Emma Bateup is no stranger to 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 MacPhee
• River crossings, hail storms, and a tragic lost multi-tool
• Her first ultra at Tour Te Waipounamu and what she’s learned since
• The trade-offs of ambition, joy, and full-time racing
• Coaching kids, racing XC, and what’s next

Follow Emma's adventures on Instagram: @em_b8up

Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb

Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling

Follow 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 here

Follow Nathalie's on Instagram: @nathalie_baillon

Follow Mel on Instagram: @melwwebb

Follow Detours on Instagram: @detourscycling

Follow Albion on Instagram: @albion.cycling

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each year, on the second Friday in June, hundreds of riders gather outside the YMCA in Banff, Alberta, to begin what’s widely considered bikepacking’s most iconic ultra-endurance race: the Tour Divide. Riders follow the Continental Divide across 4,400 kilometers, tackling rugged dirt roads, remote wilderness, high mountain passes, and variable weather on their way to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.

While more women take to the start year after year, they still only make up ~10% of participants. In 2025, 29 of the 238 riders registered on Trackleaders are women. This episode of Detours is dedicated to those women.

In an effort to celebrate the women of this year’s Tour Divide, and to inspire more to line up in the future, I collected voice notes from riders across the globe—sharing who they are, why they’re racing, and what brought them to this start line. Inevitably, I wasn't able to capture everyone's voices despite my best efforts and internet sleuthing.

You’ll hear from first-timers, returning riders, dot-watching converts, and those chasing the Tour Divide women’s record. Their stories speak to why representation matters, why adventure is worth the risk, and why more women belong at the start line.

I hope you'll join me in cheering them on and watching their dots as they make their way from Banff to Antelope Wells.

Follow the dots here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.