Riley Amos is enjoying a career year. He recently won his first rainbow bands by securing the U23 short track title in Andorra, shortly after a 7th place finish at the Olympic games - the best performance ever by an American man.

He's dominated the U23 World cup with five straight wins in this year's competition... and is returning to north America to close out his season, and planning to secure a US lockout of wins in the division.

He joins Bobby and Jens to talk about his plans to move to the elite level permanently, the mind blowing tech on MTB bikes and passes judgement on Bobby's riding...

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Hello and welcome back to another episode

of The Odd Tandem.

2

Today we have another great guest

fresh off seventh place in the elite

3

Mountain Bike Olympic event,

and followed it up a few weeks later

4

by winning the under 23 World Championship

short course in Andorra.

5

Jens our guest today.

6

What did you think about that?

7

It was absolutely fantastic to talk to him

8

and to hear his point of view on racing.

9

On how he did the first race

with the Elite Racing with Tom Pidcock

10

at the Olympics,

the takeaways he took from there,

11

what he learned from there,

absolutely fascinating.

12

And I believe we just experiencing a start

in the making.

13

Absolutely.

14

And,

15

you know, I don't want to go any further

without wishing you a very happy birthday.

16

You turned 53 years old yesterday.

17

You're two months, two months ahead of me.

18

Were getting older.

So happy birthday, sir.

19

Another thing I wanted to say

to our viewers and listeners.

20

I've been on a road trip, to say

the least, the last week, week and a half.

21

And, I've met a lot of you out there

on on the Road.

22

And I just want to tell our viewers

and listeners right now,

23

odd tandem is the name of our new podcast.

24

We used to have an old one.

25

You're obviously listening to this one,

but if you have a friend,

26

make sure that you tell them

about the new name of the odd tandem.

27

So sit back and relax

and listen to our great,

28

incredible conversation with Riley Amos.

29

All right.

30

Welcome, Riley Amos to the odd tandem.

31

Thank you.

32

Appreciate you guys having me on.

33

I'm stoked to meet you all. And yeah.

34

Tell you a little bit

about the mountain bike side. I guess.

35

So I recently saw you up in Aspen

36

at the USA Cycling Foundation

fundraising event with Mari Holden.

37

But, where are you now?

38

Are you back in Durango?

39

Yeah, back home in Durango, Colorado.

40

So kind of across the state

from wherever you were in Aspen.

41

But. Yeah.

42

Hey, Riley, we try to ease into it,

43

so we got a few quickfire

questions for you.

44

So you answer basically just yes or no.

Alrighty.

45

You ready for that?

46

It's easy. Don't be nervous.

47

It's all easy stuff.

48

Let's start burger or pasta for you.

49

Pasta mtb, forever or later,

50

Maybe road cycling.

51

MTB forever.

52

Cool.

53

Country music or rock n roll?

54

Country.

55

Short course or Olympic length MTB racing.

56

Both.

57

I can't pick that.

58

All righty. That's fair enough.

59

That's your answer. Awesome. Yeah.

Thank you.

60

Well, that's an easy intro into,

the beginning of our conversation.

61

You've kind of had a busy

last couple months.

62

You know, you were seventh in the Olympics

in an elite category.

63

Best ever result for an American male.

64

And then, a few weeks later,

you won the under

65

23 world Championship short course.

66

Tell us a little bit about how this whole

last couple of months have come together

67

for you in these big events.

68

I mean, you've been

69

really successful all year,

but those are pretty big milestones.

70

Yeah.

71

I mean, the last couple months

has just been really crazy.

72

Like the whole first

half of the year was just like

73

really good preparation,

really good racing back to back.

74

Nothing kind of thrown for a loop

and just amazing results.

75

Amazing result.

76

Checked off and then kind of like

right before the games.

77

We're in France for a World Cup

and this year, just come from Swiss,

78

the last World Cup and got France

feeling good, ready to go again.

79

And I got super, super sick

like I was just laid up in bed.

80

I don't even know

if I'd really moved from bed for three

81

days, like the beginning

of the race week of the year.

82

So that was kind of the first,

like real hiccup, to the season.

83

And it just kind of made the call

with the team to, to go home at that point

84

and take two weeks at home to recover

and get ready for the Olympics.

85

And so it's just a big kind of question

mark at that point because, like,

86

everything had gone really

well at that point.

87

But then we had been racing a bunch.

88

And so like with the mountain bike racing,

you're kind of on the one race day

89

and you're like super tapered,

really fresh to have a good result.

90

And so I hadn't put that much training up

in the last couple weeks

91

and then just kind of basically on my bike

for a week straight.

92

So we kind of came to the games

just with a big question mark.

93

I mean, for me, the the goal for

the year was always world champs first.

94

And getting to go to the Olympics

is the main goal.

95

Like it's just it's funny

how fast your perspective changes

96

because like in in January

looking forward to the year.

97

It's like, man, if we had a chance

to get to go to the Olympics

98

and we're able

to, it'd be a huge win for the whole year.

99

Like that's just,

100

just just getting to go to Olympics

was the goal.

101

And and getting to go

was the reward in a way.

102

So like, I didn't really have too much

in terms of, like, bunch of,

103

like pressure on results

or like really trying to focus

104

specifically on the result

there at the games.

105

Like truly just on getting to go.

106

And then in a couple of short months, it

the perspective changes completely,

107

you know, and it's like,

108

oh, we're going to the games

and we want to have a great year.

109

Right.

110

So it's funny

how like you try and keep you

111

just you can reevaluate falls

a little bit in the season.

112

But like,

I never really lost sight of the fact

113

that I really wanted

to have a great writing world. So

114

I went

115

to the games, feeling pretty good

during the week,

116

like you said,

just had an absolutely unbelievable day.

117

Like you got to start on the front row

with all these incredible elite athletes.

118

That kind of had looked up to

and not really got to race

119

for a bunch of years

and had a great start and ended up

120

getting to mix it up at the front

with all these guys.

121

And yeah, it was just so cool

because lap after lap, it was like,

122

just riding on the wheels of,

like my idols in sport,

123

like getting a tow from Pidcock

after he changed the wheel

124

back to the front group

and like the one point had to, like,

125

make the call to try and jump across

inside the group to the first group

126

when, like,

Nino [Schurter] is getting dropped.

127

It's just such a crazy, surreal experience

to go from

128

in my head like a young,

developing junior under 23 mile,

129

my parents through to going toe

to toe with these elite guys, you know.

130

So that was just absolutely unbelievable.

131

Came home and then really committed

to doing some really quality work

132

for world champs

and kind of get that confidence back and,

133

and your body and your fitness to be able

to go to worlds and, and deliver

134

on the one day

because like for world champs,

135

it's the most important race in mountain

biking for sure.

136

Like we don't have a tour de France

and where it looks a bit differently.

137

So everyone always goes to world champs

on the best form of the year.

138

Like that's the

139

that's the one day

to take the biggest honors

140

in mountain biking

besides the, the Olympics.

141

So did a ton of good work at home.

142

Went to Andorra

just on a course that I've ridden

143

really, really well on, from altitude.

144

So it's just

and it's just kind of the stars

145

align moment for me

to be able to go to this world champs.

146

As of last year, 2023, in Andorra,

got there a couple days early.

147

I was feeling really great. And then

148

the morning

of the team relay on Wednesday,

149

I like, started to feel a little tickle

on my throat and literally like got up

150

to the venue and started doing my warmup

and it was like

151

just starting to have like these second

thoughts of like, oh, it's Wednesday,

152

I know I race, Friday and Sunday.

153

Like, I really don't want to jeopardize

the, the really important race.

154

I think I'm getting sick.

155

It's just like,

it's super, super hard to try to, like,

156

figure out what to do in that situation

because you, like, worked all year.

157

I waited for this moment,

and then I kind of got a little,

158

dose of life, and, like,

159

I just picked up

a cold week of world champs.

160

And so I, like, sat out the team

real life and was just

161

like a super big follower

because I've been on the the U.S.

162

team relay world champs team

for the last six years.

163

And like we've won a couple medals

but never won the jersey.

164

And then I started out

and they won the jersey without me.

165

So I was like, so, so stoked for them all.

166

But I

was like, so bummed to not be a part of it

167

because I've been I've never

I've never won a world champs jersey.

168

And so I sat out the real life,

169

stuff on Super Crappy the next day,

170

woke up feeling pretty crappy

for the short track, but kind of

171

just like made the call with the team docs

and stuff that at that point,

172

theoretically I wasn't going to like made

my sickness worse by racing.

173

Which was the main concern

because the individual

174

cross-country events

kind of the big goal for the weekend.

175

So kind of just decided to start the short

track and

176

launch with some snot rockets left

and right out there.

177

But once we got into it, I was feeling

okay, and it was just an insane laughs.

178

Three laps from like a Swiss guy

trying to go off the front, two laps

179

to go, dropping his chain, me

kind of being a little farther back than I

180

what I wanted in the group and like having

to make a little last minute

181

like all, effort

to try and catch the front and, like,

182

catching the leader,

like on the last downhill

183

and then totally, like, made a sketchy

inside pass and the second to last quarter

184

and won the short track world championship

and my first ever,

185

first ever world championship title ever.

186

So it's just unreal.

187

Rollercoaster

of week of, last month or two.

188

And to conclude,

or not quite conclude yet,

189

but to include thus far

like pretty insane year and then, yeah,

190

I, still kept trying to race

and mock up for the cross-country

191

a little better, but my body just kind of

didn't have it for the for the main day.

192

So you get highs and lows with sport.

193

But yeah, it was crazy to close the door

on like my last world championship race.

194

That's not an elite, you know.

195

And and wonder

what could have been. Right.

196

But you can't win everything. So

197

yeah that was

198

kind of meandering along too long

but so so

199

you already raced Olympics

with the elite category.

200

That will be your future next year, right?

201

Correct. So yeah.

202

And we could see how happy you were

to finish the season.

203

Your last on a 23 season off

was the title, right.

204

And at the Olympics,

what did you take away from there?

205

Where do you think it is a Pidcock

or somebody like them are better than you?

206

They’re physically stronger?

207

They're technically better?

208

They’re more daring on the downhills

or what do you think?

209

Where where can you improve

or where do you need to improve

210

for the coming year

to actually go face to face with them?

211

Yeah, for sure.

212

There was a lot of really good takeaways

from that.

213

One first and foremost

214

is like,

okay, in a lot of ways they are better,

215

but in a lot of ways, like,

I am there and I'm ready for it.

216

In terms of like,

217

I mean, part of it's, it's

special with the Olympics because it's

218

so like there's so many emotions that run

so high on the day of the Olympics

219

because it's such a big goal

for so many people.

220

And maybe some people lose their cool

a little bit when it comes

221

to the race, craft and tactics portion.

222

Excuse me.

223

On one day.

224

But it it was cool to feel like,

okay, I'm actually racing with these guys

225

and like, I, I, I don't want to say

I know what I'm doing,

226

but I've, I've learned over

the last couple of years

227

the tools to be able to,

to battle a little bit with these guys and

228

especially like the technical side, like

we've kind of we kind of touched on it

229

earlier, like,

I didn't come from a, a road background,

230

like I grew up here in Colorado

riding mountain bikes.

231

And like with a culture of mountain bikes

and my, my roots are in mount biking.

232

So I really love riding my bike,

233

on trails, on really hard

stuff, hitting jumps, drops.

234

Like I've really pride myself in the

like the bike

235

handling more than maybe the

the physical portion, of things.

236

So it was really cool to feel like, okay,

I can especially on the down

237

and those like race

with the best guys in the world

238

and really pick and analyze great lines

239

during the week and have like a couple

cards up my sleeve a bit.

