The Pinkbike Podcast

Martin Maes is something of a contradiction. On one hand he's an articulate man with a stoical outlook, and on the other he quite simply doesn't do things quietly. Whether it's coming onto the scene as one of the first true-enduro youngsters before eventually delivering on his potential after many years of trying with GT, or getting mired in a doping scandal and beating downhill racers at their own game, there is so much about his career that is exceptional.

Sarah chatted with Christopher Blevins right after he got back from his whirlwind of a trip to Brazil where he won the first Olympic cross-country race of the season. The 26-year-old American former Short Track World Champion last won a World Cup XCO back in 2021 in Snowshoe, but he came out with all cylinders firing in Brazil with the goal of qualifying for the Paris Olympics and getting as many points for the United States to secure two spots for the men's team. From getting stung by the most poisonous caterpillar in the world, to recovering on downhills, dealing with cramps, life on Specialized Factory Racing, to what he thought of the cross-country race courses in Brazil, this was a really interesting conversation. We also got into why he switched to mountain biking from BMX, his creative pursuits outside of cycling, and being a mountain biker right now in the US.

We discuss our picks for this weekend's race, explain why your season won't be as easy as you think, and who are the likely winners.

While Henry enjoys riding shorter travel cross-country bikes, he doesn't follow the pro circuit all that closely. In this episode, Sarah gives Henry an idiot's guide to XC and why there's more to it than meets the eye.

We chat about how he got into riding as a teenager, how he bounced back and forth chasing summer in the UK and New Zealand for years, his time as a World Cup mechanic, why he left GMBN, some of his endurance feats including an attempt at the FKT riding across all of New Zealand and riding 1,000,000 feet in a year, and much more. Henry's an incredibly introspective person and so this was a really interesting conversation.

Romain Dompnier and Madison Wallinger explain what goes into a season of in-depth mountain biking coverage, the power of archetypes and how race coverage can help the sport grow.

Remi Gauvin has seen it all in racing, from their early days as a promising junior to climbing the ranks of Enduro. In this chat we cover his roots in downhill, what it really takes to do both disciplines and how the sport is changing - for good and for bad.

Tara Llanes has been wildly accomplished at the high levels of multiple sports - BMX, MTB, and wheelchair basketball, not to mention wheelchair tennis - and she also has a whole lot more life experience to share. In 2007, in what she thought was her second-to-last race before retiring from her career as a mountain biker, a devastating crash changed things for her. She spent the next several years going through intense processing, a move to Canada, some serious mental low points, a growing interest in tennis, and much more before she found herself on the basketball court to improve her speed as a wheelchair tennis player. Wheelchair basketball stuck. Tara clearly knows how to train hard, and that continues to take her far. She's now preparing for her second Paralympics, this one in Paris, and plans to then step away from high-level competition - retiring the right way this time. Brian and I sat down with Tara in Vancouver, where she lives, to talk about that whole process. While we imagined this episode would end up the same length as most of our podcast episodes, we just kept finding more conversation. Tara is clearly smart, capable, an incredible athlete, and seriously strong as a person, and we were glad for every minute she spent with us.

Amy Ertel and Steve Vanderhoek are two people who bring a lot to our sport: both in terms of their excellent riding and when it comes to their jobs and risk preparedness. Amy is a nurse, Steve is a firefighter, and both are extraordinary riders.

Dario and Brian are joined by Alvin from our sister publication Velo to discuss the products we saw, the factories we toured, and the food we ate at this year's Taipei Cycle Show.

Could you choose your bike out of a lineup? If so, how? Whether it's strange suspension setups, cockpit changes or just particular tires, we all have things that make our bikes our own.

Eliot Jackson has been a busy guy after retiring from World Cup DH racing. He's a Red Bull commentator, an ambassador for various cycling brands, the founder of Grow Cycling Foundation, and the organizer of a brand new event called Aspire. As you can imagine from listening to him on live broadcasts, he's a really fun guy to chat with and Alicia, Brian and I were lucky to catch up with him earlier this month before he headed to Australia to commentate at Red Bull Hardline. Our free flowing conversation ranges from his early days as a racer and how Pinkbike founder Karl Burkat mentored him on the business aspects of the bike industry, to diversity in the bike industry and the opening of Grow Cycling Foundation's Inglewood Pump Track in Los Angeles County in California.

Sarah Moore is incredibly important to the Pinkbike, cross-synergized ecosystem of symbiotic workflow, not least because she guides so much content and new coverage. Here, she and Henry talk about her racing World Cups, "what's good", women in the industry, and the slightly more light-hearted side of breaking both arms.

When the UCI team list was released for the upcoming season, there were many answers to be found about who will be riding what. One inclusion that didn't shed too much like, however, was Aaron Gwin's name under his eponymous racing team. What bikes were they riding? What would this team look like? And will Aaron himself be lining up at World Cups this year or being confined to the commentary box as he rehabilitates from an arm injury sustained early last season? In short, the bikes will be from Crestline, but don't go thinking this is a standard sponsorship deal. It seems to run far deeper, with Aaron taking part ownership in the brand that was founded a mere couple of years ago. Although not their first outing at World Cups, the RS 205 VHP frame was raced under Sam Blenkinsop last year, this does feel like a big step up for a brand that is still so relatively young. Aaron made time for us during a very busy team camp. While it might sometimes seem to be all glitz and glamour in mountain biking, I love the fact that we're still raw enough to sometimes be about propping up a laptop in short-term accommodation as you pack in as much preparation and planning as you can, and answering questions honestly that fans of the sport will likely want to know about. I'm thankful that even as mountain biking becomes more pro the level of access athletes and team owners are prepared to grant media is so great, and it personally only makes me love mountain biking and World Cup racing even more.

Yoann Barelli has done a bit of everything in his time. Whether it's slogging out World Cups as a privateer, moving to BC, or turning pro slightly later than others, his contribution to the sport of mountain biking is undeniable. Editor's Note - Our audio file corrupted, so for the first part of the interview we're using backup audio. If you wish to skip this part go to 40 minutes. Thank you for your understanding.

We talk about signing for one of his dream brands, how he kept his broken scaphoid a secret until he'd signed a contract for 2024 on the dotted line, what riding a bike with telemetry for the first time was like, how many Red Bulls he drinks on race day, being mates with Jackson Goldstone, what he does when his competitors start to complain, and more.

We all had different journeys into mountain biking and at different stages in our lives. Here, Henry, Matt, Dario and Kaz talk through the good, bad, and downright weird bikes that they were infatuated with and why. See the bikes here.

YT Industries saw promise in Vali Höll before she even started racing on the World Cup circuit, signing her on a six-year contract when she was just 13 years old. The Austrian then went on to win two Junior World Cup overall titles as well as two World Championship titles on the YT Tues before moving up to the Elite category. A nasty crash sidelined her for her first Elite World Championships in 2020, but she came back swinging in 2021 as a part of the newly formed RockShox Trek Race Team, winning the overall title in what was her first full year racing in the Elite category. In her three years with the team, she's racked up eight World Cup wins, two overall titles, and two World Championship titles. Now, in what feels like a homecoming, the 22-year-old Austrian has signed with The YT Mob. You can read the official YT Mob press release here. We talk about why Höll signed with the German brand really early in the 2023 season, what she's most looking forward to with the new team, learning to deal with disappointment, what it was like to finally race against Rachel Atherton last season, and more. The podcast is above if you'd like to listen to our conversation. Alternatively, a transcript is below.

In a chat that felt like it could go on for twice as long, Jesse really lifts the veil to talk about so much of what goes into being a pro enduro racer, the risk of moving away from a successful team as well as breaking down some of his highest moments and discussing where enduro sits when compared to other disciplines. Plus, Henry, Christina, Sarah and Matt tune in with the latest news.

