Betsy Welch

Colorado

Senior Editor at VeloNews

writes + rides // senior editor @velonews

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Articles

Who’s Riding What: The Biggest Gravel Sponsorship Changes for 2025

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

If you thought gravel sponsorships were just a matter of slapping on a fresh kit and swapping bikes, think again. Unlike their road and mountain biking counterparts, gravel racers are largely privateers, meaning they piece together their own sponsorship deals — a game of networking, negotiation, and the occasional “big news coming soon” Instagram tease.
There's Another Prévôt Sister, and She's Racing U.S. Gravel

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

Axelle Dubau-Prévôt has been riding a bike since she could walk. “It’s a family sport,” she said, “so I really had no choice but to start with cycling.”In April, the Frenchwoman will make her debut in the Life Time Grand Prix series. She’s one of a handful of new faces on the series’ 22-woman roster, but if her name seems somewhat familiar that’s because, well, there’s another cyclist in her family.
Unbound Gravel Opens More Spots for Women in 100- and 200-Mile Races

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

In a move to increase women’s participation in the longest distances at Unbound Gravel, Life Time has partnered with Girls Gone Gravel to offer a new pathway for women to secure entry into the sold-out 100- and 200-mile races. The initiative, dubbed “More Women, More Miles,” will provide 50 additional spots in the 100-mile race and 25 in the 200-mile race, available to women on a first-come, first-served basis starting February 1.
Another Hawaiian Volcano, Another Strava Record: Sparky Moir Sears is the New QOM of Mauna Kea

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

Apparently, January is Strava record-setting season in the state of Hawaii. On Tuesday, January 28, former MTB pro Sparky Moir Sears set a new Queen of the Mountain (QOM) on Mauna Kea, the towering volcano on the Big Island of Hawai’i. The Fruita, Colorado-based rider clocked a time of 6:12:51 — nearly an hour faster than the previous record on the Waikoloa Beach to Mauna Kea summit segment. The climb covers 55.59 miles with a staggering 15,127 feet of elevation gain.
Meet Ruth Holcomb, the Santa Cruz htSQD's Newest Hitter

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

Ruth Holcomb is used to being the new girl. Although just 21, Holcomb has found herself in new, and sometimes intimidating situations, more than most people. First, there was the move from Boulder to Durango, Colorado when she was in elementary school. More recently, after two years at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Holcomb transferred out of state to the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Crowning the Volcano: Phil Gaimon Sets New KOM on Hawaii's Haleakala Climb

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

On Monday, January 27, Phil Gaimon set a new KOM on the Haleakala climb on the island of Maui. Gaimon ousted Drake Deuel from the top of the Strava leaderboard by just 28 seconds, riding the segment entitled “Haleakala – World’s Longest Paved Climb” in 2:23:36. Read also: Drake Deuel’s 2021 Haleakala KOMThe segment, which is used to crown the ‘king and queen’ of the Hawaiian volcano, measures 34.16 miles with 9,689 feet of climbing and an average grade of 5.8 percent.
Ted King, Amanda Nauman Among 2025 Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Inductees

2 months ago | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

Four new influential figures in the sport of gravel cycling have been inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame (GCHOF). This year’s inductee class includes Ted King, Amanda Nauman-Sheek, LeLan Dains, and John Hobbs. The 2025 inductees were selected by a group of 60 electors, including past Hall of Fame inductees, GCHOF board members, athletes, event promoters, industry professionals, and fans of the sport.
Velo Digest: An Inflatable Helmet, a Possible New Sram Groupset & More

Jan 24, 2025 | pinkbike.com | Alvin Holbrook |Shane Stokes |Jessie-May Morgan |Betsy Welch

What's going on in the curly bar world? Velo Digest showcases articles from our sister site, Velo. In each installment, you might find endurance coverage, power-to-weight ratios, gravel bike tech and, of course, lycra. Spotted: Is an Updated SRAM Force AXS Groupset Coming Soon? By: Alvin HolbrookIs a new Force AXS groupset around the corner? It sure looks like it.
She's Sending It: Inside Kate Courtney's Decision to Pivot from Factory Racer to Privateer

Jan 23, 2025 | velo.outsideonline.com | Betsy Welch

After six seasons with the Scott-SRAM factory team, Kate Courtney is sending it into the new year with a fresh start. In 2025, the 2018 mountain bike world champ will be racing under the banner of her own team, She Sends Racing. The name is a nod to Courtney’s She Sends Foundation, and the team is backed by six notable partners who believe in her vision of high-performance competition with a mission-driven purpose.
Allied Cycle Works Joins Kate Courtney's 'She Sends Racing' Program

Jan 21, 2025 | pinkbike.com | Betsy Welch

Words: Betsy WelchPhotos: Susan Theis2018 Cross-Country Mountain Bike World Champion Kate Courtney is making major changes in 2025. A new team, She Sends Racing, means new partners, and the bike brand Courtney has chosen to ally (sorry, had to) with may be the biggest surprise yet. Allied Cycle Works, the boutique brand out of northwestern Arkansas, is Courtney's new bike partner, and the 28-year-old will compete on the UCI World Cup circuit aboard their flagship BC40 cross-country bike.