Dot Comms

On the Dot 004. Previewing Silk Road Mountain Race and Badlands with Nathalie Baillon. Plus Colorado Trail Race, Via Chapter III & more!

On the Dot is Dot Comms’ race-dedicated show where we review the recent action and look ahead at dots to watch in the near future.For this episode Samuel Thompson is joined by Nicky Shaw and Nathalie Baillon to provide some expert analysis, hot takes, inside info and occasional wild speculation.

With Nathalie we look forward to the action at the upcoming Silk Road Mountain Race and Badlands, including her experience of riding both.Further races that are recapped include:Colorado Trail Race
Via Chapter III
And there are dots to watch at:GBDURO
Transiberia
Pain au Chocolat
Mountains of the Merfynion
Get in touch via our Instagram page: @dotcommspodor via email: dotcommspod@gmail.com

Links:
DotWatcher website: https://dotwatcher.cc/
Acier Coaching & Consulting website: https://www.acier.cc/

Dot Comms is the audio home of ultra-distance cycling coverage, in partnership with DotWatcher.
Each month we bring you all the latest racing news and goings-on from the ultra-distance self-supported cycling world, and a Roundtable discussion where prominent characters of the community share their opinions on pressing issues in the sport.

This month’s episode is supported by Acier who provide ultra-distance specific coaching and consulting services. Go to Acier.cc to find out more.

Presented & Produced by:
Samuel Thompson of Acier Coaching & Consulting (@touriste.routier, @acier.cc)

Co-hosted by:
Millie Gibbons, Web Developer at DotWatcher

In this episode’s Roundtable we talk through some of the highlights from Transcontinental Race No12 with guests :
Esther Lloyd: Contributor to the DotWatcher commentary of TCRNo12, finisher of TCRNo11 and TPRNo4.
Conor McKenzie: Editor of the DotWatcher Substack and ultra-cyclist who was winner of The Capitals in 2025.
Get in touch via our Instagram page: @dotcommspodor via email: dotcommspod@gmail.com

Links:
DotWatcher website: https://dotwatcher.cc/
Acier Coaching & Consulting website: https://www.acier.cc/

On the Dot is Dot Comms’ race-dedicated show where we review the recent action and look ahead at dots to watch in the near future.

For this episode Samuel Thompson is joined by Nicky Shaw and Jana Kesenheimer to provide some expert analysis, hot takes, inside info and occasional wild speculation.Races that are recapped include:Three Peaks Bike Race
Bright Midnight
And there are dots to watch at:Transcontinental Race No12
Via Chapter III
Get in touch via our Instagram page: @dotcommspodor via email: dotcommspod@gmail.com

Links:
DotWatcher website: https://dotwatcher.cc/
Acier Coaching & Consulting website: https://www.acier.cc/

In this special episode, originally featured on the Seek Travel Ride Podcast in August 2025, host of Dot Comms, Samuel Thompson (@touriste.routier), recounts his experience of completing the Tour de France Randonner, as well as his cycling journey to this point and the philosophy behind his approach.

Established in 1958, the Tour de France Randonneur is essentially a permanent Randonnée demarcated by 61 control points (often in emblematic locations such as Omaha Beach, Carrefour de l’Arbre, and the Col du Tourmalet) that leads riders on a roughly 4,800km true tour of France.

Thank you to Bella Molloy for allowing us to share this episode with you and check out the Seek Travel Ride podcast for other inspiring recollections of journeys by bicycle.

For more information on Samuel’s Tour de France Randonneur, see:

https://www.acier.cc/tdfrhttps://dotwatcher.cc/race/the-touriste-routier
https://dotwatcher.cc/feature/touriste-routier
https://www.hauteprovenceinfo.com/actualite-47770-manosque-samuel-thompson-tour-de-france-randonneur-en-12-jours-et-13h
https://www.usmetrocyclotourisme.fr/tdf-2025/thompson-samuel-2073-gb-finisher

Dot Comms is the audio home of ultra-distance cycling coverage, in partnership with DotWatcher.

Each month we bring you all the latest racing news and goings-on from the ultra-distance self-supported cycling world, and a Roundtable discussion where prominent characters of the community share their opinions on pressing issues in the sport.

This month’s episode is supported by Acier who provide ultra-distance specific coaching and consulting services. Go to Acier.cc to find out more.

Presented & Produced by:
Samuel Thompson of Acier Coaching & Consulting (@touriste.routier, @acier.cc)

Co-hosted by:
Amanda Wishart, Web Editor at DotWatcher

In this episode’s Roundtable we we review the Tour Divide with guests from the Old Man Mountain Experimental Bikepacking Team :
Paola (Poli) Berber: adventure cyclist, environmental manager, and community organiser born and raised in Mexico City.
Susie Douglas: Mountain biker of all formats, Director of Operations for Wildfire International, and ultimately Jill of All Trades: living a life filled with remote adventure and unconventional career pursuits with bikepacking the thread that ties it all together.

Get in touch via our Instagram page: @dotcommspodor via email: dotcommspod@gmail.com

Links:
DotWatcher website: https://dotwatcher.cc/
Acier Coaching & Consulting website: https://www.acier.cc/