The Adventure Stache

This week, Payson and VeloNews journalist Betsy Welch break down the first race of the 2023 Life Time Grand Prix. While there were few surprises at the front of the race, there were plenty of unexpected finishes and variables to suggest that we’re in for an exciting series. Payson and Betsy run through the leaderboard, discuss the riders that surprised them most, consider the implications of Keegan Swenson’s sprint finish with Russell Finsterwald, and highlight some serious mid-race comebacks in the women’s field.

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YouTube: Payson McElveen

Sofia Gomez Villafañe has many accolades to her name. Olympian, winner of the Cape Epic, winner of Unbound, and winner of Leadville are just a few of her claims to fame, and she also happens to be this year’s winner of the Life Time Grand Prix after clinching the overall victory in just five races. Payson caught up with Sofia a few days before the seventh and final round of the series in Bentonville, Arkansas for a wide-ranging and long overdue conversation.
In this episode, Sofia talks about how approaching cycling as a career rather than a passion has shaped her life on and off the bike, and how her single-minded approach to racing has led to consistent success. She discusses whether her goals will shift next year now that she's won the Grand Prix and how she thinks the tactics in the series will evolve now that the riders know the courses so well. She talks about moving to the U.S. from Patagonia when she was 12, and how her goals as a cyclist changed after she met her partner, Keegan Swenson, and her coach. She also addresses how we handled the ice pack controversy at Unbound, and the less dramatic reality behind it.

Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Alexis Skarda - 6:24
Alexis has been climbing pro podiums for close to a decade. The multi-time collegiate national champ has won Marathon Nationals, the Whiskey 50, the Brek Epic, and holds the White Rim FKT. She’s in her second year racing the Grand Prix, and catches up with Payson to talk about coming back after a punishing experience at Unbound, what it’s like being teammates with Keegan Swenson and Tobin Ortenblad, and her secret musical side hustle. Stick around after the interview to hear one of her tracks.
Bella Hyser - 36:55
At 19, Bella is the youngest rider in the women’s field, but she discovered her talent for racing long distances three years ago. When the XC race circuit shut down during the pandemic, Bella started riding as far and as often as she could, and hasn’t stopped since. She tells Payson about how excited she was to get into the Grand Prix after her second try, how she and her coach have ramped up her training for the series, and how a phone call during Unbound kept her from pulling out of the race.
Anna Yamauchi - 1:00:31
Anna only started racing two years ago, but she’s already shown an aptitude for the sport, winning the Rock Cobbler earlier this year and placing second at BWR Arizona. She talks to Payson about how her difficult start in the Grand Prix has been a blessing in disguise, how her mentor Katerina Nash pushed her to stay in cycling, and why she’s jumping into the Andorra World Cup after Leadville.

Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Mark Twight is a former pioneering mountaineer, climber, photographer, author, podcaster, and Hollywood trainer. During his climbing career, he made multiple first ascents of some of the most challenging routes in the world, and achieved the fastest known times (FKTs) on Denali and Mount Hunter in The Alaska Range using bold, innovative training and climbing methods. His lightweight, single push approach to alpinism solidified his legacy as a pioneer of the sport, and changed the face of mountaineering. Following his retirement from climbing, Twight founded Gym Jones, a private training facility where his success with professional athletes and military personnel led him to training actors for nine different Hollywood movies. He defines his current project--NonProphet--as the intersection between art and action but it is difficult to assign a title to what he does. Now he works as a writer, podcaster, speaker, and photographer. Payson caught up with Mark in Moab, UT to attempt to scratch the surface of Mark's career. They discuss radical approaches to breaking speed records, Mark's legendary 60 hour ascent of Denali, and why a balance between hubris and humility is key to achieving anything great. In the process, they realized there was just too much to talk about, and came back for round two a few months later. Part II of their conversation will be published next week.

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YouTube: Payson McElveen

Russell Finsterwald holds five national titles in mountain biking but stepped away from the World Cup relatively early in his career to pursue longer distance XC races in the US. When gravel became the dominant force in the off-road scene, he thought about retiring as soon as he finished the remainder of his contract. But in preparation for the Lifetime Grand Prix last year, he created a 350-mile route across southern Arizona that he dubbed the Spirit Tour. The goal was to answer some burning questions about the new discipline, such as, "What are gravel bikes capable of?" "What does it take to flat them?" And "What is the spirit of gravel?" In the process, Finsty and his fellow tourers Keegan Swenson, Kerry Werner, and Ryan Standish came up with a few answers and kicked off an annual tradition. Finsty finished 3rd in the inaugural Grand Prix, took a commanding victory at Big Sugar, and just completed the second Spirit Tour in preparation for the upcoming season.
In this interview, he and Payson chat about the hours he spends scouting trails and devising routes (including the one they rode just before recording the episode), and how the Spirit Tour evolved this year. They discuss the difficulty he had early in his career racing the World Cup circuit and why he’s hooked on pushing the boundaries of gravel. They also talk about his FKT ambitions, his burgeoning real estate side hustle, and why the most dreaded race in the Grand Prix is the one he’s most looking forward to.

Instagram: @theadventurestache
YouTube: Payson McElveen