The Long Haul

From the “Kids of Mud” in Manitoba to the world stage, Leah Kirchmann joins the PedalCast for this great two part episode to reflect on a remarkable cycling career. Two-time Olympian, World Championship winner, and Tour de France podium finisher, Leah shares the highs, lows, and life lessons from elite racing, including resilience, teamwork, and the mental approach that guided her from athlete to coach.

In this episode — recorded on the eve of the Hulst Worlds — Michael talks about growing up on the Prairies, the unlikely path from Brandon to the World Championships, what it takes to compete in one of cycling's most demanding disciplines, and why he believes cyclocross is one of the best development pathways for young Canadian cyclists across all disciplines.

With the 2026 U SPORTS Track and Field National Championships set for March 5th to 7th at the Jim Daly Fieldhouse in the Max Bell, we’re shifting gears in February and celebrating three legendary Bison athletes who helped define an era on the track and cross-country course. It’s also a tribute to the dominant University of Manitoba men’s teams from 1988–1996, inducted into the Athletics Manitoba Hall of Fame in November 2025, following their earlier enshrinement in the Canada West Hall of Fame. In our second feature, we're joined by Jeff McMillan.

With the 2026 U SPORTS Track and Field National Championships set for March 5th to 7th at the Jim Daly Fieldhouse in the Max Bell, we’re shifting gears in February and celebrating three legendary Bison athletes who helped define an era on the track and cross-country course. It’s also a tribute to the dominant University of Manitoba men’s teams from 1988–1996, inducted into the Athletics Manitoba Hall of Fame in November 2025, following their earlier enshrinement in the Canada West Hall of Fame. We begin with the remarkable Sue Binne-Huse.

Fresh off a training ride in Spain, Canadian cyclocross phenom Nico Knoll joins the Pedalcast to discuss her jump from a breakout junior season to racing U23 World Cups and World Championships in Europe, sharing what it takes to compete at the highest level and where her focus is headed next!

From his unlikely start at McGill to becoming Canada’s first sub-9-hour Ironman and a RAAM finisher, Paulo Saldanha’s journey redefined what was possible in endurance sport. In Part 1 of this series, the WorldTour performance director and PowerWatts founder shares how he transitioned from athlete to coach and helped bring power-based training to the forefront of cycling.

Get comfy and listen to the remarkable 2 months of racing by 17-year-old semi-pro cyclist Adam Smith. His 2024 season included a mix of disappointment and a new jersey at the Nationals road race in Quebec.

On our first episode, Soren Weselake joins the PedalCAST to tell us about his dramatic races at the Canada Games and how a kid from Portage la Prairie wound up crushing the entire Quebec team at the Games!