people to cross the finish line before the cutoff. But f…

51
Will Gilmore, performance coach at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center 1:10:53

1h ago1:10:53

1:10:53

When Payson hobbled his way into the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in May with a broken hip, he wasn’t expecting to be off crutches anytime soon, but thanks to the work of coaches like Will Gilmore, he not only managed to leave the facility without crutches, but also to jump back into racing a full month and a half before he’d planned. Will s…

1
Maude Farrell on winning the Lead Challenge after months of balancing cycling and ultrarunning 1:36:42

18d ago1:36:42

1:36:42

Mountain bike racing is hard. Ultrarunning is hard. So why did Maude Farrell decide to make things extra brutal for herself this season by combining them? Earlier this month, she won the Lead Challenge, a multi-month series comprised of five trail running and mountain bike races at over 10,000 feet. The final week of the series involved racing the …

1
Ride With Pace: Zach Calton the morning after the Leadville 100 33:54

17d ago33:54

33:54

The day after placing top 10 at the Leadville 100, Zach Calton joined Payson on a ride to talk about returning to form after the toughest season of his career. They discuss how it all started a year ago at the Breck Epic, his disastrous experience at the Cape Epic, and how he’s slowly found his footing again this season. Use code PACE20 for 20% you…

1
Ride With Pace: Bradyn Lange after Leadville 23:56

30d ago23:56

23:56

Barely half an hour after crossing the finish line at the Leadville 100, Bradyn Lange joined Payson for a painful cooldown ride at 10,000 ft. They debrief about the race, talk about Bradyn’s last-minute set-up change, and debate whether Leadville is harder than Unbound. Use code PACE20 for 20% off your first order of LTH supplements and take the qu…

1
Stephen Starring Grant - Author of MAILMAN: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home 1:06:25

20d ago1:06:25

1:06:25

Choose the Hard Way creator Andrew Vontz in conversation with Steve Grant, author of the memoir MAILMAN: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home. With rave reviews in The New York Times, the Washington Post, The New Yorker and The Atlantic, the memoir MAILMAN: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finall…

1
Leadville recap, with Torbjørn Røed, Cecily Decker, Emily Fagan, and key takeaways 2:05:05

22d ago2:05:05

2:05:05

In this packed Leadville 100 recap, Payson chats with 4th-place finisher Torbjørn Røed about his journey to the Grand Prix and their sprint finish last weekend. Then, he talks to Cecily Decker (aka Diesel Decker), who saw her months-long preparation for the race pay off when she took third place on the day and the top spot in the Grand Prix standin…

1
Cam Jones on his U23 misadventures in Europe and growing up in New Zealand 1:18:16

1M ago1:18:16

1:18:16

Cam Jones has had a pretty memorable 2025 season, rocketing from Grand Prix wild card to winner of Unbound. And yet, that dramatic turn of events pales in comparison to his 2022 season. For his final year as a U23, Cam planned to race every World Cup in the hope that it might secure him a team for the start of his Elite career. After a promising st…

1
Rahm Emanuel - United States of Sweat 32:30

2M ago32:30

32:30

Rahm Emanuel was the U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2022 to 2025. Prior to that, he served as the White House Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2010 under President Barack Obama, and as the Mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019. He also represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009. Welcome back to United States of Sweat present…

1
Robin Gemperle on winning the Tour Divide in under 12 days 1:24:21

1M ago1:24:21

1:24:21

Robin Gemperle defied all previous Tour Divide records earlier this year when he finished the notorious 2,700-mile race in less than 12 days, more than 300 miles ahead of second place. Formerly a junior member of the Scott-SRAM cross country team, he felt that there was untapped potential in maximising how fast the route could be ridden, not just h…

1
Kate Courtney on tackling Leadville and her first season as a privateer 45:25

1M ago45:25

45:25

Kate Courtney returns to the show the day after completing the Leadville Stage Race. Just a few months ago, it was barely on her radar, but after a broken wrist took her out of the World Cup circuit, she decided to look for a new way to challenge herself before the season starts up again at the end of August. In a couple of weeks, she’ll be lining …

