Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Detours: Bikepacking, Ultra-Cycling and Adventures by Bike
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women of Taurus Mountain Race 2026 | 16 oct. 2026 | 01:14:06 | |
54 women took to the start of the inaugural Taurus Mountain Race. Listen to their voices and words of wisdom to themselves. I hope you are inspired by their stories to take on your own grand adventure. Here are as many of their voices as we could gather:
Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Hannah Glatter on Riding the Great Plains, Choosing Community & Making Your Own Rules | 30 juil. 2026 | 00:52:50 | |
We often set out on these big adventures with a picture in our heads of what we're going to get from them. The reality is that they almost never deliver that thing. Instead, they hand us something else entirely... and that's exactly what makes them worth doing. Hannah Glatter rode the brand new Great Plains Gravel Route this summer, travelling 3,000 miles from the Texas desert to the Canadian border, through the states people love to write off as flyover. She covered around 100 miles a day for 36 days — and before this, she'd never bikepacked more than a few days at a time. In this episode of Detours we talk about choosing community over going it alone, letting go of who you think you should be as an adventurer, learning to be proud of our accomplishments for the genuine feats they are, and building a life you love so much you don't need to escape from it. Learn more about the Great Plains Gravel Route Follow Hannah's adventures on Instagram @hannah.glatter Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Why Not Me? Dilara Tuna on Building Confidence Across Trail Running & Bikepacking | 23 juil. 2026 | 01:03:49 | |
What does it take to win an ultra-distance bikepacking race and then run 192 kilometres across the Balkans three days later? Dilara Tuna is a Belgian adventurer who moves as comfortably on foot as she does on two wheels. In 2026 she took the women's win at the Trans Balkan Race, riding on women's record pace for much of it, before heading straight out to run the Peaks of the Balkans trail through Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. In this episode of Detours, we talk about what running and cycling each teach you about the other, why the women's field in ultra running feels years ahead of bikepacking, and the voice that told her for years she was "too slow" to sleep — and how working with a coach helped her finally rest, race smarter, and go faster because of it. We also get into racing Silk Road in a pair with a man she'd met days earlier, the thunderstorm that cost her the record, the stray dog that followed her for five hours, and the problem with chocolate in a heatwave. Follow Dilara's adventures on Instagram @tunafisch Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Luisa Werner on Motherhood & Ultra | 16 juil. 2026 | 00:48:31 | |
Now in my 30s, the question of whether or not to become a mum sits heavier than it used to. And when I go looking for a template to follow — women who've done it without giving up riding, racing, their freedom — I come up with a handful. Today's guest Luisa Werner is an athlete who has won the women's race at Atlas Mountain Race, stood on the podium of many ultras AND she's a mum. In this episode of Detours we talk about identity, the physical changes of pregnancy, coming back to sport postpartum, and how Luisa is approaching this season of her life. Follow Luisa on Instagram @luisasophiewer Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Meaghan Hackinen's 2026 Tour Divide Record | 09 juil. 2026 | 01:12:54 | |
Meaghan Hackinen just rode the Tour Divide faster than any woman ever has in 14 days 10 hours 2 minutes, taking more than a full day off her own previous time across nearly 4,400 kilometres from Banff to the Mexican border, and besting Austin Killips record 14 days 23 hours. In this episode of Detours, Meaghan shares the ins and outs of her record-breaking run: what she learned from her rookie attempt in 2024, the marginal gains that added up, the collective she built for women and underrepresented riders to build community around the divide, how she managed to find time for a skinny dip on route... yes you heard that right! and so much more. Follow Meaghan's adventures on Instagram @meaghanhackinen Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: Svenja Betz on Unbound XL, Badlands and Traka 560 | 03 juil. 2026 | 00:55:19 | |
Svenja Betz is a rider I've had on my radar for quite some time. She's won the likes of Unbound XL — twice — along with Badlands and Traka560. But what's intrigued me most is how she's balanced racing at such a high level with her career. For the past two years she's been in an intensive teacher training program in Germany, finishing her final exams just one week before flying to Kansas to defend her Unbound XL title. In this episode of Detours we talk all about her approach to racing — why having nothing to lose became her secret weapon, the rise of fiercely strong women on the start line and why she's an open book with all of them, and the brutal Badlands debut where she begged her mom to pick her up. We also get into what she's learned about enjoying the experience along the way, not just chasing the win — and what she's most looking forward to in this next chapter now that her studies are finally done. Plus! We have another listener voicenote from Alex who just raced his first ultra at Solstice Sprint. I'd love to hear from more of you! What adventures have you been up to this summer? What did you experience or learn along the way. Send me a voice note to thedetourspodcast@gmail.com and we'll feature if on an upcoming episode. Follow Svenja's adventures on Instagram @svenja__betz Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Maddy Nutt's Record Breaking Ride at Traka 560 | 25 juin 2026 | 01:14:21 | |
The Traka has become one of the biggest gravel events in cycling, rivalling Unbound for prestige and increasingly important for sponsors. The 560 – their adventure distance added in recent years – has quickly become a proving ground for endurance talent. This year, Maddy Nutt lined up for the 560 having never raced an ultra. She had big goals, with her eyes on the women's record time – which she went on to smash. In this episode of Detours, we get into her ride along with preparation that included AI-assisted pacing, carrying five kilos of nutrition and water, the importance of having fun, and what a win like this could mean for her future. Check out Maddy's Traka 560 film Follow her adventures on Instagram @maddy_nutt Plus we hear from Ainsley who just raced her first bikepacking race!
Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Women of Tour Divide & Hannah's Great Plain Ride | 11 juin 2026 | 00:19:41 | |
Racing and riding season is in full swing! This week we hear from some of the women racing Tour Divide 2026, along with Hannah Glatter who is currently riding 5,600KM along the Great Plains Gravel Route.
Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Women of HT550 2026 | 08 mai 2026 | 00:39:58 | |
For the first time ever, the Highland Trail 550 has a 50-50 gender split on the startline. For the 14th edition in 2026, 32 women will be racing. Since 2022, Alan has worked hard to build a 50-50 start list, encouraging women that they belong on the startline. This year’s event is longer than previous editions, with 913km around the Scottish highlands. Created by Alan Goldsmith, it was inspired by events in the US like the Tour Divide and the Colorado Trail Race. As Alan describes it on the HT550 website: initially put together as a training ride, it became apparent that the great trails, beautiful scenery, remote wilderness, and fickle Scottish weather offered a world-class route for a self-supported challenge right here in the UK. The route follows stunning trails, includes some boggy and technical sections, and hike-a-bike to boot. Watch our dots HERE as we make our way around the highlands. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Fuelling an Ultra-Distance Bikepack Race: Uri Carlson on Nutrition for HT550 and Beyond | 30 avr. 2026 | 01:02:34 | |
Nutrition is one of the most underestimated parts of bikepacking and ultra-distance racing. We can dial our kit, obsess over our gear, train for months — but if we're not fuelling well, none of it matters. This week, Dietician Uri Carlson is back on Detours, and this time we had a very specific agenda: Highland Trail 550 is on the horizon, and this year I'll be lining up for my first time, and I wanted to make sure I left no stone unturned. We get into carb loading — when to start and how to think about it for a multi-day race that lasts a week — resupply strategy, hydration ranges, gut health and the microbiome, what to do when you're too nauseous to eat but still have a long way to go, and why under-fuelling is a bigger threat to your gut than any high-carb gel. A lot of the specifics are Highland Trail flavoured, but the fuelling principles apply to any ultra-endurance adventure you've got on the horizon. You can also find the blog post version of this episode on Substack Follow Uri on Instagram @uri_carlson_nutrition Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Justyna Jarczok on Reframing Setbacks and Finding Her Place in Ultra | 16 avr. 2026 | 00:47:59 | |
What do you do when things don't go your way? When you're caught in the eye of a storm and unsure whether to continue. When the race you trained all winter for falls apart on day one. Justyna Jarczok has been cycling for only two years, and in that short time she's found some answers. She's resilient, positive, and ambitious – and she just won the women's race at Dale's Divide. We talk about decision making in extreme weather, reframing races that don't go to plan, the community that rallied when her bike was stolen, and why ultra feels like the place she belongs. Follow Justyna's adventure on Instagram @justine_bike Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Bikepacking in Girona, 1 month til HT550 & Life Across the Pond | 10 avr. 2026 | 00:21:28 | |
A lil life update on our recent trip to Spain, bikepacking around Girona, one month living overseas and the final few weeks of prep before Highland Trail 550. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Don't Be Afraid to Jump: Gala Giannini on the ER, Life by Bike and More Women on Start Lines | 02 avr. 2026 | 00:52:35 | |
Gala Giannini is an ER doctor, ultra racer, and now event organizer based in northern Italy. She's raced Italy Divide, Gran Guanche, Silk Road, Atlas, and Badlands. At her first ultra, there were maybe four women on the start line. At Atlas this year, the change was undeniable. In this episode of Detours, we talk about the growing movement of more women on start lines, how winning a gravel bike by drawing a 180-kilometer reindeer on Strava led to her first ultra two months later, the parallels between night shifts in the ER and racing through the night, and the event she's building in the Italian Alps – named after a mythological goat with uneven legs. Learn more about the Dahu Trail Follow Gala's adventures: @gala.giannini Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Twice Around the World: Vedangi Kulkarni on Impact, Limits and Letting Go | 19 mars 2026 | 00:51:48 | |
What if the thing waiting on the other side of "failure" is more valuable than the goal itself? Vedangi Kulkarni is an ultra-endurance cyclist, adventurer, and two-time round-the-world rider. She first circumnavigated the globe at 19 – starting in Australia in 2018 and finishing on Christmas Eve, turning 20 somewhere along the way. Then in 2024, she set out again, starting and finishing in India, chasing the record for the fastest woman to cycle around the world. She didn't get the record. But what she found along the way might have been more valuable. Now based in Inverness, Scotland, Vedangi runs The Adventure Shed, helping others plan solo expeditions, and is launching the Looking Beyond Barriers Adventure Fund to support the next generation of women adventurers. In this episode of Detours we talk about the privilege of a single yes, what it took to keep going when her goal slipped out of reach, redefining success around impact over performance, and so much more. Follow Vedangi's adventures: @thisisvedangi Get your Detours & More Women on Startlines Stickers!! Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Just Keep Pedalling: Millie Gibbons on Building Community & The Joy of Riding Uphill | 12 mars 2026 | 00:48:44 | |
