With Pace

Professional mountain biker Payson McElveen sits down with some of the biggest names in sports and adventure to get an inside look at what sets them apart. With no script, the casual conversations are as diverse as the guests, with topics ranging from harrowing tales of survival, to debates on current events, to everyday tips and tricks and everything in between. As Payson travels the world for his two-wheeled day job, listen in as he rubs shoulders with and learns from some of the most inspiring athletes, entrepreneurs, academics, and others as they chase and inspire greatness.

With Pace is a sports podcast hosted by Payson McElveen, with 400 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Payson McElveen hosts With Pace, a sports show with 400 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #399

  Quinn Simmons on Leadville, the Tour, and his Dauphiné stage win

  Sep 6, 20261h 3mS1

  Quinn Simmons made headlines last month when it was announced that he’d be jumping into Leadville just a couple of weeks after racing the Tour de France. He sat down with Payson in Durango this week to talk about his last-minute decision to do the race, his standout performance at the Tour, and the stage win at Dauphiné that helped get him there. He also talks about what it’s like racing against the generational talent of Tadej Pogačar, the decline of professional road racing in the US, and how much longer he plans to race in the WorldTour. Instagram: @withpacepodcast YouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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  Episode #398

  Leadville 100 recap with Cobe Freeburn and Lauren Aggeler

  Aug 27, 20261h 40mS1

  This year’s Leadville 100 was unlike any other, with wildfires last month necessitating a reroute of the iconic course and cool temperatures and rain contributing to a chaotic race. Quinn Simmons and Rosa Klöser dropped in just after finishing their respective Tour de Frances, and Keegan Swenson had to sprint for the line for the first time thanks to a standout ride from Matt Wilson. Payson sat down with two Durango locals to recap the race — 24-year-old Cobe Freeburn, who is competing in his first Grand Prix this year but is already tied for 6th place with Matt Wilson, and 23-year-old Lauren Aggeler, who is duking it out for first place overall in the U23 field to punch her ticket to the elite Grand Prix field next year. They discuss crashes, tactics, and whether the course changes had a meaningful effect on the podium. Plus, we hear from listeners who raced in the amateur field. Instagram: @withpacepodcast YouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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  Episode #397

  Cam Jones on racing the Grand Prix as the defending champion and his Leadville strategy

  Aug 9, 20261h 3mS1

  A lot has changed for Cam Jones since our last episode with him a year ago. Back then, he’d just had his breakout ride at Unbound, winning the biggest gravel race in the world as a Grand Prix wild card. Now, he’s the defending champion of the entire series and anything but an underdog. He joins Payson this week to discuss how the racing dynamics have changed now that he’s a known quantity in the peloton, what it's been like settling in the US for now after years of constant travel back to New Zealand, and his expectations for the re-routed Leadville course. Plus, he recaps his commanding win at Oregon Trail and makes his case for 32-inch wheels. Instagram: @withpacepodcast YouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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  Episode #396

  Chad Cheeney on tracklocross and Sepp Kuss’s Tour de France crash

  Jul 28, 20261h 22mS1

  For the past 20 years, Chad Cheeney has been one of the most influential people in U.S. cycling, even if you’ve never heard of him. As the co-founder of Durango Devo, he’s helped foster the childhood talents of Sepp Kuss, Chris Blevins, Howard Grotts, Riley Amos, and Quinn Simmons, to name a few. More importantly, he’s instilled a lifelong love of cycling in countless Durango kids, regardless of whether they embark on racing careers. We had Chad on the show in 2021 to talk about this portion of his life. But today, he’s here to talk about his latest cycling obsession, tracklocross, which involves riding a fixed-gear track bike on the most counterintuitive terrain possible. Chad explains why it’s the perfect discipline for older riders, how it’s reinvigorated his sense of joy on the bike, and why it all relates to the 1890s. Plus, he talks about watching Sepp Kuss’s heroic and then terrifying ride at the Queen Stage of the Tour de France last weekend and what he took away from it as a coach. More information on tracklocross: Dracklo Turango - local blog for updates and tracklo hype Dracklo Turango Instagram Chad's Instagram Dracklo.com for tracklocross events 63xc.com - old-school fixed gear MTB blog Fiefdom - answers to all tracklocross questions Tracklocross Worlds in Zurich Instagram The Green Video - Chad's favorite edit with legends Matt Reyes and Chas Christiansen Instagram: @withpacepodcast YouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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  Episode #395

  Matt Wilson on winning Tulsa Tough on a gravel bike and his breakout year

  Jul 22, 20261h 29mS1

  If you were racing with Matt Wilson last year, it was pretty clear that he was one of the strongest in the bunch, but through mechanicals and various other extenuating circumstances, he never managed to translate his talents into a top finish. This year, the Kiwi rider is out to prove what he can do. First, he snagged third at New Zealand Road Nats and second at XC Nats. Then, he earned one of the wild card spots in the Grand Prix at Unbound. Six days later, he lined up at Tulsa Tough, the biggest crit race in the U.S., and won it on his Unbound bike. Since then, he’s been on a cross-country road trip, hitting up seemingly every race along the way. Payson sat down with Matt in Durango to discuss his breakout season, jam-packed schedule, and the injury that has forced him to take a much needed break. They also talk about his friendship with fellow Kiwi and training buddy Cam Jones, and his history racing U23 on the XC World Cup circuit. Instagram: @withpacepodcast YouTube: Payson McElveen Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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