Ashton Lambie, track world record holder and gravel racer

In 2021, Ashton Lambie became the first person in history to ride 4000m in under four minutes. He completed the distance in 3:59.93, surpassing the previous record held by Filippo Ganna, the current time trial world champion. This was Ashton's third time to break the world record, which he had first held in 2018. He went on to win the individual pursuit at the Track World Championships two months later. Given this history, it is perhaps surprising that Ashton grew up racing gravel in Nebraska before discovering his talent for track racing.

In this interview, Ashton tells Payson about his history in gravel and decision to break the four minute barrier on the track. He tries to explain the specific pain that a rider experiences at that speed, and the bike setup that allowed him to average 62km per hour (38.5mph). They also talk about his complicated relationship with gravel's competitive trajectory, and why he's decided to race the Grand Prix after spending years on the track. He also talks about his recent move to Houston where his partner is training to become a NASA astronaut.