The Stable Cyclist

Svenja Betz joins the Stable Cyclist Podcast after winning one of the most brutal editions of Unbound XL ever. What was supposed to be a 350-mile gravel race turned into an all-night survival battle through mud, lightning storms, headwinds, and nearly 6 hours of walking while carrying her bike across Kansas.
In this episode, Svenja shares the full story behind winning her 2nd Unbound XL title, traveling to America alone from Germany, managing nutrition and mental fatigue during ultra-endurance racing, and how resilience from everyday life helped her survive one of the hardest gravel races imaginable. We also dive into Badlands, ultra cycling strategy, unsupported racing, gas station stops, race psychology, and the emotional experience of crossing the finish line after nearly 30 hours of suffering. If you love gravel racing, ultra cycling, endurance sports, or stories about pushing through impossible situations, this is one you don’t want to miss.
If you’d like to ask JP a question for an upcoming Ask JP Anything episode, send him a DM on instagram @thestablecyclist or send an email to thestablecyclist@gmail.com
The companies supporting JP and this channel: Maplelag Resort - https://www.maplelag.com/ Ignition Coach Co. - https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ Use code StableCyclist100 Gulo Composites - https://gulocomposites.com/ SILCA - https://silca.cc/discount/thestablecyclistpod or use the code is "StableSilca15" Flow Formulas - https://flowformulas.com/discount/JOHNPETER15 Owl City Cycles - https://www.owlcitycycles.com The Black Bibs - https://amzn.to/3XRlMtm Dawn to Dusk - https://amzn.to/48zKi8p Some of the above are affiliate links, but all are personally vetted and recommended Mental Health Advocacy - Go4Graham - https://www.go4graham.org/ Resources: 988 Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/ International Bipolar Foundation: https://ibpf.org/ National Association for Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
#UnboundXL #UnboundGravel #theStableCyclist

Deanna Mayles joins the Stable Cyclist Podcast to talk about her rapid rise through the mountain bike and gravel racing world, from casually riding trails in Tucson to racing the Lifetime Grand Prix, World Cups, and some of the biggest endurance events in the sport. We dive into what it was like going from complete unknown to lining up against the best riders in North America, how pressure slowly sucked the joy out of racing, and why she ultimately stepped away from chasing the Grand Prix full-time.
This conversation also explores life inside the bike industry as an engineer at SRAM, mentorship, impostor syndrome, balancing competition with fulfillment, and rediscovering fun through mountain biking, adventure, and friendships in the sport. Deanna shares stories from Sea Otter, Leadville, Cheq 40, Breck Epic, and even racing a World Cup in Val di Sole after only doing her second XCO race ever. This is one of the most honest conversations yet about ambition, burnout, identity, and finding your place in cycling.
If you’d like to ask JP a question for an upcoming Ask JP Anything episode, send him a DM on instagram @thestablecyclist or send an email to thestablecyclist@gmail.com
The companies supporting JP and this channel:
Maplelag Resort - https://www.maplelag.com/
Ignition Coach Co. - https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ Use code StableCyclist100
Gulo Composites - https://gulocomposites.com/
SILCA - https://silca.cc/discount/thestablecyclistpod
or use the code is "StableSilca15"
Flow Formulas - https://flowformulas.com/discount/JOHNPETER15
Owl City Cycles - https://www.owlcitycycles.com
The Black Bibs - https://amzn.to/3XRlMtm
Dawn to Dusk - https://amzn.to/48zKi8p
Some of the above are affiliate links, but all are personally vetted and recommended
Mental Health Advocacy - Go4Graham - https://www.go4graham.org/
Resources: 988 Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
International Bipolar Foundation: https://ibpf.org/
National Association for Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
#thestablecyclistpodcast #LifetimeGrandPrix #SRAM

