Alex Dowsett is a recent retiree after a dozen years in cycling's professional ranks where he tallied 15 victories, including 2 in grand tours; Alex set the world hour record, owns two Commonwealth Games medals (gold and silver, since you asked), and probably has a dozen other accolades omitted here. He's a father, soon to be married to his fiance Chanel, and does tremendous work with the organization he created, Little Bleeders, helping young kids diagnosed with hemophilia. This conversation hi...
Jan 09, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Pete stepped away from the World Tour and planted his flag as a pro's pro, using professional road techniques to highlight speed and results. Gravel is a fluid sport and Pete's come to recognize the importance of some not so tangible aspects of gravel, such as chivalry, a moral code, unwritten rules, and more. As gravel takes a look into the mirror, so do Pete and I as we dive into this conversation. Enjoy! Don't miss out on a chance to start your day better. Visit www.athleticgreens.com/tedking...
Dec 21, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 101
One hundred episodes! Thanks for listening to King of the Ride my friends. What can be said about Laurens Ten Dam that hasn't yet been said? Well, a lot, actually. Tune into this conversation late in 2022 where LtD again returned to North America for another gravel race, this time Gravel Locos Pueblo. His schedule has seemingly gotten more complicated since retiring from an extensive World Tour career. He jumps across the Atlantic more often than some international pilots. To check out the $0 de...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Ian Boswell returns for the second time as a guest on King of the Ride. Over that time since 2019, he got married, retired from the World Tour, had a daughter, won Unbound, and has seen the screaming hot arch of gravel grow with meteoric speed. So where does it go from here? This conversation covers lots of topics, but most of them revolve around where we see things going as gravel continues to evolve. Just two dudes sitting around a table talking shop. Try Athletic Greens! Visit www.athleticgre...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 99
Our guest today is an icon in the endurance running space, Anton Krupicka. Winner of the Leadville 100 as a fresh faced 23 year old in 2006, fifteen years later he was once again on the podium in 2021 at Leadville after a spate of injuries, but not a shortage of adventures over that time. Early in his career, Anton's blog became requisite reading material for all aspiring runners. His social media attracts millions of views. He writes prolifically and travels minimally… by that I mean, check out...
Nov 03, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 98
Jan Heine is the president of Rene Herse Cycles and editor in chief of Bicycle Quarterly. He's a builder, an engineer, a story teller, a photographer, and as it turns out is pretty handy on the bike too with a recent FKT on the Arkansas High Country Race's southern loop which spans 475 miles across northwest Arkansas! I've wanted to have Jan on the podcast for years and this seemed like just the right time. Congrats to Jan and welcome to the show. www.ReneHerseCycles.com www.BicycleQuarterly.com...
Oct 22, 2022•54 min•Ep. 97
Carl Decker has been a professional cyclist for longer than many professional cyclists have been alive. This 47 year old pro has been a mountain bike racer, cyclocross racer, Super-D extraordinaire, road racer, and now a stalwart gravel racer in the scene that is both burgeoning and reaching its adolescence. Thanks to Athletic Greens for supporting this episode and simplifying my nutrition routine. Don't forget to try out AG1 with a hard to beat offer using the website www.athleticgreens.com/ted...
Oct 08, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 96
This conversation is one for the ages. It took place on Kiel's sailboat, fresh on the tail end of a bike ride around Seattle, and right before both Kiel and I set off for Rebecca's Private Idaho. Kiel is a great friend, a father, a husband, a sailor, a retired World Tour cyclist and a current gravel racer... err, rider? Naw, he's a racer at heart even though he has the completely right ethos for this fledgeling sport. This hour long conversation feels like what could easily be part one in a five...
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 95
World Champion rower turned gravel cyclist, that's right, Brennan Wertz is our guest today. A linguist, a world traveler, a Stanford graduate, an incredibly friendly individual, Brennan is a speedy and excellent addition to the gravel peloton. At just 23 years old, the sky's the limit with the power numbers he's able to produce. Please enjoy the show! Here's the summary of my Last Best Ride exploits: https://youtu.be/_mRv_b7JMW4
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Sports cardiology is a well known field, but it really didn't exist prior to 2008 when our guest, Dr. Aaron Baggish put it on the map by creating Massachusetts General Hospital's Cardiovascular Performance Program. Dr. Baggish serves as team cardiologist and physician for numerous athletic organizations including as medical director for the Boston Marathon and cardiologist/team physician for US Soccer, US Rowing, Harvard University, Suffolk University, the New England Patriots, the Boston Bruins...
