With the first downhill World Cup in Leogang rapidly approaching, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with Eliot and Neko. We sat down to find out what they’ve been up to since we last spoke.

Eliot tells us about his move to Santa Cruz and how he’ll be joining Rob Warner in the commentary booth this season. Neko shares how his preparation for the season has been going, along with talking about the US based racing so far this year. The guys also give their thoughts on the upcoming race season. We did unfortunately have some issues with Neko’s audio which mean it sounds a bit like a zoom call in a few spots. So apologies for that. I’ve bought him a new microphone that is winging it’s way to him right now. That means our post race shows will be all good. This chat got me really excited for the racing that we have in store in 2021. So sit back, hit play and give this episode with Eliot and Neko a listen.

You can follow Eliot on Instagram @eliotjackson and Neko @nekomulally.

Supporting Partners

CushCore

I’ve been riding CushCore for over two years now and I love the changes it makes to the way my bike rides. It’s more damped, carries momentum better through rough terrain as it doesn’t get held up so much on square edges, and it has more support in the turns. CushCore really does help you go bigger, corner harder and ride faster with total confidence! If you’re based in the UK then you can purchase them directly from Silverfish over at silverfish-uk.com. If you’re elsewhere in the world, then check out cushcore.com.

Nukeproof

Nukeproof have given their ridewear range a massive overhaul. As part of this, they’ve been really focussed on the environmental side of things, now using Bluesign approved fabrics and OEKO-TEX certification wherever possible. They are also committed to reduce wastage from previous seasons fabrics with their ‘dead-stock line’ which will use the offcuts and wastage to create limited runs of products in high-end premium fabrics.

There are 3 main ranges. First up is Outland, which is designed to work well on the bike, but to not look out of place off it. So it has subtle branding and is perfect for those post ride beers. Then there is the Blackline range, which is designed to perform all day long in the saddle. Finally there is Blackline Race which is what their team riders will be competing in, and is designed to be the ultimate gear for athletes performing at the highest level.

If you want to check it out for yourself, then head over to nukeproof.com to see the entire range.

Win Incredible Prizes - 2021 Listener Survey

Nukeproof and CushCore have put together an incredible prize bundle. All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is to help me out by completing my 2021 listener survey before the end of May. It will take a couple of minutes and you can do it now by heading to downtimepodcast.com/survey.

Podcast Stuff

My 2021 Spring/Summer merch is here, including our first ever recycled t-shirts. If you want to support the podcast, and represent, then my webstore is the place to head. All products are 100% organic, shipped without plastics, and made with a supply chain that's using renewable energy. So check it out now over at downtimepodcast.com/shop.

Give us a follow on Instagram @downtimepodcast or Facebook @downtimepodcast to keep up to date and chat in the comments.

For everything video, including riding videos, bike checks and more, subscribe over at youtube.com/downtimemountainbikepodcast.

Are you enjoying the podcast? If so, then don’t forget to subscribe. It’s free and means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. You'll find all the links you need at downtimepodcast.com/subscribe. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google and most of the podcast apps out there. While you're there, why not join our newsletter, to get our Weekend Warm-Up email every Friday,