Hayden Christian burst onto the gravel scene after his breakout ride at Unbound 100, but the full story goes much deeper than one race result. In this conversation, Hayden opens up about growing up in motocross, finding mountain biking and gravel racing, and what it’s really like chasing a pro cycling career while living in a van and training full-time.
We talk about the pressure of trying to make it in the sport, the moment he nearly walked away from racing, and the Trek contract that changed everything. We also dive into Unbound, the Lifetime Grand Prix, BWR, training, racing mentality, and the realities of life on the road as a young privateer athlete.
If you’d like to ask JP a question for an upcoming Ask JP Anything episode, send him a DM on instagram @thestablecyclist or send an email to thestablecyclist@gmail.com
The companies supporting JP and this channel:
Maplelag Resort - https://www.maplelag.com/
Ignition Coach Co. - https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ Use code StableCyclist100
Gulo Composites - https://gulocomposites.com/
SILCA - https://silca.cc/discount/thestablecyclistpod or use the code is "StableSilca15"
Flow Formulas - https://flowformulas.com/discount/JOHNPETER15
Wahoo Fitness - https://amzn.to/48RUSqe
Owl City Cycles - https://www.owlcitycycles.com
The Black Bibs - https://amzn.to/3XRlMtm
Dawn to Dusk - https://amzn.to/48zKi8p
Some of the above are affiliate links, but all are personally vetted and recommended
Mental Health Advocacy - Go4Graham - https://www.go4graham.org/
Resources: 988 Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
International Bipolar Foundation: https://ibpf.org/
National Association for Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
#gravelcycling #unboundgravel #cyclingpodcast

Former pro cyclist and researcher Dr. Traci Carson joins the Stable Cyclist Podcast to talk about strength training, performance, longevity, cycling culture, and the biggest misconceptions endurance athletes still believe.
We dive into:
Why cyclists should lift weights
Strength training for endurance athletes
Muscle mass and long-term health
The culture of cycling and body image
Recovering from RED-S and disordered eating
Why many athletes underfuel without realizing it
How strength training improves performance and resilience
Dr. Traci Carson raced professionally with LA Sweat and now works in healthcare research focused on athlete health and performance.
If you’re a cyclist looking to ride stronger, stay healthy longer, and rethink how you train, this episode is for you.
 
If you’d like to ask JP a question for an upcoming Ask JP Anything episode, send him a DM on instagram @thestablecyclist or send an email to thestablecyclist@gmail.com
The companies supporting JP and this channel:
Maplelag Resort - https://www.maplelag.com/
Ignition Coach Co. - https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ Use code StableCyclist100
Gulo Composites - https://gulocomposites.com/
SILCA - https://silca.cc/discount/thestablecyclistpod or use the code is "StableSilca15"
Flow Formulas - https://flowformulas.com/discount/JOHNPETER15
Wahoo Fitness - https://amzn.to/48RUSqe
Owl City Cycles - https://www.owlcitycycles.com
The Black Bibs - https://amzn.to/3XRlMtm
Dawn to Dusk - https://amzn.to/48zKi8p
Some of the above are affiliate links, but all are personally vetted and recommended
Mental Health Advocacy - Go4Graham - https://www.go4graham.org/ Resources: 988 Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
International Bipolar Foundation: https://ibpf.org/
National Association for Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
 

Avery Stumm is best known for his work filming pro cyclist Alexey Vermeulen, documenting life inside the world of elite gravel racing, but Avery Stumm didn’t plan to build a career filming pro cyclists… He just sent a DM.
In this episode, we sit down with Avery to unpack what it really takes to work in cycling media; from shooting BMX as a kid to building a full-scale creative partnership in the pro peloton.
This is one of the most honest conversations about the behind-the-scenes of cycling content and the creative industry. 🎧 Listen if you're a creator, cyclist, or just curious how this world really works. 

After two serious crashes, Cynthia Carson wasn’t sure she’d ever race the same again.
In this episode, we dive into the reality of ultra endurance racing — the physical toll, the mental battles, and what it takes to come back when everything goes wrong.
From Unbound XL to the Traka to the Transcontinental, this is more than racing… it’s about resilience.
🎬 Watch Cynthia’s film: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20fPWRPT0Aw&t=2425s
Thumbnail photo credit: Sebastian Samek
https://silca.cc/discount/thestablecyclistpod
 or use the code is "StableSilca15"
If you’d like to ask JP a question for an upcoming Ask JP Anything episode, send him a DM on instagram @thestablecyclist or send an email to thestablecyclist@gmail.com
The companies supporting JP and this channel:
Maplelag Resort - https://www.maplelag.com/
Wark's Cycling Services - https://www.warkscyclingservices.com/
Ignition Coach Co. - https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/  Use code StableCyclist100
Gulo Composites - https://gulocomposites.com/
Flow Formulas - https://flowformulas.com/discount/JOHNPETER15
Wahoo Fitness - https://amzn.to/48RUSqe
Owl City Cycles - https://www.owlcitycycles.com
The Black Bibs - https://amzn.to/3XRlMtm
Dawn to Dusk - https://amzn.to/48zKi8p
Some of the above are affiliate links, but all are personally vetted and recommended
 
