The Gravel Loop

Recent episodes

1. (audio only) Andrew (Lespy) L'Esperance on Racing in the Life Time Grand Prix Gravel racing, MTB, stage racing, and Building His Own Gear from The Gravel Loop

   Jul 7, 20261 hr 28 min

   Andrew L'Esperance is a World Cup XCO racer, the Canadian Marathon MTB National Champion, and has represented Canada at the World Championships nine times across three disciplines. He's a long-time professional cyclist with an engineering background, and has raced gravel at the highest level for several seasons as part of the Life Time Grand Prix, North America's leading off‑road racing series. In 2026, Andrew is a Life Time Grand Prix athlete, competing across the series' marquee gravel and mountain bike events. Lespy's sponsors and pro products that he uses and trusts: - Maxxis: [⁠@maxxisbike⁠] - 3T Bicycles: [⁠@3tbike⁠] - Pearl Izumi: [⁠@pearlizumiofficial⁠] - Rex Wax USA: [⁠@rex_ski_and_bike_usa⁠] - Easton Cycling: [⁠@eastoncycling⁠] - Race Face: [⁠@raceface⁠] - Shimano Gravel: [⁠@shimanogravel⁠] - Shimano MTB: [⁠@shimanomtb] #Gravel #LTGP #LifeTimeGrandPrix #MTB #Maxxis #3TBike #PealIzumi #Shimano

2. Andrew (Lespy) L'Esperance on Racing in the Life Time Grand Prix Gravel, MTB, stage racing, and Building His Own Gear from The Gravel Loop

   Jul 6, 20261 hr 28 min

   Welcome to The Gravel Loop Podcast. Canada's own Andrew L'Esperance, aka Lespy, a professional cyclist racing as a privateer with Maxxis, Pearl Izumi, and 3T Bikes among his sponsors. Andrew is a World Cup XCO racer, a Canadian Marathon MTB National Champion, and someone who's pulled on the maple leaf at the World Championships nine times across three different disciplines. He's been a full time cyclist for a decade, holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and has raced gravel professionally since at least 2022 as part of the Life Time Grand Prix, the premier off road racing series in North America. He is a Lifetime athlete and competing in the Lifetime Grand Prix 2026. A few things you might not know. Andrew started racing at 12 years old in Nova Scotia. He is the youngest of four boys, he is married to cycling Champion Haley Hunter-Smith. He is a strong and multidisciplinary engine and a true engineer by training. He helped design an electronic, hands free chain lube system with Faction Bike Studio and raced it at Unbound. Lespy's sponsors and pro products that he uses and trusts: Maxxis: @maxxisbike 3T Bicycles: @3tbike Pearl Izumi: @pearlizumiofficial Rex Wax USA: @rex_ski_and_bike_usa Easton Cycling: @eastoncycling Race Face: @raceface Shimano Gravel: @shimanogravel Shimano MTB: @shimanomtb

3. From Wildcard to Champion: Unpacking the Journey with Cam Jones from The Gravel Loop

   Feb 28, 202654 min

   Welcome to the Dirt Cam flipped the script on the 2025 cycling season: Cam Jones, the Unbound 200 champion, and the Life Time Grand Prix overall winner - unpacking that journey. Cam went from being off the invite-only Grand Prix roster to tearing the gravel hierarchy and making his own path. We dive into how that journey became his ultimate rocket fuel and how a wildcard entry changed the trajectory of his entire career. The Past Before the massive wins, there was pure chaos. Cam holds nothing back as he shares the story of his career development Crushing Unbound 200 & The Course Record Breakaway We break down that legendary Unbound ride. Cam walks us through his aggressive race strategy, what it took to execute a mind-boggling 150-mile breakaway with Simon Pellaud, and how he managed the dust, the fatigue, and the mind games to cross the line in Emporia with a jaw-dropping course record. Gear Talk: Let the Legs Do the Talking Forget the hyper-obsessive wind tunnel data. Cam talks about his pragmatic approach to equipment testing. It’s a masterclass in proving that at the end of the day, you can’t buy speed - you've just got to work with what you’ve got and pedal harder than the guy next to you. What’s Next for the King of Gravel? With an off-season in the works and getting a moment to breathe, what does 2026 hold for the champ? We talk defending the crown, new targets, and why sometimes, just going with the flow is the ultimate strategy. Cam's Gear: Bicycle & Components SCOTT Sports: @scottsportsusa Silca: @silca_velo Shimano: @shimanomtb @rideshimano @shimanogravel Industry Nine: @industry_nine @i9cyclingteam Schwalbe Tires: @schwalbetires 4iiii Innovations: @4iiiicom Apparel & Accessories Rapha: @rapha @rapha_rcc Julbo Eyewear: @julbo_eyewear Nutrition & Performance Kenetik: @bekenetik Speedon Performance Fuel: @speedon_performance_fuel

4. Mastering Your Metrics: Inside Intervals.icu with David Tinker from The Gravel Loop

   Dec 8, 202549 min

   Intervals.ICU with David Tinker, founder and primary developer Intervals.icu is a Stellar platform to track your metrics, your fitness, whether you are a cyclist or love another sport. Knowledge is power and metrics are important. It is also important to be able to integrate data across different devices such as wearables. In this conversation, David Tinker shares his journey from a software developer to the creator of Intervals.icu , a platform designed for sport analytics. He discusses the importance of user feedback, the integration of AI, and the challenges of maintaining data accuracy. The conversation also touches on the growth of the cycling community, the significance of coaching, and the future of open-source hardware in fitness technology. David emphasizes the platform's commitment to user data accessibility and the ongoing development of features to enhance user experience. Host: @neuroccm (X) @neuroccm (BlueSky) Guest: @david_tinker (X) davidtinker.bsky.social (BlueSky) Instagram: VeloHealthLTD