Why a Former Tour de France Pro Recommends Gaining Weight

Legendary Canadian racer Svein Tuft joins Mike Levy to chat about stories from his book, We Will Never Be Here Again. The two cover wild stories ranging from epic bike-packing trips while pulling Tufts’ 60-lb dog named Bear in a homemade trailer, to winning stages at the Tour de France and Giro.

Tuft has had an unconventional career and lived an unconventional life.

Tuft is likely also the only professional cyclist, active or retired, who has spent time train hopping. He gives Levy his best tips for traveling via railcar—like finding priority trains to cross the country quickly and hiding in the nooks of grain carts to avoid the authorities.

The two also dive into how being an introvert was a superpower for Tuft during his European road career before getting into a discussion of ultra-endurance racing. Tuft has advice for racing the Tour Divide, including getting heavier, and talks about how a severe sickness forced him to pull the pin once he reached Colorado during his own attempt.

Finally, the duo discusses Tuft’s unexplainable sighting while camping deep in the Canadian forest. Was it a UFO or something else? Whether it was an otherworldly encounter or just extreme exhaustion, it adds another incredible layer to Tuft’s backlog of outdoor stories.

Listen to the full episode, grab his book, We Will Never Be Here Again, for the rest of the wild stories, and check out Tuft Camps if you’re brave enough to try holding his wheel.

Episode Timestamps

00:00:11 – Mike Levy introduces 13-time national champion and former Olympian, Svein Tuft.
00:04:06 – Dropping out of high school, early bike-packing trips to Alaska with his dog, and discovering the freedom of living off the land.
00:15:57 – The lost art of train hopping, finding the “priority trains,” and why it is a lot riskier today.
00:21:47 – How spending time alone in the wilderness gave Svein the introverted superpower to survive the stress of professional cycling in Europe.
00:30:08 – Reflecting on the Tour de France, old-school nutrition, and pulling the peloton for over 200 kilometers.
00:42:37 – Svein’s experience racing the Tour Divide, pushing through an intense cough, and knowing when to pull the pin.
00:52:22 – Advice for ultra-endurance mortals: why you shouldn’t show up too lean, prioritizing comfort, and eating real food.
01:11:01 – A strange, unexplainable UFO sighting in the crystal-clear sky above Mount Rexford.
01:14:51 – Details on Tuft Camps, offering guided gravel, road, and mountain bike trips out of Nelson, British Columbia.