240

And in terms of on the track

and turn some of, my skills

241

and I've really come a long way,

I think in the last couple years in terms

242

of like race, craft and tactics,

but it was definitely eye opening to feel

243

how you race that level of a race

with that many good guys, because I think

244

in the under 23 race, it's like maybe

five guys that can win on a given day

245

and usually within the first lap

the race breaks apart.

246

Around five guys.

247

And then we did

the first lap at the Olympic track and it

248

didn't feel

249

slow, but it wasn't like absolute

all out from the gun.

250

And then we came out on the second lap

and it was like 15 guys swarming me for,

251

for the single track.

252

So it was like definitely a really eye

opening experience, how cutthroat

253

and aggressive racing it is,

because there's just so many good guys

254

that that are going to the battle

you for that, for that position,

255

like over and over.

256

So I took away for sure they're like

they're a lot of them are a lot stronger.

257

Like I have years in depth of the

physical portion that I need to improve.

258

But like we're getting there and,

and we have the tools

259

to hopefully be able to have success

in the next couple of years.

260

It's like the biggest takeaway for me,

it was just like a, a big sigh of relief

261

that a lot of under 23 guys have really,

really struggled to race with the elites.

262

And I mean, it was one race, so God knows

it's going to happen next year, right?

263

But,

264

yeah, we're we're hopefully on track.

265

I know I don't want to be too confident

because anything can happen.

266

But if if we keep doing what we're doing,

hopefully

267

it won't be the hardest jump ever.

268

Maybe.

269

I'm getting cocky, I know, but

270

so, so kind of a two part question here

real quick.

271

Was this

your first was the Olympic, long course

272

event,

your first race with the elites all year

273

with like that many high level elites?

274

Because like in the US, we kind of race

some domestic races as an elite rider.

275

I race like the short track

at the continental champs

276

earlier in the year

with the elite riders and won.

277

But that was like actually putting

278

a lot of really good elite riders

in one place and then racing with them.

279

That was the first time.

280

And second part.

281

I've been to the Olympics

and normally the women have their events

282

before the men.

283

How motivating was it

when Haley Batten won her silver medal?

284

Did that kind of like take a little bit

of the pressure off and show

285

like what's possible here on a

on a special day like the Olympics?

286

Oh, so much like it just sets the tone

so much.

287

Like the

I actually don't get to really spend

288

that much time around to Haley and Chris

[Blevins] and Savilia [Blunk]

289

throughout the year because we kind of

ride for our different federations or,

290

I mean, sorry, our different factory teams

instead of our federation.

291

So like, stay with them all

way to connecting with them.

292

And then, like you said, watching

Haley just like, absolutely smash.

293

It just sets the momentum

so much within the team.

294

And like, everyone's morale is so high.

295

And it totally like just getting to, like,

learn from them,

296

like Chris and Haley and Savilia.

297

But just like their processes and mindset

and kind of what makes them

298

some of the best drivers in the world

was super impactful, in Paris as well.

299

And then, like you said, like watching her

300

smash that silver medal

and just see that was just huge.

301

Yeah. Just amazing.

302

Do you think,

there is some sort of information

303

or tactics crossed over

between men and women in mountain biking,

304

or is it the different type, style

or lengths of racing?

305

And you cannot give each other

much of a like a helping tip or anything?

306

No, I

307

think it

should have some subtle differences, but

308

I think it does have a lot of crossover

and it's a lot pretty similar.

309

Like just things you saw from Ali's

race in terms of where they had

310

a couple flat tires, where the race split,

you know, like you don't

311

we don't really know how the race course

was like kind of race necessarily.

312

I mean, there was a test event,

313

I think it was about a year

before the Olympic event.

314

They had a test race on the course, but

they had changed quite a bit since then.

315

So it definitely gives you

a ton of information,

316

to watch them race and that also like,

just communicate with the

317

women like Haley and Savilia

318

They just get their tips, right?

319

So like, like that was a very,

320

for me, a key indicator of where

a couple flat tires happened

321

and then equipment choices based on that,

how much their race actually,

322

like broke apart.

323

But you can also ride back into this

like,

324

like a lot of subtle things of,

how to pace the race,

325

whereas in important places

to be up in the group or not stress

326

so much and then like I said,

327

make like a little bit of the equipment

choices was definitely super helpful

328

from watching their race

and communicating with them.

329

And can we just can you just clarify for

for us as well as our viewers

330

and listeners, the difference

between short track and long course?

331

You know,

I originally thought that the short course

332

was basically just like less laps

than the long course, but

333

how was it

in the Olympic or, you know, in your World

334

Championships, for example,

or in all the World Cup races?

335

Yeah, we've kind of just been bouncing

kind of back and forth all over.

336

But to clarify, like the short track

and the cross crossbencher

337

are two completely different races.

338

Typically with the World Cup circuit,

which is kind of like the,

339

the pinnacle of our sport.

340

You know what we what we race

all year long across the globe.

341

We kind of have like, a short track

race on on Friday or Saturday

342

usually it's kind of like the opening race

for the weekend or was maybe

343

like,

like, like a cricket kind of thing.

344

Super short lap, maybe,

345

three minute laps that we race for around

20 minutes.

346

Just super short. All out tactical racing.

347

And then,

348

the cross-country, the Olympic

cross-country event

349

is kind of a main event

for a weekend on a World Cup weekend.

350

So it's a bit longer of a track.

351

Usually between like three

and a half and 5kms circuit, climbing,

352

descending, natural singletrack,

manmade jumps, rock gardens, features,

353

and laps

354

will be anywhere from like 11-15 minutes

usually.

355

We race for about an hour

and a half usually.

356

So kind of completely different event.

357

But yeah, both part of,

a cross-country racers toolbox.

358

I guess you could set

because they all all contribute.

359

But the short track events are not,

in the Olympics.

360

Like, it's just the cross-country

and the Olympics, but new the last couple

361

years,

we've had short track world championships.

362

So that's pretty cool.

