This week, we look ahead and back, blending a crucial look at the upcoming LTGP season with a retrospective on the key storylines of 2025. The episode kicks off with a quick announcement of the All Gravel Awards nominees. Vote on the awards here [https://escapecollective.com/who-is-gravels-mvp-in-2025-vote-on-the-2025-all-gravel-awards-now/] until December 10th.

First up, Morgan Aguirre joins us to discuss her entry into the Life Time Grand Prix (LTGP) next season. Then, HSOG (Holy Spirit of Gravel) returns for a deep dive into the 2025 season's most captivating storylines, from the rise of the women's field to the explosion of live race coverage.

🎙️ Time Stamps & Chapters:

 * [00:00:00] All Gravel Awards Nominee Announcement
 * [00:07:40] Morgan Aguirre: The Road to the Life Time Grand Prix
 * [01:03:35] HSOG: The Women World Beaters & The Culture of Gravel

🗺️ Morgan Aguirre: The Road to the Life Time Grand Prix

Morgan, an American pro based in Girona, Spain, discusses the mental and logistical leap required to join the LTGP.

 * Girona to Kansas: Morgan details the logistics involved in tackling the LTGP as a rider living in Europe and gives an insight into her plan.
 * Altitude is Non-Negotiable: Virtually 100% of LTGP contenders now dedicate a training block to altitude before Leadville, and Morgan talks about her own altitude training plans.
 * Priorities & Trade-Offs: As a LTGP participant, structuring your season accordingly is very important. Morgan shares how she approaches the next season both in terms of training and mindset.

💥 HSOG: The 2025 Gravel Season Storylines

HSOG and Thomas decompress six weeks after the final whistle, identifying the key trends that defined the year.

 * Women World Beaters: From Karolina Migon’s early-season dominance, to Rosa’s Reign and Sofia’s Bentonville Double, 2025 gave us a few stretches marked by dominant performances.
 * The Year of the Streams: 2025 marked the true arrival of professional live-streaming, giving fans unprecedented access to the sport.
 * Culture & The Gravel State of Mind: What is “the culture” and (why) does it matter?

👋 Featured in this Episode:

 * Morgan Aguirre: Professional gravel racer living in Girona. Follow Morgan on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/morgan_aguirre/].
 * Holy Spirit of Gravel: Instagram meme account [https://www.instagram.com/holyspiritofgravel/] and host of the HSOG podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/22mkZmUnBRhzqfhcFvjxD4?si=acbcfbc6a1524b4f].
 * Thomas Euler: Host of the Gracing Podcast and author of The Gravel Stack [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]Newsletter. Follow Thomas on the socials [https://linktr.ee/thegravelstack].

Morgan Aguirre's LTGP Journey and Closing the 2025 Gravel Season with HSOG 

In this special, candid roundtable conversation, Thomas is joined by UCI Gravel World Series Manager Erwin Vervecken of the Golazo Group, alongside pro gravel racers Rosa Klöser and Paul Voss.

The conversation addresses critical feedback and discusses the future vision for the UCI Gravel World Series (UGWS). It covers everything from the philosophy behind the races to the need for improvements in safety and fairness for the women's elite field.

📖 Chapters:

 * [00:00:00] Rosa, Paul, and Thomas talk about their expectations
 * [00:04:00] Erwin joins for the roundtable conversation with Rosa, Paul and Thomas
 * [01:51:20] Paul and Thomas discuss their takeaways from the conversation

🎙️ Discussion Points:

 * UGWS Philosophy & Growth: We learn why the UGWS team focused on races lasting 4-6 hours from the get-go, why they grew to 45 races next season, and what the optimal size would be.
 * Safety: We talk through the safety challenges that exist in gravel and how the UGWS tries to address those.
 * The "Too Fast" Problem: Did the sport's rapid growth outpace the ability of organizers and safety protocols to keep up?
 * Women’s Pro Racing in the UGWS: How can the safety and fairness issues caused by mixed starts or minimal time gaps be solved?
 * UGWS Coverage: Does the series have a coverage problem and what measures can improve its visibility? Will gravel races in 2026 be on TV?

👋 Featured in this Episode:

 * Erwin Vervecken: Manager of the UCI Gravel World Series at Golazo Group. Follow Erwin on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/erwinvervecken/]
 * Rosa Klöser: German Gravel Champion, 2024 Unbound winner, and Women’s WT pro. Follow Rosa on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rosaklsr/].
 * Paul Voss: German Gravel Champion, Host of the Autsaid podcast. Follow Paul on Instagram. [https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/]
 * Thomas Euler: Host of the Gracing Podcast and author of The Gravel Stack [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]Newsletter. Follow Thomas on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thegravelstack]

The Future of the UCI Gravel World Series with Erwin Vervecken, Rosa Klöser & Paul Voss

In dieser Folge spricht Paul Voß mit Luis Neff, Mitgründer des Rose Racing Circle, über die geschäftliche Seite des modernen Gravel-Sports.
Während sportliche Themen wie Rennkalender und Highlights nicht zu kurz kommen, liegt der Schwerpunkt dieser Episode auf den Business-Mechaniken hinter einem der derzeit spannendsten Projekte im deutschsprachigen Radsport.