1
Cameron Jones - Unbound Gravel 2025 Champion 1:07:21

2M ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Cameron Jones won the 2025 edition of the 205-mile Unbound Gravel, the most competitive edition ever of the most prestigious gravel race on the planet. Three months earlier, he showed up in America, walked into a used car dealership in the Bay Area, walked off the lot with a used Honda Odyssey and a dream to make this his best season ever. But thes…

1
Cécile Lejeune on her steep gravel learning curve and medically retiring from sports in college 1:47:40

2M ago1:47:40

1:47:40

Cécile Lejeune started racing triathlons in her native France at 12 years old and quickly began picking up national titles. After gaining the attention of international recruiters, she moved to the US to race track in college. Soon, however, a chronic series of stress fractures took her out of competition and forced her into early retirement. Now, …

1
One Hour to Train - What do you do? w/ Spencer Martin of Beyond the Peloton / WEDU x Andrew Vontz of Choose the Hard Way 19:20

2M ago19:20

19:20

You've got an hour or less to train, what do you do? Spencer Martin of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter & podcast + WEDU's Outcomes / The Move takes a break from the Tour de France to join Choose the Hard Way creator Andrew Vontz to talk about what they do when life and work are at max stress and you have little time to workout. Is Zone 2 really t…

1
Annika Langvad on coming out of retirement after having a baby 32:05

2M ago32:05

32:05

With six mountain bike world championships, a Leadville win, six World Cups, and six Cape Epic victories under her belt, Annika Langvad is one of the most decorated off road cyclists of all time. But shortly after yet another career triumph in 2019 when she pivoted to road racing and placed second at the Strade Bianche, she decided it was time to r…

1
Oregon Trail stage 5 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm, with Dylan Stucki and Nichole Baker 46:17

2M ago46:17

46:17

Payson and Sarah made it back to Bend. They may be a bit more haggard than they were at the beginning of the race, but that hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm. They sit down to talk about how the final stage played out, including all the tactics that went into the series overall standings. Then, they bring in Sarah’s husband Dylan to talk about his w…

1
Oregon Trail stage 4 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm 39:00

3M ago39:00

39:00

Payson and Sarah had two very different experiences on day four of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. They recap their respective miseries and triumphs on this second-to-last day, discuss how things are shaping up in the overall standings, and talk about the literal run-in with wildlife that left the racers shaken. They also talk about Dylan’s victor…

1
Oregon Trail stage 3 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm, with Skyler Taylor 29:05

3M ago29:05

29:05

Stage 3 saw the riders heading out for an enduro day that turned out to be very heavy on the climbing. Skyler Taylor, who won the men’s stage, joins Payson and Sarah to talk about how he managed to reel in Cam Jones who has so far dominated the race with his power and descending skills. He also talks about deciding to leave his full-time job to foc…

1
Oregon Trail stage 2 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm, with Cécile Lejeune 47:16

2M ago47:16

47:16

After the punishing 94.7 miles of stage two, Payson and Sarah sit down with Cécile Lejeune, who is currently duking it out for first place in the overall despite having raced fewer than 10 gravel races in her entire career. They recap the day, which included multiple crashes, plenty of interpersonal drama, and a few good samaritans. They also talk …

1
Tom Perriello: Congressman, Special Envoy - United States of Sweat 56:14

3M ago56:14

56:14

Welcome back to United States of Sweat presented by Choose the Hard Way where politicians and policymakers join us to share stories about fitness, health and the sports they love playing. In 2008 Tom Perriello won the election to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional district by fewer than 1,000 votes. He later ran for governor of Virginia and he …

1
Oregon Trail stage 1 co-hosted by Sarah Sturm 29:54

3M ago29:54

29:54

As the dust settles on stage one of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder, Payson and Sarah sit down to talk about the punishing 80 miles from Bend to Gilchrist. They discuss how things played out in the men’s and women’s fields, how Sarah’s new haircut might have taken her out of contention, Evel Knievel’s leap across the Snake River, and her husband Dy…

