Dirt Dispatch

A new venue for World Cup cross country in the Italian alps; La Thuile. It delivered a demanding and spectacular course that produced some fantastic racing across the weekend. From first wins to continued success, we go into the moments that defined the racing as the World Cup reaches it's mid point of the year. 

In this episode, Zoe sat down with perhaps the most experienced man in World Cup cross country, a legend of the sport; Thomas Frischknecht. From multiple World Cup wins and overall titles to running one of the longest and most successful MTB teams in the industry, Thomas 'Frischy' Frischknecht has done it all. This conversation goes through is racing career and how it has shaped his management of...

The World Cup continues through the summer block into Lenzerheide. The Swiss stop is a favourite amongst the riders and the racing delivered. We talk through the first taste of 32" wheels on the World Cup stage, the tight racing that delivered first time winners and surprises. We touch on the conversation of dominance and the physical and mental challenges that are often not spoken about but play...

The World Cup headed to the mountains of Leogang in Austria to kick off a busy block of World Cup racing in the next month. The race delivered some incredible battles between the new stars of the sport and proven performers as the season is well and truly underway. This episode talks through the details and storylines of a drama filled Sunday of cross country racing! 

The World Cup circuit is back in Europe for the second round in the iconic stadium of Nové Město Na Moravě. In this episode we go over the weekend's racing, new tech developments and the return of some stars of the sport. We are joined by special guest, Yanick Gyger, the head mechanic of Scott SRAM MTB to go over some highlights of his career, the ins and outs of the pit lane and the environment w...

The first World Cup of the season has been run and won, quite literally. We break down the major talking points from the weekend in the mountains of South Korea. We talk through the racing, the winners and break out performers of the weekend and delve into the major storylines of what will go down as one of the most memorable World Cup season openers in years! 

Back into the World Cup season, Piper and Zoe are on the ground in South Korea to bring you right up close to the action for the first round in Mona Yongpyong. We unpack what we can expect to see, the riders to watch and some predictions for the season ahead. 

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch, Jasper sat down with Kenta Gallagher, the race coach of Cannondale Factory Racing. They discuss Kenta's deep and varied racing experience and how his current role came to be. Kenta gives insights into the intricacies of his role as an integral part of the team and how he sees World Cup racing progress into an ever more tactical affair. 

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch, Zoe sat down with fellow Canberra local, Rebecca Henderson as she heads into her 17th year of World Cups racing. They discuss her career up to this point, the balance and resilience required to maintain her presence at the front of World Cup racing and where she sees her future heading. They also delve into the difficulties of being from Australia in a European do...

Zoe Cuthbert is back, joined by Piper and Jasper Albrecht for a full debrief of the 2025 World Cup season. Together, they break down the biggest winners, unexpected breakthroughs, and the moments that defined the year.  The conversation then turns forward to 2026, unpacking new rule changes, evolving team structures, and the riders poised to make waves. To close it out, the crew digs into the upco...

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch , host Jacob Willems sits down with Sam Gaze — fresh off a season balancing World Cup mountain biking and the road calendar with Alpecin–Deceuninck . They dive into the realities of new fatherhood, how golf keeps him grounded, and what it’s like managing the intensity of two disciplines at the highest level. From team dynamics to recovery routines and the shift in...

Bjorn Riley joins Piper Albrecht to break down the thrilling finale of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Series at Mont-Sainte-Anne . From Jenny Rissveds’ dominant win to Samara Maxwell clinching the overall women’s title, they unpack the strategies, surprises, and defining moments that closed out the season. On the men’s side, Christopher Blevins had already wrapped up the overall, but the race st...

Cam Jones and Melisa Rollins sit down with Dirt Dispatch after a wild day at the Little Sugar MTB race in Bentonville. Cam came out on top after a course full of flats and chaos, while Melisa rode to third in what she says might be the ride she’s most proud of. They break down how the race unfolded, the challenges that defined it, and the mindset it takes to finish strong when everything doesn’t g...

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch, Betsy Welch and Piper Albrecht sit down with Christopher Blevins just hours after he clinched the overall XCO series title in Lake Placid, NY. They go deep into Christopher's processes on and off the bike and how they transformed his racing this year. They also talk about what it means to have a World Cup in the U.S., how American fans are different from European...

Swiss star Alessandra Keller has built her career on consistency and a positive relationship with the sport. In this conversation, she reflects on her journey to the top, her approach to racing with balance, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. With XCO and XCC World Cup titles in both 2022 and 2024 , Keller talks about what it takes to stay at the sharp end of the sport while keeping the...

The racing in Lenzerheide did not disappoint. In this Dirt Dispatch recap, we break down all the action from both the XCC and XCO World Cup rounds — from the decisive attacks and technical sections that shaped the races, to the standout performances that had everyone talking. We also reflect on the end of an era, as Lenzerheide marked Nino Schurter’s final World Cup race , adding even more emotion...

Fabio Püntener talks about his journey to the top level of mountain biking and what’s ahead as he signs with SCOTT-SRAM . We cover his development as a rider, the breakthrough performances that put him on the map, and how he’s preparing to take on the next chapter with one of the sport’s most legendary teams.

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch , we dive into the XCC and XCO World Championships, breaking down the standout performances from the newly crowned world champions. We unpack what Mathieu van der Poel’s campaign says about the difficulty of crossing over from the road to the very top of MTB, and we look at how UCI vs. Warner Bros. broadcasts are shaping the fan experience. Plus, a few of the Ameri...

In this episode, Zoe sits down with Sammie Maxwell, the current leader of the 2025 UCI World Cup XCO standings , for a conversation that’s as much about life as it is about racing. Sammie shares what it was like to line up at the Olympic Games , the lessons she carried forward, and how that experience shapes her perspective this season. She also opens up about her studies in science and her comple...

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch, we break down all the action from the Les Gets World Cup. From intense battles on the climbs to decisive moves on the descents, we cover the standout performances, surprising results, and big storylines shaping the weekend. Tune in for analysis, context, and the insights you need to stay on top of the World Cup season.

Zoe talks with Luca Schwarzbauer, who has become a fixture at the front of World Cups over the last few years. The German powerhouse is a reflective, curious rider, and he gives us insight into his journey from junior racing through the Olympics and into 2025. Luca discusses how he balanced a mechanical engineering degree with racing, his experience with underfueling, his career highlights and sho...

In this episode of Dirt Dispatch , Christopher Blevins sits down with teammate Martin Vidaurre to reflect on their remarkable start to the World Cup season. After five rounds, the two have suddenly found themselves at the top of the sport – sharing multiple podiums and currently sitting first and second overall. They give us a look under the hood, breaking down what fans don’t see in the broadcast...

In episode two of Dirt Dispatch , Christopher Blevins sits down with Betsy Welch to dive deep into the grit, grind, and glory of the legendary Leadville MTB 100 — just hours after the race wrapped. From lung-busting climbs to the decisive moments that shaped the podium, they break down the race’s biggest stories, standout performances, and behind-the-scenes insights you won’t get anywhere else. Wh...

In this debut episode of Dirt Dispatch , host Stilspoke takes you through the exhilarating moments of the 2025 Cross-Country World Cup, with a special focus on the Andorra round. From the intense racing action to the strategies that shape the competition, Stilspoke offers a front-row seat to all the drama and triumphs that make this event a highlight of the season. With the mid-season break in ful...