Explore every episode of the podcast Beyond the Peloton Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz review the 2027 Tour de France route, debate the merits of climbing bikes, and discuss their plans to take over the budding sprint gravel scene in 2027.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get In-Depth Off-Season Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Interested in sponsoring the show? Send an inquiry to: Spencermartinwriting@gmail.com

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss allegations of a toxic workplace at the Picnic–PostNL team, Team USA’s flop at the track World Championships, and whether 2027 will be Paul Seixas's year.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get In-Depth Off-Season Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the final major race of the 2026 season, Il Lombardia, the upcoming gravel calendar, whether Giulio Ciccone got robbed at European Champs, and, most importantly, how to dress when meeting a former president.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get an In-Depth Post-Lombardia Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

On this week’s BTP Podcast, co-host Andrew Vontz and I welcome Riding With’s Jonathan Kaplan on the show to go over a few lingering thoughts from the 2026 World Championships in Montreal and turn to a major question hanging over the industry right now: what exactly is going on at Rapha?

The brand that defined fashion-forward cycling apparel for over two decades is in the middle of an executive reshuffle after years of heavy losses, so we dig into how Rapha got here, whether it can compete in the new era of ultra-premium cycling clothing, what the ideal path forward looks like for one of the sport’s most iconic names, and if there is actually a way out of its current decline, or whether the Rapha we knew is already gone.

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz break down Brandon McNulty’s incredible and unexpected win at the 2026 World Championships in Montreal, how the race was won by an underdog USA team, and what it means for McNulty’s place on his UAE team and US cycling going forward.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get an In-Depth Post-Worlds Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the upcoming World Championships in Montreal, how the race will play out, and who will claim the undefended rainbow jersey with Tadej Pogačar sidelined by injuries from the Vuelta.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get an In-Depth Post-Worlds Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz debate whether MTB & CX have a “problem,” Sepp Kuss’ impressive final weekend in the Vuelta, and the controversy around the USA Men’s team selections for the World Championships next weekend in Montreal.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss Enric Mas’ chances of winning the ongoing Vuelta a España, what to make of Matthew Brennan’s breakout performance at this race, and Wout van Aert’s return to form.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the action at the ongoing Vuelta a España, including Enric Mas’ incredible ride to chase down Tadej Pogačar, and Uno-X’s incredible hit rate with stage wins at Grand Tours.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz give their thoughts on Quinn Simmons’ performance at the 2026 Leadville 100 MTB race and discuss the upcoming Vuelta a España, which sees Tadej Pogačar return to the scene of his first career Grand Tour in an attempt to collect every three-week title in the sport.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz give their belated final thoughts on the 2026 Tour de France, including Tadej Pogačar’s record ascent of Alpe d’Huez, what the sport needs to change about the iconic climb, their personal highlights from the race, and where Jonas Vingegaard and Visma go from here.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the final week of the Tour de France, including Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard’s midnight anti-doping tests, Vingegaard crashing out of the race, and if Remco Evenepoel can hold on to second place overall.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the second week of the Tour de France, including what to make of Tadej Pogačar and UAE’s decision to pace hard on non-GC days, and how to interpret the GC picture behind them.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the opening few stages of the Tour de France, including Tadej Pogačar and UAE’s early dominance, and how his GC rivals can hope to challenge him.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

The Tour de France is the biggest race on the calendar, so my co-host, Andrew Vontz, and I called in reinforcements by sitting down with Jonathan Kaplan of the Riding With newsletter to break down the route, storylines, and the race's dynamics. Even if it is looking like yet another race where everyone will be hopelessly chasing Tadej Pogačar and UAE, we think there is plenty going on outside the race for the overall win to keep things interesting.

We dig into what his rivals’ strategies should be and whether Lidl-Trek is cruising toward a too-many-cooks disaster or using a clever chaos-theory approach, which may be the only viable option against Pogačar and the UAE juggernaut.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Read Jonathan’s Riding With Newsletter

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss Tadej Pogačar’s blowout win at the recent Tour de Suisse, wonder whether anyone can challenge him at the Tour de France, or whether he and his UAE team have simply hacked cycling. They also break down the US Road National Championships, talking about Quinn Simmons’ back-to-back win, and former World Mountain bike champion Kate Courtney shocking the field with a win despite having almost no experience on the road.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss Spencer’s trip to Ruben Van Gucht and Tom Boonen’s Wattage Festival in Belgium, before breaking down the Giro d’Italia and giving their unfiltered thoughts on Unbound Gravel, and why Keegan Swenson gave Mads Würtz his wheel.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss the third week of the Giro d’Italia and chat about the upcoming Unbound Gravel event, and how far things have come from the early Dan Hughes-dominated days.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss and debate whether the Giro d’Italia is still a top-tier race or due for a revamp, and break down who will win and what they expect to happen over the final week. They also go through the evolution of gravel racing and whether the discipline has drifted too far from its original form.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss the ongoing Giro d’Italia, debating whether the race has successfully designed an interesting modern course and, most importantly, whether it is providing a safe racing environment for the riders and teams. They also discuss the GC situation thus far, and check in on Jonas Vingegaard’s assumed GC victory, which has already run into more resistance than anticipated thanks to Decathlon’s Felix Gall.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz welcome on Riding With’s Jonathan Kaplan to discuss the upcoming Giro d’Italia, including who they expect to win, if anyone can stop Jonas Vingegaard, where the race will be won and which stages will be worth tuning in for.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

2026 Giro d’Italia Pre-Race Cheat Sheet

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss Tadej Pogačar’s incredible ride to beat Paul Seixas at Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and wonder if the nineteen-year-old Frenchman will eventually crack the code to defeating Pogačar. They break down the Ineos-Netcompany partnership, and wonder if AI is the next frontier in the battle for cycling supremacy.

Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz, who recently shared news about his shocking cancer diagnosis, discuss Remco Evenepoel’s win at Amstel Gold and wonder if this form will be enough to compete with the teenage sensation Paul Seixas and World Champion Tadej Pogačar at Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège. They also have a surprise drop in from Front Range Cycling legend and BTP North Star, Kip Taylor, to discuss his recent win at the CSU Oval Criterium and report back on the status of grassroots American road racing.

Follow Andrew's path to beating cancer here

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz break down Wout van Aert’s incredible victory at Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix, which saw the veteran Belgian complete an incredible comeback from a broken ankle earlier in 2026 to defeat the World Champion Tadej Pogačar in the Roubaix Velodrome, all while Mathieu van der Poel threatened to chase back on after a flat-heavy edition of the race.

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz break down Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix, which will see the sport’s top star, Tadej Pogačar, attempt to win five consecutive Monuments, while Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Filippo Ganna, and Mads Pedersen attempt to stop him on the brutal cobblestones of northern France. They discuss the boundary-pushing tech, how Pogačar could potentially capture one of the last victories that have eluded him, and why he is attempting to do so in a $350,000 watch.

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

In a special crossover episode of Choose the Hard Way & the Beyond the Peloton Podcast, Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz break down Tadej Pogačar’s big ride at the 2026 Tour of Flanders and share why their kids love riding the trainer.

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz break down Sunday’s Tour of Flanders, which will pit the sport’s top stars, like Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Remco Evenepoel, against the seemingly unbeatable Tadej Pogačar on the cobbled Flandrien roads of Belgium. They discuss Evenepoel’s late entrance, which was handled in an extremely bizarre way by the Red Bull comms teams, what it means for both him and the race, whether anyone has a chance of beating Pogačar, and what goes into developing a rider as unbeatable as the World Champion.

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz catch up on what they’ve missed, like Tadej Pogačar’s incredible win at Milan-Sanremo, and discuss the recent racing, from Jonas Vingegaard’s dominance and Remco Evenepoel’s continued climbing struggles at the Volta Catalunya to Mathieu van der Poel’s Classics campaign as he attempts to get on Pogačar’s level for next week’s Tour of Flanders.

See the breakdowns of the latest pro cycling races in the BTP Newsletter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz talk to Riding With’s Jonathan Kaplan about his ambitious project to rank the top 100 cyclists of all-time, go through their own top ten lists, and debate whether the Tour de France should start in the USA.

Mid-Week Check-In: Paris-Nice & Tirreno–Adriatico

Jonathan’s Top 10 Ranking

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the upcoming weekend of racing as the season officially heats up, with Tadej Pogačar facing off against Paul Seixas on the white gravel roads of Tuscany, Jonas Vingegaard battling Juan Ayuso at Paris-Nice, and Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert looking to sharpen their Classics form at Tirreno–Adriatico, all while Primož Roglič quietly makes his 2026 debut.

BTP Weekend Preview

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the upcoming weekend of racing at the unofficial season opening on the Belgian cobbles with Omloop Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, where Mathieu van der Poel will take on the field while Wout van Aert continues to struggle to get, and stay, healthly, before veering into a wide range of topics, including the continuing trend of road pros turning to gravel, and if the worst WorldTour roster could compete on your local group ride.