Millie Gibbons loves riding her bike. And when I say loves, I mean she's Everested four times and her idea of a really good time is gathering eight women and riding 200K to France for a croissant. Based in Girona and always surrounded by a girl gang, Millie has built community simply by showing up and doing what she loves. She's also a seriously quick racer, winning the women's race at Kromvojoj in 2025 and and Trans Pyrenees 2023. In this episode, we talk about her proudest finish at Alps Divide on an underbiked gravel setup through every weather condition imaginable, the meditative simplicity of racing for a busy brain, and her philosophy: find your thing, have fun doing it. Follow Millie's adventures: @milliegibbons Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| AMR 26 Reflections, HT550 Prep and Moving to Bristol! | 05 mars 2026 | 00:22:31 | |
There has been a LOT of life lived in the past few months. Jake and I are in the middle of packing up our life in Vancouver ahead of our move to Bristol + Atlas Mountain Race just happened, so I thought we were long overdue for a bit of a catchup. I share a few reflections from Atlas Mountain Race, including what it felt like to see nearly 70 (!!!!) women on the start line this year. We also talk about our quick trip through London (and finally meeting the Albion team in person), some Highland Trail 550 prep, new bike plans, and a little more about this big jump over the pond. Thanks as always for all your love and support for me and the show. ________________________ Albion just released an updated version of their Ultralight Insulated Jacket, now with a women’s-specific fit. If you’re looking for a lightweight and super packable jacket for long rides or bikepacking trips, you can check it out here. AND Detours listeners can use the code DETOURS15 for 15% off. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Almost back to life! We'll be back next week | 26 févr. 2026 | 00:01:28 | |
It has been a whirlwind few weeks but we will be BACK next week with new episodes. In the meantime, check out all the incredible guests, re-listen to a fave (or check out The Mountain Races podcast). Thanks for all the love and patience and see you SOON! xx Mel Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Women of Atlas Mountain Race 2026 | 05 févr. 2026 | 00:52:57 | |
Last year’s Atlas Mountain Race saw 30 women take place. This year, beginning in Beni-Mellal, 54 women will be on the starting line. Of course there is still a long way to go in seeing equal participation between the men and women, but to see a race nearly double it’s participation in one year is certainly a sign that momentum is building. We hope that their stories inspire you to take on your own adventure, and of course, to have more women on start lines. Dotwatch the 2026 Atlas Mountain Race Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Adventure More: Sami Sauri on Building A Life In The Mountains | 29 janv. 2026 | 01:20:49 | |
Three weeks after finishing second at Silk Road Mountain Race, Sami Sauri hiked up Mont Blanc in the dark and paraglided off the summit at dawn. Sami is a mountain woman in every sense — she ski tours, she paraglides, she bikepacks remote corners of the world, and she documents it all through her lens. Based in Chamonix, she's proof you don't have to choose between competing and creating. In this episode of Detours, we talk about the steep learning curve of ultracycling, getting a mentor to prepare for Silk Road Mountain Race, and the power of mantras. Sami shares how she went from signing up for her first ultra after a couple bottles of wine to podiums at the world's most demanding mountain races and how she's built a life that blends her creative and competitive pursuits. Follow Sami on Instagram: @samisauri Plus we have a bonus segment with our Sound Designer, Ben Crannell. Ben just got back from riding the Queen's Ransom route in Arizona and shares all about his adventure! If you're keen to hear more about the Queen's Ransom or Arizona Trail Race, check out our Detours episode with Kara Woolgar. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| A Peek Inside Mel's Highland Trail 550 Training: Building Back From Zero | 22 janv. 2026 | 00:22:27 | |
Mel shares a peek inside her training for the Highland Trail 550 in May. We go into building back from ground zero, incorporating more strength training and an easter egg for those who make it all the way to the end. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Permission to Change: Kara Folkerts on Trail Running, Bikepacking and Life on the Road | 15 janv. 2026 | 00:54:57 | |
Kara Folkerts doesn't fit in any boxes. She's a trail running guide, bikepacker, and has lived a nomadic life for the past ten years. In this conversation, Kara opens up about identity, life on the road, and the freedom that comes with allowing yourself to change. We talk about sustaining a nomadic lifestyle, run travel, bike travel, solo adventures, and bikepacking with a partner. She also shares what's next — upcoming trips to Oman and Morocco, and her first ultra bikepacking race later this year. Follow Kara's adventures: @karafolkerts Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| You Can Do Hard Things: Jana Kesenheimer, Two-Time Transcontinental Race Fastest Woman | 08 janv. 2026 | 00:56:58 | |
