The Packfiller: Cycling Culture & Comedy

<p>Welcome to Episode 524 of the longest-standing podcast in cycling. Think of us as a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole. (According to the internet this week, Pat is officially that asshole for explaining why local group-ride heroes can't hang with the women's pro peloton).</p><p>This week on the Packfiller Podcast, the crew debriefs a brutal reality check at the local Twilight Crits before diving into the absolute tactical masterclass we just witnessed at the Amstel Gold Race. We break down Remco Evenepoel’s newfound patience, Paula Blasi’s monumental Spanish upset, and preview the "Paul Seixas Hype" heading into La Flèche Wallonne.</p><p>Plus, the UCI officially killed the eMTB World Cup. Is it a victory for acoustic bikes, or a massive missed opportunity?</p><p>Grab a pour and settle in. The Broom Wagon is waiting.</p><p>👇 <strong>THE BIG BARN BREWING PROLOGUE QUESTION:</strong> We are celebrating Jackson's Golden Birthday this week. What is the one thing you actually want for your birthday this year? Let us know in the comments.</p><p>☕️ <strong>SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SPONSORS:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Big Barn Brewing:</strong> Stop in, view the beauty, sip the brilliant beers, and tell them Packfiller sent you.</li><li><strong>Thomas Hammer Coffee:</strong> Do yourself a favor and get the Blue Eyes Blend.</li><li><strong>Athletic Brewing:</strong> Holding down the tides with NA options when you can't hit the taps.</li></ul>

<p>The Hell of the North left the peloton wrecked, with cobbles so brutal your spine needs re-checked. They race through the trenches and suffer the pain—while I loudly complain if I ride in the rain. Welcome to Episode 523 of the longest-standing podcast in the sport of cycling. The Breakdown: This week, Pat is back from "The Forge" isolation camp in Lewiston, Idaho, 15 pounds lighter, pushing 300 Watts, and carrying the digital ashes of his former AI coach. The full panel (Paul, Sam, David, and Jackson) is in the studio to break down one of the most chaotic spring weekends in recent memory. We cover Wout van Aert finally burying his demons against Pogačar in the Roubaix velodrome, Mathieu van der Poel's catastrophic Arenberg puncture, and Franziska Koch's absolute stunner in the Paris-Roubaix Femmes.</p>

<p>Broadcasting solo from a cramped dinette table in an Idaho RV bunker. This week on The Packfiller Podcast, we deal with a massive reality check: My AI coach hallucinated my FTP, so I fired it. We discuss the danger of chasing unrealistic numbers, the mental toll of the Lewiston "Forge" isolation camp, and the painful honesty of being an aging athlete.</p><p>Plus, we head to the news desk to break down Tadej Pogačar making the Oude Kwaremont look like a Zone 2 spin, Demi Vollering’s tactical masterclass, and why the UCI's flashing railway lights rule apparently only applies if you don't have a multi-million dollar contract.</p><p>We also open the Broom Wagon mailbag, drop a preview of the upcoming book <em>Don't Buy the Putter</em>, and get Jackson and Paul's dark horse predictions for Paris-Roubaix.</p><p>👇 Drop a comment: Has your Garmin or Wahoo ever fed you a complete lie?</p>

<p>It's Holy Week in cycling! We're breaking down the massive results from Gent-Wevelgem (In Flanders Fields) and E3 Saxo Classic as we build hype for the biggest race of the spring: The Tour of Flanders (De Ronde). Can anyone stop the dominance of Mathieu van der Poel now that Tadej Pogačar is back in the mix?</p><p>Closer to home, Pat recap his dramatic "race" at Heaven of The South gravel, involving a snapped chain, Old School mechanical fixes, and a 40-mile Zone 3 sufferfest. We also discuss 1x vs 2x gearing and Pat's upcoming "Isolation Training Camp" at The Forge in Lewiston, Idaho.</p><p><strong>Tonight's Prologue (Brought to you by Big Barn Brewing):</strong> What is a mechanical failure that you recall pulling and knew better beforehand? (Hint: Pat fried a Roomba with a hose.)</p><p><strong>Headlines (Brought to you by Thomas Hammer Coffee):</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Gent-Wevelgem:</strong> The MVDP/WvA breakaway that almost won. Jasper Philipsen saves the day for Alpecin.</li><li><strong>E3 Saxo Classic:</strong> MVDP's insane 446-watt solo attack. Are the "Big Three" untouchable?</li><li><strong>Volta a Catalunya:</strong> Vingegaard’s Monastic Dominance. Does anyone have a chance at the Giro/Tour double?</li><li><strong>Flanders Preview:</strong> The return of Pogačar and the Visma injury crisis.</li></ul><p>Finally, we close with a special <strong>Broom Wagon Trivia</strong> segment: A Generational Battle pitting Paul (Retro) against Jackson (Modern).</p><p>Tune in for another round of cycling banter, analysis, and a post-ride beer with friends (and one asshole).</p>

<p>The sport of cycling is currently operating on a four-centimeter margin of error, and we are breaking it all down on a diet of tuna and spite.</p><p>Welcome to Episode 520 of <em>The Packfiller Podcast</em>. This week, the crew sits down to dissect the absolute chaos of the Spring Classics. We analyze Tadej Pogačar hitting the deck and still managing to drop a 900-watt nuclear attack on the Poggio, and we celebrate the return of the Women’s Milan-San Remo where Lotte Kopecky delivered a tactical masterclass.</p><p>But when the internet decides to turn high-speed crashes into a toxic debate about bike-handling skills, Pat steps into the Pulpit to issue a brutal reality check to the "Keyboard Directeurs" polluting the comments section.</p><p>Plus: Remco Evenepoel sprinting on a Monday in Catalunya, the E3 Saxo Classic preview, and how to survive a nine-hour training weekend on nothing but Thomas Hammer dark roast.</p><p>Grab a pint from Big Barn Brewing and let's get into it.</p>