Weekend Preview: Cobbled Classics Kickoff

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz invite Jonathan Kaplan from the Riding With newsletter to discuss the recent racing, from the Isaac del Toro/Remco Evenepoel duel at the UAE Tour, the young stars emerging at Volta Algarve, and debate if the era of a select few historically good superstars winning nearly every major race is making the sport boring.

BTP’s State of the 2026 USA Cycling Union

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss what we learned from Tadej Pogačar’s recent Strava file, which was uploaded with his full power file information included, the early-season racing, where all the top stars are, and why they aren’t racing, what is going on at Visma, as well as Andrew’s announcement that he will be launching a gravel shake-out ride World Tour in 2026.

BTP’s State of the 2026 USA Cycling Union

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz break down early-season racing, as well as discussing how early crashes to top stars like Mads Pedersen have already shaped the 2026 season, and if Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel are taking unnecessary risks with their off-season alpine ski trips. They also debate whether SoCal’s CBR race series is truly the heart of American bike racing, why the Unibet Rockets were left out of the 2026 Tour de France, and discuss a few standout comments from Quinn Simmons’ recent interview, as well as whether XDS-Astana needs to refresh its team rap video format.

BTP’s State of the 2026 USA Cycling Union

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz, just back from their annual team-building retreat at Pace Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, discuss the 2026 season’s kickoff races, what has stood out to them, and if Remco Evenepoel’s strong start at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe means the Belgian is on track to meet the lofty goals set by the team. They also go through the news that Picnic-PostNL is in deep financial trouble, and attempt to decipher EF’s public call for further funding.

2026 BTP NET Ratings: Projecting How Each Team Will Stack up by the End of the Season

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz kick off the New Year by discussing Wout van Aert’s extremely unfortunate broken ankle and how it will affect his upcoming season, as well as what his Visma–Lease a Bike team can do to plug the hole left by Simon Yates’ shocking and sudden retirement, before discussing whether there is WorldTour talent hiding in plain sight on Strava leaderboards.

2026 Rider Tiers Part 1: Ranking the Top 20 Grand Tour Contenders Heading into the New Season

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava (and comment on a recent ride) to join the challenge

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz are joined by Riding With’s Jonathan Kaplan to break down their annual end-of-year challenge, the Abandon Your Family 500, where they ride 500 kilometers before Christmas Day.

BTP Newsletter: UAE’s Performance Duo Jeroen Swart & Javier Sola on the Training Philosophy Behind Their Team’s Success

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava (and comment on a recent ride) to join the challenge

In this bonus minisode, Tadej Pogačar speaks in front of the gathered press at UAE Team Emirates' media day in Benidorm, Spain, during his UAE team’s training camp. The featured audio includes Pogačar’s press conference, where he outlines his early-season plans and reveals key details of his upcoming schedule, his priorities for the year ahead, what’s motivating him right now, and how he’s approaching the next phase of his career.

*This audio was captured in live press conference, so please excuse the lower quality relative to other episodes

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz check in from the epicenter of pre-season training camps, Spain’s Costa Blanca, where the stars are preparing for their 2026 campaigns, releasing their race schedules, and the transfer rumors are flying. They discuss Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s decision to have Remco Evenepoel target the GC at the 2026 Tour de France, Lidl-Trek leaving Jonathan Milan off their Tour roster, and where in the world Oscar Onley will race next season.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Season in Review Part 5: Just How Far is Tadej Pogačar From Matching Eddy Merckx?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava to join the challenge

Important note: To access all posts, including the members-only off-season chat rooms, you must be a paying BTP subscriber.

After announcing and outlining their Abandon Your Family 500 challenge, Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss how the recently revealed Giro d’Italia route could lure top stars to the race, debate who will win in a potential matchup between Isaac del Toro, Remco Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard, and go through the recently-released 2026 Lifetime Grand Prix schedule.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Season in Review Part 5: Just How Far is Tadej Pogačar From Matching Eddy Merckx?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava to join the challenge

Important note: To access all posts, including the members-only off-season chat rooms, you must be a paying BTP subscriber.

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz sat down with Tucson local/American GC star Matthew Riccitello live at the El Tour de Tucson to discuss his breakout ride at the Vuelta a España, his development from aspiring NBA star, to novice cyclist, to finishing 5th place overall at the Vuelta in just a few years, his decision to leave Israel Premier-Tech for the French superteam Decathlon-CMA CGM for 2026, and how he sees his career developing in the near future.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: Season in Review #4: Most Improved & Regressed Stars of 2025

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Important note: To access all posts, including the members-only off-season chat rooms, you must be a paying BTP subscriber.

Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz report back on their experience racing at the El Tour de Tucson, which saw them race 102 miles at a scorching pace alongside George Hincapie, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Quinn Simmons, and 11,000 of their closest friends. Before they wrap, they have Steve Morganstern, board chairman for Perimeter Bicycling of America, including El Tour de Tucson, on to discuss the event and its charitable goals.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: Season in Review Part 3: Who Were 2025’s Top Riders?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Important note: To access all posts, including the members-only off-season chat rooms, you must be a paying BTP subscriber.

In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz check in from London’s Rouleur Live event, discuss their recent travel drama and the unfolding drama around the IPT team, and the rumor that their former sponsor, Premier Tech, is looking to partner with Mathieu van der Poel and his Alpecin team in 2026.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: Season in Review Part 3: Who Were 2025’s Top Riders?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Important note: To access all posts, including the members-only off-season chat rooms, you must be a paying BTP subscriber.

In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss Los Angeles’ rise as a global hub for off-season pro-cycling training, why Premier Tech’s sudden and shocking departure from the IPT team is happening, and what it signals about the future of the sport. They also break down what top gravel stars might be earning, why that makes it difficult for them to attempt a jump to high-level road racing, Visma’s commitment to quality coffee while on the road, and how private jet travel could be a simple solution to the travel headaches caused by the government shutdown.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: Season in Review Part 2: Four Key Team Metrics From 2025

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Important note: To access all posts, including the members-only off-season chat rooms, you must be a paying BTP subscriber.

In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz are joined by Benji Naesen of the Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast to dive deep into his favorite and least favorite things about the 2025 season, as well as how Benji would devise a strategy to compete against dominant riders like Tadej Pogacar, reflections on the greatest eras in cycling, and why Milan-Sanremo is now the sport's best race.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: 2025 Season in Review Part 1: Deciphering the UCI Promotion/Relegation Rankings

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz break down the LTGP’s season finale at the weather-shortened Big Sugar event, including what the future holds for Cinderella series winner Cam Jones and the evolving landscape of gravel racing. They also dive into a few key details of the 2026 Tour de France route, how the NBA’s recent mafia-driven gambling scandal could affect cycling, the thinking behind the new extremely short cycling off-seasons, and much, much more.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: 2026 Tour de France Route Breakdown

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz dive into the wild mix of late-season gravel and road racing—from the Scratch Labs Café bike rack scene in North Boulder to Cam Jones shaking up Little Sugar, to how Isaac del Toro is reshaping UAE’s hierarchy alongside Tadej Pogačar. They debate whether teams are truly getting value after paying massive sums for top stars, unpack Mattias Skjelmose’s frustrations with Juan Ayuso’s arrival at Lidl-Trek, and consider whether pro cycling’s calendar needs a complete reset. Along the way, they share their vision for what the sport could look like, rather than the current disorganized mess.

This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. ⁠⁠⁠Get your first month free through this link⁠⁠⁠

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: In-Depth Il Lombardia Breakdown

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, Andrew Vontz and BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin break down what Tadej Pogačar’s presumed dominance in the season finale means, explore what other riders could do to stop him, and marvel at Tom Pidcock’s private jet dash from the finish line of Lombardia on Saturday to the start of Gravel Worlds on Sunday. They also dive into the unfolding legal drama between Derek Gee and his IPT team, and Andrew unpacks the brewing dispute between Garmin and Strava.

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: In-Depth European Championships Breakdown

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In our latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, Andrew Vontz and I discuss a few major takeaways from Tadej Pogačar’s dominant World Championship win in Kigali, Rwanda, including the staggering watt numbers behind his solo attack, and the cracks apparent in Remco Evenepoel’s armor after his costly mid-race bike swaps. We discuss whether rising stars like 21-year-old Isaac Del Toro and 18-year-old Paul Seixas are already knocking on Pogačar’s door, preview this weekend’s European Championships showdown between Pogačar, Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard, dig into transfer news with Uijtdebroeks and Carapaz, as well as Mathieu Van der Poel’s interesting appearance on an LA group ride.

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: In-Depth World Championships Breakdown

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz preview this weekend’s World Championship road race in Kigali, Rwanda, going through the expected duel between Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, and wondering if any darkhorses could upset the favorites at the high-altitude clash of the titans. They also discuss where Evenepoel’s dominant time trial championship puts him amongst the all-time greats against the clock, and debate if it affects his future viability as a GC contender.

Beyond the Peloton Newsletter⁠⁠: In-Depth Vuelta Debrief

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