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CASTELLI Cycling Podcast

CASTELLI Cycling Podcast

Written by: Castelli Cycling
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About this listen

Welcome to the Castelli Podcast — your inside access to one of the most iconic brands in cycling history. For nearly 150 years, Castelli has helped shape how professional riders dress, race, and perform, pushing the boundaries of cycling apparel innovation, aerodynamics, and performance technology.


In each episode, we sit down with world-class pro riders, performance engineers, designers, and industry experts to explore what it really takes to perform at the highest level. From aero gains and fabric development to training insights and behind-the-scenes product stories, you’ll hear firsthand how cutting-edge cycling gear is developed — and what’s coming next.


Whether you’re a road cyclist, gravel rider, racer, or passionate fan of pro cycling, this podcast offers deep insights into Castelli’s heritage, innovation process, and future of cycling performance.


Subscribe and join us for conversations that go beyond the race — and into the heart of cycling.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

© 2026 CASTELLI Podcast
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Episodes
  • THE GRUBERS | Part Two — How It All Began in Cycling Photography
    Jan 27 2026

    In part two with Ashley and Jered Gruber we unpack how their journey into cycling photography truly began.


    From a chance meeting sparked by a flat tire in Athens, Georgia, to moving to Europe with no real plan, a €1,500 car, and a pocket-sized camera, this episode traces the early years that shaped their visual language.


    Jered and Ashley share how racing dreams shifted into storytelling, why landscapes and atmosphere mattered more than finish-line shots, and how shooting differently helped them find space in a crowded world of race photography.


    The conversation dives into their first Castelli shoots, the Koppenberg with Andreas Klier, the iconic Passo Giau image with Peter Stetina, and the unexpected chain of events that led them to shoot the Giro d’Italia. Along the way, they reflect on learning by doing, working without moto access, and building trust as a creative duo within the chaos of professional cycling.


    This episode explores cycling photography from the inside out — not just how images are made, but why they’re made that way.


    ________


    🇮🇹 Nel secondo episodio con Jered e Ashley Gruber torniamo all’inizio di tutto: un incontro casuale, una foratura e una decisione che ha cambiato il loro percorso. Dalle prime foto scattate quasi per necessità ai grandi giri, raccontiamo come hanno costruito una carriera nella fotografia ciclistica seguendo istinto, curiosità e uno sguardo diverso sul ciclismo.


    🇩🇪 In der zweiten Episode mit Jered und Ashley Gruber blicken wir zurück auf die Anfänge ihrer Reise. Von einer zufälligen Begegnung und den ersten Fotos bis hin zu den großen Rundfahrten sprechen wir darüber, wie sie sich ihren Platz in der Radsportfotografie erarbeitet haben – mit Geduld, Neugier und einer ganz eigenen Perspektive.

    ________



    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro

    03:07 How Ashley and Jered First Met

    05:22 From Racing to Photography

    08:33 Moving to Europe

    09:34 Discovering the Camera

    11:23 First Breaks

    12:24 Life on the Road

    14:01 Meeting Castelli & First Commercial Shoot

    16:17 Koppenberg & Giau

    20:25 Becoming Photographers

    23:46 Creative Duo

    27:52 Finding Their Style

    31:32 The Photo That Changed Everything

    33:13 Giro Opportunity

    36:27 First Grand Tour

    41:24 Evolving the Vision

    45:46 Milano-Sanremo

    49:40 Race Day Workflow

    52:14 Creative Pressure

    55:00 Ending



    CONNECT ⁠

    Ashley Norris Gruber

    https://www.instagram.com/ashleygruber/


    Jered Gruber

    https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber/



    – HOST –

    Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect: ⁠LinkedIn⁠


    Check out our new collection: Castelli-cycling.com



    SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

    If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠podcast@castelli-cycling.com⁠

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
  • THE GRUBERS | Behind Cycling’s Most Iconic Images
    Jan 13 2026

    Many of you have watched their work evolve over the years, shaping how modern cycling is seen and remembered. I’ve been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to that journey.


    Today, I’m joined by Ashley and Jered Gruber — a husband-and-wife photography duo and two of the most influential visual storytellers in the world of cycling. From their early years to the biggest races on the calendar, I’ve watched them quietly shape how the sport looks, feels, and is remembered.


    This conversation is an honest look into life inside the peloton. We talk about instinct versus technique, creative doubt, missed shots, and the pressure of making split-second decisions when there are no second chances.


    Jered and Ashley open up about working together under extreme stress, following the Tour de France for weeks on end, navigating chaos at Flanders and Roubaix, and why even after all these years, they still feel the urge to try something different.


    This isn’t just a conversation about photography. It’s about trust, partnership, curiosity, and earning your place — not by being loud, but by consistently doing the work at the highest level.


    This is Part 1 of a three-part series. In the episodes to come, we’ll go deeper into how they met, their early years in cycling, full race-day workflows, and what still inspires them today.


    Hope you enjoy this one.


    ________________


    🇮🇹 Breve introduzione

    Due dei più importanti narratori visivi del ciclismo moderno si raccontano in una conversazione intima e senza filtri. Ashley e Jered Gruber parlano di istinto, pressione, fiducia e di cosa significa lavorare insieme dentro il caos del gruppo, dalle Classiche al Tour de France.