The Transcontinental Race is often described as the self-supported bikepacking race across Europe, drawing some of the biggest names in ultra cycling each year. Riders plot their own routes across the continent — this year, roughly 4,700 kilometers — linking a handful of mandatory control points and parcours. Every decision, from navigation to sleep and everything in between, is left entirely to them. Jana Kesenheimer has won the women's race not once, but twice, lining up in 2025 alongside riders like Lael Wilcox and Cynthia Carson in the most competitive women's field TCR has ever seen. In this conversation, Jana reflects on the road that led her to ultra-distance racing — and why, despite all her experience, it took years to feel ready to line up at TCR. We talk about her 2025 race, confidence, and self-trust. As a psychologist, Jana brings a rare perspective to the mental side of endurance racing, exploring how gender, motivation, and self-perception shape not just how we race, but whether we feel like we belong at the start line at all. Follow Jana's adventures and racing: @jananas.banjana Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Holiday Throwback: Hannah Simon's 2024 Silk Road Mountain Race | 01 janv. 2026 | 01:42:53 | |
Happy New Years Detours listeners! We'll be back on Jan. 8 with a brand new episode, but in the meantime we've got an awesome throwback to our first ever in person recording with Hannah Simon back in August 2024. This episode gets me fired up for the racing season ahead is the perfect companion for your next long ride. *** Hannah Simon took the women's win at this year's Silk Road Mountain Race, in a time of 8 days 20 hours and 16 minutes. She navigated the 1939km and 30,000m+ with determination, resilience and grace. Not only was she the first woman home, but also landed 9th overall in an exceptionally deep field. In this episode we talk all about her preparation and the race itself. She shares so many great nuggets about her own personal hygiene, her kit and so much more. It was an absolute joy to get to record this episode in person together and to celebrate her achievement. Stay up to date on Hannah's adventures by following her on Instagram. If you loved today's episode please leave us a 5 star review wherever you listen and don't forget to subscribe. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Holiday Throwback: Alexandera Houchin on Racing with Heart & 10 Years of Bikepacking | 25 déc. 2025 | 01:32:03 | |
I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season! This week we're throwing it back to an episode recorded right around this time last year with the incredible Alexandera Houchin. It's one I've found myself listening to as I ramp up training for HT550 in May and every time I listen there is a new pearl of wisdom. I hope you enjoy and see you in 2026! *** When I think of women in bikepacking, Alexandera Houchin is one of the first people that comes to mind. She’s raced the Tour Divide countless time and been a steadfast figure in encouraging more women to take on these big challenges. As an Indigenous woman and member of the Fond du Lac tribe, becoming a sponsored athlete, heck an athlete at all, was not necessarily a pathway she saw for herself growing up. She joins me on the podcast to share about her journey to the bike, and how she’s made a career of this niche sport. We discuss what keeps her returning to these races year after year, her experiences navigating body image as someone with a bigger body, and how she’s redefining what success looks like in this next chapter of her career. Alexandera shares incredible insights on community, representation, and how showing up with her full heart have shaped her path in bikepacking. Trigger Warning: We discuss topics related to body image and disordered eating between the 19:00 and 25:00 marks. If these are sensitive topics for you please feel free to skip this portion of the episode. To keep up with Alexandera’s adventures follow her on Instagram @alexanderahouchin and read her writing on her Substack As always, if you loved this episode, please leave us a review, follow wherever you listen and share it with a friend. Even better you can make a one time pledge of your support and any funds raised go back into creating this show. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Reflecting on a Wild 2025: Behind the Scenes of Detours and a Year at The Mountain Races with Mel Webb | 18 déc. 2025 | 01:07:27 | |
This episode is a little different. For the final episode of the year, the roles are reversed as Detours alum and journalist Hélène Fromenty steps into the host seat, turning the mic back on Mel Webb, creator and host of the Detours podcast. Together, we reflect on a wild 2025 and what the year really looked like behind the scenes of Detours — from building and sustaining an independent cycling podcast, to working on the ground with the Mountain Races, to navigating a complicated relationship with cycling during a season when riding took a back seat. We talk about imposter feelings, representation in bikepacking and ultra-distance race coverage, creative sustainability, and the ongoing balance between personal goals and creating work that serves a wider community. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| The Spirit of Adventure: Kara Woolgar on AZT As Her First Ultra | 11 déc. 2025 | 01:05:44 | |
The Arizona Trail Race is a massive undertaking for any rider — rocky singletrack, long stretches of hike-a-bike, and a full bike portage through the Grand Canyon. It’s an especially bold choice for your first bikepacking race. This week, Detours listener Kara Woolgar joins the show after finishing the AZT DFL, a result she’s genuinely proud of (and we are too!!). Kara describes herself as fun sized, which means she’s had to get creative with packing on an extra-small frame. She also has a long list of food allergies, making resupply on the trail uniquely challenging. In our conversation, Kara shares how she got into bikepacking, how she built confidence through local rides and overnighters, and what it was like to spend 17 days working her way up the state of Arizona. From near race-ending blisters to a heartwarming note left for her in a hiking ledger, Kara shares all about her ride at the back of the pack. Check out Kara's Instagram for write-ups on her experience: @karawoolgar Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Jake Cullen on his 2025 Triple Crown Challenge | 04 déc. 2025 | 01:16:31 | |
