After more than a week in the Pindus Mountains, the 2025 Hellenic Mountain Race draws to a close in the seaside town of Nafpaktos. Riders have been arriving over the past few days—unwinding by the water, sharing stories, and slowly beginning to process what just happened out there.In our final episode from Greece, we do our best to capture that feeling. We catch up with riders between swims and ice creams, reflect on high points, hard moments, everything in between, and head to the finishers’ party, where our Lantern Rouge is welcomed across the line with a hero's welcome. We tried to put a bow on this past week, but there’s no simple way to capture everything riders felt out there—knowing full well that the real weight of the experience will take time to settle. Still, we hope this series has offered a window into the ride, and maybe even sparked something for your own adventure—whatever shape that may take.We'll be back in the field for the Silk Road Mountain Race this August. Subscribe wherever you listen so you don’t miss any of the action. Follow Hellenic Mountain Race on Instagram Follow Silk Road Mountain Race on InstagramVisit our website to learn more about the Mountain RacesProduction and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HMR Day 8: Meaghan Hackinen, Women's Winner of Hellenic Mountain Race 2025
Welcome to our podcast coverage of the third Hellenic Mountain Race, supported by Albion, Tailfin, Pertex and STYRKR. In this episode, we sit down with Meaghan Hackinen, the women's winner of the 2025 Hellenic Mountain Race. Meaghan crossed the finish line in 4 days, 7 hours, and 10 minutes—over ten hours faster than last year’s winning time—landing her in ninth place overall on the general classification.Meaghan reflects on her experience racing through Greece, overcoming a her fear of technical mountain biking, and how preparation—both mental and mechanical—set her up for success. She talks through her race strategy, the highs and lows and much more. Follow Meaghan Hackinen on InstagramTo learn more about the Mountain Races: Hellenic Mountain Race, Silk Road Mountain Race and Atlas Mountain Race, visit our website Production and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HMR Day 7: One Last Climb
Welcome to our podcast coverage of the third Hellenic Mountain Race, supported by Albion, Tailfin, Pertex and STYRKR. The finish line is finally within reach. After nearly a week on the road and collecting their third stamp, riders are faced with one big final push: 190 km with 6,300 meters of climbing. The most technical terrain is behind them, but this section holds the highest climbing ratio of the entire route. Resupply is sparse and riders will need to load up adequately to fuel themselves to the finish.Riders featured in this episode: Ariane Richter (Cap 10) Lisa Pacher and Timo Stein (Caps 211A&B) Patrick Majerle (Cap 119)Timo Rokitte (Cap 163) Tanner Jackson (Cap 58)Sjoerd Ebberink (Cap 153)Thomas Quirk (Cap 161) Paul Creusvaux (Cap 123)Follow us on InstagramProduction and hosting by Mel WebbSound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HMR Day 6: Alex McCormack, Men's Winner of Hellenic Mountain Race 2025
Welcome to our podcast coverage of the third Hellenic Mountain Race, supported by Albion, Tailfin, Pertex and STYRKR. We sit down with Alex McCormack, the 2025 Hellenic Mountain Race winner, just days after his ride to the sea. Alex reflects on his back-and-forth battle with Anatole Naimi, the unrelenting nature of the course, and what it took to hold on for the win. He shares thoughts on sleep strategy, trench foot, bike setup, and how it felt to race with pressure as the favorite. Plus, a few stories about pasta, perfect bivy spots, and the road ahead to Silk Road Mountain Race.Follow Alex on InstagramClick here to Dotwatch the raceFollow us on Instagram for daily visual updatesProduction and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben Crannell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HMR Day 5: Spiralling Upward
Welcome to our podcast coverage of the third Hellenic Mountain Race, supported by Albion, Tailfin, Pertex and STYRKR. By Day 5 of the Hellenic Mountain Race, everyone is feeling it. Fatigue is universal, moods are mixed, and the weather, like the terrain, has it's own ups and downs.In this episode we start at Checkpoint 2 for some of the final riders to arrive ahead of the time cutoff. From there, we leap forward in the field with the goal of reaching Checkpoint 3 in Karpenisi by nightfall. Along the way, riders share stories of the effort it’s taken to make it this far, their plans for the road ahead, and the resolve needed to keep going.We also hear from those who’ve made the difficult decision not to continue. Scratching might seem like a defeat from the outside, but for some, it’s its own kind of win—a choice to prioritize safety, learning, or experience a new perspective of the race.As the kilometers wear on, so do shoes, zippers, and minds, and we hear from some riders who've gotten inventive with their gear...Riders featured: Matt Franklin (Cap 98)Gabriele Ciacci (Cap 52)Gail Brown (Cap 53) Stephanie Hall (Cap 155)Rachael Carly (Cap 129)Mark Gilmour (Cap 89)Arianne Richter (Cap 10)George Antonakopoulos and Iasonas Mourellos (Caps 208A & 208B)Dennis Stegemann (Cap 36)Eric House (Cap 44) Click here to Dotwatch the raceFollow us on Instagram for daily visual updatesProduction and hosting by Mel Webb Sound design by Ben CrannellVisit the Mountain Races website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ireland