The Toughest Rival: Yourself, with Olympic Champion Grace Brown

Sofia Gomez Villafañe: UNBOUND, SBT GRVL, and Everything You Need to Know About Chain Wax

She won UNBOUND Gravel in the mud. Then she went to Steamboat Springs and won SBT GRVL on dry champagne gravel. Sofia Gomez Villafañe is having one of the most dominant seasons in women's gravel racing history, and she sat down with Queen Stage to talk all of it. In 2026 alone, Sofia has won Santa Vall, Castellón Gravel Race, Valley of Tears, Mid South Gravel, Sea Otter Classic, The Traka 200, Unbound Gravel, and SBT GRVL. In this conversation, Rosael, Betsy, and Molly get into the racing, the person behind the results, and the science and best practices behind chain wax. What we cover: * Racing and strategy at Unbound Gravel 2026 and SBT GRVL, including how Sofia prepared for extreme mud, how she managed equipment through 207 miles of limestone paste, and what she was thinking in the final sprint on Commercial Street. * The double standard applied to competitive women in sport, and why the same traits that get male athletes celebrated get women labeled difficult or worse. Sofia addresses the "villain" narrative head-on. * The professionalization of gravel racing: feed zones, athlete support, race calendars, and the tensions that come with a grassroots discipline growing up fast. * Sofia's big-picture goals for 2026, including stepping away from the Life Time Grand Prix overall to target the UCI Gravel World Championships in October. * The Cooldown podcast, post-race debriefs, working with coach Carmen Small, and what actually motivates her to keep winning. SILCA Chain Wax Segment: Why hot-melt immersion wax outperformed wet lube at Unbound, even in the mud. Sofia explains the endurance chip and speed chip system she and her mechanic Brad use to customize their wax blend for ultra-long events. We also cover how to know when to re-wax, how to top off between immersions, common beginner mistakes (including routing the chain wrong through the rear derailleur), and why starting with a brand-new chain and SILCA's Strip Chip makes the whole process dramatically easier. Rosael shares her own first hot-melt wax experience at home, and Betsy commits to making the switch on air. SILCA products mentioned: Secret Chain Blend Hot Melt Wax, Strip Chip, Speed Chip, Endurance Chip, drip top-off wax, pre-waxed chains, and the SILCA wax pot. Learn more at silca.cc [http://silca.cc]. Subscribe, follow, and send us your TdFFaZ questions and hot takes at info@queenstage.cc [info@queenstage.cc]. Daily coverage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift drops August 1 through 9. Preview episode out end of July. Follow Queen Stage: @queenstage.cc [https://www.instagram.com/queenstage.cc/] | queenstage.cc [http://queenstage.cc]

The Toughest Rival: Yourself, with Olympic Champion Grace Brown

What's the toughest opponent a time trialist will ever face? The clock is just a scoreboard. The real rival is the voice in your head. This episode, Queen Stage talks with Grace Brown, the reigning Olympic champion and 2024 world champion in the individual time trial, about the mental architecture of elite cycling, the line between ambition and perfectionism, and what happens to your sense of self when you walk away from competition at the absolute peak. Grace won everything in 2024—the Olympic gold, the world title, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, her fourth national time trial championship—and then retired. In this conversation, she walks us through the Glasgow Worlds race where doubt cost her five seconds, the Zurich Worlds mantra that flipped a 25-second deficit in the final 12 kilometers, the wet Paris Olympics, and why she said no to one more year despite being on top. We also talk about her work as president of The Cyclists' Alliance [https://cyclistsalliance.org/], the structural gaps in women's cycling development, and how being good at pushing yourself to the limit translates—and doesn't translate—to life after racing. This episode is Part Three of Queen Stage's four-episode branded content series with Rapha and Zwift, themed around fierce friendships and rivalries in women's cycling. https://www.zwift.com/events/tag/queenstagepod [https://www.zwift.com/events/tag/queenstagepod] In This Episode: * Time Trial as Self-Confrontation How internal dialogue separates winners from the rest * The Zurich Worlds Comeback Grace's mantra on repeat: "You're strong, you can be world champion." She flips a 25-second gap to win the rainbow jersey weeks after Olympic gold * Olympic Gold in the Rain How staying relaxed while others panicked at Paris became the competitive edge Working with a sports psychologist to build strategies for pressure Racing only against the course and herself, not against external chaos * Ambition vs. Perfectionism Winning means delivering your best self under the circumstances given, not executing a flawless plan * Retiring at the Top Why stepping away after her best year made sense; the pull of home outweighed one more season at the top * The Cyclists' Alliance Grace's role as president: advocacy, legal support, mentorship for emerging riders The crisis: Continental-level races disappearing, gutting the development pathway Why World Tour revenue needs to trickle down to sustain the sport structurally * Self-Talk and Self-Compassion The distinction between self-compassion and letting yourself off the hook Sponsors and Partners Rapha and Zwift This episode is part of a four-episode Queen Stage series presented by Rapha and Zwift, built around the theme of fierce friendships and rivalries in women's cycling. The series builds toward the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, August 1–9, and the Rapha Women's 100, September 5–6. Join the Zwift community ride on Wednesday, June 24, at one of six available time slots. Ruckus Composites The home of Queen Stage. Experts in carbon fiber repair, inspection, and engineering. Support the Show The best way to support Queen Stage is to subscribe and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Have a question, a hot take, or just want to say hello? Email us at info@queenstage.cc [info@queenstage.cc] or find us on Instagram at @queenstage.cc [http://queenstage.cc].