Mental Health Advocacy - Go4Graham - https://www.go4graham.org/
Resources: 988 Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
International Bipolar Foundation: https://ibpf.org/
National Association for Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/

What does it take to tell a story you can’t see?
In this 100th episode of The Stable Cyclist Podcast, co-directors John Peter and Aaron Haugen break down the making of “MAAH DAAH HEY: BACK TO THE START” — a documentary about rebuilding life after a bipolar diagnosis. From filming a remote endurance race to trying to visualize mental illness on screen, this project pushed every limit we had — creatively, physically, and personally. We answer questions from the community and go deep into: - How the film came together over multiple years - The biggest challenges in telling a mental health story visually - What got left on the cutting room floor - The reality of filming in extreme conditions - And what this story means now that it’s complete This is more than a behind-the-scenes episode — it’s the real story behind the story.
🎬 Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/vUt6Y-fNvIA?si=0KfxVnhvUwSLQ1TR 🎥
Full film premieres April 3rd at 6:00 PM
https://silca.cc/discount/thestablecyclistpod or use the code is "StableSilca15"
If you’d like to ask JP a question for an upcoming Ask JP Anything episode, send him a DM on instagram @thestablecyclist or send an email to thestablecyclist@gmail.com
The companies supporting JP and this channel:
Maplelag Resort - https://www.maplelag.com/
Wark's Cycling Services - https://www.warkscyclingservices.com/
Ignition Coach Co. - https://www.ignitioncoachco.com/ Use code StableCyclist100
Gulo Composites - https://gulocomposites.com/
Flow Formulas - https://flowformulas.com/discount/JOHNPETER15
Wahoo Fitness - https://amzn.to/48RUSqe
Owl City Cycles - https://www.owlcitycycles.com
The Black Bibs - https://amzn.to/3XRlMtm
Dawn to Dusk - https://amzn.to/48zKi8p
Some of the above are affiliate links, but all are personally vetted and recommended
Mental Health Advocacy - Go4Graham - https://www.go4graham.org/
Resources: 988 Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
International Bipolar Foundation: https://ibpf.org/
National Association for Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/
 

After 8 days of racing, crashes, mechanicals, and everything in between… they made it.
Jenna Rinehart and Leah Van der Linden crossed the finish line of the Absa Cape Epic — one of the hardest stage races in the world — and this is the story of their final day.
Stage 7 was no victory lap. A brutal climb, technical singletrack, and completely empty legs forced them to dig deeper one last time. But this time, it wasn’t about results — it was about finishing.
In this episode, we break down:• The reality of the final stage (it’s not easy)• Racing on completely empty legs• The emotion of crossing the finish line together• What they learned about partnership, resilience, and themselves
They finished 7th overall in the GC — but the real win was making it to the line.

Stage 6 of the Cape Epic brought more chaos for Jenna Rinehart and Leah Van der Linden. After a late-night bike issue left Leah’s setup questionable heading into the start, the day quickly unraveled with a puncture, a crash, and time lost early in the stage.
Despite the setbacks, the pair fought their way back through the field, navigating tight singletrack, technical descents, and the challenges of racing blind on unfamiliar terrain. The day ended with frustration after a wrong turn in the final kilometers cost them valuable time.
In this episode, JP, Jenna, and Leah break down the mechanical issues, the mental battle of chasing from behind, and the emotional swings that come with racing a multi-day event like the Cape Epic. They also reflect on the role of their support crew and what it takes behind the scenes just to make it to the start line each day.
With one stage to go, the focus shifts to finishing strong.

Stage 5 of the Cape Epic is known as the Queen Stage, and it delivered in a big way. Jenna Rinehart and Leah Van der Linden break down one of the toughest days of the race, with massive climbing, fatigue setting in, and the cumulative toll of multiple stages starting to show.
In this episode, JP, Jenna, and Leah recap how the day unfolded, what made this stage so challenging, and how they managed their effort through one of the most demanding profiles of the week. They also share what it feels like deep into a stage race like Cape Epic, where every decision matters and every pedal stroke counts.
Another raw, inside look at the women’s race during one of the hardest mountain bike stage races in the world.