QOM Podcast: A different cycling podcast

It turns out there is much more organisation involved in a podcast recorded while climbing a mountain pass in Andorra. An interview with the two founders of QOM Podcast, Esther Piquer and Maria Salvo.

Vilja Larme | QOM Podcast

Vilja Larme: How was QOM Podcast born?

Esther Piquer & Maria Salvo: QOM Podcast was born from the desire to do something different, with a fresh and renewed perspective. In a context where we are saturated with content, often too homogeneous, we felt the need to break with that dynamic and bring a proposal with its own identity.

At the same time, we wanted to share what we are most passionate about: cycling, and do it while showing Andorra to the world. The idea? To create a moving podcast that would take us to the summit of the 21 mountain passes in the country. That’s how our first season was born: 21 passes for 1 jersey.

You record the episodes while riding your bikes. How does this affect the quality and dynamics of the interview?

This is the biggest challenge of the podcast. Unlike a conventional studio interview, our setting significantly increases production complexity: it requires more people, more coordination, and much more demanding logistics. The interview is also less predictable, because you cannot follow a fixed script and you constantly have to adapt to the rhythm of each climb.

We also depend on external support to ensure safety, such as road closures, and we have to adjust the length of the conversation to the distance and difficulty of the pass, taking into account both the guest’s abilities and our own physical condition. And as if that were not enough, the weather, often unpredictable, can completely change the plan within minutes.

Give us an example of a moment during a recording where things did not go as expected. How did you solve it?

When things don’t go as planned it is quite common on QOM Podcast; what is also common is how we face it: with a positive attitude, without giving up, and with the conviction that, as a team, we will always find a way to make it work.

You have to keep in mind that the weather in Andorra changes very quickly and can cancel an entire episode within seconds: either because the pass is not accessible or because the situation involves avalanche risk level 4/5. Yes, we have experienced that. From bungee jumping to helicopters, snowmobiles or buggies… any element can fail hours before starting.

One of the most demanding episodes was the one with Joaquim Rodríguez “Purito”, a true cycling legend. It had been snowing for three days straight, and that same morning, at 7:00 a.m. and under heavy snowfall, we told him we were not cancelling: we were convinced that at 10:00 a.m. we would be able to record.

From there, everything turned into a real race against time. We coordinated with the local council of Sant Julià, Naturland and COEX to make it happen: from clearing the road in record time during a weather window, to opening tracks on cross-country ski slopes that were completely covered, and even digging our van out of the snow. And of course, the key factor: that the guest agreed.

Against all odds, we made it on time. The episode and the surprise became a reality. Today it is one of our favourites, not only because of the result, but because of the unity we felt as a team. It was a complete success. We just had to trust… although that is not always easy.

How do you choose the people you interview?

They are inspiring people in their fields, either because of their professional career or the life stories they have to share. We look for profiles with some connection to sport, in any of its forms, and with the willingness to tell their story on a bicycle.

Who has been the interview that made you most nervous so far?

Carlos Verona, because he was the first professional cyclist we had as a guest on the podcast. In the end, he is our most direct audience, where we focus most of our attention on social media, and that created extra pressure to do it well and more respect towards making mistakes.

Read the full interview with Esther Piquer & Maria Salvo in Nafent Magazine volume 18, available in the webshop.