1
Ride With Pace: Sarah Sturm and Taylor Lideen at Unbound 29:23

3M ago29:23

29:23

In this final episode on this year’s Unbound, we’re bringing you two interviews that Payson recorded while on the ground in Emporia. The first took place with Sarah Sturm the night before the race in which she discusses the limitations of team tactics in the women’s field. Her husband Dylan Stucki and mechanic Anna Greetis also chime in to talk abo…

1
Ride With Pace: Rosa Klöser the day after Unbound 38:27

3M ago38:27

38:27

Going into Unbound this year as the defending champion, Rosa Klöser knew she was a marked woman. What she didn’t expect was that the usual crashes and chaos of gravel’s biggest event would start as soon as the first handful of miles. After a fall, a flat, and a wrong turn in the finish shoot, Rosa managed to walk away with fourth place. She caught …

1
Unbound recap part II with Karo Migoń and key takeaways 1:30:09

3M ago1:30:09

1:30:09

In the second part of our Unbound recap, Payson chats with Karo Migón about her dominant win. After initiating an early breakaway with two other riders, she went solo with nearly 50 miles to go, finishing all on her own despite having a slow rear puncture. Her ride is even more impressive considering that last year was her first gravel season and s…

1
Unbound recap part I with Cam Jones 56:30

3M ago56:30

56:30

In the first half of our Unbound recap, Payson sits down with men's 200 winner Cam Jones to talk about his stunning breakaway with TudorPro rider Simon Pellaud that stuck from mile 50 all the way through to a massive course record. Cam went into the race hoping to earn a wild card slot in the Grand Prix and left the race as a favorite for the serie…

1
United States of Sweat with Ambassador Jeff Flake - Desert Island Survival, Long-Distance Swimming & More 41:43

3M ago41:43

41:43

During a divided time in America, our love of sports and fitness cross party lines and can keep us healthy as individuals and bring us together as a nation. The United States of Sweat is a new series from Choose the Hard Way that features the world’s leading political leaders and policy makers sharing stories about what they do to stay healthy, fit…

1
Unbound preview with Dylan Johnson 1:22:41

3M ago1:22:41

1:22:41

It’s Unbound week and Payson sat down with fellow sidelined-by-injury Grand Prix rider Dylan Johnson to set the scene and make some predictions. They talk about how last year’s race played out, what the weather is shaping up to be like and how it could impact the race, and why they think the team tactics will be completely different this year. They…

1
Nichole Baker on her unexpected detour into racing and graduating from Johns Hopkins 1:37:59

4M ago1:37:59

1:37:59

For years, Payson has maintained that Nichole is the most talented athlete in their household, but it wasn’t until this winter that she finally decided to add some structure to her riding and shoot for some concrete goals. It all came about during an unusual lull in her schedule shortly after she and Payson finished his crossing project in New Zeal…

1
From Start up to End up - From The Better Lab to One Real Voice & Beyond - Andrew Vontz x Shannon Jones 2:00:05

4M ago2:00:05

2:00:05

Subscribe to the Choose the Hard Way substack at www.alwaysthehardway.substack.com for a look behind the scenes of this episode and human-generated insights about bikes, zen and life. Walking away from an executive role at a high-growth unicorn to go all-in & start up your own company sounds cool. What happens when a highly promising start up with …

1
Alexey Vermeulen on shaking up the Grand Prix and bringing new talent into the sport 1:19:35

4M ago1:19:35

1:19:35

Alexey Vermeulen has a lot of thoughts on how US gravel can improve. A 100-mile Unbound. A U23 field. Fewer elite riders in the Grand Prix—the list goes on. Since leaving the WorldTour to join the American off-road scene, Alexey has become one of the most prominent racers in the sport, finishing second overall in the first two years of the Grand Pr…

