What does it take to win the toughest ultra gravel race in the world?

Rob Britton takes us inside his record-breaking victory at the 2025 Unbound XL, the brutal 350-mile self-supported gravel race across Kansas.

Rob breaks down the key decisions that helped him average over 20 mph for nearly 18 hours and smash the previous course record by more than two hours. 

From aerodynamics and nutrition strategy to hydration systems, gravel race tactics, and bike setup optimization, this episode explores how small performance gains compound over ultra-distance racing.

We also dive into the development of Castelli’s first Unlimited Gravel Suit, featuring integrated hydration storage, aerodynamic cargo pockets, and real-world testing at the highest level of gravel racing.

Topics covered in this episode:

•Winning the 2025 Unbound XL

•Gravel racing aerodynamics explained

•Ultra-endurance nutrition and hydration strategy

•Integrated hydration systems in cycling apparel

•Aero gains over 18 hours of racing

•Gravel bike setup for ultra racing

•Racing through the night against Lachlan Morton

•Comfort vs speed in endurance cycling

•The future of gravel race apparel and technology

If you’re into gravel racing, bikepacking, endurance sports, cycling tech, or performance optimization, this episode is packed with insights from one of the fastest ultra-gravel performances ever recorded.

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on cycling performance, innovation, aerodynamics, and elite racing.

– IMPORTANT LINKS –

Rob Britton

Castelli SOG

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

02:38 Quickfire Round

04:05 Chasing Lachlan Morton Through the Night

06:21 Racing History with Lachlan & The Final Catch

07:05 Tactics, Fatigue & Managing the Lead

07:50 Bike Setup, Aerobars & Carrying Nutrition

10:38 Why the Speed Suit Could Have Decided the Race

11:58 How Ultra Racing Has Changed in Recent Years

13:32 First Ride in Castelli's Prototype Gravel Aero Suit

15:25 Nutrition Storage, Hydration & Self-Supported Racing

17:31 Why Ditching the Hydration Pack Was a Huge Advantage

19:35 Aero Performance & Suit Design Details

21:21 Castelli's Aero Heritage & Innovation Story

23:12 Marginal Gains, Ryder Hesjedal & Performance History

23:48 Winter Riding, Future Testing & What's Next

24:18 “The Netflix of Cycling Clothing”

24:28 Outro

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate 150 years of innovation, Castelli unveils a special edition Giro d’Italia kit—blending heritage, performance, and cutting-edge design.

In this episode, we sit down with Castelli Global Brand Manager Steve Smith to unpack the story behind the anniversary jersey worn by Soudal Quick-Step. From silk jerseys and the first-ever speed suit to aerodynamic breakthroughs and modern race-day technology, this conversation dives deep into the moments that reshaped cycling apparel.

You’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic innovations, the thinking behind the 150th anniversary design, and what it takes to keep pushing the limits of speed—decade after decade.

This isn’t just a look back. It’s a glimpse into the future of performance.

LINKS

⁠STRAVA Challenge ⁠

⁠Social Ride, May 9⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Steve Smith, Castelli Brand Manager ⁠⁠

⁠⁠Gabba R White Paper⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Gabba Story ⁠⁠🎧

⁠Gabba Wind Tunnel Testing⁠ 🎧

CHAPTERS

00:00 — 150 Years of Castelli

00:57 — From Silk to Speed

02:00 — Giro Anniversary Kit

03:29 — Design & Scorpion Timeline

05:50 — 1967: First Speed Suit

07:20 — 1977: Lycra Shorts

09:40 — Colored Shorts Break Rules

11:45 — 1982: Sublimation

12:50 — 2007: Aero Race

16:20 — Aero Adoption

17:05 — Gabba & Sanremo

17:56 — Today’s Fastest Kit

20:29 — Marginal Gains

20:56 — Wind Tunnel Life

21:23 — Peak Aero?

23:39 — Innovation Pressure

24:41 — Future Materials

25:22 — Where to Buy

26:09 — Closing Thoughts

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Full-time school teacher by day, ultra gravel powerhouse by night — Svenja Betz is redefining what’s possible in endurance sport.

She didn’t just take on the biggest races in ultra gravel — she won them all. First Unbound XL, then The Traka Adventure, and Badlands.

Her rise has been anything but conventional. She doesn’t train full-time. She doesn’t follow the typical pro playbook. And she doesn’t sleep during races.

Instead, she relies on instinct, resilience, and a deep love for the process.

In this conversation, we dive into what really matters when the distances get serious: how to fuel properly without falling into energy deficits, how to pace when sleep isn’t an option, and how to stay mentally strong when everything starts to fall apart.

Svenja also opens up about balancing elite performance with a demanding career, navigating the pressure of social media, and why being “skinny” isn’t the key to going faster.

If you’re curious about ultra cycling or wondering how far you could really go, this episode might just challenge your assumptions and inspire you to push your own limits.

– IMPORTANT LINKS –

Follow Svenja Betz: https://www.instagram.com/svenja__betz/

Castelli SOG: https://www.instagram.com/castelli_sog/

– CHAPTERS –

00:00 – Intro

02:18 – Balancing teaching + ultra racing

05:25 – Training with limited time

09:41 – 52 hours, zero sleep

13:45 – Intervals vs endurance

18:36 – Nutrition, RED-S & weight myths

22:51 – Fueling strategy in ultras

25:31 – Heat, hydration & survival

32:12 – Are you ready for 500km+?

40:14 – Mental toughness & self-talk

43:05 – Winning move at Badlands

47:34 – Social media vs reality

54:47 – Castelli kit, mindset & identity

59:33 – What’s next: new goals

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of our conversation with sports performance nutritionist Dani Hofstetter, we go beyond theory and into the real-world habits that actually improve endurance performance.

From properly fueling long and double training days to understanding why most athletes underestimate their glycogen needs, this episode breaks down what really matters when it comes to carbohydrate intake, recovery, and metabolic efficiency.

We dive into:

• Why you can’t fix bad fueling during the ride
• The critical first hour post-training (and why most athletes waste it)
• Simple, repeatable habits that outperform complex strategies
• The risks of underfueling, RED-S, and chasing weight loss too aggressively
• How to stay consistent when juggling training, work, and life

Fresh off his new book Train, Eat, Repeat, Dani shares a clear, no-nonsense approach to nutrition—cutting through trends, supplements, and overcomplication to focus on what actually works.

Whether you’re chasing performance gains or just want to feel better on the bike, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can apply immediately.

👉 If you haven’t listened to part one, start there first:

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000758776017

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

3:05 Why you can’t fuel hard training during the ride

4:03 The missing habit: building consistent fueling routines

5:25 Why post-ride nutrition gets neglected

7:53 The ideal recovery shake formula

8:59 Hydration: how much you actually need to replace

9:24 Planning vs reality: why logistics kill recovery

10:48 Train less, recover better? The real performance gain

11:00 Weight loss & performance: a risky trade-off

13:09 RED-S explained: warning signs athletes ignore

18:37 Nutrition mistakes when traveling

24:03 Probiotics, supplements & gut health

25:49 3 race nutrition rules for hotel stays

28:27 Why there are no shortcuts in nutrition

29:44 Biohacking, social media & performance myths

31:32 Study: social media can reduce performance by 9%

37:18 A perfect fueling day for a long ride

41:11 Protein, carbs & fiber: simple daily guidelines

44:11 The idea behind Train, Eat, Repeat

51:25 Favorite Castelli winter kit

54:27 Outro

– LINKS –

TRAIN EAT REPEAT - The Endurance Cookbook

https://www.dorlingkindersley.de/buch/marlene-low-feride-dogum-dani-hofstetter-fabian-haefeli-train-eat-repeat-9783831050734

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Smart Nutrition for Hot Weather Riding

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000722138953

RED-S Ep. 1

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000671492861

RED-S Ep. 2

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000672166132

Sports Nutrition: Winter Training, Indoor Riding

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000639782748

Sports Nutrition: Race Day Fueling, Hydration Strategy

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000638271631

Sports Nutrition: What is the Optimal Diet for Cycling Performance

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000636862451

Sports Nutrition: Carbs, Fruits, Veggies for Everyday Performance

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000635636881

– CONNECT –

Dani Hofstetter

⁠Website⁠: ⁠

https://danihofstetter.ch⁠

Instagram⁠

https://www.instagram.com/dh_performance_nutrition/

Host: Soren Jensen⁠⁠⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjensen77

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carbs, fueling, and metabolic efficiency – few topics create more confusion in endurance sports. Sports performance nutritionist Dani Hofstetter joins us to clear it up.

Fresh off the release of his new book Train, Eat, Repeat, Dani shares a practical, no-BS approach to nutrition – cutting through the noise of extreme diets, high-carb trends, and supplement hype.

You’ll learn why most amateur athletes don’t need 120g of carbs per hour, how pros actually fuel differently, and why training intensity, not just nutrition, determines your metabolism.

This conversation goes beyond gels and grams per hour. It’s about building a sustainable system that supports performance, recovery, and long-term health – without obsession or perfectionism.

Whether you’re an elite cyclist, racing ultras or Gran Fondos, or simply want to feel better on the bike, this episode will change how you think about fueling.

What You’ll Learn

• Why most cyclists are undereating—not overeating
• The real difference between pro and amateur fueling needs
• How training too hard kills fat metabolism
• Why carbs are still misunderstood in endurance sports
• The truth about 90g vs 120g carbs per hour
• How to structure nutrition for training days vs rest days
• Why perfectionism in nutrition can backfire
• The biggest fueling mistakes causing GI issues and poor performance

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Intro

03:30 – Rapid fire: myths, carbs, and recovery

05:30 – Hydration mistakes and GI issues

06:20 – Why high performers often eat too little

10:00 – Use it or lose it metabolism explained

12:00 – Low-carb training and why it can backfire

13:30 – Perfectionism in endurance athletes

16:00 – Emotional + social role of food in performance

18:30 – Why carbs are still misunderstood

21:30 – Pro vs amateur fueling

23:30 – Why amateurs shouldn’t copy pro carb intake

25:00 – The engine analogy: amateur vs pro physiology

27:30 – How many carbs you actually need

28:30 – Gut training and fueling strategy

29:30 – Fat vs carbs: what really fuels performance

31:00 – The athlete who tolerates more fuel wins

33:00 – Why everyday nutrition matters more than supplements

34:30 – Why low-carb training is outdated

36:00 – Training zones mistakes (most athletes train too hard)

37:30 – Why fat burning depends on intensity

39:00 – Fasting: helpful or harmful for athletes?

42:30 – Structuring nutrition: rest days vs hard days

44:30 – Glycogen depletion and why recovery takes longer than you think

47:00 – Why most athletes underfuel their week

48:30 – The importance of planning nutrition

49:00 – Post-ride mistakes

50:00 – The real recovery window explained

51:10 – Outro

– LINKS –

TRAIN EAT REPEAT - The Endurance Cookbook

https://www.dorlingkindersley.de/buch/marlene-low-feride-dogum-dani-hofstetter-fabian-haefeli-train-eat-repeat-9783831050734

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Smart Nutrition for Hot Weather Riding

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000722138953

RED-S Ep. 1

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000671492861

RED-S Ep. 2

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000672166132

Sports Nutrition: Winter Training, Indoor Riding

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000639782748

Sports Nutrition: Race Day Fueling, Hydration Strategy

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000638271631

Sports Nutrition: What is the Optimal Diet for Cycling Performance

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000636862451

Sports Nutrition: Carbs, Fruits, Veggies for Everyday Performance

https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/castelli-cycling-podcast/id1669906821?l=en-GB&i=1000635636881

– CONNECT –

Dani Hofstetter

⁠Website⁠: ⁠

https://danihofstetter.ch⁠

Instagram⁠

https://www.instagram.com/dh_performance_nutrition/

Host: Soren Jensen⁠⁠⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjensen77

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Merida Miller – founder of Project Fearless, community builder with No Ordinary Women, TEDx speaker, gravel athlete, and self-described professional hype girl.

Mérida has made it her life’s work to empower young girls and gender-fluid youth to try new things, fall, and get back up again. From skateparks and classrooms, she has spent the past seven years helping girls and athletes build confidence through action – not by waiting to feel ready.

In this deeply honest conversation, Mérida opens up about training courage one brave step at a time, redefining confidence, and leaning on community and hype-crew through panic attacks, long gravel race battles, and life’s in-between chapters.

In this episode:

• ​Why being an amateur is something to be proud of
• ​Racing for joy instead of podiums
• ​Anxiety, ADHD, and “mental mechanicals”
• ​The power of gratitude mid-race
• ​Redefining leadership as listening
• ​Designing a cycling jersey that sees you
• ​And why finding your hype crew might be the most important training of all

This episode isn’t about being fearless. It’s about showing up anyway — and cheering others while you do.

🎧 Whether you race gravel, ride for fun, or are navigating your own next chapter, this one will stay with you.

