Vaea Verbeeck has had a very impressive and varied mountain bike career as a racer (across a wide range of disciplines), a freerider, and a whole lot more. And so just before she headed off to this year’s iteration of Proving Grounds, we sat down to hear her story about the wild early days of her mountain biking odyssey in Bromont, Quebec; the tragedy that got her to refocus and commit to being a full-time pro; what keeps her motivated, and how her ever-evolving riding style is a key to that; injuries and riding without an ACL; and a whole lot more.

And you can watch Vaea and the rest of the athletes at Proving Grounds starting on September 23 at noon Pacific on NaturalSelectionTour.com, and then on ESPN2 on September 25. 

TOPICS & TIMES:

• Vaea’s Background (2:10)
• The Bromont MTB scene (3:24)
• Stevie Smith & riding with legends (10:34)
• Privateer racing (15:41)
• World Cup racing (22:42) 
• Career evolution & keeping things fresh (34:25)
• Formation (40:37)
• Injuries & riding without an ACL & Heading to Proving Grounds (49:28)
• Vaea’s Big Idea (56:09)

RELATED LINKS:

• Introducing: CRAFTED
• Introducing: Open Mic
• Become a Blister Member
• Blister Labs
• This Week’s Gear Giveaway
• Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide

OUR OTHER PODCASTS

• Off The Couch
• GEAR:30
• Blister Podcast
• CRAFTED

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