Luis erklärt, wie aus einer Idee ein funktionierendes Unternehmen wurde – mit Angestellten, Sponsoren, Budgetplanung, Teamentwicklung und Jahreszielen. Sie sprechen darüber, wie man Professionalität wahrt, ohne Authentizität zu verlieren, welche Herausforderungen der rasant wachsende Gravel-Markt mit sich bringt, und warum die Zukunft des Sports mehr Struktur, mehr Teamdenken und mehr Wirtschaftlichkeit braucht.

👉 Jetzt reinhören und keine Folge mehr verpassen – abonniere den Autsaid Podcast überall, wo es Podcasts gibt!

Paul auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/

Luis auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/luis_neff/

Wie man ein Gravel-Business aufbaut – Teamstruktur, Wachstum & Realität mit Luis Neff

John Peter aka The Stable Cyclist joins Thomas to discuss their All Gravel Awards ballots! With the newly formed expert voting panel assembled for the All Gravel Awards 2025, Thomas and JP put their own (preliminary) ballots on the table to discuss the biggest performances, surprises, and teams of the season.

The conversation covers all the awards, from Most Valuable Rider, Most Impressive Performance, Best Race, to Best Team.

⌚ Time Stamps & Chapters:

 * [00:00:00] Intro: A brief update on writing for Escape Collective and some recent pieces Thomas published there.
 * [00:06:44] All Gravel Awards Ballots with Stable Cyclist JP: The discussion of the awards begins.

🎙️ Discussion Points:

 * The Keegan Rumor: Thomas provides a personal update on his article about the rumored Keegan Swenson to Specialized transfer, explaining why he wrote about it. Read the article here [https://escapecollective.com/keegan-swenson-to-specialized-and-the-dawn-of-the-true-gravel-team-era/].
 * The All Gravel Awards: JP and Thomas go through their ballots and discuss who they considered for each award and who they ended up voting for.

👋 Featured in this Episode:

 * JP (John Peter): Host of The Stable Cyclist Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@thestablecyclist]. Follow JP on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thestablecyclist/].

Thomas Euler: Host of the Gracing Podcast and author of the The Gravel Stack Newsletter [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]. Follow Thomas on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thegravelstack].

Gracing Podcast: All Gravel Awards Ballots with The Stable Cyclist John Peter

Thomas is joined by professional cyclist and avid writer Joe Laverick to discuss the state of bike racing and Joe's ambitious plan to launch a new multi-discipline racing team. The conversation explores the changing economics of the sport, why teams will become essential in gravel, and the long-term sustainability of the racing ecosystem.

Joe offers his perspective on the shift from the "Privateer Era" to the "Team Era," drawing parallels between his team concept and successful cultural projects like the UniBet Rose Rockets.

Content we talked about:

Joe’s Substack post about his plans to launch a team [https://substack.com/@joelaverick/p-172793865]

Thomas's piece about his fictional team [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/p/my-imaginary-pro-gravel-team]

Dan Bigham’s Aero Gravel Machine [https://www.cyclingnews.com/bikes/gravel/dan-bigham-and-reap-combine-on-wild-aero-gravel-time-trial-bike-mashup/]

🎙️ Time Stamps & Chapters:

 * [00:00:00] Intro
 * [00:02:50] Update Gravel Earth Series / The Rift: How The Rift ended up outside the Gravel Earth Series, the "by The Traka" brand, and more.
 * [00:11:05] New Life Time Grand Prix Rosters: New European stars and the highest-level newcomer for 2026.
 * [00:17:20] Conversation with Joe Laverick: Why teams are inevitable and the key to a sustainable ecosystem.

📈 Key Takeaways & Discussion Points:

 * The Dawn of the Team Era: Joe argues that the need for team tactics and organized efforts (evidenced by races like Unbound) is now resulting in the beginning of the team era in gravel racing.
 * Joe's Team Model: The concept is a multi-disciplinary road and gravel team with a cultural focus, emphasizing storytelling over just winning.
 * The Community Engine: The idea that a team's long-term sustainability relies on building a robust club/community layer that is loyal to the team's culture, providing a core audience for sponsors.
 * Sports in the Attention Economy: Why professional sports need to recognize that they compete in the attention economy and think about their product accordingly.
 * Sustainable Sponsorship: Why a team needs non-endemic sponsors to appeal to the cycling consumer's outdoor/lifestyle interests, rather than relying solely on bike brands whose sole metric is often bike sales.

