With Pace

Henry Nelson had a breakout ride at Big Sugar earlier this month, going solo towards the finish and looking like he might be the first to cross the line. It was an impressive performance for someone who is relatively new, not just to gravel, but to bike racing in genrral. The 24-year-old started riding bikes after a blood sugar issue cut short his running career, and with a little help from Riley Amos, he quickly demonstrated that he has a bright future ahead of him in the sport. He sat down with Payson last week to talk about his career-best ride at Big Sugar, growing up in Kansas, juggling multiple jobs to keep his cycling dreams afloat, and his enduring love of maps. 
Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen
Email: howdy@withpace.cc

The final round of this year’s Life Time Grand Prix saw several upsets in the pro field, including Stella Hobbs’ win in a breakaway. She joins Payson from her home in Whitefish, Montana, to talk about how she captured her first Grand Prix win, from meticulous course recon to knowing exactly how to lull her competitors into a false sense of security before attacking. Plus, she discusses what it’s like running a bike shop, which she and her husband bought just after graduating from college. 
Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen
Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Cole Paton’s win at Little Sugar last week was just the latest in a series of big events that have shaped his life on and off the bike this year. Over the winter, he got a new coach, bought a log cabin on 40 acres in central Washington, and started adding mountain bike races to his schedule. Despite taking a wrong turn at Little Sugar, he won handily, without another rider in sight. 
In this conversation, Cole talks about the tough season of racing that led up to his first Grand Prix win and why he went into it feeling calmer than he has in months. He also talks about being a new homesteader, complete with mice, rats, irrigation, and a hand-me-down tractor. Plus, we hear from listeners about their Little Sugar experience.
Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen
Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Sepp Kuss is back on the pod after yet another historic season racing all three Grand Tours, and after his stage 19 win at the Giro d'Italia this year, he is now one of the few riders to have won a stage in each. Sepp caught up with Payson during a break in racing to talk about his infamous crash while leading stage 20 of the Tour de France this year, whether he actually enjoys doing all three Grand Tours in a season, and how his life has changed since becoming a dad. 
Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen
Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Most high schoolers spend their time hanging out with friends and worrying about college applications. Jacob Hora spent his time getting trench foot in Central Asia and riding solo across 800 miles of Armenia. At 15, he tackled the notorious Iditarod Trail Invitational with his mentor, Jay Petervary. The following year, he did the 1,200-mile Silk Road Mountain race in Kyrgyzstan. Now a senior at Fort Lewis College, he juggles classes with ultra endurance events like the Tour Divide and the Colorado Trail Race, where he’s proven himself to be one of the top contenders. 
Jacob sat down in the studio with Payson this week to talk about how he went from riding his bike to school every day to racing thousands of miles across some of the world's most rugged terrain, breaking his neck while racing the Tour Divide last year, and how a college class on sleep psychology changed his approach to the sport. Plus, he gives a preview of his upcoming trip to Türkiye, where he'll reunite with Jay to compete in the Taurus Mountain Race.
Follow Jacob on Instagram: @jacob_hora 
Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen
Email: howdy@withpace.cc