Bikepacking the Canary Islands & Racing in South Africa: A Catch-Up With Sarah Diekmeyer & Maddy Nutt

Sarah Diekmeyer and Maddy Nutt have spent the past few seasons chasing long days, big terrain, and the kind of races that blur the line between competition and adventure. In this episode, we catch up on everything from bikepacking across the Canary Islands to racing Gravelburn in South Africa, and why multi-day efforts continue to pull them back in.We talk about how they first met during a Traka recon, why stage races create such strong bonds, and what it’s actually like to spend seven days racing, camping, washing kit in sinks, and surviving wild weather together. They break down the realities of rough terrain, suspension choices, comfort over long days, and the moments when things go fully nonverbal.The conversation also dives into navigating long seasons, choosing when to race versus when to explore, and how mindset, recovery, and friendship play a huge role in staying grounded. Outside of racing, we chat about skiing in the offseason, creative routines like morning pages, and learning to protect the joy that brought them into the sport in the first place.Hope you enjoy this conversation :)!Sarah Diekmeyer⁠⁠Maddy Nutt ⁠Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠If you enjoyed the episode, leaving a quick Spotify review really helps small shows like ours grow :)!