363

And I really, really have grown

to love the short track discipline

364

from the kind of in the early days

to like a bit of a weakness for me to now.

365

So I'm like a bit of that

strength is pretty cool.

366

And once you're ready

367

in the middle of explaining, please

explain the team relay.

368

How is that going to work?

369

Yeah.

370

So that was just, an event,

the world champs.

371

It's like a really special event

every year.

372

Just the world champs. It's.

373

Each nation has,

374

a team comprised of one

junior male and female,

375

one under 23 male female

and one elite male and female.

376

And they each do one lap

full gas of the cross-country course.

377

To compete for a world championship

title is a country.

378

So it's super, super unique and special.

379

I think

do they do it in cyclocross as well, or.

380

Because I don't do anything like that,

but I think it might be cross.

381

Not sure, but not.

382

But yeah, it's super.

383

It's just like a unique one event

where it's cool to, like,

384

I just, as a team because, you know,

no bike.

385

It's not like we're a team sport

in terms of the structure

386

of, teams

and support for mountain bikers.

387

But on race day, it's an individual sport,

you know?

388

And like, you're,

you're writing your own race for yourself,

389

for gas

every time you're on that starter line.

390

So it's a cool opportunity

where you're still going for gas, right?

391

But you like it.

392

You're working as a team and relying

on each other and like, you're only

393

as strong as your weakest link

as a nation, not an individual. So

394

cool.

395

Cool.

396

But I'm in absolute,

of the courses that you guys race down

397

and, you know, the new kind of thing

seems to be that rock garden.

398

You know,

I've been to Bentonville, Arkansas.

399

I've seen the manicured trails.

400

I've seen the way that they build them.

401

But, what sort of courses

402

do you prefer, or is it pretty much,

you know, kind of the same template that

403

they take around the World Cup circuit,

the World Championships and the Olympics?

404

I guess

there's a couple couple base to that.

405

I guess

406

I really prefer

the harder, more technical track.

407

So like I said, I, I, I'm a mountain biker

408

you know, like that's what I consider

my strengths is, the tactical aspect.

409

And I've had a lot of success on days

when the, the weather's insane

410

and it makes it even harder

tactically wise.

411

And like, I really love the track.

412

So there are natural

and there's a lot of line choice

413

and you really can make or lose time

414

really easily based on like your skill

and the like choice.

415

And it I,

I really like to pick apart pick apart

416

a track like from from a skill

and physical perspective.

417

It's hard though,

because a lot of some of the new tracks

418

and like when they build a new track,

like it's different

419

when you go about the solo,

you go to know a master on these tracks

420

that have been in the World Cup

circuit for ten plus years,

421

and we've ridden

essentially the same track for ten years.

422

And so all that rock room is super

exposed and super rough,

423

and then it's different

424

when you build a track like for Olympics,

when like they're literally taking,

425

a city park and,

and building it to a mountain bike track.

426

So there's just not like they have

to build every inch of the track.

427

There's

nothing already there really to work with.

428

So you just you have a lot of there's two

kind of different personalities, I'd say.

429

And some of our, our tracks nowadays

and kind of these heritage classic been

430

on the circuit for a long time, tracks

that are maybe more

431

natural, more rough.

432

Maybe

not slower speed, maybe a little slower

433

speed compared to like, some of these

new tracks are building that are quote

434

unquote more built for TV that are,

more manmade features, more higher speed.

435

But there's a lot of these new tracks,

right?

436

They might be this really tough, rough

rock garden,

437

but there ends up

438

only being like kind of one line down it

and you kind of hang on to your bike

439

and just bounce through at full speed,

like it's super rough and hard on the bike

440

and the equipment and the body,

but you're not necessarily like using

441

skill or finesse to get it through

any kind of just hanging on and praying

442

that you make it down to the other side,

if that makes sense.

443

So like you're not necessarily making or

losing much time, but not in those ways.

444

Whereas these tracks where you have like

445

some really technical route sections

or some off camber,

446

or it's open and rough and

you have a lot of options for line choice,

447

like that's one kind of rider's skill

really can make or break a lot of time.

448

And I really love I love that

because it becomes a different game.

449

It's not just a game of legs,

it's a game of, of skill as well.

450

You know?

451

So in cyclocross,

start is the most important part.

452

And then you kind of like, hang in there.

453

Would that be the same

for mountain biking?

454

That start is super, super important.

455

And then you negotiate your racing

from there on or say like, okay,

456

just start fast in the middle five phase

and then the final or did

457

you cut your race into smaller portions

or you just take it lap by lap?

458

Yeah, I kind of it depends a little

on the track, the dynamic.

459

But the start is extremely important

in my biking because like a lot of times,

460

you know, we have an open section,

461

a wide section off the start

but then different decide will cross.

462

It'll go into like really a single file

trail section.

463

So like

464

if someone in front of you is suffering,

it opens a gap in the single track.

465

Like there's

466

you can't necessarily just go around them

and chase it down super easily.

467

So the starts extremely important.

468

Usually within the lap

kind of the the front group

469

is, is separated and the race

kind of blows apart quite a bit.

470

And so if you've had a bad start,

it's just a lot more ground to make up.

471

And your race, you can still do it.

472

And, and certain

473

tracks are better or worse to build a ride

through duration, for sure.

474

Some people focus too much on that start,

maybe blow up

475

a little physically and go backwards

from there and vice versa.

476

And sure, as you see it cycle across.

477

But the starts extremely,

extremely important.

478

And then kind of it'll be really hard

for a bit, driving some separation

479

and a lot of the old school mile

bike racing where they

480

where is a bit longer of a race or maybe

a bit longer climbs, it's kind of shifted.

481

And it's a lot of the tracks now, maybe

482

the longest climb,

you see is two and a half, three minutes.

483

So it's become a lot more,

I would say tactical

484

than just all out threshold racing.

485

So what's that?

486

Was those front groups

kind of established turns into, a race.

487

If you're at the front

of how little energy can you

488

can you use until you know

you want to go for it?

489

To go attack and go for the win or

or if you haven't made that front right,

490

you're kind of right in your own race

to try and get to the front.

491

So it really kind of just depends

where you're at in the race.

492

I'm sure with, with,

493

with cyclocross as well,

it's pretty similar, using your strengths

494

and your, your competitors weaknesses

as much as you can against them.

495

And are

496

you riding to power or just sensations

497

and staying on the wheel in front of you

when you're doing these events?

498

Yeah.

499

We're never we're

never really riding off of power metrics.

500

It's it's I can't see it. Right. Yeah.

501

There's there's no time that they consider

you have to kind of be able to,

502

to ride off of feeling instinct.

503

And like I said, really like that's

what's special about mountain bike

504

racing is you're not

505

you're not just doing tactics.

506

And what's right there is like

a unquantifiable skill component.

507

That's that's a part of bike

racing that makes and loses races.

508

So that's I think that's what's

the coolest part of it is we can't just

509

go train every day on the road

and develop this, this perfect.

510

Engine, you know, and like.

511

Yeah, like, you can't

necessarily put a science to test skills.

512

Right.

513

And so I think it's something

that's really cool about our sport.

514

And that brings a lot of joy to me.

515

And what makes me love it

so much. For sure.

516

When you talk about skills,

have you ever fancied doing the downhill

517

mountain biking or you do it every now and

then to improve your skills, even more?

518

Or is it a completely different

kind of cycling or motorbike?

519

And you go

now I stay away from it or what?

520

It help you to do a few of them?

521

Yeah.

522

I mean

we have lots of downhills in our races

523

that are really rough, really technical

that I think would surprise

524

a lot of people,

maybe how hard they really are.

525

But the actual downhill racing

526

is quite a different spectacle.

527

Like it's unbelievable

the size of jumps, drops, features

528

these guys get here and the speed

they carry and the bikes

529

that they ride and set up for

that is it's unbelievable.

530

And so like while most amateur is maybe

with their jaw drop

531

when they see some of downhills

we ride on, my jaw drops.

532

When I see what they ride on in the scale

they have.

533

So I think it'd be cool to go

like maybe try a downhill ride somewhere,

534

but I don't think I'm currently qualified

for that for sure.

535

I think,

536

the yeah,

537

those guys live in and ladies

lives and breathe,

538

totally different level of skills and

539

and tracks and bikes especially, you know,

540

so that is

that is crazy for me to hear you say that

541

because I was never the

I was never the best descender.

542

But I definitely noticed

543

towards the end of my career

that I started to see the fear a lot more,

544

which makes you hit the brakes

and go a little bit slower.

545

As you saw, you know, I had a nice

pinarello bicycle, but I couldn't.

546

That was well above my pay grade.

547

I mean,

548

I was on the brakes the whole time, and

you guys just left me going down the hill.

549

But going down those rock gardens,

you mentioned that you just go

550

straight down and you hold on like that

must mean that you don't have the same.

551

You don't see the same fear

as people like myself.

552

How do you develop that?

553

Because there's consequences,

like on the road,

554

if you slip out in a corner,

you just kind of slide and you know,

555

there's not that many obstacles

that you have to deal with.

556

But like if you slip out on a mountain

bike course,

557

I mean, there is a tree

ready to greet you and say hello.

558

That's a totally different

next level of fear for me.

559

But how do you how do you young kids

overcome that fear and

560

and deal with, the technical technicality

of some of those descents?

561

Well, first of all, I thought your slide

the other day we rode together.

562

I thought you were a great mountain biker.

563

And you're a terrible liar.

564

But we appreciate the effort.

565

Oh. That was good.

566

But we feel so much better now.

567

But honestly, to me, like,

568

the road crashes terrify me way more.

569

The mile bike crashes.

570

But I think it's just because, like,

571

I don't know, I think

the road hurts a lot more, to be honest.

572

Like, you guys are going a lot faster

when you hit the ground.

573

And there.

574

Yeah, there's not much protecting you.

575

I mean, there's no protecting the no bike

either, but, like,

576

for me, I think

577

it's hard with the with the fear

and the skills development.

578

Like, it's not like we're we're

just jumping into these World Cup tracks

579

for the first time

without really preparing, you know, like

580

we've spent in the same way

you spent hours, training physically.

581

We spent hours training tactically,

and riding a ton

582

of really challenging terrain.

583

And, but I think to, to someone

maybe that's

584

nervous or wanting to progress, you know,

585

and like you have to kind of build

that confidence up brick by brick,

586

the same way

you have to build in training.

587

And so, you know, starting simple.

588

And then kind of working your way up

slowly to, to harder and harder things.

589

And for me, riding with people that are,

like, better than me, that I have to,

590

that I struggle to be able

to hold the wheel or, and push it out

591

of my comfort zone a little bit is what

creates like that progression from the

592

from the skills perspective.

593

Like, obviously you can't just hawk

your me with without any,

594

without any terror, right?

595

Because like you said, it does

it does hurt, but like build it up and,

596

and slowly kind of pushing yourself,

on more and more challenging terrain

597

and with people that are better than you

and honestly,

598

like learning the fundamental skills

with mountain biking is super important,

599

from cornering technique

to braking technique.

600

Like it's super different.

601

And so yeah, that's a

that's a huge part of it.

602

But I actually had my really

603

my first really bad road crash,

believe it or not, about two weeks ago

604

I was on my mountain bike on the road,

and I was coming through

605

town at about 28, 30 miles an hour.

606

And in Durango, Colorado,

we have a ton of deer in town,

607

and one of them jumped from someone's yard

into the side of me

608

and took me out off my bike

at like 30 mile an hour.

609

And I just, like,

slid across the pavement.

610

Never even saw I come in

611

and it's hurt

a lot more for the last two weeks

612

than most of my mountain

bike crashes have, so I'm more more

613

fearful of the road and deer after that.

614

By far.

615

And now we talk too much about skids.

616

And to rock gardens,

617

you also need a lot of good equipment

to go through there, right?

618

Earlier this year, we went with a TV team

from Eurosport to interview

619

a few teams and a training camp and so on,

and they came across a mountain bike

620

team, from, Trek Racing.

621

And they had these, to me as a roadie,

622

funny

looking foam inlets inside the tires.

623

What are they for?

624

Why are you using them on?

625

What are the helping for

to our viewers and listeners,

626

they have never seen them before.

627

Yeah.

628

I mean, now by technology in the last

629

five years has is

come an insanely long way.

630

So it's unbelievable

how much our our bikes have changed,

631

our tracks have changed.

632

And so you used to go from seeing people

on hard time on bikes that are barely

633

more than a road bike, with skinny

little flat bars and 2.1 tires.

634

So now we're on full suspension,

120 mil travel, 2.4in wide tires,

635

and we have these inserts, or most people

have these inserts in their tires.

636

And it's literally essentially a piece

of foam inside the tire rim that helps.

637

Protect.

638

So if you were trying to kind of run

the lowest tire pressure we can safely

639

because it gives a lot more traction,

a lot smoother ride on rough stuff.

640

And but the downside is that is right.

641

If you're going to lower your tire

pressure,

642

you can actually hit the rim

on on rocks and stuff.

643

And so like that insert gives you an extra

layer of protection against the rim,

644

to push the tire pressure

a bit and offers a little bit of,

645

even stability to the tire

to make your handle better.

646

And in addition, the bigger

one of the biggest things for me is like,

647

if you do end up having a flat tire,

if you tear chunk in your tire,

648

there's a gash.

649

You know, if you I don't know

if you've ever tried to ride on a mountain

650

bike trail with a flat tire before on

just the rim, but you don't go very fast,

651

and a lot of times you end up like

having to carry your bike on the track.

652

But with these inserts, right.

653

It creates a good enough,

654

it holds the tire to the rim

655

and it creates a good enough, cushion

that you can, like, honestly, just ride

656

the insert, ride the rim to the feet out

and not lose not nearly as much time

657

before you have to change the tire

like it's it's completely changed.

658

The racing.

659

Like, I actually had a flat second lap

and that was solidly last year,

660

and I was able to come back to the podium

the third place.

661

And like this year, world's,

most people didn't even realize

662

that I had a flat tire in the race

because I only lost two positions.

663

So it's like, pretty incredible

what some of the new mountain

664

bike technology has and

665

what we're pushing it like with our flight

attendant systems on our bike.

666

We have completely from Sram, RockShox.

667

We have completely automatic lockouts

on our suspension.

668

So it's taking data from our power meter,

669

from accelerometers,

from motion sensors on our bike.

670

And it's completely

adjusting our suspension from open

671

to a middle pedal firm mode

to completely locked out,

672

depending on the terrain and our power

input automatically at all times.

673

It's unbelievable.

674

Ian, the his bike was in the bike room

when I was putting my pedals on my bike

675

and I was with Christian Vandervelde

and he said, whoa, whose bike is this?

676

And he went over and touched it like,

just put his hands on the handlebars.

677

And all of a sudden this thing above

the shock kind of lit up and started.

678

It looked like a Tron bike.

679

And I'm like, Christian, don't touch that.

680

Who knows what that is?

681

And then he realized,

oh my gosh, that's Riley's bike.

682

Maybe it's his Olympic bike, but like,

683

that is just amazing technology to me

because the bike that I have at home

684

and well, my first bike,

685

and I'd write it to school all the time

and, you know, just cruising around.

686

And then I got, I rode for Ritchey

you know, Tom Ritchey.

687

So he for a longest time

made amazing bicycles.

688

But he wasn't a fan of the front shock.

689

So like,

you know, the riders on his team were,

690

I think at a severe disadvantage

for a while there

691

until he finally rolled over

and allowed them to to use shocks.

692

But now with front suspension,

rear suspension, dropper post.

693

I mean, as a roadie,

there's way too many things to think of.

694

And even on that Norelco, the pinarello

that that, Tom Pidcock and Pauline

695

Ferrand-Prévot use, I'm looking down

and I'm like, wait, is this one a shifter

696

or is it the lockout for the for the,

suspension or is it the dropper post?

697

And I was getting it wrong

the entire time.

698

So I can imagine with that sort of system

that you have

699

on your bike, it's

kind of just set it and forget it.

700

Right? You're not having to think of all

those little micro adjustments.

701

And that takes a big like neural load off

of what you have to do.

702

Correct. For sure. Left it.

703

We're just trying to go as fast as we can

to like that things

704

adjusting our our suspension

705

Right.

706

So it's it's,

it's constantly optimizing it.

707

It's not something that maybe you could

consciously think about to that level

708

while you're racing your bike.

709

So like a lot of the shifting

dropper posts, you know,

710

that's

all like kind of muscle memory over time.

711

But those little marginal gains,

you know, with the suspension

712

and that's also that's what the what

713

the system zone is, is more than what,

like you said, the neurological load

714

is it's quite a bit to push your lockout

30,000 times a in a mountain bike race.

715

So, so and just for our,

listeners and myself to better understand,

716

to make it really easy, your bike realizes

if you in the rock garden

717

or if you just go across a smooth

718

field, then it locks down the suspension

719

because you don't need much suspension

when you're on a smooth pass.

720

And it realized when you go up,

when you're out of the seat, your bike

721

realizes with all the information it gets,

it realizes where you are on the circuit

722

and it adjusts the suspension to your

needs.

723

Is that what it is

724

exactly did is not correct.

725

It's literally it's unbelievable.

726

Yeah.

727

And it's it's, it's because like,

you know, we have all that suspension.

728

It's really good to absorb in rocks and

bobs and especially like on the downhills.

729

But, like that

when you're on something really smooth

730

and you trying to accelerate

like really hard or get out of the saddle.

731

Right.

That suspension kind of works against you.

732

It kind of takes some of that, force

733

you're trying to put into the pedals,

into the tires, and works against you.

734

So it's constantly

fighting the balance of suspension

735

to, to go faster in suspension,

to not take energy from you, you know?

736

Good lord, are these,

so what is the name of that,

737

setup that you have from Sram flight?

738

That's is they,

they call it flight attendant.

739

Flight attendant.

740

Is that available to everyone?

741

Because I think, you know,

we need to get one of those

742

because we don't have the skills

that it is available to the public.

743

Yeah. It's it's available. Yeah.

744

Wow. Wow.

745

One more question about your your season.

746

You know, I saw that there's been a bunch

of events outside of North America.

747

You know, you were in Brazil

for to the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland,

748

the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy,

Switzerland, back to France,

749

Switzerland, back to France.

750

The worlds were Andorra.

751

And now you have two more events

left in the season,

752

in the USA, in Lake Placid and in Canada.

753

Are you travel?

754

Are you like staying over in Europe?

755

When when that kind of circuit is going

on, are you be bopping back

756

and forth to Durango?

757

Yeah, it just kind of depends.

758

This year it worked out really well

759

that all the European World Cups

were like pretty much blocked together.

760

So I went over and mad

Race in the Czech Republic.

761

We had two weeks

till the next round in Italy.

762

So I went with some friends, teammates

up to living in Italy

763

for a little altitude

training camp, stayed over for two weeks.

764

Race the next week in Italy, Val di Sol

race the next week in Crans-Montana,

765

and then the next.

766

We had one week off

and then it was a race in France.

767

So like that Europe block was basically

like, that was all in the one chunk.

768

So, yes, I stay over for all of that.

769

But then we had a couple weeks

till the game, so I went home.

770

I mean, part of that was I got sick.

771

But yeah,

I was still kind of trying to decide

772

if I was going to go home,

then came back from the games.

773

And then there's just

that big chunk of no racing again.

774

So I went home again

because honestly, like in Durango,

775

I'm super promised that we have an insane

no bike community.

776

Like I wouldn't be into mountain biking

or have the opportunity

777

to do this as a job without

without my community at home.

778

Like, we just have hundreds of miles of

amazing signature right on our doorstep.

779

We live at 2000m of altitude.

780

We have great weather most of the year,

and we have just an amazing community of

781

other pro athletes, and mountain bikers

and endurance athletes specifically.

782

They kind of started with that over

783

ever mountain bike World Championships

just up north from my doorstep.

784

Went over and won.

785

And so since 1990,

I guess, is kind of where

786

the first seed of, of mountain

biking history was planted here.

787

And since then, it's

just kind of unbelievable to see

788

what happens when, like, a small community

embraces an outdoor sport.

789

And yeah, it's just it's just so cool.

790

We have some great local group rides

with really good pros to push ourselves.

791

We have a university with a varsity

cycling team, so that I've made

792

some of my best friends, and, and started

the university before I got a job.

793

Decided to drop out.

794

But. Yeah, it's just for me.

795

It's it's like this place is what's given

me success and what's giving me a job.

796

An opportunity to,

to ride mountain bikes for a living.

797

So as of right now,

I don't really feel a need.

798

Want to go to go set up full time

anywhere else and bike or I'm not home.

799

Hardly at all to begin with.

800

So it's still my favorite place

to come home to in it when it makes sense

801

to come home between World Cups, I do,

and when it just doesn't.

802

In terms

of like travel and logistics and jet lag,

803

I stay over there and it works great

because the team's been super good of

804

supporting us on on race weeks

and then just for those couple weeks

805

between either they help out a good amount

or just a little bit out of my pocket.

806

But yeah, it's it's been pretty simple

so far.

807

We'll see you in the next couple years.

808

Like, if there's a better change

coming with the World Cups

809

and the number and timing, etc.,

like if it makes sense to like,

810

get a visa and set up

or permanently over there.

811

But for now, for now, Colorado

is my favorite place in the world.

812

So yeah.

813

And do you think maybe it gives you

a little bit of an advantage

814

to have the last two World Cups

on your home soil, so to speak?

815

Less of a Trevor.

816

You don't have to fly across the ocean

like Europe and you have to come over.

817

And maybe only one time zone in between.

818

You think there's there might be

a slight advantage for you?

819

Huge.

820

Yeah, definitely a huge advantage.

821

Just like when we go over there.

822

I remember the first couple times

I went to Europe, like I.

823

And I had not ever been

out of the country to Europe

824

until I was 17 years old.

825

And so the first time I went over there

and raced, like World Cup

826

and World champs the junior year,

it felt like

827

I was traveling to another planet,

like to another universe, you know,

828

especially like some little small town

kid, right?

829

And trying

830

to figure out the different food,

trying to figure out nothing's in English.

831

Right.

832

It's just like everything is different

in culture where I'm living.

833

And I still have to figure it out

834

when I go over there,

you know, after six years of doing it.

835

And so, I mean, I spent I've been on

I think I look

836

the other day was like 36 flights

this year, ten of them over eight hours.

837

So like you,

you added the amount of time traveling

838

in the July from that and it's a huge hit

to your, your performances.

839

So being able to take a short trip,

race on home soil,

840

eat home food culture

like all that just has a small effect

841

on your well-being, I'd say,

and performance associated with that.

842

So, yeah, it's huge advantage

843

to race on home soil and it's it's awesome

because

844

we've had a World Cup in North America

the last couple of years, but it's been in

845

in snowshoe, West Virginia,

and it's a lot of the year.

846

I was complaining because it was just like

in the middle of nowhere.

847

It was just like hours

from any airport in the middle of woods.

848

And I loved it.

849

I thought it was so cool out there,

but the coolest thing

850

is it's

in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

851

Like not really close to anything.

852

And the amount of us fans

that like, came out and the different like

853

vibe and culture and like cheering that

they brought to the race is just so cool.

854

Like a bunch of crazy Americans

and American onesies

855

and cowboy hats and super

drunk on the side.