Aug 15, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 93
The titles of these episodes usually have a little blurb to describe the guest. This ended up as "Professional Cyclist" but I thought of "winner of bike races all the freakin' time" or "winning bike races like it's his job" or "champion of all kinds" because frankly he's winning everything in sight. But better yet, Keegan is a super kind person and doesn't just ride bikes with a number of his handlebars but sets cool records like the White Rim FKT or Everest world record or chasing the 24 Hours ...
Jul 20, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 92
He just couldn't get enough, so back he went in 2022. Roger Brown is my friend, business partner at UnTapped, and among the least trained riders for this grand daddy of all gravel bike races, Unbound 200. Let's hear from Roger how his second time taking on the mammoth gravel race across the Kansas countryside went. To save on Saris, use code Saris-Social-1522 for 15% off anything at Saris.com
Jun 12, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Brendan Quirk took the reins as CEO of USA Cycling late in 2021 with the hopes of reinvigorating the organization with the energy and enthusiasm that he remembers from his first races as a card carrying USAC member in 1986. Looking at the state of the cycling union: American racing needs help and hopefully Brendan is the person for the job. Brendan is the co-founder of the biggest cycling e-tailer, Competitive Cyclist, which segued to a position as EVP at Backcountry.com. He ran Rapha North Amer...
Jun 01, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 90
Charles Aaron is the owner of America's longest running professional cycling team, Human Powered Health. Having spent a lifetime in cycling -- from the heyday of pro mountain biking in the 1990s through to the present -- Charles certainly has some stories to tell. The women's team will compete in this summer's Tour de France Femmes and the men's team has been making their way up the hierarchy of pro cycling teams with hopes of being in the grandest tour soon as well. You can follow along with hi...
May 24, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 89
I don't have a Best Episode of the Year category, but this conversation would be in the running. Meg Fisher is a decorated athlete across a variety of disciplines. A walk-on division 1 tennis player in college, she was involved in a tragic accident at the age of 19 that took the love of her life and resulted in an amputated portion of her leg. Not one to watch the grass grow and sit by the sidelines, she's only sped up since then, winning world championships and all shades of Paralympic medals. ...
May 12, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 88
I like beer. You like beer. Beer is great! Hangovers, poor decision making, reduced performance, and alcohol induced accidents aren't that great. Bill Shufelt had a very successful career in finance, but he found that he inspired at work. It was work for the sake of work and he wasn't making healthy decisions. He saw a void in the craft beer market, specifically for non-alcoholic beer and leapt at it. After (nearly) countless attempts, along with his business partner, John Walker, they created t...
Apr 07, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 87
With MidSouth now in the rearview mirror it's time to look back at the season opener. This conversation bookends the MidSouth festival amid a lovely Sunday brunch with my dear friend Bobby. Bobby Wintle is the event director of MidSouth as well as District Bicycles, the iconic bike shop in Stillwater, Oklahoma. His voice is shredded, the racers are left dusty with the telltale red Oklahoma dirt, but boy oh boy did we have fun with this conversation. Don't miss out on performing at your best. Go ...
Mar 16, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 86
I'm excited introduce Olympian, current double national champion in both the road race and time trial, World Tour race winner, dancing queen and internet sensation Alison Jackson! I caught up with Alison Jackson while she was home in Canada before making her late winter pilgrimage to Europe and the traditional bike racing scene. We chatted shop that spans her careers, the highs and lows, the trajectory her career has taken, and the interesting trends the entire sport is taking. Be sure to follow...
Feb 16, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 85
Tejay van Garderen is one of the best cyclists America has ever produced. With stage wins in the Giro, the Tour de Suisse, Volta Catalunya, and plenty more, overall wins at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge and the Tour of California, plus best young rider and 5th place (twice) at the Tour de France, Tejay's palmares are lengthy. He's also a fascinating conversationalist, is knowledgeable about wine, introduced me to burrata, knows his NFL, is a father to two girls, and husband to Jessica. Tejay has...