    ________________


    🇩🇪 Kurze Zusammenfassung

    Ashley und Jered Gruber gehören zu den einflussreichsten visuellen Geschichtenerzählern im Radsport. In dieser Episode sprechen sie über Intuition versus Technik, kreative Zweifel, Entscheidungsdruck im Rennen und darüber, wie es ist, Woche für Woche im Peloton zu arbeiten.


    ________________



    CHAPTERS

    00:00 – Intro

    05:34 – First Dolomites memories & meeting Igor Tavella

    08:45 – Most crazy expensive place they’ve slept in the Tour

    10:36 – Their favorite photo

    11:37 – The shot they still regret missing

    15:27 – Cycling’s most underrated roads

    18:06 – Post-Tour exhaustion & recovery

    20:25 – Favorite races to shoot

    23:09 – Technique vs instinct

    27:46 – Koppenberg vs Paterberg vs Kwaremont

    32:24 – Gear, lenses & race-day survival

    37:38 – Planning locations with moto pilots

    40:44 – Graham Watson & early inspiration

    44:32 – Explaining their job outside cycling

    46:05 – Why documentary photography still matters

    47:07 – Ending



    CONNECT ⁠

    Ashley Norris Gruber

    https://www.instagram.com/ashleygruber/


    Jered Gruber

    https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber/


    Igor Tavella

    https://www.instagram.com/igortavella/


    Ustaria Posta Hotel

    https://www.instagram.com/ustariaposta/

    https://www.ustariaposta.it/



    – HOST –

    Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect: ⁠LinkedIn⁠


    Check out our new collection: Castelli-cycling.com



    SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

    If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to ⁠⁠podcast@castelli-cycling.com⁠

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • JOE LAVERICK | Privateer’s Life, Marginal Gains & Having Fun!
    Nov 25 2025

    Joe Laverick was one of the standout British talents through his junior years and earned a place on one of the top development teams in cycling: Hagens Berman Axeon. He spent two seasons there under the guidance of the world-renowned Axel Merckx.


    Joe had hoped to make the jump to the WorldTour, but things didn’t fall into place, and he found himself without a contract at the end of 2022 — facing an uncertain future.


    Instead of walking away, Joe built something completely different: a one-man privateer project that blends road racing, time trialling and gravel, fuelled by spreadsheets, sponsors, side clients and a serious obsession with marginal gains.


    Joe lifts the curtain on:

    • What it actually costs to race as a privateer (race budget, travel, equipment)
    • Why you need to be more than “just a bike racer” in 2025
    • Balancing being a rider, writer, team owner, sponsor-hunter, soigneur and logistics manager
    • How he uses products like the Castelli Gabba R and new gravel kit – and why honest feedback matters
    • The learning curve of gravel: tyre pressure, technical skills and why it’s an “untapped jigsaw of performance”
    • 200+ days on the road in the US gravel scene, host housing, burnout, and finding balance
    • Why enjoyment is the ultimate performance metric, and his advice for young riders choosing between the pro pathway and privateer life
    • We wrap up with Joe’s dream Girona loop over Sant Hilari and Montseny – a 6.5-hour, 180–200 km that he still calls one of the best rides in the world.


    – LINKS –

    Joe Laverick

    https://www.instagram.com/joe.laverick/

    https://www.strava.com/athletes/7026027


    Sant Hilari Ride

    https://www.strava.com/activities/10469253051


    Castelli SOG

    https://www.castelli-cycling.com/spirit-of-gravel


    Men’s Unlimited Gravel Collection:

    ⁠https://www.castelli-cycling.com/IT/en/Men/Collection/Unlimited/c/Man-Col-Unl⁠


    Women’s Unlimited Gravel Collection:

    ⁠https://www.castelli-cycling.com/IT/en/Woman/Collection/Unlimited/c/Wom-Col-Unl⁠


    Castelli's Xmas Ride, Nov 29:

    Overview | ⁠https://www.strava.com/clubs/66959⁠

    Italy | Signup form: https://www.castelli-cycling.com/castelli-unlimited-christmas-ride-2025



    CHAPTERS

    00:00 – Intro, Castelli Christmas Gravel Ride & Spirit of Gravel Cabal

    02:00 – Who is Joe Laverick? Beating Remco & Girona life

    04:00 – Quickfire round: fashion crimes, coldest rides & junior chaos in Belgium

    09:10 – Contracts dry up: Tour of Alsace, injuries & the decision to go privateer

    14:30 – Building “Joe Laverick the brand”: writing, sponsors, and race budget reality

    18:30 – Gear geek: equipment choices, spreadsheets, and why the Gabba R blew his mind

    22:00 – Influencer vs athlete: social media, honesty and choosing the right partners

    27:20 – 200 days on the road: US gravel, burnout and learning to say “no”

    32:30 – Gravel as an “untapped jigsaw”: tyre pressure, skills and doing more with less budget

    44:40 – Joe’s favourite Girona mega-loop & how not to bonk

    47:00 – Advice to young riders: pro vs privateer, happiness and why fun has to come first

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
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