After 16 years together, Greg Minnaar's name was synonymous with that of the Santa Cruz Syndicate, but in a move that surprised everyone this off-season, even Minnaar himself, the Syndicate let go the 42-year-old South African. That left the four-time world champion scrambling to find a ride for 2024 mid-October in a year where budgets were tight. While the past several months have been anything but restful, you don't win 23 World Cups without being a hard worker and Minnaar has signed a three-year contract with Norco Bicycles and has been able to pull together a team at the eleventh hour that sounds more than promising. Minnaar will be racing alongside Gracey Hemstreet and Lucas Cruz this season, but his main focus will be setting up the processes and people to turn Norco Factory Racing into a future-proofed, race-winning team and continue to direct the team beyond his eventual retirement. Sarah sat down with Minnaar yesterday to talk about the team he's formed for 2024, riding Norco's prototype bike, and what his goals are for the coming years. The podcast is above if you'd like to listen to our conversation. Alternatively, a transcript is below.

Dario, Kaz and Sarah join Henry to explain ski fashion, give insight into the PB awards, and talk about why forming habits can be hard.

Join us for our last pod of 2023 as Kaz, Henry and Sarah sit down in Squamish to question whether our own predictions will really come to pass.

One of the fastest-changing areas of mountain biking could be said to be AMTBs. The technology, some of which is shared with e-bikes, is enabling more and more people to get into the sport that we're all so passionate about. Three riders, Stacy Kohut, Alex Cairns, and Cole Bernier, came down to our Squamish HQ to talk us through where the sport is, as well as where it's going. In this far-ranging chat, we talk about the tech, the trails, and whether the industry is truly set up to embrace this burgeoning sector of the sport.

Harry and Henry spent a lot of time together over the 2022 race season and here we reunite for a very informal chat about life on the circuit, as well as giving Harry's insight into life at PBR.

Ben Cathro is someone who helps the rest of us understand World Cup racing by making videos breaking it down. His video work with Pinkbike led him to start Pinkbike Racing, and now he's led the team for two seasons. Ben himself is a racer, coach, video creator, team manager, team mentor, father, husband, friend... in this episode, we talk about the struggle of managing all of it, both with the team and as a person, plus he tells me about his process, his retirement from racing, and more. I really enjoyed Ben's openness and thoughtfulness, and I hope others enjoy this episode too.

Mike Kazimer and Brian Park sit down with Mike Levy in a cold, cramped garage to reflect on his time at Pinkbike and read a bunch of stories from coworkers and industry friends. We also take a short detour about aliens, bigfoot, and sim racing, before talking about Levy's plans for the future and ending the podcast before we get all emotional and weird. Apologies in advance for the strong language, this one is a bit raw. All the best, Levy.

Darren Kinnaird is the ringleader for all things Crankworx, and with so much change happening these days in the world of mountain bike events, Crankworx seems uniquely poised to push the sport forward. When we heard about a big announcement from Crankworx about what to expect from the series next year, Brian Park and I caught up with Kinnaird to hear the full story.

What goes into being a world cup mechanic? Is it all glitz and glamour or is it more about processes, planning, and cleaning shoes? Henry talks to two mechanics who are at slightly different stages of their journey. John has been Aaron Gwin's mechanic for a decade and has seen it all from the very top. He shares some stories about supporting one of modern downhill's defining athletes. Jim Bland just finished his second season working for the slightly smaller Union team. While not a factory outfit, the Santa Cruz-supported team that's backed by Steel City Media has a track record of punching above its weight, as well as guiding youngsters onto the next stage of their careers.

Thibault Laly is a dedicated racer who has spent time on a variety of teams, and for the past two seasons has represented Pinkbike Racing at the top of the game. In this episode, we chat about the story of his racing career so far, this year's Hardline, and what it's like to balance his many PBR responsibilities.

Dario, Kaz, and Alicia chat about their tactics for staying motivated when the days are short and the nights are long.

Aimi Kenyon enjoyed so much success in her first season in the World Cup junior field, but replicating it would push her unbelievably hard. Here, we get a glimpse behind the curtain of Aimi's season.

Whatever metric you use, Aaron Gwin is one of the most successful World Cup Racers of all time. Henry sat down with him to talk all his career, what's next and his steps into bike park ownership.

Brook is a fan favourite, and not without good reason. We talk about his reputation for being tough, bike setup and what it's like coming back to Mont Sainte Anne.

