If you saw the time trial that opened up the third week of racing at the 2023 Tour de France, we'll forgive you for having a healthy dose of skepticism. But let's not forget to enjoy the spectacle: Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar are going to slug this one out until Paris, and we all get front row seats.

Neal Rogers (former VeloNews editor in chief) and Andrew Hood (Velo European Editor) catch up with host Dan Cavallari to analyze Vingegaard's astonishing time trial and what that means for the third week of the Tour de France.

In the second half of the show, Rogers and Hood give their takes on the Americans at the Tour. Does the future hold GC success for Sepp Kuss? Will Matteo Jorgenson reach super domestique status in 2024? How likely is Neilson Powless to be wearing polka dots in Paris?

Hoody and Neal break it all down in this episode of the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast. 

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Spencer Powlison exists at a powerhouse crossroads in the cycling industry.  He was the news director at VeloNews Magazine; an editor for The Pros' Closet; a cyclocross racer, gravel racer, and now motorcycle guru.

But this new venture for Powlison, Direct-Current.bike, takes him off his usual beaten path. While Powlison can claim victories on a wide variety of surfaces and bicycle styles, eMTB wasn't much on his radar until recently.

In his pursuit to learn something new and dive headlong into the nuts and bolts of it all, Powlison became an eMTB enthusiast. That led him to do what he does best: write about his experiences. 

Spencer Powlison joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to talk about his new media title, Direct-Current.bike. Powlison gives us the lo-down on what he intends to do differently with his eMTB reviews. On top of that, Powlison gives his take on some of the hot topics surrounding eMTB. 

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

The Tour de France starts in just a few days. Veteran journalists Andrew Hood and Neal Rogers join host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to reveal the big storylines of the Tour de France 2023. Who are the true GC contenders? What about the green jersey? Can Mark Cavendish beat Eddy Merckx's record this year? 

'Hoody' and Neal give their dark horse picks for the podium in Paris. Can Jai Hindley play with the GC big boys? Is David Gaudu going to taste glory? Hoody and Neal have watched enough racing between them to give us a good sense of what's in play, and who's ready to take on history. 

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Mark did it! He went to Kansas and raced Unbound Gravel!

Well, sort of.

Like so many other unfortunate participants, Mark got time-cut after a 4-mile slog through an unrideable mud pit. But he had a great time anyway, and learned a lot about himself, and gravel-riding.

Mark joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to recap his Unbound Gravel experience and clue us in on what's next on the Rebuild Mark agenda.

#rebuildmark @unboundgravel #unboundgravel

Gear provided to me by brand partners:
Alchemy Ronin Carbon Gravel w/SRAM Force XPLR  @AlchemyBikesUSA
https://alchemybikes.com/products/ronin-carbon-gravel-bike

Endura GR500 Reiver Jersey and Bibshorts  @EnduraOfficial
https://us.endurasport.com/rider/gravel-bike.list

Gore Shakedry 1985 rain jacket  @GORETEXBrand
https://www.gore-tex.com/technology/original-gore-tex-products/shakedry

Feedback Sports tools and work stands  @FeedbackSportsOfficial
https://www.feedbacksports.com

Elite DIRETO XR-T trainer  @elitecycling
https://www.elite-it.com/en/products/home-trainers/interactive-trainers/direto-xr-t

Limar Horus Sunglasses - they aren't available yet and I couldn't find any details so just watch https://us.limar.com for more info.  @limarhelmets1954

Gear I paid for and/or stole from Dan's garage:
Revelate Mag Tank top tube bag  @revelatedesigns7380
https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/MagTankBoltOn

CamelBak Chase hydration pack  @camelbak
https://www.camelbak.com/recreation/shop/packs/bike/chase-bike-vest-50-oz/CB-2414.html

Pearl Izumi Gravel Shoes  @pearlizumi
https://www.pearlizumi.com/collections/mens-gravel/products/expedition-pro-shoes-15192304

Shimano XTR pedals  @RideShimano
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/xtr-m9100/PD-M9100.html - mine are 18 years or so old but they look about the same

Fizik Terra Argo X1 saddle 150mm @fizik
https://www.fizik.com/eu_en/terra-argo-x1.html
Fizik Terra Argo X3 saddle 160mm - proved to be too wide for me but I bought and tried it
https://www.fizik.com/eu_en/terra-argo-x3.html

Skratch Labs Hydration, Superfuel, and bars  @SkratchLabs
https://www.skratchlabs.com

Honey Stinger waffles  @HoneyStingerBuzz
https://honeystinger.com

Teravail Cannonball Durable Black Sidewalls 700x42 tires  @teravail4366
https://www.teravail.com/product/teravail-cannonball-tire-394759-1.htm

Orange Seal sealant

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Kristen Legan of Rambleur Adventure Coaching joins Mark Still to talk about his Rebuild Mark project and event prep for Unbound Gravel 200, the differences between Colorado riding and Kansas gravel, how to mentally approach such a demanding event, and much more. She's done this all before so her insights are incredibly helpful and encouraging. Learn more about Kristen and Rambleur Adventure Coaching at http://rambleur.com/ and follow her on Instagram @kplegan and @rambleurcoaching.

