In this episode of The Mettleset Podcast, we take you into the world of BASE jumping with two of the sport’s top athletes, Katie Hansen and Cornelia Mihai. Fresh off their participation in EXIT 139—a historic two-day event where 31 jumpers from 15 countries completed an astonishing 437 jumps from the Burj Khalifa—they share what it means to take that leap, both physically and mentally.

Beyond the spectacle, BASE jumping isn’t just about adrenaline—it’s about trust, presence, and embracing life at full intensity. In a short but sweet episode, Katie and Cornelia reflect on their experiences, the mindset behind the sport, and why it’s not about being reckless, but about truly living.

Links:

• 🔗 Read the full Arab News article: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2591124/sport
• 🔗 Follow The Mettleset on Instagram: @themettleset
• 🔗 Follow Katie Hansen on Instagram: @flywithkatie
• 🔗 Follow Cornelia Mihai on Instagram: @cornelia_mihai
• 🔗 Sign up for The Mettleset newsletter: sign up here

Support the Show:

💬 Love the episode? Leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend!

-Dawn

The UAE Tour Women (Feb 6-9) is the Middle East’s first and only Women’s WorldTour race, where the world’s best cyclists battle it out over four intense stages covering 540km across the UAE’s desert landscapes. In this special three-part series,

In Episode 3 of our three part BTS series we celebrate UAE Team ADQ’s incredible victory, with insights from key figures who made it happen:

• 🚲 Melissa Moncada, Head of Team, on the significance of this win for UAE cycling and the growth of women’s cycling in the region.
• 🚲 Cherie Pridham, Head of Sport, a trailblazer as the first woman to hold a sport director role on a men’s WorldTour team before joining UAE Team ADQ, shares her thoughts on the team’s performance and success.
• 🚲 Silvia Persico, who finished second in the GC and was instrumental in Elisa Longo Borghini’s Stage 3 victory, reflects on her role and the team’s strategy.
• 🚲 Elisa Longo Borghini, fresh off her GC win, shares her experience of the race, her emotions after taking the overall victory, and a personal reflection on racing with her brother as a tour director.

🔗 Links discussed in this episode:

• 📖 Read Dawn’s full race coverage in Arab News
• 📸 Follow UAE Team ADQ on Instagram
• 🚲 For more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset ✨
• 📩 Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE

In this series:

• Episode 1: Inside the race with journalist Emma Cole
• Episode 2: A behind-the-scenes look inside the Human Powered Health support car

🚲 For more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset ✨

📩 Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE

— Dawn

Welcome to The Mettleset Podcast! This is Episode 2 of our special three-part series taking you behind the scenes at the UAE Tour Women—the Middle East’s first and only Women’s WorldTour race, held from February 6-9, 2025.

I go BTS in Human Powered Health team’s support car during Stage *, the final stage of the race. Riding alongside Communications Director Oscar Skarsbrook and Soigneur Jose Leite—also known as a swanny,the ultimate Swiss Army knife of a cycling team—I get an exclusive look at the inner workings of a pro cycling team on race day.

In our support van chat, we discuss:

• 🚲 The role of a support team in pro cycling
• 🚲 The dynamics of race-day logistics
• 🚲 Human Powered Health’s mission and team culture
• 🚲 The importance of soigneurs in keeping a team on the road
• 🚲 The Embrace Every Moment series by Wahoo

A huge thank you to Oscar, Jose, and the entire Human Powered Health team for this unforgettable experience.

🔗 More on what was discussed in this episode:

• 🚲 Learn more about Human Powered Health: https://www.instagram.com/hphcycling/
• 🚲 Watch Wahoo’s Embrace Every Moment series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOA289t6dxQ
• 🚲 For more stories on women in sport! Find us on @themettleset ✨
• 📩 Subscribe to The Mettleset newsletter for exclusive stories on MENA women’s sports, HERE

Enjoy!

Dawn