Weronika Szalas spent the summer bikepacking through Mongolia, China, and Kyrgyzstan, embracing slow travel and all the detours that came with it. This week, she shares the stories of her adventures through Central Asia and how she has leaned more and more into slow travel.

Sports dietitian Uri Carlson breaks down what it really takes to fuel well for endurance riding, from daily habits to multi-day bikepacking nutrition. We dig into gut training, protein needs, hydration, and how to make smart choices when you're deep into long days in the saddle.

Artist and bikepack racer Quinda Verheul set out to take on the Triple Crown of bikepacking: the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail, and Arizona Trail Race. But, the year unfolded differently than she imagined. In this episode, she opens up about the pressure to keep proving yourself, the vulnerability of letting go, and the freedom that comes from redefining what success looks like on your own terms.

After winning the Atlas Mountain Race, Marei Moldenhauer’s year took an unexpected turn when a skiing accident left her with a broken leg. In this episode, she reflects on rebuilding from the ground up—navigating recovery, resetting goals, and finding new ways to measure progress.

When Roz Osborne signed up for the Silk Road Mountain Race, her goal was simple — to prove her son wrong. In this episode of Detours, Roz shares what it was like to take on one of the world’s toughest bikepacking races as a mum, balancing training, family, and the realities of ultra-endurance cycling. It’s a story about self-belief, guilt, pride, and finding freedom on two wheels.

Chris Burkard is no stranger to grand adventures. But the Silk Road Mountain Race remained an elusive someday ride, shadowed by imposter syndrome, questioning if he really belonged on the startline. This year he took the leap, training with new focus and deep respect for the mountains.

This episode is a celebration of the women racing the 2025 Silk Road Mountain Race.

The Tour Divide is a ride so many dream about—and this year, Jake finally said yes. In this episode, he and Mel unpack what it meant to chase that dream and everything that he experienced over his 16 days on the Tour Divide.

Rachel Wills has lined up for Unbound XL five times—drawn back each year by the challenge, the landscape, and the chance to learn something new about herself. In this episode, she reflects on the ritual of returning to Emporia, Kansas year aver year.

The pathway into bikepacking isn’t always straightforward—and even with endless routes and resources online, it can still be hard to know where to begin or how to find your people. That’s where Bikepacking Roots comes in: a nonprofit working to make bikepacking more inclusive, accessible, and community-driven.

The summer racing season in the world of ultra and bikepacking is in full swing! In this episode, I’m catching you up on what’s been happening and what's ahead. From surprising Jake at the finish of the Tour Divide (yes, I cried... so much crying!) to managing media at Hellenic, it’s been a full few weeks. I share women's racing highlights from this season so far, including Tour Divide, Highland Trail 550, Hellenic Mountain Race, Kromvojoj, El Piri, and the Trans Balkans Race. I also look ahead to what’s coming next: Bright Midnight, Transcontinental Race where nearly 100 women(!!!) will be lining up this year. and of course, the Silk Road Mountain Race. Even though I won’t be racing this year, I’m excited to return to Kyrgyzstan for a third time and be back in the ultra bubble with the media crew. And inevitably, I’ve missed some races—so if there’s a standout story you think should be featured, I’m all ears.Plus, I want to hear from you. If you’ve been on an overnighter, a big summer ride, or a bikepacking trip you’re proud of, send me a voice note to thedetourspodcast@gmail.com I’d love to feature your stories on the show and celebrate adventures big and small.Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cyclingIf you love this show please consider pledging your support to sustain producing this show: https://buymeacoffee.com/detourspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Bateup is no stranger to going full send into the deep end. Whether it's tossing her bike across a flooded river or screaming into the Scottish mountains during a low moment, she’s all in. Just a couple of years into ultra racing, Emma already has a resume that includes wins in the women's race at Tour te Waipounamu, a fourth overall at the Great Southern Brevet, and now a breakout performance at the 2024 Highland Trail 550—where she won the women’s race and placed 7th overall.In this episode, Emma shares the story behind that ride, from chasing records to losing her multi-tool in a creek and navigating Scotland’s notorious river crossings. We talk about fuelling mistakes (pro tip: never skip a resupply), what happened when her chafing hit code red, and how close competition can unlock your best performance, even if your rival’s rain jacket is way too easy to spot.We also get into her journey into bikepacking, how ultra racing compares to enduro and XC racing, and why she thinks crying is a superpower. Emma’s energy is contagious, and this conversation is full of laughs, honest reflections, and the kind of type-two stories that make you want to grab your bike and go.Topics include:Emma’s 2024 Highland Trail 550 win (and the chaos along the way)Racing head-to-head with Kerry MacPheeRiver crossings, hail storms, and a tragic lost multi-toolHer first ultra at Tour Te Waipounamu and what she’s learned sinceThe trade-offs of ambition, joy, and full-time racingCoaching kids, racing XC, and what’s nextFollow Emma's adventures on Instagram: @em_b8upFollow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've been getting loads of questions as this year's Tour Divide is underway – who is Nathalie Baillon? After leading for the first 4 days of the race, she suffered a major mechanical just after Fleecer Ridge, forcing her to return to Butte and get a new wheel. Back on the road, she's chasing hard to catch Lael Wilcox. Both women are ahead of Lael's record pace, and gunning to be the first woman to reach Antelope Wells. Originally released in March 2024, in this episode Nathalie shares about her entry into the world of ultra-racing and offers a deep dive on her mindset as a racer. She has quite an impressive resume, including joint first woman at Silk Road Mountain Race in August 2023, the fastest woman to ride across Europe, second woman at Atlas Mountain Race 2024 and more. I hope you'll join me in cheering her (and the rest of the Tour Divide racers) on. Watch the dots hereFollow Nathalie's on Instagram: @nathalie_baillonFollow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebbFollow Detours on Instagram: @detourscyclingFollow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.