856

Of course, just yelling at you

is just so it's just sick.

857

Like,

I just it makes you it makes you stoked.

858

And so I think, like,

classic could even, could be even better.

859

And it's just, it's, it's absolute dream

come true to be able to wear a leader's

860

jersey of the World Cup overall

and a world championship

861

jersey in the short track at,

in the United States, like just inside.

862

So I just I'm so pumped to hopefully

go put on a good show for everybody.

863

Right after we saw you up in Aspen,

we came to Boulder, myself

864

and my buddy Rob.

865

And the next day

we got to hang out with his son,

866

who is doing the Boulder

Junior cycling cyclocross practice.

867

So there was a bunch of kids out there,

you know, just learning

868

cyclocross,

practicing starts having fun, right?

869

Yeah, I understand that.

870

You kind of came out of a young program

like that called Durango Devo.

871

Can you tell us how important that is?

872

And, you know, just just

what sort of impact that had on

873

you starting mountain

biking in the first place?

874

Yeah, definitely.

875

I mean, Boulder Junior cycling’s

an amazing program and they have a ton of

876

a ton of amazing athletes.

877

It's come out of it and it's just so cool

because programs like that, I go Devo.

878

They have just they've offered or

they offer just like, another afterschool

879

activity for kids and something

to keep kids, busy and get them outside.

880

And so Durango Devo is their motto

developing lifelong cyclists

881

one at a time.

882

It's not developing world class athletes

one right at a time, you know, and so

883

I grew up, you know, just two days a week

and in elementary school,

884

going after school

with, just a group of kids and a coach

885

and just go riding your bike

and having fun and learning

886

just small skills along the way.

887

And then as I got older,

they kind of naturally give you the option

888

to introduce a little competition as well,

and travel into some high school

889

league racing, with like,

some local races around here.

890

Jump in, like I said, with the,

the university,

891

the team a bit here and there and like,

it was just

892

it was just a really, really special thing

because most kids grow up

893

playing soccer,

football, baseball, basketball.

894

Right. And having all those options.

895

But nothing is quite like having

the option to, to go on and on bike ride

896

with your buddies like, it's it's just

it was something that I loved.

897

It was was good.

898

And then when we brought

a little competition to something I loved

899

and was good at it,

it was just like an awesome.

900

It was just a it just blossomed and

901

like I people ask me,

you know, occasionally from time to time,

902

what would you do

if you weren't a metal biker?

903

And I just, like, I have no clue.

904

When I was, my first year,

I went to my first year of university.

905

I went to the college here,

and I was like a really good junior.

906

But that wasn't good enough in mountain

biking to like, give me,

907

professional opportunities

straight out of juniors.

908

And so I was like, in school

and trying to train really hard

909

and wasn't sure really

what I wanted to be a school for

910

because I just knew my heart

and soul was in cycling.

911

There's no biking.

912

I felt like I was putting

like 50% of my energy in the school

913

and 50% of my energy in the cycling,

and just doing okay,

914

and, like, wasn't really sure where

I wanted to be here, where I wanted to go.

915

And so the fact that mountain biking

916

gave me this opportunity, to do this

as a pro is just like a dream come true.

917

And without programs like Devo,

without Boulder junior cycling,

918

without introducing kids to cycling from

a young age in a supernatural fun way,

919

let them develop the foundation

and the roots for why they love cycling.

920

But we won't.

921

We won't grow cycling in the US.

922

And so like, it's it's super,

super special and yeah,

923

you can look at the history of who's

924

come out of Durango Devo

and it'll blow your mind from Sepp Kuss,

925

Quinn Simmons to me, to Chris Blevins,

to Howard Grotts.

926

I mean, it goes on and on.

927

And so,

928

like, there's obviously

some keys to success with the way

929

these programs are set up from

930

getting kids and deciding from a young age

and not putting

931

any sort of competition

or pressure behind it and developing fun

932

and lifelong experiences and adventure

and, a sense of good personality,

933

character through programs like this

934

and then letting them find the competition

naturally.

935

It's like there's obviously

some cases success there that of

936

what is working for us,

creating an amazing cyclist.

937

So, yeah.

938

Riley,

939

thanks a million for giving us all that

time.

940

And best of luck from Bobby

and me for the last two races of the year.

941

Hopefully you can

then wear your World Champion jersey

942

and share it with the crazy Americans

in one season.

943

Go ahead. Yeah, exactly.

944

That would be so awesome.

945

Yeah.

946

Again, Riley,

thanks a million for being our guest.

947

It was fantastic to talk to you,

948

and hopefully in the future

we will have you back as a guest.

949

Yeah, it was super nice to meet you, too.

950

Thanks for having me on. Thank you. Bobby.

951

Pleasure.

952

That's everything for this week.

953

Now remember to follow us at Odd Tandem

on TikTok,

954

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and wherever

you get your favourite podcasts.

955

Thanks to Riley for joining the podcast.

956

Also, please remember

if you want to see the video version

957

of this podcast,

it's up on our YouTube channel right now.

958

Youtube.com/@OddTandem.

959

And if you want the full,

uninterrupted version of this podcast

960

and your name in the titles,

just head to our Patreon

961

where you can sign up for $5 a month

and keep this podcast going.

962

That's Patreon.com/Oddtandem

963

thanks to our Patreon members Scott,

Steven Kimbrough, Marie Teixeira, Jeff

964

Kralik, Brian Colon, Chris Merritt,

Tim Farriss, Jim, David Swartwout,

965

Bill Babcock, Nancy Ness,

Michael Terblanche,

966

Jim Burns, Swim school Bob, Steve,

967

Scott Nabors and Joseph who’ve done

just that.

968

And remember if you want your question

in our next mailbag episode

969

make sure you keep sending us your

questions to oddtandem@shockedgiraffe.com

970

or any of our oddtandem social media

channels Please keep sharing the podcast

971

with your friends and keep leaving

your reviews wherever you're listening.

972

It really helps us to build our audience.