Tour de Suisse Women Recap, Lael Wilcox's Race Against the Heat, and a Surprise at US Road Nationals

Rosael Torres-Davis and Molly Hurford are joined by guest host Shawn Small of Ruckus Composites for a packed recap episode covering one of the busiest weekends on the women's calendar. The trio starts with a rant about FloBikes' patchy coverage of women's racing before diving into the new five-stage Tour de Suisse Women, which ran for the first time alongside the men's race under new organizer Cycling Unlimited Suisse. Marlen Reusser overcame a spring full of injuries to win her third home title, holding off Cédrine Kerbaol and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney on the brutal Col de la Croix queen stage after Elisa Longo Borghini's early race lead unraveled in the mountains. The crew also breaks down Urška Žigart's frightening road-bump crash, the fallout from extreme European heat (including Lael Wilcox's withdrawal from her around-the-world record attempt and the cancellation of Canadian Gravel Nationals), the UCI's jersey and computer rules, and a surprise mountain-bike-to-road crossover win for Kate Courtney at US Road Natio2nals in Charleston, West Virginia. EPISODE BREAKDOWN * 00:34 — FloBikes coverage rant * 06:02 — Intro and SRAM sponsor message * 06:27 — Musette and cap banter * 07:19 — New five-stage Tour de Suisse Women format * 09:46 — Cycling Unlimited Suisse and CEO Gabriela Buchs * 13:52 — Single-commentator coverage gripe * 14:01 — Stage 1: De Vries wins, Dickson second, Kerbaol third * 16:15 — Stage 2: Longo Borghini solos to the win and yellow * 17:49 — Žigart's crash and fractured jaw * 24:23 — Stage 3: Bäckstedt wins the sprint, Williams second * 31:18 — Canyon-SRAM's GC future * 34:06 — Stage 4 ITT: Reusser wins, retakes yellow * 37:08 — Reusser's injury-plagued spring * 38:00 — Stage 5: Reusser wins the queen stage and GC * 44:50 — Reusser's post-race interview * 46:48 — Final GC recap * 48:11 — Lael Wilcox abandons around-the-world attempt * 52:39 — Canadian Gravel Nationals cancelled for heat * 59:13 — UCI equipment rule banter * 1:02:11 — Revisiting "how do women pee" story * 1:04:25 — US Road Nationals: Courtney beats Stephens * 1:09:03 — Kate Courtney's road racing future * 1:15:29 — Sign-off and what's coming up SPONSOR This episode is presented by SRAM, a longtime supporter of women's cycling and the technology behind some of the fastest bikes in the peloton. SRAM powers Queen Stage's Tour de Suisse Women coverage and will also support the show's coverage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift this August. WHAT'S COMING UP Next week, Queen Stage sits down with Unbound Gravel champion Sofia Gomez Villafañe. There's also a Rapha Zwift community ride on Wednesday, June 24, featuring guest Olympian Grace Brown. The show then takes a short break in July before returning the last week of the month with a special episode made in partnership with Zwift and Rapha exploring rivalries in the women's peloton, alongside a preview of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (August 1 to 9).

Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige Stuart

For the first time ever, Queen Stage recorded live, and we did it in the only place that made sense: Emporia, Kansas, home of UNBOUND Gravel, presented by Liv Cycling [https://www.liv-cycling.com/us]. We brought together four women who represent every corner of the sport: Ludi Scholz, Liv's global gravel category manager, who has spent over a decade making the case that women deserve more than a shrunken, pinked-down version of a bike. Peta Mullens, Australian multi-discipline cyclist and Lifetime Grand Prix competitor, who made the jump from American crit racing to gravel and hasn't looked back. Melisa Rollins, chemist-turned-professional cyclist, Leadville Trail 100 champion, and one of the most compelling athletes in the gravel field today. And Paige Stuart, Liv's mechanic for the Lifetime Grand Prix series, who went from tinkering on vintage bikes in Moab to wrenching at UCI Mountain Bike World Cups. Together, they cover a lot of ground. Ludi on why Liv is a brand, not a line, and what twelve years of commitment to women's cycling actually looks like in practice. Peta on the professionalization of women's gravel, the amateur field gap, and why the atmosphere in Emporia is as much a draw as the race itself. Melisa on her road back from a broken elbow, the hundred-year-old sourdough starter that kept her sane, and what she thinks about Kate Courtney's Leadville record. Paige on holding the door open for other women in the sport, the little girl at a World Cup who stopped and stared, and what it takes to get your own hands on a wrench. This episode also gets into the bigger picture: how women's gravel went from mass starts with thousands of men to a legitimate, separate, competitive field in just a few years. Who made that happen. What still needs to change. And why storytelling, community, and yes, a hot pink gravel bike, might be exactly how we get there. Recorded live in front of an audience in Emporia, Kansas, the week of Unbound Gravel 2026. Presented by Liv Cycling. ---------------------------------------- Guests: Ludi Scholz, Global Gravel Category Manager, Liv Cycling Peta Mullens, Liv Racing Collective Melisa Rollins, Liv Racing Collective Paige Stuart, Liv Cycling Mechanic Hosts: Betsy Welch, Anne-Marije Rook, Rosael Torres-Davis, Molly Hurford Find us at queenstage.cc [https://www.queenstage.cc/] and on Instagram @queenstage.cc [https://www.instagram.com/queenstage.cc/].

“When you don’t have legs, you race with heart.”: Giro Stages 6-9 Recap

Giro d'Italia Donne Stages 6–9 Recap | Presented by SRAM Four stages. One historic sprint record. A queen stage cut short. And a final day that rewrote the GC. Rosael and Anne-Marije Rook are joined by guest host Aidan Burgess, teacher turned cycling social media favorite and host of the Domestiques Hot Seat podcast, for a full breakdown of the Giro's defining final chapter. Before diving into the race, the crew pauses to celebrate Lael Wilcox's departure on her attempt to set a new world record for circumnavigating the globe by bicycle, aiming to beat Marc Beaumont's record of 78 days, 14 hours, and 40 minutes. Rook, who covered Wilcox's preparation for Cycling Weekly, explains the Guinness rules, Wilcox's route from Chicago through Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and back, and what's different this time: an aerodynamic position, a full support crew, and a genuine shot at the absolute record. Stage 6: Elisa Balsamo wins her fourth stage of the race, becoming the first Italian rider to accomplish that at the Giro since Greta Zocca in 2001. Lucinda Brand delivers another devastating lead-out — for someone else. Maggie Coles-Lyster takes second in what the hosts hope signals a grand tour win coming. Georgia Baker rounds out the podium. The Wiebes question lingers. Stage 7: A crash with 56 kilometers to go takes down Anna van der Breggen, Marlen Reusser, and others. On the descent after Pietra Gavina, 20-year-old Célia Gery of FDJ attacks, reads the road brilliantly, and takes her first WorldTour win. She won the U23 Road World Championship at 19. This is her third win of the season. Stage 8: The queen stage up the Colle delle Finestre is cut short by roughly 20 kilometers due to ice and avalanche risk on the mountain, a significant blow to Vollering's GC hopes. Riders learn the finish location with about 33 kilometers to go. Vollering attacks at the improvised finish to take the stage win and ten bonus seconds, but the time gaps she needed never materialize. Van der Breggen holds the Maglia Rosa. The hosts discuss whether van der Breggen's post-crash condition was playing a role, and whether her tactic of pacing at the front on the climbs worked against her. Stage 9: What looked like a transitional stage became the race's defining day. Niedermaier attacks from 80 kilometers out with Longo Borghini and Fischer Black and builds more than two minutes on the chasers. With the virtual GC lead slipping away, Vollering attacks Van der Breggen on the climb, gains 20 seconds, then motors up to the Niedermaier group and works with them to the finish. Longo Borghini takes the stage. Niedermaier finishes third. Vollering wins the GC. The crew breaks down what FDJ's dominance means going forward, what Van der Breggen's team situation cost her, and why Antonia Niedermaier and Isabella Holmgren are names to watch at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Aidan picks Paula Blasi as his TdFFaZ favorite. ---------------------------------------- Up next on Queen Stage: Tour de Suisse Femmes recap (June 17–21, watch on FloBikes and HBO Max) → Rapha x Zwift episode featuring Grace Brown (June 24) → Most of July off → Full daily coverage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, starting August 1. It's also our one-year anniversary. Send requests for TdFFaZ coverage to info@queenstage.cc [info@queenstage.cc] or @queenstage.cc [https://www.instagram.com/queenstage.cc/] on Instagram. This episode is presented by SRAM, proud supporter of women's cycling and presenting sponsor of Queen Stage's full Giro d'Italia Donne coverage.