Velonews Podcasts

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we analyze every inch of Sunday's Tour of Flanders. Plus, American rider Leah Thomas of Team Movistar takes us inside Annemiek van Vleuten's thrilling victory in the women's race. Contributor James Startt was at the Tour of Flanders this year, and Startt gives us a detailed report on what the race was like without fans. Plus, Startt got a first-hand view of Mathieu van der Poel battling Kasper Asgreen and Wout van Aert. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

The Tour of Flanders is coming up this weekend, and North American fans can watch the action live on Flobikes. To sign up for a subscription go to www.flobikes.com/velonews. We're in the midst of the 2021 cobbled classics season, and on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we're joined by a true legend of cobbled racing — and of cycling in general. Marianne Vos returns to the podcast, this time to take us inside her thrilling victory at Gent-Wevelgem, and to share her thoughts on the major issues shaping women's pro racing in 2021. In men's racing, the 2021 classics season has been defined by parity, with multiple riders and teams winning the big one-day events. This parity bucks the assumption that many of us had that Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel would dominate. On today's podcast we examine the recent win by Deceuninck-Quick-Step at E3 Saxo Classic and by Wout van Aert at Gent-Wevelgem. Both victories are a sign that team strength can overcome the might of one individual in these punish

Trek-Segafredo had perhaps the most successful weekend of racing in the team's history, winning Milano-Sanremo with Jasper Stuyven and then Trofeo Alfredo Binda with Elisa Longo Borghini. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we break down both performances and analyze why the success marks a new era for the U.S.-registered team. Then, Trek-Segafredo's general manager Luca Guercilena joins the podcast to take us inside the team's success, and explains the tactical decision to attack at Milano-Sanremo, and the aggressive attitude that's driving on the women's WorldTour squad. The cobbled classics are here, which means Deceuninck-Quick-Step will again use its team strength to take on rivals like Peter Sagan and Mathieu van der Poel. Will the Belgian team be able to own the classics this year, or will its controlling tactics be overpowered by the young up-and-comers? Plus, is Wout van Aert vs. Mathieu van der Poel a better rivalry than Tom Boonen vs. Fabian Cancellara? We express our takes. All

Pro cycling delivered 10 days of thrilling action as Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico delivered drama and heroics. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we discuss the biggest storylines to come out of this amazing bloc of early-season racing. Primož Roglič looked untouchable at Paris-Nice, winning three stages and taking the yellow jersey into the final day. Then, Roglič crashed twice and saw the jersey ride away. Photojournalist James Startt watched the race unfold from the back of an official race motorcycle all week, and he saw the inter-race dynamics that played into the outcome. Did Jumbo-Visma's hyper aggressive racing tactics influence the peloton's decision to accelerate after Roglič crashed? Did cycling's unwritten rules come into play? Startt gives us his insight into how things went down at Paris-Nice. Then, we discuss the week of heroics we saw at Tirreno-Adriatico, including Mathieu van der Poel's 50-kilometer solo breakaway on stage 5. Why are the stars of the cobbled classics and t

Kate Courtney, Lea Davison, Haley Batten, Chloe Woodruff, Erin Huck, and Hannah Finchamp are not teammates by the traditional definition. The six members of the U.S. women's Olympic long team all ride for different trade teams, and are backed by different sponsors. In the push to qualify for the games, success by one woman denies another woman her Olympic dream. Despite these facts, the six women are following a collaborative effort in the lead up to the Olympics. They are training together and pushing each other to be at their best. They are chasing UCI points together so that the U.S. will get the maximum three spots in Tokyo. And they've adopted the moniker called 'Team USlay,' and a mindset that values success of the group over individual glory. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss this collaborative mindset with the six women. As it turns out, there are deep lessons to be learned about self confidence, vulnerability, and motivation from these six riders as they all strive to ac

Classics season is upon us, and the biggest stars of one-day racing are now in action, from Belgium to Italy. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we examine the action from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kurrne-Brussels-Kuurne, and try to decipher what these races may tell us about the upcoming battles at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Then, columnist Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal comes on to discuss the Wout van Aert vs. Mathieu van der Poel rivalry, and why it may be one of the best rivalries in all of sports. Jason's recent WSJ column shed light on cycling's best rivalry, and compared it to Roger Federer vs. Raphael Nadal, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, and other great rivalries. Plus, how can cycling best capitalize on Mathieu van der Poel vs. Wout van Aert? How might cycling screw up this highly valuable and interesting rivalry? Jason has some opinions on how the sport should — and shouldn't — go about promoting its biggest asset. All that and more on this week's episode of The

Mike Woods took on Trek-Segafredo this past weekend at the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var in France and almost won. On this week's episode we break down the early-season battle in France and discuss what it means for Woods and for Trek-Segafredo, which has started 2021 with a bang. Then, we examine the UAE Tour and why Chris Froome's comeback to racing does not appear to be going well. Tadej Pogačar, Sepp Kuss, and other stars seem to be on form, while Froome is more than a few watts shy of where he needs to be. Then, American Kiel Reijnen joins the podcast for a dispatch from the UAE Tour, where brutal winds and painful echelons have torn the race apart. Kiel offers his insight into what it's like to ride in an echelon, and why the effort provided by the UAE Tour is so important for classics racers like himself. This week's podcast is sponsored by Flobikes.com, which is your broadcast home for the spring classics. Watch Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Gent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders, and more races live

