King of the Ride - podcast cover

King of the Ride

Welcome to King of the Ride podcast, hosted by Ted King. A professional road racer turned gravel, I sometimes win bike races, but more than anything it‘s the gravel community that makes me happy. Slinging maple syrup, leading rides, hosting camps, and just enjoying life on two wheels, I now have the chance to chat with athletes, entrepreneurs, and all walks-of-life who love the bicycle. Hop on board and please enjoy the ride!
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Episodes

Episode 132: Matej Mohoric -- UCI Gravel World Champion, TdF Stage winner (x3), Coming to Unbound!

There are certain people to watch for the win on any UCI road race start line and Matej Mohoric is certainly among them. He's won the road world championships as a junior and then u-23 rider, he's won three stages of the Tour de France, plus one stages each in the Giro and Vuelta. He tallied a monument, dramatically winning Milan-San Remo, dramatically in the first known case of a race win on a dropper seatpost. Last fall he took home the rainbow jersey in the UCI Gravel World Championship and t...

May 30, 20241 hr 7 minEp. 132

Episode 131: Geerike "Gee" Schreurs -- Pro Soigneur Turned Pro Cyclist

Many people who end up among the infrastructure of cycling begin as cyclists themselves. If they make it to the professional ranks, they often segue to professional cycling as mechanics, team directors, team managers, or soigneurs. It's rare that the timetable is reverse and they go from a professional soigneur to a professional cyclist, but that's exactly the scenario which "Gee" has experienced. Now one of the fastest women in gravel, Gee raced under the SD Works banner and has taken wins and ...

May 27, 20241 hr 7 minEp. 131

Episode 130: Christopher Blevins -- Olympic Mountain Biker

Christopher Blevins is on a tear. Winning the opening round of the UCI cross-country mountain bike race in Brazil here in 2024, he finished with the silver medal the next week in round two. Wearing the stars and stripes as the reigning US national champion, Chris has the Olympics high on his mind this summer going into Paris. From his early days on the BMX bike to showing stellar results on both the road and mountain bike in the U23 ranks, Christopher had to make a big decision going into the la...

May 24, 202457 minEp. 130

Episode 129: Lauren Ten Dam -- Gravel Racing and Tour Divide

Laurens is a vibe. His Live Slow, Ride Fast mantra is a media company and it's a way of life! He has very big plans for 2024, so listen in as we talk the Portugal N2 trip, his target of Tour Divide, how he stays fit at 43, and what it takes to compete at the pointy end of World Tour bike races in this modern age. N2 trip in summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7I4RBIlp9c Follow Laurens at: @laurens_ten_dam And why don't you buy yourself some AG1 at: www.drinkAG1.com/tedking...

May 04, 20241 hr 42 minEp. 129

Episode 128: Tobin Ortenblad -- Professional Cyclist

The multi-disciplined Tobin Ortenblad joins us on the podcast today. The former u23 national champion in cyclocross, the recently tattooed SSCXWC victor, the often bearded and fun loving Tobin Ortenblad, that is! We talk all facets of cycling from his early days right up through the present at Levi's Gran Fondo. The state of road cycling, his favorite genre of cyclocross, gravel, and everything in between. Join us for this riveting conversation. Follow along on @mctubbbin 's via his instagram he...

Apr 18, 20241 hr 15 minEp. 128

Episode 127: Noah Havlik -- He Beach-Cruised the MidSouth!

This conversation started with a social media post. Namely, this one: https://www.instagram.com/p/C40wy-_Oh5Z/?img_index=1 You could argue that Noah is not your average MidSouth competitor, unless it's argued that he's the exact, prototypical MidSouth competitor. On a lark, Noah hatched the idea of doing MidSouth on a $2 per day beach cruiser rental bike and then he went ahead with the idea. Follow along over the course of this unique and hilarious conversation. Try AG1 by using the following th...

Apr 08, 202453 minEp. 127

Episode 126: Michael van den Ham -- Professional Cyclist

Our guest today is Michael van den Ham. Michael is a long time staple to the North American cyclocross circuit, he’s a four time Canadian national champion, he’s tallied 6 UCI cyclocross race wins, he’s raced the world championships on an impressive seven different occasions, and he's supremely handy on a gravel bike. Not only that, he's recently retired from the professional 'cross circuit to focus on a wider variety of disciplines and to take the reigns of the Canadian national team for cycloc...

Mar 28, 20241 hr 21 minEp. 126

Episode 125: Derek Teel -- What's it like to get hit by a car at 65mph

Derek Teel is on the podcast today. His strength training platform, Dialed Health, has become the gold standard among amateurs and pro cyclists alike. His following is prolific at @DialedHealth which perhaps has helped echo the story he's going to tell on today's episode of being hit by a car at 65mph and left for dead. This is a heart-wrenching story of challenges and overcoming obstacles, no matter who you are or what you're up against. Derek's story is one of positivity and strength. Check ou...

Mar 18, 20241 hr 15 minEp. 125

Episode 124: Neilson Powless -- Professional Cyclist

Neilson Powless is just getting warmed up. His rise through the sport starts decades ago, when he and his sister Shayna were playing games secretly engineered by their parents to help encourage their endurance engines. Winning the XTerra World Championships in 2012, for example, indirectly shuttled him to picking up wins in the World Tour today. Recently becoming a father, Neilson reflects on the change of perspective that comes with racing knowing there's someone(s) very special back at home. H...

Feb 28, 20241 hr 1 minEp. 124

Episode 123: Ben Hoffman -- Professional Triathlete

Ben Hoffman is an amazing athlete. This born Coloradan, now Arizonan, is an 8 time Ironman champion, 7 time Ironman 70.3 champ, has finished as high as second at the hallowed Kona Ironman World Championships, as well as 4th place twice. He's a monster on the bike, duking it out on what's dubbed the fastest group ride in the country, there in Tucson, Arizona, and has toed the line at gravel races and Cape Epic in South Africa. He's training for the Paris 2024 Paralympics with hopes of bringing ho...

Feb 08, 20241 hr 16 minEp. 123

Episode 122: Matteo Jorgenson -- World Tour Professional Cyclist

Matteo Jorgenson is a young, powerhouse professional road cyclist. Born in Idaho, he's made his way all over the world racing his bike, and ultimately onto arguably the best team in modern day cycling, Visma-Lease A Bike. At just 24 years old, he's quickly and stealthfully tallied one of the strongest list of palmares American cycling has ever seen. With a focus and results already rolling in during the spring classics as well as stage races like Paris-Nice, Tour of Romandie, and overall victory...

Jan 18, 202456 minEp. 122

Episode 121: AMA -- Ted answers your question with special guest Laura King

Special ASK ME ANYTHING episode! You sent questions in, we answered. From van life to real life to gravel in the casual sense to gravel in the hellbent racing sense, lots of UCI questions, and everything in between. Please visit www.drinkAG1.com/tedking to get those five free travel packs and a year's supply of vitamin D. To submit more questions, visit www.iamtedking.com/contact

Jan 09, 20241 hr 23 minEp. 121

Episode 120: Tanner Putt -- Director of Road, USACycling

Tanner Putt has spent the majority of his life spent in cycling. I’ve known him as a bike racer — a very successful one in the u23 and domestic scene, especially. But it was when I was reading a recent Outside magazine article about Americans racing the Tour de France and in particular the atypical pathway that seemingly every American has to travel to make it from here in the states to the start line at the Tour, that I knew I had to talk to Tanner. He’s quoted in the article about how to make ...

Nov 17, 202357 minEp. 120

Episode 119: Matt Beers -- South African Cycling Watt Monster

There's rumor of someone coming out of South Africa who's an absolute machine in off-road racing. He's cleaned up in his home country and now he's on the move to North America. That person is the very affable Matt Beers. On the heels of his recent sprint to second place at the inaugural Little Sugar in Arkansas, Matt is lining up for the season finale Big Sugar this weekend. Between these big late season races we caught up, talked shop, talked global gravel and lots more. Be sure to visit www.dr...

Oct 20, 20231 hr 2 minEp. 119

Episode 118: Ben Delaney -- Cycling Media Privateer

Ben Delany has a career in cycling media to his name. He's seen the sport soar, he's been there during troubled times, and he's excited to break out on his own and expand what cycling media is. As gravel has taken off, he's now a bit of a cycling media privateer himself with the advent of his YouTube channel and the ways he interacts with brands. Join me on this conversation with someone who shares a rich history of cycling knowledge. To see Ben's YouTube channel, visit TheRidewithBenDelaney To ...

