Velonews Podcasts

With brutal mud on a gnarly course, 'cross worlds didn't disappoint... and neither did the U.S. women's team. We recap and analyze the battle between Sanne Cant and Katie Compton. Then, we try to make sense of why the tables turned in the ongoing rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Of course, the podcast wouldn't be complete without an update on Chris Froome. Turns out, he's going to race in a week or so, despite the Salbutamol scandal. We debate whether this is the right move or not. Andrew Hood takes the pulse of the peloton to see if fellow pro riders want to see Froome back at the races.

NOTE: This is an updated version of episode 37. We apologize for uploading the previous, rough cut of this podcast. This is the one you want ... Thanks for listening! We take on the always-controversial subject of nutrition. Why is it so controversial? First, it’s very personal: Many people, trained or untrained, have strong opinions on the subject, and a lot of heated debate revolves around what is healthy and what is best for performance. We’ve had a few prominent guests on Fast Talk previously, and they’ve given their opinions on the subject. But thus far we have strayed away from revealing our thoughts — until now. In this podcast we’ll discuss what we think is healthy and what isn't. We’ll talk about what foods to eat, we'll take on the question of wheat, nutrient density, and sugar. Unlike other episodes, in this show Coach Trevor Connor will not only be the co-host, he’ll also be the guest of honor. His research in graduate school focused on many of these topics, and what he’ll share are his educated

Rainbow jerseys are on the line this weekend at cyclocross worlds in the Netherlands. We consider the top favorites and look back at the treacherous final round of the World Cup last Sunday in Hoogerheide. Road season is also underway with early season races in Argentina, Mallorca, and Australia. Trek-Segafredo came out swinging this week with five wins worldwide. One of the men to raise his arms was Toms Skujins, a newcomer to the American team. Spencer interviews him to talk about the turmoil of changing teams, racing the Vuelta, and more.

Compton and Keough went one-two in the Nommay 'cross World Cup. We look back on a memorable race for the Americans and puzzle over Mathieu van der Poel's seemingly nonchalant approach to winning. Then, Fred Dreier calls up Andrew Hood for the inside line on Tour Down Under. From the heat to the surprise winner, to the cuddly critters, Hoody gets us up to speed. Plus we consider who was off the front and who was off the back in the past week of bike racing.

Is climbing as simple as power-to-weight ratios? Not so much. In the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine, we dug into the rarely explored science of climbing. This podcast goes behind the scenes of the making of that article, and the many fascinating discoveries that came out of it. Co-hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case turned themselves into mad scientists and convinced WorldTour pro Sepp Kuss (LottoNL-Jumbo) to join them for several time trials up a few Boulder climbs in the quest for answers. Chief among the questions was simply: does climbing come down to power-to-weight or does your climbing technique make a difference? In other words, if two riders weigh the same and average the same wattage, will they have the same time up a climb regardless of how they ride? Answering that question led to several others, including how a rider's "type" affects his or her climbing and what's the difference between pros and amateurs. We also discovered some surprising answers about how different riders climb,

With Compton crushing her 14th title and Hyde battling Powers for his second title, CX Nats was an instant classic. We look back on the key races, and what's ahead for the best American cyclocross racers. Also in this show, we discuss the 2018 Women's WorldTour. Some key riders have moved to new teams, but will that stop Boels-Dolmans from winning nearly any race? The Dutch powerhouse team looks as good as ever.

Daniel Holloway burst onto the track World Cup this year winning an omnium event in Chile. First of all, he explains what the omnium event is all about. Then, we discuss his role on the new USA Cycling National Team and his diverse background as a pro cyclist. He's done everything from European racing to Red Hook Crits.

Expectations are high for Richie Porte to podium (or win!?) the Tour de France. The trouble is, his past performances have been patchy. We debate the Australian's talents and weaknesses in the first half of this podcast. There are some reasons to be bullish and others to be skeptical of Porte's potential. Then, we look ahead to this weekend's USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Reno! Will Katie Compton get lost in a casino and open the door for a rival to break her streak of 13 consecutive wins? Did Stephen Hyde race too much in the lead-up to championships? Plus, we debate the event's move back to December after the Reno race.

Are you getting out to ride this winter? This podcast covers the physiological effects of training in the cold, from muscle damage to the increased caloric demands. We also discuss tips and tricks to set up your bike, stay warm, and even keep your bottles from freezing. And if it's too damn cold, we explain the best way to balance time indoors on the trainer with outdoor rides. We speak with Dr. Stephen Cheung, Dr. Inigo San Millan, Trek-Segafredo pro rider Kiel Reijnen, and former cyclocross champion Tim Johnson about the best ways to get fit this winter.

To kick off the new year, we examine the key stories to watch in 2018: Sagan vs. Van Avermaet, Froome's Salbutamol scandal, and much more. We are joined by our new reporter, Dane Cash of VeloHuman and the Recon Ride podcast to look ahead to the coming cycling season. Later in the show, Fred Dreier talks about a story he wrote for the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine about religion and cycling. Lots of top professionals are religious, but they often feel compelled to keep their faith under wraps. An organization called Athletes in Action is endeavoring to help support them and provide a community.