It's Colombia week on velonews.com, and we have more than a dozen stories about Colombia's cycling culture and racing stars. On this week's episode of the VeloNews Podcast, we discuss Colombia's rise to the top of the WorldTour over the last decade. Egan Bernal, Miguel Ángel López, and Iván Sosa are the latest stars to enter the WorldTour, and their success comes on the heels of Rigoberto Urán and Nairo Quintana. Before them, it was Santiago Botero and Victor Hugo Peña. And those men benefitted from Lucho Herrera and Fabio Parra, the so-called 'escarabajos.' Then, author Matt Rendell joins the podcast to discuss his own research into Colombian cycling. Rendell has written multiple books on Colombian cycling, most recently 'Colombia es Pasion!: How Colombia's Young Racing Cyclists Came of Age.' All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Two big storylines are dominating the pro cycling space this week, and on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we dive into both. First: The UCI has enacted two unpopular rule changes for 2021, banning the 'super tuck' descending position, as well as the 'invisible aero bars' breakaway position. We delve into the decision and explore which of the positions will be harder for riders to give up (the latter). Then, bike racing and the stars of the sport returned last week at the Etoile de Besseges race in France, which kicked off a month of pro racing in France. James Startt was at the race, and he will be attending the upcoming events in France. Startt offers his perspective on how the cancelation of global races could impact these small French events going forward. Then, Lucinda Brand returns to the podcast to discuss her world championship ride at the recent cyclocross worlds in Belgium. Brand discusses her ambitions for the upcoming road season, and why she doesn't believe her CX worlds win will

On this week's episode of the VeloNews Podcast Andrew Hood and Fred Dreier discuss the spate of race cancelations in Spain and Portugal due to COVID-19 and the impact they will have on the calendar. The best riders will now look to France and the Middle East for their early season fitness, which could have an impact on the upcoming battles on the cobblestones and at Paris-Nice. Then, U.S. phenom Clara Honsinger joins the podcast to discuss her thrilling ride at the 2021 UCI cyclocross world championships, and her impressive first full season in Europe. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we dive into two of the biggest stories swirling in the sport: Tom Dumoulin stepping away from pro cycling and NBC's decision to torpedo the Tour de France's U.S. cable television home, NBC Sports Network. First, we discuss the Dumoulin news with longtime Dutch cycling journalist Raymond Kerckhoffs of Wielerflits.nl. Kerckhoffs, who has covered Dumoulin for his entire pro cycling career, discusses the family tragedy that occurred just before Dumoulin announced his decision. Kerckhoffs also explains why he believes that Dumoulin's step away from cycling may be permanent. Kerckhoffs also discusses his recent interview with Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, who opened up about the terrifying crash at the Tour of Poland that sent countryman Fabio Jakobsen to the hospital for weeks. Groenewegen was banned for causing the crash, and he has new perspective on how it went down. Then, American journalist John Ourand of the SportsBusiness Journal joins the show to di

It's Aussie Week on velonews.com and we have stories and interviews that take readers inside the Australian experience in pro cycling. We're continuing that theme on this week's edition of The VeloNews Podcast, which is dedicated entirely to Australian cycling. We have an interview with Cadel Evans, who relives his Tour de France win from 2011. We also hear from up-and-coming rider Lucy Kennedy, who explains how Australia's national federation — and its unorthodox training camp — contributed to her professional career. Before that, Fred Dreier, Jim Cotton, and Andrew Hood discuss the importance of the Tour Down Under, and how the race's cancelation for 2021 could impact Australian cyclists. The guys also rank the top Australian cyclists of all time. This week's episode is sponsored by Synchronicity Hemp Oil, which invites you to take 30% off your first order by going to synchronicityhempoil.com and using the code ADVANTAGE at checkout.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we catch up with Geraint Thomas, the 2018 Tour de France winner. Thomas shares his thoughts on the 2021 Tour route, and discusses Ineos Grenadiers' rivalry with Jumbo-Visma. He also takes us inside his disappointment after crashing out of the 2020 Giro d'Italia, and explains how he mentally recovered from the setback. Before we hear from Geraint Thomas, Fred Dreier and Andrew Hood link up to discuss the early-season comments from Caleb Ewan, Jasper Stuyven, Lizzie Deignan, and teammates on Bora-Hansgrohe. Ewan opined on whether the peloton would welcome Dylan Groenewegen back with open arms after his suspension. Stuyven has ambitions to win a monument; Deignan has her sights set on Paris-Roubaix; Nibali is eyeing the Tokyo Olympics; and Bora-Hansgrohe must balance the ambitions of Pascal Ackermann and Peter Sagan. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

The 2021 WorldTour season has yet to begin and already we have a major story to discuss on The VeloNews Podcast. Earlier this week German team DSM revealed that its Swiss star Marc Hirschi was abruptly leaving the squad. The going story is that Hirschi — one of the breakout stars of the 2020 season — was bought out of his contract by another WorldTour team, likely UAE-Team Emirates. On today's episode we discuss the Hirschi news and explore the dynamic of riders breaking their contracts to shift teams. Then, Chris Froome is in Southern California at the moment embarking on a training bloc and rehab session, in hopes that the extra work will help him thrive during the 2021 season. What's the story behind Froome's rehab, and how to Israel Start-Up Nation directors believe this will help Froome in the coming season? Finally, we catch up with Ineos-Grenadiers workhorse Cameron Wurf. Wurf is one of the stars of the Ironman triathlon circuit as well as a top WorldTour rider. He returned to pro cycling in 2020

The end of 2020 is finally here, and on this week's podcast we look back at the riders and stories that defined a most bizarre year. First up, we name our All-WorldTour team for 2020, comprised of the best riders for each eight spots on a grand tour team. Pogačar or Roglič? Wout or Mathieu? Annemiek van Vleuten or Anna van der Breggen? We argue and hash out each debate to come up with our list of top performers for the year. Then, we explore our favorite stories of 2020 and look back at the reporting that brought these stories to life on velonews.com and in VeloNews magazine. Thanks so much for listening to The VeloNews Podcast in 2020, and we can't wait to speak to you in 2021.

In this final VeloNews Tech Podcast of 2020, Dan Cavallari and Ben Delaney look back on the good, the bad, and the ugly from the year. We highlight the big gear trends of the year, reflect on our favorite bikes and products, and, luckily for you, refrain from singing Auld Lang Syne.

After running her own Continental team in the U.K. for 11 years, Cherie Pridham has moved over to Israel Start-Up Nationa as director sportif. For the cycling world, she is the first female director of a men's WorldTour team. For Pridham, though, she just sees the role as her job. On this episode, Bobby Julich and Gus Morton catch up with Pridham fresh off an Israel Start-Up Nation team camp to talk about 2021. Pridham also talks about her long road to the WorldTour, starting out as a girl in Cape Town, jumping in one of the biggest cycling events in the world, the Cape Town Cycle Tour. "So as an 11 year old, that was my first race," Pridham said. "And then things just went from there. I won my age category, and then won it again the year after that. And then I was completely hooked. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was adamant I wanted to be a pro bike rider."

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we take a dive into two of the bigger news stories from the world of cycling, and hear from U.S. rider Chad Haga. New circulated this week that Ineos-Grenadiers is interested in signing Wout van Aert for 2022. Andrew Hood breaks down why this news is circulating now, and what an Ineos-Grenadiers bid to sign van Aert could do to his value in the pro peloton. How much would Jumbo-Visma need to give up to keep the Belgian star? It's a huge question that could tip the balance of power in the WorldTour. Then, we break down the recent interview given by Wilco Kelderman about the 2020 Giro d'Italia. Kelderman said that Team Sunweb's tactics on the stage over the Passo Stelvio left him feeling isolated. Could Kelderman have won the Giro had Sunweb played its cards differently? One man who has a firm opinion on the matter is Chad Haga, who was part of that Sunweb squad at the Giro. Haga joins the podcast to take us inside the 2020 Giro, and explore whether or not Sun

One day. Five hundred kilometers — inside. And one cause - World Bicycle Relief. On this special episode of Put Your Socks On, Bobby and Gus check in with Kieran Ronan, a longtime Nike executive and cyclist who is preparing to ride 500km — 310 miles — on December 30 as a fundraiser for World Bicycle Relief. There are the numbers, and then there are the reasons behind the ride. PYSO digs into both. "It's just really an interesting way how somebody of my age has had to adapt, and how the virtual world on social media can actually do good," Ronan says. "And that's that's the big takeaway that I've had in a sense of community with a love of cycling, that can be transported across the globe and bring more people along." If you are interested in supporting or even joining Ronan for part or all of his Zwift ride, you can read more here: https://www.velonews.com/culture/the-grind-up-for-a-challenge-try-500km-on-december-30/

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss the newest wrinkles in women's pro road racing. Then, we hear from all-around phenom Lucinda Brand, who is absolutely dominating the 2020 UCI cyclocross season. In pro racing news, the organizers of the Vuelta a España as well as the organizers of the Tour de France are reportedly both working on separate weeklong stage races for women. The races are slated to occur in 2022. Andrew Hood joins the podcast to discuss the significance of this news, and to discuss why the races could mark a cultural shift for ASO, the French production company that owns both races. Then, we discuss our decision to name Anna van der Breggen our International Cyclist of the Year for 2020, the biggest honor in the annual VeloNews Awards. Van der Breggen won six of the biggest races on the calendar, and her run of success was unmatched in either men's or women's racing this year. Then, we catch up with Lucinda Brand, who takes us inside the 2020 cyclocross season. Brand