MOVING THE NEEDLE : The Andrew Neethling Podcast

Vero Sandler has become one of the most influential riders in women's freeride mountain biking, but her journey started on the World Cup downhill circuit.

In this episode, Vero joins Andrew Neethling to talk about walking away from racing, discovering a passion for freeride, helping pioneer opportunities for women at events like DarkFest and Rampage, and why finding balance has been the key to a long and fulfilling career.

The conversation also dives into fear, burnout, concussions, meditation, progression, and what the future holds for the next generation of female freeriders.

Whether you're a racer, a freerider, or simply love mountain biking, this is an honest conversation about following your own path and redefining success.

Blake Samson has lived a life most riders have never heard about.

Before becoming one of mountain biking's most recognisable presenters and content creators, Blake grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe before his family fled the country and started again in England with almost nothing.

In this episode we dive into that incredible journey, his rise through professional freeriding, life behind the scenes at GMBN, content creation, burnout, and what it really takes to build a career in the bike industry.

Clemens "C-Dog" Kaudela joins the show to share the story behind DarkFest's biggest jumps, his engineering approach to building world-class freeride features, lessons from Rampage, and why big air mountain biking continues to evolve. It's an inside look at one of freeride's most creative minds.

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Supported by Kenda Tires EU 

Episode Presented by Monster Energy 

Jordan Williams continued his incredible form, the level of racing reached new heights, and qualifying proved once again that simply making the finals is becoming one of the toughest challenges in mountain biking.

On the women's side, Vali Höll strengthened her grip on the overall, Gracey Hemstreet bounced back with another podium, and Sasha Earnest continued her impressive rise with back-to-back podium finishes.

Sven Martin joins Andrew Neethling to break down everything from Andorra, including Jordan's incredible pace, the evolution of World Cup downhill, Specialized's dominance, the brutal qualifying format, the biggest storylines from the women's race, and the behind-the-scenes insights the TV cameras never capture.

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The La Thuile World Cup delivered one of the most demanding downhill races of the season.

Jordan Williams finally claimed his first Elite World Cup victory, Vali Höll returned to the top step, and the depth of the field continues to redefine what it takes just to qualify for a final.

This week I'm joined once again by Alan Milway, fresh from the mountain, to break down everything that happened in Italy.

British downhill racer Ethan Craik joins the podcast to share his journey from Junior World Cup Champion to one of the sport's most exciting rising talents. We dive into the injuries that threatened to derail his career, the mindset behind his comeback, life with the SCOTT Downhill Factory Team, and why he believes his best racing is still ahead. A fascinating conversation with a rider who's quickly becoming one to watch on the World Cup circuit.

The 2026 World Cup Downhill season rolled into Lenzerheide, and once again the Swiss classic delivered some of the tightest racing of the year.

Wyn Masters joins me for another edition of Bench Racing as we break down Finn Iles' second consecutive World Cup victory, Anna Newkirk's incredible journey from privateer racer to World Cup winner, and a race where the smallest mistakes carried massive consequences.

We dive into the growing debate around the qualifying format, Jackson Goldstone's return to form, the riders who thrived under pressure, and why Lenzerheide remains one of the most demanding tracks to race on the entire circuit.

Bench Racing is your go-to source for technical analysis, insider perspectives and post-race debriefs after every World Cup round. Tune in for one of the deepest dives into downhill racing anywhere in the sport.

Leogang delivered exactly what Leogang always seems to deliver: mud, mayhem and unforgettable racing.

Ed Masters joins me on Bench Racing to unpack Finn Iles' emotional return to World Cup victory, the wild conditions that caught out some of the sport's biggest names, and the performances that could shape the rest of the 2026 season.

From championship implications to race-winning mindset, we break down all the biggest talking points from Round 3 of the UCI Downhill World Cup.

The 2026 World Cup Downhill season rolled into France for Round 2, and Loudenvielle delivered one of the most unpredictable races we've seen in years.

Photographer and World Cup insider Sven Martin joins me for another edition of Bench Racing as we break down a weekend defined by blown-out conditions, huge crashes, surprise results, and a long-awaited first World Cup victory for Lucas Shaw.

We dive into the incredible crash rate that caught out many of the sport's biggest names, the costly mistakes from Asa Vermette and Jackson Goldstone, Loïc Bruni's injury concerns, and why the overall championship picture has suddenly been blown wide open. We also discuss Vali Höll's growing dominance, the rise of the sport's next generation, and which riders left France with momentum heading into Leogang.

Bench Racing is your go-to source for technical analysis, insider perspectives, and post-race debriefs after every single World Cup round this season. Tune in for one of the deepest dives into Downhill racing anywhere in the sport.

South African freerider, racer and all-round character Theo Erlangsen joins the podcast for one of the most honest MTB conversations yet.

We dive into how Darkfest changed the direction of his career, the reality of World Cup racing, the rise of the new generation led by Jackson Goldstone, and Theo’s insights into the 2026 downhill season.

From South Korea track previews to racing politics, freeride culture and plenty chaos along the way — this one covers it all.