The day after placing top 10 at the Leadville 100, Zach Calton joined Payson on a ride to talk about returning to form after the toughest season of his career. They discuss how it all started a year ago at the Breck Epic, his disastrous experience at the Cape Epic, and how he’s slowly found his footing again this season. 

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Watch: Ride With Pace - Ep 4 Leadville

Watch this episode on YouTube here: Zach Calton the morning after the Leadville 100

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Barely half an hour after crossing the finish line at the Leadville 100, Bradyn Lange joined Payson for a painful cooldown ride at 10,000 ft. They debrief about the race, talk about Bradyn’s last-minute set-up change, and debate whether Leadville is harder than Unbound. 

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Watch: Ride With Pace - Ep 4 Leadville

Watch this episode on YouTube here: Bradyn Lange Post Race Spin - Leadville 100

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In this packed Leadville 100 recap, Payson chats with 4th-place finisher Torbjørn Røed about his journey to the Grand Prix and their sprint finish last weekend. Then, he talks to Cecily Decker (aka Diesel Decker), who saw her months-long preparation for the race pay off when she took third place on the day and the top spot in the Grand Prix standings. Later, he chats with Emily Fagan, a middle school math and English teacher from North Carolina who took home the “Last Ass Over the Pass” trophy when she crossed the line with mere seconds to spare before the 12-hour cut-off. But first, Payson delves into the points standings and discusses some of his main takeaways from this year’s event.

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:03:35) Listener voice memos

(00:07:27) Points analysis

(00:14:50) U23 program

(00:20:13) Three major takeaways

(00:37:11) Torbjørn Røed

(01:03:23) Cecily Decker

(01:24:41) Emily Fagan

(02:01:59) Sign-off

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Cam Jones has had a pretty memorable 2025 season, rocketing from Grand Prix wild card to winner of Unbound. And yet, that dramatic turn of events pales in comparison to his 2022 season. For his final year as a U23, Cam planned to race every World Cup in the hope that it might secure him a team for the start of his Elite career. After a promising start to the season, things went downhill fast. Kidney failure, Covid, and a five-day stint in a Belgian detention center followed, and somehow, that barely scratches the surface.

Cam joined Payson in the studio in Durango to talk about that unforgettable 2022 season, how he ended up racing gravel in the U.S. after starting a forestry career in New Zealand, and his childhood in Nelson. They also talk about the logistics of traveling to Grand Prix races that American riders don’t have to think about, and how he’s approaching Leadville after his decisive and unexpected win at Unbound.

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Robin Gemperle defied all previous Tour Divide records earlier this year when he finished the notorious 2,700-mile race in less than 12 days, more than 300 miles ahead of second place. Formerly a junior member of the Scott-SRAM cross country team, he felt that there was untapped potential in maximising how fast the route could be ridden, not just how efficiently riders could sleep and refuel. Bringing all of his racing skills to the table, he set a blistering new standard that got people debating the future of the race. 

Robin sat down with Payson last week to detail his preparation for the Divide, how he eked out as much speed as possible on the bike, and the one thing he thinks he and future riders should focus on to go faster. He also reflects on his two years racing for Scott-SRAM and deciding to get an architecture degree afterward.

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Kate Courtney returns to the show the day after completing the Leadville Stage Race. Just a few months ago, it was barely on her radar, but after a broken wrist took her out of the World Cup circuit, she decided to look for a new way to challenge herself before the season starts up again at the end of August. In a couple of weeks, she’ll be lining up for her first Leadville 100. 

Kate sat down with Payson to talk about how the reality of the stage race diverged sharply from her expectations, what she learned, and why she isn’t viewing the 100-mile race as a mere side quest. She also talks about how her first season as a privateer is going. Spoiler alert: She and Payson go about things differently. 

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Cécile Lejeune started racing triathlons in her native France at 12 years old and quickly began picking up national titles. After gaining the attention of international recruiters, she moved to the US to race track in college. Soon, however, a chronic series of stress fractures took her out of competition and forced her into early retirement. Now, after just one year racing gravel, she’s become a top contender in the Grand Prix, even nabbing fifth at her first Unbound earlier this year. 

Cécile sat down with Payson at the studio in Durango to talk about learning the ins and outs of gravel racing at the front of the peloton, her early introduction to professional cycling racing on the road in Europe, and how she hopes gravel will evolve. She also talks about the culture shock of moving from France to Arizona for college, the eating disorder that likely contributed to her chronic stress fractures, and how she's navigated her diagnosis of RED-S, relative energy deficiency in sport. 

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With six mountain bike world championships, a Leadville win, six World Cups, and six Cape Epic victories under her belt, Annika Langvad is one of the most decorated off road cyclists of all time. But shortly after yet another career triumph in 2019 when she pivoted to road racing and placed second at the Strade Bianche, she decided it was time to retire from racing. She began working as a dentist, but after the birth of her daughter 10 months ago, she realised that she was ready to jump back into competitive cycling, this time to gravel. 

Payson sat down with Annika a few days before she competed in her first Unbound to talk about why she decided to quit racing, why her daughter’s birth made her want to come back, and why she chose gravel. She also talks about the challenges of undergoing IVF treatment, saying that it was more difficult than anything she’s ever endured on the bike. 

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Payson and Sarah made it back to Bend. They may be a bit more haggard than they were at the beginning of the race, but that hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm. They sit down to talk about how the final stage played out, including all the tactics that went into the series overall standings. Then, they bring in Sarah’s husband Dylan to talk about his week, which involved a lot of mountain biking and car maintenance. Lastly, Nichole hops on the mic to talk about winning the women’s open category, learning about road tactics the hard way, and the fueling faux pas that left her extra dehydrated. 

Today’s episode is presented by SILCA. Use code: withpaceoregontrail to get 15% off. 

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Payson and Sarah had two very different experiences on day four of the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. They recap their respective miseries and triumphs on this second-to-last day, discuss how things are shaping up in the overall standings, and talk about the literal run-in with wildlife that left the racers shaken. They also talk about Dylan’s victory at the hot dog eating contest, the greatest gift Sarah ever received (an ice skating costume), liquified shower curtains, and, just in case you thought this wasn’t an educational program, they offer their top tips on recovering during stage races. 

Today’s episode is presented by SILCA. Use code: withpaceoregontrail to get 15% off. 

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YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: [email protected]