– IMPORTANT LINKS –

Follow Merida Miller → https://www.instagram.com/mercatmiller/

Project Fearless → https://www.instagram.com/project.fearless/

No Ordinary Women → https://www.instagram.com/noordinarywomen.cc/

Cycling Culture Club - https://www.cyclingcultureclub.cc/

Cycling Culture Club IG – https://www.instagram.com/cyclingcultureclub/?hl=en

Castelli SOG → https://www.instagram.com/castelli_sog/

TEDx → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOYlSI99Xog

– CHAPTERS –

00:00 – You don’t have to race for the podium to be brave

02:37 – Meet Merida Miller: courage over confidence

05:03 – Quickfire round: fear, confidence & gravel reality checks

07:21 – Mental breakdowns, panic attacks & coaching yourself mid-race

09:07 – Turning the page: a new chapter as an athlete & leader

10:55 – From fashion design to founding Project Fearless

13:19 – Creating space for all girls — not just “sporty” ones

15:06 – Cheering as fuel: why hype culture matters

16:17 – What confidence really looks like at 12 years old

18:58 – Kids, social media & why offline time is essential

21:17 – Leadership lessons from team sports (even if you hate sports)

25:36 – “Confidence has a branding problem” explained

29:16 – Comfort zone vs growth zone vs panic zone

33:39 – Find your hype crew (and why it changes everything)

35:36 – Gratitude as an endurance superpower

37:29 – Comparison, confidence & mental mechanicals

38:43 – How Merida found gravel (and why road racing terrifies her)

40:30 – Feeling welcomed — and when cycling spaces fail

45:09 – Is gravel really inclusive?

46:57 – Anxiety, ADHD & endurance sport

51:47 – Redefining success: finishing happy

53:11 – Cycling Culture Club & building global communities

58:22 – Fail early, fail often: starting something from scratch

1:02:44 – Designing the ultimate SOG race jersey

1:08:19 – Racing with your heart on your sleeve

1:12:08 – Why visibility and joy matter in racing

1:14:00 – What success looks like in 20 years

1:15:37 – Final thoughts: courage, kindness & showing up

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjensen77/

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stick around for the final moments of the interview. You won’t regret it. A must-listen for photographers, creatives, cyclists, and anyone curious about what happens beyond the barriers. 

In this final chapter with Ashley and Jered Gruber, we go fully inside the work. What does it really take to create meaningful images in professional cycling — when conditions aren’t perfect, expectations are sky-high, and every decision happens at race speed?

From recalibrating a “five-out-of-ten day” into something publishable, to the unique pressure of iconic climbs like Mont Ventoux and Alpe d’Huez, Ashley and Jered break down the invisible labor behind race photography; stage research kilometre by kilometre, fighting logistics, editing in the car, uploading from hotel rooms late at night, and still finding the energy to tell the story on social media.

We talk about roadside encounters with fans, unexpected human moments, and the strange contrast between riders fighting for their careers and crowds treating race day like a party. 

The conversation also turns deeply personal — covering burnout, injury, recovery, insecurity, creativity, and the long-term sustainability of a freelance career in modern cycling media.

From shooting the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, to rebuilding after a devastating crash at the Tour of Flanders, to finding grounding at home after months on the road — this episode is about process, endurance, passion, and finding beauty where no one else is looking.

A must-listen for photographers, creatives, cyclists, and anyone curious about what happens beyond the barriers.

________

🇮🇹 Uno sguardo autentico dietro le quinte della fotografia nel ciclismo professionistico. Ashley e Jered Gruber raccontano pressione, processo creativo, infortuni, burnout e perché, nonostante tutto, continuano a tornare sulle corse.

🇩🇪 Ein ehrlicher Blick hinter die Kulissen der Profi-Radsportfotografie.

Ashley & Jered Gruber über Entscheidungsdruck, kreative Prozesse, Verletzungen, Erschöpfung und warum sie trotz allem immer wieder zurückkommen.

________

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

03:07 The Five Out of Ten Day Mindset

06:30 Mont Ventoux

09:06 Alpe d Huez and Race Day Chaos

11:05 Roadside Fans and Human Moments

16:27 Familiar Places and Returning Each Year

20:03 Planning a Grand Tour Stage

27:26 Editing Uploading and Long Nights

34:01 Giro vs Tour vs Vuelta

36:20 Mens and Womens Racing

39:48 Tour of Flanders Crash 2024

46:29 Shooting the Giro from the TV

52:46 Riding Bikes and Staying Human

58:37 Freelance Insecurity and the Future

1:03:24 Advice for Aspiring Photographers

1:08:27 Legacy and Closing Thoughts

1:13:04 Outro

CONNECT ⁠

Ashley Norris Gruber

https://www.instagram.com/ashleygruber/

Jered Gruber

https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber/

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect: ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Check out our new collection: Castelli-cycling.com

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two with Ashley and Jered Gruber we unpack how their journey into cycling photography truly began.