Bio:
Kristen Legan brings extensive coaching experience in endurance sports and has worked with athletes of all athletic backgrounds and experiences. She’s a multi-time UNBOUND podium finisher, has gone sub-8 hours at Leadville 100 MTB, and has countless other noteworthy finishes to her name. She has helped first-time racers, experienced veterans, and professional athletes achieve their goals while keeping training and racing fun and meaningful.

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

How do you rebuild your fitness after years off the bike? My friend Mark Still has an idea and it isn't subtle.

He's fallen away from riding bikes in recent years and suffered the consequences in more ways than one. From extra weight to other health issues, not to mention the mental health ramifications of leaving bikes out of his life, the consequences of continuing on his current path are too dire. He has decided to rebuild himself and reignite his love of bikes. How will he do it? 

Enter Unbound Gravel 200. 

Rebuild Mark is a project that aims to get Mark back out riding by putting the biggest, gnarliest gravel event in the United States on his calendar with an impossibly short time horizon to be ready. It's a put up or shut up sort of ultimatum.

And if you're in a similar position, well, this might be a good time for you to Rebuild [INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]. Let us know if you're on this journey too, and we can hold each other accountable. 

See you in Kansas!

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Gary Fisher has cemented his name in the annals of bicycle history already as the father of the mountain bike. Now, the dapper general of all things dirt has turned his attention to a new opportunity for revolution.

As the e-bike world has expanded over the last several years, the physical products have ranged anywhere from meticulous but pricey to absolutely cheap and dicey. Gary Fisher's new company, Morelle, aims to change that spectrum entirely.

Fisher joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to give a few hints as to what Morelle bikes might offer consumers — the bottom line is that Gary Fisher intends to pick up where so many other companies have failed on battery efficiency, design, and price. 

While Morelle isn't ready for primetime yet, Fisher walks us through some of the unique features we can expect to see on the bikes when they do launch. And in true Fisher fashion, the story threads through years of mountain bike design, riding with members of the Grateful Dead, and trippy light shows. 

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
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Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Newly-minted Gravel Hall-of-Famer Yuri Hauswald is a staple of the gravel scene. Go to just about any gravel event in the US and you're likely to spot Yuri, either toeing the starting line, repping Gu Energy, or just hanging out to meet people and help out where he can.

Hauswald is a former winner of Unbound Gravel, but his racing days are largely behind him. Now, Hauswald is committed to enjoying the gravel community and helping to grow it in meaningful ways.

Yuri Hauswald joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to talk about what it means to become a Gravel Hall of Famer, what the gravel community offers to new and old riders alike, and why it's vital to ensure gravel's growth focuses on inclusion and dynamic evolution rather than simply racing. 

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

David Hale Sylvester, more affectionately known as Big Dave for very obvious reasons, has used his bicycle to challenge himself, much like the rest of us. But more than that, Big Dave saw it as a tool to reach people he would otherwise never meet. When the bike took him to those places, Big Dave wanted to make sure he had a plan for the moment.

As it turned out, the simplest plan has proven to be the most effective. Big Dave has spent two decades traversing the globe via bicycle, car, train, plane, boat, all to simply hug people. He knows how corny that sounds, too. It's hard to reconcile the massive personal trainer with a penchant for curse words leaving his home in Philadelphia just to go hug people. But there's no ulterior motive here; Big Dave deals in hug currency, and he's the richest man on the planet.

SPECIAL THANKS TO HUNT BIKE WHEELS FOR SUPPORTING THIS EPISODE OF THE SLOW GUY ON THE FAST RIDE PODCAST! CHECK OUT HUNT WHEELS HERE.

Big Dave joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast for reasons only tangentially related to the bicycle. This episode is part eulogy, part comedy, and part adventure log. But more importantly, Big Dave, the author of "One Hug at a Time," gives us the truest sense of what human connection can, and should, be — simply by embracing the world, even the ugly parts, even the scariest parts.

Check out Big Dave's book here.

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Adam Miller is already a 'serial entrepreneur' very early in his life and career. He founded Borealis Bikes, a high-end carbon fat bike brand based in Colorado Springs.  Then after selling that company, he went on to start Why Cycles, a premium titanium bicycle brand. 

Not content with two successful companies, Miller started a third, and it's undoubtedly his biggest success yet: Revel Bikes. 

Oof. Try to keep up, right? 

With the wildly successful Revel upstart taking over the mountain bike world, Miller finally found it tough to balance two separate companies. So as of March 1, Why Cycles — the premium titanium bike company — and Revel Bikes are all under one house: Revel Bikes. 

Miller joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to lend us some insight into starting and maintaining multiple successful businesses when so many of the company's peers are struggling in post-COVID realities. 

On top of that, Miller gives us a taste of what's in store for Revel, including a new production facility in Taiwan that should make the design and manufacture of Revel Bikes even more streamlined. 

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Dawn Patrol MTB
The Practical Still
Mental Healthlete

Theme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik