Bjorn Riley is part of the wave of young US cross country mountain bike racers that’s been making a splash on the World Cup circuit over the past few years. Placing 5th at Worlds this year, 2nd at the Snowshoe World Cup in West Virginia, and landing at the top of the podium at Nationals, Bjorn is already making a name for himself on the international stage. After spending three years on the Bear Development Team, he recently joined European-based Trek Vaude and moved to Austria full-time.

In this conversation, Bjorn explains why this big life change has made him more relaxed about racing than ever and has so far come with only minor growing pains. They discuss his off-the-bike hobbies which include sewing, drawing, and writing poetry, and why his team has helped him maintain these pursuits alongside training. They also talk about the style that Bjorn brings to XC (he’s been known to throw no-handers in the middle of World Cups), and which trick he’s hoping he’ll get to throw down on course someday. On top of cycling and art, Bjorn also has some pretty big plans for the off-season. He talks to Payson about why he’s so interested in finding his limits, and the goals he's planning to tackle this winter. 

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YouTube: Payson McElveen