Featured in this Episode:

 * Joe Laverick: Professional Cyclist, Industry Analyst, and Founder of a forthcoming multi-discipline cycling project. Follow him on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/joe.laverick/] and read his Substack [https://substack.com/@joelaverick/posts].

Thomas Euler: Host of the Gracing podcast and author of The Gravel Stack Newsletter [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]. Follow Thomas on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thegravelstack].

Gracing Podcast: Building a Gravel Team with Joe Laverick

In dieser Folge spricht Paul mit seinem Coach Dr. Sebastian Rösler über die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse des vergangenen Jahres, den Einfluss von Künstlicher Intelligenz auf Training und Coaching sowie die Ziele und Erwartungen für die Saison 2026.

Link zum Video über Creatin: https://youtu.be/EkOMQ0PDvAg?si=pHHWOHBXYj8AuY9l

👉 Jetzt reinhören und keine Folge mehr verpassen – abonniere den Autsaid Podcast überall, wo es Podcasts gibt!

Paul auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/

Sebastian auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/life.of_seb/

Jahresrückblick, Learnings & der Blick nach vorn mit Dr. Sebastian Rösler

In this episode, Thomas discusses some major developments in the world of gravel racing before diving into a detailed recap of the inaugural edition of the Gravel Burn stage race in South Africa.

He is then joined by road professional Clara Koppenburg (Team Cofidis), who shares her unique Gravel Burn experience. She discusses the intense challenge of a self-organized stage race, the camp conditions, and the surprising joy she found in gravel competition.

If you like what you are hearing, please subscribe and leave us a rating or review.

🎙️ Episode Segments

 * 📰 Gravel News: Major changes to the Gravel Earth Series and Lifetime Grand Prix. [00:06:50]
 * 🇿🇦 Gravel Burn Recap: High-level overview of the race and key results [00:17:25]
 * 🗣️ Conversation with Clara Koppenburg: Why she signed up, the training, and the race. [00:31:10]

🚀 Topics in this episode

 * GES Calendar Overhaul: The Gravel Earth Series shrinks from 23 to 12 races in 2026, dropping monuments like Gravel Worlds and The Rift.
 * LTGP Money & Rules: The Lifetime Grand Prix increases its prize money pool and introduces a finisher compensation to incentivize pros to complete the series.
 * Frozen Adventure: The brutal conditions on the early Gravel Burn stages —rain, wind, and freezing temperatures—that left bikes frozen and clothing soaked, completely defying expectations for a South African race.
 * Gravel is Different: Clara discusses how the race was a needed break from the highly organized (and stressful) WorldTour environment, where she could reconnect with riding.
 * The Racing: Analyzing the GC race where Axelle Dubau-Prévot won after Ashley Moolman-Pasio suffered a flat tire on the final stage, balancing the misfortune of the lead.

Featured in this Episode:

 * Clara Koppenburg: Clara is a Professional Cyclist, currently on Team Cofidis Women (Pro Tour). Follow her journey into gravel on her Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clara_koppenburg/].
 * Thomas Euler: Host of the The Gravel Stack Newsletter [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]. Follow Thomas on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thegravelstack].

Gracing Podcast: Gravel Burn Recap with Clara Koppenburg

In dieser Folge spricht Paul Voß mit der amtierenden Deutschen Meisterin und siebenfachen Gravel-Siegerin Rosa Klöser über ihre beeindruckende Saison 2025. Rosa erzählt, wie sie den Schritt vom akademischen Berufsleben zur professionellen Radsportkarriere gemeistert hat und wie ihr Wechsel ins WorldTour-Team Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto zustande kam.

Gemeinsam blicken Paul und Rosa auf die Highlights und Herausforderungen ihrer Saison zurück – über den Einstieg in den Straßenradsport bis hin zur Kombination aus Gravel- und WorldTour-Rennen. Rosa gibt detaillierte Einblicke in ihr Training, die Struktur ihrer Wettkampfphasen und die Balance zwischen Belastung und Regeneration.

Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt liegt auf Technik und Material: Rosa spricht über Trends im Gravel-Bereich, ihre Zusammenarbeit mit Sponsoren, individuelle Setup-Entscheidungen und die Bedeutung von Aerodynamik und Reifenwahl. Außerdem berichtet sie offen über ihr dramatisches Rennen bei der Gravel-Europameisterschaft und ihre Ziele für die kommenden Jahre.