Rally Cycling's pro riders put their bikes away for this off-season team camp. Instead, they hiked, skied, played basketball, and bonded with teammates new and old. The team-building may prove to be an essential ingredient if they hope to succeed in 2018 because the team is moving up to the Pro Continental level of racing. This should mean harder races, more European racing, and higher expectations. Editor in chief Fred Dreier caught up with Rally staff and riders in Winter Park, Colorado to learn more about the American squad's plans.

In this episode of Fast Talk, we tackle the always-popular topic of climbing. A listener in Iowa asked if he could become a better climber. Not only will we answer his question, we’ll describe ways in which anyone can improve their technique, efficiency, and power to refine their climbing. Surprisingly, climbing isn't as simple as dropping a few pounds or spending your days riding in the Rockies. We look at the question from a few angles: First, does dropping weight make you a better climber? The fact is, for the last few decades, winners of the Tour de France, who can climb with the best, aren't the lightest athletes. Why this is has a lot to do with something called allometric scaling. Secondly, we'll discuss whether you need to climb hills to be a climber. Is it really just a question of power-to-weight? Finally, we'll take a closer look at the particulars of climbing, including the effects of grade, cadence, standing vs. staying seated, and the importance of core strength. We’re joined by a collection o

Chris Froome's Vuelta anti-doping test has thrown the 2018 cycling season into limbo. No one knows if he'll be allowed to race the Giro d'Italia as planned. It also remains to be seen if he'll have his 2017 Vuelta title stripped. We discuss. Also, Chris Case summarizes a conversation he had with an asthma doctor that tested Chris Froome. How could the Tour champ have gone so far over the limit for Salbutamol? What's the difference between exercise-induced asthma and regular asthma? Want to win a smart trainer? Enter Bkool's winter VeloNews giveaway. Everyone who signs up gets three free months of the Bkool online simulator! Go to: www.bkool.com/partners/velonews

We break down the key storylines behind Chris Froome's doping test from the Vuelta. He went over the limit for Salbutamol. Now, Froome and Sky have a chance to explain themselves, but a pall of doubt has been cast over his four Tour wins and that Vuelta victory. We speak with Andrew Hood who has insider knowledge from an anti-doping expert and a lawyer. This is cycling's biggest story in years — stay tuned as new developments come to light. Want to win a smart trainer? Enter Bkool's winter VeloNews giveaway. Everyone who signs up gets three free months of the Bkool online simulator! Go to: http://www.bkool.com/partners/velonews

How will the UCI crack down on motor cheating? Why did it settle the case with Sagan over his Tour de France disqualification? Our special guest Jeremy Whittle just got back from an interview with new UCI president David Lappartient. He'll help us understand a few of the hot-button issues facing cycling. Plus, Whittle gives us an insider's perspective on how the British cycling fans are reacting to UKAD's inconclusive ending to the Wiggins/Sky "jiffy bag" investigation. This episode is sponsored by Bkool. Enter to win a smart trainer and get three free months of riding on the Bkool simulator: http://www.bkool.com/partners/velonews

Recently, a big debate kicked up on the Internet. Some cycling experts were saying that Functional Threshold Power (FTP) was dead. Many of the big names in cycling got involved debating the value of FTP and what is and isn’t current when it comes to profiling riders and determining their training zones. We didn’t get involved because we consider everyone in the debate friends at Fast Talk, but we also couldn’t resist a good scientific question. So, we got a number of top coaches into a room together to hash it out this important question: What is the best way for cyclists to determine their individual training profiles?

We've been poring over stage profiles and maps to decipher the 2018 Giro d'Italia route. But we couldn't do it alone. So, we called Italian insider Gregor Brown to talk about the key stages, the overall route design, and why the race has shunned trendy short stages. Gregor waxes poetic about all things Italian, from the Mount Etna volcano to the spectacular Zoncolon. In addition to our in-depth look at the Giro route, we have our usual silly segments: #AskACat3 and the triumphant return of Off the Front/Off the Back.

The future of mountain bike racing is bright. High school kids throughout the U.S. are turning out in droves for the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). In this interview from our trip to Interbike, we sit down with NICA executive director Austin McInerny and Cody Phillips, a NICA graduate. They explain why the programs are so successful, the organization's plans for growth, and are very apologetic for all of the super-fast youngsters who are now dropping us at group rides and races. Read our recent feature about NICA: http://www.velonews.com/2017/07/from-the-mag/u-s-mountain-biking-thrives-high-school-leagues_444843

Chris Froome is expected to race the Giro d'Italia. We talk to our man on the ground in Italy, Gregor Brown, to learn about this breaking news, how the fans will feel about Froomey, and whether he's a shoo-in to win the pink jersey. Also, we are deep into the winter 'cross season. That means wild, muddy races, and a few top Americans — Katie Compton and Ellen Noble — are thriving. As usual, we wrap the show with our segments, #askacat3 and the VN Podium!

Spencer Powlison sits down with Katie Compton in Louisville, Kentucky ahead of the Pan-American Cyclocross championships at the beginning of November, 2017. The 13-time national champion talks about her new approach to this cyclocross season, the new races she's been able to start, and up-and-coming American racers to watch. She also answers questions on gender equality in bike racing.