Oct 13, 20231 hr 10 minEp. 118

Episode 117: Dave Wiens -- Mountain Biker, Executive Director of IMBA

Dave Wiens is a Coloradan. He's an outdoorsman. He's a mountain biker and skier. He's a father, husband, and hall of famer. He carries the torch of the International Mountain Bicycling Association as their executive director and has a vision for cycling, hiking, and just being outside that makes people want to be part of this vision. This is a very fun one and I know you'll enjoy it. Don't forget to visit www.drinkAG1.com/tedking to make all your hopes and dreams come true!...

Sep 19, 20231 hr 11 minEp. 117

Episode 116: Alexey Vermeulen -- Gravel Racer and so much more

Not all professional athletes are one dimensional and Alexey is proof of that. This busy body has a lot going on, both on and off the bike. After an impressive 2nd at Leadville and 3rd at SBT, he's only whet his appetite for an action packed end of the year. We caught up on the eve of SBTGRVL and had this terrific conversation about the state of the (gravel) cycling world and where he's placing his piece of the puzzle. I really enjoyed this conversation and I know you will too! Please do yoursel...

Sep 04, 20231 hr 6 minEp. 116

Episode 115: Anna Greetis -- Professional Race Technician at SRAM

Anna Greetis is always on her toes. She looks after seemingly anything resembling a road bike, gravel bike, or cyclocross bike here in America for SRAM athletes, and then still has time to head off to Europe for some of the biggest bike races in the world. Anna is an all-star as she's helped keep my fleet of bikes in tip top shape for years now and does it all with a genuine smile and easy conversation. We cover her globetrotting schedule, her entry into the sport, the hurdles of being a female ...

Aug 23, 20231 hr 2 minEp. 115

Episode 114: Ryan Standish -- Go Fast, Be Chill

There are many chapters to Ryan Standish's path through cycling, but beginning in Australia at the age of two straight up through the present, there are a book full of anecdotes along the way. From the pursuit of Olympic mountain bike dreams to a shot at the World Tour to the current ambiguous endurance off-road scene, Ryan mixes his passion for cycling with close-to-the-heart interest in giving back with his fledgeling company, Rocket Sloth. Check that out at www.rocketslothco.com Visit www.dri...

Jul 28, 20231 hr 20 minEp. 112

Episode 113: Roger Brown and his annual UnBound Recap

Roger Brown has four bike races under his belt. He's raced Unbound 200 twice, some random race in college that he discusses today, and now the Unbound XL! Admittedly, neither Roger nor Ted finished the XL, but that doesn't mean it doesn't come without stories. Drop in on these two friends catching up on an epic overnight in Kansas. Use code "podcast" at untapped.cc to get some handy savings on all UnTapped active nutrition! And visit www.drinkag1.com/tedking to finally try out AG1!...

Jul 17, 20231 hr 19 minSeason 1Ep. 114

Episode 112: My Tour Divide Recap with guest host Rebecca Rusch

The Tour Divide didn't go my way, but that doesn't mean I didn't learn anything. I had hours and HOURS of alone time to ponder everything under the sun -- before, during, and after my race -- and it was fun to condense it and talk about it here with the one and only Rebecca Rusch. If you're curious about my packing list, please check that out here, www.iamtedking.com/blog/td-packing And don't forget to give AG1 a try, visit www.drinkAG1.com/tedking...

Jun 27, 20231 hr 26 minSeason 1Ep. 113

Episode 111: Lael Wilcox and the 2023 Tour Divide

On the eve of Tour Divide, I thought it would be wise to talk to the friendliest character in bikepacking, Lael Wilcox. We caught up with Lael on her ride TO THE START of the Tour Divide, as she rides from Tucson, Arizona to Banff, Alberta, Canada. There are loads of questions on my mind as it seems like this event is intentionally cryptic. For example, the Tour Divide is a ride along the Continental Divide Trail... which is also called the Great Divide... which starts in Banff... unless you con...

Jun 07, 20231 hr 9 minEp. 110

Episode 110: Paige Onweller -- Professional Cyclist

Paige Onweller stamped her name as a contender in the gravel scene by winning Big Sugar 2022. Lots of podiums and top 10 results also live on her palmares, despite a very short list of total races that she's ever done. Given her greater life story of selling her house, buying a van, and pressing pause on her career as a PA makes her transition to gravel all the more impressive. Visit www.athleticgreens.com/tedking and pick up those 5 free travel packs!...

May 30, 20231 hr 2 minEp. 110

Episode 109: Ivar Slik -- Unbound Gravel 2022 Winner

What's path to victory look like in the hotly contested 2022 Unbound 200? That's what I set out to find out with our guest Ivar Slik. Ivar is a member of the Dutch Mafia, as amalgamated by Laurens Ten Dam and his introduction to his Dutch countrymen (and women) to the American gravel scene. Although Ivar's name is forever tagged to the win in the most storied gravel race of them all, he's been dabbling in the scene for years, and boasts a lengthy list of palmares prior to that. Like winning the ...

May 20, 20231 hrEp. 109

Episode 108: Cole Paton -- Just a mountain biker that races gravel

Cole Paton is one of the good guys. He happens to be one of the good guys who's off to a screaming start to 2023. With international wins to his name this spring, second at Whiskey Offroad, and sitting third overall at the Life Time Grand Prix, we're hearing his name a lot and should expect to see him near or at the top of the podium for many years to come. Follow Cole at @colepaton And give yourself the same daily boost of nutrition that I do with AG1 by Athletic Greens. Visit www.AthleticGreen...

May 06, 202350 minEp. 108

Episode 107: Russell Finsterwald -- Professional Cyclist

Russell Finsterwald is our guest today. Professional mountain biker, crusher on a gravel bike, Russell wrapped up 2022 in third place in the Life Time Grand Prix and is looking for more this season. With a big year ahead, I wanted to check in to hear more from Russell, his background and history, plus his goals and ambitions for 2023 and more. Don't forget to get your FREE flask at www.untapped.cc just by adding a bottle of bulk UnTapped then inputting the code KOTR. Also for your five free trav...

Apr 17, 202358 minEp. 107

Episode 106: Nicolas Roche -- Neo Gravel Pro, Veteran Pro Roadie

Nicolas Roche is a pro's pro. This long time Irish born, French raised, global savvy individual has a lengthy list of impressive results. Twice finishing in the top ten of the Vuelta a España, Nico is a two time Irish national champion, and represented Ireland at the UCI road world championships seven times, the Olympics once, and just recently at the inaugural UCI gravel world champs. He's got a heck of a lot going on, so I'm pleased as punch to have carved out the time in Oklahoma at MidSouth ...

Apr 06, 202338 minEp. 106

Episode 105: Heather Jackson -- Professional Gravel and Ultra Running Racer, Recent Triathlon Retiree

Heather Jackson is putting up smashing results as she just now enters the worlds of gravel and ultrarunning. Which is as much a surprise that a "neo" pro would be able to accomplish these things as much as it's totally expected as she's been a triathlete for 15 years, expertly honing her 10-plus hour endurance. But let's talk about her time in Thailand! Or her medals from the US track national championships! Or growing up playing hockey... with me in small town New Hampshire! This is a great con...

Mar 30, 202354 minEp. 105

Episode 104: Lauren De Crescenzo: Professional Gravel Speedster

Lauren's story of winning Unbound and having one of the most successful years the sport of gravel has ever seen is as impressive as it is improbable. Her comeback from a TBI is a journey through uncharted territory. Over the span of about a half dozen years, she went from being a professional road cyclist to a (very) traumatic brain injury to an intense recovery period to then earning a Masters in Public Health to next pivot to a career as a professional cyclist once again -- see , that's not th...

Mar 09, 20231 hrEp. 104

Episode 103: Hillary Allen -- (professional) Runner, Cyclist, Author, Scientist, etc.

Hillary Allen's story is one for the ages. Her 150 foot fall off of a cliff while leading the skyrunning race series, where she broke 14 bones and risked never walking again, is the kind of story you see in the movies or read in a book. Well, you can read it in her book, Out and Back. We touch on that today, as well as the mental and physical struggles she faced in the aftermath right up through the present. We discuss where her fervor for life comes from, her endless curiosity, her pursuit of s...

Feb 06, 20231 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 103
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