Cam Jones on his U23 misadventures in Europe and growing up in New Zealand

Cam Jones has had a pretty memorable 2025 season, rocketing from Grand Prix wild card to winner of Unbound. And yet, that dramatic turn of events pales in comparison to his 2022 season. For his final year as a U23, Cam planned to race every World Cup in the hope that it might secure him a team for the start of his Elite career. After a promising start to the season, things went downhill fast. Kidney failure, Covid, and a five-day stint in a Belgian detention center followed, and somehow, that barely scratches the surface.

Cam joined Payson in the studio in Durango to talk about that unforgettable 2022 season, how he ended up racing gravel in the U.S. after starting a forestry career in New Zealand, and his childhood in Nelson. They also talk about the logistics of traveling to Grand Prix races that American riders don’t have to think about, and how he’s approaching Leadville after his decisive and unexpected win at Unbound.