MOVING THE NEEDLE : The Andrew Neethling Podcast

The 2026 Downhill World Cup season is ON! Join legendary photographer Sven Martin as we dive deep into the upcoming year of thrilling races on this episode of Bench Racing. Get the inside line on the riders to watch in 2026, New Tracks, New Teams, New Era: 2026 MTB World Cup Preview show is here with some juicy behind-the-scenes info and gossip!

We'll be your go-to source for Downhill World Cup action all season long, bringing you review episodes after every race.

After more than two decades at the top of cross-country mountain biking, Nino Schurter reflects on life after stepping away from full-time racing.

In one of his first in-depth conversations since retiring, Nino shares what it’s really like to stay #1 for so long — from the mindset required on race day to adapting through every evolution of the sport.

We talk about longevity, pressure, training, and why success didn’t feel like sacrifice, as well as what comes next beyond the World Cup circuit.

Luke Meier-Smith went from growing up on a small avocado farm in Australia to standing on top of a World Cup podium — but the path there was anything but smooth.

In this episode, Luke opens up about injuries that nearly ended his career, the mental battles of racing at the highest level, and the breakthrough moment where everything finally clicked. He dives deep into his first World Cup win, the unexpected changes that made the difference, and what it really feels like when years of work pay off in one run.

We also get into Hardline, the evolving World Cup format, and the reality of chasing consistency in one of the most competitive eras downhill has ever seen.

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From backyard jumps to one of the biggest freeride events on the planet.
Sam Reynolds dives into Darkfest’s 10-year legacy, the progression of big air, and what the future holds.

He opens up on how it all started, what it really took to build it into a cornerstone of the freeride calendar, and just how tough it is to curate the invite list.

Tom Van Steenbergen has built a career pushing the limits of Freeride mountain biking. From landing world-record front flips at Red Bull Rampage to surviving some of the most devastating crashes the sport has seen, Tom’s journey is one of risk, resilience and relentless progression.
Tom talks about the mindset behind Rampage, the brutal injuries that nearly ended his career, and what it really takes to keep coming back.
Tom opens up about fear, recovery, fatherhood, and why he still chooses to push the limits on a mountain bike.
If you love freeride MTB, Rampage stories and the psychology behind extreme sports, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

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