The Triple Crown of bikepacking is a massive undertaking: three iconic routes, thousands of kilometres, and a season that demands a hell of a lot from you. In this episode of Detours, I sit down with my husband, Jake, to look back on his year racing across the United States, and everything that he's learned from taking on the Triple Crown Challenge. We talk about the early momentum he built on the Divide, the altitude sickness that nearly stopped him on the Colorado Trail, the slow, steady grind of the Arizona Trail, and so much more. We also get into what it's like to watch a loved one take on these races from the sidelines. Follow Jake on Instagram: @_jakecullen_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Hélène Fromenty on Her First MTB Ultra, Trans Pyrenees and Bikes as Way of Life | 27 nov. 2025 | 01:00:53 | |
The beauty of riding is that it can hold so many versions of us at once — the traveller, the dreamer, the person who loves a challenge, and the person who wants to prioritize fun. Hélène Fromenty is a journalist and bikepacker has been bike touring for years, but Silk Road was her first ever mountain bike ultra — raced as a pair with her partner Stefan — and the experience opened up an entirely new corner of the sport for her. She doesn’t see herself as a racer, and approaches riding through a lens of curiosity, connection, and joy. But after Silk Road, she wanted to understand what she could do on her own. So she lined up solo at Trans Pyrenees Gravel Edition… and won the women’s race. In this conversation, Hélène shares:
Follow Hélène on Instagram: @hfrome Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Weronika Szalas on Bikepacking Central Asia | 20 nov. 2025 | 01:04:24 | |
There’s a certain kind of freedom that comes with slowing down: giving yourself time to stay, to notice, and to let a place leave its mark on you. Over the years, Weronika Szalas’s mindset has shifted more and more toward slow travel — working in the winters and touring in the summers. This year, she spent nearly five months on the road with her partner, bikepacking through Central Asia. In this episode of Detours, Weronika all about her adventures on the road, from Google Translate disasters to long days on remote tracks, quiet dinners with strangers, and finally making it to Kyrgyzstan, a place she’d dreamed of for years. We get into:
LISTENER SHOUTOUT: As a little bonus content this week we have a voice note from Kara Woolgar who finished the Arizona Trail 800 as her FIRST EVER bikepacking race! Congrats Kara and thanks so much for sharing your story! Follow Weronika on Instagram: @weronika.szalas Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Endurance Nutrition 101: Uri Carlson on Building a Fuelling Foundation | 13 nov. 2025 | 01:06:11 | |
Whether you’re fuelling for a multi-day bikepacking race, trying to get more out of your training, or simply hoping to feel a little better on your everyday rides, what and when you eat can change everything. This week on Detours, I’m joined by Uri Carlson, a sports dietitian who helps athletes at every level build sustainable fuelling strategies — for daily training, long days in the saddle, and multi-day adventures alike. Together, we get into what truly supports strong endurance nutrition. From building a solid day-to-day foundation to knowing when a full meal mid-ultra might be exactly the right call, Uri breaks down the science, the strategy, and the real-world flexibility that long-ride fuelling requires. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Follow Uri on Instagram: @uri_carlson_nutrition Learn more about Uri's nutrition services here Have more questions about nutrition that you want us to cover on a future episode? Send us a message on Instagram or email thedetourspodcast@gmail.com Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Quinda Verheul on Finding Purpose Beyond Performance | 30 oct. 2025 | 01:07:30 | |
When you’re chasing big goals, it’s easy to get tunnel vision — to pour everything you have into one idea of what success should look like. What you should do next. How far you should go. The kind of person you should be. This year, artist and bikepack racer Quinda Verheul set out to take on the Triple Crown of bikepacking: the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail Race, and Arizona Trail Race. After the Tour Divide, her year took a turn in a direction she couldn't imagine. In this conversation, Quinda opens up about the pressure to keep proving yourself, the vulnerability of letting go, and the freedom that comes from redefining success on your own terms. We talk about the realities of professional ultra-cycling, the mental and financial load of chasing big races, and the courage it takes to change direction when your goals stop serving you. Follow Quinda on Instagram: @quindaverheul_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Sarah Diekmeyer on Racing Her First Ultra and What She Learned from Badlands | 23 oct. 2025 | 01:00:01 | |
There’s a certain magic in firsts — especially your first bikepacking race. They’re full of unknowns, and no matter how much you prepare, nothing ever goes exactly to plan. For Sarah Diekmeyer, a gravel racer with Enough Cycling, this year’s Badlands was her first ultra — a leap into the world of bikepacking races she once thought were only for “other people.” What followed was a crash course in everything that comes with your first ultra: the highs, the hunger, the hallucinations, and the hard lessons learned along the way. In this episode, Sarah shares the unfiltered behind the scenes of her first bikepacking race, from fuelling disasters and sleep deprivation to the small moments of magic that made it all worth it. Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sdiekie_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Marei Moldenhauer on Recovery, Rebuilding, and the Road Back From Injury | 16 oct. 2025 | 00:49:28 | |
