The OTB Podcast

The 2024 Whaka100 is in the bag and as you would expect, it didn't go smoothly for the boys. Who finished? Who didn't? Who cramped first? All in all though, another great event and as always, it didn't take long for everyone to decide they would be back again in 2025! If you enjoy the OTB Podcast and would like to support, please consider joining us on Patreon and help keep the podcast alive. This...

Post race interviews from the Whaka 100, straight from the finish line featuring (in order): Craig Oliver Ben Oliver Matt Wilson Sammie Maxwell Jesse Cseh Jon Odams Katy Winton Gav MyRide Welly McCarthy Lester Perry

The Whaka 100 is just a few days away so the boys get together to discuss how the preparation is going, weather chat, tyre choices, fueling (aka. how many gels will KB consume), nang chat and more. Excuse some of the dodgy audio, its worth pushing through! If you enjoy the OTB Podcast and would like to support, please consider joining us on Patreon and help keep the podcast alive. This isn't even...

Conor Macfarlane joins us this week, fresh off the plane from Red Bull Rampage where he was digging for Tom Isted. We dive into Conor's history at the event both competing and digging, how lines are chosen, the gruelling schedule of 12 hour days on the mountain and of course it wouldn't be complete without discussing the judging! If you enjoy the OTB Podcast and would like to support, please consi...

This week I'm joined by Sean 'Griz' McClendon, a veteran of the downhill scene in the USA and current commentator of the Pro Downhill Series - We catch up to talk about why the sport needs a strong series in the USA and what this could potentially do for the racers who are trying to make it as a professional. The downhill talent in the US is maybe at all time high and now is the chance for the Pro...

We're a day late and a buck short but we've finally managed to get our Mt Sainte Anne World Cup DH final recap together and man what a race! The story lines from Lachie Stevens-Mcnabb being a whisker off the win, to Erice van Leuven wrapping up an incredible junior career with another win, but ultimately it was the GOAT retiring that stole the show - can you believe Greg Minnaar actually just race...

This week, we’re joined by none other than Sam Hill himself! A man who needs no introduction, Sam boasts an unparalleled career with five Downhill World Championships, two World Cup Downhill titles, and three Enduro World Series titles, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest in the sport. Sam joins us to discuss what he’s been up to in 2024, including his new business venture, Sam Hill Sign...

Katy Winton joins us in the hot seat this week to talk all things bikes! Katy is an absolute ripper on a bike and has just migrated back to NZ for the foreseeable future, first up on the hit list for her is the Whaka 100 in Rotorua!

Merch, team rumours, LOI's, RFP's, ROI's, LOL's and more. Join the boys as we dive into the Loudenvielle World Cup Downhill, who would most likely be a drug dealer on track walk, team rumours for 2025 and more!

The World Downhill Championships are done and dusted (literally) and that had to be one of the tightest battles for the title ever! The Kiwi juniors were absolutely flying once again with back to back golds for Erice Van Leuven, a bronze for Sascha Earnest and a host of other solid results. Join Kieran Bennett, James Rennie, Lester Perry and Chris Vanderkolk as we break down all things World Champ...

The prodigal son, friend of the show, former Downhill World Champion, Cam Cole returns! KB, Red Dog and Chris are joined by Cam to talk about a bit of everything and then eventually get on to the topic of World Champs that is happening this weekend. As always, Cam is full of excellent insights into the sport!

Wyn Masters joins us this week to talk all things cycling, from how the current World Cup Downhill season is going, the logistics of running his own team, his privateer award, 2025 rumours, the Tour de France and some classic yarns from the mid 2000's of course! Wyn has seen and done it all, this isn't one to be missed!

In our latest episode we get to know co-host Christ Vanderkolk, with KB, Red Dog and Lester putting him in the hot seat to find out how he got into riding and his peak as a 4x specialist. Full of yarns, tangents and all of the usual entertainment!

The Les Gets World Cup was another one for the history books, from ice rink conditions, to Greg Minnaar nearly winning and Amaury Pierron putting in another absolutely storming victory, it had plenty of excitement. Join Kieran Bennett, James Rennie, Lester Perry and Chris Vanderkolk as we break down all things Les Gets, plus plenty of tangents as per usual!

Lachie Stevens McNab grabs himself an elite World Cup Downhill podium at Leogang, Ellie Hulsebosch takes the fastest time of the day in the women’s field and Erice and Sacha complete a Kiwi junior podium lockout at Val Di Sole, the future is now with Kiwi talent! Join us as we discuss all things Leogang and Val Di Sole World cups, along side the ever present tangents we find ourselves on!

Lachie Stevens McNab and Ellie Hulsebosch join us this week for a catch up on the start of their season and their epic performances at the Bielsko-Biala Downhill World Cup. Also joining us is the man behind the Union Joe Bowman to tell us all about how and why the team started along with the ins and outs of managing a World Cup race team!

The boys are back and Bielsko-Biala sure did turn on an epic race, a new venue, mixed conditions and a rise of the kiwis!

The winner of round two of the EDR series and now current points leader Charlie Murray joins us to catch up on his incredible weekend in Poland!

The World Cup season has started and we are back! Better late than never, we finally managed to get the crew back together to break down all things Fort William; electronic suspension, horrendous kits, race chassis’s, speed suits, 75mm rise handle bars and more!

This week we've got Blenki back in the hot seat with KB and Lester to talk about his new deal with Zerode, how the new bike is going for him, Hardline and plans for 2024 and beyond. As always its an extremely insightful chat with a legend of not only NZ downhill but a legend of the World Cup scene too.

KB, Red Dog, Lester and Chris are back and just when we thought the mountain bike world was a bit quiet, the slopestyle riders at crankworx decide to form a union and stage a walk out! Throw in some Sam Hill rumours, Whaka 100 news and the usual tangents we head off on and its a banger of an episode! Brought to you by: www.troyleedesigns.co.nz www.smothoptics.co.nz www.filthy.net.nz

In this episode of Rewatchables we dive into the iconic New Zealand downhill movie Pusher - KB, Red Dog, Lester and Chris are joined by Byron Scott who co produced the movie to talk about how it came about and dive into stories of the 2005 New Zealand National Downhill Mountain Bike Series. Sit back and enjoy some great stories, or if you want to watch the movie and listen we have that up over on...

The boys are back to discuss what went down at the New Zealand National Mountain Bike Championships at Coronet Peak in Queenstown, national jersey controversy, how did the 26" bikes fare, where did KB lose time and much more! Hosted by Kieran Bennett and James Rennie with Lester Perry and Chris Vanderkolk. Video version available on Youtube.com/@theotbpodcast

We catch up with Ellie Hulsebosch, Tuhoto Ariki Pene, Louis Hamilton, Toby Meek, Oisin O’Callaghan, Lachie Stevens McNabb, Thibaut Ruffin, Benoit Coulanges and Jess Blewitt.

Sam Blenkinsop, Toby Meek and Lachie Stevens-McNabb on how their weekend went down in Christchurch at the Christchurch Adventure Park.