Ahhh fall is here. The leaves are turning, the fenders have gone back on the bike and people cannot seem to get enough of all things pumpkin spice.
A blend of cinnamon, all spice, cloves, nutmeg and ginger, pumpkin spice catapulted into popularity in the early aughts when Starbucks premiered its seasonal, and wildly popular, pumpkin spice latte.
Nowadays, pumpkin spice gets infused into just about everything from baked goods to drinks to — we kid you not — chain lubricant.
Earlier this month, we rounded up some popular pumpkin spiced products to fuel your cycling life and in doing so, we may have found cycling’s biggest pumpkin spice fiend in track star turned gravel pro, Ashton Lambie.
Lambie, the famously mustachioed American cyclist, is a two-time national champion, two-time Pan American champion, a former wold champion and past individual pursuit world record holder who became the first person ever to break the four-minute barrier in the four-kilometer Individual pursuit. (Filippo Ganna broke his record by just 0.294 seconds earlier this October, but Lambie remains one of only two people to have ever gone sub-4 minutes).
For the 2022 season, Lambie decided to take a break from riding in small circles to tackle the wide open gravel races instead.
These endeavors take a lot of training and fueling, and come fall time, the Nebraska native turns to the cinnamon-y goodness of pumpkin spice for a touch of seasonal flavor in his daily fuel and treats.
While sipping on a Peet’s pumpkin latte, Lambie shared that he’s been “on the pumpkin spice” train for a month already — some classic and some new.
Ashton Lambie’s Top 5 Pumpkin Spice Products
(Image credit: Getty Images)
1. The OG, the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte #PSL
“Literally the only thing I ever order from a Starbucks that isn’t black coffee,” says Lambie. “I usually ask for less syrup because it’s pretty sweet. When this drops, you KNOW it’s the start of fall, UGG boots and pumpkin spice season.
2. Pumpkin Spice Cheerios
“A bowl of cereal is always a solid snack, and Cheerios aren’t as sugary as most cereals. These are a good balance of sweet and warming spice, plus the leftover milk is perfect,” Lambie says.
3. Bobo’s Pumpkin Spice Bars
“Bobo’s bars (opens in new tab) are always a staple for me on long rides. They hold up well to being smashed into a jersey pocket or bag, and are good hot or cold. Bobo’s is the perfect level of pumpkin flavor and spice flavor,” he says,
“A lot of products just…