Why couldn't you ride Loic's bike? And why is your setup so bad compared to a World Cup Racer's machine? TJ explores the topic with Henry. Note - During the first exchange you might hear some background noise (a small fan that we used on a hot day). The rest of the interview doesn't feature this sound.

The field test is over, and what a field test it has been. The eight bikes, each bringing something very different to the table, represent some of the modern of modern enduro geometry, technology, and frame design. However, that's not to say we didn't have our favorites. Listen to us rank them and explain our reasoning.

Mountain bike tires are a dark art, so Henry Quinney and I sat down with Schwalbe product manager Carl Kämper to ask all the questions. How do new tires get developed? What does testing look like? Why are they so damn expensive? We were also joined by Felix Jahn, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, with insights into the business of actually making tires, and the challenges faced in trying to lower their impacts.

In the last five years, Nina has gone from newcomer to world cup winner. We wanted to find out about her mindset, her perception of downhill compared to her initial career in athletics and what's it like joining one of the downhill's biggest, most established, and most successful teams.

There are few downhill mountain bikers that are so multifaceted as Neko MulallyRacer. Not only is he racing World Cups, but he also runs a race series, supports grassroots riding and racing, has his own brand and team, develops his own bike, AND somehow finds time to represent the riders' union and scout the next big thing in US downhill. In this far-ranging chat, we try to cover as much as possible knowing full well that might just be a thankless task.

Wyn's efforts to support privateers shouldn't be understated and, for such an established World Cup rider, his refreshing take on what downhill should be manages to articulate thoughts many of us may well have had. During the next month, we'll be going to podcasts every Monday and Thursday, and we hope you enjoy this cadence.

Troy Brosnan is a downhill athlete with a record like few others. As somebody who's only ridden for two World Cup teams in over a decade in the sport, he's ridden some period-defining bikes against some team-mates that rank amongst the all-time greats. We sat down in Mont-Sainte-Anne to find out more.

The winners of the final round of the 2023 overall are here, and we sit down to reflect upon another vintage race.

What's going on with the overall? And who needs what to win it? Remy and Henry dive in.

Downhill bikes typically have 200 mm of travel, and enduro bikes around 160, but cross-country bikes could have anything between 65 and 120. Progressive and conservative bikes compete against one another at the highest level, and some of these bikes even seem like things you'd ride for fun. But where is the category going? And what do we think of the current crop?

In this week's podcast, Dario, Kaz, and Matt join Henry to go over our worst and silliest complaints, as well as some of the things that never fail to put a smile on our face.

Red Bull Rampage is the largest, most important freeride mountain bike event in the world. Rampage historically hasn't included a women's field, and Red Bull has been promoting the development of women's freeride through a non-competition event called Formation that's held on the same terrain. This year Formation was cancelled, leading some to speculate that Rampage might include a women's field. When the rider list came out last week, we were disappointed to see neither a women's field nor a public plan to integrate women into the event. Alicia Leggett and I sat down with Vaea Verbeeck, one of the original Formation riders and a future Rampage hopeful, to hear her thoughts about the situation.

In this weeks podcast, Henry, Dario, Kaz and Matt talk about what they wish would come back, and what they hope goes for ever. There are lukewarm takes, some strange tangents and some ideas that are just flatly antiquated and wrong.

Matt Beer joined Pinkbike in 2021 and has made himself a something of a niche in the interveening time - testing downhill bikes, as well as contributing towards the editorial departments efforts in everything from Field Tests to gear reviews. Prior to Pinkbike, however, Matt won two national downhill championships and Henry was eager to learn more.

It's not every day you get to speak to a World Champion, it's also not every podcast when the guest is willing to give you a huge amount of honesty as they look over some of their own, and mountain biking's, greatest achievements. Miranda Miller and Henry Quinney talk about where World Cup racing is going, what enduro should look like, plus which of the fast French riders she'd have on her dream World Cup team.

In this far-reaching conversation, we talk about everything from extreme injury, modern freeride, and social media, as well as the consequences of crashing such as fear or healing mental wounds. We even touch on why the modern enduro bike might just be the bike freeride has been waiting for.