👉 Jetzt reinhören und keine Folge mehr verpassen – abonniere den Autsaid Podcast überall, wo es Podcasts gibt!

Paul auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/

Rosa auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rosaklsr/

Zwischen WorldTour und Gravel: Rosa Klösers Weg zwischen den Welten

In dieser Folge spricht Paul Voß mit seinem ehemaligen Teamkollegen Lukas Pöstlberger – Giro-Etappensieger, Ex-WorldTour-Profi und aktueller österreichischer Gravel-Staatsmeister. Gemeinsam blicken die beiden auf Lukas Weg vom Straßenradsport hin zur Gravel-Szene und auf die spannenden Entwicklungen im Offroad-Bereich. Und natürlich wurde sich auch über die vergangene Gravel Weltmeisterschaft unterhalten. 

Lukas erzählt offen über:

 * den Übergang von der WorldTour zum Gravel Racing,
 * seine Trainerausbildung und Pläne für die Zukunft,
 * warum Gravel für ihn mehr Freiheit und Leidenschaft bedeutet als der klassische Straßenradsport,
 * seine Erfahrungen bei den großen Rennen wie Unbound Gravel und der Gravel-WM,
 * und was ihn auch mit 33 noch antreibt, im Höhenzelt zu schlafen und alles zu geben.

👉 Jetzt reinhören und keine Folge mehr verpassen – abonniere den Outside Podcast überall, wo es Podcasts gibt!

Paul auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/

Lukas auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lukas_poestlberger/

🎥 Am 17.10. um 18Uhr kommt das YouTube Video zur Gravel Weltmeisterschaft auf dem Autsaid YouTube Kanal heraus! https://www.youtube.com/@autsaidcc

Von der WorldTour zum Gravel-Profi – Lukas „Pösti“ Pöstlberger im Gespräch

In this special episode, Thomas sits down with Paul to get an exclusive preview of the UCI Gravel World Championship course in the Netherlands. Paul, who successfully reconned the course just a few weeks after his surgery, shares his expert tactical breakdown.

Topics in this Episode:

 * The Unbelievable Comeback: Paul's journey back to the start line just three weeks after collarbone surgery and his secret weapon: a highly skilled surgeon.
 * Course Conditions & Profile: An in-depth look at the 180km men's and 130km women's course. It's almost 50-50 tarmac/gravel and currently in muddy/slippery conditions. Paul confirms it is more technically demanding than it looks, with lots of small, steep hills and constant changes of direction.
 * The Mud Analysis: It's "slimy" farm-road mud, not deep "peanut buttery" mud, meaning riders can get by with standard tire clearance.
 * The Controversial Rules: Discussion on the new UCI rules that allow feeding/wheel exchanges anywhere on tarmac (not on a descent), making race organization significantly harder and "worse for privateers" without big team support.
 * Tactics & Race Dynamics: Paul predicts a "really open" men's race without the control of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, creating a greater chance for a strong, early breakaway to succeed.
 * World Champion Favorites: Paul shares his early predictions for the men's and women's races,
 * The Spectator Problem: Why the late start time for the live broadcast means fans will likely miss the decisive early breakaway action.

Featured in this Episode:

 * Paul Voss: Professional cyclist, who is scheduled to race the UCI Gravel World Championship. Follow Paul on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/].
 * Thomas Euler: Host of the Gracing Podcast and author of the The Gravel Stack Newsletter [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]. Follow Thomas on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thegravelstack].

Don't forget to subscribe! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Gracing and leave us a rating.

UCI Gravel Worlds Preview with Paul Voss (He's Racing with a Broken Collarbone!)

Autsaid - Gravel Podcast entführt euch in die weite Welt des Gravelsports. 

Bei Autsaid gibt's die News aus der Szene, spannende Interviews und Equipmenttipps vom Gravel-Profi. Euer Host ist Paul Voß.

Gracing - The Autsaid Race Talk gibt mit Vorschauen und Analysen zu den wichtigsten Rennen einen Einblick in die Gravel-Racing-Szene. Euer Host ist Thomas Euler mit wechselnden ExpertInnen an seiner Seite. Der Podcast ist in englischer Sprache.

----------------------

Autsaid - Gravel Podcast takes you into the wide world of gravel. 

Autsaid provides news from the scene, exciting interviews and equipment tips from gravel pros. Your host is Paul Voss.

Gracing - The Autsaid Race Talk provides an insight into the gravel racing scene with previews and analyses of the most important races. Your host is Thomas Euler with changing experts at his side. The podcast is in English.

Instagram:

 * Paul Voß [https://www.instagram.com/paul_voss/] 
 * Thomas Euler [https://www.instagram.com/cookxride/]
 * Autsaid [https://www.instagram.com/autsaid.cc/]

Paul Voss

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