The A Line Podcast

In this episode, I speak to Ella Maclean-Howell, who has been absolutely flying this year and been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2024 Olympic Games. Ella is clearly a very talented rider who has also put in a phenomenal amount of work to get selected, so it was great to hear what she has done and how both experienced and aspiring riders can elevate their performances. So be sure to fo...

In this episode, I caught up with Max Greensill, who is a great rider who is flying in both the UK and international scene. He’s still only young but got some great advice for novice and experienced riders alike, having faced several setbacks in his career to date. It was impressive how he overcame them and used them to become a stronger rider. It's these experiences and his perspective on rac...

In this episode I chat to Kim Baptista, a hugely talented athlete who can compete at the highest level on both the MTB and road bike. We discuss how she got into the sport and how she has developed into the athlete she is today, finding out what makes her tick and how she is pursuing sport as both a career and academically. Kim has already achieved a lot in a short space of time, so it is great to...

MTB Marathon Series is the UK's premier Cross Country Marathon racing series. I catch up with Director Paige to discuss the longer side of the sport, the highs, lows and challenges associated with putting on these events as well as their plans for the future. Having never raced a marathon event it was a great chat, getting some useful tips for my first race next month at the MTB Marathon in Minehe...

Welcome to the second part of the 2 part special on the ABSA Cape Epic, where I catch up with some Elite and Amateur riders who took on the race to get both sides of the story. In Part 1 I sat down with Jason Bouttell, an Elite racer who had a really strong race out there to take a top 20 finish with his partner. So in this episode, I catch up with Tom and Mike, two listeners of the show who went...

Welcome to a special 2 part episode on the ABSA Cape Epic, where I catch up with some Elite and Amateur riders who took on the race to get both sides of the story. In Part 1 I sit down with Jason Bouttell, an Elite racer who had a really strong race out there to take a top 20 finish with his partner. We also discuss Jason's impressive career to date, from domestic to international races Jason...

I'm joined in person by Isaac Mundy in this episode. Isaac is an absolute hitter and massively talented rider, able to not only go fast but also ride with style on almost any bike. We chat about how he got into racing, how his career evolved and what he is up to now. This career has been extremely broad so there is so much that listeners can take from his experiences whether you’re a youth or...

I dive into the world of suspension forks with Ben Davies from TruTune, discussing their novel fork insert to help you get more flow from your riding. This was a really interesting chat, as we discuss not only TruTune Flow but also how to get the most out of your suspension fork. This was really fun despite being quite a technical chat, and its one that I think a lot of listeners will resonate wit...

In this episode, we welcome Paddy Atkinson back to the show. Previously Paddy did an awesome episode on the Physiology of Fast but in this episode, we discuss Paddy's racing career. How he's transitioned to focus on the marathon distance, racing home World Champs and also starting a coaching business. Paddy gives some great insight into his own personal racing journey, the challenges he&#3...

In this episode, I chat with Matt Jones from MTB Epics UK. It was a great chat as Matt has a strong history of competing in the longer side of the sport, achieving some big results in international races as well as bagging a few Fastest Known Times. We not only discussed his own accolades but also his work with MTB Epics, who run challenging and exciting long-distance events across the UK. Matt gi...

We mix things up in this episode as your host Ashley de Lotz goes from Host to Guest! Don't worry he's not talking to himself for the entire show, as we got in a Guest Host; Alex from Alterra Performance. It was a strange but fun experience being interviewed, we talk about everything from how I began riding, the origins of the podcast and stepping up to race Elite for 2024. Hopefully, you...

In this episode, I'm joined by Marcus Willday who's Performance Director at TORQ. We have a great discussion about how to best fuel your fun and performance for all types of XC mountain biking. Giving some clear practical advice, chatting through an example race weekend nutrition plan that everyone can learn something from, whether you're a seasoned racer or just getting into the sport. If you hav...

In this episode, I'm joined by the Welsh hitter Ruby James. With success across a range of disciplines, now focusing on racing XC and CX we chat about her story so far and her plans for the future. We have a great conversation and Ruby has loads of good advice for all racers out there having experienced talent development programs, riding just for fun and now balancing full-time work with trai...

Welcome to another episode of the A Line Podcast, the ultimate XC MTB Podcast! In this episode I welcome back Jack from Crank It Cycling, to hear about how Crank It's 2023 season went and what they have planned for 2024. It was really exciting chatting with Jack as he has some fresh and exciting ideas for XC events, from how to include Ebikes to running mini-enduro style events, all aimed to h...

This week's guest is Ciaran King, from Peakin High Performance. Ciaran is a High Performance Coach to a number of successful MTB athletes. Helping them unlock the best version of themselves at races through improving their mental state, this can also benefit other areas of life too as it helps you be the best version of yourself. In addition to his coaching qualifications and experience, Ciaran is...

We've scored an absolute hitter for our first US guest on the show, Chris Mehlman! Sadly we couldn't do this in person, but we still had a great chat about Chris's racing and the XCM discipline. It was awesome to hear how Chris is balancing training and racing the XCM discipline at such a high level alongside his studies and his new job (congrats!) He gives some great insight into priv...

Shaking up the usual format I speak to Sam and Tom Stephenson at the same time to get their take on training and racing together in the XCM discipline. They've come onto the scene since COVID and made a strong impression in the longer discipline, racing at XCM World Champs together and also getting in the mix at numerous stage races. It was great to get to know what makes them both tick as individ...

In this episode, we welcome Max Gibbons from Real Endurance Coaching back to the show to chat everything winter training. It's great to get Max back on the show as he's not only an Elite Racer but also a Coach to a range of athletes. We discuss everything from what the purpose of winter training is, right through to some top tips and common pitfalls, so whether you're new to the sport...

In this episode, I speak to Becky, the person behind the Hope Academy. We discuss how the Academy works/ how it came to be, as well as the children's cycling and how parents can support their racing. This episode is also a good listen for anyone who doesn't have kids as a lot of the principles apply to all racers, or if you are trying to support a family member/ partner in sport. As it certainly m...

We welcome back Amy Henchoz to catch up on her first year racing the Marathon World Cup and having the opportunity to represent GBR at the World Champs. Amy has absolutely smashed it this season, so it is great to hear about how she achieved so much and get some perspectives on racing the inaugural XCM World Cup series. Links to socials ALTERRA Performance Strength and Skills Amy Henchoz TORQ Scot...

This weeks guest is Olly Morris, Olly is a man that wears many hats; MS Mondraker Ride Coach, owner of Pro Ride MTB Coaching and True Race Performance, as well as being a regular on the Downtime podcast for the World Cup Special Episodes. So he certainly knows his stuff when it comes to helping people get the most out of their riding. We have a great chat about the direction that MTB is going, som...

In this episode, I catch up with Bristol based hitter Kerry Jago, as she's had an amazing season and has recently announced plans to step away from the competitive side of the sport. We discuss her story and the incredible year she's had, as well as her future plans. Kerry is a great ambassador for women's sports. We discuss some of the challenges that many girls and women face when continuing to...

In this episode, we dive into the new and exciting world of electric XC mountain bike racing! Rob Williams is a very talented man on most types of bike, so it is really interesting to hear what has led him to the electric side of the sport. It was great to find out more about the different race format and how riders can adopt this discipline to help make themselves more rounded riders. E-Bikes may...

I catch up with Steve McCulley the founder of LIOS Bikes, who are a brand based on the south coast of England creating custom carbon bikes. We talk about how Steve got into bikes and then hear the amazing story of how LIOS came to be. No spoilers but it involves getting blown up and losing a lung?! As well as finding out where the brand came from, we also get Steve's thoughts on the future of the...

In this episode I chat to Simon Wyllie who can turn his hand to most types of bikes, from racing fixed-gear bikes around indoor go-kart tracks through to getting on the podium at XC Nationals. We discuss how and why he races so many disciplines, as well as how doing so can help improve your riding. A core principle of Simon's riding is having fun, so we also find out more about how he manages...