Hey there, welcome to King of the Ride podcast.

Ted King here.

Now, it just occurred to me that we are nearing our five-year anniversary or birthday or whatever you call it in podcast land where you celebrate an annual milestone.

I started King of the Ride during the Giro in 2018, and here we are with

the Giro underway in 2003, a half decade later. Crazy. So maybe not the Midas touch, but recent

King of the Ride guests are on a role. Our last guest, Russ Finsterwald, he won BWR San Diego, and I would argue is off to his best start to his season yet.

Two episodes ago, we had Heather Jackson.

She also won BWR and then switching sports.

She backed that up just two weeks ago with a win at Canyon's Endurance Run 50K.

And our guest today, Cole Patton, is on a scorching

start to his season. Now, it's been a pleasure to watch Cole over the years. I think I met him

straight out of college. He was a mountain biker turned, let's call it reluctant deer in the headlights

gravel racer.

And whatever he's been doing over the time has worked because he won a breakout mid-south in 2022.

He's racked up international wins with several gravel races in Spain already this year.

And he sits third in the Lifetime Grand Prix.

I just said and we'll give him another and.

And he's just tallied a second place behind the seemingly indefatement. in the Lifetime Grand Prix. I just said and we'll give him another and.

And he's just tallied a second place behind the seemingly indomitable Keegan Swenson at the whiskey off-road a week or so ago.

Now we're going to talk about all things.

His early days as a bike and ski shop, Grom, hisoric rise in the sport, how he's had to make some

major life pivots in cycling, just given the climate of the sport, and how that's only been for the

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