From a chance meeting sparked by a flat tire in Athens, Georgia, to moving to Europe with no real plan, a €1,500 car, and a pocket-sized camera, this episode traces the early years that shaped their visual language.

Jered and Ashley share how racing dreams shifted into storytelling, why landscapes and atmosphere mattered more than finish-line shots, and how shooting differently helped them find space in a crowded world of race photography.

The conversation dives into their first Castelli shoots, the Koppenberg with Andreas Klier, the iconic Passo Giau image with Peter Stetina, and the unexpected chain of events that led them to shoot the Giro d’Italia. Along the way, they reflect on learning by doing, working without moto access, and building trust as a creative duo within the chaos of professional cycling.

This episode explores cycling photography from the inside out — not just how images are made, but why they’re made that way.

________

🇮🇹 Nel secondo episodio con Jered e Ashley Gruber torniamo all’inizio di tutto: un incontro casuale, una foratura e una decisione che ha cambiato il loro percorso. Dalle prime foto scattate quasi per necessità ai grandi giri, raccontiamo come hanno costruito una carriera nella fotografia ciclistica seguendo istinto, curiosità e uno sguardo diverso sul ciclismo.

🇩🇪 In der zweiten Episode mit Jered und Ashley Gruber blicken wir zurück auf die Anfänge ihrer Reise. Von einer zufälligen Begegnung und den ersten Fotos bis hin zu den großen Rundfahrten sprechen wir darüber, wie sie sich ihren Platz in der Radsportfotografie erarbeitet haben – mit Geduld, Neugier und einer ganz eigenen Perspektive.

________

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

03:07 How Ashley and Jered First Met

05:22 From Racing to Photography

08:33 Moving to Europe

09:34 Discovering the Camera

11:23 First Breaks

12:24 Life on the Road

14:01 Meeting Castelli & First Commercial Shoot

16:17 Koppenberg & Giau

20:25 Becoming Photographers

23:46 Creative Duo

27:52 Finding Their Style

31:32 The Photo That Changed Everything

33:13 Giro Opportunity

36:27 First Grand Tour

41:24 Evolving the Vision

45:46 Milano-Sanremo

49:40 Race Day Workflow

52:14 Creative Pressure

55:00 Ending

CONNECT ⁠

Ashley Norris Gruber

https://www.instagram.com/ashleygruber/

Jered Gruber

https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber/

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect: ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Check out our new collection: Castelli-cycling.com

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of you have watched their work evolve over the years, shaping how modern cycling is seen and remembered. I’ve been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to that journey.

Today, I’m joined by Ashley and Jered Gruber — a husband-and-wife photography duo and two of the most influential visual storytellers in the world of cycling. From their early years to the biggest races on the calendar, I’ve watched them quietly shape how the sport looks, feels, and is remembered.

This conversation is an honest look into life inside the peloton. We talk about instinct versus technique, creative doubt, missed shots, and the pressure of making split-second decisions when there are no second chances.

Jered and Ashley open up about working together under extreme stress, following the Tour de France for weeks on end, navigating chaos at Flanders and Roubaix, and why even after all these years, they still feel the urge to try something different.

This isn’t just a conversation about photography. It’s about trust, partnership, curiosity, and earning your place — not by being loud, but by consistently doing the work at the highest level.

This is Part 1 of a three-part series. In the episodes to come, we’ll go deeper into how they met, their early years in cycling, full race-day workflows, and what still inspires them today.

Hope you enjoy this one.

________________

🇮🇹 Breve introduzione

Due dei più importanti narratori visivi del ciclismo moderno si raccontano in una conversazione intima e senza filtri. Ashley e Jered Gruber parlano di istinto, pressione, fiducia e di cosa significa lavorare insieme dentro il caos del gruppo, dalle Classiche al Tour de France.

________________

🇩🇪 Kurze Zusammenfassung

Ashley und Jered Gruber gehören zu den einflussreichsten visuellen Geschichtenerzählern im Radsport. In dieser Episode sprechen sie über Intuition versus Technik, kreative Zweifel, Entscheidungsdruck im Rennen und darüber, wie es ist, Woche für Woche im Peloton zu arbeiten.

________________

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Intro

05:34 – First Dolomites memories & meeting Igor Tavella  

08:45 – Most crazy expensive place they’ve slept in the Tour

10:36 – Their favorite photo  

11:37 – The shot they still regret missing  

15:27 – Cycling’s most underrated roads  

18:06 – Post-Tour exhaustion & recovery  

20:25 – Favorite races to shoot

23:09 – Technique vs instinct  

27:46 – Koppenberg vs Paterberg vs Kwaremont  

32:24 – Gear, lenses & race-day survival  

37:38 – Planning locations with moto pilots  

40:44 – Graham Watson & early inspiration  

44:32 – Explaining their job outside cycling  

46:05 – Why documentary photography still matters  

47:07 – Ending

CONNECT ⁠

Ashley Norris Gruber

https://www.instagram.com/ashleygruber/

Jered Gruber

https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber/

Igor Tavella

https://www.instagram.com/igortavella/

Ustaria Posta Hotel

https://www.instagram.com/ustariaposta/

https://www.ustariaposta.it/

– HOST –

Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjensen77/

Check out our new collection: Castelli-cycling.com

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

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Joe Laverick was one of the standout British talents through his junior years and earned a place on one of the top development teams in cycling: Hagens Berman Axeon. He spent two seasons there under the guidance of the world-renowned Axel Merckx.

Joe had hoped to make the jump to the WorldTour, but things didn’t fall into place, and he found himself without a contract at the end of 2022 — facing an uncertain future.

Instead of walking away, Joe built something completely different: a one-man privateer project that blends road racing, time trialling and gravel, fuelled by spreadsheets, sponsors, side clients and a serious obsession with marginal gains.

Joe lifts the curtain on:

• What it actually costs to race as a privateer (race budget, travel, equipment)
• Why you need to be more than “just a bike racer” in 2025
• Balancing being a rider, writer, team owner, sponsor-hunter, soigneur and logistics manager
• How he uses products like the Castelli Gabba R and new gravel kit – and why honest feedback matters
• The learning curve of gravel: tyre pressure, technical skills and why it’s an “untapped jigsaw of performance”
• 200+ days on the road in the US gravel scene, host housing, burnout, and finding balance
• Why enjoyment is the ultimate performance metric, and his advice for young riders choosing between the pro pathway and privateer life
• We wrap up with Joe’s dream Girona loop over Sant Hilari and Montseny – a 6.5-hour, 180–200 km that he still calls one of the best rides in the world.

– LINKS –

Joe Laverick

https://www.instagram.com/joe.laverick/

https://www.strava.com/athletes/7026027

Sant Hilari Ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/10469253051

Castelli SOG

https://www.castelli-cycling.com/spirit-of-gravel

Men’s Unlimited Gravel Collection:

⁠https://www.castelli-cycling.com/IT/en/Men/Collection/Unlimited/c/Man-Col-Unl⁠

Women’s Unlimited Gravel Collection:

⁠https://www.castelli-cycling.com/IT/en/Woman/Collection/Unlimited/c/Wom-Col-Unl⁠

Castelli's Xmas Ride, Nov 29:

Overview | ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/66959⁠

Italy | Signup form: https://www.castelli-cycling.com/castelli-unlimited-christmas-ride-2025

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Intro, Castelli Christmas Gravel Ride & Spirit of Gravel Cabal

02:00 – Who is Joe Laverick? Beating Remco & Girona life

04:00 – Quickfire round: fashion crimes, coldest rides & junior chaos in Belgium

09:10 – Contracts dry up: Tour of Alsace, injuries & the decision to go privateer

14:30 – Building “Joe Laverick the brand”: writing, sponsors, and race budget reality

18:30 – Gear geek: equipment choices, spreadsheets, and why the Gabba R blew his mind

22:00 – Influencer vs athlete: social media, honesty and choosing the right partners

27:20 – 200 days on the road: US gravel, burnout and learning to say “no”

32:30 – Gravel as an “untapped jigsaw”: tyre pressure, skills and doing more with less budget

44:40 – Joe’s favourite Girona mega-loop & how not to bonk

47:00 – Advice to young riders: pro vs privateer, happiness and why fun has to come first

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