Morgan Aguirre's LTGP Journey and Closing the 2025 Gravel Season with HSOG
This week, we look ahead and back, blending a crucial look at the upcoming LTGP season with a retrospective on the key storylines of 2025. The episode kicks off with a quick announcement of the All Gravel Awards nominees. Vote on the awards here [https://escapecollective.com/who-is-gravels-mvp-in-2025-vote-on-the-2025-all-gravel-awards-now/] until December 10th.
First up, Morgan Aguirre joins us to discuss her entry into the Life Time Grand Prix (LTGP) next season. Then, HSOG (Holy Spirit of Gravel) returns for a deep dive into the 2025 season's most captivating storylines, from the rise of the women's field to the explosion of live race coverage.
🎙️ Time Stamps & Chapters:
* [00:00:00] All Gravel Awards Nominee Announcement
* [00:07:40] Morgan Aguirre: The Road to the Life Time Grand Prix
* [01:03:35] HSOG: The Women World Beaters & The Culture of Gravel
🗺️ Morgan Aguirre: The Road to the Life Time Grand Prix
Morgan, an American pro based in Girona, Spain, discusses the mental and logistical leap required to join the LTGP.
* Girona to Kansas: Morgan details the logistics involved in tackling the LTGP as a rider living in Europe and gives an insight into her plan.
* Altitude is Non-Negotiable: Virtually 100% of LTGP contenders now dedicate a training block to altitude before Leadville, and Morgan talks about her own altitude training plans.
* Priorities & Trade-Offs: As a LTGP participant, structuring your season accordingly is very important. Morgan shares how she approaches the next season both in terms of training and mindset.
💥 HSOG: The 2025 Gravel Season Storylines
HSOG and Thomas decompress six weeks after the final whistle, identifying the key trends that defined the year.
* Women World Beaters: From Karolina Migon's early-season dominance, to Rosa's Reign and Sofia's Bentonville Double, 2025 gave us a few stretches marked by dominant performances.
* The Year of the Streams: 2025 marked the true arrival of professional live-streaming, giving fans unprecedented access to the sport.
* Culture & The Gravel State of Mind: What is "the culture" and (why) does it matter?
👋 Featured in this Episode:
* Morgan Aguirre: Professional gravel racer living in Girona. Follow Morgan on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/morgan_aguirre/].
* Holy Spirit of Gravel: Instagram meme account [https://www.instagram.com/holyspiritofgravel/] and host of the HSOG podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/22mkZmUnBRhzqfhcFvjxD4?si=acbcfbc6a1524b4f].
* Thomas Euler: Host of the Gracing Podcast and author of The Gravel Stack [https://thegravelstack.substack.com/]Newsletter. Follow Thomas on the socials [https://linktr.ee/thegravelstack].