1
Iz King on balancing gravel racing and pregnancy 1:11:10

4M ago1:11:10

1:11:10

When Iz King got pregnant six months ago, she wasn’t sure how it would affect her career as a gravel racer. Like many female athletes who want to start a family someday, she was all too aware that pregnancy, like being an elite-level competitor, is contingent on a finite biological window. She knew right away that she wanted to continue racing, but…

1
Biju Thomas on fueling the US Olympic team in Paris and cooking 900 pounds of chicken at Sea Otter 1:14:25

4M ago1:14:25

1:14:25

Chef Biju Thomas made a major impact on cycling when he helped co-found Skratch Labs with his friend Allen Lim, but these days, you're most likely to find him cooking for cyclists at large events. For example, he was part of the squad that fueled the US cycling team at the Paris Olympics last summer. More recently, he was busy making several thousa…

1
Anneke Beerten on her years as a four-cross champion, retiring after a brain injury, and becoming a top skills coach 1:18:30

5M ago1:18:30

1:18:30

Anneke Beerten was one of the top mountain bikers in the world for a decade, starting her career as a two-time BMX world champion before dominating the 4 cross circuit with three world titles. She’s gone through many career transitions over the years, embracing Enduro and Crankworx to earn even more accolades. In early 2020, just after finishing he…

1
Sea Otter recap with Hayley Preen and Simon Pellaud 1:03:40

5M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

The Life Time Grand Prix is back, which means we've got a whole new season of recap episodes on the way. To kick things off, we’ve got South African rider Hayley Preen and Swiss rider Simon Pellaud here to take us inside their races. Hayley just won the South African Gravel Nationals shortly after grabbing third place at the Cape Epic and is on her…

1
Allied ABLE is here: CEO Drew Medlock and Director of Product and Engineering Sam Pickman on the new gravel bike 1:34:43

6M ago1:34:43

1:34:43

Today, Allied Cycle Works released its long-awaited ABLE gravel bike. Payson has been test riding it for a year now and is pretty sure it's going to redefine gravel racing. He sits down with Allied CEO Drew Medlock and Director of Product and Engineering Sam Pickman to break down exactly what makes the bike so different, including that 57mm tire cl…

1
Welcome to With Pace 25:58

6M ago25:58

25:58

Instagram: @withpacepod YouTube: Payson McElveen Email: [email protected] Payson McElveen

1
Brayden Johnson on his disastrous factory team experience in 2024 and taking the 2025 season into his own hands 1:09:12

6M ago1:09:12

1:09:12

Brayden Johnson landed his dream situation in 2024 when he signed a contract with a factory team. As a third-year U23 rider, it was a crucial opportunity on his way to the elite field. He had already shown his potential, winning National Champs and podiuming at World Cups. Soon after moving to Italy for the new team, however, Brayden started to not…

1
Pro Cyclist Chase Wark pt. 1 - Mega Mid South FKT 28:15

6M ago28:15

28:15

Pro gravel cyclist Chase Wark joins me today to talk about setting the fastest known time on the 300-mile Mega Mid South gravel loop after wildfires devastated the Stillwater, Oklahoma area and cancelled the Mid South gravel race. Find Chase @chasethebiker on Instagram. I wrote a story with my thoughts and reflections on the interview you’ll hear t…

1
Gwendalyn Gibson on her unlikely path to World Cup racing and bringing a fresh perspective to the 2025 season 1:45:39

6M ago1:45:39

1:45:39

Gwen Gibson is one of the best World Cup XCO racers in the world, but she almost didn’t make it into the professional ranks. In college, she juggled racing with a full class schedule and held down three jobs to make ends meet. When she graduated, she thought it was probably time to quit her dreams of being a World Cup racer and find a ‘real’ career…

1
Rosa Klöser on joining Canyon-SRAM and the future of gravel 50:14

6M ago50:14

50:14

Reigning Queen of Gravel Rosa Klöser returns to the show to talk about some of the major developments in her career since we spoke with her after her surprise win at Unbound last year. That victory launched her into the spotlight as a major new player in the gravel scene, but her spur-of-the-moment decision to race German Road Nationals really brou…