Jan 01, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 84
This is one for the ages. Every guest on this podcast has the thread of the bicycle woven through their lives and Mike Cohen is no different. He's just had a much different life unfold than perhaps he was expecting as a 17 year old. Mike is as upbeat as they come and as both a leukemia survivor and recipient of a heart transplant, he's got some very wild stories to tell. Mike is a cyclist, he now works in the industry from his home in San Diego, and among other adventures, he's ridden across the...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 83
The world of professional cycling is full of characters and they don't get much more interesting than Mitch Docker. Between his many iterations of mullets and mustaches, he was a standout, but it's his hard work and talent that made him a stalwart member of the pro peloton. This Australian made his way to Europe in 2006 to start his pro cycling career which has extended right up until the present, although Mitch is retiring from pro cycling here at the end of the 2021 season. Mitch and Ted will ...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 82
Haley Batten stormed onto the professional scene in 2021. She earned a spot on the podium in her first ever World Cup race, won a short track World Cup soon thereafter, and had a red hot streak all through the rest of the calendar year. She is America's top finisher at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and she's just getting warmed up! It's fun to catch up with Haley who you'll soon realize has one of the most energetic, curious personalities out there. She took a quick break from academia, where's she's ...
Nov 23, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Let's welcome back Dr. Kevin Sprouse! It's no coincidence that the bigger issue topic Dr. Sprouse and Ted discuss here is recovery, as Ted is two weeks into healing from a surgically repaired elbow. What all goes into repairing a broken bone? Why is sleep disrupted, why is sleep a hot sweaty mess (literally), why do resting heart rates skyrocket, what the heck is HRV, and how are they all tied together during injury? This duo will discuss these topics as well as the bigger picture of recovery wi...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 80
Ryan Cochran-Siegle is one of America's best alpine skiers and on his day, he's one of the World's very best. Ryan is a Vermonter and learned to ski just down the road in at the community centric and petite Cochran Ski Area. He's a junior world champion in both the downhill and combined. He's steadily moved up the ranks, enjoying high highs and dealing with the lows that come with any professional sport. Ryan has speed in his genes; 2022 marks the 50th anniversary since his mother, Barbara Ann C...
Nov 03, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Buckle up folks, because this is a good'n! Ashley and Jered Gruber are a husband and wife team of cycling photographers with a fascinating story to tell. Especially if you ask them! We sat down in Italy for this hour long conversation covering their genesis through the sport, the business model of photography, and the philosophy of how their work fits into the bigger picture among other things. This being 2021, you can find them on instagram: @JeredGuber - https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber @...
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Sarah Sturm is a verb. She's a rider, a racer, a mentor, a coach, a happy bundle of energy. She's the inaugural 2021 Leadboat champion, then the very next week won the Last Best Ride in Whitefish, MT which is where this podcast was recorded just a few short hours after she won. Covering all aspects of a busy race season, how she got into the sport, the development and direction of gravel, plus plenty of other hilarious tidbits this conversation doesn't quite cover it all, but it comes mighty dar...
Aug 24, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Congratulations to Emma Langley, the winner of the 2021 Rooted Vermont p/b UnTapped! Not a bad result for her third ever gravel race. She's picking the big ones as her team, Tibco-SVB, has seen her line up at Unbound, BWR, and now Rooted Vermont this year. We're thrilled to have hosted Emma and her teammates, plus ALL riders at the 2021 race. Emma shares her perspective on the state of cycling. This neo-pro has a refreshing view of things as pro road racing comes out of a bit of a funk and now c...
Aug 13, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Let the history books show, Roger Brown is an "Unbound 200 finisher"! I don't know if anyone completed the 206 mile Unbound race on less training than Roger, but I sure don't know anyone who accomplished what he did on as little training as he did. Roger Brown is my friend, a co-owner and co-founder of UnTapped, he's a pillar of the Richmond, Vermont community, father of four, and a man who's always on the go... to the next kids' practice. He somehow fit in the time to ride for and "train" for U...
Jul 17, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 75
If you're a fan of US cycling then Coryn Rivera is a household name. One of the most accomplished cyclists in the entire world, this Filipino-American racer, Coryn is a ferociously fast sprinter who now races for the UCI Women's WorldTour team, Team DSM. This is one of the most fun interviews I've been part of as I play the second ever edition of Twenty Questions with Coryn. Enjoy! To see the near crash where Coryn deftly doesn't hit the deck, follow THIS link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3...
Jun 18, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Lael Wilcox is one of the most accomplished ultra endurance cyclists in the world. From the Trans Am to Tour Divide, she knows how to cover massive distances in a speedy amount of time. But she's not hellbent on racing, her attitude and perspective offers a refreshing view on competition in the newest age of cycling. She's opening doors for people of all walks of life as she rides from her home state of Alaska all over the world. Follow Lael's adventures at @LaelWilcox ....
May 12, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 73