Marei Moldenhauer burst into 2025 with a win at the Atlas Mountain Race in February. No doubt eager to build on that early momentum and with big goals on the horizon for the remainder of the year, she was halted in her tracks after an accident skiing left her with a broken leg. The calendar wiped clear, and a long road to recovery ahead, Marei was forced to recalibrate and rebuild from ground zero. In this episode she shares the behind the scenes of building back to form, what she's learned about managing expectations and how she's looking to the future, reimagining how she sets goals. Follow Marei on Instagram: @marei.mol Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Roz Osborne on Silk Road Mountain Race, Motherhood & Ultra | 09 oct. 2025 | 00:53:54 | |
When Roz Osborne signed up for the Silk Road Mountain Race, her motivation was simple: to prove her son wrong. Living in Cornwall with her husband and 12-year-old son, Roz had spent years pouring her energy into family and work. But when she left her job and saw applications open for the race, something inside her clicked. She wanted to do something entirely for herself — not as a mum, or a wife, or an employee, but as Roz. In this episode of Detours, Roz shares her journey from that moment of saying yes out loud, to standing on the start line in Kyrgyzstan, to crossing the finish line two weeks later. She talks about the guilt and joy of chasing a goal that’s purely your own, the challenge of preparing for an ultra as a parent, and the freedom that comes from carving out space for yourself. Before our conversation, you’ll also hear the voice note Roz recorded before the race as part of our Women of SRMR Detours Episode — a message to her future self that still rings true today. Follow Roz on Instagram: @rozosborne Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Cynthia Carson on Racing the Transcontinental Race & The Art of the Comeback | 02 oct. 2025 | 01:09:16 | |
After a crash just weeks before the start of the 2024 Transcontinental Race, Cynthia spent months recovering—stitches, broken teeth, and the mental weight of losing the race she’d prepared for. A year later, she returned to the start line determined to give it everything she had. In this conversation, Cynthia reflects on:
It’s a full-circle moment to have Cynthia back on the pod. If you've been here since the beginning you'll remember her as our original co-host and this pod would not exist without her! Check out Albion's range of products, perfect for the change of season and get 15% off your order with DETOURS15 Follow Cynthia on Instagram: @watt_wagon Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Julie Von Gruenigen on Racing on Her Own Terms | 25 sept. 2025 | 00:54:13 | |
Spend a few minutes with Julie von Gruenigen and you'll hear it right away, she loves riding her bike. On the surface ultra-cycling can feel like it has one recipe for success: sleep little, push past your limits and measure yourself by the podium. But of course, if you dig a little deeper, there's so much more to it. In just a few years, Julie has gone from triathlon to the front of races like Badlands, Traka Adventure, and most recently winning the women's race at the Alps Divide. But she doesn't measure success or meaning from her ranking. In this episode, she shares how she feels like a "spectator" when she's found herself at the front of races, what she's learned about balancing ambition with self-care and while listening to yourself and centering the experience around joy may be the most important skill in bike pack racing. Get your Detours stickers and support the show Follow Julie on Instagram: @julieta.bicicleta Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Chris Burkard on Taking Joy Seriously & Life Lessons from the Silk Road Mountain Race | 19 sept. 2025 | 01:26:06 | |
Chris Burkard is no stranger to grand adventures. He’s built his career chasing light at the edges of the world, photographing athletes in their element, from the ocean to glaciers, sides of mountains, and continues to test himself on countless expeditions — including a sixteen-day finish at the Tour Divide. But the Silk Road Mountain Race remained an elusive someday ride, shadowed by imposter syndrome, questioning if he really belonged on the startline. This year he took the leap, training with new focus and deep respect for the mountains. Chock full of life lessons, Chris reflects on his time in Kyrgyzstan, the lessons he carried from his time on the Tour Divide, and how he’s learned that fear and readiness can coexist. He shares stories of crushing loneliness — the realization of how far from home and familiarity he really was — and moments of elation, from the tears of relief when the headwind finally broke to the overwhelming joy of reaching the summit of the final pass. Most of all, he reflects on the power of vulnerability, the importance of taking joy seriously, and the truth that so much of what these experiences give us, more often than not, has nothing to do with the bike. Follow Chris on Instagram: @chrisburkard Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Kyrgyzstan, returning home and what's next | 11 sept. 2025 | 00:23:54 | |
I am back after a month away from home! This is episode is a somewhat chaotic catchup of where I've been, what I've been up to and things I'm looking forward to this fall. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| We are so back... kinda! | 04 sept. 2025 | 00:02:06 | |
We are so back... kinda! We'll be resuming normal episodes next week and want to know, what do you want to hear on Detours? Shoot us a dm @detourscycling or @melwwebb on Instagram, send us an email at thedetourspodcast@gmail.com or comment on Spotify.
Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Women of Silk Road Mountain Race 2025 | 14 août 2025 | 00:42:45 | |
In ultra distance bikepack racing, women typically make up just over 10% of the starting line. In recent years, we've begun to see that number grow with a number of efforts popping up to encourage more women to take to the start line and give the sport a go. This year, 30 women will be lining up to take on the Silk Road Mountain race, which is often regarded as the pinnacle of off-road bike pack racing. They'll travel more than 1,900 kilometers across the country, into the high mountains, across rivers and valleys, and into some of the most remote and rugged destinations of Kyrgyzstan. This episode is a celebration of the women lining up this year. They come from all corners of the globe, and it's a spotlight on their individual stories. Dotwatch the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Jake Cullen on 16 days down the Tour Divide | 07 août 2025 | 01:42:07 | |
The Tour Divide sits on nearly every bikepack racers’ bucket lists—a someday ride. Someday, when there’s more time, more money, more fitness. Someday when it fits neatly into life. But the reality is, there never is a perfect moment to take on a ride of this magnitude. This year, for Jake, “someday” became this year. With just four months to prepare, Jake lined up in Banff for the 2024 Tour Divide, ready to see what he was capable of. Sixteen days and 4,400 kilometers later, he arrived in Antelope Wells, in 19th overall. It was wild to sit at home and watch his dot fly down the Divide, and beyond special to surprise him at the border in Antelope Wells. In this episode, Jake reflects on the reality of chasing a big dream and what it takes to see it through. He shares how he’s learned to find his own rhythm and trust his own instincts, embrace the unknown, and so much more. Plus, we talk about the dynamic of supporting each other’s ultra racing, and what it was like to be on the other side dotwatching. Topics include:
P.S. If you’re a new listener, Jake is my husband :) Follow Jake on Instagram: @_jakecullen_ Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Five Times Unbound XL: Rachel Wills on Ritual, Resilience, and the Allure of the Flint Hills | 31 juil. 2025 | 01:13:55 | |
Every year, the Flint Hills of Kansas call Rachel Wills back to Unbound XL. At 350 miles, the race is a test of endurance: relentless heat, drivetrain-clogging mud, a horizon that stretches on forever, and a thousand sharp, punchy climbs that chip away at you one by one. Rachel has lined up in five times: finished four, scratched once. And with each ride, she's uncovered a new experience. For her, Unbound XL has become so much more than a race. It’s become a ritual. A way of grounding herself in place, community, and the kind of effort that reveals something new every time. In this episode, Rachel reflects on what’s kept her coming back and how the Flint Hills have shaped her over time. She shares about the power of all women’s spaces like Velocio // Exploro, lessons from big days in the saddle, why tandem wheels are surprisingly great to follow, and the descending advice she picked up from Rebecca Rusch. Topics include:
Follow Rachel on Instagram: @rachelawills Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Community First: Making Bikepacking More Inclusive with Bikepacking Roots | 24 juil. 2025 | 00:38:02 | |
The pathway into bikepacking isn’t always straightforward—and even with endless routes and resources online, it can still be hard to know where to begin or how to find your people. That’s where Bikepacking Roots comes in: a nonprofit working to make bikepacking more inclusive, accessible, and community-driven. In this episode, Noelle Battle and Danielle Parnes share what it takes to create a truly welcoming ride—from addressing common barriers like gear and confidence to building non-competitive spaces where people can learn, grow, and show up exactly as they are. Topics include:
Resources
Get your Detours stickers Follow Bikepacking Roots on Instagram: @bikepackingroots Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| On The Edge: Molly Weaver’s World Record Ride | 17 juil. 2025 | 01:33:36 | |
On July 6th, after 21 days, 10 hours and 48 minutes, Molly Weaver rolled into Tower Bridge in London—becoming the first woman to set a world record for circumnavigating mainland Britain by bike, breaking a time that had stood for 40 years. A former Women’s WorldTour rider, Molly stepped away from racing after a crash and burnout in 2017. She found her way into ultra-distance events, chasing big landscapes, solo efforts, and above all, fun. But she never fully committed to going all in. Because when you don’t give it everything, failure can’t quite cut as deep. Still, the feeling lingered: maybe she hadn’t yet seen what she was truly capable of. Maybe her past didn’t have to define her future. This year she decided to go all in, chasing the World Record a World Record. Riding 7,732 kilometers around the edge of Britain would take structure, discipline, and belief. And in the process, the effort itself became a form of healing. In this episode, Molly shares the story behind the ride, how she rebuilt her relationship with trying, how her crew carried her through the hardest days, and how raising money for the RNLI gave the effort meaning beyond herself. Topics include:
Get your Detours stickers If you're keen to give Albion cycling clothing a go, use DETOURS15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Follow Molly's adventures on Instagram: @mollyweaver94 Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Washed Away: Kerry MacPhee on HT550 2025 and Finding Joy in Going Fast | 10 juil. 2025 | 01:16:37 | |
What do you do when your bike gets swept down a flooded Scottish river, you're soaked to the bone, and miles from the nearest village? Well... you'll have to listen to find out! Kerry is a blazing-fast Scottish ultra racer with deep roots in mountain biking. After racing the Highland Trail 550 for the first time in 2024, finishing just under three hours off the women’s record, she came back in 2025 with her eyes set on it. What followed was an absolutely nail-biting race between her and eventual women's winner Emma Bateup (our last guest), with both women pushing the pace through torrential rain, flash floods, and highland bog. In this conversation, Kerry breaks down what really happened out there: from stormy river crossings to the moment her bike got pulled away by the current, and the long, cold walk that followed. We talk about how she's built an off-road racing life while juggling three jobs, her past as an elite mountain biker and triathlete, and how she's navigating what it means to race fast, chase joy, and tell stories that bring others along for the ride. Topics include:
Get your Detours stickers If you're keen to give Albion cycling clothing a go, use DETOURS15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Follow Kerry's adventures on Instagram: @kerrymacphee Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Racing Season is Here! Crying in the Desert & Other Summer Highlights | 03 juil. 2025 | 00:20:44 | |
The summer racing season in the world of ultra and bikepacking is in full swing! In this episode, I’m catching you up on what’s been happening and what's ahead. From surprising Jake at the finish of the Tour Divide (yes, I cried... so much crying!) to managing media at Hellenic, it’s been a full few weeks. I share women's racing highlights from this season so far, including Tour Divide, Highland Trail 550, Hellenic Mountain Race, Kromvojoj, El Piri, and the Trans Balkans Race. I also look ahead to what’s coming next: Bright Midnight, Transcontinental Race where nearly 100 women(!!!) will be lining up this year. and of course, the Silk Road Mountain Race. Even though I won’t be racing this year, I’m excited to return to Kyrgyzstan for a third time and be back in the ultra bubble with the media crew. And inevitably, I’ve missed some races—so if there’s a standout story you think should be featured, I’m all ears. Plus, I want to hear from you. If you’ve been on an overnighter, a big summer ride, or a bikepacking trip you’re proud of, send me a voice note to thedetourspodcast@gmail.com I’d love to feature your stories on the show and celebrate adventures big and small. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling If you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Emma Bateup on Going Full Send at Highland Trail 550 and Beyond | 26 juin 2025 | 01:16:42 | |
Emma Bateup is no stranger to going full send into the deep end. Whether it's tossing her bike across a flooded river or screaming into the Scottish mountains during a low moment, she’s all in. Just a couple of years into ultra racing, Emma already has a resume that includes wins in the women's race at Tour te Waipounamu, a fourth overall at the Great Southern Brevet, and now a breakout performance at the 2025 Highland Trail 550—where she won the women’s race and placed 7th overall. In this episode, Emma shares the story behind that ride, from chasing records to losing her multi-tool in a creek and navigating Scotland’s notorious river crossings. We talk about fuelling mistakes (pro tip: never skip a resupply), what happened when her chafing hit code red, and how close competition can unlock your best performance, even if your rival’s rain jacket is way too easy to spot. We also get into her journey into bikepacking, how ultra racing compares to enduro and XC racing, and why she thinks crying is a superpower. Emma’s energy is contagious, and this conversation is full of laughs, honest reflections, and the kind of type-two stories that make you want to grab your bike and go. Topics include:
Follow Emma's adventures on Instagram: @em_b8up Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Get to Know Nathalie Baillon [ReRelease] | 19 juin 2025 | 00:59:37 | |
I've been getting loads of questions as this year's Tour Divide is underway – who is Nathalie Baillon? After leading for the first 4 days of the race, she suffered a major mechanical just after Fleecer Ridge, forcing her to return to Butte and get a new wheel. Back on the road, she's chasing hard to catch Lael Wilcox. Both women are ahead of Lael's record pace, and gunning to be the first woman to reach Antelope Wells. Originally released in March 2024, in this episode Nathalie shares about her entry into the world of ultra-racing and offers a deep dive on her mindset as a racer. She has quite an impressive resume, including joint first woman at Silk Road Mountain Race in August 2023, the fastest woman to ride across Europe, second woman at Atlas Mountain Race 2024 and more. I hope you'll join me in cheering her (and the rest of the Tour Divide racers) on. Watch the dots here Follow Nathalie's on Instagram: @nathalie_baillon Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| Women of Tour Divide 2025 | 16 juin 2025 | 00:29:52 | |
Each year, on the second Friday in June, hundreds of riders gather outside the YMCA in Banff, Alberta, to begin what’s widely considered bikepacking’s most iconic ultra-endurance race: the Tour Divide. Riders follow the Continental Divide across 4,400 kilometers, tackling rugged dirt roads, remote wilderness, high mountain passes, and variable weather on their way to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. While more women take to the start year after year, they still only make up ~10% of participants. In 2025, 29 of the 238 riders registered on Trackleaders are women. This episode of Detours is dedicated to those women. In an effort to celebrate the women of this year’s Tour Divide, and to inspire more to line up in the future, I collected voice notes from riders across the globe—sharing who they are, why they’re racing, and what brought them to this start line. Inevitably, I wasn't able to capture everyone's voices despite my best efforts and internet sleuthing. You’ll hear from first-timers, returning riders, dot-watching converts, and those chasing the Tour Divide women’s record. Their stories speak to why representation matters, why adventure is worth the risk, and why more women belong at the start line. I hope you'll join me in cheering them on and watching their dots as they make their way from Banff to Antelope Wells. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||
| In the Field at Hellenic Mountain Race: Listen to the Mountain Races Podcast | 26 mai 2025 | 00:01:14 | |
I'm out in the field reporting from the Hellenic Mountain Race and dropping daily episodes through June 1st! If you're after your bikepacking, ultracycling, and adventure fix, head over to the Mountain Races podcast and subscribe so you don’t miss a thing. Detours will be back with regularly scheduled programming the first week of June! Listen to the Mountain Races Podcast on Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcasts. Follow @hellenicmountainrace on Instagram for daily visual updates throughout the race. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Use code DETOURS15 to get 15% off your next order from Albion If you enjoy listening please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast | |||