World Champ, GB Champ and World Cup Podiums - Charlie Aldridge is the UK’s latest XC Star!
Charlie Aldridge’s growing resume of race results marks him out as the future of XC.
He’s an Under-23 World Champion in XCO, is the 2025 British Champ at both XCO and XCC and has spent the past two seasons racking up some impressive results in both XCC and XCO on the World Cup circuit, having been signed to Cannondale Factory Racing in 2024.
Thanks to Cannondale for sponsoring this episode of the MBUK Podcast.
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1:04:03
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1:04:03
Lou Ferguson on Hardline, GB Champs and Intense M1 Proto
Louise Ferguson became the first woman to ever complete a top-to-bottom, seeding and then race run at the infamous Red Bull Hardline Wales 2025 mountain bike race.
The course was littered with incredibly technical features, huge drops and jumps as long as 90 feet. It was a moment in history, which has pushed women's mountain biking forward, paving the way for even more incredible feats.
In this episode of the MBUK Podcast, we talk extensively to Lou about Hardline. However, her win at the event is far from her only success. She's the current GB national champion in downhill, a regular finalist in the World Cup series and has a long history of competing at Crankworx events.
Ferguson is also the pilot of one of the most special mountain bikes in the downhill scene – a custom, prototype Intense M1 downhill bike, hand-welded by founder Jeff Steber, and featuring a Pinion gearbox and Gates belt drive. How does the bike ride on the downhill course? Lou reveals it's incredible ride qualities.
Thanks to Troy Lee Designs UK for sponsoring this episode.
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1:09:44
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1:09:44
World Cup racing, commentating, and race bikes with Ric McLaughlin
Ric McLaughlin is the current voice of World Cup DH and XC racing, as the lead commentator on Warner Brothers Discovery's coverage. He's also a former staff writer at MBUK, and a self-professed massive MTB geek.
In this episode of the MBUK Podcast, we discuss the current state of world cup racing, and his experiences of being a commentator. We also discuss his new documentary series, Race Bikes, which dives deep into some of the most important race bikes from the past. Finally, we cover off his wild time at MBUK - the trips, the bikes and the banter.
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1:44:56
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1:44:56
How I won a medal at the first MTB World Champs | Dave Hemming
Dave Hemming was the first Brit to claim a medal in downhill racing during the first Mountain Bike World Championships in Durango, USA.
He went on to race for some of the coolest brands, including Klein, Kona, Fat Chance, Marin and of course, MBUK, to name a few.
His racing career saw him competing full-time as a World Cup racer, travelling the globe and having countless adventures.
It was during his years racing that Hemming’s love for the tech and development started to blossom.
After breaking his back for the second time, he decided to retire from racing professionally.
Since then, he’s been an important part of the bike industry, working for brands such as, Rapha, Vulpine, Cannondale and now Quin, which produces intelligent safety technology for helmets.
Alongside this, Dave’s an ambassador for Niner bikes, sponsors of this podcast. Massive thanks to those guys for helping out.
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1:11:02
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1:11:02
Emil Johansson: The King of Slopestyle
Emil Johannson (@johanssoemil) is one of the foremost slopestyle and freeriders on the planet!
He’s a four-time Slopestyle World Champion, a 13 time Crankworx winner, and three-time triple crown winner too - which means he won all three events in the Crankworx tour in a year, three times.
He’s got more slopestyle wins of anyone on the planet, and has also competed in Redbull Rampage, showing an incredible breadth of skill.
His smooth riding style, and ability to fling his bike in any which way he chooses has won him plaudits and fans alike.
We talk to Emil has he recovers from his collarbone and rib fractures, as well as a concussion, suffered at Crankworx, Cairns.
Emil’s just launched a signature set of pads with G-Form. Thanks to those guys for sponsoring this episode of the MBUK Podcast!
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Join Rob and Tom along with special guests each week to look back at the past forty years of mountain bike history, from the greatest riders, most influential brands, key bikes and tech developments that have created the sport we love today.
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