1
Bjorn Riley on Scott-SRAM training camp, painting, and his near-fatal snake bite 1:38:58

7M ago1:38:58

1:38:58

Payson stops by XCO National Champion Bjorn Riley’s apartment in Girona to hear about his training camp in South Africa with his new team, the one and only Scott-SRAM. They also discuss the part of winning a race that people don’t often talk about: the terrifying moment when you decide to throw caution to the wind and just go for it. Then, Bjorn pu…

1
Sahara Gravel stage 4 recap with Petr Vakoč 30:54

6M ago30:54

30:54

The final stage of Sahara Gravel in Morocco ended in a sand pit that left some riders sprinting on foot across the line. Payson sits down on a windy sand dune to chat with stage winner Petr Vakoč about how the event went for him over the past four days -- the highs, lows, and his favorite type of tagine. He also talks about his plans for the rest o…

1
Sahara Gravel stage 3 recap with Maddy Nutt and the GRL PCK 51:16

6M ago51:16

51:16

Stage 3 of Sahara Gravel in Morocco was harder than pretty much anyone was anticipating. Despite seeming to have hardly any climbing, it proved to be the toughest day yet and the first stage that took the riders deep into the Sahara Desert. Payson sat down with British rider Maddy Nutt, who has been battling for first place with Luise Valentin sinc…

1
Sahara Gravel stage 2 recap with Oti Zolati and Janosch Wintermantel 33:30

7M ago33:30

33:30

It's day two of Sahara Gravel and the general consensus is that the scenery was pretty mind-blowing on this 68 mile mountain stage. Payson sits down with Oti Zolati, the only Moroccan in the race, to talk about being a tourist in his own country and his bikepacking trip across Africa that got him hooked on cycling. Then he talks to the founder of t…

1
Sahara Gravel stage 1 recap with Luise Valentin and Matteo Fontana 37:19

7M ago37:19

37:19

It's stage one of the four-day Sahara Gravel stage race in Morocco and Payson is sitting down with the stage winners Luise Valentin and Matteo Fontana. They tell us how their days unfolded, what they do when they're not training (Luise is an engineer in Zurich and Matteo is a former triathlete and bike fitter outside Milan), and how they're feeling…

1
Harry Sweeny - Pro Cycling & High Performance Living 1:01:48

7M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

The #1 thing you can do to support this podcast is to subscribe to the Choose the Hard Way substack. Just go to substack and search for ‘Choose the Hard Way’ or go to https://alwaysthehardway.substack.com/ and hit subscribe today. That’s where Andrew Vontz writes about bikes, zen and life + shares his reflections on conversations with guests on the…

1
Alison Jackson on collecting stories and finding her winning attitude 1:19:40

7M ago1:19:40

1:19:40

If you’ve seen two-time Olympian Alison Jackson in the media, chances are she was either dancing, standing on top of the Paris-Roubaix podium, or both. The EF rider won Roubaix in 2023 and quickly became a fan favorite for her joyful social media presence and finish-line celebrations. She caught up with Payson in Girona this week shortly after brea…

1
Tsgabu Grmay on 12 years in the WorldTour and fostering talent in East Africa 1:35:51

7M ago1:35:51

1:35:51

Growing up in Ethiopia, Tsgabu Grmay was inspired to start riding by his father and older brother, who were both cyclists. As a teenager, he was selected to go to the UCI’s World Cycling Centre in South Africa and signed with his first UCI team in 2012. Since then, he raced 12 years on the WorldTour with teams including Lampre-Merida, Trek-Segafred…

1
Geerike Schreurs on her years as a WorldTour soigneur and signing to SD Worx-Protime 1:22:13

8M ago1:22:13

1:22:13

Geerike Schreurs spent nearly a decade as a WorldTour soigneur, taking care of some of the best riders in the world. Now, she’s their teammate. The Dutch rider officially signed to SD Worx-Protime to race a combination of gravel and road this season, and even though she had a breakout season last year and snagged second place at Unbound, she says t…