Episode 111: June 7, 2023: Behind the Lens with Bruce Buckley

This episode was first aired on March 3, 2020, but when it comes to the central place that photography plays in criterium racing we believed that it was time to share it again. Photography remains the primary means by which the story of criterium racing is told. The photographers we have worked with over the past 3 years have helped us grow this show and tell these stories. Without them this sport would not be as inspiring or newsworthy. Bruce Buckley helped us launch this effort and we want to make sure everyone gets to hear what he has to say.

Episode 110: May 24, 2023: Team Building with Brandon Feehery

Every year we put together groups of men and women from all over the country, and with potentially little connection to each other, on teams and expect them to go out and race together with a unified purpose and vision. How that is actually accomplished can be a mystery but when done right it is a thing of beauty. After years of being on a team with a consistent roster and a singular goal, Brandon Feehery has shifted to a new squad this offseason. Now he, and his teammates need to work some magic, and turn a disparate group of riders into a squad.

Episode 109: May 17, 2023: The Project Echelon Files: The Flow with Cade Bickmore

There are a lot of things Project Echelon does very well that they are not supposed to be good at doing. They weren't supposed to be an elite team. They weren't supposed to win big races. They weren't supposed to win stage races. And, lately they weren't supposed to win a field sprint. Sorry to disappoint but these are all things they are doing...frequently. It seems Project Echelon is really just good at proving their critics wrong. This week we have Cade Bickmore, the sprinter, on to talk about doing what his team is not supposed to do...win by using his talents and his team's total committment.

Episode 108: May 10, 2023: Reverse Mentorship with Kim Stoveld

Kim Stoveld of Automatic Racing is new to road racing but she's already made an impact with her power and results. As her experience and skill continues to improve so will her spot on the podium. She's received a ton of advice from some very well meaning individuals; but sometimes that advice could be better timed and directed. In our effort to figure out how to encourage people into the sport and keep them in it, we look to the way we mentor inexperienced riders, and how that effort can be done better. Kim is our guide.

Episode 107: May 3, 2023: What's Happened Lately

We've been gone for a little while, sorry. While we've been out a lot has happened and we need to talk about it with you. The NCL had its first race. The ACC is starting going. And CRIT was announced with zero details. On top of that race tactics, good and bad, were on full display at Spartanburg. Bill Schieken from Cyclocross Radio joins me to talk about what's been going on and what it means for criterium racing.

Episode 106: April 12, 2023: The Art of Cornering

How do we talk about ourselves to others? How do we brand the sport? And what is the messaging that we choose to use? These are all critical questions and ones that we should look at as criterium racing angles to grow and attract fans and participants. So let's get some help and to do that we can turn to our friends in gravel racing to see how they have encouraged people to do insanely challenging races and have fun at the same time. We are joined this week by Michael Marckx, one of the creators of the Belgian Waffle Ride series of races. He and his team are looking at expanding into criterium racing and bringing the skils they have developed from unroad racing into this market. We should listen and learn because they are doing something right.

Episode 105: March 24, 2023: What Do We Know about the NCL

Hopefully when you get to the end of this episode you know more than you do now. We are joined this week by Jonathan Crain to help crack the enigma that is the NCL. Information has slowly dribble out but our goal is to collect everything we've seen plus a bit more that we have been able to compile and present it to you in one place, so you can be educated fans.

Episode 103: March 1, 2023: The Fourth Estate Featuring Brad Sohner

Let's start 2023 the right way by talking about how criterium racing can learn from other sports to make its media experience better and more comprehensive. When criterium racing's fans are more educated they are more engaged. When they are more engaged they are more likely to become hooked and follow the events, teams, and riders. Hooked fans are more likely to stir all the watercooler #critbeef on their own. No single person in criterium racing is more aptly placed than Brad Sohner, the broadcast voice of the sport, to talk us through how media is critical to developing the sport, what a mature media looks like, and where we are right now in that process.

We are brought to you by Source Endurance the premier provider of endurance coaching. Use the promo code "criteriumnation" for $50 off your first month of coaching. 

Episode 104: March 15, 2023: Life Time Grand Prix Docu-Series Review

Let's apply what we've learned about media from our last episode and do so by taking a deep dive look into the docu-series recently released by Cold Collaborative about the 2022 Life Time Grand Prix. Sure this has nothing to do with criterium racing; but it has everything to do with how we can gain and grow an audience through sharply produced post-event content. So join us as we go off road and a little bit outside our comfort zones. 

Episode 102: December 14, 2022: Panache, Moxie, et al.

Chris Tolley is here and we are so excited that it caused us to get introspective. Come with us on a thought experiment as we explore the inner workings of the mind of a man who has become an institution in Central Texas. He has become an advocate, a leader, a guide, but most importantly he has become himself.

Episode 101: November 30, 2022: The Rules Committee featuring Adam Mills of Source Endurance

Dr. Andrea Cyr of ButcherBox from Snake Alley. Photo by SnowyMountain Photography.

Our friend, Prof. & Coach Adam Mills of Cycling University, is back in the studio and delivering a level 205 college course on how we need to learn the rules of criterium racing and then rethink them. Rules define a sport and help make it safe and stable. They can also alter the trajectory of a sport and can even turn the fortunes of failing sports around. It is high time we talk about them.

Episode 100: November 9, 2022: The Storytellers

We've done it, we've made it to Episode 100. We've got so much more work to do in this sport, but for the moment we will celebrate getting to this benchmark. This one goes out to all of you, the loyal fans and listeners; and that's why we turned to you to write and produce this episode. We pulled together comments and responses that you provided via Instagram about what road racing needs to do in America to improve. We organized, categorized, and made a plan, and now we present them to you with our thoughts. 

Episode 99: October 25, 2022: The Project Echelon Files: Crit Ricky Rides Again

Photo by SnowyMountain

Ricky Arnopol joins us for the hour to talk about how coffee is so much more than just an addiction, racing in Europe and tattoos. But more importantly, we talk about salaries in bike racing and have a frank conversation about where we are now as compared to where other sports currently exist.

Episode 98: October 11, 2022: The Clever Martinez Effect

Photo by Kit Karzen

Positivity, optimism and having fun. Use the opportunity to train, race, and be alive for good. We learn this and a ton more in this week's episode featuring Clever Martinez of Miami Blazers.

We are brought to you by Source Endurance. Use the promo code "criteriumnation" for $50 off your first month of the best in endurance coaching. 

Episode 97: August 17, 2022: The Project Echelon Files Chapter 4: The Epic of Monk

He's the hero we need and this is his story. His name is Brandon Feehery but we call him Monk. In chapter 4 we bring you the Epic of Monk.

Episode 96: August 10, 2022: The Project Echelon Files Chapter 3

We catch up with "Crit" Ricky and Wünderkid Ethan Crane this week. Don't worry, there is a special Monkisode coming; but we've gone far too long between shows so we need to split things up.

Episode 95: July 19, 2022: Mentorship

Photo by Patrick Daly

We learn from the best. We learn from those who come before us. We learn from each other. The key is that we learn and become better. We are joined by Peter Olejniczak and Adam Myerson to talking about their mentor-mentee relationship and how to do it yourself.

Episode 94: June 22, 2022: The Tulsa Tough Supersode

Photo by SnowyMountain Photography

Tulsa Tough, we recap it. We are joined by Prof. Adam Mills from the criterium school of hard knocks who gives Allan, Céline, and I a graduate level course in how the races were won and what it means moving forward.

Episode 93: June 6, 2022: Armed Forces Cycling Classic Recap

A quick recap and a solo show. We know that there's a lot of bike racing coming up and want to keep on top of things for you, so this is a full show just about the Armed Forces Cycling Classic this weekend.

Episode 92: June 2, 2022: International Man of Mystery featuring Liam White of ButcherBox Cycling

Who is Liam White? No really, I need to know. This week's episode we discover together just who is the man from Victoria, Austrialia, the guy who ended up on the podium at Athens Twilight. Plus we hit Rochester Twilight, the Joe Martin Crit, Plainfield, and Somerville in the fastest 2...er...5 minutes in crit racing.