Beyond the Peloton Podcast

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz review the 2027 Tour de France route, debate the merits of climbing bikes, and discuss their plans to take over the budding sprint gravel scene in 2027. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get In-Depth Off-Season Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Interested in sponsoring the show? Send an inquiry to: Spencermartinwriting@gmail.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss allegations of a toxic workplace at the Picnic–PostNL team, Team USA’s flop at the track World Championships, and whether 2027 will be Paul Seixas's year. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get In-Depth Off-Season Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the final major race of the 2026 season, Il Lombardia, the upcoming gravel calendar, whether Giulio Ciccone got robbed at European Champs, and, most importantly, how to dress when meeting a former president. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get an In-Depth Post-Lombardia Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s BTP Podcast, co-host Andrew Vontz and I welcome Riding With’s Jonathan Kaplan on the show to go over a few lingering thoughts from the 2026 World Championships in Montreal and turn to a major question hanging over the industry right now: what exactly is going on at Rapha? The brand that defined fashion-forward cycling apparel for over two decades is in the middle of an executive reshuffle after years of heavy losses, so we dig into how Rapha got here, whether it can compete in the new era of ultra-premium cycling clothing, what the ideal path forward looks like for one of the sport’s most iconic names, and if there is actually a way out of its current decline, or whether the Rapha we knew is already gone. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz break down Brandon McNulty’s incredible and unexpected win at the 2026 World Championships in Montreal, how the race was won by an underdog USA team, and what it means for McNulty’s place on his UAE team and US cycling going forward. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get an In-Depth Post-Worlds Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the upcoming World Championships in Montreal, how the race will play out, and who will claim the undefended rainbow jersey with Tadej Pogačar sidelined by injuries from the Vuelta. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get an In-Depth Post-Worlds Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz debate whether MTB & CX have a “problem,” Sepp Kuss’ impressive final weekend in the Vuelta, and the controversy around the USA Men’s team selections for the World Championships next weekend in Montreal. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss Enric Mas’ chances of winning the ongoing Vuelta a España, what to make of Matthew Brennan’s breakout performance at this race, and Wout van Aert’s return to form. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the action at the ongoing Vuelta a España, including Enric Mas’ incredible ride to chase down Tadej Pogačar, and Uno-X’s incredible hit rate with stage wins at Grand Tours. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz give their thoughts on Quinn Simmons’ performance at the 2026 Leadville 100 MTB race and discuss the upcoming Vuelta a España, which sees Tadej Pogačar return to the scene of his first career Grand Tour in an attempt to collect every three-week title in the sport. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Vuelta Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz give their belated final thoughts on the 2026 Tour de France, including Tadej Pogačar’s record ascent of Alpe d’Huez, what the sport needs to change about the iconic climb, their personal highlights from the race, and where Jonas Vingegaard and Visma go from here. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the final week of the Tour de France, including Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard’s midnight anti-doping tests, Vingegaard crashing out of the race, and if Remco Evenepoel can hold on to second place overall. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the second week of the Tour de France, including what to make of Tadej Pogačar and UAE’s decision to pace hard on non-GC days, and how to interpret the GC picture behind them. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin, author of the Beyond the Peloton newsletter, and co-host Andrew Vontz discuss the opening few stages of the Tour de France, including Tadej Pogačar and UAE’s early dominance, and how his GC rivals can hope to challenge him. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

The Tour de France is the biggest race on the calendar, so my co-host, Andrew Vontz, and I called in reinforcements by sitting down with Jonathan Kaplan of the Riding With newsletter to break down the route, storylines, and the race's dynamics. Even if it is looking like yet another race where everyone will be hopelessly chasing Tadej Pogačar and UAE, we think there is plenty going on outside the race for the overall win to keep things interesting. We dig into what his rivals’ strategies should be and whether Lidl-Trek is cruising toward a too-many-cooks disaster or using a clever chaos-theory approach, which may be the only viable option against Pogačar and the UAE juggernaut. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Read Jonathan’s Riding With Newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss Tadej Pogačar’s blowout win at the recent Tour de Suisse, wonder whether anyone can challenge him at the Tour de France, or whether he and his UAE team have simply hacked cycling. They also break down the US Road National Championships, talking about Quinn Simmons’ back-to-back win, and former World Mountain bike champion Kate Courtney shocking the field with a win despite having almost no experience on the road. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Tour de France Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss Spencer’s trip to Ruben Van Gucht and Tom Boonen’s Wattage Festival in Belgium, before breaking down the Giro d’Italia and giving their unfiltered thoughts on Unbound Gravel, and why Keegan Swenson gave Mads Würtz his wheel. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss the third week of the Giro d’Italia and chat about the upcoming Unbound Gravel event, and how far things have come from the early Dan Hughes-dominated days. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss and debate whether the Giro d’Italia is still a top-tier race or due for a revamp, and break down who will win and what they expect to happen over the final week. They also go through the evolution of gravel racing and whether the discipline has drifted too far from its original form. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz discuss the ongoing Giro d’Italia, debating whether the race has successfully designed an interesting modern course and, most importantly, whether it is providing a safe racing environment for the riders and teams. They also discuss the GC situation thus far, and check in on Jonas Vingegaard’s assumed GC victory, which has already run into more resistance than anticipated thanks to Decathlon’s Felix Gall. Follow Andrew’s path to beating cancer here BTP Newsletter: Get Daily Giro Breakdowns ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Andrew’s Choose the Hard Way Podcast Follow Spencer & Andrew on Strava This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe