Ahead of Big Sugar Gravel, Betsy Welch sat down with Keegan Swenson to reflect on his season in the Life Time Grand Prix, his world championship aspirations, his affinity for going to metal and punk concerts when possible, and maybe most importantly, when the wedding is.

The UCI Gravel World Championships took place this past weekend in Belgium and showcased cycling’s latest, hottest discipline. But for many gravel fans in the US, where the sport was born, worlds was far removed from real gravel racing.  Velo’s off-road reporter Betsy Welch and roaming videographer Shoddy Dave, who was on the ground at gravel worlds, join the show this week to debate the merits of the UCI’s take on gravel. We take on the great divide between two continents’ approaches to gravel racing. Betsy fills us in on the reasons many top American riders skipped the UCI event, and the differences in race culture and organization between the two regions. The conversation also touches on the safety of gravel races, fan interest, and the future of gravel racing as it continues to evolve across the world.

Everybody loves to be hyperbolic about gravel, but we’re only being slightly dramatic when we ask: Is gravel racing as we know it over? SBT GRVL organizers have been hit with difficult new requirements from law enforcement that will force major changes to the event, including cutting the field size by 40 percent, and not letting it be a race with prize money — so long as it's not on closed roads. Betsy Welch broke the story earlier this week and is here on the podcast to break down all the ramifications of SBT GRVL's problems and what this could mean for other gravel and cycling events around the country, whether negative or positive. This could be a positive inflection point for gravel, giving it a new format for pros separate from everyone else, or it could sink many events just as this discipline is taking off. Fast forward to 16:18 for the discussion on SBT GRVL and the future of gravel racing. Tech editor Alvin Holbrook, who was raced SBT multiple times, is on the episode as well, and gives us some updates on the latest tech and what he would do with $3,000 instead of buying the 20th anniversary edition CermaicSpeed pulley. Betsy also fills us in on Marathon MTB Worlds, and Will Tracy provides an udpate on road worlds.

This week, Velo’s resident gravel expert Betsy Welch sits down with SBT GRVL co-founder Amy Charity for a discussion on the rapid growth of gravel events, the challenges that come with it, and what the future holds for cycling’s hottest discipline. Charity’s SBT GRVL event was a hit right off the bat when it debuted in 2019, and has managed to keep up the buzz ever since with the event selling out in a matter of minutes. Running the event hasn’t been without its challenges though. Local residents had complaints about the event, forcing major changes for the 2024 edition that took place last month. And as gravel has matured in the last half decade, controversies over race tactics and debate over whether there should be separate starts for elite men and women have forced her race to adapt. Charity talks us through those challenges and why she holds some views that are contrary to what other gravel events are doing. At the same time, she and her team are also learning from rider feedback and implementing that into the event. Charity has branched out to several events around the world beyond the original marquee event in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She discusses where she thinks gravel events as a whole may be heading, and what’s next for the category.

With the conclusion of the Vuelta a España, grand tour season is officially over for 2024. Velo Podcast host Hannah Knapp breaks it all down with former pro cyclist Bobby Julich and Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood. How did the race stack up against other grand tours this season? We analyze key performances, including Ben O'Connor's breakthrough podium finish and Primož Roglič's slow and steady chipping away at the red jersey. We also discuss the impact of missing superstars like Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, and the overall entertainment value of a race without the sport's biggest stars. The conversation also touches on the performance of UAE, the struggles of Team Visma-Lease a Bike, and the surprising success of Kern-Pharma as well as other great moments from the race. To finish off, we discuss potential changes to future Vueltas to contend with the hot weather that dogged large portions of this year's edition.

This week on the Velo Podcast, Andrew Hood checks in from reporting on the Vuelta a España to catch us up on all the latest from the season’s final grand tour. It’s turning into an unpredictable race with major GC swings, and the next four stages will prove critical.  Joining Hoody for the discussion is retired professional cyclist Bobby Julich who raced the Vuelta a few times during his career.  The team also discusses Wout van Aert’s return to the top with a slew of stage wins, and how the Americans in the race are faring.  In the second half of the episode, we throw it over to Velo senior tech editor Josh Ross and tech editor Alvin Holbrook for a discussion about the 2024 MADE Show in Portland, Oregon. Josh attended the handmade bike show last weekend and found a number of fascinating bikes to talk about, including an aerodynamic 3D-printed titanium bike from No. 22, and perhaps the coolest kids bike you have ever seen.  As always, you can catch all the latest professional racing and bicycle tech news at velo.outsideonline.com.

This week we discuss the Tour de France Femmes and break down all the action from the closest edition of the Tour ever recorded. Then, we hear from Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood who is following the Vuelta a España in Spain.

The Olympics are winding down, with only track events remaining, and it’s been quite an exciting period of racing. Velo Podcast host Hannah Knapp is joined by Velo European correspondent and former Olympic medalist Bobby Julich to discuss this Paris Games to remember. In the road races, American Kristen Faulkner secured an unexpected victory, while Remco Evenepoel reminded everyone how strong he is by winning the men’s race, a week after also winning the time trial.  The Olympics is more than road racing, though, and we dive into track racing as well and the impressive team pursuit title the American women secured on Wednesday. Then we preview the remaining events for the Americans. The Olympics wrap up this weekend, but the summer of cycling rolls on Monday with the Tour de France Femmes. We preview the eight-stage race and riders to watch. Stay tuned to Velo for all the latest updates from the Olympics and Tour de France Femmes.

The Olympics are in full swing in Paris, and we’ve already been treated to some incredible racing in the time trial and cross country mountain biking. On this week’s episode of the Velo Podcast, former Olympic medalist in the time trial Bobby Julich and Velo European Correspondent Andrew Hood, currently in Paris for the Games, take us through all the racing, and preview what’s to come in the road race and track events. We’ve already had some great performances from the American athletes, with Haley Batten and Riley Amos getting the best ever results in Olympic mountain biking for Team USA. And in the time trial, Chloe Dygert took home a bronze while Brandon McNulty powered home to fifth. The conversation transitions to the upcoming road races and track cycling events, discussing the favorites and potential dark horses for each event. The road race is shaping up to be a monster day on the order of a monument. Also on this episode, Bobby discusses how different being part of the Olympic atmosphere is for cyclists compared to the rest of the season, as well as how different the strategies are between the Olympics and and a regular pro road race.

Tour 2024 Tour de France is wrapped, and now it’s time to ease the post-Tour hangover. This week’s episode of the Velo Podcast is all about looking back at the 2024 Tour de France. What were the best moments? Who were the big winners and losers? Where does it rank all time? All this and much more on the latest episode of the Velo Podcast.

We’ve reached another rest day of the Tour de France, which means it’s time to look back on all the excitement from the second week, and ahead to the third and final week, all on the Velo Podcast. Tadej Pogacar's dominance in the Pyrénées has been mind-blowing this past weekend as he took two mountain stages in a row. And the second week at the Tour has been fast and aggressive, with breakaways struggling to stay clear. UAE Team Emirates has shown impressive tactics and teamwork, while Visma-Lease a Bike has fought hard but struggled to match an untouchable Pogačar.  Host Hannah Knapp, Velo European Correspondent Andrew Hood, and former pro cyclist Bobby Julich take us through a full discussion of the latest from the Tour, including: Can Pogačar play defense now that he has a comfortable lead? Where Visma-Lease a Bike goes from here. Remco Evenepoel’s excellent showing so far. Can Primož Roglič ever win the Tour? What to expect from the sprint stage on Tuesday. A look ahead at the mountain stages. Covid in the 2024 Tour de France. A quick check in on the American riders, including Matteo Jorgenson.

Any pre-race fears of a boring Tour de France have been put to bed in the first week. We’ve reached the first rest day of the 2024 Tour, and it’s been non-stop excitement for nine stages. We discuss it all in this rest day episode of the Velo Podcast. Velo social media manager Hannah Knapp hosts the discussion with Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood, who’s following the race on the ground in France, and Velo contributor and former pro cyclist Bobby Julich, who raced the Tour nine times and once finished in third place.  We kick things off with a discussion of the much talked about gravel stage, stage 9. Does this parcours have a place in grand tour racing? Then we discuss the GC standings. Pogačar is in first, but doesn’t have the margin he would hope after a week of attacking.  Then we shift to Mark Cavendish’s record setting 35th stage win, and Biniam Girmay’s excellent Tour, with two stage wins and the green jersey. On the flip side, Jasper Philipsen is having a frustrating Tour with second places and a relegation.  The show also covers the incredible Tour that small teams and French teams and riders have been having, and then looks ahead to the second week of racing and what everyone is excited to watch. 

It’s once again the most important time of the year for road cycling. On Saturday, the 111th Tour de France rolls out from Florence, Italy, and it’s time to get ready for the racing. Velo Pod host Hannah Knapp is joined by former pro cyclist Bobby Julich and Velo European Correspondent Andrew Hood to discuss the upcoming 2024 Tour de France. The discussion begins with the GC contenders and the excitement surrounding Tadej Pogacar who is fresh off a commanding Giro d’Italia victory and looking to complete the elusive Giro-Tour double. For all the hype of the “Big Four” of Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, and Roglič does anyone else besides Pogi stand a chance at the yellow jersey after injury riddles seasons?  The conversation then moves on to the must watch stages, with a focus on the grueling hilly opening stage that features seven consecutive climbs, and the challenging mountain stages and the final stage time trial in Nice.  When the race finally wraps up, will Mark Cavendish leave as the sole owner of the Tour de France stage win record? He needs one more to best Eddy Merckx, but any win in the Tour de France is a tall order, especially at Cavendish’s age.  We also discuss the absence of American rider Sepp Kuss, the loyal lieutenant to Vingegaard and the reigning Vuelta champion, and the impact it will have on the race. Things then move on to a discussion about other American riders to watch, including Matteo Jorgensen and Nielson Powless. And of course there’s Sean Quinn representing in his brand new national champion’s jersey. Finally, Hoody and Bobby fill us in on what has them excited for the 2024 Tour de France beyond the GC race, including top riders to watch. Listen in wherever you stream podcasts for the full discussion, and tune in to Velo for Tour coverage all race long. 

Unbound Gravel reaches new heights each year in terms of racing quality and excitement. 2024 was no exception as the elite women finally got the staggered start time they wanted, resulting in a thrilling nine-up sprint. Meanwhile, the People's Champ Lachlan Morton went for a memorable victory in a men's race marked by negative racing. Velo senior editor Betsy Welch was on the ground in Emporia, Kansas, along with social media manager Hannah Knapp. They're joined by Will Tracy for a discussion of the race, the drama, or lack thereof, the latest tech that leaked at the race, and our favorite story of the event, involving $198 beach cruisers.

This week's episode is sponsored by Whoop. This year, Whoop is providing rider data from the race, including heart rate data during the stages and sleep data after them. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EastPost), for instance, only got 5.5 hours of sleep on the big transfer day from Hungary to Sicily, according to Whoop. The Giro d'Italia is reaching its mountainous conclusion, and team Ineos looks primed to win the Maglia Rosa with Richard Carapaz. A victory would bring Ineos its fourth Giro win in five years. Why does the team and its "Froome train" strategy still work in Italy, while it falters in France and Spain? On today's episode we dive into this big question, and explore what a top Giro finish would mean for the three men in the hunt for the final podium: Carapaz, Jai Hindley, and Mikel Landa. Then, the U.S. cycling scene is still reeling from the murder of gravel star Moriah Wilson. We discuss the gravity of this story, and why it now occupies its own tragic realm in the history of pro bike racing.

U.S. track cycling phenom Ashton Lambie has traded in the velodrome for dirt. Lambie, 31, is embarking on his first full campaign in gravel and mountain-bike racing in 2022, and he's racing the Life Time Grand Prix events and other off-road races. Lambie shares his opinions with Ben Delaney on what it's like to return to 100-mile gravel events after spending years spinning circles around a velodrome. How does the four-minute effort of the individual pursuit compare to a daylong race? What are the biggest tech differences between an aero bike and a gravel rig? Lambie takes us inside his experiences in this wide-ranging interview. This week's episode is sponsored by Whoop. This year, Whoop is providing rider data from the race, including heart rate data during the stages and sleep data after them. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EastPost), for instance, only got 5.5 hours of sleep on the big transfer day from Hungary to Sicily, according to Whoop.

The Giro d'Italia kicked off this year with three stages in Hungary, followed by a big travel day down to Sicily for a stout mountain stage up Mount Etna. How does all this travel affect the racing? Riders often say different things, depending on who they are speaking to — or whether it's on the record. This year, fitness wearable company Whoop is providing rider data from the race, including heart rate data during the stages and sleep data after them. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EastPost), for instance, only got 5.5 hours of sleep on the big transfer day from Hungary to Sicily, according to Whoop. U.S. national time trial champion Lawson Craddock is racing the Giro in support of Simon Yates, who won the time trial in Budapest. Andrew Hood spoke with Craddock about racing in Hungary for an Italian stage race, as well as his thoughts on the long road ahead at the Giro. Host Ben Delaney chats with Hood from the press room on Mount Etna.

The racing was high-intensity and high-drama around the world last week, from Belgian Waffle Ride to the Tour de Romandie. What did we learn from covering these races? Ben Delaney, Betsy Welch, and Daniel Benson talk through the hot spots. Watching Lauren De Crescenzo win a stage by five minutes and the overall at the Tour of Gila while Mo Wilson won BWR by 25 minutes has us looking forward to a showdown between these two powerhouses at Unbound Gravel early next month. Speaking of Unbound, can anybody beat Keegan Swenson? Daniel was in Switzerland for Romandie, where Aleksandr Vlasov executed a TT-to-road bike swap in the final time trial, and blew past jersey-wearer Rohan Dennis to capture the overall. Are these type of stages gimmicks or legitimate racing? Dan and Ben discuss. And why was Ben hanging out of a car window at BWR? Tune in to this week's episode of the VeloNews Podcast.

Amy Charity is the driving force behind SBT GRVL, one of VeloNews' five Monuments of Gravel that exploded onto the scene in 2019 and now sells out its 3,000 spots within minutes. SBT GRVL was invited to join the UCI's new Gravel World Series, but Charity declined. On this episode of the VeloNews Podcast, Charity and host Ben Delaney discuss a variety of things, including the intersection of pro racing and recreational gravel riding, why she is happy to have SBT GRVL as an independent entity, the community of gravel race promoters, and that time she and Life Time vice president Kimo Seymour worked together racing at Unbound Gravel 200.

It was a hell of a weekend in France with Paris-Roubaix Femmes and Paris-Roubaix, and Ben Delaney and Jim Cotton discuss the highlights and lowlights of both the men's and women's races and the gear that was used to varying degrees of success. What is your favorite type of Roubaix? A wet and muddy edition, or a dry and dusty version? Ben and Jim argue about that, too.

Race series are nothing new, but a series that combines cross-country mountain bike and gravel events absolutely is. How will this play out? Will mountain bikers or gravel racers have the advantage overall? The Life Time Grand Prix kicked off Saturday at the Sea Otter Classic with the 80K Fuego XC race, and the day before, Betsy Welch sat down with a number of the racers to talk about the six-race series format, their hopes for the events, and what they were nervous about. Betsy spoke with Kaysee Armstrong and Crystal Anthony of Liv Racing, fresh back from Cape Epic in Africa, then spoke to Amity Rockwell and Lizzie King, and then finally was joined by Colin Strickland, John Keller and Laurens ten Dam. Moriah Wilson and Keegan Swenson won the Fuego, slotting them into the overall lead for the points-based series that is calculated on each rider's top five finishes.

When was the last time you saw a Tour de France champion defining a race at a cobbled classic? Go on and think a while; we’ll wait. Tadej Pogačar raced the Tour de Flanders for the first time Sunday, and he wasn’t just perusing the event as a tourist - the two-time Tour champ rode to win. And while he didn’t pull off the victory, he absolutely did force every rider in the field to play on his terms until the final meters. In the women’s race, defending champ Annemiek van Vleuten rode similarly in many ways to Pogačar — defining the race, chasing down the break, and forcing the critical selection. And, like Pogačar, she came up just a bit short as SD Worx had the numbers. On this podcast, Ben Delaney and Andy Hood break down both races, taking a look at the tactics, the contentious points, the power numbers of Mathieu van Der Pole, and the gear used at the classics this year.  

In winning Gent-Wevelgem, Biniam Girmay made history by becoming the first Black African to win a classic. While he and his team were delighted with the win, Girmay isn't necessarily comfortable with the limelight. "I don't like to be the famous guy," Girmay said after the race. Recording in Belgium between Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders, Sadhbh O'Shea and Ben Delaney discuss what Girmay's win means for cycling, and what it means for the young rider from Eritrea. Sadhbh and Ben also talk top prospects for the women's and men's Tour of Flanders this coming Sunday, where the eagerly awaited battle between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel has only been enhanced by the presence of Tadej Pogačar on the startline. And finally, Ben chats with WorldTour mechanic Raf Wittenberg of Human Powered Health about the differences and similarities in gear for pros and everyday riders — not just what they should use but how they should maintain it. But first, Sadhbh has a musical interlude...

Matej Mohorič was not the strongest climber or the fastest sprinter at Milan-San Remo. But he was strong enough to bridge the the front group over the decision final Poggio climb. And then, as his race will forever be remember, he dropped his dropper post and the best cyclists in the world on the technical descent and then held off his chasers on the flat 2.2km run-in to the finish. In this episode, Jim Cotton and Ben Delaney analyze Mohorič's power numbers at each critical section in comparison to those of Mathieu van der Poel. This power analysis comes courtesy VeloNews training columnist Zach Nehr. Jim and Ben also discuss Mohorič's tactics at the decisive points of the race, and talk about the specifics of the dropper post he used, how he used it, and whether we will see others using the technology in future races.

In 2020, VeloNews created the Monuments of Gravel by polling elite gravel racers and race organizers for their top 5 picks of the most import gravel races. The Mid South, put on by Bobby Wintle in Stillwater, Oklahoma, was a near-unanimous selection, as was Unbound Gravel, SBT GRVL, and BWR California. The fifth Monument, Rebecca's Private Idaho, was decided in a reader vote. This year, some 2,500 people signed up for one of the many events at The Mid South. Betsy Welch and Ben Delaney were among them, and on this podcast they discuss why The Mid South is such an important event in the North American gravel scene.

VeloNews editor in chief Daniel Benson got a scoop on Netflix's planned docu-series on the 2022 Tour de France, including the eight teams that will be showcased. Daniel walks us through how the series could come together, and what it will mean for fans and the teams. But first, Jim Cotton and host Ben Delaney catch up on the highlights and hot takes from Strade Bianche, from Tadej Pogačar's dominant performance to the ongoing debate on gravel's place in professional road racing. Strade Bianche is a relatively new race on the pro scene, certainly a baby amongst the Monuments like Paris-Roubaix and Milano-Sanremo. But where does it rank in our hearts? Jim and Ben boot a number of Monuments out of the way in their lists to make room for Strade.

The classics season officially kicked off with four races packed into two days: the men's and women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, and Omloop van het Hageland. VeloNews' Sadhbh was in Gent, Belgium, for the weekend, covering the races and talking to the riders. Jumbo-Visma's Wout van Aert rode away with the big prize of the weekend, and Fabio Jakobsen saved face for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl on Sunday. Has the balance of power at the classics shifted? O'Shea also recounts the most recent battle in the ongoing clash of titans in women's racing between Annemiek van Vleuten and Demi Vollering. Tune in for five hot takes from Opening Weekend - what the big stories were, and what they mean for the next few months of racing.

Andrew Hood is just back from Ruta del Sol, and he checks in with five key takeaways about some of the riders and trends for the 2022 season he picked up on while following the race around southern Spain. At Ruta, Andy also caught up with Pat McCarty, who is directing the American team Human Powered Health (formerly Rally Cycling). Hear Andy's take on his conversations with 19-year-old American Magnus Sheffield, who won a stage riding in his first year for Ineos Grenadiers. Andy's other Ruta revelations involve volcanos, specialized handlebar set-ups, and changes of plans with the impending 'opening weekend' of the classics in Belgium. Tune in to hear them all — plus his interview with American Pat McCarty, who raced for teams from U.S. Postal to Rock Racing before moving into team management.

Having twice coached at the Olympics, Rob Stanley is a performance scientist and men's endurance track cycling coach at USA Cycling. Previously he was performance scientist at the Japanese Cycling Federation. And he is currently wrapping up his PhD at Leeds Beckett University — in bike racing. Stanley joins host Ben Delaney to talk about the merging of his academic work and his coaching of athletes like Gavin Hoover, who just won the inaugural UCI Track Champions League. Stanley's PhD title is a mouthful: Exploration of determinates of performance in the Elite Men’s Track Cycling Omnium. The Omnium is a four-event, points-based competition at the Olympics as well as in track cycling competitions around the world. And the new Track Champions League used a condensed format of it for its fan-friendly nighttime series that was held in Mallorca, Lithuania, and London, Stanley talks about breaking down races into more manageable chunks for riders, and making the summations of data from past racing accessible to them to help guide choices in the heat of racing. He says he wishes he could see inside rider's minds during racing, because the feedback afterwards is always the same: "That was hard!" Before speaking with Stanley we catch up with James Startt in Paris, who is just back from covering the Tour de la Provence, where he managed to photograph the winners' bikes from all four stages — before they won the stages.

Veteran cycling journalist Daniel Benson is the new editor in chief of VeloNews. Daniel comes to VeloNews after 14 years at Cyclingnews, where he was editor in chief for the past seven years. On this podcast, Daniel and host Ben Delaney talk about the 2022 road reason, rider salaries, the best races to watch, and why early season races matter. Daniel's sports journalism career of more than two decades includes experience reporting from a dozen Tours de France, several world championships, the Tour Down Under, multiple spring classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. While at Cyclingnews, Benson ran the global editorial team and helped establish the brand as a leading website for professional road race coverage. Now he's in the driver's seat at VeloNews. Hear what he has to say about the intersection of his job and pro cycling.

Was Marianne Vos right to play cat and mouse with her compatriot Lucinda Brand in pursuit of her record eighth world title? What did Tom Pidcock think about the course and his competition? The cyclocross world championships came to the United States for only the second time in history, and fans and racers traveled from around the world to attend. Host Ben Delaney and VeloNews web editor Greg Kaplan covered the weekend's racing in Fayetteville, Arkansas. On this episode, Ben and Greg discuss the highlights and scuttlebutts of the racing, and bring you the thoughts of the top racers, the fans, and the locals in their own words.

Philippe Gilbert has had one heck of a career. His wins include worlds, Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold, Il Lombardia, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Strade Bianche, and on and on. He's won stages in all three grand tours. And now, in 2022, he will race for this one last season before retiring. Can he win the one monument — Milan-Sanremo — that has eluded him? He would love to, of course, but his job there this year will almost certainly be to help his teammate Caleb Ewan. Andrew Hood interviews Gilbert.

America's national champions Clara Honsinger and Eric Brunner are both headed to the world cyclocross championships in Fayetteville at the end of January, but they have chosen very different routes to get there. After they won their respective national titles in mid December, Honsinger returned to Europe for more racing at the elite level in Superprestige and World Cup competitions. Brunner, despite being on a hot streak of winning four races in a row, opted to head home to Boulder, Colorado to reset and focus on training. Both riders join the VeloNews podcast to talk about their seasons, the weight of expectations, and their excitement for the worlds in Arkansas.

The world cyclocross championships are coming to Fayetteville, Arkansas Jan. 29-30. Who are the podium contenders and why? Why aren't Wout or Mathieu coming? How will the course determine the race? And where should fans go to watch, eat, and enjoy the scene? To answer all these questions and more, Ben Delaney is joined by six-time national cyclocross champion Tim Johnson, whose broadcasting career recently included calling the World Cup in Fayetteville on the course that will be used for worlds. Before Tim and Ben get into the racing, chef Biju Thomas weighs in on how Team USA will be fueling in Arkansas. Specifically, Biju and his Feed Zone cookbook collaborator Dr Allen Lim of Scratch Labs will be cooking for all 38 Team USA athletes plus support staff in Arkansas.

VeloNews and Peloton have been teammates under the Outside umbrella since January of 2021. Now, in January of 2022, VeloNews magazine is merging into Peloton magazine. Further, authors and photographers from our sister brand CyclingTips are also now contributing their talents to the new Peloton magazine. To talk about the history and future of VeloNews and Peloton, host Ben Delaney is joined by Peloton founder Brad Roe. Also joining the show are two journalists who worked for VeloNews for many years: CyclingTips editor in chief Caley Fretz and Peloton senior editor John Wilcockson. John has decades of history covering the sport — including four years when he followed the Tour de France on his bicycle with a typewriter! VeloNews members will now get the best of VeloNews, CyclingTips, and Peloton in one beautiful Peloton magazine six times per year at a minimum of 132 pages. And VeloNews.com (and CyclingTips.com) will continue on as normal.

In with the new, and out with the old! In 2021, that meant in with more electronic groups, and out with shifting cables. On the top end, new 12-speed semi-wireless Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra groups were big news, and the more affordable Rival eTap AXS group in SRAM's third-tier slot was also worthy of praise. What else made the list of the biggest gear stories of 2021? Tune in and check it out.

What a year it has been! From the first-ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes (finally!) to the ban of the supertuck (on April Fool's Day, no less) to Wout van Aert hitting a Tour de France triple (mountain stage, time trial, Champs Élysées final sprint), this season was a wild ride. Listen in as the full VeloNews European contingent of Andrew Hood, Sadhbh O'Shea, and Jim Cotton join Ben Delaney to count down the 21 biggest cycling stories of 2021.

If you could go anywhere in the world to ride right now, where would it be? For Olympic gold medalist Annemiek van Vleuten, that answer is sunny Colombia. And while Ineos Grenadiers are in Mallorca and Deceuninck-Quick-Step heads to Calpe, other riders head to some unusual retreats. Sadhbh O'Shea and Ben Delaney discuss who is going where, and why. American Tokyo Olympian Gavin Hoover just won the men's endurance competition at the inaugural UCI Track Champions League, which had him and the other track stars traveling from Mallorca to Lithuania to London to race in front of sold-out crowds. We catch up with him in Portugal to talk about this new format of super-condensed, fan-friendly racing.

Pete Stetina left the world of pro racing to go gravel in 2020, opting for the freedom of a solitary project over the support and constraints of a WorldTour team. Then Covid hit and Stetina, like people the world over, had to adjust. Thus, this season was his first full year of racing gravel. On this podcast, he reflects on the highlights and lowlights of traveling the United States by van, engaging with the cycling world on social media, and how having one mid-race beer proved more popular than winning a big race. Stetina won 15 gravel races in 2021, with 10 one-day or overall wins and 5 stage victories. His season ran from Shasta Gravel on March 6 to Big Sugar on October 23. The 25,000 road miles took a toll on his van and his energy. But after some time off, he's raring to go again. Before we talk to Stetina, we check in with Jim Cotton in England, who gets us up to speed with World Cup cyclocross racing. The weekly VeloNews Podcast brings you inside bike racing, allowing you to hear from athletes, coaches, bike companies, and VeloNews' own team of journalists from around the world. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Google, or wherever you get your podcasts.  

This year, American Ashton Lambie set a world record by breaking the four-minute barrier in the individual pursuit in Mexico. Later, at the world championships in France, he toppled world time trial champion Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers, among others, to take the world title in the individual pursuit. And unlike Ganna, who trains with the full support of one of the world's richest WorldTour teams, Lambie trained on his own — often in a big shed in Montana. Listen in as he reflects on his exceptional season. And click here to read his columns on his training, his techniques, and his trials and tribulations. Also on this show, we check in with Chef Biju Thomas, who gives us his pro tips on last-minute turkey and stuffing preparation. Thomas has a new VeloKitchen series on Instagram and VeloNews.com, where pro riders offer him a challenge and cooks up something tasty in response — and gives VeloNews subscribers the recipe. Click here to see all of Chef Biju Thomas' work. https://www.velonews.com/byline/ashton-lambie/ https://www.velonews.com/byline/biju-thomas/

Christopher Blevins has been racing bikes since he was 5 years old. Getting his start in BMX, he won 8 national championships in that discipline before he was 16. At age 12, he started racing road and mountain bikes, and winning national titles in those disciplines, too. In the past couple years during, during all the racing and training in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics, Blevins earned his degree from California Polytechnic State Institute in San Luis Obispo. And this year, in addition to going to the Olympics, Blevins took gold, silver, and bronze medals home from the mountain bike world championships in the short track, the team relay, and the e-bike race, respectively. Before we chat with Blevins about his new production company and upcoming video projects, we check in with Jim Cotton, who gives us his reflection on the 2021 road season, with five memorable moments from an unusual year of racing.

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome joined his Israel Start-Up Nation teammates for a weeklong camp in Israel to bond, visit historical sites, and connect with Israeli cycling fans. VeloNews European Senior Editor Andrew Hood spent the week with the team, and on this podcast he talks with Froome about his experience with technology for performance, recovery, and personal investment. Isreali-Canadian billionaire and philanthropist Sylvain Adams is the team owner of Israel Start-Up Nation, and he orchestrated the riders' visits to places like the Wailing Wall, the Holocaust Museum, the Dead Sea, and a hospital that is using hyperbaric oxygen chambers. "We have had a few physical sessions like running and riding, which is good for bonding. And we are getting to know the country, which is bringing us together," Froome said. "Being part of Team Sky previously, a big goal for team was to inspire the British public, and have an impact on grassroots cycling," Froome said. "Sylvan has got a very similar vision for ISN for us to have a similar impact on the Israeli public, and the next up and coming generation of Israeli cycling." On one ride, the team met up with a bunch of fans on the road, and the size of the crowd was startling, Froome said. "That day we got out to meet all the fans, that was just mental," he said. "I didn't expect so many bike enthusiasts here in Israel, but there are just masses of them." Froome also talks about his experience using a hyperbaric chamber for recovery from his big crash. He said he was spending as much as four hours a day in a chamber at home, which simulated being 10-15m below sea level. "It was a big part of my rehab, so it was fascinating to see it [in an Israeli hospital] for therapeutic use and sports performance," he said. Lastly, Froome talks with Hood about his investments in Hammerhead, Super Sapiens, and Factor. "I love my equipment, I love my tech," he said.

Molly Cameron is a veteran bike racer who has also run a women's team, put on bike races, and owned and operated a bike shop. Cameron has been out as a transgender woman for two decades, and has raced at a high level in both the men's and women's fields. The UCI cyclocross pro recently won the Wafer edition of Belgian Waffle Ride Kansas — beating VeloNews Podcast host Ben Delaney and Scott Moninger — and enjoyed the 6.5-mile cyclocross course that was inserted into the end of that race. On this episode, Cameron and Delaney talk about some of her recent race experiences, her interactions with other racers and officials at events, and her work with the RIDE group she founded as an LGBTQIA+ advocate. Delaney also checks in with Dan Hughes, four-time winner of Unbound Gravel and owner of Sunflower Outdoor & Bike, which hosted BWR Kansas and Deceuninck-Quick-Step's Remco Evenepoel and Mattia Cattaneo over the Halloween weekend. Hughes has advised Specialized on the development of its cyclocross and gravel bikes over the years.

Brendan Quirk's rise — from Competitive Cyclist and Rapha to working with the Waltons and USA Cycling — tracks with the rise in importance of his home state for cycling.   Arkansas has become a hotbed for American cycling for a few reasons, and Brendan Quirk is one of them. Newly elected as USA Cycling’s chairman of the board, Quirk talks on the VeloNews Podcast about his career’s trajectory, and exactly how and why his home state of Arkansas is booming for cycling. Quirk co-founded Competitive Cyclist in Little Rock, Arkansas, and grew it from a two-man bike shop into a major online player. After selling Competitive Cyclist to Backcountry.com, he became president of Rapha North America, helping grow that brand in the U.S., and then took the helm at Allied Cycle Works, which builds carbon bikes in Bentonville, Arkansas. Arkansas, meanwhile, has become a major player in cycling, with millions of dollars invested in trails and cycling infrastructure, and brands like Rapha North America and Allied calling the state home. In a span of 12 months, the Natural State has hosted or will host major road, gravel, mountain bike, and cyclocross races — including the upcoming ’cross world championships where Walmart has signed on as title sponsor. Which leads to another major connection point between Quirk, Arkansas, and cycling importance — the Walton family. Tom and Steuart Walton, grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, have made an impact in cycling via their investment in brands like Rapha and Allied, and through the Runway Group that they founded more than 10 years ago to develop Northwest Arkansas with a focus on healthy outdoor recreation. Quirk worked for the Runway Group for a few years as cycling program director. Now, Quirk chairs the board of USA Cycling, steering the direction of the governing body of American bike racing. In this podcast, Quirk talks about the importance of bike racing as a focal point, but also how he sees it as vital to make cycling accessible to as many people as possible. But first, we check in with Sadhbh O’Shea about a French police-led study into drug use among Tour de France riders, and then we speak with Betsy Welch, who is just back from racing in and reporting on Big Sugar Gravel in Arkansas.  

Virtual bike racing is a thing. A big thing. Consider this: Every Tuesday more than 10,000 racers on 1,800 teams race each other in leagues through a series called ZRL, which is now in its fourth season. And then of course Zwift has scores of races every day of the week that are open to anybody on the virtual cycling platform. To explain this phenomenon, and to offer advice on preparing for and competing in Zwift races, Ben Delaney talks with Eric Schlange, the founder of ZwiftInsider.com, a site that provides detailed advice on all things Zwift related. Schlange has done more than 630 races on Zwift, and further, it's his job to know what's going on inside the game. He shares his thoughts here.

Well before he co-authored three Feed Zone cookbooks with Dr. Allen Lim, Biju Thomas was cooking for cyclists all around the world. He's been the chef for everyone from Lance Armstrong to Peter Sagan, and he's cooked in fancy hotels and in parking lots. Thomas is now the resident chef at Outside, the parent company for VeloNews and VeloPress, the publisher of the Feed Zone cookbooks. In this episode, Thomas talks with Ben Delaney about how he got his start in cycling and cooking, and he gives advice on what everyday riders should and shouldn't do when it comes to their food.

American Neilson Powless' spring didn't go like he expected; instead of racing the classics he got Covid. But a win at Clásica de San Sebastián followed by a fifth place at the road world championships hailed an excellent return to form. On this podcast, Powless checks in from his hotel in Italy, while Sadhbh O'Shea chats with world champion Elisa Balsamo at the Women's Tour in England.  

On this podcast we celebrate Belgium and Belgium-adjacent racing. Andrew Hood checks in as he travels between the raucous party that was the world championships and Paris-Roubaix. Fred Dreier speaks with Belgian Waffle Ride founder Michael Marckx on the dusty boom that is gravel racing. And Ben Delaney talks tech, with the results of VeloNews lab testing on 15 Paris-Roubaix tires and a new Trek Checkpoint just going live this week.

Andy Hood, Sadhbh O’Shea, and Ben Delaney are in Belgium for the road world championships, and on this week’s pod they weigh in with their takes on the time trials — including the relay format — and their prognostications for this coming weekend’s road races. Also, a UCI-sanctioned gravel world championships? It’s true. Hood broke the story, and the trio discuss what gravel racers, gravel race organizers, and the UCI are saying about the 2022 event. Tune in for this week’s VeloNews Podcast.

It's Fred Dreier's final episode of The VeloNews Podcast! Fred is joined by Sadhbh O'Shea, Andrew Hood, and departed editor Spencer Powlison to offer unvarnished opinions on some of the biggest cycling stories of the last five years. Why is Chris Froome so polarizing? Annemiek van Vleuten or Anna van der Breggen? What will we remember most about Peter Sagan? The list of questions is long, and the takes are weird. It's a fitting sendoff for the founder of The VeloNews Podcast. This week's episode is sponsored by Flobikes, which reminds you to watch the UCI World Road Championships this coming week. You can sign up at www.flobikes.com/velonews.

The Vuelta a España concluded this week, and the race also delivered one of the biggest controversies of the 2021 WorldTour season. Colombian star Miguel Ángel López quit the Vuelta on the penultimate stage after he was dropped from the front group, and afterwards reports circulated that López was unhappy with the tactics of his Movistar team. The story has developed into a war of words between the Spanish team and López's camp, and now, the rider and the team may have an irrevocably damaged relationship. We discuss this latest polemica and add some context and opinion on what transpired. Then, U.S. road champion Lauren Stephens joins the podcast to discuss her historic win, her decision to blend road and gravel cycling, and how she's handled disappointment throughout her career. Stephens is one of the best U.S. riders to never be named to an Olympic team, and her process for dealing with disappointment is something that we all can learn from.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss the latest controversy in U.S. gravel racing. Earlier this month a storyline emerged from SBT GRVL about the CINCH cycling team using team tactics to help its star rider, Lauren De Crescenzo, win the race, The news caused a stir in the U.S. gravel scene, with multiple riders taking to social media to contemn the team tactics, as well as CINCH owner Tom Danielson. The rules governing gravel races, however, do not forbid teammates from setting the pace for teammates, helping teammates fill water bottles, or other team tactics. Rather, it's the unwritten rules of etiquette of gravel racing that some riders say were violated. We discuss the storyline and the response, and then have a spirited conversation about the growing tension created by the gap between the written and unwritten rules of gravel. As prize purses grow, and media outlets (VeloNews included) give more attention on gravel, will riders obey the spirit and etiquette rules, even if doing so hurts their chances at victory? Then, Andrew Hood joins the podcast to break down the final week of the Vuelta a España, and why the big climbs on stages 17 and 18 may decide the overall. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we analyze Primož Roglič's zany attack on stage 10 of the Vuelta a España, and Ineos Grenadiers' continued setbacks at the Vuelta a España. Then, Andrew Hood explains how the winds, soaring temperatures, and surging pace is making this Vuelta the hardest grand tour of the year. Then, we hear from Ian Boswell, who has reinvented himself as the top male gravel racer in the USA. Big wins at BWR and Unbound Gravel have opened doors for Boswell to step back into full-time bike racing. He doesn't know if he wants to pursue it.

The Vuelta a España has kicked off, and on today's podcast we dive into the race's opening stages. The GC picture is already taking shape with the summit finish to Picón Blanco, and Ineos Grenadiers vs. Jumbo-Visma is again the battle of the race. Movistar has three riders in the top-10, and we cannot wait to see how the Spanish squad finds a way to grab defeat from the clutches of potential victory. Then, how many riders are vaccinated for COVID-19? Andrew Hood discusses his reporting around this topic, and why teams cannot force their riders to get the vaccine. Many riders are already vaccinated, but others face hurdles around travel, training, and timing to get the shot. Finally, Olympic champion Jennifer Valente joins the podcast to discuss her historic win in the Omnium.

The Vuelta a España kicks off this weekend, and on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we preview the race, and discuss its hulking new climb, the Altu del Gamoniteiro. Organizers are comparing the new climb to the famed Alto de l'Angliru climb, which has become the most feared ascent in Spain. What goes into discovering a new climb? We analyze the process that race organizers go through in identifying new climbs like the Gamoniteiro and then slotting them into the race. Who are the favorites to win the Vuelta, and how will Spain's hot August impact the race? We analyze all elements of the race to help you prepare for the final grand tour of the season. Before then, we discuss Jennifer Valente's history-making ride at the 2021 Olympics, where she became the first American woman to win a gold medal in track cycling. Valente's win was the product of savvy riding and strategic thinking, and we analyze the moves she made on the track to win gold. Then, grave racer Lauren De Crescenzo joins the podcast. De Crescenzo is best known as the recent winner of Unbound Gravel, and perhaps the strongest U.S. gravel racer on the planet. She's also the survivor of a racing crash that nearly ended her life, and left her in a coma for two weeks. De Crescenzo takes us inside her crash and recovery, and explains her decision to join Tom Danielson's CINCH Cycling team for 2021 and beyond. Today's podcast is brought to you by Travel Texas, which reminds you that Texas has a ride for every type of cyclist, whether it's the Austin Driveway racing series, or a wildflower loop in the Texas Hill Country.

The topic of athlete mental health has become the biggest talking point of these Olympics. How do top athletes manage the pressures on them to perform, and do fans and media put too much weight on wins and losses? On today's podcast we examine this conversation. We also break down the U.S. women's Team Pursuit, which rode to the bronze medal this week. It's just the second medal for Team USA at these Olympics, and far fewer than the seven medals that USA Cycling said it was targeting this year. We examine this delta between Team USA's ambitions, and the reality of these games. Then, Olympians Amber Neben and Haley Batten join the podcast to take us inside the women's individual time trial and cross-country mountain bike events. Neben was fifth place in the ITT, just barely missing out on a medal. She examines her ride and gives us some behind-the-scenes perspective on her experience in Tokyo. Batten finished ninth in the XC race, and shares some perspective on how she managed the external and internal pressures to perform in the biggest race of her career. This week's episode is brought to you by Travel Texas, which reminds you that Texas is home to some of the best bike racing and bike riding in the U.S.

The Olympics have started, and we've been glued to our televisions and computer screens following along with the action. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we break down all of the action from the men's and women's road races, as well as the men's and women's cross-country MTB races. We break down the biggest storylines from the events, including the thrilling and bizarre final of the women's road race, which saw Anna Kiesenhofer of Austria win, and Annemiek van Vleuten and the Dutch women suffer from a communications breakdown. We also discuss what Tom Pidcock's Olympic MTB win will mean for his spot in GB cycling, and his place as a British cycling celebrity. Also, we discuss the thrilling ride by Brandon McNulty in the men's road race. Then, U.S. rider Coryn Rivera joins the podcast to take us inside the women's road race. Coryn finished 7th overall, and she was in the front group that charged toward the finish line after Kiesenhofer. Rivera explains just how confusing it was in the final push to the line, and helps us understand how Kiesenhofer won, and also why some women in the bunch didn't know she was up the road. All that and more on today's podcast!

It's a joint episode between The VeloNews Podcast and The Adventure Stache podcast, with Fred Dreier of VeloNews and Payson McElveen co-hosing this conversation. This week we discuss the state of U.S. professional cycling, and explore why an American professional cyclist in 2021 looks and acts very differently than an American pro cyclist from previous generations. Today, pro racers get to create media, race multiple disciplines, and act more like a marketing professional than just a pro athlete. Payson and Fred discuss this topic, and explore the ways in which U.S. pro racing has changed in the last few years. Then, Payson and Fred discuss the state of U.S. cycling media. It's an in-depth conversation that you don't want to miss! This week's episode is brought to you by InsideTracker.com, which can offer you science-backed recommendations for positive diet and lifestyle changes to improve your performance and help you pursue your favorite activities for life. Right now, get 25 percent off the entire InsideTracker store by going to InsideTracker.com/VeloNews.

Our cup overflows with Tour de France stories to discuss today, and on this episode of The VeloNews Podcast we hit as many as we can. First up is the French police raid on the Bahrain-Victorious team hotel, and why this raid in Pau has a special tie to cycling history. Then, we break down all the action from the summit finish on stage 18, which saw Tadej Pogačar bang the nail into the coffin of his rivals. Plus, Ineos Grenadiers appears to be in a free fall during this disastrous tour. Finally, reporters asked Pogačar about his relationship with team manager Mauro Gianetti, who has previously worked with riders implicated in doping. What does Pogačar's statement tell us about the current generation's ties to cycling's past? Then, coach Nate Wilson of EF Education-Nippo joins the podcast to discuss the ever changing pathway for U.S. riders to get to the Tour de France. Wilson has seen multiple riders reach the WorldTour ranks, and the path to the big leagues for U.S. riders is never straightforward. All that and more on this episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

The Tour de France just had its major Pyrenean battle on the Col du Portet, and on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we analyze the big fight between Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Richard Carapaz. After several days of letting the Tour de France peloton attack freely, UAE-Team Emirates rode a controlling race on stage 17. Why did the squad decide to limit the attacks, and how did this tactic server Pogačar? Plus, was there anything that Vingegaard or Carapaz could have done differently to beat the Slovenian superstar? Finally, Jonas Vingegaard's accomplishment at this year's Tour de France is bordering on historic. We analyze the Dane's progress at the race. This week's episode is brought to you by InsideTracker.com, which can offer you science-backed recommendations for positive diet and lifestyle changes to improve your performance and help you pursue your favorite activities for life. Right now, get 25 percent off the entire InsideTracker store by going to InsideTracker.com/VeloNews.

The Tour de France is headed for a Pyrenean showdown, and on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we dig into the biggest storylines for week three. Can anyone knock Mark Cavendish out of the green jersey? As it turns out, Michael Matthews and Sonny Colbrelli are nipping at Cavendish's heels, even if neither man has won a stage yet. But does either one have a realistic shot at earning green? We break it down. Then, should Tadej Pogačar release his power data from the 2021 Tour de France? Some pundits believe it may alleviate fears that Pogačar is cheating. But other believe it would expose his weaknesses. Then, U.S. rider Brent Bookwalter is back on the podcast. Brent discusses the 10-year drought for American victories at the Tour de France, and the factors that contributed to the dry spell. Brent also discusses why young riders like Jonas Vingegaard get opportunities to shine every few years. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Sepp Kuss became the latest American to win a stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, and on today's podcast we explore how the victory impacted people in Kuss' cycling-mad hometown of Durango, Colorado. John Livingston covered Sepp Kuss for the Durango Herald for the last five years, and on Sunday, Livingston wrote his final story for the newspaper — a feature story on Kuss's big win. Livingston explains why Kuss is such an important figure in Durango, and why the small town continues to produce world-class cyclists. Then, Andrew Hood and James Startt file their dispatch from Andorra, and discuss why so many pro cyclists have moved to the high-altitude destination. Hint: it has more to do with Andorra's tax laws than the awesome training. All that and more on today's episode. This week's episode is brought to you by InsideTracker.com, which can offer you science-backed recommendations for positive diet and lifestyle changes to improve your performance and help you pursue your favorite activities for life. Right now, get 25 percent off the entire InsideTracker store by going to InsideTracker.com/VeloNews.

The 2021 Tour de France has ended for Peter Sagan, and it was kind of a bummer for the Slovakian champ. On today's podcast we discuss Peter Sagan's 2021 Tour, and discuss what it means in the larger context of his late-stage career. Plus, there are reports linking Sagan to French team TotalEnergies, and we discuss what a move would mean for Sagan at this point in his career. Then, we delve into some of the GC stories to come out of stage 11 to Mont Ventoux, including the rise of Jonas Vingegaard. Who is Vingegaard, and what's up with the stories we've heard of him working in a fish factory? In the second half of the show we hear from American rider Sepp Kuss on Jumbo-Visma's big day on Ventoux. We also hear from Luke Rowe of Ineos Grenadiers, who had to abandon the Tour.

The Tour de France headed back to Mont Ventoux on Wednesday, and today our podcast comes to you from the base of the famed mountain. What storylines emerged from the stage, and what do we make of Tadej Pogačar's first sign of weakness near the summit of the mountain? We get into the action. Then, retired great Bernhard Eisel joins the podcast to discuss the career of Mark Cavendish. Eisel was formerly a leadout rider for Cavendish, and he believes the British rider has a chance to make history at this year's Tour de France.

Mark Cavendish's chase of Eddy Merckx's all-time stage win record at the Tour de France has breathed new life and energy into the race. On today's podcast we analyze Cavendish's victories, and assess his place in British cycling. Cavendish's career trajectory has happened in the shadow cast by Team Sky, Bradley Wiggins, and Chris Froome, and we assess what impact that's had on his overall status in global cycling. Then, we hear from American rider Neilson Powless, as well as longtime DS Rolf Aldag. This week's episode is brought to you by InsideTracker.com, which can offer you science-backed recommendations for positive diet and lifestyle changes to improve your performance and help you pursue your favorite activities for life. Right now, get 25 percent off the entire InsideTracker store by going to InsideTracker.com/VeloNews.

Tadej Pogačar continues his dominance of the 2021 Tour de France. After Pogačar's latest show of force in the Alps, some fans are wondering whether his performances are believable. On today's episode we examine Pogačar's results and his trajectory in the sport to form an opinion on the topic. Plus, Andrew Hood and James Startt chime in from France to give us an insider's view of the rules governing media at the Tour de France. How are those stories you read getting reported? How are those photos getting snapped? They shed light on how new rules for COVID-19 are impacting the way we consume the race. Then, we hear from American Sepp Kuss, who sheds light on the setbacks facing Jumbo-Visma, and how the team is rolling with the punches at the race. Finally, American rider Lawson Craddock is not racing the Tour, but he is watching every stage. Craddock gives us his perspective on the racing dynamics he's see on television, and why the open race is unlike anything he's seen in years. Plus, Craddock takes us inside his preparation for the upcoming 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, where he will race the time trial and road race. This week's episode is brought to you by InsideTracker.com, which can offer you science-backed recommendations for positive diet and lifestyle changes to improve your performance and help you pursue your favorite activities for life. Right now, get 25 percent off the entire InsideTracker store by going to InsideTracker.com/VeloNews.

On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we examine Tour de France tech, and the biggest stories involving bikes, components, tires, and other gear. Mark Cavendish is running a unique sprint shifter setup on his Specialized Tarmac, and Ben Delaney discusses the innovative setup, and how it helps Cavendish shift in sprints. Then, Ben discusses the challenge that some bike sponsors face in getting Tour de France riders to use the newest and most high-tech gear. Then, Andrew Hood and James Startt discuss Tadej Pogačar's place in Tour de France history, and what the 2022 Tour could mean for Ineos Grenadiers, Primož Roglič, and other stars of the sport. Think you know who is going to win tomorrow's Tour de France stage? Pick the winner at www.velonews.com/pick to play our Stage Winner challenge, and you could win an Outside+ membership or a 2021 Specialized Tarmac.

Tadej Pogačar stormed to his first Tour de France stage win of 2021 on Wednesday, and on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we examine how Pogačar's wild ride reshaped the races' GC picture. Which GC teams are already out of contention, and what must Ineos Grenadiers and Jumbo-Visma do to get back into the picture? We explore the race's big GC shakeup. Then, how long will Mathieu van der Poel stay in yellow, and is he pushing himself too hard with the Olympics around the corner? Finally, we hear from Michael Woods about the safety issues at the Tour de France, and Jonas Vingegaard about his unlikely run in the top-10. Today's episode is brought to you by MANSCAPED. Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code VELONEWS at MANSCAPED.com!.

The Tour de France continues, and on Tuesday the peloton saw a joyous moment as Mark Cavendish took his first stage victory since 2016. Cavendish wasn't even supposed to attend the 2021 Tour de France, and he repaid his Deceuninck-Quick-Step management by winning his 31st career Tour stage. On today's podcast James Startt and Andrew Hood discuss Cavendish's big win, and shed light on how the victory impacted people on the ground at the Tour de France. Then, this year marks the 10-year anniversary of Cadel Evans' Tour de France victory. American Brent Bookwalter was one of Evans' key teammates on the 2011 BMC Racing team. Bookwalter takes us inside the 2011 Tour and sheds light on the racing dynamics and leadership style that helped BMC and Evans grab the historic win Today's episode is brought to you by MANSCAPED. Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code VELONEWS at MANSCAPED.com!.

The Tour de France has started, and this year the race has opened with a bang — literally. After just three stages the peloton is licking its wounds after multiple costly crashes that have sent more than a few pre-race favorites to the tarmac. On this first of 12 Tour de Franc podcast episodes, we examine the impact of those crashes on every element of the race, from the GC battle, to the stage winners. Why are riders crashing this year? What impact did the major pileup on stage 1 have on the race's global reputation? We get into it. Then, we hear from former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski, who is one of the stars of the Tour de France for Team Ineos Grenadiers. Kwiatkowski discusses the crashes and carnage, and offers his opinions on how the race could alleviate the early tensions. Today's episode is brought to you by MANSCAPED. Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code VELONEWS at MANSCAPED.com!

Our annual pre-Tour de France podcast is back, and rejoining the show is Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal to help discuss some of the biggest storylines in the cycling world. Jason offers his insight into Mark Cavendish's comeback, the Tour de France's smaller stories, and Chris Froome's comeback. Then, Jason takes us inside his recent profile of Justin Williams and the L39ion of Los Angeles team, and discusses why Williams and L39ion are executing such a daring and impressive feat in 2021 by launching a new team and dominating criteriums. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast. The Tour de France is back, and fans can check out tons of analysis and on-the-ground reporting from the race at Flobikes.com. Also, Canadian fans can stream all 21 stages live and on-demand on Flobikes.com. To sign up go to www.flobikes.com/velonews.

VeloNews Senior Editor Betsy Welch joins the podcast this week to discuss the U.S. Olympic team selection, and whether the USA Cycling selection committee made any snubs or flubs in its choices. Then, Betsy discusses the upcoming Migration Gravel Race in Kenya, which she is attending to both ride and cover for VeloNews. This week's episode is brought to you by FloBikes, which is your home for the live Tour de France broadcast in Canada, and daily Tour de France updates and content in the United States. To sign up, go to Flobikes.com/VeloNews.

Gravel cycling's biggest day occurred this past weekend, and we were on the ground in Emporia to document the race. On today's podcast we take a deep dive into Unbound Gravel, with analysis of the men's and women's race; thoughts on the race's decision to include both genders into one race; and how the wind and heat shaped the day. Then, Ben Delaney takes us inside his effort at the race, and what he saw from inside the group. Finally, we hear from multiple riders at the finish line of Unbound Gravel, with interviews from Ian Boswell, Jess Cerra, Shayna Powless, Travis McCabe, and many others. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Gravel cycling's Super Bowl is this coming weekend, and on this week's episode we take a deep dive into Unbound Gravel. We preview the race and discuss the stacked fields for the men's and women's events. Plus, we examine gravel cycling's wait-or-race debate, which is whether or not elite riders should stop at feed zones or proceed ahead. There are plenty of storylines to discuss about Unbound Gravel, from the race's COVID-19 safety protocols, to the event's name change, to the tech and gear used by the athletes. Our own Ben Delaney is competing this year, and Ben takes us through his setup for the race. Then, Kristi Mohn of Unbound Gravel and LifeTime joins the podcast to talk about the race's safety protocols and registration numbers ahead of the event. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

The GC picture at the 2021 Giro d'Italia has come into view, with Egan Bernal proving himself to be the strongest rider in the race. On this week's podcast we examine Bernal's dominance, and discuss what it means for the wider dynamics within the sport. Does Bernal have what it takes to challenge Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France in the future? While the maglia rosa is firmly on Bernal's back, the fight for the two spots on the podium is hardly decided, with five riders sitting within two or so minutes of each other. Unsung hero Damiano Caruso is battling with GC stars to stay in second place, and we discuss which riders have the best shot at finishing second and third. Then, Larry Warbasse joins us again from the Giro d'Italia's second rest day to answer your questions. What gear ratio did Larry use on Monte Zoncolan? What did people think about the truncated 16th stage? Larry answers your questions. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast. This week's episode is brought to you by the new Outside+, our membership program that includes an Outside Magazine subscription, a membership with Gaia GPS, an elite package with FinisherPix, and the other perks included in the Active Pass membership. For more information go to velonews.com/outsideplus.

We're recording a day later than normal this week so that we can discuss the Giro d'Italia's awesome stage 11 — the one held on those gravel strade bianche roads! Ineos Grenadiers took control of the race, Egan Bernal was a huge star, and Remco Evenepoel lost steam. On today's podcast we break down all of the storylines and takes from the thrilling with Andrew Hood and VeloNews Podcast newcomer Sadhbh O'Shea! Then, Larry Warbasse is back on the podcast to answer your questions. Larry is racing his fourth Giro d'Italia, and he fields your questions about breakaways, water bottle zones, and rainy weather. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast. This week's episode is brought to us by the new Outside+, our new $99 annual membership package that includes Outside Magazine, Gaia GPS, and all of the cool perks from Active Pass.

The 2021 Giro d'Italia has begun, and we already have plenty of storylines to discuss. James Startt gives us a taste of what it's like to attend this year's race, from the security measures and the mood of the riders, to the size of crowds along the road. American Joe Dombrowski became just the 10th American to win a stage of the Giro on Tuesday, and we break down his historic victory, and analyze the significance of the win for Dombrowski's career. The GC picture is beginning to take shape after the stage 4 suffer fest in the rain, and we analyze how Egan Bernal, Remco Evenepoel and the other stars look on the road. Then, American Larry Warbasse joints the podcast from inside the Giro d'Italia to field your questions about this year's race. Got a question for Larry? Email it to us at [email protected]!

It's time for the Giro d'Italia, and we have your complete audio guide for following the 2021 race. On this week's podcast we present our top-15 storylines to follow during the 2021 Giro, from Remco Evenepoel's comeback, to Peter Sagan's sprinting legs, to the likelihood of bad weather, shortened stages, or even a rider protest. Fred Dreier, Jim Cotton, and Andrew Hood each come into this week's podcast with their top-5 storylines to follow, and they hash out each story on today's pod. You can follow along with the Giro d'Italia at VeloNews.com with in-depth analysis, on-the-ground reporting, and gear and tech stories all month.

We have a packed episode of The VeloNews Podcast this week, featuring interviews with Mike Woods and Annemiek van Vleuten, plus our analysis of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and our final takes on the 2021 classics season. Who won the Spring classics? It's the question of the week now that Liège-Bastogne-Liège has concluded. Wout van Aert, Marianne Vos, Annemiek van Vleuten, and the entire Deceuninck-Quick-Step squads can all claim victory this year. In truth, no one team or rider dominated classics season in 2021, bucking the trend that we've seen in past years, when Peter Sagan, Philippe Gilbert, and Quick-Step all crushed. Why were the classics so evenly fought? We discuss this topic on today's podcast. Then, Mike Woods joins the show to take us inside his Ardennes campaign, with detailed insight into Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as well as the slog up the Mur d Huy at Fleche Wallonne. What's it like to be in the front group up the Mur de Huy? Woods gives us a detailed explanation of that final surge up the iconic climb. Then, Annemiek van Vleuten joins the show to discuss her first few months at Team Movistar, and how her transfer to the Spanish team has created additional parity in the Women's WorldTour. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

The spring classics are speeding toward their conclusion, and on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we take a deep dive into the action and dynamics shaping the big one-day races. First up, we break down Amstel Gold Race, and the two thrilling finales we saw this past weekend. Wout van Aert and Marianne Vos brought Jumbo-Visma two big wins, and both wins came by the thinnest of margins. Did Ineos-Grenadiers play its cards wrong in the men's race, and what do we make of the cat-and-mouse games between Kasia Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini? Then, U.S. rider Kiel Reijnen takes us inside Trek-Segafredo's pre-race planning for the classics by interviewing team staffer Luc Meersman. Meersman maps out all of the cobbled classics races, drives the routes, and then presents the courses to the team in the lead-up to each race. Finally, U.S. champion Ruth Winder joins the podcast to take us inside her thrilling victory at De Brabantse Pijl. The win could have major implications on Winder's Olympics ambitions. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

Primož Roglič scored a masterful victory at Spain's Itzulia Basque Country race this past week, taking the overall win on the final stage after embarking on a daylong breakaway. On this episode of The VeloNews Podcast we analyze Roglič's impressive win at a WorldTour race that is often overshadowed by the cobbled classics. Jumbo-Visma often win by seizing an early lead and then snuffing the life out of its rivals. But last week the Dutch team ceded the lead to Brandon McNulty of UAE-Team Emirates and then employed a strategy of aggression, attacking relentlessly on the final stage until McNulty cracked and his teammate, Tadej Pogačar, was forced to wait. What implications does this win have for the Tour? We break it down. Then, Mark Cavendish is back to his winning ways at the Tour of Turkey, and the British star has now won multiple stages at the race. What does this mean for Cavendish's career and his chances of racing the Tour de France? Finally, Mike Creed of Aevolo Cycling joins the podcast to discuss the state of the U.S. professional domestic racing scene. The COVID-19 pandemic stopped the domestic racing scene in its tracks in 2020, and racing has yet to start again. For Creed and Aevolo cycling, the only opportunity to race is overseas, so Creed too his team to Greece to race the Tour of Rhodes. Don't forget, Amstel Gold Race is this weekend, and you can watch all of the spring classics streaming live and on demand at Flobikes.com. Go to Flobikes.com/VeloNews to sign up for your subscription today!

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 punishing races. Then, we examine what these races tell us about what to expect at Sunday's Tour of Flanders. With Paris-Roubaix in doubt, Flanders could be the biggest race of the spring. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 the Tour de France revving their engines this early in the season? How does this compare with the usual level of action and excitement that we see in early March? Andrew Hood and James Startt help us understand what, exactly, we're seeing on our TV screens. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

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 achieve their personal and collective goals. Before we hear from the six, Jim, Fred, and Andy break down all of the action from Strade Bianche, which saw Mathieu van der Poel unleash an explosive 1300-watt attack to win the race. They also discuss the team dominance of SD Worx, and try to understand how the Dutch team is dominating the early part of the season. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 VeloNews Podcast.

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 and on demand in the U.S. and Canada. Subscribe today at www.flobikes.com/velonews.

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 change much in her approach to pro cycling. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 discuss the news that Comcast/NBC plans to shutter cable sports channel NBC Sports Network at the end of 2021. NBC Sports Network has been the U.S. television home of the Tour de France since 2012, and every year it broadcasts dozens of hours of Tour coverage to U.S. fans. Ourand explains why NBC is shuttering the channel, and whether or not the Tour will have a home for live television broadcast in the future. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 after seven seasons in pro triathlon, and he takes us inside his return to the peloton. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 Sunweb's tactics cost Kelderman the win. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

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 is leading the way in the women's races, however she has a cadre of young countrywomen nipping at her heels. And Brand has some thoughts on why these talented Dutch youngsters are having so much success at such a young age. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

Is the chain the most under-appreciated component on your bike? It sure takes a lot of abuse, and most of us neglect it. Yet the great chain keeps chugging along. Nick Murdick from Shimano knows all about chains — how they're made, how they've changed over the years, what makes a good chain and what makes a not-so-good chain. He joins VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari to give us all the info we need to choose the best chain and treat it right.

At the 2006 UCI world championships in Austria, a young Chris Froome walked into the manager's briefing meeting, sopping wet in his cycling kit. He was told he wasn't welcome - the meeting was for managers only. He said he was the manager, and he plopped himself down. And in fact he was. He was Kenya's sole representative in Austria. Earlier that year, Froome had impersonated the Kenya cycling federation president in email to enter himself into the races. There was no one else to support him. He had flown, alone with his time trial and road bikes, to Europe for the first time. He was figuring it out. Two days later, he started the U23 time trial and, just as he was getting underway, collided with a race official on course. Fast forward to today, and Froome of course has won seven grand tours and multiple Olympic and world championship medals. The young man from Kenya found a way. On this episode of Put Your Socks On, Froome checks in from California, where he is training four day a week at the Red Bull Performance Center. Froome talks about what is was like growing up in Africa, the obstacles he faced in breaking into a European sport, and his love for racing.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we hear the story of L&M Tourers, one of New York City's first clubs for Black cyclists. The club was founded in the early 1970s by sisters Lucille Smith and Mildred Smith-Evans as a way to bring together the city's burgeoning population of Black riders. The club morphed from a social club into an organized group with regular rides, routes, and cycling mentorship programs. Eventually, the group changed its name to the Major Taylor cycling club. Today, New York City's Major Taylor Iron Riders club traces its lineage back to L&M Tourers. Mildred Smith-Evans and Mel Corbett, one of the first club members, join the podcast to tell the history of the club and explain how it grew into Major Taylor Iron Riders. The two discuss the racism and bias they faced as black riders on the roads of New York City. And, they discuss the ways in which cycling can make itself more available to Black cyclists in 2020 and beyond.

Riding indoors can certainly be a tedious affair, but the right gear beyond just your bike and the trainer can go a long way toward making your indoor sweat sessions not only just bearable, but also enjoyable. Ben and Dan discuss what to wear, what to eat, where to set up, and what accessories make the whole process tons easier.

The Lugano Charter, constructed in 1996, formed the UCI's basis for regulation of bike technology with a noble ideal: the rider, not his or her access to technology, should determine who wins a bike race. The devil, as always, is in the details. Now, Michael "Mick" Rogers, a three-time world time trial champion, is tasked with guiding the regulation of bicycle equipment and clothing as innovation manager at the UCI. Rogers got his start in big-time racing with Mapei in 2000. He proceeded to have a successful career with Quick-Step, T-Mobile, Team Sky and Saxo-Tinkoff before retiring in 2016. In addition to having world-class physiology, Rogers was also fascinated with the physics and mathematics at play in bike racing, whether that was in the mechanics of a long sprint leadout train, or in the interconnected variables of a fast time trial position. At T-Mobile, which became HTC, Rogers said "we were one of the the teams to really master the leadout train. If we go back into the mid ’90s with [Marco] Cipollini and Saeco, they revolutionized the leadout train. At HTC, we took that that one step further, we started to understand some of the mathematics. We started to understand that when we were riding on the front, with two or three kilometers to go, we're at 60 plus K an hour — the amount of energy that the riders behind us would would need to come up beside Mark Cavendish was going to have a massive effect on the actual sprint." Rogers' real-world studying later included time racing at Team Sky, a team famous for its analysis and methodical racing tactics. Rogers talks about how the team could be so effective when riding in coordination. "It just kind of came down to, we knew what we were good at as riders," Rogers said of being able to reel in breakaways and attacking riders with confidence. "Simple math — when we were riding at our threshold, the power values and very high power to weight ratios. We knew that anyone riding out over that threshold, to be able to open up a large enough gap, the amount of energy required to put in is almost for most people unbearable. When you're attacking on some of these climbs, you might have to ride at 600 650 watts for for 30 to 40 seconds. And there's only a handful of guys that can withstand that kind of intensity for anything longer than a minute. So it's simple math, they're going to come back." Now at the UCI, Rogers and his coworkers are tasked with keeping up to speed with a sport that is changing rapidly. "We are aware that cycling must progress. There must be evolution," Rogers said. How that looks, and how a level playing field can be enforces among teams and nations with varying levels of financial ability, will be an ongoing challenge. Tune in to this episode of Put Your Socks On to hear Rogers' thoughts on the challenges and the excitement of regulating bike racing heading into a new world of cycling.

The first ever UCI Esports world championships on Zwift is just one week away, and on today's episode we take a deep dive into the race. First up, Kristabel Doebel-Hickok of the Rally Cycling Team provides a helpful explainer on the basics of the race. Doebel Hickok is participating in the Esports world championship race, representing Team USA. What's the race's format? What does the course look like? What are the importance of the power ups? Who are the favorites to win? Doebel-Hickok gives us a crash course in what to expect in the race. Then, Dr. George Gilbert joins the show. Dr. Gilbert is the chairman of Zwift's Esports commission, and he helps write the rules of governance surrounding elite Zwift racing. Dr. Gilbert was involved in Zwift's recent sanctioning of two riders for data manipulation. He explains in basic terms why Zwift sanctioned the two riders, and discusses the importance of policing elite Esports racing for data manipulation. This week's episode is sponsored by OurCrowd, the investing platform that gives investors early access to exciting pre-IPO companies. For more information go to www.ourcrowd.com/velonews.

In this episode of Put Your Socks On, the legendary Fabian Cancellara weighs on on the socks. "Socks — they need to be short," says the four-time world time trial champion. "Rapha always comes up and says the socks need to be high. No! That look is not stylish. That look it's just a no-go. So I want to have my socks short. And then it's stylish." The two-time Olympic time trial champion also points out that high socks are now aero equipment. "They think socks can give an advantage of one to five watts," he says. "There is a lot of discussion, but you know what is good? I'm out of the game. I just don't want the tan lines for when I am at the beach." Cancellara chats with Bobby Julich and Gus Morton about his long and storied career, which included three wins at both Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. The Swiss racer also holds the record for most days in the Tour de France yellow jersey — 29 — for a rider who never won the overall. Cancellara wrapped up his career in high style right after the 2016 Olympic Games — "a better ending of a career was not possible" - but he says that his Flanders win in 2013 sticks out as a career highlight because of how hard he had to fight back after a challenging 2012. hard 2012. "2006 to ’16, I had a lot of success, but also a lot of hard times," he says, from crashes to cheating allegations. "I mean, in three weeks I gained 10 kilos. Ten days after the Olympics, I went from hero to zero. I had to learn to grow a thick skin." "To be in the spotlight, it's not easy. But if you want to win bike races, it's part of the game that when the spotlight comes you need to adapt to it and you need to be able to handle it," he says. "I worked with a life coach. I didn't only work on cycling skills, I worked on my own to have this responsibility in my daily life."

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Ben Delaney explains the latest controversy involving elite Zwift racing. The virtual cycling platform recently sanctioned two different elite riders on grounds that the riders had allegedly tampered with their riding data. The story, and the rebuttal from the riders, has left more than one cycling fan scratching his or her head in confusion. Delaney is here to take us inside this story and offer some explainers on how and why Zwift made this decision. Then, Andrew Hood discusses the strange offseason that Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar is about to have. While most TDF champions party in the months following their victories, Pogačar has been grounded, due to COVID-19. Will this allow him to regroup and focus on 2021? Finally, junior phenom Magnus Sheffield joins the podcast to discuss his recent record attempt at the 3,000-meter individual pursuit. Sheffield set a time that appears to be both a new U.S. and world record, and he discusses his motivation, training, and power numbers. All that and more on this week's VeloNews Podcast.

Skylar Schneider started riding bikes at age 4, and by age 18 she moved to Holland to race professionally. Now with three years at the powerhouse squad Boels-Dolmans under her belt, the American is returning to race domestically for 2021 with L39GION of Los Angeles, the expanding team run by Justin and Cory Williams. On this episode of Put Your Socks On, Schneider talks about learning her way in Holland as a teenager with the help of other racers — she now has Dutch residency — and how the opportunity with L39GION of LA came about. "I've admired what Justin and Cory are doing with Legion for a while," she said. "And this summer, Justin and I just got on the phone, and he had some good advice. At that time, Legion didn't really have a women's program. So he really liked the idea. And then we put together a budget. And from there, it moved pretty quickly. And I'm really excited about this opportunity to have a new adventure, but also come back to the U.S." In addition to her own racing, Schneider said L39ION represents a broader opportunity in the sport for others. "With 39ION, there was this new opportunity to do something really special within the sport. Their mission is to increase diversity and inclusivity. There's plenty of little girls that need a role model as well," she said. "Right now it's really small and just kind of starting, but I think it can grow into something really big. And that's ultimately why I was really excited to join." At the junior world championships in 2016, Schneider took silver in the road race and fourth in the time trial. Looking ahead, a win at the world championships remains a goal.

[This podcast was originally uploaded with last week's audio. We apologize for the confusion and have fixed the problem. - Ed.] On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred and Andy discuss the bizarre 2020-2021 transfer season, which has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During a typical year, most riders would have their contracts signed for the coming season well before November. That's not the case this year, due to the season's delay amid the virus. And, the ending of CCC Team plus the unknown future of NTT Pro Cycling has sent many riders scrambling for jobs in 2021. How is this impacting the rider market, and what changes will this have on the 2021 season? We discuss all angles of the transfer season. Then, American rider Lauren Stephens of Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank joins the podcast to take us inside her topsy turvy 2020 season. Like all pro road racers, Lauren's season was derailed in March by COVID-19. Rather than wait things out, Lauren made a dramatic change in her racing focus, becoming the first ever woman to win the Zwift Tour de France. The change in focus had a dramatic impact on the rest of Lauren's season. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

Factor Bikes' Graham Shrive has helped design some of the fastest bikes in the pro peloton. He joins VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari on this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast to reveal the truth about frame flex: Do you really need the stiffest frame? Can frame flex be a benefit for certain riders? How do engineers tailor a frame for stiffness? Find out on this week's episode.

Stuart O'Grady has done more on the bike than just about any other rider. The Australian's 19-year pro career began on the track in the ’90s, where he racked up Olympic medals in the 1992 and 1996 Games. He then moved to the road where he wore the Tour de France yellow jersey and won Paris-Roubaix in the course of a long career. And now retired from racing, O'Grady has taken the helm at the Tour Down Under, the Australian stage race and traditional season opener. Put Your Socks On caught up with O'Grady to talk about his career, his aims with the Tour Down Under, and how the Australian race is coping with the various complications related to the coronavirus pandemic. PYSO co-host Bobby Julich raced with O'Grady twice in their careers, and he recalls how O'Grady had to leave the Tour twice, including once in a helicopter and once after riding the last 70km of a stage with a broken collarbone. The helicopter ride came in 2007 helicopter as O'Grady was doing 90kph down the Cornet de Roseland. "I went over the top in the front group," O'Grady recalls. "I went back to get bottles for [CSC teammate] Carlos [Sastre]. While coming back, [a rider] swerved to miss a hole as I was coming by, and took out my front wheel. I hit a pole, and that exploded everything. I had no feeling in my legs, and spent two weeks in the ICU." O'Grady also talks about some of his favorite moments from racing. "My lifelong ambition was the Olympics," he said, admitting that the Tour de France wasn't even on his radar early on. "I competed in six Olympics, which i think is a record for anyone who's not riding a horse. And riding solo into the Roubaix velodrome was pretty cool as well." As for the current state of racing, O'Grady says he is glad he is retired. "There's no real control [in the peloton]. You know, back in the day, there was a lot of respect for the kind of elder riders, especially in the classics," he said, alluding to a patron who would tell the riders when to ease off, or when it was okay to race. "These days is just it's like the gloves are off. You know, it's like a UFC cage fight. There's no rules. They attack at random moments. You see a group attacking and I'm like, what the hell are they doing that for? Next minute they got six minutes and they win the race." Now O'Grady is the race director for Tour Down Under, which was held with great success at the beginning of this year, but has already been postponed for 2021. "Being a part of the race from day one, the last couple of years of my career, I guess I started thinking, you know, I'd like to take on the reins of this, I think I can make a pretty cool race, because we haven't actually raced down a lot of the roads," he said. O'Grady and the TDU team looked into holding the race at its normal time in 201 with heavy quarantine protocols. But the logistics of that — plus the act that the UCI announced that the race next year would not be mandatory for WorldTour teams — meant that they decided to ultimately just postpone the race. Tune in to listen to O'Grady on Put Your Socks On.

The Vuelta a España wrapped up this weekend, with Primož Roglič surviving an onslaught by Richard Carapaz on the final mountain stage to win the overall. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we digest the final grand tour of the season, and examine what the final result means for Roglič, Carapaž, and the race's other protagonists. Then, have you ever wondered what goes into a name change? The world's most visible gravel race just went through a branding change, switching its name from DK (formerly Dirty Kanza) to Unbound Gravel. We speak to the race's co-managing team of Kristi Mohn and Lelan Dains to go inside the name change, and discuss the process they went through to choose the new name. Plus, what were some of the names left on the cutting-room floor? Mohn and Dains share with us some choices that came up short. All that and more on this week's The VeloNews Podcast.

On this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast, tech guru Lennard Zinn joins tech editor Dan Cavallari to talk about his in-depth sunglasses clarity test. What makes a pair of sunglasses good? Is it the clarity? Is it the polarization? What about UV protection? Zinn breaks it all down for us, and gives us insight as to whether you actually need any of these things. Zinn also walks us through what he did to test many of the most popular sunglasses on the market. Be sure to listen to get a sense of what matters when you buy a pair of sunglasses, according to Zinn.

Next year, 2021 should be the year of the postponed Olympics Games, and certainly will be the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. American diabetic Mandy Marquardt is on the long team for track, hopes to be in Tokyo racing in the stars and stripes. Marquardt has been racing at a high level since she was 10 years old, and has 18 national titles to her name. But she was a little concerned that she might be aging out of her prime shape. Then she placed ninth overall in the World Cup standings last season, then set a national kilo record, and was named to the US Olympic long team. "Representing my country next year at the Olympic Games would definitely be the pinnacle of my athletic career. And 2021 is the hundredth year of the discovery of insulin. In ways I'm like, are the stars aligning?" Marquardt is now 29, and certainly not past her prime. PYSO host Bobby Julich shared his own story of missing out on the Olympics as he got older. "I missed the Olympics in 1992. I missed the Olympics in 1996. I missed the Olympics in 2000. And then finally, at the age of 32, I made the Olympics in 2004," said Julich, who earned a medal in the time trial. "And so just... just never say never." In this episode of PYSO, Marquardt tells her story of being diagnosed with diabetes at age 16 and being told that she would never compete at a high level again. She talks about setting the U.S. kilo record, beating the time set by her friend and former national team roommate, the late Kelly Caitlin. She talks about the long and sometimes lonely road of a track sprinter, but how she is proud of having raced clean her entire career. And she talks about having a continuous glucose monitor is like "an SRM for my body." November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Tune in to Put Your Socks on.

The Vuelta a España has entered its thrilling final week, and we are breaking down the slugfest between Primož Roglič and Richard Carapaz on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast. The Vuelta's dramatic stage 12 up the Alto de l'Angliru produced a thrilling battle, with Hugh Carthy taking the win and Carapaz seizing the red jersey. Then, two days later, Roglič won the ITT to take the jersey back. We break down the action from both stages, and examine Ineos Grenadiers' new strategy of going on the attack. Then, we analyze the 2021 Tour de France route, which was announced this week. Next year's route serves up a classic battle, with two ITT races, three summit finishes, and a double ascent of Mont Ventoux. Then, we hear from two North American riders who are racing the Vuelta: Sepp Kuss and Michael Woods. Kuss takes us inside the Angliru battle with his perspective on the brutal fight. Then, Woods relives his stage 7 victory at the Vuelta, and explains why this Vuelta a España has helped him overcome the disappointment of being left off EF Pro Cycling's Tour de France team. All that and more on this week's podcast!

Gravel drivetrains now exist to accommodate the ever-burgeoning gravel market. The question is, do we really need them? VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari and editorial director Ben Delaney discuss the ins and outs of gravel drivetrains and help you decide whether you need one or not. Is a road drivetrain okay to use on a gravel bike? What are the benefits of a gravel drivetrain? Listen to this week's episode to find out.

It's been a strange year for Alex Howes, as it has been for everyone. The U.S. national champion hardly got to race in the jersey he won last year — but since nationals was canceled, he gets to wear it again until the 2021 nationals. Howes also flew to South Africa to race Cape Epic as part of EF Pro Cycling's alternate program that puts its pro roadies in adventure races. But... that race never happened. The soon-to-be-father recently got back to racing. On this episode of Put Your Socks On, Howes talks about his long road with Jonathan Vaughters' team — the only pro squad he has raced for. Even before turning pro, Howes races on Vaughters' junior development team, TIAA-CREF. Also on this episode, Bobby picks Howes' brain at length for gravel gear tips...

The 2020 Giro d'Italia has come to a thrilling conclusion, while the Vuelta a España heads into its mountainous midpoint. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we dive headfirst into the season's two other grand tours to offer our insight and opinion on the racing. First up is the Giro, which saw Tao Geoghegan Hart take the overall after a thrilling final four days of racing. What do we make of Geoghegan Hart's win for Great Britain and Team Ineos-Grenadiers? Does this win vault the 25-year-old Londoner into the the team's top leadership position, or is Ineos-Grenadiers still the squad of Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas? Then, the Vuelta a España is chugging into foul weather in northern Spain, and Jumbo-Visma saw its grip on the red jersey fall apart after its team leader, Primož Roglič, struggled to put on his rain coat at an inopportune time. How did this disaster occur, and what must Jumbo-Visma do now to rebound? Finally, we hear from Americans Sepp Kuss and Logan Owen, both of whom are racing the Vuelta a España. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

Eric Richter and Peter Curran from Giro join tech editor Dan Cavallari on this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast to answer the stiffness question. We all know we're supposed to ride the stiffest shoes for power transfer. But do we really need all that stiffness? Is a little bit of give actually good? And is there something else more important than stiffness, that we should focus on when shopping for shoes? Listen to this episode to find out!

The Giro d'Italia is in full swing, and what a race it's been. The unpredictable nature of the Italian grand tour this year reminds Bobby and Gus of another remarkable year, where Ryder Hesjedal took and lost and took the pink jersey, finally winning the overall in a nail biter of a final time trial. So we rang up Ryder to hear about that year at the the Giro, and to get some insight into his interesting career in professional cycling. Ryder got his start in bike racing with mountain biking in his native Canada in the ’90s. By the time he was 15, he was racing the MTB world championships, and his trajectory just continued from there, for a time blending mountain and road racing. A stint with the Rabobank development road team led to a contract with U.S. Postal Service — which he was still using as training for mountain biking en route to the Olympics. After some trial and error, Ryder found his sweet spot with Jonathan Vaughters' Slipstream team, where he enjoyed being a driving force in the scrappy upstart squad. An excellent 2011 year saw him finish seventh overall in the UCI rankings, and with the team's directive to focus on the Giro for 2012. Here is the story of how he did exactly that. It's time to Put Your Socks On.

The busy 2020 WorldTour season continues, and this week we have two grand tours and one monument to discuss! Over the weekend the Tour of Flanders was held on empty cobbled streets in Belgium, and both the men's and women's editions produced plenty of drama and action. The men's race saw newcomer Julian Alaphilippe force the day's decisive move with Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. The stage was set for a three-man battle to the finish, and then Alaphilippe struck a race motorcycle and crashed. We discuss the crash and its impact on the finale, which saw van der Poel win the sprint by inches. Could Alaphilippe have upset the two cobbled crushers in the final 35km? What impact would he have had in the sprint, or on the ascent of the Paterberg? Our resident Alaphilippe expert, James Startt, provides some expert opinion. In the women's race, Boels-Dolmans used its superior team tactics to set Chantal van der Broek-Blaak up for the win. We wonder what could have happened, however, if Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten would have continued their attack, instead of sitting up with 25km to go. Then, the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España are both going strong, and we break down the action from both races. What do we make of Chris Froome's dismal performance on the opening day of the Vuelta? And, is Wilco Kelderman really the favorite to win the Giro now? Finally, we have interviews with American stars at the grand tours. First up is Sepp Kuss, who is leading Jumbo-Visma's domestique ranks at the Vuelta. Sepp discusses the Tour de France finale as well as his Vuelta ambitions with us. Then, we hear from Brandon McNulty, who is racing for GC at the Giro d'Italia. Brandon just scored a third place finish in the Giro's long ITT — an amazing result for a grand tour debutant. Today's episode is brought to you by flobikes.com, your home for live streaming action of the Giro d'Italia for U.S. and Canadian viewers. Flobikes.com is also broadcasting the Vuelta a España in Canada. To sign up, go to www.flobikes.com/velonews.

Joe Friel and Jim Rutberg join VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari to get you fired up for indoor riding season. Friel and Rutberg have co-authored a book called "Ride Inside," which gives you tips and tricks to do exactly that. But the book doesn't stop there; get the most out of your indoor training sessions, learn how to race on Zwift, and even get the skinny on what gear you need to make the most out of your indoor miles.

The 2020 Giro d'Italia has been thrown into chaos this week by a slough of COVID-19 positives. On this week's episode, we discuss the news with James Startt, who is attending the race. James places the Giro's COVID-19 news into historical context, and explains how riders and directors at the race have been reacting to the news. He also explains how it has changed the racing dynamics at the event. Then, we hear from American rider Chad Haga, who is attending the race. Chad explains how the hotel protocols during the race's early stages in Sicily made riders feel uncomfortable, due to the presence of the general public. Chad also discusses his team leader, Wilco Kelderman, and why Kelderman often flies under the radar at big events. This week's episode is sponsored by Flobikes.com, which is your go-to destination for live broadcast coverage of the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Flanders, among other races. To sign up, go to www.flobikes.com/velonews.

Richie Porte has been a successful stage racer for a decade, winning the overall at the likes of Paris-Nice, the Tour Down Under, and the Tour de Romandie. And while he has raced the Tour de France 10 times, it wasn't until this year that he stood on the final podium in Paris as third overall. Although Porte has raced for many of the top WorldTour teams, he started out at the bottom, finishing dead last in his first stage race. But slowly he worked his way up from a Tasmanian team to small Italian teams to the top of the sport. Richie and Bobby first worked together at Saxo Bank, where Richie came on as a neo-pro and rode his way into the leader's jersey at the Giro d'talia in his first attempt at the Italian tour. In this episode, Bobby and Gus catch up with the typically media-shy star on his remarkable career that began on the roads of Tasmania.

Betsy's back from the wilderness of Colorado, and she's got plenty of stories to tell about her high-alpine adventures! She emerged from the trail after 11 days of bikepacking through some of the most stunning and harsh landscapes Colorado has to offer. And even though it was August, she still got snowed on. That's Colorado weather for you. Hear all about what gear Betsy ended up bringing with her, what performed well, and what could have used some improvement. And hear about one valiant pair of socks — the only pair Betsy brought with her.

Race every race like it's your last. We've all heard that kind of a cliche in one form or another during our lives. However, for the women's peloton in 2020, no sentiment could ring more true. Today, we sit down with Kasia Niewiadoma from Canyon//SRAM to hear from her just what it's like to be approaching each race day as if it's your last.

The 2020 Giro d'Italia has begun and VeloNews is on the ground it Italy for all of the action. On today's episode we link up with reporter James Startt who is attending the race for insight on what it's like to actually be at the event. Startt takes us inside the race's COVID-19 safety protocols, and he discusses the biggest differences between the Giro and the Tour de France. Then, Startt breaks down all of the GC action from stage 3, the summit finish to Mt. Etna. Then, American rider Brent Bookwalter joins the podcast for an update from the Giro. Brent is riding for Simon Yates at this year's race, and thus far it's been a tough start for Brent. He crashed on stage 2 and injured his back, and Brent explains the metal and emotional challenges that a rider faces after suffering an injury this early in a grand tour. Brent has some opinions on the race's COVID-19 safety protocols — or lack thereof — and he explains what it's like behind the scenes at the race. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Bobby and Gus sit down with UAE Team Emirates director Allan Peiper to find out how he overcame his own personal battles with cancer to go on to help his rider Tadej Pogacar win the Tour de France.

Pro racing continues to chug along, but this week we're taking a break from the WorldTour to catch up with the Major Taylor Iron Riders cycling club in New York City. Major Taylor Iron Riders is comprised largely of African American, Latino, and Asian-American club members, and it is one of the larger cycling clubs in New York City. We spoke to five board members of the club in June about how they have experienced explicit and implicit bias in the cycling community. Today, we follow up with the club's board to understand the impact of that initial podcast episode. And, we dig into the club's game plan for helping new riders develop a deeper love and appreciate for cycling. Major Taylor Iron Riders has a detailed plan to help novice riders rise up the ranks to become competitive cyclists. It's a blend of inclusivity, attention to detail, and tough love. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso have launched a brand new bike brand, Aurum Bikes, based on all the features they wanted to see on a race bike during their careers. Contador and Basso join tech editor Dan Cavallari on the VeloNews Tech Podcast, all the way from Madrid, Spain to give the details about and inspiration behind Aurum Bikes. Contador and basso talk about the technical details, from testing in the wind tunnel to determining the componentry and spec details, but the pair also talks about their hopes for the brand in the years and decades to come. Can Aurum become a legendary brand like Colnago? It may be a dream now, but Basso and Contador hope to make it a reality.

Hindsight is 20/20 — and that's exactly what PYSO is bringing to this special episode reflecting on the 2020 Tour de France. Co-hosts Bobby Julich, himself a podium finisher at the Tour, and retired racer Gus Morton look back at the highlights, the lowlights, and the surprises of this year's race. In the plus column, for starters, there was a Tour de France — and it made it all the way to Paris. In the year of Covid, just the existence of the race was a success. But then the race turned out to be filled with drama all the way until the end of the Stage 20 time trial. Bobby and Gus break down their favorite stages and performances, explain how the green jersey competition played into the overall race like never before, and analyze what Jumbo-Visma did right and did wrong. Bobby also speculates on what all this means for former Tour winners Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, both of whom sat out this edition. "It's going to be difficult for both of them," Bobby says. "And they're probably two of my favorite riders ever. I have the ultimate respect for them. But this new generation of such young riders being kind of steered in the correct way of doing things, I think it's gonna be really hard, just from a recovery standpoint, because when you're racing against guys that are 12 to 14 years younger than you, I mean, logic says they're going to be able to recover a little bit better." Tune in for a 20/20 take on the 2020Tour de France.

It's our final VeloNews Podcast episode of the 2020 Tour de France, and there are so many twists and turns to address. The Tour de France overall was upended in the final ITT, as Tadej Pogačar overcame a 57-second deficit to leapfrog Primož Roglič into the yellow jersey. On today's episode Fred Dreier and Andrew Hood break down all of the action and perspective from Pogačar's historic win. How did he pop such a big ride, and what happened to Roglič? What does the victory mean for Pogačar, and what does the defeat mean to Jumbo-Visma and its leader? Fred and Andy offer their perspective on the big news. Then, what impact did the 2020 Tour de France's media restrictions have on the stories we read throughout the race? Andy offers his perspective on what type of storytelling was lost and gained during this very strange Tour. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Wheels have changed drastically just in the last several years. They've gotten wider, deeper, hookless, tubeless, and more aerodynamic. Princeton CarbonWorks made its play into the wheel market with something completely different: a sinusoidal rim shape. What the heck is that? Basically, it's a wavy pattern that lends a host of advantages to your riding. And yes, it looks like Zipp's sawtooth pattern, but Princeton's wheel is its own beast entirely. Listen to the episode to find out how.

It's our penultimate episode of the 2020 Tour de France, and Jens Voigt joins the show to talk about the action on stages 18 and 19 of the race. Jens provides insight into the two breakaways that succeeded on these two tough stages, and what the riders did correctly (and incorrectly) in the big moves. Ineos Grenadiers won a stage and boosted Richard Carapaz into the polka dot jersey. Is this enough to salvage the squad's 2020 Tour de France? Jens and Fred analyze the high expectations for the team in the race. Then, what are riders planning to do for Saturday's individual time trial up La Planche des Belles Filles? Some riders are planning bike changes on the course, and Jens explains why this could be a huge gamble. We catch up with Sepp Kuss at the finish of stage 18 to hear about his super domestique duties at the Tour, and see whether or not Sepp has any intentions of one day leading a team to the Tour de France Then, James Startt and Andrew Hood sit down with French journalist Pierre Carrey of the publication Liberation to discuss how the French population is viewing the 2020 Tour de France. The race's controversial running amid the COVID-19 pandemic has created split opinion in the host country, and Carrey discusses the various storylines swirling around the event in France. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

This year has posed unique challenges for everyone in pro racing, and TV commentators have not been immune. In this episode of Put Your Socks On, retired pro Matt Keenan talks about his preparation process for calling the Tour de France. In short, a lot of homework is involved. This year, instead of commentating for ASO in France at the Tour, Keenan is calling the daily action for SBS from his native Australia. "Commentating remotely, you lose a couple key things about the feel for it," Keenan says, adding that he misses being able to drive the end of each day's course and being able to talk with journalists of other nationalities to get the latest news and gossip. "I like to be able to inform people when I'm commentating about stuff that they can't find from Dr. Google," Keenan says. "The upside of commentating from home is I get to see my family each day. Normally I spend maybe five months or so in a hotel bed. So that's been one of the positives." This year Keenan has also been training during the Tour, thanks to the legend Graeme Brown coaching him. "Graeme said, 'you're going to be at home, why don't let me coach you through the Tour and see if I can get you fitter at the end than what you are at the start?'" Keenan says. And Keenan breaks down his method of preparation on each of the riders at the Tour. "I have two start lists," he says. "I have a start list with a really brief set of stats on every single rider: their age, where they're from, their height, their weight, couple of key results, how many times they've ridden the Tour. So if they appear in the breakaway, I've got a really quick reference point on them. And then I've got another I list, an extensive database [with all the notes on their background]." "Then each day during the Tour, I spend about an hour and a half or so going through the book that tells us the details about the churches and all that sort of stuff. And you've got no idea how much feedback we get on that. We get more feedback on that than we do on the race." Tune into Put Your Socks On to listen to one of the key voices of the Tour de France.

The peloton rumbled up the Col de la Loze on Wednesday, and the soaring mountain did not disappoint. On today's episode, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down all of the action from the big day in the Alps. What were Primož Roglič and Sepp Kuss up to in the final 3km of the race? Jens breaks down the action. Then, we hear from American Sepp Kuss about his Tour de France debut and the role he's been playing for Roglič throughout the Tour. Finally, James Startt and Andrew Hood file their dispatch from the Col de la Loze. James was on a race motorcycle for the soaring climb, and he takes us inside the race. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast! Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

The 2020 Tour de France took a disastrous turn for Egan Bernal and Team Ineos Grenadiers on Sunday, as the team's hopes for the GC crashed and burned on the Grand Colombier. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down Ineos' setback, and try and trace the roots of the bad day. Why was Bernal not ready for the hard day in the Jura, and how come the seven-time Tour de France-winning team faltered? Then, Jens offers his insight on Team Sunweb, which as emerged as the most entertaining team in the 2020 Tour de France. What's it like to be part of a team that dramatically changes focus from one season to the next? As it turns out, shifting focus requires lots of work on and off of the bike in order to be successful. Then, we hear from fan favorite Toms Skujins on what it's like to race the 2020 Tour de France, and what it's like to race past empty roadsides in the mountains. Andrew Hood and James Startt file their dispatch from the Grand Colombier, and analyze the new shape of the GC battle. Could Tadej Pogačar overhaul Primož Roglič to win the Tour de France? It's become the biggest question of the race in week three. All that and more on today's episode! Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Rapha's founder and CEO Simon Mottram has seen riding clothing change drastically over the last decade. Having worked closely with Team Sky (now Ineos-Grenadiers) and its 'marginal gains' mantra, Mottram learned exactly what it takes to make clothing for the fastest races in the world. What about clothing for the rest of us? Is it the same as the pros' clothing? Listen to this episode of the tech podcast to find out.

The Tour de France rumbled up the ascent of Puy Mary this week, and the brutal climb had a major impact on the GC. Egan Bernal was dropped, Tadej Pogačar vaulted into second place, and Primož Roglič looked untouchable. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Jens Voigt breaks down all of the action, and offers his critique of Team Ineos Grenadiers' bizarre tactics during the stage. Then, Jens offers his take on Peter Sagan's relegation after his controversial sprint on stage 11 into Poitiers. Was the UCI race jury right to punish Sagan for his sprint? Jens thinks so. Then, American rider Ben King joins the podcast to talk about the challenges to preparation and training caused by the 2020 racing shutdown, and how it may be impacting riders at the Tour de France. Will some riders lose their legs in week three at the Tour? Ben thinks so. The, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from the finish at Puy Mary, and take us inside this very challenging stage of the Tour. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to https://www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Most VeloNews readers know the story of Greg LeMond well. But what was it like growing up in that world? This week, Bobby and Gus sit down with Geoffrey LeMond, son of Greg and the kid made famous for his appearance alongside his father on the top step of the Tour de France podium in 1989. Now 35, Geoffrey reflects on the racing, the characters, and the innovation that went on during his father's career, such as Giro aero helmets and Scott aero bars. Geoffrey talks about how his love of inventing has led him back to the cycling world with the development of new carbon technology, as well as the upcoming relaunch of the fabled LeMond bicycle brand.

The 2020 Tour de France rolls on, and Jens Voigt joins the podcast again to break down all of the action from the Pyrenees and Tuesday's sprint stage. Sam Bennett's sprint win on stage 10 carried extra significance because he out-kicked his old teammate, Peter Sagan. Jens discusses Bennett's career path and the decision of Bora-Hansgrohe to choose Sagan over Bennett for years. Why is Peter Sagan winless in the Tour thus far? Jens analyzes Sagan's form, as well as the strategic decisions made by Bora-Hansgrohe. Then, Jens lends his opinion on Jumbo-Visma's aggressive strategy through the first half of the Tour. Has the Dutch team spent too much energy in its attempt to win? And why didn't Primož Roglič attack on the Col de Peyresourde after he dropped Egan Bernal? American rider Tejay van Garderen joins the podcast today with a wide-ranging audio diary about the 2020 Tour de France. What elements of this strange edition feel completely different from the norm, and what elements are the same? What are riders talking about inside the peloton? Tejay gives us his take. Then, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from Île de Ré, and discuss the Tour de France's COVID-19 testing and the stir it caused inside the peloton. Live bike racing is back, and FloBikes is your home for live and on-demand coverage of the biggest events of the year including the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, Tirreno Adriatico, and much, much more. Go behind the scenes with exclusive interviews, in-depth documentaries, and a host of other cycling-focused content. Additionally, Canadian viewers get access to the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and the World Championships. Subscribe today by going to flobikes.com/velonews.

The battle for the Tour de France's yellow jersey heated up over the weekend, as the peloton tackled two punishing stages in the Pyrenees. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we break down all of the action between contenders like Egan Bernal, Primož Roglič, and Tadej Pogačar. Then, we hear from American Neilson Powless, who has attacked into two day-long breakaways already in this Tour. Why is Neilson on the attack, and what has he learned from these breakaways? Then, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from the Tour de France, where the peloton is anticipating a big moment for the 2020 race. On Monday, the race will test more than 600 riders and staff for COVID-19, and determine who stays in the race and who is sent home. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

It was a soapy start to the 2020 Tour de France, and the tech headlines have all focused on the tiny patch where the rubber meets the road. What makes a good tire? Why are riders experimenting with options beyond tubulars? Find out on today's episode.

Team Ineos Grenadiers detonated the peloton during Friday's 7th stage of the Tour de France, and a handful of contenders were caught out. Wout van Aert won the stage in another stunning example of why he's the most exciting men's rider of the year. On today's episode of the podcast, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down the action from the last few stages of the Tour de France, and analyze the biggest storylines in the race. Van Aert has now won two stages of the Tour de France, and he's shown that he can climb, descend, and win one day races. What does the future hold for van Aert? Jens offers his unvarnished opinion on how van Aert should steer his career — and cyclocross is not a part of the picture. Jens also has some opinions on the UCI's ruling to penalize Julian Alaphilippe for taking an illegal feed on stage 5. Then, the guys break down the coming stages in the Pyrenees and discuss why the Pyrenean climbs present a challenge that is wholly different from climbs in the Alps. Then, our special guest Brent Bookwalter joins the show for some insight into the opening week of the Tour de France. Why is the Tour's opening week so stressful, and what's it like to be inside the pressure cooker of the race? Brent explains the dynamics that build pressure around riders, and remembers scenes from his four Tour de France starts. Brent also offers his take on teammate Adam Yates, and just how long Yates can hold the Tour's yellow jersey. Finally, Andrew Hood and James Startt chime in from Millau, France, and take us inside their adventures in covering the 2020 Tour de France. James was on the photo motorcycle this week and received an up-close view of the race. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling

Mark Cavendish has won 30 stages of the Tour de France. This places his second in the all-time record behind Eddy Merckx — or first in the all-time record if you are only counting mass-start stages and not time trials as well. Cavendish is not racing the Tour de France this year, and the veteran sprinter reflects with Bobby and Gus about the special dynamics of the Tour — "I owe the Tour de France everything in my life" — the struggles he's faced both on and off the bike, and the special people he considers friends like Bernie Eisel and George Hincapie. Cavendish talks about how track racing prepared him to sprint at the Tour, in terms of leg speed and tactics. Cavendish says his top end power is relatively low for a Tour sprinter, but he can sustain it for a long time. "It's rare I'll get over 1,400 watts, you know, but I can average over 1,200 for 15 seconds, whereas guys like [Andre] Greipel would go 2,000 and then quickly drop down to 1,000 or 900," he says. Cavendish talks about the special dynamics of sprinting at the Tour de France compared to other races, where most teams are balancing interests in the general classification along with other goals. And Cavendish defends the complexity and excitement of bunch sprints against the armchair commentators who say flat stages are boring. "Anybody who says a bunch sprint is boring is not intelligent enough to understand what's going on in a bunch sprint," he says. "For me, bunch sprinting is the only part of cycling left that uses pure tactics. You know, even a mountain stage is literally a time trial where everyone starts together. It's a physical thing. You can do it or you can't, it's as simple as that. You know what power you can pull out and you do that, and whoever can hold the highest threshold wins. And sprinting is a lot more dynamic." Tune in for a special Tour de France edition of Put Your Socks On with Mark Cavendish.

The Tour de France heated up on Tuesday with the summit finish to Orcières-Merlette, and Primož Roglič and Team Jumbo-Visma drew first blood in the battle with Ineos Grenadiers. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down all of the action from stages 3 and 4, and offer their insight into what Jumbo-Visma's early dominance means for the Tour. Is the Dutch team wasting too much energy this early? Is Ineos Grenadiers waiting for the right moment to strike? What do we think of Egan Bernal's inability to follow Roglič? Then, Jens explains why he thinks Peter Sagan will go winless at this year's Tour de France, even if he succeeds in taking a record eighth green jersey. Jens think Sagan will get a major challenge for the green jersey from one specific rider. We have our first audio diary of the race from American Neilson Powless, who is making his Tour de France debut on Team EF Pro Cycling. Neilson takes us inside his first Tour de France stage, and explains how important the Tour was during his first years as a competitive cyclist. Then, Andy Hood and James Startt provide another dispatch from the race, this time from the city of Gap. James and Andy take us inside the restrictions on the road at the Tour de France, and what fans at the race think about the safety measures for COVID-19. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast! Live bike racing is back, and FloBikes is your home for live and on-demand coverage of the biggest events of the year including the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, Tirreno Adriatico, and much, much more. Go behind the scenes with exclusive interviews, in-depth documentaries, and a host of other cycling-focused content. Additionally, Canadian viewers get access to the Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana, and the World Championships. Subscribe today by going to flobikes.com/velonews.

Tech editor Dan Cavallari has been testing a lot of bibs lately, and every time he found a pair he liked, the chamois came from the same company: Elastic Interface. On today's episode, Cavallari catches up with Irene Lucarelli from Elastic Interface and Tim Jackson from Pow Word Communications to talk about what makes a good chamois you can forget all about on your ride.

The Tour de France has begun, and so has our special podcast series taking you inside the race. For the next nine episodes we will feature expert analysis with co-host Jens Voigt, as well as audio diaries from riders in the race, and on-the-ground reporting from the event. Jens Voigt joins the episode today to offer his analysis on the first two stages of the Tour. Julian Alaphilippe's stunning win on stage 2 again made him a fan favorite, but Jens argues why Alaphilippe's antics are a sign that he's not a true GC contender this year. Jens also offers his opinions on Team Ineos Grenadiers' decision to leave its veteran rider Geraint Thomas home from the Tour. Thomas has been a part of every one of the team's Tour de France wins. Is leaving him home a blunder? Plus, Jens breaks down all of the crashes and drama from the stage 1 opener in Nice. What is the role of the peloton's 'patron'? Jens takes us inside this very special person of the peloton. Then, we get our first dispatch from Andrew Hood and James Startt, who are both on the ground in Nice for the race. Andrew and James discuss the race's COVID-19 safety protocols, and how they are making life different from everyone at the event, from fans to riders to journalists. What's it like to be a reporter at this year's race? It's totally different. All that and more on the first episode of our 2020 Tour de France coverage! Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Bobby Julich calls him Sir Rod. Bahrain-McLaren racers call him boss. You probably know Rod Ellingworth from his early coaching connection to Mark Cavendish. However you know him, the general manager of the WorldTour squad Bahrain-McLaren comes on the show today to talk about preparing for the Tour de France. Getting an international team ready for the Tour is organized chaos in the best of times, with people, vehicles, and materials scattered around various countries in the weeks and days leading up to the Grand Depart. And this year of course is special, with coronavirus precautions adding layer upon layer of complexity. "We had all the challenges, we didn't just have the COVID challenge," Ellingworth said. "Our partners were in trouble from a financial point of view, and that was potentially the biggest challenge that we had." Bahrain-McLaren recently announced that McLaren will not be returning as a sponsor next year. Selecting which eight riders make the Tour de France team is critical point for any team. Ellingworth explains how his background with the British Olympic program helps inform his selection criteria. Providing transparency and clarity into the selection process is key, he says. "The sports directors give us the demands of the event, which then tells you how many climbers do you take, how many flat riders do you take, and so forth. So you've got the outline," he said. "And then you say to each of those groups, this is what's expected of you. This is the level that we're expecting. This is the level of teamwork we're expecting. So it's all clearly written out in black and white for the whole team to see from very early." Check out see Bahrain-McLaren's Tour de France team here: https://www.velonews.com/tour-de-france/tdf-teams-2020/bahrain-mclaren/

There will be no Chris Froome or Geraint Thomas at the Tour de France this year. The bombshell news was dropped by Team Ineos this past week, and on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss every angle of the decision. What does this mean for Froome's legacy and his attempt to win a fifth Tour? Why did Thomas look so bad at the Critérium du Dauphiné? And what does this milestone mean for Team Ineos and its era of dominance at the Tour de France? Plus, the Tour de France revealed a new rule for COVID-19 safety, stating that teams will be booted from the race if they have two or more riders or staffers who test positive for the virus or show symptoms. We analyze this rule, and what impact it could have on the race. Then, our countdown to the Tour de France concludes this week as we analyze our top-five contenders for the yellow jersey. Froome's omission threw off our top-10 list, and we discuss which second-tier contenders deserve a spot on the list of top favorites. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast! Live bike racing is back, and FloBikes is your home for live and on-demand coverage of the biggest events of the year including the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, Tirreno Adriatico, and much, much more. Go behind the scenes with exclusive interviews, in-depth documentaries, and a host of other cycling-focused content. Additionally, Canadian viewers get access to the Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana, and the World Championships. Subscribe today by going to flobikes.com/velonews.

In a normal year, Ben Delaney and Dan Cavallari are wandering random hotel parking lots in search of the newest and coolest Tour de France tech, often getting chastised by team mechanics and otherwise making nuisances of themselves somewhere in France. 2020 is no normal year. This year, both Ben and Dan will be watching the Tour from home, squinting at computer and TV screens to spot the new stuff. In this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast, Ben and Dan talk a bit about their processes for spotting new tech when they're on the ground at the Tour de France (hint: always look for electrical tape!) and what they will be looking for on their screens at home this year.

Sylvan Adams is an enthusiastic masters racer — with one heck of a philanthropist twist. He fell in love with the sport late, and quickly found his way to national and world masters championship titles. But then.... the successful Canadian businessman and philanthropist went all in on supporting the sport of cycling in general and the Israeli cycling scene in particular, bringing the Giro d'Italia to Israel and launching Israel Start-Up Nation into the World Tour. Tune in for a special episode of Put Your Socks On, as Bobby, Gus, and Sylvan talk about how Sylvan got into cycling, and where he wants to see it go.

The Critérium du Dauphiné is done and dusted, and we have our final glimpse of the Tour de France contenders before the big race. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we analyze all of the storylines from the Dauphiné and also Il Lombardia, and discuss how these stories impact our impressions of the upcoming Tour. Chris Froome is not fit, Geraint Thomas looked bad, and numerous other contenders are suffering injuries and crashes. What does this mean for the race? Then, we analyze the big contenders who will be battling for the Tour de France overall. In our annual VeloNews Tour de France guide we ranked the top-10 contenders. This week we analyze our riders ranked No. 10 through No. 6 on the list, and discuss each rider's strengths and weaknesses. Live bike racing is back, and FloBikes is your home for live and on-demand coverage of the biggest events of the year including the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, Tirreno Adriatico, and much, much more. Go behind the scenes with exclusive interviews, in-depth documentaries, and a host of other cycling-focused content. Additionally, Canadian viewers get access to the Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana, Criterium du Dauphine and the World Championships. Subscribe today by going to flobikes.com/velonews.

As the bicycle becomes more complex, so too does the process for making it look, well, super pretty. Micah Moran from Trek Bicycles knows a thing or two about what goes into all those nifty paint jobs; he has been deeply involved with Trek's in-house custom paint shop, Project One, as well as the Icon paint schemes that grace some of the most eye-catching designs on the road. Micah joins tech editor Dan Cavallari to give us a sense of what's new in bicycle paint, where we've been in the past, and what we can look forward to in years to come.

NFL veteran Eric Studesville has coached for 23 years, including with the Denver Broncos when they won the Super Bowl in 2015. On this episode of PYSO, Eric chats with Bobby and Gus about how football player roles compare to cyclists' roles on a team. Eric got into cycling growing up in Madison, Wisconsin. First, the bike was transportation. Then, it was for workouts. And soon — and now — it is for the love of riding. Now the running back coach for the Miami Dolphins, Eric explains how he lures NFL players into cycling, and what their biggest hesitation is about getting on a bike. Looking at cycling and football, it's not too dissimilar in terms of everyone having distinct roles, Eric says. "Everybody's got a role and function," Eric says. "Running back, you know, you may be a third-down back, you may be a short-yardage or a goal-line back. Are you the two-minute guy? Are you a special teams contributor? I see that on a cycling team; they have a role and a function. You have the GC guy and you have your sprinters and your climbers, but everyone on a team has a role in a function, and everyone has to perform their role and function to the maximum for the team and for the GC rider to have the greatest chance to be successful." "I see the domestique people as the offensive linemen; you may not know who they are, but they're they got to be out there grinding those Ks every day for the team to succeed," he says. On this episode of PYSO, your role is to be the listener, so sit back and enjoy.

Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal drops by the VeloNews Podcast this week. Jason is one of the preeminent sports columnists in the country, and he's also a not-so secret cycling fanatic. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the cycling scene in a multitude of ways, and Jason discusses how he's seen the U.S. cycling scene shift in the past several months. The sale of bicycles is booming — how can the U.S. cycling scene capitalize on new riders entering our sport? Jason has some thoughts on how and how not to welcome these people. Plus, the Tour de France is just 2.5 weeks away, and Jason, like all other fans, is hopeful if slightly worried of the race taking place amid the pandemic. Then, up-and-coming American rider Matteo Jorgenson joins the podcast. Matteo just finished 17th place at Milano-Sanremo in his first ever monument appearance. He discusses his unorthodox pathway to the WorldTour, and his thoughts on how the coronavirus could impact the U.S. development pathway. The Tour de France is just around the corner, and the 2020 VeloNews Tour de France guide is now available for pre-order. This year the guide is again packed with insight and analysis on all 21 stages and 22 teams. We also have feature stories that examine the Tour's history with global crisis, and the simmering battle between Team Ineos and Jumbo-Visma. You can order yours now at www.velopress.com.All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast

Senior editor Betsy Welch is going on an adventure. She'll be bikepacking the Colorado Trail, a journey notorious for devouring even the heartiest cyclists to attempt it. She joins technical editor Dan Cavallari to give us the rundown on what gear she's bringing (not much), how long she'll be out (a really long time), and where she will store everything she needs (bags, bags, bags).

A wild road brought Isabel King to cycling: Division One soccer at Columbia led to a UCLA MBA that led to Wall Street and then triathlon. Not the usual route, but today Izzy is racking up QoMs on Strava left and right in California. Tune in for a rolling ride on PYSO with Bobby Julich, Gus Morton, and Isabel King.

Pro bike racing is back, and on today's episode we go inside the Vuelta a Burgos and Strade Bianche with dispatches from Andrew Hood and James Startt. Then, our countdown to the Tour de France continues as we provide detailed and extra-nerdy analysis of Tour stages 11-21. We analyze every climb and every sprint to determine who will win the overall. Finally, we have an interview with American Leah Thomas who rode to an impressive third place at Strade Bianche. Leah rode with strong legs and smart racing intellect, joining the early breakaway that gave her an advantage on the dusty, dry course. Leah takes us inside the tense few moments after she dropped her chain on a dirt climb and was pushed by an overzealous fan. The Tour de France is just around the corner, and the 2020 VeloNews Tour de France guide is now available for pre-order. This year the guide is again packed with insight and analysis on all 21 stages and 22 teams. We also have feature stories that examine the Tour's history with global crisis, and the simmering battle between Team Ineos and Jumbo-Visma. You can order yours now at www.velopress.com.

In days of yore (just a few years ago, really), WorldTour team mechanics would spend hours, if not days, building wheels in preparation for big races. Now, most teams have equipment sponsors who send wheels pre-built. What's the benefit to the rider of having a pre-built wheel from one manufacturer? Jeff Schneider from Giant Gear joins tech editor Dan Cavallari on the show to talk about how Cadex Wheelsystems ensure riders get the best balance of light weight, performance, and consistency. It should come as no surprise that it all boils down to research, and hard numbers gleaned from years of testing. In the end, consistency is key. Listen to what Schneider has to say about what you can expect from your next wheelset.

In this special episode, co-host Bobby Julich becomes the hot-seat guest as Tejay van Garderen and Gus Morton pepper the Olympic medalist and Tour de France podium finisher about not only his career, but the decisions behind his actions, his regrets, and his most cherished moments. After watching ESPN's two-part LANCE documentary, van Garderen has questions for Julich about how the sport and society treated riders who doped, citing the depression and drug-related deaths of Marco Pantani and Frank Vandenbroucke. Julich talks about his own involvement in doping, his now-wife's prescient words about it decades ago, and his decisions to not only opt to race clean years ago, but to come clean to Team Sky years after, knowing that it would cost him his job. Van Garderen and Morton are empathetic but probing in their frank conversation. Van Garderen raced under Julich's guidance at BMC and still considers him a mentor. The younger American says he regrets racing too cautiously in the past, and seeing success as a zero-sum game, and asks Julich if he feels the same about his career. Julich also talks about his rare moments of zen on the bike, including one special instance during his Olympic time trial ride in Athens that netted him a silver medal.

We have a packed episode of The VeloNews Podcast this week, with interviews and segments that take you into pro cycling's return to racing. Andrew Hood is at the Vuelta a Burgos this week, which marks the first international pro men's race to be held since the coronavirus shutdown back in March. Andrew provides an on-the-ground account of what it's like to be inside a race during the pandemic, including his perspective on the safety measures being used to curb the spread of the virus. Then, we hear from American Sepp Kuss, who is racing the Vuelta a Burgos about his return to racing, and how he feels about being back in a bike race. Our countdown to the Tour de France continues this week, as we take a deep dive into the opening 10 stages of this year's Tour with James Startt. We analyze each stage's elevation profile and offer our thoughts on whether it's a day for the GC riders, sprinters, or breakaway specialists. We also offer our picks for each stage's winner. Then, Betsy Welch and Fred Dreier link up with American rider Tayler Wiles, who recently traveled back to Europe to start up the pro women's season. Wiles participated in races over the weekend in Spain, and offers her perspective on whether or not she fees safe in pro cycling's return. The Tour de France is just around the corner, and the 2020 VeloNews Tour de France guide is now available for pre-order. This year the guide is again packed with insight and analysis on all 21 stages and 22 teams. We also have feature stories that examine the Tour's history with global crisis, and the simmering battle between Team Ineos and Jumbo-Visma. You can order yours now at www.velopress.com.

Gear and tech can often dictate the outcome of a stage, or the overall race, at the Tour de France. On this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast, European correspondent Andrew Hood joins tech editor Dan Cavallari to recount some of the most interesting and consequential tech moments of his tenure covering the Tour, which started in 1996.

How many athletes can you name that use one sport as cross-training for another? Probably a few, right? But can you name any athletes that participate in the very highest levels of professional competition in one sport as preparation for another sport? That is exactly what Ineos-Grenadier rider Cam Wurf is doing, using WorldTour racing as training for the Ironman world championships, which were recently postponed until February. In this episode of Put Your Socks On, Cam catches up with Bobby and Gus after the hosts catch you up with the final two stages of the Virtual Tour de France on Zwift. Oh, and if you're impressed with Cam's two-for-one professional sports plan, you should also know that he has been to the Olympics — in rowing!

The clock is ticking to the start of the Tour de France, and we are taking a deep dive into various elements of the race over the next six episodes. We will examine the stages, the contenders, the storylines, and even the race's history between now and the race's start on August 29. On today's episode we take a broad look at the 2020 Tour de France route, and examine how it fits into the current trends for grand tour route design. Andrew Hood and James Startt offer their analysis on the 2020 Tour route, and offer insights into how the overall route will impact the racing. Then, we catch up with one of the country's top up-and-coming junior racers, Zoe Ta-Perez. Zoe rides for the Luxx-Sideshow women's team, and she is a 12-time national champion and a current UCI world champion in the Madison event. Zoe discusses how the COVID-19 shutdown has impacted her racing goals, and what it's like to be a top cyclist while trying to maintain a normal life as a teenager. The Tour de France is just around the corner, and the 2020 VeloNews Tour de France guide is now available for pre-order. This year the guide is again packed with insight and analysis on all 21 stages and 22 teams. We also have feature stories that examine the Tour's history with global crisis, and the simmering battle between Team Ineos and Jumbo-Visma. You can order yours now at www.velopress.com.

Dan Cavallari and Ben Delaney dive deep into the world of bicycle storage, all in an effort to save your long-suffering and sagging jersey pockets from further despair. From frame bags to integrated tool solutions that hide in head tubes and handlebars, we live in an era that offers a smorgasbord of clever storage options. Find out which ones are our favorites on this episode of the Tech Podcast.

In 1996, Bobby Julich thought his career was over - as it was just beginning to take off - because of a heart arrhythmia. Instead, George Hincapie introduced him to cardiologist Mike Lepp, he had a heart ablation procedure, and went on to have a very successful career. In the wake of the untimely death of young Belgian rider Niels De Vriendt (VDM), Mike joins Bobby and Gus Morton to talk about various personal instances of how cycling can exacerbate heart issues, and what can be done about it. Mike Lepp is currently the senior athletic advisor to Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR, but his involvement in sports physiology and heart health goes back decades to his time as director of a cardiology clinic for many years in the 1980s.

It's official: Chris Froome is leaving Team Ineos to join Israel Start-Up Nation for 2021 and the foreseeable future. This blockbuster transfer is one of the biggest in pro cycling's recent history, and on this week's episode we examine every angle of the move. Andrew Hood and James Startt join the podcast to discuss the Froome news. What does Froome's decision mean for his legacy and the legacy of Team Sky/Ineos? How does the move impact Israel Start-Up Nation's ambitions within the WorldTour? And what are the other historical transfers of this nature in cycling's history? And, do we think that Chris Froome will win his record-tying fifth Tour? Then, we catch up with rising American star Magnus Sheffield, who won bronze at the 2019 UCI junior men's road world championships. This year was supposed to be Sheffield's big season on the domestic and international stage, and the coronavirus pandemic has sidelined him. What impact will the shutdown have on the country's system for developing young talent like Sheffield? The Tour de France is just around the corner, and the 2020 VeloNews Tour de France guide is now available for pre-order. This year the guide is again packed with insight and analysis on all 21 stages and 22 teams. We also have feature stories that examine the Tour's history with global crisis, and the simmering battle between Team Ineos and Jumbo-Visma. You can order yours now at www.velopress.com.

Jurgen Landrie has been wrenching on bikes for WorldTor teams for decades, so he has seen how much bikes have changed over the years. But just in the last five years, it seems like that evolution has accelerated. Landrie joins VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari on the VeloNews tech podcast to give us a sense of how and why bikes have evolved so rapidly in the last few years, and how mechanics at the top levels of the sport are adapting and taking on new roles to ensure riders get all the benefits from aerodynamics, body positioning, materials, and more.

Zwift has redefined indoor cycling. What started in 2014 with a 5km virtual track and a handful of users is now a global phenomenon. Just this weekend, for instance, Zwift had nearly 90,000 people sign up to ride one of the company's Virtual Tour de France social rides. On this episode of Put Your Socks On, Bobby and Gus speak with Zwift co-founder and CEO Eric Min about where they company came from, and where it's going. Some of the hurdles are technological: How do you ensure power-measurement accuracy and consistency with riders around the world using different equipment? And some of the hurdles are sociological or psychological: It took six years for the Zwift community to accept the idea of a burrito Power Up that makes them un-draftable for a few seconds. "So we've taken baby steps [in adding game enhancements], but now I think if you took away all the gamification in the game, it would just be boring," Min said. "We even went to ASO to ask professionals, 'do you want these events to have have power ups or not?' They overwhelmingly said yes, we want power ups because why wouldn't you want to have a gift of an arrow power up? You know, ahead of a sprint. It's a freebie."

Organizers of gravel cycling's marquee event, the Dirty Kanza, recently announced their intention to change the race's name. The decision has come after months of turmoil for the event. In April a petition was circulated asking the race to change its name; the petition stated that the event's name represented a slur against the local indigenous population, the Kaw Nation. Then, in June, the event's co-founder parted ways with owner Life Time after making insensitive comments on social media about the shooting death of an African American man at the hands of the police. On today's podcast Senior Editor Betsy Welch and Editorial Director Ben Delaney join the show to discuss the recent news stories surrounding the DK, and what a name change could bring to the event. This week’s episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code ‘VELONEWS’ at checkout.

Can dark fabrics keep you cool? It used to be standard practice to err on the side of light colors in hot weather, but with modern fabrics, it's entirely possible to stay cool and dry even if you're wearing black clothing. Of course, that comes with a caveat: The clothing needs to be designed specifically to keep you cool. Makes sense, right? Rob Pickels from Pearl Izumi joins VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari on the tech podcast to wade through the science that makes a cool fabric, and how you can stay cool and dry on your next summer ride.

After being elected by her racing peers to serve on the athlete's commission for the UCI in 2015, Iris Slappendel quickly realized that there was no overarching structure of support for female riders. So, she created one. The Cyclists' Alliance was founded in 2017 to support female racers during and after their careers. The Cyclists' Alliance is a union funded by donations and subscriptions. Approximately one third of the women's peloton are paying members, Slappendel says. As a veteran former racer, Slappendel talks with PYSO hosts and former racers Bobby Julich and Gus Morton about the discrepancies between women's and men's unions for riders, and how they all interact with the UCI. "It took me 10 years, but I realized there's no one holding teams or anyone accountable for how the riders are treated," Slappendel said of her thought process behind starting The Cyclists' Alliance. "And I think that was the spark that started me thinking about a union or at least having a better representation of the riders and the stakeholders." Slappendel says that while the sport has made strides forward since 2004 when she began racing — "there are more top riders, more riders who are able to live from the sport, more good races" — that the sport still has a long way to go. "It's becoming a professional sport, but it's not there yet," she said. Listen in for a fascinating conversation on the dynamics of life as a female professional rider.

Bicycle racing is slowly returning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and Austin's Driveway Series criterium events have been some of the first to come back. The Driveway held its first race since the shutdown on June 18, and then held another one on June 25. Why has the series returned, and what safety protocols is it following? On this week's episode we link up with series founder Andrew Willis to discuss the Driveway's return to racing. As it turns out, Willis' decision to come back isn't as straightforward as you may assume. Before we hear from Willis, Andrew Hood and James Startt come on the podcast to discuss pro cycling's sprint to the Tour de France, which is less than two months away. Teams are finalizing rosters and organizing pre-race training camps. The race has yet to publicize its health precautions, which has left riders and journalists playing the guessing game. This week’s episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code ‘VELONEWS’ at checkout.

Tech guru Lennard Zinn joins VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari on this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast to explain the concept of moment of inertia, and why it matters when you ride your bike. Zinn walks us through the basic physics of the way weight moves on your bicycle, and why rotational weight can affect how quickly you get your bike up to speed. More importantly, Zinn gives us a general guide as to what's better for you: deep section wheels, or climbing wheels.

As racing returns to the real world with the Slovenian national championship, Bobby and Gus cover all the happenings in the Zwift community. Also, Gus's brother Lachlan Morton is an absolute madman! Gus gives his perspective on Lachlan Everesting not once but twice in one week to set the world record. Hear all about these stories and listen to an exclusive interview with director Steven de Jongh of Trek-Segafredo. We talk to Steven about his calm, cool demeanor, and how his recovery from a scary cycling accident has added more perspective to his approach to directing and life. It's time to Put Your Socks On.

Our reporting on the intersection of race and cycling continues this week with a conversation with Dr. Marlon Moncrieffe, a professor at Brighton University in the UK. A former elite track sprinter, Dr. Moncrieffe studies the history of minority ethnic groups in 20th century Britain. His 2018 book, 'Made in Britain: Uncovering the life-histories of Black-British Champions in Cycling' explores the stories of Black British riders who were excluded from the country's success at the Olympic games and abroad. Dr. Moncrieffe explains how the success of British Cycling at the 2012 Olympics broadcast an extremely white vision of cycling to the country. Since there were no Black riders chosen for the team, cycling was therefore cast as a white-only sport, despite the fact that numerous minority riders compete at the elite level. Dr. Moncrieffe explains how elite sport, media coverage, and brand messaging are all connected in the inclusion and exclusion of minorities in sport. This week’s episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code ‘VELONEWS’ at checkout.

Editorial director Ben Delaney and senior editor Betsy Welch needed a challenge — much like the rest of us craving races that have been halted during these strange times. Everesting? That seems a bit too intense for mere mortals, so Ben and Betsy settled on Project 14er instead, attempting to conquer 14,000 feet of elevation in a single ride. But with Lachlan Morton's troubles with official elevation data resulting in his record being expunged, the question of elevation data reliability comes squarely into focus. Can you trust your GPS elevation data? Why did Morton have data problems? Find out on this episode of the VeloNews tech podcast.

Which is harder: racing for the win in the grand tours, or working as a firefighter? Listen to former top pro Tyler Farrar, who has done both. This week on Put Your Socks On, coach Bobby Julich is joined by special guest host Christian Vande Velde as Angus Morton is out in the field. Christian and Bobby talk with Tyler about his early career - from racing as a junior and pro domestically to going to Cofidis and then Slipstream - how he dealt with the loss of his close friend and training partner Wouter Weylandt, his recovery from COVID-19 and much more.

Our reporting on American cycling's lack of diversity continues this week, as we speak with five board members of the Major Taylor Iron Riders club. The club members are: Patrick Merosier, Natasha Merle, Chris Hasfal, Darrell Tucker, and club president Dereka Hendon-Barnes. MTIR is based in New York City and it is comprised largely of African American, Latino, and Caribbean American riders. The club is one of the most visible ones in the tri-state region, due to its large membership and its flashy kits. The five members of the club discuss the racism and bias they have felt in the cycling world, and how the exclusionary and clique-ish nature of the racing scene is a turnoff to minorities. The club members also discuss the different challenges in cycling they face due to the color of their skin. Why is MTIR so successful at bringing minority cyclists to our sport? It's a feeling of inclusion and community and comfort, say the club members. This week’s episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code ‘VELONEWS’ at checkout.

On this week's episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast, tech editor Dan Cavallari talks with Velocio Apparel's CEO Brad Sheehan to get to the bottom of why packaging is such a big problem in the bike industry. The bicycle industry often touts itself as an eco-friendly alternative to automobiles, and it certainly is that. But in terms of packaging, sourcing materials, and landing products in a consumer's hands, the industry has a long way to go to make itself truly eco-friendly.

Road bikes, cyclocross bikes, mountain bikes, and motorbikes — Neff loves riding them all. On this episode, the multi-time world champ talks about the special Swiss cycling programs that helped propel her to the top. Bobby and Gus speak with Neff about her early days of competition (she won the first race she entered at age six), overcoming injuries, and her new series Jolanda Land on YouTube. After getting stuck in the U.S. for 2.5 months because of travel restrictions, Neff is back in Switzerland now for a national training camp, where eight of the nine riders have world junior titles to their names. How does Switzerland create such successful riders? Part of it, Neff believes, is the unique race formats for young kids that prioritize handling skills and not just pedaling. Like many Olympic-bound athletes, the coronavirus pandemic has changed Neff's life and timing, but after the Swiss star suffered a terrible crash in December, the extra preparation time is probably a blessing. Neff, a veteran of the Rio Olympic where she placed eighth in the road race and sixth in the cross-country mountain bike race, talks with Bobby, an Olympic medalist himself, about lessons she wants to take into the Tokyo Olympics. Forefront among them, is advocating to have trusted female staff with her. "I need to have the people around me in those days before the Olympics and during the Olympics that I've been working with for years," she says. "In Rio, we did not have one single female person on staff. I get along great with men, that's no problem. But at the competition, you need a certain balance and especially for me, my physio that I've been working with for years, she is a girl. She was not selected to go to the Olympics. So I've been working on that very much." At the coming Olympics, Neff will be unable to race both road and mountain because the two competitions are on the same day. Outside of the Olympics, Neff recently launched a YouTube channel. "I want to show people cycling is social. It's fun. It's great. It keeps you fit. I don't want to show like, 'ah, it's so hard to train and everyone who's at that level has to put in work and has to train hard,'" she says. "For me, what got me into mountain biking and what I want to inspire other people to get into mountain biking is the fun, the social aspect."

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss the role that racial bias and racism play in our sport with Rahsaan Bahati and Allen Lim. Bahati and Lim are both veterans of the U.S. cycling scene, and they are both riders who came to the sport from minority communities. Bahati is black and grew up in Compton; Lim is a Chinese-American immigrant who grew up in Los Angeles. Both men charted their own paths through U.S. cycling and achieved heights in the sport. And both men had to navigate racial discrimination and U.S. cycling's fraternity-like social scene to get there. Lim and Bahati share their own experiences in American cycling. They also discuss the ways in which cycling can make itself more open to minorities from different backgrounds. This week’s episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code ‘VELONEWS’ at checkout.

Both Fizik and Specialized released 3D-printed saddles in 2020. The neat-o looks of both perches are enough to grab your attention, but why are brands looking to 3D printing to create saddles anyway? What does 3D printing offer that regular old foam can't accomplish? Tech editor Dan Cavallari talks with Garrett Getter from Specialized to find out what's unique about the big red S's Mirror technology, which brings a 3D-printed cushion to its already popular Power saddle.

Basketball Hall of Famer, Olympic gold medalist, and all-around legendary player Reggie Miller is now a huge cyclist. He joins Bobby Julich and Gus Morton to talk about the impact of sports on culture, and the impact of culture on sports, in both broad terms and in this specific moment in time. On the Put Your Socks On podcast, Miller encourages us all, especially white people, to "put our ears on" and listen. Miller talks about the positive role sports can play in society, and how the coronavirus has put that on hold in many ways. "I think sports in general and especially the NBA has always had a huge platform in terms of healing. But I think a lot of people are frustrated right now because covid and the coronavirus has stopped everything. So there's no outlet for people," Miller says. "Sports used to be the great equalizer in healing form. You know, after 9/11 it was baseball. You remember George Bush going to Yankee Stadium and throwing out the first ball, you know, 'We won't be defeated.'" Miller, Julich, and Morton talk about the similarities between Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong, and about how Miller first got into cycling. They talk about Miller's first bikes (a Giant, then a custom Moots, then a Santa Cruz), and Miller's charitable work. Miller also talks about the importance of having uncomfortable conversations. "When you see a murder on TV of George Floyd, and this has been going on forever, and people are frustrated, they're tired, they're hurt," he says. "And you keep telling people to turn the other cheek and do have peaceful protests, and change never comes about. They are tired. So what? You know, we saw Colin Kaepernick taking a knee a peaceful protest to what has been going on, and he gets blackballed from the NFL format. And I see all these images now of police and other people kneeling. It's funny how things have come full circle because the murder of George Floyd and this officer kneeling on him forcibly for over eight minutes, lynching this man on national TV for the world to see and you got Colin Kaepernick has been telling you guys this has been going on forever." "Sports and its brightest stars can help heal the pain hopefully, but it starts from within. People need to start listening and when I say people, white people need to start listening to the pain of black and brown people in this country and in the world because it's been going on way too long," Miller says. "A young man goes out for a jog — for a jog! — and gets murdered for that, you know, we got to stop. Sometimes you've got to take an aggressive approach to create change, they want change, and it starts with people getting out there and getting to the polls and voting. You don't like a prosecutor? You don't like a president? You don't like an attorney general? You don't like a judge, vote them out. Go vote, people, get them out." Miller says people people don't want to have these conversations because they don't want to believe that racism in 2020 exist. "This goes back 400 years. I mean, I don't want to go in a history lesson here because this is a basketball and cycling show. But as long as people are willing to have a conversation and admit that racism is alive and well in America in what can we do black and brown people and white people, how can we help one another, get past this, if they're willing to have that conversation, that's the only way the healing is going to start," Miller says. "But if you're going to sit in your nice house, and turn the channel and think if we're not going to go anywhere, is nothing, no change will ever evolve from that. So if you're willing to listen, and open up and say, 'You know what, you're right.' God gave us two ears, and one mouth. Listen, put your listening ears on." And with that, give this episode of Put Your Socks on a listen.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast our examination of the Everesting phenomenon continues. We speak with Andy van Bergen, the Australian cyclist who founded the Everesting challenge back in 2014 and who now oversees the website that chronicles Everesting attempts across the globe. Van Bergen has seen the number of Everesting attempts skyrocket in recent weeks, and also a number of to pro riders have attempted to break the record. We discuss why the latest attempt by German rider Emanuel Buchmann was deemed not a record, and why the rules governing Everesting are so stringent. Before hearing from van Bergen, we link up with Andrew Hood and James Startt to discuss cycling's march toward the Tour de France. Pro teams are now creating specific plans for Tour de France prep, including grouping riders and staff together as they prepare for the race. Also, there is a simmering debate over whether or not media should be allowed at this year's Tour due to fears over spreading coronavirus. We discuss the pros and cons of media involvement at the race. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Tech editor Dan Cavallari and senior editor Betsy Welch have been testing bibs — a lot of them. How do we determine which bibs are good and which ones aren't so hot? As it turns out, it all depends on who you are, and where you're riding. Betsy gives us the skinny on pee-friendly women's bibs, while Dan reveals his make-or-break feature that absolutely has to be present on a pair of bibshorts for them to be considered good ones. Find out what it is on this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast.

American Tejay van Garderen, twice a fifth place finisher overall and winner of the white jersey at the Tour de France, wishes he had taken more time to appreciate the good times during his career. Whether it was winning the Tour of California, or just having fun rooming with riders like George Hincapie or Taylor Phinney, van Garderen says he took a lot of things for granted. “I wish I would have savored the moment a little bit more and appreciated it,” he said. “ I always just thought, ‘Okay, I'm here now and I'm gonna go there and that's a stepping stone. That's kind of the story of cycling in a nutshell. You never stop to just say, ‘Hey, what I did was pretty cool.’ I wish I had done that a little bit more.” Van Garderen talks at length on this episode of Put Your Socks On about trying to keep perspective heading into the strange 2020 season. In 2016, van Garderen skipped the Olympics because of another virus. At the time, his wife Jessica was six months pregnant, and he didn’t want to risk contracting the Zika virus. Van Garderen also talks about the people who helped get him to where he is today, including a framebuilder in Bozeman, Montana: Carl Strong. “Without him I wouldn't have been a bike racer,” van Garderen said. “I just I wouldn't been wouldn't have been able to afford it.”

On this week's podcast we interview producer/director Marina Zenovich on her new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary LANCE, which chronicles the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong. Zenovich spent two years producing the film, and she interviewed Armstrong on eight different occasions. Yet the film is one of many films, books, and magazine articles written about Armstrong. Zenovich explains why, after the other media projects were done, she still felt compelled to produce a film on the disgraced champion. Everesting continues to be the buzzword in the U.S. cycling scene, with even more amateur and elite riders opting to ride 29,000 vertical feet on their bicycles. Senior Editor Betsy Welch joins the show to discuss the Everesting trend, the various different ways riders are choosing to Everest, and the strategies riders are following to record fastest times. This week's episode is sponsored by Roll Massif, organizer of eight iconic cycling events in Colorado. Right now listeners of the podcast can get 15 percent off event entry by going to rollmassif.com and using the code Velonews15 at checkout.

On this episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast, retired pro cyclist Phil Gaimon joins tech editor Dan Cavallari to talk about how Strava has turned into an important tool in Gaimon's post-racing life. Gaimon recounts how he first started using Strava as a way to stay fit and have fun, and how it morphed into something that helped him define a sense of purpose, particularly regarding some of the charitable fundraising he does. Gaimon also chats about his Everesting record, which lasted a few days before he was unseated by Keegan Swenson. Most importantly, Gaimon reminds us all that while Strava is a powerful tool worth spending our money on, it's important to remember the fun part of it all — it's just riding bikes, and that's ultimately what should put a smile on our faces.

Some riders are superstitious, believing that they need everything just so in order to perform. They need just the right lucky clothing, or just the right type of coffee. World time trial champion Chloe Dygert is not such a rider. She doesn't even drink coffee. She just thrives off viewing the best riders in the world as benchmarks, and then getting to work on surpassing them. In this episode of Put Your Socks On, Dygert and her Team Twenty20 boss Nicola Cranmer discuss the pursuit of greatness. In Cranmer's case, that means finding and nurturing talented riders in challenging times as well as good times. For Dygert, that means a relentless work ethic and a refusal to settle — even for her current status as one of the absolute best riders in the world. "I'm definitely the kind of person that if you tell me, I can't do something, I'm going to do it, and I'm going to do it better than you would ever think," Dygert says. "I have role models, but I don't look at them and say I want to be like them. I look at them and say, 'you are a benchmark to what I want to be. I'm going to surpass you, I'm going to be better than you.' I want to be the best at anything and everything I do, and I thrive off of pain. I thrive off of other people's doubt, and I think that's also a huge benefactor into who I am today." As the world of cycling contemplates a cautious return to racing, Cranmer floats the idea of racing time trials exclusively for a little while. What does the reigning world TT champ think of this? "I would not be opposed," Dygert says.

Chris Froome could be seeking a mid-season transfer away from Team Ineos. The news broke last week on cyclingnews.com and immediately caused ripples throughout pro cycling. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss this story, its origins, and the implications it has on the sport. Is Froome really going to depart Team Ineos, or is this news being floated out there for some other reason? We analyze and give our educated opinions on the biggest story of last week. Then, continuing on our discussions around the Giro d'Italia, we examine Marco Pantani and his posthumous reputation in Italy and in pro cycling. While other riders from the EPO era have seen their reputations tarnished, Pantani's legacy has not attained godlike status in Italian cycling. Then, we catch up with U.S. MTB champion Keegan Swenson, who last week broke Phil Gaimon's world record for Everesting. We hear all about Swenson's painful feat, and discuss what the future holds for this bizarre cycling challenge. All that and more on this week's The VeloNews Podcast. This week's episode is sponsored by Roll Massif, organizer of eight iconic cycling events in Colorado. Right now listeners of the podcast can get 15 percent off event entry by going to rollmassif.com and using the code Velonews15 at checkout.

The great debate finally hits the VeloNews Tech Podcast: eTap, or Di2? The electronic shifting systems from SRAM and Shimano each offer distinct advantages and disadvantages — and ultimately, each system has a personality all its own. SRAM's wireless eTap AXS system is the newcomer, attempting to unseat Shimano's wired Dura-Ace Di2 system that has proven itself reliable, smooth, an ergonomically sleek for years now. If Dan and Ben had to spend their money on just one system, which would they choose? Find out on this episode.

After an absence from the top level of the sport, longtime team director Bjarne Riis is back in the WorldTour at the helm of NTT Pro Cycling. Riis is well known for many things — winning the 1996 Tour de France as a rider, his doping confession, and leading many riders to victory as the boss of Team CSC / Saxo Bank / Saxo Bank-Tinkoff. As a team leader, Riis has long been a proponent of team building, often taking teams on military-like exercises in the early months of the year to build cohesion. With NTT, Riis has been working with team management and riders to develop that cohesion remotely, through Zwift racing and regular communication, and other strategies that he isn't yet ready to talk about beyond saying he has established 'six pillars' of training. But he is confident that NTT will come out of the pandemic lockdown ready to race. "I guarantee you NTT Pro Cycling is going to be a weapon when we come out racing again," Riis said. "Because that was what I explained [to the riders]: I want you to be a weapon in what you do." In his recent years away from directing a WorldTour team, Riis said he missed "fighting in a creative way." While Ineos has the the biggest budget and can hire many of the best riders, other teams have to be creative and organized in their tactics, he said. "What's important to me is being a team, not just saying we are a team but showing it," he said. "You know, the way we race the race together in the peloton, the way we move together, everything we do as a team," he said. "And that's the culture you build." Listen in for a conversation with Gus Morton and Bobby Julich, who for a time raced for Riis at CSC.

Richard Plugge, the managing director for Jumbo-Visma, has a very informed perspective on COVID-19 and its impact on pro cycling. Back in March Plugge came down with a fever and a cough, and after more than a week of feeling ill he was hospitalized. Plugge was diagnosed with COVID-19, and he spent more than six weeks recovering from the illness. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we link up with Plugge to hear the story of his experience with COVID-19. We also discuss the UCI's proposed calendar for bringing racing back this fall, and get Plugge's opinion on the plan. While other team directors have criticized the UCI's schedule as being too ambitious, Plugge believes it is a plan that works for pro cycling and provides a lifeline for the teams that are teetering on the edge of financial ruin. Next, we discuss the ladies Paris-Roubaix with one of the peloton's best riders on the cobblestones: Ellen Van Dijk. Van Dijk is a winner of the Tour of Flanders and a 2x champion at Dwars Door Vlaanderen. She explains why the launch of Paris-Roubaix for women has completely changed her focus on the 2020 season. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast. This week's episode is sponsored by Roll Massif, organizer of eight iconic cycling events in Colorado. Right now listeners of the podcast can get 15 percent off event entry by going to rollmassif.com and using the code Velonews15 at checkout.

While tubeless tires have long reigned supreme in the mountain bike world, they have had a harder time gaining traction — forgive the pun — on road bikes. That has changed only recently, as more and more bikes come stock with tubeless-ready tires and rims. Has road tubeless finally arrived? Ken Avery would know; he has been involved in the design process of countless tires, both road and mountain, for Vittoria Tires and other companies before that. Does Ken think road tubeless has shrugged off its reputation as unreliable? Give this week's tech pod a listen to find out.

A novelty at first, six weeks of lockdown has taken its toll on all athletes. With the easing of restrictions now beginning, we check in with NTT Pro Cycling's Michael Valgren to see how he’s been holding up after months of uncertainty and how he’s planning on moving forward with the new UCI calendar just announced. A quick primer on Valgren, for those of you who don't know him: After turning pro at the tender age of 21, the Danish rider quickly won consecutive U23 Liège–Bastogne–Liège editions, establishing himself as a rider to watch in the future. Fast forward to 2018, and Valgren came of age, winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the monument Amstel Gold Race as well as finishing fourth at the Tour of Flanders. Following that break-out year, where he moved from a strongman to team leader, Valgren transferred to his current team, NTT (formerly Dimension Data), in one of the most anticipated moves for the season. Plagued by bad form and a series of setbacks, 2019 was a winless one. With 2020 a chance to redeem an “un-Valgren-esque” 2019, it seems the COVID-19 situation has delayed his chances of getting even in his favorite classics.

The UCI has released a plan to bring pro racing back in August with a competition calendar that squeezes all of the major races into three months. There are more than a few overlapping race dates. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss and analyze this new calendar and the ramifications it has on pro teams and events. What do we make of the overlapping dates and the compressed season? What pressures will this calendar put on pro teams and riders? And, most importantly, do we believe these races will actually take place amid the coronavirus pandemic? Then, we examine the Giro d'Italia, which would have been starting this coming weekend prior to the coronavirus shutdown. The new schedule places the Giro in competition with the major one day classics, as well as the opening week of the Vuelta. What does this tell us about the Giro's overall importance within the global cycling community? Riders love the Giro, and frequently tell us that it is their favorite race. We dig into why the Giro scores top marks with the riders, and what cultural impact the Giro has on the global cycling fanbase. All that and more on this week's episode. This week's episode is sponsored by Giordana Cycling, makers of fine Italian cycling apparel. Right now fans of the podcast can get 25 percent off their purchase by going to giordanacycling.com and entering the code PODCAST at purchase.

Tech Editor Dan Cavallari chats with Berne Broudy about her research into women's-specific design in the cycling industry. Where did it all start? What did the industry get right — and very wrong — along the way? And is women's-specific design now dead? Broudy guides us through two divergent paths of technology: bikes themselves, and the world of clothing and accessories. As it turns out, there's more to women's-specific design than blanket statements of its effectiveness overall. (Hint: It takes some nuance and research to get it right!)

How is the biggest team in the world dealing with the global coronavirus lockdown? Well, they've been doing a few things - including pivoting to help distribute hand sanitizer to hospitals in conjunction with their sponsor Ineos. Ineos team boss David Brailsford comes on the show to talk about how the riders, the coaches, and the support staff have been collaborating, training, and racing over the internet — and helping create value in new ways. Ineos owner and chairman Jim Ratcliffe told Brailsford that he wanted to produce a million bottles of hand sanitizer a month and supply that to the frontline workers in hospitals, using the well-oiled logistics of the cycling team to handle some of the distribution. "Everybody has been involved, and they've done a brilliant job and it's quite a satisfying thing to be involved in," Brailsford said.

How are pro riders spending their time amid the coronavirus shutdown? On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we dive into our recent Day in the Life series with Betsy Welch. Over the past five weeks we have been reaching out to pro of every variety: European and North American; roadies, gravel racers, and mountain bikers; veterans and fresh-faced youngsters. We've asked them nine questions to help us understand how the COVID-19 shutdown is impacting their lives, and how they are maintaining their physical and mental health during these strange times. We have seen trends and outliers, and major differences between different types of riders. We break down these trends and differences on today's podcast. Then we conduct an actual Day in the life interview with Catharine Pendrel of the Clif Pro racing team. Catharine is a two-time world champion and an Olympic Bronze medalist in cross-country mountain bike racing. She is riding out the shutdown in Kamloops, British Columbia, where the singletrack is dry and the sun is shining . This week's episode is sponsored by Roll Massif, organizer of eight iconic cycling events in Colorado. Right now listeners of the podcast can get 15 percent off event entry by going to rollmassif.com and using the code Velonews15 at checkout.

We are certainly living in strange times, and Alison Tetrick, like other professional athletes, is stuck in a holding pattern to see if and when the race season might resume. But she's not sitting by idly; Tech editor Dan Cavallari chats with Tetrick about her training during the Covid-19 era, what gear gets her through recovery, and why she carries a whiskey flask at every race.

Michele Acquarone ran the Giro d'Italia and RCS' other races for years, and pushed for revolutionary change such as teams sharing in TV revenue and all races having men's and women's events. On this episode of Put Your Socks On, Michele talks with Bobby and Gus about where the sport of cycling should be headed. Michele argues that all pro races should include women's and men's events. "It's so easy to do combined events, that it's crazy that all the pro cycling movement is not doing that," he says. "It should be a must if you want to have a first level race. You have the TV production, you have the operations already in place. For the organizer, it's easy. You have the streets closed, you have the helicopters and the airplanes in the sky. Everything is in place. You just need to invest a little extra money to have a great show with the two races at the same time." And what about esports in cycling? "Esports are not the future but the present of the sport, and you cannot ignore it," Michele says. Before talking with Michele, Bobby shares some indoor training tricks from TrainingPeaks' guru Tim Cusick, such as the importance of investing in a quality trainer with a flywheel for mimicking inertia, using your own power meter if you have one instead of the power from the trainer, and cooling your environment as best you can. "At the end of these indoor rides, you often end up looking like a salt lick," Bobby says.

Pro cycling has a partial competition calendar for 2020, with the UCI approving plans for the Tour de France to start on August 29 and the world championships to begin September 20. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we dig into this tentative plan to bring pro cycling back. Is it even a good idea to schedule events amid the pandemic? What does this sketch of a calendar mean for the sponsors, pro teams, and pro riders? Plus, how do we think this tentative schedule will impact the Tour de France in general? Nobody is quite sure how riders will react to so much time away from racing before the Tour. We're in uncharted territory with 2020, and the proposed calendar leaves us with more questions to ponder than answers. This week's episode is sponsored by Giordana Cycling, makers of fine Italian cycling apparel. Right now fans of the podcast can get 25 percent off their purchase by going to giordanacycling.com and entering the code PODCAST at purchase.

Gravel bikes have gone soft! By which of course we mean suspension has become a stable in some form or another on most gravel bikes. Flexing seatposts, decouplers, and even full-suspension designs have all aimed to make gravel riding more comfortable. But is it necessary? Tech editor Dan Cavallari talked with VeloNews editorial director Ben Delaney to get his take on the gravel bike he has tested over the years. Does Ben think suspension is here to stay? And Cavallari chats with Zack Vestal from Niner Bikes to get deeper into the design considerations behind the MCR (Magic Carpet Ride), the first full-suspension gravel bike to hit the market.

Steve Maxwell and Spencer Martin of The Outer Line join the show to talk about what the sport of cycling could like in a post-coronavirus world from a business perspective. Will there be fewer teams and fewer events? Possibly. Along with the rest of the world, the cycling industry is now scrambling to figure out what it can do to stay afloat and what the waters will look like once the storm subsides. "Clearly we can't really imagine at this point in time, what the overall impact of COVID is going to be on the sport, just just like we can't really imagine what the impact is going to be on society in general, when we come out of the other side of this whole thing," Maxwell says. "But I think there are a few things that are starting to be apparent. We're not going back to the same old normal. Some things will probably change permanently as a result of this whole calamity." In this special edition VeloNews collaboration of PYSO and The Outer Line, the gents on the pod dig into a laundry list of possible effects of the coronavirus shutdown: How does it affect the teams, the managers, the events, the regulators, and the UCI? "Each one of these stakeholders is going to come out of this thing on the other side a little bit different than the way it went in," Maxwell says.

Pro Zwift racing has arrived, with the start of the Zwift Classics pro/am series. These six races feature $5,000 in prize cash, short and challenging courses, and fields comprised of pro and top amateur riders. So, what do you look for in a virtual race? On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we take a deep dive into pro Zwift racing with two experts: Leah Thorvilson and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio. Leah Thorvilson was the first winner of the Zwift Academy talent search back in 2016, which earned her a pro contract to race with the Canyon-SRAM road squad. Thorvilson breaks down the similarities and differences between Zwift and IRL (in real life) bike racing, and discusses her own experiences in WorldTour-level road events. Then, WorldTour veteran Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio explains why she's embraced Zwift riding during the coronavirus shutdown. Moolman-Pasio won the most recent Zwift Classics event, and it came after she dedicated herself to a month of training on the online platform. Why is she racing indoors, and how has it changed her riding style? We find out. This week's episode is sponsored by Giordana Cycling, makers of fine Italian cycling apparel. Right now fans of the podcast can get 25 percent off their purchase by going to giordanacycling.com and entering the code PODCAST at purchase.

What role does sport play in a pandemic? And more importantly, what role will it play in a post-pandemic world? Bobby and Gus ask the head of the world Players Association, Brendan Schwab, these questions and more. Bobby says the world of cycling has no overarching organization. "There's no alliances, there's no loyalties. And that just has to change." Bobby, Gus, and Brandon discuss how that could change.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we are breaking down our favorite recent editions of Paris-Roubaix by re-watching the YouTube video and then analyzing the action. The three editions we have on tap are from 2014, 2016, and 2019. These were the races that saw Niki Terpstra, Mathew Hayman, and Philippe Gilbert take historic wins on the jagged cobblestones of Northern France. What did we learn about Paris-Roubaix from rewatching these past editions? Well, we learned that Tom Boonen really wanted a fifth Roubaix title, among other things. We also saw a generational shift occur amongst the Roubaix peloton's heavy hitters, and we saw how daring team and personal strategies paid off. Fire up the YouTube clips, watch your favorite editions of Paris-Roubaix, and listen along.

Tech editor Dan Cavallari and editorial director Ben Delaney give you the basics on what you need to take advantage of power both indoors and outdoors. Since many of us are doing a fair bit of Zwifting these days, Delaney and Cavallari discuss how to use your power meter — and more broadly, power in general — to get the most out of your Zwift sessions. There are three fundamental ways to use Zwift: riding, training, and racing. Listen to find out how to optimize your power meter and settings to get the most out of each type of virtual ride.

How about some rock and roll? Greg Erwin is the drummer for Saint Motel, and a buddy of Taylor Phinney. He joins Bobby and Gus to talk about how he got into cycling, and how bringing a bike on tour keeps him healthy mentally and physically. And Gus also explains the 21/90 rule of forming habits. It's time to Put Your Socks On.

It's Flanders week here on the VeloNews Podcast. And even though Belgium's biggest race is on hold (like the rest of the sport), we are taking a deep dive into our three favorite recent editions of De Ronde. Andrew Hood, James Startt, and Fred Dreier examine the Tours of Flanders from 2015, 2016, and 2019, and examine the tactical decisions and storylines from each race. What did each edition tell us about the Flanders course design? How did the marquee riders approach the course differently? What are our favorite moments from these editions? All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Bobby and Gus bring you a change of pace from all the COVID-19 news with a great interview with American racer Justin Williams. Introducing him a "the #1 positive vibe guy," Gus brings on the founder of the Legion of Los Angeles cycling team. Williams talks about how he got into cycling as a 13-year-old as a way to bond with his dad, who if from Belize, and how he wore a U.S. Postal Service skinsuit to the group rides that he got from Tony Cruz. Williams also talks about his love of design, and how we wants his cycling team to stand for something more than just bike racing. Take a tip from Williams, and make sure you look good as you Put Your Sock On.

he Mid South gravel race was the final major cycling event held in the United States before the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancelation and postponement of the remaining events on the calendar. The race and its participants received criticism. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we examine the race's decision to continue and speak with our reporters who were on the ground at the event. What were riders and race staff talking about in the days before the event? What precautions were and were not taken at the event? Then, we hear from Hannah Finchamp, winner of the women's event. Hannah recounts her victory at The Mid South and discusses the now famous photo of her eating a cheeseburger in the finishing chute just as she crossed the line. This week's episode is sponsored by Amp Human and its new PR Lotion. Listener's can get a 25 percent discount on PR lotion by going to amphuman.com and typing in the code VeloNews25 at checkout.

These are special times, challenging times, and this is a special edition of Fast Talk. And I say that not because we discuss COVID-19 in this episode, but because this will be the last episode of Fast Talk to be released on the VeloNews channel. What’s that mean? Well, I have a big ask for all of you: Head to your favorite podcast app, search for the Fast Talk podcast, and subscribe. All future episodes of Fast Talk will be released on that channel. Some of you have already found us there, many of you have not. In the episode today, as a way to say goodbye to our good friends at VeloNews, we invited editor-in-chief Fred Dreier to join us on the show to interview both Trevor and me, about Fast Talk — where we’ve been, where we’re going, and to discuss some of the highlights from our long history together.

The Mid South Gravel race went off in the mud and muck, and Ben Delaney and Betsy Welch were there to get coated in their fair share. They join tech editor Dan Cavallari on the Tech Podcast this week to talk about their gear choices, the experience on course, and what items they were glad to have on course (and some they could have left home).

Special guest Rich Hincapie comes on the show to discuss the massive effect the coronavirus is having on cycling events around globe. Bobby and Gus hope that PYSO going forward will be able to provide a little light and laughter in tough times. On this episode, Bobby and Gus celebrate the last bit of racing at Paris-Nice, before looking up the road with Rich.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we continue our reporting on the impact of coronavirus COVID-19 on the cycling world. Andrew Hood chimes in from Spain, where the government has closed down most services and even prevented cyclists from riding outdoors. And James Startt calls in from Paris after finishing coverage of Paris-Nice. This week's episode is brought to you by Flobikes.com, where you can watch replays of some of your favorite pro bike races, such as Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, and even the Giro d'Italia. Go to flobikes.com/velonews for a special deal on a subscription.

As the world’s attention is fixated on the spread of COVID-19, many of us are feeling stress and anxiety. We want to acknowledge that fact; these are challenging times. By coincidence, we recorded and planned to release today an episode on performance psychology, specifically on the principles of confidence, resilience, the power of reframing, self-talk, and much more. Though this episode doesn’t address the type of anxiety you might be feeling head on, there are immense lessons to be learned in this episode that are applicable both to riding your bike faster, and living your life in a more healthy, mindful way. At times like these, we hope there are meaningful lessons to be gained from our discussion. To our devoted listeners, we send wishes of continued health and tranquility. We hope this episode helps you cope through a stressful time. Now, a few simple questions: What is confidence? What is resiliency? What is pressure, and how can we better cope with it? These are just some of the things we tackle in today’s episode. And while you might think you have a fair idea of what these terms mean, with the help of our incredible guest, clinical and sports psychologist Julie Emmerman, we open new doors on a landscape that few of us regularly consider a part of our training. That’s because we’ve been conditioned, when we consider the act of training for our endurance sport of choice, to think about it in physical, physiological terms. Today, we spend much of our time devoted to revealing ways to tap into the psychological aspects of training. I’m very excited to have Julie on the program, to share her wisdom from her many years spent working with professional cyclists, NHL players, MMA fighters, and everything in between. She won’t offer us some simplified, cliché “Seven Ways to Build Confidence” pitch — something you might see on the cover of GQ magazine or a self-help book. What she will provide is a deeper understanding of some of the most fundamental psychological principles at play in athletes, and how you can learn to better utilize them to your advantage. Want to know how the best athletes operate, psychologically, and what qualities they possess that make them so good at what they do? Stay tuned. Would you like to understand how to use the power of the brain to utilize everyday tasks, big and small, to refine your cycling performances? Listen in. And, if you were a fan of Jack Handy’s “Deep Thoughts” from Saturday Night Live, we might have something for you, too. Joining us also in this episode are two friends of the podcast: Red Bull athlete and the host of "The Adventure Stache" podcast, Payson McElveen, as well as endurance sports coach, and host of the Off Course podcast, Grant Holicky. Now, kick your feet up on the couch. Your counseling session is about to begin. Let’s have some deep thoughts, and let's make you fast!

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to roil the globe, reshaping professional cycling along with so much else. Bobby and Gus speak with American Larry Warbasse, who was one of the many riders temporarily trapped in the mid-race closure of the UAE Tour. Before talking about the racing — or the lack of racing — Bobby takes a moment to recognize the passing of his friend and former Team Sky colleague Nicholas Portal, who died of a heart attack. It's not a light episode this week. It's time to Put Your Socks On.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we go inside Paris-Nice's coronavirus precautions with James Startt, who is one of the few media members covering the race. Startt spoke with ASO's Christian Prudhomme and other officials about the precautions that have been taken with the race to ward off the virus. There are no spectators, no post-race interviews, and absolutely no hugs and kisses on the post-race podium. Is this the model that pro cycling can adopt to keep events safe in the future? Andrew Hood discusses the wider scope of the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the pro cycling calendar. The postponement of Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo, and Tirreno-Adriatico will have a dramatic impact on the top riders and their seasonal goals. Plus, what can we expect from the Belgian classics and Giro d'Italia in the coming weeks? Then, Betsy Welch joins the show to discuss our latest project, Monuments of Gravel. We went in search of the five gravel events that carry the most prestige to win. We devised a voting system to help us determine the races, and then posed the question to the elite gravel racers on the circuit. Everything you want to know about the Monuments of Gravel project is discussed on this episode. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

We’re incredibly lucky here at Fast Talk to be able to talk with some of the most intelligent physiologists, coaches, and athletes about training, and sport science generally, on a weekly basis. We glean so much insightful information just by having access to them on a regular basis. Through Coach Connor’s countless hours of dedicated research to keep up on the latest science, we’re then able to synthesize all of this information into what we hope are digestible conversations, helping you to better understand the science that propels cycling performance. Occasionally, we like to step back and summarize the things we’ve learned, often prompted by the many questions we receive from our dedicated listeners. Today is just such an occasion. The last time we did this type of show was Episode 68: The Big Picture-The Three Types of Rides You Should Do. Today, we look at the big picture when it comes to training in zones, or ranges, versus training a target number. Because what number is best? We talk about training zones constantly. If your zone 2 is 160 to 190 watts, then is training at 190 watts better than 170 watts? Is going harder better? Stay tuned for those answers. Next, we’ll address four fundamental principles of human physiology that relate to training in ranges: specifically aerobic and anaerobic thresholds, fat burning capacity, and maximal lactate clearance. All in an effort to maximize your training experience. Finally, we take an opportunity to remind everyone that humans aren’t machines. Perhaps that’s stating the obvious, but sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves that we are all individuals and have different needs, and goals for our riding. Today we hear from a vast array of former Fast Talk guests, including: -Colby Pearce, an incredible time trialist, coach, and bike fitting expert -Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the world’s leading sports physiologists -Sepp Kuss, pro cyclist with Jumbo-Visma -Toms Skujins, pro cyclist with Trek-Segafredo -Dr. Andy Coggan and Dr. Stephen McGregor, leading exercise physiologists -Hunter Allen, leading cycling coach -Sebastian Webber, lead scientist at INSCYD and elite cycling coach Let's make you fast!

Neil Shirley from Enve Wheels joins tech editor Dan Cavallari on the Tech Podcast to recount his recent trip to France to help NTT Pro Cycling riders find the optimal tire/rim combination for the spring classics. Shirley spent time with Edvald Boasson Hagen and Michael Gogl as they rode the Paris-Roubaix cobble sectors. The idea was to get the riders accustomed to tubeless tires and find the right combination to counter P-R's brutal cobbles and the smoother pavement miles in between. Cavallari and Shirley also talk about what makes tubeless tires faster than tubed and tubular tires, as well as some of the reasoning behind the "wider is faster" phenomenon.

Pro cycling has been put on hold this week by the global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which forced the cancellation of Strade Bianche and the shortening of the UAE Tour. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we speak with editor Jim Cotton who was on the ground at the UAE Tour and underwent five days of quarantine due to coronavirus. Jim takes us inside his experience at UAE Tour and explains, step by step, how the race was cancelled and the riders and staff placed in quarantine. Jim was tested for the virus and eventually returned to the UK, but not before he spent five days locked in his hotel room. After that we hear from Peter Stetina about his 2020 gravel campaign, and why being a privateer gravel racer is far more complicated than being a WorldTour road racer. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

TrainingPeaks, Strava, RideWithGPS, Fastest Bike Split, live TV with stream power data... The past 10 years have seen an explosion of data capture and sharing, not only from athlete to coach but to UCI and WADA and the public The way we train, race, consume and analyze cycling has been irreversibly changed by the proliferation of data. On today's episode, we take a look at how the world has changed with the sharing of data. Bobby bought his first power meter in 1999. "I had next to no clue of what it was," he said. "It was very much a status symbol." Fast forward to 2020, and power data is ubiquitous - something Friel says is healthy for the sport for a number of reasons, including clean sport, publicity, fan understanding and fan excitement.

Welcome to episode 100 with Dr. Stephen Seiler! We are so proud to have now brought 100 episodes of our passion for the bike to you. Thanks to all of you for coming along with us as we’ve interviewed some of the best physiologists, nutritionists, and athletes in professional cycling, and many of the most knowledgeable coaches in the world. Today in episode 100, we get nearly two hours of Dr. Seiler, aka the Jay-Z of physiology. Our conversation is very natural, casual even, but there are so many moments of enlightenment and clarity. Yes, Trevor wrote an outline for the show, as he always does. Thanks, Trevor. Then we proceeded to completely disregard it. In many ways, it makes for a heck of a good show. We learn about the inception of the polarized method, from the creator himself. We discuss Dr. Seiler’s current research on the all-important aerobic threshold. And we jaw—that’s my nod to his Texas roots—about the future of sport science. Get ready for the wisdom to drop. Are you following Dr. Seiler on Twitter? If not, you should. He’s @StephenSeiler. He frequently posts workout challenges, surveys, and his commentary on new scientific research and studies. Now, sit back and grab your favorite beverage, or, better yet, find a nice long stretch of lonely road to listen in. Let's make you fast!

In most careers, people retire when they are in their 60s, or even 70s. For professional cyclists, however, retirement usually comes in a rider's 30s. For someone who has built their lifestyle, body, and identity around the sport, what happens when that is suddenly gone? Bobby Julich and Gus Morton have both crossed that bridge, and they dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly of that transition. They are joined by special guest Gearoid Towey, a former Olympian and founder of the Crossing the Line Foundation, a program aimed at helping athletes transition out of their athletic careers and into a more socially standard one.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss Nairo Quintana's thrilling start to the 2020 season with his new French team, Arkea-Samsic. James Startt was there to see Quintana drop everyone on the slopes of Mont Ventoux at the recent le Tour de la Provence, and has some information on why Quintana seems to be thriving with his new French team. Startt also discusses the Arkea team, and what Quintana's signing means to the French outfit. Then, Betsy Welch joins the podcast to discuss her recent story on the Beti Bike Bash festival, the all-women's mountain bike racing in Colorado. Now in its 11th year, the Beti Bike Bash is a low-stress race that has introduced numerous cyclists to organized competition. In 2019 the event almost ceased after it faced a sponsorship crush. Welch explains how the event came back from the brink. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Swim, bike, run. I can do two of these things well. The third could cause my death... For our guests today, however, putting these disciplines together represents a good day's work. Of course, I’m talking about triathlon. And while Fast Talk has always been primarily about cycling, we know we have many triathlete listeners. In addition, many of the physiological concepts that apply to triathletes also pertain to cyclists and other endurance athletes. So, in episode 99, we delve into both the nuances of triathlon and how training for that sport relates to endurance training and cycling generally. We ask: Should triathlon be seen as three sports, or one? What are the most common training mistakes that triathletes make? What are the best ways to manage three different disciplines? And what can cyclists learn from how triathletes train? Our primary guest is Melanie McQuaid, the first person to win the XTERRA world championship three times. She is now a triathlon coach in Canada, and she joins us on Fast Talk to get specific and scientific about training three sports. We’re also joined by my friend and former pro triathlete Whitney Garcia. Because of her path to the sport, and her ability to reflect on it now as a retired athlete, Whitney offers insight into the training dos and don’ts with great clarity.

Road rash. Weeping wounds. Tegaderm. A cyclist's life is likely to involve at least one of those things at some point. Senior editor Betsy Welch has seen all that and more in her pre-VeloNews life as a Registered Nurse. She joins tech editor Dan Cavallari on the tech podcast to talk about first aid kits and things you should carry with you on every ride.

Gravel is on fire now, and Bobby Julich is jumping on the bandwagon.  "Let me just set the record straight: I am a full-on newbie, Cat 5 gravel rider. No doubt about it," says the Olympic medalist. "I want to make it clear to the gravel community that I'm not trying to tell you guys anything new. You know those scratch marks on the back of the bandwagon tailgate? Those are mine for just jumping on and trying to grasp what's going on here." With that perspective in mind, Bobby and Gus interview a host of riders about what actually got them into gravel in the first place. Guests include Nicola Cranmer, Chris Carmichael, Matt Accarrino, Drew Quartapella, Pete Stetina, Sarah Swallow, Shayna Powless and Kenny Carlsen. Bobby and Gus also debate whether or not a governing body should be involved in gravel. Bobby thinks there is some merit for safety's sake, but Gus takes a different view: "I feel like, down with the governing body and let it be a free for all," Gus says. "But then again, you know, I'm not necessarily the most responsible adults." Before talking gravel, the PYSO duo talk recent racing, including the surge in Colombian racing and Trofeo Laigueglia, which happened to be Bobby's first European race back in 1995. Give the pod a listen; it's time to Put Your Socks On.

Your probably didn't watch any of the Tour Colombia 2.1. The race was not broadcast in North America, and finding illegal feeds to stream the action presented a headache. Guess what? The Tour Colombia is one of the most important bicycle races in the entire world, and it is the biggest stage race in the entire Western Hemisphere. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we examine the Tour Colombia and its growing importance within the global realm of pro bike racing. Reporter Rebecca Reza was in Colombia for the 2019 and 2020 editions of the race, and she takes us inside the enormous crowds, aggressive racing, and pandemonium that the race brought to Colombia last week. What do the Colombian riders think of the event? Why does the race attract millions of spectators? Will the race join the WorldTour? And why couldn't we watch it live on TV? Reza has the answers. Then, we catch up with American rider Ian Boswell to talk about gravel racing and American road cycling. You may have read the news that Boswell has stepped away from WorldTour road racing and plans to race gravel in 2020. Unlike Peter Stetina and several other road riders who are racing gravel, Boswell considers himself retired from the sport. We discuss this important designation, and talk about what Boswell's life will be like in retirement. All that and more on this episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

This week's episode came from listener questions. So thank you for sending us your questions! We are here for you and your training. Nothing is more fulfilling than knowing that the hours of research, study, and production of the podcast is useful to you. In today’s Q&A episode, Coach Connor and I selected three questions to address. First, Peter Burghardt, thanks for asking us about intervals. We hope our dissection of the dreaded 4x8s is helpful! Enjoy Trevor’s analysis of his own rides.  Next, David Sampier down in sunny, flat, Florida brought up a really good point: How do you adequately train for a big race, specifically Dirty Kanza, when you live in a geographical area that doesn’t offer the rugged, rolling terrain that you’ll be faced with on race-day?  Finally, Jeremiah Bell, you know we love to talk about when to train in Zone 1, Zone 2 and so on, in the polarized model. Thanks for your specific question about cardiac drift and the causes of it.

Bobby and Gus dig into the way cycling has been covered over the years, how that coverage is evolving, and how it might be covered in the future. We are joined by special guest, the extraordinary photographer Jered Gruber, to get his view from behind the camera at races and beautiful cycling places around the world.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we sit down with Dirty Kanza 200 winner Amity Rockwell to discuss gravel racing, women's racing, and other topics. Rockwell was not one of the favorites to win last year's Dirty Kanza, however she rode a consistent and near flawless race, and took the lead in the final push to the finish line. Rockwell retells her story of victory, and explains the impact that winning Dirty Kanza had on her cycling career. Rockwell also talks about her cycling experiences in Northern California, where she is often the one of the only women in the local group ride. She discusses the good and bad behavior she sees in group ride settings, and how male cyclists can do a better job of respecting the strong women in the group. Before we hear from Rockwell, Fred Dreier sits down with new VeloNews contributor James Startt to talk about Belgian wunderkind Remco Evenepoel. Startt interviewed Evenepoel at the recent Vuelta a San Juan and saw, firsthand, how Evenepoel won the race. What did the win mean for Evenepoel? Startt also spoke to many riders and directors about the racing culture in South America. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Are you stretching? Are you stretching too much? The core of Fast Talk episode 97 delves into the short and long term effects of stretching, differentiates between the athletes in various disciplines that should be stretching more, and who should be stretching less. You can lose power and performance capability if you are over or under the optimal length for any given muscle. We discuss yoga and the appropriate way to practice it. Our primary guest is Menachem Brodie, the owner of Human Vortex Training. Menachem has over a decade of strength training and coaching experience. He has coached at a high level in cycling, and he began in his own cycling career as a strength and skill sports competitor. It was only after injury that he found cycling, and then he merged his strength training background with his new passion for cycling to bring those worlds together. In today’s episode, Menachem tests Trevor’s flexibility, which is awkward and painful, but you can try it as well. Also on the podcast to speak with us about the ways he integrates stretching into his training and racing is Red Bull athlete Payson McElveen. Payson is a two-time marathon MTB national champion, a budding star in the gravel racing world, and hosts of the podcast “The Adventure Stache.” Now, don’t get all bent out of shape, let’s make you fast!

Being the technical editor at VeloNews has its perks. High on that list is the ability to find the best and the most durable products in the cycling sphere. When I encounter those, you can bet they stay in my stable. This episode of the VeloNews Tech Podcast is dedicated to the Keeper — that bit of cycling gear that never dies and comes with me on just about every ride. Editorial director Ben Delaney and I decided to bring our favorites into the studio to compare notes on what products have stood the test of time. We went into it blind — I didn't tell Ben which products I chose, and he didn't tell me which ones he chose — and it should come as no surprise that there was a bit of overlap. To see our complete lists with links, head over to velonews.com/2020/02/gear/tech-podcast-the-keeper_504744.

Bobby and Gus get philosophical on this episode, discussing the role pro cyclists and everyday riders should or shouldn't have when it comes to environmental activism and politics. Gus quotes Olympic founding father Pierre de Coubertin, arguing that sport exists to make the world a better place. Bobby counters that, for many, the purpose of sport is a diversion from reality. But before they jump into the big-picture discussion, Bobby and Gus catch you up on all the highlights of recent racing from the Tour Down Under, Cyclocross Worlds, and the Tour of Argentina.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss the leaked report by the CADF that allegedly tied Astana riders Jakob Fuglsang and Alexey Lutsenko to banned doctor Michele Ferrari. What information is in the report and what information is left out? How much weight should we give this document? Fred and Andy discuss the strong and weak parts of this news story. In more positive news, we catch up with Australian rider Cameron Wurf, who has decided to rejoin the WorldTour after racing for five seasons as an elite Ironman triathlete. Wurf still plans to race the Ironman World Championships in Kona. But before that, he is going to log some hard miles with Team Ineos. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

For this episode, Chris and Coach Connor go to the fit guru Colby Pearce with a simple request: Tell us what you know about the pedal stroke. We anticipated an intelligent, albeit relatively short answer. What Colby gave us was a monologue of gold. We also caught up with reigning U.S. national road race champion Ruth Winder of Trek-Segafredo for more advice on how to train the pedal stroke, on and off the bike. Thanks again for everyone who has sent us questions both via email ([email protected]) as well as by calling our google voicemail at 719-800-2112.

It's a new year, and Angus Morton and Bobby Julich are back at it with Put Your Socks On, a deep dive into the sport of professional cycling by two men whose experience spans the globe. This year, Bobby and Gus are expanding the range of the show, looking at both the micro level of happenings in the sport (who won which race and why) as well as the macro level, such as what are the environmental impacts - positive and negative - of cycling. Oh, and Gus goes camping on a frozen lake... It's time to Put Your Socks On. Here comes a new season.

The 2020 WorldTour season has roared to life with the Tour Down Under finishing up on Sunday. Richie Porte took the overall after again dropping his foes on Old Willunga Hill. The formulaic finish of this year's race begs the question: Should the Tour Down Under change its format? Every year the race seems to boil down to a battle for time bonuses on the flat stages, and then a three-minute slugfest up Old Willunga. Andrew Hood and Fred Dreier debate why (or why not) the race should try and shake things up. Hood was in Australia to interview UCI President David Lappartient, and Lappartient addressed two big storylines in pro cycling in 2020. The first is the return to pro cycling for Bjarne Riis. The second is the growth of gravel, and how the UCI hopes to get involved with the growing off-road racing format. Finally, we catch up with two North Americans who are starting their respective 2020 seasons off at the Tour Down Under. Canadian James Piccoli is making his WorldTour debut with Israel Start-Up Nation, and Larry Warbasse is again racing for French team AG2R-La Mondiale. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Pocast.

In episode 95 we talk in-depth about the humble tire. Often neglected, frequently misunderstood, the lowly tire is a much more complicated piece of equipment than many people know. With the help of two very talented technical gurus, Lennard Zinn and Nick Legan, we explain the complexities of the tire, tire pressure, and how those things lead to changes in comfort, grip, rolling resistance and much more. As always, we love your feedback. Email us at [email protected] or call 719-800-2112 and leave us a voicemail; if it is recorded clearly you may be featured on the show.

Evil Bikes created the Chamois Hagar to upend the gravel bike segment, and it may have done just that. Evil's COO Jason Moeschler joins VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari in Scottsdale, Arizona to chat about this unique beast of a bike, and what it means for the gravel category. Notably, the Chamois Hagar offers a completely unique gravel bike geometry that looks an awful lot like a mountain bike, and for good reason: Evil is, after all, a mountain bike company. But Moeschler makes the case that a super-slack (66.67 degree) head tube angle and unheard-of 93mm trail figure makes a ton of sense on a gravel bike, especially when you pair it with a sloping top tube and a dropper post. Cavallari spent three days riding the Chamois Hagar in the desert outside of Scottsdale and has some insights to offer on the bike's handling, especially with his background as a mountain bike rider.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we sit down with Dirty Kanza winner Colin Strickland at his local coffee shop in Austin, Texas. Strickland takes us into a deep dive into his background in cycling, and explains why he declined a spot with EF Pro Cycling for the 2020 season. Strickland also discusses his hopes for the gravel racing scene, and why it should steer clear of the various models and attitudes that have shaped competitive road cycling. First, however, we catch up with VeloNews reporter Andrew Hood who is on the ground at the Tour Down Under. Hood is chasing the big stories at the race. Ruth Winder won the women's race in thrilling fashion, and the top sprinters are already collecting big wins. Hood also discusses Rohan Dennis's debut in the colors of Team Ineos. Hood was at the Ineos team bus when Dennis spoke to reporters about his controversial decision to exit the 2019 Tour de France early. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Take a guess, which one of our all-knowing hosts is an expert on Baby Yoda, and who hadn’t even heard of him until this recording? Or, more importantly, what is a palindrome? Welcome to our second bonus episode of Fast Talk where Chris and Coach Connor are once again tackling your important questions. First is a question about training while fasting, then some goal-setting analysis, and finally some more discussion on the polarized training approach. We’ve included both email and voicemail questions in this podcast. To submit your own question to the guys you can call 719-800-2112 or email [email protected].

Hello and welcome to Fast Talk! I'm your host Chris Case. Today we have a great episode in store for you, with someone you’ve heard from many times before on Fast Talk. Today, we’re finally joined by Brent Bookwalter of the Mitchelton-Scott WorldTour team, a man of both wisdom and humility, for a full conversation on balancing life and sport. What do pros know about that balance, you ask? “They’re pampered!” you’re probably thinking. Well, not exactly true. The life of a pro cyclist is not as glamorous as you might think. We’ll discuss that misconception, but we’ll spend the majority of our conversation learning the many ways in which Brent has learned to balance training and racing with being a good husband, a soon-to-be-father, a son and friend, and a gran fondo promoter, among many other things. Through the years of racing both at the neo-pro level through to the WorldTour, Brent has dealt with limited time—sometimes well, sometimes not so well—which has forced him to prioritize his life in myriad ways. And it’s those tips that apply to all of us. The high level of physical and mental performance that is demanded of pro athletes while they also strive to maintain healthy relationships and interests outside of their career, means that they have been forced to master “life-balance.” While we don’t all deal with the issues related to pro cyclists’ in our own lives, there are common themes about self-care, spending time on relationships, knowing your personal limits, and working to keep your passions alive that we can all relate to. Today, along with Brent, we spoke to long-time pro and coach Katie Compton, as well as two of our favorite coaches and soon-to-be Fast Labs podcast hosts, Grant Holicky and Colby Pearce. If you didn't catch it yet, we released our first bonus podcast last week. That’s right, Fast Talk is now a weekly podcast. Coach Connor and I were able to answer a few of your questions, one related to overtraining and burn-out—not-interchangeable terms, thank you Dr. Seiler for the correction—and one related to physiological testing. If you have a question for us you can either write us at [email protected] OR, as you may have heard by now, we have a number setup for you to call – it's 719-800-2112 . Leave a voicemail with your question. If we can hear you loud and clear in the message, we may include the recording in the show. Now, bust out your balance board, brush up on your communication skills, it’s time to compartmentalize. Let’s make you fast!

The VeloNews Podcast welcomes the newest staff editor to join the publication, Betsy Welch. On this week's episode of the podcast we speak with Betsy about the various topics she will be covering, from women's cycling to gravel and mountain bike racing. We recently held a focus group for female cyclists in Boulder, Colorado, and Betsy discusses what we learned from the 40 women who attended. What are the storylines driving interest amongst female riders? Then, Andrew Hood calls in to discuss what he learned from Deceuninck-Quick Step's training camp, where he interviewed Remco Evenepoel, Julian Alaphilippe, and Zdenek Stybar. Evenepoel is making his grand tour start at just 19; Alaphilippe is targeting the Olympics. Hood is off to the Tour Down Under, which kicks off the WorldTour schedule in just a few days. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Helmets have come a long way since leather hairnets, or even more minimalist than that, the perfectly coiffed head of hair. While EPS foam has dominated helmet construction for decades now, a new crop of technologies have emerged in recent years to address the types of forces your brain is likely to encounter during a crash. Tech editor Dan Cavallari traveled to New York City in early 2019 to find out more about Bontrager's Wavecel technology. He sat down with Wavecel's inventor to find out what makes this green, wavy plastic different than other green, wavy plastics we've seen before. And Jens Voigt chimes in with some of his experiences with head injuries and the evolution of helmets in the pro peloton.

Hello and welcome to this bonus episode of Fast Talk. These new episodes, which we’ll publish every other week to supplement our flagship shows, will typically run a little shorter than our regular episodes, and they’ll also be more geared toward answering your questions, but all in all, they’ll contain the same great content you’ve come to expect from Fast Labs, and from Coach Connor and Chris Case. Our regular, full-length episodes with multiple guests addressing the current science in training and your requested topics will still continue on, of course. For this first bonus episode, we’re doing a bit of everything. For starters, during our episode a few weeks back with the Cycling Gym, we recorded an analysis of some recent physiological research. Trevor hadn’t done a nerd bomb in a while and was feeling the need. But it didn’t really fit with the episode. So, we’ll start with Trevor’s summary of a few studies and what they say about how to structure your training. We’ll also answer listener questions on overtraining, laboratory testing, and much more. If you have a question for us, give us a call at 719-800-2112 and leave us a voicemail. If we can hear you loud and clear in the message, we may include the recording in the show. As always, you can also email us at [email protected]. Now, let’s make you fast!

Welcome back from the holidays! The VeloNews Podcast returns with the first episode of 2020, and there is plenty to discuss. Andrew Hood and Fred Dreier jump into three major storylines from these early days of the decade. The dangerous wildfires in Australia have not yet threatened the Santos Tour Down Under, but major endurance events are often cancelled in the wake of tragedy and natural disasters. Fred and Andy discuss the upcoming race, and whether or not the fires will force organizers to cancel it. The U.S. gravel cycling scene is already generating headlines, as more pro road riders jump into off-road cycling. As it turns out, these riders are changing the business model of pro cycling in America by attracting personal sponsors that may have otherwise gone to a pro team or race. How could this shift change the American cycling landscape? Chris Froome is back in the news, as stories circulated that he left a Team Ineos training camp in early December. Were these stories accurate or overblown? Then, we have an interview with domestic road pro TJ Eisenhart, who is leaving the road behind to launch his own gravel racing team. Eisenhart explains why he's heading to gravel racing and delves into his own personal setbacks in road cycling. Plus, he explains why his gravel team supports a new business model. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Happy New Year’s, Fast Talk friends! We are excited to be speeding into 2020 with our new company, Fast Labs, and continuing our partnership with VeloNews. For starters, and due to popular demand, Fast Talk will now be a weekly show. These new bi-monthly bonus episodes will be a bit shorter than the traditional Fast Talk episode, but in them you’ll find similar, detailed scientific physiology explanations, special interviews with your favorite pros, coaches, and experts, and we’ll also regularly answer your questions. To that end, thank you to the listeners who called and left us a voicemail over the holidays. We’ll be recording a special listener questions episode in the next week, so make sure to get your questions in as soon as you can. The number to call is 719-800-2112. If we can hear you loud and clear in the message, we may include the recording in the show. Now, episode 91. The focus of this episode can be summarized in a single, powerful sentiment: There is great value in keeping track of your numbers, at analyzing the data you’ve gathered with your power meter, heart rate strap, or other device, but if all you do is focus on the numbers, and make them the end-goal themselves, you are missing out on very critical aspects of your training. So, the underlying message of episode 91 is simple: Think of the numbers not as the target or the goal, but as a tool. What we will emphasize today are the many critical aspects of training and coaching that don’t show up in the data. Our primary guest is a very successful former professional cyclist turned coach Julie Young, whose road racing career stretched over a decade with teams including Saturn and Timex. She continues to race today at a very high level across multiple disciplines, and is currently part of the talented team behind the Kaiser Permanente Sports Medicine Endurance Lab in California. We’re also joined by co-owner of The cycling Gym, Coach Steve Neal, as well as Trek-Segafredo's Ruth Winder, the reigning American national champion on the road. Now, set your preferred analytics software aside for a minute. Let’s focus on you, your brain, and this moment. Let’s make you fast!

It's the final episode of The VeloNews Podcast of 2019, and we here at VeloNews want to wish all of you a Happy Holidays! For our final show we have an interview with USPro road champion (and friend of the show) Alex Howes. Alex takes us inside his big win, and discusses the joy and pain of racing the Dirty Kanza 200, as well as his big racing plans for 2020. We hope you have a great break and will see you all in 2020.

The decade is coming to a close, so VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari and editorial director Ben Delaney count down the most significant bicycle gear and tech developments to occur since 2010. Some of these advancements changed the way we ride (Indoors? On dirt? It all happened!) and some never gained a foothold. What do you think of our list of the top 20 most important tech stories of the decade? Have questions or feedback? Think we missed a few? Be sure to tweet @browntiedan to let us know!

Base training has traditionally been all about long, slow rides. But that's tough if you live in the northern hemisphere and you hate the cold, or lack the necessary equipment to ride safely outdoors when road conditions might be perilous and light is limited. Today, we’re discussing how best to deal with those challenges that plague the northern hemisphere this time of year. (Apologies to all of our friends in the southern hemisphere!) Does it kill your motivation to ride? Do you feel the fitness literally draining from your body? Don't let it! The darkness, cold temperatures, and perilous road conditions of the winter months don’t have to be any sort of barrier. In fact, as you’ll learn in this episode, this time of year is the perfect time to find a host of new ways to stay motivated, add variety to your training methods, try something new, reinvigorate your work ethic, and, ultimately, set yourself up to improve performance when the racing begins later in the year. Our primary guests today are Andrew Randell and Steve Neal, the owners of Toronto's The Cycling Gym, joined by one of their athletes, Jeremiah Groen, someone who we imagine is similar to a lot of our listeners: "I'm a very amateur cyclist, don't do many races; I mostly just want to be fit." These three Canadians don’t care about the winter blues! Their advice? Get brave and get outside. Yes, even in the dark and even in the snow. But if you can’t or won’t go outside, they have plenty of sage advice on how best to hit the gym, the trainer, or the weight room to get the most, and the most balance, out of your training sessions. We’ll also hear from pro roadie Erica Clevenger. She divulges some of her favorite methods of cross training. All that and much more, including some tech advice from Lennard Zinn. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand that using the base season properly to prepare for the build to come and the all-important race season to follow can be a very enjoyable time of year. Now, let's make you fast!

Gage Hecht rode away with the 2019 U.S. Cyclocross National Championships this past weekend in Lakewood, Washington. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we go inside Hecht's dominating win at 'cross nats, including Hecht's thoughts on the crash that knocked rival Kerry Werner out of second place. Also, Hecht has balanced his commitments on the road with his cyclocross ambitions. Which does he prefer the most? We find out, and discover why Hecht may have to choose cyclocross or road in the coming years. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Katie Compton heads to Tacoma, Washington this week for the USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships, where she is the 15-time defending national champion. This week on The VeloNews Podcast we catch up with Compton to talk about her legendary streak at U.S. nationals. Who are the women to challenge her at U.S. nationals? What role does confidence play in her many victories? Compton then discusses some of the wider dynamics at play in international cyclocross, from the rise of young female racers from The Netherlands, to the proposed 16-race World Cup calendar for 2021. All that and more on this week's interview with Katie Compton.

Riding on the gold-standard Velotron in a laboratory, and breathing into an uncomfortable face mask while a physiologist like our guest Jared Berg pokes your ear for blood might not sound like a good time at all. Which is probably why Coach Connor can't get enough. But this week’s show is about exactly that—physiological testing. The end result of a good test is a robust set of data specific to you, which can help you understand things like your true physiological training zones, how much carbohydrate you burn for a given effort, and just how well you can get up infamous climbs like Magnolia Road here in Boulder. Learning about your body’s unique capacity for work is crucial as you prepare for races and work on pushing yourself to your full potential. Our guest, Jared Berg, the lead exercise physiologist at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Boulder, is going to walk us through some of the most common performance tests, including the VO2Max test and the lactate test, describing each protocol as well as its benefits. You’ll learn what’s the right test for you, the ins and outs of the various protocols, and how to prepare yourself for the day of testing. We’ll also discuss how to select a lab that will give you the most accurate data. Maybe you'll even learn how to pronounce a few new words with us. Ever heard of symmorphosis? Can you say it? Coach Connor can’t... Oh, and if you haven't seen it yet, drop everything and check out the legendary bike racing movie, American Flyers. It's available on Amazon Prime for $2.99, which is probably too much, but, hey, it’s educational. You can’t consider yourself a true cyclist, nor will you fully appreciate this episode, until you’ve seen it. Finally, if things already sound a little different and you notice a lot better sound quality on this episode, that’s because we have a new producer on the show! Jana Martin has joined our team, and we’re incredibly excited about that. She comes to us with over a decade of podcast and television production experience. In other words, now that Trevor isn’t allowed to touch the computer, the show is going to get better! As always, send us your feedback and thoughts at [email protected].

What were the races, riders, and moments from the 2019 pro cycling season that were simply the best? On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Andrew Hood and Fred Dreier discuss the annual VeloNews Awards issue, and dig into the moments that defined the 2019 season. The VeloNews Awards gives praise to the Best Male and Female riders, plus the top moments of the year. This year, the issue also dug into the top storylines from the decade. Fred and Andy discuss two of these storylines, and examine why each one helped define the past 10 years of pro cycling. The holidays are right around the corner, and right now VeloPress has a great deal: Subscribe to VeloNews and receive a free VeloPress book of your choice. Go to www.velopress.com for more information.

The VeloNews Tech Podcast returns from a lengthy hiatus, and tech editor Dan Cavallari gets a cohost! Editorial director Ben Delaney joins us to chat about smart trainers and cycling indoors. With the explosive growth of indoor riding and racing, smart trainer technology and all the peripherals surrounding them have grown up in a hurry. Cavallari and Delaney discuss the evolution of smart trainers and the importance of Zwift to the growth of indoor cycling.

Gravel cycling and backcountry mountain bike racing are booming, with events like the Dirty Kanza, Epic Rides, and SBT GRVL races attracting throngs of participants each year. As it turns out, these events are also bringing female cyclists into our sport, and providing a new challenge for women who are longtime participants. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we sit down with VeloNews contributor Betsy Welch, who covered gravel and mountain bike racing this season. Betsy attended events like Leadville 100 MTB, Dirty Kanza, and Epic Rides, and also participated in them as well. In her reporting, she examined why these events and their respective communities are so welcoming to female riders. Cycling fans, the holidays are right around the corner, and we have the perfect gifts for those cyclists in your lives. Right now you can subscribe to VeloNews print magazine and receive a free Velopress book of your choice. That's right, popular titles like "Zinn and the Art of Mountain-Bike Maintenance," "Sagan: My World," and "The Cyclists's Training Bible" can be yours. Plus, on Monday Dec. 2 all titles at Velopress.com will be discounted by 33 percent. Shop now at www.velopress.com

We all understand that to race or ride our best, we need to periodize our season. That’s obvious and essential for a pro who’s racing upwards of 80 races in a season. Simply put, they wouldn’t survive if they went hard all the time: They need a base, they need rest, and they need peaks. But what about those of us who only have three or four races in a season. Or to take it one step further, what about those of us who don’t race, or who may do a gran fondo at some point. How do we map out our seasons and prepare for those couple events? Do we still need to periodize? Can we be on form all year round? Today we'll dive into these questions and talk about: - What we can learn from the pros. Even though they do a lot more races, the same physiological principles apply when you’re talking about reaching your best form. And the pros have learned a lot about how do that right. - What you can’t take from pros. The simple fact that they do so many races means they can race themselves into shape. That’s a lot harder to do when you have a month between each of your events. So, we’ll talk about what not to mimic. - Next we’ll dive into a few scenarios including one in which you have four or five races in your season and they are all within a short time frame; a second scenario in which you have four or five races but they are spread out with long periods of time between each; the scenario of doing a single big event; and finally, the scenario in which you don’t participate in any official events, but love to hit the local weekly group ride. Today, we are using a roundtable format with three top level coaches to answer these questions. Our first guest is the now famous, much loved Colby Pearce. Also joining us is the always infamous, also loved Grant Holicky with Forever Endurance. Now, let's make you fast!

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we speak with Rebecca Fahringer of the Kona-Maxxis-Shimano pro cyclocross team. Rebecca is currently leading USA Cycling's Pro CX standings, and has won five major North American races this year. Rebecca shares insights on how she progressed through the ranks from a collegiate newbie to a North American pro. She talks about the desire to race in North America, rather than base herself overseas. And Rebecca explains why cyclocross is a great entry point for women into cycling.

What types of bicycle racing stories appeal to a mainstream sports audience? It's a topic we've often thought about here at VeloNews. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we speak with Patrick Redford, who covered pro cycling for the sports website Deadspin.com. Patrick also takes us through the fateful past few months at Deadspin, which saw the entire editorial staff resign after the outlet's ownership tried to alter its focus and voice. Before we hear from Redford, Fred Dreier and Andrew Hood discuss the week's biggest story, which was that WorldTour veteran Peter Stetina will become a full-time gravel racer in 2020. Stetina is trading the Tour de France for Dirty Kanza, the Belgian Waffle Ride, and other big gravel events, and he's doing so in his relative prime, at age 33. What does this news, when matched with the cancellation of the Amgen Tour of California, tell us about the state of U.S. bicycle racing? The guys discuss the ongoing trends in professional and participatory cycling, and try to read the tea leaves for what it means for the sport. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Bobby and Gus bring you this special edition of PYSO from Pace Ranch in Tucson, AZ. And not only are the guys together in the same room, but they have a special guest too. Nicola Cranmer, the founder and GM of the TWENTY20 Women’s Pro Cycling Team joins the podcast. The trio talk cover a variety of topics including: * What riders do during their off-season (spoiler alert: not much according to Bobby) * The physical & mental importance of taking time off the bike * The cancellation of the Amgen Tour of California & what it means for American cycling * Weekly Zwift rides with Team Twenty20 - join them!! * Ad hoc Fall training camps (Bobby despises them), and formal Dec/Jan camps. * New kits, new bikes, and new teams. Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question you'll get a pair of PYSO socks.

Typically, when we hear the words “strength training,” we think of going into the gym, slapping some plates on a bar, and seeing what we can lift. The more, the better. But there’s a lot more to strength training than that, especially for those of us focused on endurance sports. Strength and conditioning is also about maintaining proper function, training neural patterns, and preventing injury. Sports like cycling, by nature, cause imbalances. If all you do is ride your bike, an overuse injury is nearly guaranteed for your future. We also believe that weight training aids performance on the bike. Regardless of your position, as Coach Connor likes to point out, no matter what you believe, race performance will suffer if you’re sitting on the sidelines with a bad back or painful knee injury. So, in this episode of Fast Talk, we’re going to discuss four of the most common overuse and imbalance injuries in cyclists and how to address them with off-the-bike work and proper bike fit. Patellar tendinitis, or pain at the front of the knee. Cycling is a quad dominant sport. Keeping balance and doing some loaded eccentric work can help prevent this very common pain. Pelvic obliquity, a broad term for imbalances and asymmetrical movements in the hips. Back pain. A proper bike fit and learning to rely on your glutes and hamstrings instead of the postural muscles of the back can go a long way towards preventing this all-too-common issue. Thoracic kyphosis, a fancy term for a slouched back, which is common among cyclists. Regular exercise to open the chest will help you improve posture off the bike. Our guest today is owner of Tag Performance and University of Denver faculty member in Human Performance and Sports, Jess Elliot. [you can link here to episode 32 which she also appeared in] Jess recently taught a half-day workshop on strength training for endurance athletes at the Training Peaks Endurance Summit and, for those of you in the Colorado area, because of the popularity of that workshop, she’s hosting it again on December 7. Go to her website at tagperformanceco.com/events to sign up. Use the code “fastlabs” to get a $25 discount. You’re going to hear a lot of technical terms in this episode; we hope you walk away with an understanding that effective strength training is about more than creating a list of exercises then going to the gym and giving it your best shot. Proper movement, ensuring you are activating the correct firing patterns, and lifting an appropriate weight are all crucial. To help out, Jess is posting videos of most of the exercises we discuss on her website. Along with Jess, Trevor talked with Charles Van Atta, the head biomechanist and fitter at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center. There’s no point in doing the off-the-bike work to resolve an over-use injury if a poor bike fit is promoting it. Charles addresses each of our four injuries from a bike fit perspective. With that, let’s make you fast.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred and Andy discuss the recent news that AEG has cancelled the 2020 Amgen Tour of California. Why is the race cancelled? The guys take a deep dive into the business of North American bike racing, and explain why the revenue model has always been challenging for big races like the Tour of California. The guys also discuss what the race meant for North American riders, and what its absence means for the WorldTour riders. Then, we hear from Tejay van Garderen, who won the 2013 edition of the race. Van Garderen discusses his own history at the Tour of California, and how it shaped him into the race he is today. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Andy Hood and Fred Dreier analyze the routes for the 2020 Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. The Tour has adopted a modern route with shorter stages, punchy climbs, and a lack of flat time trials. On paper, this course appears to cater to French riders like Julian Alaphilippe or Thibaut Pinot. The Giro, meanwhile, has revealed another long and punishing route that is packed with stages over 200 kilometers in length. The Giro is again hoping for week 3 dramatics, with three punishing mountain stages and a final individual time trial to keep fans hoping for a last-minute win. Will such a scenario play out? Finally, we're joined by recently crowned UCI World Road Champion Annemiek van Vleuten, who takes us inside her big win in Yorkshire. Van Vleuten also believes her new rival, Chloé Dygert, has become the big favorite for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. This week's episode is sponsored by VeloSwap, the nation's largest used bike expo and swap. It's happening Saturday, November 2 at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. Get your tickets today at veloswap.com/tickets.

We've received so many intriguing questions from our listeners, it was time to devote an entire episode to answering them. We appreciate the feedback, and generate many future podcast topics from your questions, so please keep them coming. You can always email us at [email protected]. Please help us understand what you'd like more of on Fast Talk and give us overall feedback on the quality of the show by taking our survey, linked below. You can also answer questions that will help us design our Fast Labs Performance Experience camps that we are very excited about. Take our survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSda2fzZg0YZxeXk9Wg8aEV3yB5qa--foFZ3hLi6cLDZAVf3nw/viewform Today we’ll answer questions about inflammation, training for gran fondos, cardiac drift, elevated heart rates, and one of Trevor's favorite topics in all of physiology, plus much more. Thanks for listening.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we have to very special guests. First up is author Daniel DeVisé, whose seminal book on Greg LeMond "The Comeback: Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France" has led to an important piece of news. The U.S. Congress is going to vote on whether to award LeMond the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest awards given to a civilian. As it turns out the lawmaker who proposed the medal, CA Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA 5th District, got the idea after reading DeVisé's book. We ask DeVisé about the award, why Thompson believes LeMond deserves it, and whether or not the U.S. government will actually approve the award. Next up is Lea Davison, the veteran of U.S. cross-country mountain bike racing. Davison's career has seen incredible highs, as well as a few crushing lows, and she discusses them all in great detail. Plus, she discusses how a professional women's cyclists overall value has shifted during her pro career. Davison is hoping to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and she discusses the long pathway she will be on to try and achieve this goal, which would cap off an already impressive career.

Bobby & Gus breakdown the 2020 Tour de France route including their disappointment with the race organizer, ASO, for only offering one day of racing for professional women. And the guys express their dislike for how the 2020 route looks on the map. La Course 2020 Women's race --> http://bit.ly/LaCourse2020 They weigh in whether long stages still have a place in the Tour, for both riders and fans, and Bobby offers up his feelings about the individual time trial on the penultimate stage. And they debate the merits of gravel, time bonuses, and mountain stages, while Gus wants to give non-climbers a chance to win the TDF. VeloNews analysis of 2020 route--> http://bit.ly/TDF2020_Route This episode of PYSO is supported by Saris. Learn more about Saris and their bike trainers here --> bit.ly/SarisPYSO Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question you'll get a pair of PYSO socks.

Bauke Mollema grabbed a career-defining win at the Giro di Lombardia this past weekend. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Andy and Fred break down Mollema's win, and discuss the significance of the victory within his wider career. Who is Bauke Mollema, and why was he the perfect rider to foil the big stars at Il Lombardia? Fred and Andy share stories from Mollema's career. Il Lombardia caps off Italy's autumn classics, a grouping of six one-day races that produce plenty of drama and great racing. Why hasn't this bloc of racing grown to the same level of significance as the Belgian Classics? Will the UCI's new Classics series impact the events? The guys discuss. This week’s episode of The VeloNews Podcast is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code ‘velo’ at checkout.

Here on Fast Talk, we’ve been known to periodically quote a study or two. While in the past, athletes mostly figured out their training by trial and error or what felt right, nowadays, in this era of marginal gains, no coach or serious athlete can get away without some understanding of physiology. Winning at the highest level requires digging through the science to find those little nuggets that translate to real gains. The problem is, while many of us read the science, a lot of us don’t know how to interpret it, or when it’s good research that draws useful conclusions or bad research that will lead you astray. That’s made particularly complicated by the fact that there are many well-conducted studies that, because of the nature of their methods, outcome goals, or the size of their study group, may lead you to draw conclusions you shouldn’t. So today we're going to dive into the physiology research itself and give you some tips on how to both read and interpret the science. We’ll discuss:   • First, the basic structure of a research study. • Next, some basic concepts you need to understand in order to read research. • We’ll then dive deeper into the methods—the section people love to skip over—and why they are so important. • Next, we’ll talk about some preferences among researchers, such as their tendency to test in the lab and not on the road, and why they love VO2max tests, despite the fact that they don’t actually correlate well with performance. • We’ll discuss a study’s endpoints—what they are measuring and why that is so important. • Next, we’ll learn about the concept of the false null hypothesis and things that can influence it, such as study length and the number of participants. • Finally, we’ll talk about how the data revolution in cycling is allowing for some truly unique studies.   Our primary guests today are Dr. Jim Peterman, a professor of exercise physiology at Ball State University who got his Ph.D. while balancing a professional cycling career, and Nate Wilson, a former elite U23 racer and head coach at Catalyst Coaching.   Along with our primary guests, we talked with cyclocross legend and longtime coach Katie Compton, and also Dr. Ciaran O’Grady, a physiologist with Team Dimension Data. As high-level coaches, both need to keep up on the research. They each shared thoughts on what they look for to know they can trust a study.   Finally, we touched base with Grant Holicky, a top coach at Forever Endurance, and one of his athletes, Maxx Chance, who had a unique take on the research.   Now, are you ready to be blinded by science? Let's make you fast!

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we have a long interview with Megan Jastrab, the recently crowned world champion in the junior women's road race. Jastrab takes us inside her victorious ride in Yorkshire, and explains in great detail the strategy she used to win. Plus, Jastrab tells us some anecdotes from earlier in the race that contributed to her victory. Plus, Jastrab discusses her racing plans in 2020. She will turn 18 next year, which opens the door for Women's WorldTour events, as well as the Olympics in Tokyo. Jastrab is hoping to qualify for the Summer games for Team USA. Finally, Jastrab describes her upbringing in California, and how her parents helped her develop a love for riding and racing. This week's episode is sponsored by VeloSwap, the country's largest used bike expo and swap. VeloSwap is coming on on November 2 at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-veloswap-tickets-72588240381

Bobby & Gus break down the highs & lows of the World Championship road races in Yorkshire. They give their thoughts on the junior and U23 women's and men's races, and debate whether the U23 classification at Worlds should even exist for the men. Bobby offers up his take on the unusual disqualification of the U23 men's winner. Following that the boys detail the women's elite road race, including Chloe Dygert-Owen's effort to win two rainbow jerseys. And they bring in a guest, Nicola Cranmer of the TWENTY20 Pro Cycling Team to talk through Chloe's performance and her goals for Tokyo in 2020. The guys close out the show with insightful analysis of the elite men's road race and the surprising bonk of Mathieu Van der Poel, and the even more surprising victor of Mads Pederson of Denmark. This episode of PYSO is supported by Saris & Garmin: ---> Saris Bike Trainers at: bit.ly/SarisPYSO ---> Garmin Edge Computers: http://bit.ly/GarminPYSO Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question you'll get a pair of PYSO socks.

The UCI world road championships in Yorkshire wrapped up this weekend with thrilling victories in the men's and women's elite road races. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred and Andy break down all of the action from the road races. First, the guys examine the men's elite road race, which saw Danish hardman Mads Pedersen take a thrilling win. Pre-race favorite Mathieu van der Poel was in contention to win, but then bonked with 13km to go. The guys examine the race, and try to understand what happened to van der Poel. Plus, what happened to Matteo Trentin, who was another favorite to win? Then, the guys discuss Annemiek van Vleuten's 104-kilometer breakaway to win the women's race, and the aggressive racing of American Chloé Dygert Owen. Fred and Andy debate the UCI's controversial decision to disqualify Nils Eekhoff, who initially won the Under-23 men's race only to be disqualified. Then, the guys talk about USA Cycling's success at this year's worlds. The Americans won seven medals, three of them gold, in the races. Finally, we hear from American Quinn Simmons, who won the junior men's road race. Simmons takes us inside of his winning ride, and discusses his decision to step into the WorldTour next year at age 19. This week's episode is brought to us by VeloSwap. Be sure to purchase your tickets for America's largest used bike expo and swap here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-veloswap-tickets-72588240381

George Bennett of the Jumbo-Visma WorldTour team, who at one point was sitting fourth at this year’s Tour de France, has had a phenomenal season. In the course of our recent conversation with George about recovery and adaptation, we talked with the New Zealand-born rider about how he was managing his recovery from the Tour de France to get ready for the Vuelta a España. That lead to an entire conversation about how George trains, and his tips for hitting peak form. That's the basis for this episode. Today, we cover: - First, something that is fascinating but probably won’t help many of us: how to complete two consecutive grand tours. - Second, the training approach that George has found works for him. While many of his teammates need high intensity work, George does very little, and focuses primarily on long endurance rides. But he emphasizes that the method that works for you is highly individual. - We discuss if George’s approach is appropriate for amateur riders, or if we should focus more on intensity. Bennett points out that different work can lead to very different strengths and weaknesses. - Next, we have a long talk about the importance of eating enough and keeping your glycogen stocked up. - Finally, George offers a final word on having the confidence to rest, and to not take your training too seriously. Along with George, we hear from Grant Holicky, formerly of Apex Coaching when this interview was conducted, and now with Forever Endurance Coaching. Grant addresses how to time your season, particularly as an amateur rider. Let's make you fast!

Bobby & Gus recap the Time Trial events from Yorkshire Worlds and give their insight and predictions for the Road races. Episode Highlights * Chloe Dygert-Owen headlines great performances by Team USA * Rohan Dennis rides blacked out BMC during TT win. * Quinn Simmons takes rainbow stripes in Junior Road Race. * UCI announce E-sports Worlds in 2020 - officiated & hosted by ZWIFT. * Boels Dolmans Team losing both title sponsors at the end of 2019. * Riders association hit back at the UCI’s proposed Classics Series * UCI shorten under-23 men's road race at World Champs This episode of PYSO is supported by Saris & Garmin: ---> Saris Bike Trainers at: bit.ly/SarisPYSO ---> Garmin Edge Computers: http://bit.ly/GarminPYSO Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question you'll get a pair of PYSO socks.

Chloé Dygert Owen just smashed the women's world time trial championships to win her first elite world title on the road. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred and Andy discuss the historical significance of Dygert Owen's win, and explain her backstory. The road course is similar to the stage used by the Tour de France in 2014. How do we see the race playing out on the hilly course? Will it be a breakaway or a sprint at the finish in Harrogate? Then, the worlds road race is shaping up to be a battle between Peter Sagan and Mathieu van der Poel. There's more riding on this race than just the world title. Is Sagan still pro cycling's biggest name, or has van der Poel stolen his thunder? Finally, we check in with Dutchwoman Marianne Vos, the most accomplished rider of her generation. Vos is the favorite to win the women's road race on Sunday, and we discuss Vos's amazing 2019 campaign and her quest to win a third elite road title. This week's episode is sponsored by VeloSwap, the world's largest used bike expo and swap. Its coming up on Sunday, November 2nd. Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-veloswap-tickets-72588240381

The 2019 UCI Road World Championships from Yorkshire, UK are here and the PYSO crew previews the Individual Time Trial events. Bobby & Gus talk about the course and offer up their favorites + long shot picks. And as always the guys get you caught up on the latest happenings from the world of pro cycling. This weeks episode of PYSO is supported by Saris & Garmin: ---> Saris bike trainers at: bit.ly/SarisPYSO ---> Garmin bike computers: http://bit.ly/GarminPYSO Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question you'll get a pair of PYSO socks.

The Vuelta a España came to a thrilling conclusion last week with a series of exciting stages across central Spain. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Show, Fred and Andy deliver their final thoughts on this Vuelta, and go inside the two stages that nearly upended the race. Stage 17 saw brutal crosswinds decimate the main field, as Deceuninck-Quick Step and Movistar looked to take control of the race. Andy takes us inside the chaotic crosswinds stage at the race, and explains why many riders said it was the hardest day of the Vuelta. Then, Movistar drew criticism after it pushed the pace following a nasty pileup on stage 19. The entire ordeal penned another chapter in cycling's 'wait or race' debate, which erupts every few years. Was Movistar right to keep racing after the crash, or did they push the competition beyond the line? The grand tour season may be over, but the cyclocross season is just getting started. And this week we hear from Maghalie Rochette, who just won the World Cup opener in Iowa City, Iowa. Maghalie is a longtime racer on the North American mountain bike and cyclocross circuit. Last year she left Team Clif Bar and struck out on her own, with her own self-made team. We talk with Maghalie about the lessons she learned as a privateer racer, and why her World Cup win was so special.

Bobby and Gus weigh in on the final week of La Vuelta 2019, talk about the winners and losers from the Quebec & Montreal World Tour races. Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question on the Podcast you'll get hooked up with a sweet pair of PYSO socks. Episode Highlights * Mathieu van der Poel dominates at Tour of Britain * Michael Matthews & Greg Van Avermaet shine in Canada * Brailsford surgery * Froome wants to race in 2019 * Katusha & Israel Cycling Academy merger * Slovenia dominates La Vuelta with Primoz Roglic & Tadej Pogačar Roglic smiles in Madrid--> http://bit.ly/RoglicWins This weeks episode of PYSO is supported by Saris, makers of car racks, bike infrastructure and CycleOps bike trainers. Saris is committed to making their products in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Learn more at: bit.ly/SarisPYSO

Just ask any Tour rider who’s frequently burning 5000 calories or more per day about in-race nutrition and they’ll tell you that it’s both critical and tricky to get right. You can spend months getting your legs ready for your target event, you can be putting out the best numbers of your life, and that can all be wiped away by a poorly timed bonk or intestinal cramping. You have to consume enough carbohydrates to keep the legs ticking over when the race gets hard, but at the same time you need to make sure they are well tolerated and you’re able to absorb them. It’s a tricky balance and it’s highly individual. Simply buying the newest, coolest sports nutrition product isn’t going to get you there. You have to find what works for you. But just as importantly, you have to remember that in-race nutrition, just like almost all things, is trainable and while you’re out three doing your big weekend ride, or hard hill repeats, you need to dedicate some time to training the gut. So, today we'll dive into nutritional training and talk about: 1. Applying a scientific approach to figuring out your carbohydrate needs and whether you are a fat burner or a carbohydrate burner. 2. Second, G.I. distress. Some thoughts on what causes it and why intestinal permeability may be a factor 3. Next, we’ll discuss race nutrition and why changing up what you eat on race day may not be your best strategy. 4. Fourth, why most people can only absorb 60g of carbohydrates per hour but we’re still recommending trying to get 90g. That sounds like a lot, but it’s actually only about 360 calories which is still less than what you’re going to burn in an hour during a big race. 5. The best mix of carbohydrates to improve absorption 6. Why you need to dedicate time every week to training your gut – no different from the time and energy you invest in training your legs,. 7. Finally, we’ll talk about any potential health concerns with focused race nutrition and briefly touch both on the microbiome and l-glutamine   Our primary guest today is none other than Dr Asker Jeukendrup. Dr Juekendrup, is one of the most renowned sports nutrition researchers in the World. He was Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Sport Science. He ran the Gatorade Sports Science Institute back when it was the center coaches and team managers were looking to for the leading hydration research. Dr Jeukendrup now has his own company, Mysportscience and works with Team Jumbo Visma.   Along with Dr Jeukendrup, we talked with Katie Compton, the winner of 15 consecutive national titles, and a four-time silver medalist at ‘cross worlds. She’s familiar with G.I. problems during races and shared with Chris some of her thoughts. Next, we checked in with Colby Pearce, at this point our unofficial third regular on Fast Talk. He had some warnings about getting too caught up in traditional sports nutrition products and emphasized the importance of also considering health.   Finally, we touched base with Ryan Kohler, the head coach at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center. Ryan frequently works with athletes on training their guts for their target events and shared some of his strategies.   Alright, pull out your Swedish fish.... throw them in the trash and get some real sports nutrition and let's make you fast!

Kate Courtney just became the first American in 17 years to win the XC mountain bike World Cup. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we catch up with Courtney to talk about her dream season. Before talking to Courtney, Fred Dreier and Andrew Hood team up to discuss the action at the Vuelta a España, including the thrilling stage victory by American Sepp Kuss, a regular on the pod. What were the tactical decision that led Kuss to win? What does his victory tell us about Jumbo-Visma's attitude toward its younger racers? Then, Andy discusses the generational shift currently happening in the UCI WorldTour, with young riders like Tadej Pogacar, Egan Bernal, and Remco Evenepoel all surging to the forefront of pro cycling. This dynamic bucks tradition in pro cycling, where young riders often needed to pay their dues before being given the opportunity to win. Finally, we hear from American Lawson Craddock, who has become one of the most aggressive riders in this year's Vuelta a España. Craddock has spent the entire race attacking into breakaways. This week's episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code 'velo' at checkout. www.whoop.com.

In this week's episode of Put Your Socks On, Bobby Julich and Gus Morton re-cap week two at La Vuelta 2019 and get you caught up on all things pro cycling. From Chris Froome's cooking accident to Kate Courtney's World Cup title the guys have you covered. Episode Highlights * Sepp Kuss and Primoz Roglic at La Vuelta * Chris Froome back at the doctor * Richard Carapaz has visa issues & a new team for 2020 * Rolf Aldag leaving Dimension Data * Kate Courtney and the Mountain Bike World Cup Finals * Boels Ladies Tour * Tour of Britain Sepp Kuss news--> http://bit.ly/SeppKuss This weeks episode of PYSO is supported by Saris, makers of car racks, bike infrastructure and CycleOps bike trainers. Saris is committed to making their products in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Learn more at: bit.ly/SarisPYSO Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question on the Podcast you'll get hooked up with a sweet pair of PYSO socks.

No sponsor. No intro music. For this bonus episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we talk to Andrew Benstein, who was the victim of a hit-and-run crash in July. Andrew is a longtime racer and a veteran of the U.S. cycling industry. On July 20 he was riding home from the velodrome in Boulder, Colorado when he was struck by a van and left for dead in a ditch. Andrew suffered multiple life-threatening injuries, and was saved by a good samaritan who saw him on the side of the road, and a team of doctors and trauma specialists at several Denver-area hospitals. Andrew takes us through his harrowing story, and shares his perspective on cycling, road safety, and his new outlook on life.

The Vuelta a España has heated up in its second week, with a zany mountain stage in Andorra and a decisive individual time trial. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Andy Hood and Fred Dreier analyze the action from the decisive stages, and look ahead at the storylines to follow through the race's second half. Can Primoz Roglic survive the brutal third week of the race? Will Nairo Quintana and Miguel Angel Lopez bombard Jumbo-Visma with searing attacks? What does Roglic's effort at the Giro d'Italia tell us about his strengths and his weaknesses? Plus, we hear from two Americans in the race: Kiel Reijnen and Ben King. Kiel takes us through the rain-soaked stage 9, and Ben replays his thrilling victories from the 2018 Vuelta. This week's episode is brought to you by MetPro, a concierge nutrition, fitness and lifestyle coaching company. Using Metabolic Profiling, MetPro’s team of experts analyze your metabolism and provides an individualized approach to obtaining your goals. Right now, listeners receive a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and a 30-minute consultation with a MetPro expert by heading to metpro.co/velo.

Bobby Julich and Gus Morton re-cap the first week of La Vuelta 2019 and the latest happenings across the world of pro cycling. Episode Highlights * The highs and lows of the first week at La Vuelta 2019 * La Vuelta predictions for stages 10-14 * Tour of Germany news * Happenings from the 2019 Mountain Bike World Championships, including the inaugural E-mountain Bike event * Contract news on Vincenzo Nibali, Elia Viviani, Philippe Gilbert, Tom Domoulin, Victor Campaenerts, Mikel Landa, US rider Brandon McNaulty, and Dan Martin Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. If they answer your question on the Podcast you'll get hooked up with a sweet pair of PYSO socks. This weeks episode of PYSO is supported by Saris, makers of car racks, bike infrastructure and CycleOps bike trainers. Saris is committed to making their products in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Learn more at: bit.ly/SarisPYSO La Vuelta Rest Day 1 News: http://bit.ly/VueltaRestDay1

Recovery, recovery, recovery... you’ve heard us talk about it before. You’ve heard a lot of our guests preach about its importance. Well, now let’s confuse you a bit. The ultimate goal of training is, of course, to adapt. And there’s a critical distinction between adaptation and recovery. They are not the same thing. In fact, sometimes what helps one, hurts the other. Recovery is about doing what you can so the legs are ready for your next workout. Adaptation is about the body repairing the damage caused by training—if the training provides enough stress, it will repair the system to come back stronger. But what’s good for that repair process may have you feeling less than perfect on the bike the next day. Today, we’re going to dive into this important difference and focus on adaptations—what causes them and how to aid them. We’ll talk about: - First, the difference between recovery and adaptation. - Second, how the immune system is intimately involved in both, and why we’ve come to the realization in recent years that reducing inflammation can be counterproductive. - Next, we’ll talk about the three stages of repair. Remember that training does damage. We are weaker after hard rides. It’s during the repair process that we get stronger, and the immune system is the repair man. Much like the local cable guy, the immune system is going to work at its own pace regardless of what you do or say. - Next, we discuss how there’s a delicate balance between damage and repair, and when you get out of balance by doing too much training, it starts a vicious cycle that prevents further adaptations and leads to burnout - We’ll talk with George Bennett, who put in a fantastic Tour de France performance, helping his GC leader, Steven Kruijswijk, land on the podium. George discusses what he does to aid adaptations. - Finally, we’ll finish with a conversation about the things that do help adaptations and the things that hurt it, despite the fact that a lot of endurance athletes do them. Our primary guest today is George Bennett, member of the Jumbo-Visma WorldTour team. George joins us for part of the episode—we spared a rider of his caliber from having to sit through Trevor’s initial lecture on immunology. We also hear from Joe Friel, author of “The Cyclists Training Bible.” In the most recent edition of his book, Joe makes the important distinction between recovery and adaptations. Next we talk with Brent Bookwalter of Mitchelton-Scott. In order to adapt, we have to first do damage. Brent talks with us about the important balance between damage and repair. Then we catch up with Boulder-based coach extraordinaire Colby Pearce. And finally, we talk with Paulo Saldanha, the owner of PowerWatts. Paulo talks about ways to find the right amount of damage, and why we should rethink taking antioxidants.

The VeloNews Podcast returns this week with a report from the Vuelta a España, which has already delivered plenty of thrilling action after just a few hot stages. Andrew Hood reports from a monastery in El Puig on the dynamics shaping this year's Vuelta, including Primoz Roglic's decision to skip the Tour de France, and Nairo Quintana's quest for one more grand tour win. Who will win the Vuelta? It's anyone's guess. Then, Fred Dreier takes us inside the Colorado Classic, which switched to a women's-only event for 2019. The race boasted some nifty innovations this year, including a broadcast model that helped the event save big cash and get closer to sustainability. Then, there was the total domination by Chloé Dygert Owen at the race. Dygert Owen now looks like a major contender for the UCI road world championships in Yorkshire. We catch up with American Neilson Powless, who is making his grand tour debut at the Vuelta, and hear about his very challenging job at the race. And finally, we hear from former UCI world mountain-bike champion Christoph Sauser, who is competing in the inaugural E-mountain bike world championships. Sauser says that racing an e-bike is actually harder than racing a traditional bicycle, and he explains why. This week's episode is brought to you by MetPro, a concierge nutrition, fitness and lifestyle coaching company. Using Metabolic Profiling, MetPro’s team of experts analyze your metabolism and provides an individualized approach to obtaining your goals. Right now, listeners receive a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and a 30-minute consultation with a MetPro expert by heading to metpro.co/velo.

Bobby and Gus are back at it as they recap the first three stages of the 2019 Vuelta a Espana and chat with Alison Tetrick about Chloe Dygert's domination of the Colorado Classic. They also catch you up on the latest in pro cycling news since the Tour de France. And they will be back every Monday during La Vuelta with a recap of the week's racing and any other breaking news. Got questions for Bobby and Gus? Send them over to [email protected]. And if they answer your question on the Podcast they will hook you up with a sweet pair of PYSO socks. Vuelta a Espana Stage 3 News: http://bit.ly/LaVueltaStage3 Chloe Dominates Colorado: http://bit.ly/ChloeColorado

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we sit down with Christopher Blevins, the Renaissance Man of U.S. pro cycling. Blevins is an all-around cycling talent, who has won major races in mountain biking, road cycling, and even BMX. These days, Blevins is the rising star of the U.S. mountain biking scene, and we talk to him about his ambitions to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Blevins has talents and interests beyond cycling as well. He writes poetry and records his on hip-hop music, and he teaches creative writing to at-risk kids in California. We speak with Blevins about how he balances his passions outside of cycling with the demanding life of a pro cyclist. This week's episode is sponsored by Giro and the new Imperial Road Shoe. At just 215 grams it is one of the lightest and stiffest cycling shoes, and it's designed specifically for performance-oriented racers. Check out the new shoes at www.giro.com/Imperial. This week's episode is also sponsored by Chamois Butt'r and the new Coconut Anti-Chafe. The Coconut Anti-Chafe line of cremes contains coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamins A and E, Aloe vera, and tea tree oil. The new cream protects any skin from friction, and soothes skin that is already irritated. www.chamoisbuttr.com

It’s been a long time coming, but Fast Talk is finally taking on cyclocross, from training to racing, honing technical skills to riding on nearly flat tires. Warning: there are few, if any, nerd bombs in this episode. Is there anything more fun than ripping around in the mud on an autumn day with all your friends? Jumping off your bike, jumping on your bike, diving into corners, bunny-hopping barriers, drifting through corners, powering through sand. The cyclists who have the most fun? Cyclocross racers. Today we'll dive into many facets of ‘cross, including: - First, why cyclocross is so unique to the cycling world, and why comparing it to crits or time trials doesn’t do it justice. - Second, what assets you need to be a good 'cross rider. Some of it is purely physiological like a good two to five-minute power, but there’s also more intangible things like resilience. - Few people race just ‘cross, so we’ll talk about how to balance multiple race seasons, and how to deal with what can end up being a long season as a result. - Fourth, we’ll explore the season a little deeper and talk about how both our experts like to periodize their training, and also how they address the short race season in cyclocross - We’ll explain the all-too-critical start position, and why that raises an important question when planning your season. Should you come into the 'cross season hot? - We’ll spend some time talking about the technical side of cyclocross. A good engine is important, but if you’re losing 10 seconds in the corners every lap, even the biggest engine isn’t enough. - Next, we’ll discuss the training side of cyclocross and why the unique nature of the sport also requires a unique approach to training. - Finally, we’ll talk about ‘cross races themselves— race strategy, the importance of course inspection, and selecting your gear. Our primary guests today are Grant Holicky, one of the top cyclocross coaches in the country, of Forever Endurance coaching, and one of his athletes Maxx Chance, a former collegiate cyclocross national champion. Along with Grant and Maxx, we spoke with Ellen Noble, a Red Bull sponsored athlete with Trek Factory Racing, and a multiple-time medalist at elite ‘cross nationals. Finally, I sat down with a true cyclocross legend, Katie Compton, the winner of 15 consecutive national titles, and a four-time silver medalist at ‘cross worlds.

This bonus episode of The VeloNews Podcast is sponsored by MetPro, a concierge nutrition, fitness and lifestyle coaching company. MetPro uses Metabolic Profiling to analyze your metabolism and provide an individualized approach to obtaining your goals. We speak with MetPro's founder, Angelo Poli, to talk about the challenges posed by of weight loss and performance, and how understanding one's metabolism can help with both. It's not as simple as calories in, calories out—losing weight while maintaining a high level of performance requires a measured strategy that MetPro's experts can provide. VeloNews listeners receive a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and a 30-minute consultation with a MetPro expert. To claim this offer head to metpro.co/velo

This week on the VeloNews Podcast we have interviews with two riders from opposite ends of North American pro racing. First up is Erin Huck, one of the best cross-country mountain bike racers in North America. Huck is hoping to qualify for the 2020 Olympic in Tokyo, and to do so she faces a daunting comeback. Earlier this year Huck crashed at the World Cup opener in Germany and badly broke her ankle. We talk to Huck about the injury, her comeback, and how the ordeal helped refocus her on the Olympics. Then, we talk to Taylor "TJ" Eisenhart, the free spirit of the North American professional road scene. This year Eisenhart has been racing gravel events, like the Dirty Kanza 200 and Crusher in the Tushar, and we talk to him about his experiences in the new scene. Our interview with Eisenhart is sponsored by Monster Hydro, the new sports drink that is non-carbonated, caffeinated, and loaded with electrolytes. This week's episode is sponsored by Giro and the new Imperial Road Shoe. At just 215 grams it is one of the lightest and stiffest cycling shoes, and it's designed specifically for performance-oriented racers. Check out the new shoes at www.giro.com/Imperial. This week's episode is also sponsored by Chamois Butt'r and the new Coconut Anti-Chafe. The Coconut Anti-Chafe line of cremes contains coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamins A and E, Aloe vera, and tea tree oil. The new cream protects any skin from friction, and soothes skin that is already irritated. www.chamoisbuttr.com

Andrew Hood and Fred Dreier present their final analysis of the 2019 Tour de France. Did the race's truncated finish ruin the excitement? Will we remember Egan Bernal's victory for his stunning attack, or because of the shortened stages? Then, the guys discuss the future of Team Ineos, which now has three Tour de France champions, all of whom will want to win the race next year. How should the British squad navigate the strange leadership story that is bound to pop up? Then, we have a long and frank discussion with Team EF Education First manager Jonathan Vaughters, who has written a new book, "One-Way Ticket: Nine Lives on Two Wheels" about his experience in pro cycling. Vaughters has some great insight on cycling's so-called 'EPO era,' and the social pressures that he and his peers felt to dope. Vaughters sheds light on some of the anecdotes and opinions in his book, and talks about why he's confident in the current generation of pro cyclists. This week's episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code 'velo' at checkout. www.whoop.com.

Complex training prescriptions are becoming increasingly popular. In this episode, we ask the question: Does it really need to be that complex? What do you gain from this complexity? With the help of seven different experts — coaches, scientists, and athletes — we’re going to try to make three key points: - Human physiology is very complex - Properly executing intervals is very difficult - But, the prescription should be simple. There was no guest with us in our studio for this recording, but since this is a summary episode, we pulled a lot of segments from past shows. Our guests this week include: - Legendary mountain bike world champion, and a guy who never gets old, Ned Overend. Ned almost sounded scared when he talked with us about the possibility of training with power or heart rate. Yet, despite having almost no metrics, and no structured routine, he’s developed a remarkably sophisticated system of training. - Next, we’ll hear from Houshang Amiri, head coach at the Pacific Cycling Centre and past Canadian national team coach. Houshang shared with Trevor his thoughts on complex interval routines. It wouldn’t be an episode on interval work without hearing from Dr. - Stephen Seiler, a top physiologist and researcher in Europe, who’s been credited with formalizing the polarized training model. We pulled a few clips from Dr. Seiler sharing his thoughts on interval prescription and execution. - But what about athletes who have grown up with power and pre-programmed workouts on their head units? We included an interview we haven’t used before with 2018 Tour of Utah winner Sepp Kuss. While he relies heavily on power, it’s not as simple as setting a target number before he gets on the bike and sticking to it. - Next we grabbed a clip with Dr. Andy Coggan and Hunter Allen, authors of “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” which was updated this year. They invented probably the most common training zone model in the world (though they don’t like the word zones.) They talked with us about the value of zone models or levels. - Trevor pulled out an old interview with Trek-Segafredo rider Toms Skujins. Like Sepp, Toms talks about just some of the many decisions that go into effectively executing his interval work. - Finally, we hear from 2017 U.S. national champion Larry Warbasse of Ag2r La Mondiale. Larry talked with us about the importance of seeing your training sessions in a broader context. Otherwise, you can execute perfectly and still get off track.

Nibali's snowball's-chance-in-hell or the tour for that matter pays off as he holds off the field for one more stage victory! Perhaps a resume builder for his switch over to TREK next season? New contracts, higher salaries, post-tour criteriums. Its a whole new world after today's stage 20 at the greatest sports event and greatest cycling podcast in the world

It’s all or nothing in the last few stages of the TDF and it just might be all for todays stage winner and new yellow jersey holder Egan Bernal. Will he be given Yellow, Polka Dot and White Jersey? We're going to ride 'til we can't no more!

You’re familiar with the all-important strength-to-weight ratio, expressed as watts per kilogram. But what about strength-to-wait? Bobby and Gus explain. Shadow Boxing. Strength to Wait. Huge time-gap swings. And Alaphilippe keeping calm, cool and collected vs the Colombians. Did Ineos have a clue today or are they setting up for the misdirect? Also, special guest Jens Voigt reveals his approach to shattering the field.

The Tour de France isn't just a grind for the riders. What do the riders' wives have to say about three weeks in France, plus all the training that leads up to it? Elly Woods - Mike Woods' better half - weighs in with Bobby and Gus. Also on this episode of PYSO: Missing the break. Pushing and shoving. Is rubbing still racing? Finally, Gus throws shade on sunglass fashion in the Tour. Bring back the M Frame! It's time to Put Your Socks On.

Adversity. Injuries. Solo moves and last chances. It's a tough one today on Put Your Socks On. Adversity is part of the game, and we hear from Team Katusha-Alpecin's Ian Boswell, who suffered a severe head injury in Tirreno Adriatico earlier this year. At the Tour de France it was a roasty toasty stage, with riders cramming ice into their helmets and down their jerseys whenever possible. And in this episode Bobby and Gus talk solo moves, spring-boarding for the stage win off descents, the Tour KOM battle and the final chances for riders in this year's race.

It's the second rest day of the Tour de France, and Fred and Andy link up to discuss the wild action that the race saw in the Pyrenees. Team Ineos was not at the same level as Team Sky, Julian Alaphilippe finally started to crumble, and Thibaut Pinot really looks like the strongest rider in the race. What did this action in the Pyrenees tell us about what's to come in the Alps? And which of the mountain stages in week 3 will decide the winner? Then, the guys put on their Director Sportif hats and hypothesize how they would lead Thibaut Pinot and Geraint Thomas to victory in these final few days. This week's episode is sponsored by Whoop, the performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Whoop tracks your heart rate and gives you a strain scores that lets you know how strenuous your training was on your body, with additional information around your sleep and recovery to tell you how well your body rebounds from training. Right now, listeners can get 15 percent off a Whoop device by going to www.whoop.com and using the code 'velo' at checkout. www.whoop.com.

It's the 15th stage of the Tour de France. Everyone's tired. But today's racing was absolute full-on from kilometer zero to the final mountaintop meters. Bobby and Gus dig into the details with a focus on Positive Mental Attitude, joined by special guest Mike Lepp, a sports physiologist with 35 years of experience working with athletes and teams, including NASCAR with Joe Gibbs Racing.  As Gus says, "it's was a cracker of a stage, and it's a cracker of a show" today on Put Your Socks On. We're talking ants in the pants. Tacks on the road. And steam coming out of Thibaut Pinot's ears. Connect your ears to PYSO, episode 15.

Team PYSO is on a high coming off a scorching episode 13, and the Tour de France gets even higher as we head into the mountains. Cue the Floyd's of Leadville ad. Well whether it's MVPs , CBDs or DNFs, today we talk GC riders vs Helpers. Race tactics. Team captains. Domestiques and more. Gus breaks down QuickStep's short leash on the peloton and How's your short term memory? It's time to Put Your Socks On!

For the time trial, teams and riders use technology to gain every advantage possible. We talk rider position vs aerodynamics. Metabolic efficiency vs wind tunnel data. And what music riders use to get pumped up before the big stages. Can you guess what Coach Bobby rocked? Today's special guest is Jesse Frank, human performance engineer at Specialized Bicycles. With a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and a master’s in integrative physiology/sports biomechanics, Jesse knows a thing or two about making people go fast.

Metrics such as calories, kiloJoules, Watt Prime (W’), and FRC are attempts to quantify how much energy we have to available to use. Many top pros just have a feel for it. But ultimately, we all have a “jar of energy” we can use in a race. Some of us have bigger jars, some smaller. But the winner of the race isn’t necessarily the rider with the biggest jar. It’s the rider who still has a little energy left in the jar at the end of the race, and who knows just the right moment to use it. In this episode, we discuss how to use your jar most effectively to make sure every time you pour a little of that precious energy out, it makes an impact. We’ll apply this to a discussion of bike racing, including: - Why the best rider always wins the race, even if the or she isn’t the strongest rider - We’ll define energy and discuss the pros and cons of trying to measure it - However you measure it, you have a limited supply. So, we’ll dive into all the ways you can unnecessarily waste energy including: Responding to every move; riding in the washing machine; poor positioning; and riding on the front for no reason - After we talk about all the ways you can waste energy, we’ll flip it around and talk about ways to save energy including: finding the sweet spot in the field and seeking to be bored; learning to observe the field so you know when “it's about to get real” and when it’s not; and learning to think like a sprinter and why it’s okay to sit on - Finally, we’ll talk about when it’s okay to spend energy, for example, when you’re riding for a teammate, at those make-or-break moments in the race, and when you smell blood in the water. Our primary guest today is the always informative Colby Pearce, a racer, coach, bike fitter, thinker, tinkerer, and one of the most thoughtful and inquisitive bike racers we know. Along with Colby we talked with Sepp Kuss, winner of the 2018 Tour of Utah, riding for the Jumbo-Visma WorldTour team. Finally, we'll touch base with another Canadian and world gran fondo champion Bruce Bird, who talks with us about how to read the field.

SPECIAL GUEST DOWNHILL LEGEND AND SPORTS TRAINER - OSCAR SAIZ (oscarsaiz.com) After things go up, Oscar Saiz gets down to the business of descending. Technique, Courage and how driving video games can be a safe and valuable teaching tool for riders learning to read the road. The boys in the Peleton as well as the PYSO boys played fair today. Bobby and Gus discuss managing breakaways. How emotions play a part in racing and mental Freshness. Ups and Downs. Terminal Velocity.White Knuckles. Hot Topic was the Rohan Dennis Investigation - Bobby's previous pick for tomorrow's ITT. Things are starting to HEAT UP in the TDF!

Life on the road can be good, bad and ugly - and Bobby and Gus dig into it all on this episode. We talk seedy hotel rooms and even seedier Tour roommates. There’s cold pasta, mosquitoes, ants under the sheets and some too-close-for-comfort body contact. The legendary Jens Voigt pops in, and he is bummed out about George Bennett losing so much time on stage 10. 
And special guest Dr. Brianna Stubbs explains Ketones and their use in the peloton. It’s time to Put Your Socks On.

Andy Hood and Fred Dreier link up for the Tour de France's first rest day to discuss, among other topics, why they are not attending this year's race. (Hint: they both have good reasons). What's it like for a Tour de France journalist to be at home for the Tour de France? You surprisingly get to watch more of the action than ever! Then, the guys discuss the storylines that are shaping this year's Tour, thus far: Julian Alaphilippe's ascendance; Jumbo-Visma's quiet dominance; the absence of long and boring sprint stages; and Ineos's early domination. Finally, we check in with American Joey Rosskopf, who is making is debut at the Tour de France. This week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast is sponsored by Garmin and its line of Edge cycling computers. The Edge 530 and touch screen 830 are lightweight and extremely durable computers that go beyond data collection with training tools designed to help you reach your peak performance. For more information go to Garmin's website: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/cIntoSports-cCycling-p1.html

Nibali pushes back on Twitter. Cycling is brutal. Work Ethic is number one. Apologies, empathy and sympathy. Bobby does a VERY convincing Al Pacino as Scarface impression. Sprinters - are they born or can they be trained? British Cycling coaching institution Rod Ellingworth weighs in all things fast-twitch, including some very special insights into the legend that is Mark Cavendish as well as why track racing matters. “Rod is my Yoda.” - Bobby Julich #propstojumbovisma #fightingforcontracts #knifesedge #velvetclipboard #sayhellotomylittlefriend #bendthatchainring #lottawoundlicking

STAGE 9 BASTILLE DAY St Etienne - Brioude 170.5km The cast talks nutrition on today’s stage: team chefs, soggy baguettes, and heaps of Nutella. Special shout out to ROAD ID employee of the month, Becky. You go, Becky. Turns out, Gus knows more about Zombies than anyone expected. And, we have our sprinter predictions for Stage 10 from Saint-Flour to Albi on the fastest growing sports podcast in the world, PYSO! Bonus: Coach Bobby J promises to take the whole crew to Sizzler after the Tour! We’ve put our socks on. Have you?

Things get loose during Stage 8 of the TdF with team PYSO. Gus agrees with the UCI. Bobby is still not sure what Gus means by “Snacks on Stage." We have special guest Therese Sundstrom, pro soigneur, live from Girona, Spain. We talk rider care as well as self care today on the fastest growing sports podcast PUT YOUR SOCKS ON. Oh, and quick tip: don't mess with Bobby's chamois cream…

Today on PYSO Gus and Bobby examine the science around preparation and recovery. Skratch Labs founder Dr. Allen Lim joins the fun to address everything you want to know about cycling, from nutrition to new technology. Does Lim talk about Cryotanks? Yes. What about ice vests? You bet. It's all here. We even bring back Spinaci bar extensions, because we think they are cool. Be prepared: this is PYSO.

What exactly does it take to race the Tour — physiologically, mentally, spiritually. Each day these phenomenal athletes race an event that would shatter most of us in just one day. But then they also have to contend with answering reporters questions, pleasing sponsors, transferring between hotels, trying to eat enough food to cover the day’s expenditures, and, finally and perhaps most importantly, trying to get quality sleep. It’s a feat that’s hard to comprehend, so today we'll try to give a sense of what it takes to race the Tour. We’ll cover: First, an overview of the Tour from a numbers perspective, and why the numbers really don’t tell the tale. Our guest, Ciaran O’Grady will explain his role as a Tour team physiologist and coach. The many challenges of the Tour outside of racing, including not only what I mentioned above, but also not missing the bus, handling the food, and what happens when you get sick. Why getting dropped by the peloton doesn’t make for as easy a day as you might think. What happens to the riders physiologically over the three weeks and why, in essence, it’s just a controlled burnout.How riders try to recover day-to-day, especially when they’re dealing with injuries. How riders train for the Tour and why having incredible endurance comes first. Then we’ll take a deeper dive into how the different types of riders prepare, from GC contenders to stage hunters and domestiques. Finally, we’ll try to pull all this together and talk about what mere mortals should and shouldn’t take from Tour riders, whether we’re preparing for a weekend race or a three-day stage race. Our primary guest today is Ciaran O’Grady, one of the team physiologists for the Dimension Data WorldTour team. Along with Ciaran, we catch up with one of our favorite guests, Brent Bookwalter of Mitchelton-Scott. Brent has now completed nine grand tours, so he had a lot to say about what it’s like getting through 23 grueling days. We also talked with Houshang Amiri, a former Canadian National and Olympic coach who runs the Pacific Cycling Centre. He’s coached Tour athletes and had a few thoughts to share on getting athletes ready for a grand tour. So, get your bidons and your musettes and your baguettes and your crepes, let's make you fast!

The Tour de France completed its first mountain stage of 2019 on Thursday, and delivered a huge dose of excitement. The timing was perfect, because Thursday was Gus's birthday. Happy Birthday, Gus! Your present is an awesome and exciting Tour stage! On Today's podcast, Gus and Bobby debate climbing. What makes a climber? Is it power-to-weight ratio, tactics, and or something else? What are the odds Giulio Ciccone takes the yellow all the way to Paris? Tao Geoghegan Hart, a veteran racer at age 25, shares his favorite #recoveryprotocol and sensations during a year of firsts. Also: “Do you like t-shirts?”

Toms! Toms! Toms! Bobby goes down memory lane but doesn't like it much. Superfan suggests that Sagan’s interview “form” is also back! Phillipe Gilbert shares some very interesting insights into today’s theme: Tactics. Are cartoons really better than Rosetta Stone, does 75% of tactical riding come down to nature or nurture, why did Gus’s coach tell him to climb into a ditch and take his shoes off, and which annual event in Belgium is guaranteed to get you a Pro Contract? Find out all this and more!

Stage 4 was sleepy in spots but PYSO is not! On today’s show, Bobby Julich and Gus Morton discuss failed nature-break ploys, getting jiggy with it, France vs. Italy on the subject of “legal usage” of champagne, high-speed praying mantes and more. Plus, EF Education First assistant sports director Tom Southam calls in to share some thoughts about being a director and the importance of analog technology. `

Find out what happened and why! Do you want a World Tour contract to show up in your mailbox? Here’s how. Listen to legend Juan Antonio Flecha talk about one of the greatest upsets of his racing career. Then learn about the cracks, clips, cats and chalkboards that REALLY matter. #managainstpeloton #supertuckshaves20percent

Early aggression, TV attacks—you know you’re in the TDF. Mike Teunissen calls the audible of all audibles. Micro breaks, #bubbleboys, Bobby pushes back on the expression “meat sack”, the boys deep-dive into the intricacies and nuances of Team Selection, and it’s only Day 1 but some of our predictions are already out the window. It’s time to Put Your Socks On.

In today’s show Bobby and Gus dive into Stage 2 and all things Aero. Is the yellow jersey a powerful motivator? What’s Rule Number One for a TT specialist? Did Jan Ulrich need team to win a TTT? Is your dad’s skinsuit the same as today’s skinsuit. What does Bobby mean when he says—“Don't overthink it.” And is tomorrow’s finish packed with enough snacks? Find out all this and more! Put Your Socks On.

From his academic work on power meters beginning in 1997 until today, Allen Lim, PhD, has been obsessed with improving a cyclist’s performance, on and off the bike. The founder of Skratch Labs has coached some of the world’s best cyclists, including most all the American grand tour contenders of the past 15 years. In Beyond Limits, Lim brings you inside the sport at the highest levels, showing its secrets, its humanity and its significance for everyday riders as we seek to improve. Here in Episode 1, Lim and co-host Brian Co of VeloWorthy bring you Lim's genesis story, from racing the likes of Jonathan Vaughters and George Hincapie as a junior to coaching Floyd Landis and George W. Bush to being shunned from the sport and ultimately coming back on his own terms. Come along for the ride. #velonews #cycling #beyondlimits

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal calls in to talk about the Tour de France, the rise of Zwift and indoor cycling, and his experiences at the Fat Bike World Championships, among other topics. Jason is a weekly sports columnist at The WSJ, and he regularly writes about the National Football League, NBA Basketball, and other mainstream sports. But Jason is also a cyclist and passionate follower of the sport, and thus, he also regularly writes about cycling topics. Fred and Jason discuss what cycling topics are able to break through to mainstream audiences. Finally, Jason makes his predictions for who will win the Tour de France. This week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast is sponsored by Garmin and its line of Edge cycling computers. The Edge 530 and touch screen 830 are lightweight and extremely durable computers that go beyond data collection with training tools designed to help you reach your peak performance. For more information go to Garmin's website: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/cycling/cIntoSports-cCycling-p1.html

We all make mistakes. No one trains and races perfectly, which can be frustrating when so often those mistakes are made out of honest effort and a desire to perform at our best. But we have a choice in how we treat our mistakes. One way is to get frustrated and beat up on ourselves. The other is to realize that admitting when we make a mistakes is an opportunity to improve and be a better athlete. With that second perspective in mind, today we’re going to talk about some of the most common mistakes that we see in athletes — even pros. And we’re going to hear from a variety of athletes, coaches, and experts who have been around the block a few times. They know all the mistakes, but more importantly they know what to do about them. A few of the things we will talk about: - The one thing that almost all of our guests said was the biggest mistake – hint, don’t try too hard to figure it out. - Being coachable, or more generally being willing to listen, know yourself, and identify your mistakes. - Warm-ups and cool-downs — they can have a big impact if done right, and also if done wrong - Nutrition — though you may be surprised by what our guests say is the biggest mistake - Too much intensity — do you really think Coach Connor and I were going to have an episode about mistakes and not bring that one up. - Bike fit and biomechanical mistakes — one of our guests today is Dr. Andy Pruitt who has made a very successful career of helping athletes find success by fixing these often-overlooked mistakes. - Racing mistakes and why one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to never risk making mistakes. - And finally, we’ll talk about a more philosophical mistake — not knowing when to move on. Our primary guests today are Dr. Andy Pruitt and Frankie Andreu. By now, you should know who Dr. Pruitt is, one of the foremost experts on cycling ergonomics and medical issues in athletes. Frankie Andreu was a longtime professional, a mentor to many, a team manager and director, a race commentator, and a legend in the sport. Along with our two primary guests, we checked in with several other respected experts including Joe Friel, author of the "The Cyclist's Training Bible" which was recently updated. Joe has coached over a thousand athletes in his career and has seen it all. So we had to ask him what he thinks are the biggest mistakes athletes make. We also speak with Jared Berg, who’s the head physiologist at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center. One of the issues with making mistakes is we can often convince ourselves that it doesn’t actually affect us. But you can’t fool the physiology and Jared sees that inescapable truth every day. Next we pulled in an old interview with Grant Holicky, formerly of Apex Coaching with Neal Henderson and now with Forever Endurance, who talks about a mistake that we love to harp on — training in moderato. Finally, Trevor touches base with Houshang Amiri, a former Canadian National and Olympic team coach who’s worked with many of the best cyclists in Canada. Like Joe Friel, Houshang has seen it all and had some interesting insights on the importance of being prepared.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we analyze the Tour de France's list of flawed GC contenders, including the new frontrunner, Egan Bernal. Bernal's dominating win at the Tour de Suisse makes him one of the top favorites to win. What would a Bernal victory mean for Team Ineos, and more importantly, the country of Colombia? We discuss Bernal's rising star in pro cycling. Could a French rider win this year's Tour? The climbing course and lack of Chris Froome could open the door for Thibaud Pinot or Romain Bardet. Fred and Andy examine the two French riders and their teams, and ponder whether or not either man can take the Tour. Finally, we catch up with Jonny Brown, the reigning U.S. professional road racing champion. Jonny takes us through his big victory a year ago and discusses the impact that the U.S. championship had on his young career. With USPro on the horizon for this weekend, Brown's story sheds light on the importance of the race. The 2019 VeloNews Tour de France Guide is available now. Get your copy at www.velopress.com.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast Fred Dreier and Andrew Hood discuss the seismic shift that pro cycling underwent in the final week. Chris Froome's crash has completely changed the dynamics at the Tour de France, as Team Ineos no longer is the favorite to dominate the race. Which riders have the best shot to win in lieu of Froome's participation? How does the crash impact Froome's spot within Tour history? Then, the guys discuss the news that the UCI will sanction Juan Jose Cobo for a biological passport violation from nearly a decade ago; a move that could nullify his 2011 Vuelta a Espana win. Finally, we hear from Olympic mountain biker Chloe Woodruff, who takes us inside the chase for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The U.S. women have a fabulous opportunity to qualify three riders for the Olympics, and Woodruff explains the dynamics shaping the yearlong chase for the upcoming summer games. The 2019 VeloNews Tour de France Guide is available now. Get your copy at www.velopress.com.

The VeloNews Fast Talk podcast is your source for the best training advice and most compelling insight on what it takes to become a better cyclist. Listen in as VeloNews managing editor Chris Case and our resident physiologist and coach, Trevor Connor, discuss a range of topics, including sport science, training, physiology, technology, nutrition, and more. We all know how to train hard. Tearing up a set of Tabata intervals, giving it our all at the local Tuesday night training race, or attacking someone from New Zealand on Zwift is what we do. But training — at least effective training — is actually a balance between stressing our systems and recovery. Remember that training does damage. It's in recovery that we repair and get stronger. This may be why several recent studies have shown that training based on our recovery level can be more effective than rigidly following a structured plan. This is also why Coach Connor loves to say “be as intense in your recovery as you are in your training.” Train hard, rest hard. Yet, while there are a multitude of tools to measure our training stress – bike computers, power meters, heart rate straps, WKO, Golden Cheetah, Xert and the list goes on – the list of tools to measure recovery is not nearly as robust. But new players such as Whoop – which uses a combination of resting heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep and strain to assess your daily recovery level – are starting to tackle this very important side of the training balance. So today we dive into the recovery side of the training-recovery concept and talk about: - This fundamental principle of training also called super-compensation. - How to know when the balance between training and recovery goes too far towards the training stress side and is leading to over-training. Interestingly, it starts neurologically which can express as changes in mood and motivation long before it shows up on the training ride. - We discuss ways to identify neurological fatigue both on and off the bike. - Next, we dive into the recovery side of the equation and discuss ways of measuring recovery including resting heart rate and heart rate variability. - Why sometimes going into the red on the recovery score is necessary - We discuss the new Whoop strap 3.0. Whoop is a sponsor of this episode and Coach Connor and I are excited to have them as part of the show. This isn’t the first episode where we’ve preached the value of recovery and Whoop is the one tool out there really focusing on that value. And their new strap is providing even better metrics including their strain coach to help you decide when to push and when to pull the plug. Our primary guest today is Kate Courtney, the reigning mountain bike world champion, and winner of the first two rounds of the UCI World Cup this season. Along with Kate we talked with Houshang Amiri, a past Canadian Olympic and National team coach and owner of the Pacific Cycling Centre. Houshang has helped athletes such as World’s Silver Medalist Svein Tuft by focusing on the value of recovery. Houshang talks with us about ways he’s used to assess it. We include a past interview with Phill Gaimon, who talks about the importance of feel and knowing your own body. Finally, we feature an interview with two top coaches in Colorado – Mac Cassen with Apex Coaching and Frank Overton with FastCat coaching. This interview was actually from episode 45 a few years back, but we talked about measuring recovery and it’s the episode where Frank introduced all of us to the WHOOP strap.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast Fred and Andy link up to discuss some of the biggest news stories from pro cycling in the month of June. What can races like the Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse tell us about a rider's form in July? What's the significance of Vincenzo Nibali's transfer to Trek-Segafredo for 2020? Then, Andy recounts his memories from the 2009 Tour de France, which featured the inter-squad battle between Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong. As it turns out, the budding website Twitter played a major role in how we reported on Armstrong and on the race. Finally, we catch up with Richie Porte to talk about his preparation for the 2019 Tour de France. We also give Porte a chance to walk us through the various setbacks he's had at the Tour de France over the years. The 2019 VeloNews Tour de France Guide is available now. Get your copy at www.velopress.com.

Spencer RETURNS this episode to take us through his race at Dirty Kanza 200, and what lessons he learned about gravel racing. Fred and Spencer break down all the action from the Dirty Kanza. Then, Andy takes us through the final week of the Giro d'Italia, which saw Richard Carapaz fend off attacks from Vincenzo Nibali. What does the Giro's outcome tell us about Carapaz, Mikel Landa, and Primoz Roglic? Plus, we hear from American Chad Haga, who won the final stage. Finally, we invite Colin Strickland back on the podcast to talk about the Dirty Kanza. Only this time, Colin tells us about his stunning win in the men's race. This episode is sponsored by Vittoria Tires, which provided its Terreno tires for all of our gravel events this year. Spencer raced Dirty Kanza on a pair of Vittoria Terreno tires and didn't suffer a single puncture. Check out the complete line of tires at www.vittoria.com.

In episode 75, we’re joined by Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the top exercise physiologists of today. Dr. Seiler has talked with us previously about the polarized, or 80/20, model of endurance training, he’s shared his thoughts on zone models, and he’s helped us understand how slow your “slow” should be. For more with Dr. Seiler, return to episodes 51 (Polarizing your training) and 54 (Applying the polarized model). We’ve already talked about the overall polarized approach and how to do that 80 percent — the long, slow ride. Today, we’re going to talk about the other 20 percent: high intensity work. In this episode we’ll address: - Why, even though Dr. Seiler recommends 80 percent or more of our work to be at low intensity, he is by no means against some hard work. -What you should use to structure the intensity of your interval work: heart rate or power, percent of max or percent of threshold. Or, is there another approach? His answer might surprise you. - Dr. Seiler’s multiple studies on interval work, including the three protocols he’s studied — 4x4 minutes, 4x8 minutes, and 4x16 minutes. - Notice that while each workout is hard, none of those three protocols is very complex. We talk about why things like execution, accumulating time, and consistency are more important than complexity. - Some of you may cringe, but we also discuss why the specificity of interval work isn’t as important as a lot of people think. To a degree, most work hits most systems. So don’t get caught up in being a few beats or watts over or under the target. - We’ll briefly discuss the periodization of interval work.We’ll wrap up the show with a discussion of higher intensity anaerobic intervals such as Tabata’s, and ask both Dr. Seiler and some pros about their favorite interval work. Finally, we’ll answer the pressing question: Who’s the biggest nerd of all. Our primary guest today is, of course, Dr. Stephen Seiler. At this point, he needs no introduction. He is one of the most influential researchers working today.  Along with Dr. Seiler, we’ll hear from Michelton-Scott rider Brent Bookwalter about balance in interval work. This is the third episode in a row that we’ve heard from Brent, and that’s because as a top pro, who’s raced 10 grand tours, he has a lot of good things to say.  Next we’ll hear from Ruth Winder, a talented racer on the women’s Trek-Segafredo team. Finally, we'll hear from Bruce Bird. Bruce took up cycling in his 40s and has since won the Gran Fondo World Championships multiple times. At 50, he can tear apart the local pro races in Ontario. In other words, he’s figured out a few things about proper training. So, if you’re ready to get intense, if you’re prepared for a smattering of nerd bombs, it’s time to make you fast!

If you want to know what gear to use for Dirty Kanza, there's no one better to ask than the course record holder, Alison Tetrick. She joins tech editor Dan Cavallari to talk about her bike and gear choices for the 2019 Dirty Kanza race, what she can't do without during the long, lonely miles, and how gravel racing has changed in the face of new technology and WorldTour riders entering the post-pavement game. And most importantly, Tetrick lends plenty of perspective on what kind of mental toughness you'll need to make it through the adversity you're sure to face during the long miles before the post-finishline beer.

The Giro d'Italia has roared to life, with plenty of chaos and drama in the second and third weeks. On this episode, Fred and Andy link up to discuss all of the action surrounding Primoz Roglic, Vincenzo Nibali, and the other heavy hitters. Plus, Andy tells us the compelling backstory of current Maglia Rosa wearer Richard Carapaz of Ecuador. Then, the Dirty Kanza 200 is on the horizon. Fred discusses gravel cycling's Super Bowl, and why the 2019 edition has a compelling storyline. Professional road racers are set to compete, and nobody knows how these riders will impact the race. Finally, we catch up with gravel and fixed-gear rider Colin Strickland, to discuss how the gravel scene has allowed him to live the pro life. How does he think the pro road riders will shake up Dirty Kanza? Listen to the pod to find out. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Canyon Bicycles, which is providing its Canyon Grail for us to race at gravel races all season long. Check it out at https://www.canyon.com/en-us/road/grail

On this episode, Fred and Andy link up to discuss the wet and dramatic opening week of the Giro d'Italia, which saw two favorites bit adieu before the race even got started. They also discuss the talking points from the Amgen Tour of California: EF Education First's strategy, Tadej Pogacar's ascendance, and the success of young riders. Then, we hear from Brent Bookwalter at the Giro d'Italia about life on his new team, Mitchelton-Scott. And then, we have a long conversation with Lindsay Goldman, co-owner and rider on the women's team Hagens Berman Supermint. Lindsay shares her opinions on how and how not to grow women's cycling. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by apparel manufacturer Pactimo, which is providing its Summit Stratos 12-hour Bibs to our 2019 gravel series. The boys recently rode the Summit Stratos 12-Hour bibs at the Land Run 100, and they will also wear them at the Dirty Kanza 200 and other gravel races this year. For more information go to www.pactimo.com.

STAGE 7 Santa Clarita to Pasadena: Bobby and Gus dive into the last day of the TOC then get into today’s theme; the race after the race aka "packing up the carnival." An interview with Team Sho-Air Twenty20’s General Manager, Nicola Cranmer. A brief but illuminating discussion of the infamous Rose Bowl Crit and two National Team Fan Club Highlights; Sam and Travis.

VeloNews Voices | Put Your Socks On with Bobby Julich, Ep. 6 by VeloNews

In episode 74, we speak with one of the leading researchers on how women’s physiology influences optimal training and performance. There has been a long history of gender-neutralizing sports science. Money in sports science research is tight, and physiologists often assume they don’t have the resources to study male-female differences. We’ll address later in the show why that “added expense” assumption isn’t true, but the more important issue is that most research is conducted on men and then generalized to women. The problem is that women are not just small men. Now that sports science research is being conducted specifically on women, we are discovering, not surprisingly, that men and women don’t have the same physiology. And what works for men doesn’t always work for women. Dr. Stacy Sims has been leading a surge in research on women athletes. Her book "Roar" takes a deep dive into female physiology and how it impacts training. There’s a wealth of knowledge in the book – far too much to address in a single episode – but today we'll focus on a few of its key points, including: - Stacy Sim’s background, and how she became a leader in women’s sport’s physiologyWhy the “shrink it and pink it” approach to women’s sports research doesn’t work – optimal performance means tailoring training to the female physiology - How the menstrual cycle affects both training and performance, and why some types of training can be very effective at certain times during the month and relatively ineffective at others - Why all female athletes should track their cycle and learn how it impacts their training – there's a very real physiological explanation why you sometimes get on the bike and just can’t put out the power - Why women often need more protein for recoveryThe impact of birth control pills, and why the very common practice of giving athletes the pill may be misguided - Why research has too often ignored these questions, and why that actually presents a big opportunity for coaches and physiologists - Finally, Dr. Sims will offer advice specific to both masters and junior female athletes Our primary guest today is, of course, Dr. Stacy Sims. Many of you know her as the founder of Osmo and one of the founders of Skratch Labs. But her research has always focused on the physiology of female athletes and her book "Roar" is a must-read. In addition to Stacy, we also talk with Brent Bookwalter, a WorldTour pro with Michelton-Scott. His wife is an ex-professional cyclist and we discuss how their training regimens differ. Finally, Chris speaks with Ruth Winder, a top pro with Trek-Segefredo and winner of the 2017 Redlands Classic. Ruth had some insights on how the length of women’s races affects race dynamics and, more importantly, as a big fan of Stacy’s book, how understanding the science specific to women has helped her training. And one final note: We know that the majority of Fast Talk listeners are male. But before you say, “So much for this week’s episode,” we encourage you to listen in. Dr. Sims does a great job of explaining this complex subject. And as she points out later in this episode, just about every one of us has a wife, daughter, sister, or a female training partner. This is a sport that’s about helping one another out and you can’t help if you don’t understand.

Stage 5 Pismo Beach to Ventura. Find out why George Hincapie named his son Enzo, jump into a heated debate over sock lengths, listen to Coach Bobby J break down today’s race and deep-dive into the subject of Riding On The Front. Special bonus, an off-the-air-on-the-air honest discussion of the Van Garderen decision; what could have happened, what should have happened. “Slip one under the carpet.” - Coach Bobby J

Stage 4 Laguna Seca to Morro Bay. Coach Bobby Julich does a deep dive into all things aero and wind related including but not limited to whether or not riding with your forearms on the tops and your hands dangling off the front in a mock TT position is good idea, Superfans’ true identity is almost accidentally outed, Gus talks about playing Grand Theft Auto vs actually racing on the Speedway along with some very poignant thoughts on which side of the bike front and rear brakes should be mounted, and of course the team gets into yesterday’s crash and subsequent questionable "Van Garderen" ruling.

Stage 3 Tour of California: Stockton to Morgan Hill. Coach Bobby Julich and Gus morton discuss what happened in the race and the art & science of descending from the supertuck to the #pantanidangle. Superfan weighs in with a question about style as it relates to the topic of going downhill fast. Producer MFS shares his thoughts about slog vs slouge. Interviews with Alex Howes and Peter Stetina. Featuring original music by Taylor Phinney, a track called Sad Bang.

Stage 2 of the Tour of California: Rancho Cordova to South Lake Tahoe. "It’s one of the few stages that I’m actually scared of in cycling. It’s not very often that you go from sea level to 2,500-2,800 metres without ever having a break in the pedals. It’s virtually uphill for 110km, and for those power geeks out there you’re average power is exactly the same with or without zero, because you are always on the pedals.” - Nathan Haas. On course shaped like a ramp into the sky, today's show is all about power.

VeloNews Voices is a NEW multimedia platform featuring a collection of cycling luminaries each with their own distinct POV and channel. Coaches, Athletes, Movers and Shakers, Visionaries, the old guard, the new guard, the Vanguard, VeloNews Voices is how and where the story of our sport is being told now and into the future. -- Olympic Medalist and Tour De France podium finisher Coach Bobby J invites you to Put Your Socks On. Winning and losing, training and racing, agony and defeat, all of it comes down to understanding what works and what doesn't and for that, you need an experienced and accomplished Coach. From insightful analysis into our sports most iconic races and racers to entertaining, educational and actionable advice, PYSO is an illuminating deep-dive into the art and science of racing. Come for the Legends, Fan Clubs, Knowledge, At the Race and SuperFans. Join Coach Bobby Julich and former World Tour Racer and Outskirts visionary co-host Gus Morton as they help you watch the race, do the race. Prepare to be prepared. It’s time to Put Your Socks On. “Whether you are training or racing, the moment you put your socks on, that’s the point of no return. That’s it, it’s time to go to work.”

On this week's episode of the VN podcast we have two very special gusts stop by: Kasia Niewiadoma and Sepp Kuss. Niewiadoma tells us all about her exciting victory at Amstel Gold Race, and explains why she was able to score a big victory at the hilly classic. Kuss talks to us about his upcoming Giro d'Italia start, and discusses his rapid rise through pro cycling's ranks.

In episode 73, we talk with Sebastian Weber about the important balance between our aerobic and glycolytic energy systems and why they may require a little give and take.

On this episode, we hear from world cross-country mountain bike champion Kate Courtney about how the tutelage of Thomas Frischknect is making her an Olympic contender. But first, we bid farewell to longtime podcast host Spencer Powlison and also look back on Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and the classics season as a whole. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Canyon Bicycles, which is providing its race-ready Lux CF SLX 9.0 Pro Race for us to ride at mountain bike races all season long. Check it out: https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mtb/lux/lux-cf-slx-9-0-pro-race

Welcome to the Mathieu van der Poel era. The cyclocross world champion asserted himself with a major win at Amstel. What's next for this superstar in waiting? We discuss Kasia Niewiadoma's breakthrough victory in the women's race, a down-to-the-wire thriller. And, we hear from Annemiek van Vleuten, who was second to Niewiadoma Sunday, about why the hilly classics are so important to her. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Vittoria, which is providing its Terreno tires for all of our gravel races this summer. Check out the complete line of tires: https://www.vittoria.com/us/tires/off-road-tires/off-road-tires-cx-and-gravel.html

There’s possibly nothing more ubiquitous in cycling than training zones. Trevor and I have lost count of the number of questions we’ve received from Fast Talk listeners that begin with something along the lines of “I was training in zone 4…” The truth of the matter is that we don’t know what that means when you tell us that. That’s not because we don’t know training science, but because “zone 4” can mean a lot of different things. One thing is certain: Training zones can have tremendous value. They provide guidance for training and a means of communicating with your coach or teammates. If you’re a fan of zones, this episode may also challenge you because zones have their limitations. They're not as clear cut as they seem. Which may be why we, and almost all of our guests today, resist even using the term “zones.” What we hope to communicate is that there is no single zone model. That's because there is no perfect model. They all have flaws. What they are based on – FTP, VO2max, or power-duration – all have their issues. Nor can any model ever fully account for individual variation or even day-to-day variation within each athlete. As our guests will point out, they are rough and they have their limitations. That being said, if you use a zone model based on your physiology and use it as a guide, not as dogma, it can be a valuable tool. So, today we'll dive into zones, or levels, or ranges, or whatever you want to call them, and talk about: - What exactly a zone model is, and whether it should be based on power or heart rate - The value of a zone system as a framework for training and, more importantly, communication - While there are many zone models based on heart rate, there are actually very few based on power. That’s partially because Dr. Andy Coggan and Hunter Allen came up with a model that’s been the standard. We’ll talk about this model and why it was so important for each zone to have a name and not just a number. - Dr. Coggan’s Classic zone model has seven zones. We’ll talk about the issues with more or fewer zones, including Dr. Stephen Seiler’s three-zone model, and whether or not it’s based on physiology. - What a zone model should be based on – most systems create zones that are a percentage of VO2max or FTP or threshold. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of each and how, ultimately, both have their limitations. - Other limitations with zones, including not understanding what “zone 2” means and the fact that just because you’re training in a particular zone doesn’t mean you’re doing the right training – there are other factors including volume. - Finally, we’ll talk about the iLevels that are discussed in the third edition of Training and Racing with a Power Meter. iLevels are based on an athlete’s individual profile, not just FTP, and address many of the shortcomings we’ll discuss. Our primary guests today are renowned physiologists and coaches who need no introduction, who are the authors of the aforementioned book, Dr. Andy Coggan, Dr. Stephen McGregor, and a guest you’ve heard from before on Fast Talk, Hunter Allen. We also talk with local coach Colby Pearce to get his opinion about zones. As a top-level coach figuring out how to best direct his athletes, he had a lot of great insight about zones and their limits.We also talk with Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the originators of the polarized training concept, to get his take on training zones and why he often promotes a three-zone model. You may be surprised by his answer. Finally, we'll touch base with Sebastian Weber with INSCYD and a coach to athletes like Tony Martin and Peter Sagan. We ask him his opinion on whether zones should be based on a percentage of VO2max or threshold, but it quickly turns into a more nuanced conversation about the dangers of blindly following zones.

What a Paris-Roubaix it was! We look back on all the action from Wout van Aert's rough day on the cobbles ... could he have won? To Sagan's attempt to defend his title that fizzled on the final pave sectors. To Philippe Gilbert's amazing victory. What can't the Belgian star do at this point? All of that and much more, from the raucous velodrome at the finish of the "Hell of the North."

Who will win Paris-Roubaix? We look ahead to the rough, cobbled "Queen of the Classics" on this episode. And we also bring in an expert to discuss what to expect from this Sunday's race. We speak with Dirk Demol, who is now a sport director for Team Katusha-Alpecin. He won the 1988 edition of Paris-Roubaix.

While the world's top cyclists are battling in the spring classics, the next generation of American stars is also pounding the cobbles. Every year, junior riders flock to USA Cycling's development complex in Sittard, Netherlands to develop as riders, and maybe someday become top pros. We hear from the man behind the European program, Billy Innes, USAC's junior program manager. We also talk to Quinn Simmons, a rising star who recently won the prestigious Gent-Wevelgem junior race.

Few people picked Alberto Bettiol as a favorite before Tour of Flanders, yet he managed to stun the favorites and win. Peter Sagan is one of those stars who was left empty-handed on Sunday. We hear from him about how the race went down and why he hasn't found peak form yet. Later in the podcast, Ben Delaney talks to Dries Verclyte of Cycling in Flanders. He explains how the region embraces cycling tourism and attracts all kinds of riders from around the world — not just the top pros who were battling on the Bergs in De Ronde.

The gran fondo-style event has exploded in popularity in the last decade. Somewhere between a race and a group ride, it has an appeal to a broad range of riders. Some show up to race all-out on a challenging 100-plus-mile course. Others come to ride with friends and enjoy the accomplishment of a demanding and scenic route. The nice thing is there is no “right” way to do it. This style of event accommodates both riding styles. Now we’re seeing multi-day events like Haute Route that combine the challenge of racing (through timed segments) with the pleasure of a bike tour through some of the most scenic spots in the world. The question is: Do you train for and approach these events differently from a weekend race or group ride? More than a few of you have asked us that exact question, so in this episode we’ll try to give you an answer.In this episode, we’ll discuss: - What the experience of a gran fondo or Haute Route is like and why they are becoming so popular - The different goals and approaches riders will have at these eventsHow to train and prepare for both the one-day gran fondo and the multi-day Haute Route. Hint: When it comes to the training, it’s not as different as you might think. - The importance of pack skills and sticking within your comfort levelNutrition and hydration for the event (and why I love cookies so much) - Final preparation in the week leading into the eventStrategies for both racing and riding a fondo, as well as multi-day Haute Route style events Our primary guest today is master's world hour record holder and Haute Route ambassador Colby Pearce. He’s been on the show enough now that he needs no introduction.  Along with Colby, we spoke with Michelton-Scott’s Brent Bookwalter. Brent is an Olympian, a veteran of many grand tours, and the organizer of the popular Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo. This year it takes place on October 26 in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. We also touch base with three-time gran fondo world champion Bruce Bird. If that title doesn’t impress you, you should also know that at the age of 50, Bruce finished 14th at Canadian nationals in the pro race. Bruce also organizes a worlds qualifier event called the Blue Mountains Gran Fondo in Ontario where both he and Trevor are from. This year it takes place on June 15 in Collingwood, Ontario. Now, prepare your cookies, let's make you fast!

Dwars door Vlaanderen was a thriller with Mathieu van der Poel stunning the WorldTour. We discuss the 'cross world champ who seems to have unlimited potential as a cyclist. We also talk about the crash in the women's race that led to a stoppage in the men's race. To better understand the dynamics at play, we hear from Ellen van Dijk, who won the women's race. She talks about why it's important to run the women's race on the same day as the men and the broader importance of the Flanders races. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Pactimo, who is kitting us out for our summer of gravel racing. Check out the Summit Stratos 12-Hour bibs we'll be wearing at Dirty Kanza 200 and other big events: https://www.pactimo.com/collections/the-12-hour-endurance-cycling-bibs-men-women?avad=219157_d15680ff9

With gusting winds and aggressive racing, this was one of the hardest editions of Gent-Wevelgem. We are on the ground in Belgium to analyze the action. Then, we hear from American Quinn Simmons who stunned the Belgians by winning the junior edition of Gent-Wevelgem. And finally, Hugo Coorevits, senior editor at Het Nieuwsblad, explains why cycling is so important in Flanders and how it is an integral part of the regional culture.

Deceuninck-Quick-Step dominated as Zdenek Stybar got revenge on Greg Van Avermaet. Wout van Aert wowed us with a second-place result. And Peter Sagan? What happened to him? We are on the cobblestones in Belgium, and racing is underway with the E3 BinckBank Classic. In the second half of the show, we hear from EF Education First sport director Andreas Klier an ex-pro who is a veteran of the spring classics.

Seven wins in 22 days ... That's a pretty impressive record for Julian Alaphilippe so far this year. Plus, he capped it off with his first monument classic win at Milano-Sanremo. We discuss the significance of his streak and how he managed to conquer some of the sport's top riders in Sanremo on Saturday. Then, we hear from American classics star Coryn Rivera. She discusses how she coped with the high expectations set by her stellar debut season with Sunweb and what we can expect from her in 2019. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Pactimo, who is kitting us out for our summer of gravel racing. Check out the Summit Stratos 12-Hour bibs we'll be wearing at Dirty Kanza 200 and other big events: https://www.pactimo.com/collections/the-12-hour-endurance-cycling-bibs-men-women?avad=219157_d15680ff9

Most modern training software is based on principles that Coach Connor fully admits he would use if he was developing software. Heavily influenced by coaches and physiologists, many training software developers knew what they were looking for and hunted for it in the data. One training package however, stands out from this. Xert was created by Armando Mastracci, who is an engineer first. While he came to understand the physiology, he started by simply looking for trends in the data instead of looking at the physiology. The result is Xert, a tool that has found unique trends which may seem unfamiliar to a physiologist, but are certainly compelling. At the heart of Xert is the notion of failure: the idea that we reveal our true fitness and our profile as a rider in the moments when we hit our limits at these points of failure. In this episode, Armando discusses how he was able to identify these moments of failure in athletes’ training rides, and then use them to create an athlete’s profile and help direct training. But before we dive into the conversation it is helpful to define a few terms that are somewhat unique to Xert and this conversation: First, Maximal Power Available. If you uploaded a workout to Xert, you’d see your normal graphs — heart rate, power, cadence, speed, and so on. What will be new to you is a line calculated by Xert called your MPA or Maximal Power Available. This is a second-by-second graphic of how much power you could produce. When you’re fresh, it’s equal to your sprint power. After a killer attack up a five-minute climb, it may not be much more than your threshold power. It is dynamic and it constantly changes over the course of your ride. We’ve already mentioned failure — it’s that moment when an athlete can’t go any harder. In Xert, it is the moment when your MPA line equals your actual power — meaning you are going as hard as you can go. And if the rider beside you can go harder, they will drop you. Finally, Peak Power, High-intensity Energy, and Threshold. All software packages have moved beyond FTP as the sole parameter used to define an athlete. TrainingPeaks uses a power duration curve. Neal Henderson talked with us in episode 33 about using five-second, one-minute, five-minute, and 20-minute peak power. Armando uses three parameters: 1) Peak Power: simply the power you can hit in a sprint when fresh; 2) High-intensity Energy: our capacity to ride above threshold, which is also often called Watt Prime; 3) Threshold: you know this as FTP. Xert uses moments of failure in rides and races to constantly adjust these three parameters. Our primary guest today is, of course, Armando Mastracci, creator of Xert and owner of Baron Biosystems. He is the original brain behind these concepts, but he has also brought in respected physiologist and owner of Pez cycling, Dr. Stephen Cheung, to interpret these trends from a physiological standpoint, making for a more complete package. Along with Armando, we speak with one of our favorite Fast Talk regulars, Colby Pearce, who needs no introduction. He shares his thoughts on this concept of failure. Finally, we'll touch base with Paulo Saldanha, owner of PowerWatts and coach of 2018 worlds bronze medalist Michael Woods. Paulo discusses lab testing in comparison to finding an athlete’s fitness on the road in slightly less structured but more competitive scenarios.

And the rich get richer... Team Sky managed to outdo itself with new sponsor Ineos, which is owned by a billionaire who's one of the wealthiest people in the world. We analyze the deal and discuss how this could affect the races. We also recap Paris-Nice, where there's more Sky news — turns out Egan Bernal is even better than we thought he was. And we discuss Tirreno-Adriatico and Adam Yates's very tough day on a time trial bike. Finally, we hear from Caleb Ewan about what to expect in this Saturday's first monument classic of the season, Milano-Sanremo. This episode is sponsored by Canyon, which provided us with its Grail gravel bike to take on last weekend's Land Run 100 race in Oklahoma. Learn about this innovative bike on Canyon's website: https://www.canyon.com/en-us/road/grail?utm_source=Velonews&utm_medium=Article&utm_campaign=Grail&utm_content=Grail

Mountain bike rear suspension technology has changed drastically in the last decade or two. Do you even understand how your bike works? Luckily, today we talk to Dave Weagle, father of the DW Link suspension design and a prolific engineer in the world of mountain bikes. He helps us understand concepts like anti-squat, anti-rise, and more. Things get a little nerdy, but don't worry, Weagle has a very common-sense approach: Ride a mountain bike, and if you like it, it is good.

At the start of this week, we were stunned to learn the news of Kelly Catlin's tragic death. The Olympic silver medalist and three-time world champion took her own life overnight on Thursday, March 7. In this podcast, we hear from her twin brother Colin, who remembers her quirky personality and her drive to be the best at whatever she set her mind to. Also in this podcast, we recap Strade Bianche and discuss Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.

if you want to be at your strongest and, more importantly, if you want to ride a bike for a long time, off-the-bike, functional training is the work you can’t skip. Whether you’re 21 or 51, if you don't add strength and mobility to your routine, it’s going to come back to haunt you, as Trevor and our guest today will testify to. In episode 69, we take a deep dive into functional training… literally. Trevor and I both get down on the floor of the studio to do some exercises, all in the name of getting this important message across. We'll cover: - What is functional training? And why this buzz phrase is often misunderstood, and why cycling seems to be way behind the curve. - The two main benefits of functional work: improving your neuromuscular performance on the bike and preventing injury. - Why functional training and staying healthy aren’t simply a matter of stretching or picking up the periodic heavy weight. Proper movement and form are key. - Then, Trevor and I will get on the floor and embarrass ourselves for a bit. - Next we discus how to evaluate functional fitness and why you should consider having the help of an expert. - The importance of belly breathing. - How cyclists can succumb to the pitfall of less-than-optimal firing patterns and not even know it. - Finally, Menachem Brodie, our guest today, walks through six key exercises for cyclists. If there's one thing we hope you get from this episode, it’s to do these exercises several times per week. See the VeloNews website for details. Our primary guest today is the aforementioned Menachem Brodie, head coach at Human Vortex Training and a USA Cycling expert coach. Along with Menachem, we spoke with WorldTour riders Joe Dombrowski (EF Education First) and Brent Bookwalter (Michelton-Scott). Both riders emphasized the importance of functional work, even if it means spending an hour less on the bike. We also connected with Jess Elliot, the owner of TAG Performance Strength and Conditioning. She talked with us about how easy it is for athletes to fall into poor muscle firing patterns.

Fred is back from a trip to the United Arab Emirates ... Why? Because WorldTour bike racing made its annual pilgrimage to the desert. He explains why the UAE Tour exists, what challenges it faces, and what the racing action was like. Also, we recap Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. We dig into the details of this emerging doping scandal in Austria, and finally we look ahead to Strade Bianche. This episode is sponsored by Floyd’s of Leadville. Athletes, wherever your training takes you, Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products can ease your pain and get you back in the game. Combat muscle soreness and inflammation with Floyd’s arsenal of premium CBD products - transdermal skin cream, penetrating balms, protein, hydration, softgels, and oil. Check out all of Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products at www.floydsofleadville.com.

Get psyched ... the spring cobbled classics start Saturday with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad! We look ahead to the two Belgian races this weekend. To do that, we take a quick look back at the action from last week's flurry of one-week races. Plus, we catch up with Brent Bookwalter at the UAE Tour. He talks to Fred about the transition to Mitchelton-Scott, his motivation to keep racing, and the Australian culture.

In this episode we’re taking a step back — way back — to see the forest for the tress. Let me explain: Many of you have been fascinated by our recordings with scientists and coaches like Stephen Seiler, John Hawley, Iñigo San Millan, and Joe Friel. Now, we’ve sifted through hours of Fast Talk recordings with our many distinguished guests to bring context to what we hope is a simplified, unified message about the fundamental principles of these previous shows: there are just three types of rides. Yes, that’s a simplification. Yes, you’re getting our bias. So, if you want that high level of detail, please return to those past episodes. In this episode, we’re talking about the forest. We’re hoping to give you a framework to understand all that scientific detail. And we’re going to keep it simple. We’ll discuss: - First, when you take away the complexity, training boils down to three ride types in most training models. - We’ll give a simple zone system, based on physiology, and explain why that’s important. - We’ll define the long ride: why it’s important, how to execute it, and why there are no shortcuts. - We’ll define the high-intensity ride: why less is more with this type of ride and why executing it with quality is so critical. Dr. Seiler actually divides these rides into two categories — threshold rides and high-intensity work. For this podcast, we’re lumping them together, but we will hear from Dr. Seiler about why we shouldn’t neglect threshold work despite the current popularity of one-minute intervals and Tabata work. - We’ll discuss the recovery ride. Ironically, for most of us, this is the hardest to execute. When we’re time-crunched, we might think that spending an hour spinning easy on the trainer is not time well spent. We’ll discuss why that philosophy is dangerous to take. - Finally, we’ll talk about some of the exceptions, including sweet spot work and training races. We’ve included excerpts from Dr. San Millan, once the exercise physiologist for the Garmin-Slipstream WorldTour team, among others. We’ll hear several times from Dr. Stephen Seiler, who is often credited with defining the polarized training model, which developed from his research with some of the best endurance athletes in the world. Dr. John Hawley will address both long rides and high-intensity work. Dr. Hawley has been one of the leading researchers in sports science for several decades and is a big proponent of interval work and carbohydrate feeding, but even he feels there’s a limit. Grant Holicky, formerly of Apex Coaching in Boulder, Colorado, has worked with some of the best cyclists in the world. He sees undirected training, those “sort of hard” rides, as one of the biggest mistakes athletes can make. He’ll explain why. And finally, we’ll hear from legendary coach Joe Friel about sweet spot work and why it does have a place… even though technically it’s not one of our three rides. Now, to the forest! Let’s make you fast.

Sad news for fixed-gear crit fans: Red Hook Crit will not take place in 2019. We discuss what this means, how the iconic race series will move forward, and what made it so successful to begin with. Then, we talk about one of the last remaining 24-hour mountain bike races, 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. Every year, more than 4,000 people come to the Arizona desert for this party that devolves into a bike race. We hear from special guest Dave Million who has raced all 20 editions of this event. This episode is sponsored by Floyd’s of Leadville. Athletes, wherever your training takes you, Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products can ease your pain and get you back in the game. Combat muscle soreness and inflammation with Floyd’s arsenal of premium CBD products - transdermal skin cream, penetrating balms, protein, hydration, softgels, and oil. Check out all of Floyd’s of Leadville CBD products at www.floydsofleadville.com.

There are a few factors that slow us down when we ride a bike: aerodynamics, gravity, and friction. Today, we're searching for ways to reduce the friction on our bike without breaking the bank. To do this, we speak with Jason Smith chief technology officer at Ceramic Speed. He explains the many things we can do to make our bikes run faster. Is factory chain grease slow? Which bearings on our bike stand to gain the most from an efficiency upgrade? And what's the deal with ceramic bearings. Smith answers these questions and much more to help us find ways to save a few watts.

U.S. bike shop chain Performance Bicycle is shutting down all of its brick and mortar stores, leaving 1,700 people out of jobs. We talk to Steve Frotheringham, editor in chief at Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, to learn the backstory. After that, we discuss USA Cycling's recently announced selection criteria for the cross-country mountain bike races at the 2020 Olympics. How will the team get picked? Which riders are likely to represent Team USA in Tokyo?

For years, we have used VO2max to measure the maximal rate of our aerobic system. But how do we measure the rate of our anaerobic system? Over the past two decades, renowned physiologist and coach Sebastian Weber has developed the anaerobic equivalent to VO2max, which he calls Vlamax, or the maximal rate of lactate production. Today we take a close look at this sometimes complicated concept, but be patient as there are several points that we address that could have a significant impact on how you train, and how quickly you progress. In this episode, we discuss: - First, we define FTP, and why it may not be the be-all-end-all of training. If you have an FTP of 350 watts, you should be proud. But the more important consideration, particularly for how you train and where you may excel as a cyclist, is how you produce those 350 watts. - What are VO2max and VLamax, and why is the cross-over point of lactate production and lactate clearance so important. - The issues with lab testing: yes, it’s inconvenient, it disrupts training, and it hurts. We’ll also explain why finding ways to get the same information out on the road is important to an athlete’s training. - How to determine VLamax since it can’t be measured as easily as VO2max. - Then we get to the crux: how to apply the concepts of VLamax and VO2max to training. Weber makes the very important point that developing one system generally comes at the cost of the other. - Finally, we address how this has different implications depending on if you are a time trialist or a sprinter. Weber gives great advice to both styles of riders on how to direct their training. Our primary guest today is the head physiologist and scientific brain behind INSCYD, Sebastian Weber. Weber has also coached some of the best riders in the world including Tony Martin, Andre Greipel, and Peter Sagan. INSCYD is currently used by several WorldTour teams, including Bora-Hansgrohe and Jumbo-Visma. Along with Sebastian, we talked with Armando Mastracci, the owner and founder of Xert. While that system’s approach is very different from INCSYD, the two tools are similar in that each uses on-the-road data to analyze a rider's physiology with remarkable accuracy. Mastracci talks about this balance of anaerobic and aerobic power and also the potential issues with outliers in the formulas. Finally, we'll touch base with coach Neal Henderson and mountain bike and gravel racer Rebecca Rusch to get their thoughts on VLamax and how the type of rider you are can influence how you view it.

Geraint Thomas's new tell-all book, "The Tour According to G" comes out in America this week. Ahead of this, we spoke with the 2018 Tour de France champion himself about the book, the race, and much more. Before we get to that, we analyze an exciting weekend of racing at UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Denmark. This episode is sponsored by Strava, which has a new podcast, Athletes Unfiltered. Give it a listen for inspiring, in-depth stories: http://podcast.strava.com/

What happens when a bike company sends its "aero" bike to a wind tunnel? What do we need to know about bike aerodynamics as everyday cyclists? We speak with Geoff Eaker, manager and operator of the A2 wind tunnel, about these topics and much more. He answers questions about CFD testing, how to pick an aero bike, and why wind tunnels should suck not blow.

The biggest weekend of cyclocross season is here! Worlds start Saturday in Denmark. We preview the action and pick a few key riders you can expect to reach the podium. But first, we talk about Elia Viviani, recent winner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race. How does he fit into the pantheon of modern sprinters, and what will he be able to achieve now that he is the number one sprinter on Quick-Step. And we finish off with a chat with Daam van Reeth, a.k.a. Professor Cyclocross. He is an expert in TV viewership trends in Belgium. Unfortunately, the trends are not looking good for 'cross. This episode is sponsored by Strava, which has a new podcast, Athletes Unfiltered. Give it a listen for inspiring, in-depth stories: http://podcast.strava.com/

Periodization is, in many ways, the pinnacle of advanced training. Taking the step to periodize graduates you to a professional approach, one with purpose, long-term vision, and organized planning. But periodization can also be confusing and, frankly, a little scary. Periodizing your training means diving into a world of new concepts, things like training blocks, mesocycles, and increasing specificity. For those of us with jobs, families, who have to deal with inclement weather, it’s harder to plan ahead, to know on Monday what we might fit in on Friday, let alone how to plan our next four-week transition phase. Looking at it in that context, it’s hard to fault those who just hop on Zwift and start smashing it when they have a rare spare hour. The question is, does periodization need to be that complicated? And, while it may be a necessity for pros, can it help those of us with only seven or eight hours to train each week? For answers to those very questions and many more, let’s take a deep dive with the man credited with bringing periodization to cycling back in the 1990s, Joe Friel. Today we’ll discuss, first, - What exactly is periodization? The truth is it’s not as complicated and scary as it may sound. At its simplest, it’s just a way of structuring your season to prepare for your target races. Heard about base training in the winter and top-end work in the spring? That's periodization. - The history of periodization from its first use among Soviet athletes to its introduction to cycling. - The principles of training, including overload, specificity, reversibility, and individualization. These four concepts are at the core of periodization. - With the principles as our base, we’ll dive into the different forms of periodization, starting with traditional linear periodization. It’s the oldest and most common form, but that doesn't mean it isn’t effective. - Next we’ll talk about reverse periodization and why it might not be best for the weekend warrior, even if Chris Froome is doing it. - Next we’ll talk about non-linear forms of periodization, including undulating periodization and the most recently developed strategy called block periodization. - Then we’ll finish up with a few tips on how to pick a periodization strategy that’s right for you — assuming you want to use one at all. Our guest today is legendary coach Joe Friel, who just recently published a new edition of the definitive book on training, The Cyclists Training Bible. The first edition back in the 1990s introduced periodization to cyclists but it only covered traditional periodization. This new edition covers all of the strategies we discuss in this podcast. We also briefly hear from Sepp Kuss, of the Jumbo-Visma team, who, surprisingly, tried periodization for the first time this season as a WorldTour rider. Next, we talk with Paulo Saldanha, among other things the coach of Mike Woods of the EF Education First team, who has very unique periodization approaches with both his top pros and the masters athletes he coaches. Finally, we’ll hear from Colby Pearce, a regular contributor to Fast Talk, who will give his opinion on periodization and how to pick an approach for you.

Caleb Ewan's Tour Down Under head-butt ... Was it too dangerous or just part of racing? We discuss, and also we hear from Luke Rowe who was racing in Australia. He talks about Geraint Thomas's Tour win and more. Plus, we hear from Svein Tuft on his move to Rally-UHC and how he'll shepherd young riders through the European peloton. This episode is sponsored by Strava, which has a new podcast, Athletes Unfiltered. Give it a listen for inspiring, in-depth stories: http://podcast.strava.com/

The 2019 WorldTour is officially underway this week at the Tour Down Under, and a few big names have made the trek to Australia to race in the summertime heat. We hear from one of those marquee riders — EF's Mike Woods — as he gets his season going at an event that should suit his skill set. We also talk Giro vs. Tour start lists, McLaren's arrival as a cycling sponsor, and EF's new kit — it will certainly stand out in the peloton. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Strava. Want to try Strava Summit and its wealth of analysis, training, and safety features? Go to www.strava.com/summit and use this promo code for a free month of Strava Summit: velonews

Those who take their training and racing seriously are always looking for something to give them an edge — that marginal gain — including nutritional supplements. So much has been promised to us in pill form, it’s created a multi-billion-dollar industry. Those promises carry into enhanced endurance performance. And many athletes have resorted to the morning supplement cocktail believing it will make them better cyclists. But there’s a dark side. Those cocktails can actually hurt performance, certainly affect health, and lead to even darker, ethically-challenged places. Today, we’re going to talk about supplements and our concerns with them, and then cover a few foods that actually do work. We’ll discuss: - We thought about bashing all the supplements that don'’t work, but then realized we only have an hour. So instead, Trevor will read a description of every supplement that does work. That list combined with a discussion of its sources will cover the first three minutes. - We'll talk about supplements in general and why they can be a big concern. - And with those concerns in context, we’ll start addressing things that have been proven to help, staring with pickle juice. - Next on our list is beet root juice which can not only help performance, but has been shown to have health benefits as well. - Believe it or not, we’re going to talk about chocolate — or more specifically the active ingredient, cocoa flavonoids, which also, surprisingly, have both performance and health benefits. - That, of course, leads to something that frequently comes up in the sports nutrition literature — chocolate milk. It’s as effective as most recovery mixes. So, the key question is how effective are the mixes? - Finally, we’ll revisit the ketogenic diet and specifically supplementing with ketone esters. - Our primary guest today is Ryan Kohler, the manager of the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center who holds a masters degree in sports nutrition and exercise science. Ryan has helped Trevor and I with many previous articles and behind-the-scenes work with some of our experiments, shall we call them. We’re excited to finally get him in front of the mic, even if he is a little shy. In addition, we'll talk with world-renowned coach Joe Friel, author of the definitive book on training, "The Cyclists Training Bible." We asked Joe his opinion about supplementation based on decades of coaching. We'll also hear from endurance mountain biker Rebecca Rusch and Apex Coaching owner Neal Henderson, the personal coach of world time trial champion Rohan Dennis. They'll each give us their thoughts on supplements and a few things they've found that work.

New year, new ... USA Cycling CEO? That's right the American governing body just announced its new boss, Rob DeMartini, who comes from an unconventional background. We discuss the move. Also, Fred Dreier talks to Ben Wolfe about the rocky off-season that domestic pro riders had to endure. With four major teams either closing down or changing significantly it was a time of stress and unrest. Plus, we discuss the 90-year-old (yep, that isn't a typo) rider who was recently sanctioned by USADA and the upcoming Santos Tour Down Under. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Strava. Want to try Strava Summit and its wealth of analysis, training, and safety features? Go to www.strava.com/summit and use this promo code for a free month of Strava Summit: velonews

Don't be such a Dan! A Dan?! That's right, our tech podcast host Dan Cavallari is a bit timid about riding in foul weather. Not to worry because today he is talking with Rob Pickels, physiologist in advanced development at Pearl Izumi. They discuss how breathability works (and why that is a misnomer), how waterproof your cycling kit really needs to be, and why zippers actually don't work that well if you need to cool off. Pickels has plenty of insight on how different fabrics work in different conditions and advice to help you layer more effectively this winter.

In episode 64, we ask the question: What does it take to stand on the podium at the world championships? It’s a simple question without a simple answer. Strength buys you a seat at the table, but playing a winning hand takes effective training, teamwork, near-perfect strategy, and an incredible mindset. In today's episode we take a deep dive into all of the elements that are needed for a podium placing at worlds with two of the members of the Canadian team — Mike Woods and Rob Britton. The two of them, along with their team of coaches, asked that simple question over a year before the 2018 world championships. Canada doesn't have the biggest reputation, nor the best-funded team, but they found the answers and earned Mike the bronze medal. So, how did they do it? Today we'll cover: - How the race played out to put Mike in a position to fight for the podium - Rob Britton's all-day breakaway that helped put Mike in that position - The final “hell climb” as Rob calls it, how it was central to Mike’s strategy, the sort of numbers he put out on the climb, and why those numbers don’t tell the full story - The finale, and why in a split second the excitement of a podium momentarily turned into a disappointment - A comparison of Mike’s and Rob’s very different preparations for worlds. Mike used the Tour of Utah and the Vuelta to get his legs ready. Rob, on the other hand, loaded his bike up with fifty pounds of gear and did a very low-tech ride across half of Canada. Yet, both riders arrived with great legs… and, perhaps more importantly, great mindsets. - How Rob and Mike balanced their training — including the balance of long slow volume rides, threshold work, and VO2max training, and how training for a seven hour event like worlds may differ from the local two-hour race - Our primary guests for this podcast were the Canadian superstars themselves: Mike Woods of the EF Education First team and Rob Britton of Rally Cycling. Mike, who comes from a running background, exploded onto the scene five years ago and since then has raced multiple grand tours, which has included a recent stage win at the Vuelta. Rob has dominated the domestic scene with multiple wins, including the GC victory at races like Tour of the Gila. In addition to Rob and Mike, we'll talk with Mike’s coach Paulo Saldahna. Despite his remarkable coaching success, Paulo points out that coaching is only one of the many hats he wears. He’s the owner of the successful indoor training company PowerWatts and is an endurance sport physiologist by trade where he builds support structures for athletes worldwide and runs a high performance facility in Montreal. Finally, we'll talk briefly with Dr. Ciaran O'Grady, a coach and sports scientist at Team Dimension Data. As a WorldTour coach, we'll ask him what's different about training for a seven hour race.

We talk with cyclocross veteran Helen Wyman (Xypex) about some of the storylines shaping international women’s cyclocross in 2018. Why are some races still too short? What impact will the junior women’s division have on elite racing? And which riders are the favorites to win the world title?

Carbon fiber bike frames are light years ahead of their predecessors in the early days of the technology. How do bike companies milk so much performance out of such lightweight frames in 2019? To learn about the technology, we speak with Jeff Soucek, director of research and development at Felt Bicycles. He explains mysterious terms like modulus, resins, additives, and layups. All of this results in better bicycles for all types of riding or racing.

The future is uncertain for Team Sky. Its title sponsor rocked the cycling world with news that it will end its support after 2019. What comes next? Can David Brailsford find a new sponsor? What happens to Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, and all the others if the team tanks? We talk to our man in Europe Andrew Hood to learn more. Then we recap a muddy, wild U.S. cyclocross nationals including interviews with winners Stephen Hyde and Katie Compton. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Strava. Want to try Strava Summit and its wealth of analysis, training, and safety features? Go to www.strava.com/summit and use this promo code for a free month of Strava Summit: velonews

It's the holidays and if you're like us, right about now, you're scrambling for gift ideas. So we're trying something new on Fast Talk and doing a gift episode. Of course, there's a ton of great gifts you can give that cyclist in your life, so we can't cover them all. Instead, we're going to focus on a few cool training gadgets. Some of which you're very familiar with and some you may never have even heard of.We'll talk about what they are, how they're used and whether we think they're worth putting under the tree or not. Of course, a few of these ideas may be a little too expensive for stocking stuffers, so it may be better to see this episode as our review of several cool, interesting and potentially valuable training tools. Today we'll talk about: 1. The Whoop Recovery strap - what is it, why it may be a valuable tool for tracking your recovery and our personal experience - good and bad - with the tool. 2. The Normatec Recovery System. Do they work and some thoughts on how to use them. If you listened to our recent episode on recovery, you already know our opinion, but we certainly couldn't leave them out of an episode on cool training gear. 3. Power Meters. Alright, that's nothing new or unique, but we'll give our hot takes on which are good and what to be careful about. 4. The Leomo Type-R. A truly unique device offering on-the-road biomechanical analysis that wasn't previously available. It's a fascinating tool, but as we'll discuss, it may be so new, we still haven't figured out how to use it. 5. And finally, we'll finish up with a foam rollers. They may not be as sexy as some of our other gift ideas, but they're cheap and they work. Our guests today are hour-record holder and coach extraordinaire Colby Pearce along with FastCat owner and likewise coach extraodrinaire Frank Overton. At this point do either of them really need an introduction on Fast Talk? We always love having them on the show and hearing their insights. In addition, we'll talk with professional cyclist Rebecca Rusch and Apex Coaching owner Neal Henderson. Both have been at the top of the cycling world for years, so we'd definitely love to hear what gifts they'd like to get. Their answers were a little less tangible than you might expect.

U.S. cyclocross national championships are coming up this weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. Can Katie Compton and Stephen Hyde salvage their seasons? They have each struggled with setbacks so far this season. Compton first dealt with allergies and then a virus. Hyde had two major crashes resulting in injuries and weeks of rehab. We examine their chances of defending their national titles and rate their key rivals. Then, Dane catches up with Tejay van Garderen who is turning over a new leaf in 2019 with his new team, EF Education First. Hear about how he expects things to change, and what his ambitions look like. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

We've been getting a ton of questions from listeners, and many of them have had similar themes. (We appreciate the feedback, look forward to your questions, and generate many future podcast topics from them, so please keep them coming.) While you're waiting for future episodes with deeper answers, we'd like to give you some short answers now to tide you over. Today we'll answer questions about diet, the value of short easy rides, sub-threshold work in a polarized training model, and inflammation.

Power meters are everywhere, but do we actually understand how they work or what they actually do for us as cyclists? For this episode of the tech podcast, we talk with Pat Warner of Stages Cycling. He helps us understand the basics of how power meters work, from the strain gauges to what bike component houses the power meters. He also delves into questions about watts per kilo, how to effectively train with a power meter, and the hot-hot question of whether power meters are ruining the Tour de France!

Our man in Europe Andrew Hood Skypes in to talk about what he learned at Movistar's team camp. Plus, he remembers the late Paul Sherwen, who died unexpectedly Sunday night. We discuss if Nairo Quintana can turn things around after a disappointing 2018 season, whether Mikel Landa is cut out to be an outright grand tour GC leader, and how Alejandro Valverde is handling the spotlight of being world champion. Later in the program, we hear from Katie Compton on her "worst season yet" and ask her if she'll be able to defend her national cyclocross championship title. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

In today’s episode, we start by asking our expert guests that simple question: Do we need a coach? Next, we’ll talk about the relationship athletes have with their coaches — what makes a good relationship and what makes a bad one. After we’ve defined that relationship, we’ll ask our panel what to look for in a good coach. And, conversely, how to identify a bad coach. Finally, we’ll talk briefly about how much coaching is worth, and whether an athlete should stick with the same coach or change from time to time. Our panel today includes coach Neal Henderson, owner of Apex Coaching and current coach of time trial world champion Rohan Dennis, among other elite athletes. Neal has joined us before, on one of our most popular episodes, in fact, Episode 33: Is FTP Dead? Our other main guest today is the renowned endurance athlete Rebecca Rusch, formerly an adventure racer, now a decorated cyclist of mountain bike, gravel, and bike-packing events around the world. Rebecca currently works with CTS coach Dean Golich; for many years she went without a coach. She has a great depth of experience as an athlete and brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation. In addition to our panel, we have several experts weigh in throughout this episode: Ciaran O’Grady, a coach and sports scientist with Team Dimension Data, talks with us about the pros and cons of self-coaching versus the accountability that comes from working with a coach. LottoNL-Jumbo’s Sepp Kuss, winner of this year’s Tour of Utah, reached the WorldTour by being self-coached. We talk about why he did that, and what it’s like now working with the team’s trainers. We check in with Dean Golich, head performance physiologist at CTS. Dean has worked with an incredible number of top athletes and shares some of his thoughts on how he approaches coaching them. The legendary Ned Overend continues to crush Cat. 1 riders into his 60s. Despite all of his success, Ned has never had a coach. He explains why. Finally we talk with Armando Mastracci, who has developed a highly sophisticated training AI system that can help athletes plan their workouts. Armando discusses what parts of coaching a good AI system can replace and what it can’t.

Two interesting storylines are developing in the world of cyclocross. In the U.S., the door is opening for a newcomer to win men's nationals. Abroad, the elite women's field is more competitive than ever. We lead off with a conversation about the domestic scene and the litany of injuries taking top riders out of the picture. We call up Kerry Werner to hear about how this changes the races and his chances to win a Stars and Stripes jersey. Then, we shift our focus to Europe. Don't worry about Mathieu van der Poel winning the men's races by a country mile, the women's field offers the most exciting racing a fan could ask for. All that and more on this episode of the VeloNews podcast!

Are you shocked at how common e-bikes have become? We decided to learn more about the basics of how electric-assist bikes work. To help us understand e-bikes, we called up Jonathan Weinert, sales and marketing manager at Bosch. He explains how the motors give you that tailwind sensation, the technology behind the batteries, and how e-bikes have evolved. All that and much more on this episode of the VeloNews tech podcast.

After four years at the helm, Derek Bouchard-Hall is stepping down from his role as USA Cycling's CEO. Fred gave him a call to evaluate the state of America's governing body. What is USA Cycling doing well? Where is it falling short? And what does the future hold? Also, Bouchard-Hall evaluates his own work as leader of USAC. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

In episode 60 we're discussing trainers. For those who hate them, we get it, but stay tuned, as we’ll tell you why you shouldn’t completely ignore them. For those who love them, we’re going to tell you why riding outside every once in a while is a really good thing. For those in between, today’s episode will offer a wealth of knowledge on how to get the very most out of trainer time. Now, one thing is certain: The days of staring at the basement wall while riding your clunky, loud trainer are behind us. Today’s smart trainers and online tools allow us to "game-ify" the experience and are making many re-consider how they feel about riding indoors, and importantly, the extent of the training benefits. In this episode, we'll talk about the science and experience of the trainer, including: (1) How riding on a trainer differs from riding on the road, including the experience, our interaction with the bike, the different inertia generated by the trainer, and its impact on our biomechanics. (2) What impact these differences have on our power and heart rate, and why we shouldn't use the same numbers inside and outside. (3) We’ll discuss situations where it’s good to use a trainer—and when it may be even better than riding on the road, such as when we’re doing neuromuscular work. (4) Likewise, we’ll talk about situations where you might want to avoid the trainer. You might know already… a five-hour, mind-numbing ride on the trainer is a sign of incredible dedication. Don't do it again. (5) The game-ification of trainers by tools like Zwift, Trainer Road, and Sufferfest, and how this is changing our perspective on trainers. It can be both good and bad. When to use rollers rather than a trainer. (6) And, finally, we'll talk about how much time to spend on the trainer, and alternatives even when there's snow outside. You're going to get a lot of different opinions in this podcast. None of us will go so far as to call the trainer Satan — though at times we'll come close — but you will hear a few guests give convincing evidence that the trainer has benefits you can't get on the road. Ultimately, it's going to be up to you to decide. Our primary guest today is Ciaran O'Grady who is a new coach and sports scientist at Team Dimension Data. Ciaran just finished his Ph.D. at Kent University with Dr. James Hopker, who conducted some of the definitive research on the biomechanical differences between riding on a trainer and the road. In addition, we'll talk with: Retired multi-time national cyclocross champion Tim Johnson. Having lived in the northeast for most of his life, Tim is very familiar with riding indoors and has a lot of good points to offer from two decades of experience. Trevor also caught up with Jacob Fraser from Zwift and Kevin Poulton who coaches Matt Hayman and Caleb Ewan, and works with Team Katusha. Kevin used Zwift to coach Matt to his 2016 Paris-Roubaix win and since then has integrated significant trainer time into his athletes' race preparation. And with that, get your fan ready, dial in your Zwift avatar — make sure you enter your weight correctly in Zwift now, no cheating. Let's make you fast!

Cyclocross is here! But it doesn't seem like it is as wildly popular as it was back when Tim Johnson was racing. We talk to the former national champion about the state of U.S. cyclocross. What will keep people stoked on racing in the mud every autumn? Also, Johnson talks about one of American cyclocross's top riders, Kaitie Keough as well as the divide between European 'cross and the American World Cup races. All that and more on this episode of the VeloNews podcast!

We have noticed a trend: Riders are opting for shorter saddles with pronounced cutouts. What's the explanation for this shift? On this episode, we bring on Chris Jacobson, Shimano North America's product line manager for Pro Components and BikeFitting.com. He answers our many questions about how riders can (or should) select saddles, what are some common bike fit issues, and why saddles have evolved to become shorter. All that and more on this episode of the VeloNews tech podcast.

News leaked out this week that SRAM is developing a new 12-speed eTap component group. We bring tech editor Dan Cavallari on the show to discuss its likely features and what it takes to increase the size of a cassette. Then, we serve up some takes on the 2019 Giro d'Italia route. Will the mountainous back half of the race make up for what seems like a boring start? Who will win it? And finally we talk to Geoff Kabush who dared to ride a gravel bike in a mountain bike race... And in fact, he won Iceman Cometh on those curly bars. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

In this episode of Fast Talk, we speak with the guru of cycling medicine and ergonomics, Dr. Andy Pruitt, about cycling's most common injuries and how to prevent them. The discussion includes: 1)What used to be the most common over-use injury — knee problems — why they are no longer the most common problem, and how it’s possible for most of us to go through the rest of our cycling careers without one. 2)Back problems — these have eclipsed knee issues as the most common cycling complaint. Unfortunately, the cycling position is not kind to the lower back, but there are still things we can do to prevent pain. 3) Saddle sores, numbness, and pressure issues, and how with the right saddle and fit most of these issues can be addressed. 4) Just like the back, the cycling position can be tough on the neck. We’ll discuss. 5) Feet and hands — many of us think that numbness is just part of riding a bike. But the truth is that if you're experiencing numbness, something is wrong, and it can generally be solved. 6) Finally, for those of you still clinging to that 1980's mindset, we'll talk about just how bad it was then and why you want to get with the 2000s.

Tour de France organizers boasted that the 2019 route was the "highest Tour ever" — does that mean it will be exciting for fans? We analyze the mountainous route and debate whether they should have included more time trial kilometers. Also at the Tour presentation, race director Christian Prudhomme had some strong takes on power meters — he thinks they should be banned from racing! Is that right? Does he even understand how they work? We discuss. If you live in the Colorado Front Range (or close enough to drive) come out to VeloSwap on Saturday! Fred and Spencer will be there checking out all the cool vintage bike gear: www.veloswap.com

American Robin Carpenter found himself in the deep end of the European peloton this past season. His Rally Pro cycling team made a big push to race more in Europe, and Carpenter has plenty of exciting stories from the experience. He explains how he manages to find breakaways that succeed, what it is like to be up against WorldTour heavies, and why pro cyclists always get married in October. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

In episode 56, we talked with Colby Pearce about what it takes to make an attempt at the hour record on the track. Not long after, Pearce set the master’s 45-49 world record with a scorching 50.245 kilometer effort. For this special episode, we caught up with him to discuss his successful attempt, the training he did, the difficulties of selecting gears and training on a track that was different from the one where he set the record, and how he managed the pain.

This episode features two controversial guests. First, we have Thomas Dekker, a retired pro who recently wrote a book that gave an in-depth look at the rampant doping in the early 2000s. We hear from him on why an honest look at that era is important to him and whether other ex-dopers should be involved in the sport. Then, we talk to Dr. Rachel McKinnon who just became the first transgender rider to win a world championship. She won the masters 35-44 sprint event on the track over the weekend. McKinnon explains some of the issues and misconceptions about transgender athletes. Off the top, we discuss the action at Il Lombardia and much more. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Mavic and Fezzari. Learn more about Mavic's Allroad wheels and tires here: https://www.velonews.com/2018/07/gravel/first-look-mavic-allroad-pro-ust-disc-wheels-and-yksion-allroad-xl-tires_472526 ... and check out the Fezzari Signal Peak that Spencer's been riding all season at the Epic Rides mountain bike races: https://www.velonews.com/2018/05/bikes-and-tech/first-look-fezzari-signal-peak_465206

So, you think you know bicycles? Well, think again. Today we’re sitting down with a legend of the cycling industry to talk about a variety of factors in frame design that most cyclists have never heard of. Yet these design elements — things like fork offset, trail, and head tube angle — have a bigger impact on a bike’s performance and ride quality than frame material, or any of the things we focus on when checking out what our friends are riding. Our guest today is longtime VeloNews contributor Lennard Zinn. Author of the definitive books on bicycle maintenance, Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance and Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, among other titles, Zinn has spent the past 37 years building custom bikes and studying the physics of bicycle design. Incidentally, it all started with his college thesis on building an un-rideable bike.

Remember when rims had hooks to hold on the tire beads? Well, that is changing. Hookless rim designs are everywhere in the world of mountain bikes and now they're coming to road wheels. The design is lighter and offers performance benefits. We talk to Alto Cycling's Bobby Sweeting about this evolving technology. He also expands on carbon rim technology, rim brakes, and why pro riders don't like disc brakes. Finally, Sweeting talks about the controversial test his company conducted to test rival companies' wheels under the stress of heavy rim braking.

With Il Lombardia approaching, it's a great time for the VeloNews podcast to take a closer look at the final monument of the season. There's plenty to discuss: Newly crowned world champion Alejandro Valverde is hungry for his first win in the rainbow stripes, and riders like Thibaut Pinot and Mike Woods are eager to put their late-season form to good use. We pick a few favorites for Saturday's race. Plus, news director Spencer Powlison reports on his experience at the Oz Trails Off-Road. The final event in the Epic Rides series offered some great racing — and one heck of a prize purse — over the weekend. This episode is sponsored by Feedback Sports, which just unveiled its Range Torque Ratchet Combo wrench. This tool is all you need to correctly torque your bike's bolts and easily remove them without damaging the torque mechanism. Learn more: https://www.feedbacksports.com/shop/range-torque-ratchet-combo/

Best worlds ever? The Innsbruck edition of the UCI World Road Championships certainly had tons of exciting action. We hear from Team USA rider Coryn Rivera on how the action played out and what it was like for her to make that bold breakaway in the elite women's race. Then, we discuss Alejandro Valverde. He won the rainbow jersey with magnificent cunning, but for some, he is a symbol of the bad-old-days of early 2000s doping. How do we feel about having a world champion who served a doping ban after Operacion Puerto? All that and much more on this podcast. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

The Hour. Those two words represent many things to many people. Some believe it to be the ultimate test of man and machine: out there on the track, with nowhere to hide, an athlete must come to terms with what they’re truly capable of. Others know it as a form of torture, a crucible for understanding one’s ability to cope with pain, suffering, or madness. If you’re lucky, the Hour is a hard way to reach a form of cycling-inspired, dizzying nirvana. Many of the greatest cyclists in history have made attempts or held the Hour record. Most of them then crawled off their bikes never to ride on a track again. With UCI rule changes several years ago came a resurgence in interest in the event. Eventually, Bradley Wiggins smashed the record, hitting 54.526 kilometers in June 2015. And the obsession lives on. There are few people in the world who know both the agony and ecstasy of the Hour as well as Colby Pearce, our main guest today and someone who has attempted more Hour records than anyone else I can think of. Just days ago he set a new master’s world record in the 45-49 age category, riding a remarkable 50.245 kilometers, 833 meters farther than the previous record held by Kent Bostick.

How fast have you gone on a bike? Denise Mueller-Korenek hit 184 miles per hour! We hear from her about her wild ride. But first, we have an in-depth preview of UCI World Road Championships. It's a climber's course, but will it suit a pure climber? We discuss the favorites of the men's and women's races and analyze the course. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews Check out the bike that Mueller-Korenek rode to her world-record speed: https://www.velonews.com/2018/09/gallery/bike-gallery-denise-mueller-koreneks-record-breaking-khs_479137

The 2018 grand tour season was a British invasion! Simon Yates made it a clean sweep by winning the Vuelta a España. Was it a good edition of the Vuelta? What does it mean for Yates? How do we rank this year's grand tours? We unpack the action from Spain. Then, Fred talks to Gregor Brown who followed the race on the ground and he speaks to Mitchelton-Scott team director Matt White via Skype after the team's first grand tour victory. Plus, Spencer talks about the story behind Breck Epic mountain bike race's decision not to sell to Ironman. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Health IQ. To get a free quote and save money on life insurance, go to www.HealthIQ.com/velonews

The best riders understand … mindset wins races. And controlling your thought patterns in races is one of the most powerful things you can do. Mindset in cycling is an important and frequently neglected side of our training and racing. It's avoided because it seems unclear, inconsistent, and, let's face it, can be too new-agey for the likes of us "tough guys." In reality, mindset is often all that separates the best from second best and can be the difference between reaching the podium or finishing a race. When Coach Connor managed Team Rio Grande, he offered to cover the costs for one of our riders for a few sessions with a top sports psychologist in Colorado. The rider refused and ultimately quit the team. But when Trevor told several high-level pros the story they all asked the same thing: "Can I get those appointments?!" Today, we'll delve into this concept of controlling your thoughts for performance. We'll touch on: 1. The concept of dominant thought and why it's so important, including whether we are funnels or buckets. 2. How athletes are either task- or ego-oriented, the pros and cons of each, and why it's important to know which one you are 3. Using trigger words to control your dominant thought 4. Why it may not actually be good to stay mentally focused for an entire race and how to pick your moments when you are on your mental game 5. And finally, how to control your thoughts when your body is screaming in pain and telling you to stop Our primary guest today is a professor of sports psychology and is a senior teaching professor at Colorado State University, Dr. Brian Butki. Dr. Butki has worked with athletes in almost every sport, both at the university level and on professional teams in the Colorado area. In addition to Dr. Butki we spoke with: Dean Golich, a head coach at Carmichael Training Systems. Over decades as a top coach, Dean has worked with athletes all the way from recreational amateur riders to Olympians and world champions. He is uniquely qualified to talk about the mindset of top athletes. You may be very surprised to hear what he has to say. Sepp Kuss, a WorldTour rider with LottoNL-Jumbo and winner of the 2018 Tour of Utah, talks with us briefly about his mindset and the danger of being too focused on the win. Finally, local top coach Colby Pearce gives us a variety of tips on controlling your mindset both in training and in racing situations. In our next episode, we'll talk with Colby and Chris about the hour record and their experience with it. But in the meantime, Colby is going for the master's world record from September 22-25. We're still waiting to hear if they are going to livestream it. If they do, we'll put a link up on the VeloNews page for this podcast along with our references. So let's get to the task at hand. Find your balance. Focus your mind. But don't get too focused … you need your breaks. Let's make you fast!

Wow. Kate Courtney won world mountain bike championships, breaking a 17-year drought for the U.S. We call the champ to hear firsthand about the exciting race in Switzerland. But first, Andrew Hood catches us up on all the key storylines from the Vuelta a España — the budding Colombian rivalry, Simon Yates's chances of winning the overall, that terrible crash at the finish of stage 12, and whether Movistar can use its strong team to win in the race's final week. All that and more on this episode of the VeloNews podcast!

What’s up with all the “standards” in bottom bracket technology? Tech editor Dan Cavallari talks to Jay Sycip from Chris King to find out why there are so many different bottom brackets today, what happened to threaded bottom brackets, and whether we’ll ever see the end of creaky press-fits.

It has been a big week for American cyclists — Ben King won two stages at the Vuelta. Sepp Kuss, in his debut Vuelta, has been tearing up the climbs. And Ashton Lambie set a new world record in the individual pursuit, winning Pan-American Games gold. We talk to all three of those riders, plus we hear from European correspondent Andrew Hood who has been following the Vuelta. Spencer also has a quick rundown of what Rebecca's Private Idaho is all about. This gravel race put on by the "Queen of Pain" Rebecca Rusch is just as fun as it is hard. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Roka. Spencer wore the superlight GP-1 sunglasses at Rebecca's Private Idaho and loved their comfortable fit and clear optics. Learn more: https://www.roka.com/collections/apex-sunglasses/products/gp-1-sunglasses

We received so many questions after we published episode 51, "Polarizing your training, with Dr. Stephen Seiler," we decided to take an even closer look at the polarized model of endurance training, to help listeners execute such a model in their training. Our discussion includes: - Why cycling is an aerobic sport - What is meant by the two thresholds — LT1 and LT2 — and how to determine yours, both in terms of power and heart rate. Dr. Seiler provides a test protocol to determine LT2, which may sound very similar to Neal Henderson's test that was described in episode 33, “Is FTP dead?” - Why it's important not to over-estimate LT1 or LT2, and how to use them to determine your zones in a three-zone model. - The specifics of zone 1 training: how long, how much, how easy? We take a deep dive into what zone 1 training is all about, why it's important to keep those rides easy, and the value of long rides. - Finally, we discuss the 80-20 principle of the polarized model and how to put it into practice to map out your week.

Did you just tear up your list of Vuelta GC favorites? We did. Vincenzo Nibali, Richie Porte, and others are already off the back. We discuss how the race has unfolded so far and look back on the first mountaintop finish won by American Ben King. Also, there is sad news out of Ireland as yet another team is folding. Aqua Blue Sport made the unusual decision to cease operations immediately, putting an end to a weird saga that began with a premature announcement that they'd merge with Wout Van Aert's team. And finally, Megan Guarnier announced she's retiring at the end of the season, we remember some of our favorite moments from her decorated career.

Your drivetrain does a lot of work, and in order to do it well, a bike has to be designed with chain line in mind. What's that, you ask? That's exactly what we cover in this week's VeloNews tech podcast. VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari asks SRAM's chief system engineer for road drivetrains, Anthony Medaglia, how your drivetrain's chain line influences the way your bike is designed. Does chain line matter as much as it did ten years ago? What about 1X drivetrains — what kind of stresses affect the chain when it's angled like that? Medaglia's got the answers.

The Colorado Classic offered plenty of storylines over the past week. We hear from Travis McCabe on what the atmosphere has been like on a UnitedHealthcare team that could fold at the end of the season despite the team's dominance in Colorado. We also hear from Lauren Hall, for whom the Colorado Classic marked the final race of a long career. The podcast also looks ahead to the Vuelta a España. The season's third and final grand tour gets underway this weekend with a start list that includes GC heavyweights like Nairo Quintana, Vincenzo Nibali, and Richie Porte, and also the reigning world champion, Peter Sagan, returning to the Vuelta for the first time since 2015. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Feedback Sports, which makes the stable and easy to use Sprint Repair Stand. For more, check out www.feedbacksports.com.

This spring we sat down with Sepp Kuss, the recent winner of the Tour of Utah, to discuss what it was like to go from domestic U.S. racing to the WorldTour in three short years. The theme that returns again and again is the struggle of jumping to the highest level and the need to persist when your first year is a grind. There's also some great advice about training, raising your level, and the value of persistence. So, in honor of Sepp's Tour of Utah win, we present our interview. We talk with him about: - His career so far: Since Sepp did his first road race just three years ago, this part will be short. - What his spring was like in Europe, and surviving his first big race: the Tour of the Basque Country - The mental side of stepping up to a higher level and getting beat up over and over again - What training is like in Europe compared to what it’s like in the domestic peloton - Finally, we have a longer discussion with Sepp about something that may surprise you: his focus on the process rather than the results We'll also hear from Joe Dombrowski, a leader of the EF Education First-Drapac WorldTour team. Joe was one of Sepp's chief rivals at the Tour of Utah this year and won the race himself back in 2015. The discussion will serve as a good comparison of how the two riders train. So, get some popcorn, pull up the highlight reel of the Tour of Utah, smile along as Sepp dances away from the competition. Let's make you fast!

Sepp Kuss absolutely smashed the field at Tour of Utah. So is he America's next star climber? We hear from Dane Cash, who was covering the race this year and Chris Case, who did an in-depth sports science feature on climbing that featured Kuss (how prescient!). Then, Fred Dreier talks to another star climber, Katie Hall, who just announced she will race for super-team Boels-Dolmans in 2018. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Feedback Sports, which makes the stable and easy to use Sprint Repair Stand. For more, check out https://www.feedbacksports.com

The science on recovery has changed significantly in recent years. Once it was almost purely focused on reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (or DOMS), now the science recognizes that inflammation and some discomfort are a necessary part of recovery, and the best recovery tools aid this process. The tools that seem to do this best are within the compression categories of recovery, including massage, cold water therapy, and compression gear. In episode 52 we’ll cover: 1. The current research on recovery: how it's changing and why getting out of the way of our bodies and letting them do their thing is often best. 2. We’ll also touch upon those areas where the body doesn't always do a great job and may need some help. This includes venous return, edema, and excess inflammation. 3. We'll zero in on compression therapies which have been showing benefits and explain these sophisticated tools called external pneumatic compression 4. Our guests will talk specifically about NormaTec: how the founder, a doctor, was looking to help her patients with vascular issues when she hatched the plan to create the company and the device; we’ll also discuss some promising recent studies. 5. And we'll warn you now, we'll go a little deep in the weeds about NormaTec's effects on inflammation, and whether they’re beneficial or inhibitory. 6. Finally, if you decide to give the recovery boots a try, we'll give some tips on when, where, and how to do so.

What is trail? No, not that dirt path you like to mountain bike on — we are talking about the often-misunderstood bike geometry measurement. In this episode of the VeloNews tech podcast, we speak to BMC Switzerland's head of engineering, Stefan Christ. He helps us better understand how trail affects a bike's handling. But more importantly, he explains why a variety of factors influence the way a bike feels — it isn't as simple as just one geometry measurement.

What is it like to finish the Tour de France on the Champs-Elysees? Fred Dreier is on the ground in Paris to hear from the riders. He speaks to (in the following order) Toms Skujins, Lawson Craddock, Rory Sutherland, Mathew Hayman, Andy Schleck, and Alexander Kristoff, who won stage 21. We also hear Geraint Thomas fans singing the Welsh national anthem to honor their first Tour champion. If you dig our podcast, please consider subscribing to VeloNews magazine. If you do so before midnight July 31, you get a free book! Subscribe here: https://www.velopress.com/books/subscribe-to-velonews-and-get-a-free-book/

There are few scientists who get Coach Connor more excited than our guest in this episode. Dr. Stephen Seiler has revolutionized our understanding of endurance training. (In fact, Coach Connor refers to him as the Jay-Z of physiology!) In this episode, we'll take a deep dive into the many theories he has brought to sport science and physiology. His three-zone model of training is built around two physiological breakpoints. He feels these breakpoints define three physiological zones. Zone 1 is below the aerobic threshold, and what we call easy base training. Zone 2 is between the breakpoints and has many names including no-man's land or sweet spot. The third zone is our high intensity training zone. Next we'll talk about how, by studying elite athletes, Seiler found a remarkable consistency: Most endurance athletes train about 80 percent of the time in Zone 1, around 15 to 20 percent in Zone 3, and very little in Zone 2. This has become known as polarized training. We'll also take a deep dive with Dr. Seiler into both Zone 1 and Zone 3 training and how to approach both. A theme will start to emerge, and you'll hear one of the top physiologists in the world repeat it again and again: Keep it simple. That might seem surprising, but the research is clear: Complex intervals and overly detailed training plans may hurt more than they help. Ultimately it may be as simple as accumulating time in the various zones in the right ratios. Finally, we'll discuss how these principles apply specifically to training. Seiler's research includes Nordic skiers, rowers, runners, and cyclists. So be warned, at times you'll hear some concepts that may be unfamiliar to you. For example, cycling is one of the few places where endurance athletes do five-hour workouts. In other endurance sports, they add volume by doing two-a-days.

We saw something very unusual in Tour de France stage 17: Chris Froome got dropped. Big time. Is this the beginning of the end of his era? We discuss. And, we hear from Dave Brailsford after the summit finish. So who will win the race now? We talk about how yellow jersey wearer (and Froome's Sky teammate) Geraint Thomas is a breath of fresh, rugby-watching, beer-drinking air in the world of dull pro cyclists. For more on that, check out Fred Dreier's recent story: https://www.velonews.com/2018/07/tour-de-france/who-is-geraint-thomas_472972 Like what you hear? Consider subscribing to VeloNews magazine: http://www.velonews.com/subscribe

You expected to see a Team Sky rider wearing yellow this week, didn't you. But did you expect it would be Geraint Thomas? We didn't. So, Fred and Andy dig into who Welshman is, and why he's gotten so good. Fred talks to Team Sky coach Rod Ellingworth to learn more. But before that, we have to talk about another, less likable member of Team Sky, Gianni Moscon. He was kicked out of the Tour on Sunday and we have plenty of takes about why the Italian is bad for cycling. Plus, we hear from American Chad Haga who is racing in his first Tour de France. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by CycleOps, makers of the Hammer indoor smart trainer. The VeloNews editorial staff may be hunched over computers all day during the Tour de France, but we can stay fit all July, day or night, by hopping on the Hammer and riding in our favorite virtual training app, like Zwift, Rouvy, TrainerRoad, or The SufferFest. Learn about the Hammer here: www.cycleops.com/product/hammer

It is Sky vs. Sky after 12 stages of racing in the Tour de France. Geraint Thomas is in yellow, but will he work for team leader Chris Froome? We discuss after three exciting stages in the Alps. Then we hear from Tom Dumoulin and his Sunweb team director Luke Roberts about how they plan to beat the two-headed monster that is Thomas and Froome. Plus, Ian Boswell checks in atop Alpe d'Huez to talk about the ambiance in his Tour de France debut. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by ROKA. ROKA makes unbelievably lightweight cycling eyewear that seems to have accounted for every little detail necessary for performance on the biggest stages. (Trust us — we’ve logged hundreds of miles in them and are still surprised by how light they are and how secure the fit is.) Check out ROKA.com for more: https://www.roka.com/

The Tour de France peloton is chock full of brand-new aero bikes — what's behind these designs, and what do the riders like? In this episode of the VeloNews Tech podcast, tech editor Dan Cavallari talks to industry experts to get the skinny on what makes a good aero bike, and what’s next for the category. Are aero bikes and all-around bikes melding into a single category? If not, what’s stopping them? And what the heck is a truncated airfoil anyway? Cavallari also gets insights from the pros — Trek-Segafredo’s Toms Skujins and Bora-Hansgrohe’s Peter Sagan both offer their thoughts on the intersection of aero performance and comfort in a race bike.

Can you believe that crazy stage 9? We discuss the Tour's trip across the Roubaix cobblestones with insight on Richie Porte's crash, analysis of Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana's performances, and more details on what happened to Rigoberto Uran. We hear from BMC director Fabio Baldato as well as EF Education First-Drapac's Tom Scully on the ground in Roubaix.

Cycling can be a fickle sport. Coaches come and go; new, exciting, revolutionary ways of training take the sport by storm then grown stale; riders at the local training race who were once unbeatable age and fade from the front. Few things have permanence in this sport. But there’s been one thing that has stood the test of time, that seems to have been there since most of us attempted our first interval workout: Joe Friel’s “Cyclist's Training Bible.” For many of us, reading that book was our first step towards more dedicated training. This spring Joe released his fifth, and hopefully not the last, edition of the book. Trevor and I had a chance to talk with Joe about the newest edition. We came to the interview with a list of questions that we felt only touched on the key parts of the book and by the hour mark we were barely a quarter of the way through our list. But what we did talk about was really compelling stuff. We touched on everything from periodization to energy systems, to Joe’s method of research … believe it or not, it has a lot to do with hundreds of 3”x5” note cards.

This Sunday we'll see one of the weirdest spectacles in pro cycling: GC guys and skinny climbers trying to survive the Paris-Roubaix cobblestones. Does stage 9 make sense to include in a race like the Tour de France? We discuss. Plus, we hear from Dan Martin on his stage 6 win, talk to a few sport directors about the cobblestone chaos that is sure to ensue this weekend, and more. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by CycleOps, makers of the Hammer indoor smart trainer. The VeloNews editorial staff may be hunched over computers all day during the Tour de France, but we can stay fit all July, day or night, by hopping on the Hammer and riding in our favorite virtual training app, like Zwift, Rouvy, TrainerRoad, or The SufferFest. Learn about the Hammer here: www.cycleops.com/product/hammer

Team time trials are boring, right? Wrong! The Tour de France's stage 3 TTT was an important part of the battle for the yellow jersey. We evaluate the Tour's GC standings after this pivotal day. Plus, we hear from Chris Froome about how he clawed back time in the overall to overcome his stage 1 losses. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Trek Bikes. Trek recently announced its Project One ICON program. Want your new Madone to be a rolling work of art? Trek has six amazing paint schemes ranging from classy to flashy. Have a look at all the drool-worthy colors: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/project-one-icon/

Coming to you from the Tour de France, Andrew Hood and Dane Cash have the rundown on the crazy lead-up to the season's big race, as well as its chaotic first stage. The guys talk to UCI president David Lappartient, Chris Froome's key Sky teammate Geraint Thomas, and American Tejay van Garderen. This episode is sponsored by Trek, which just unveiled the ultimate race bike. The new Madone combines the comfort of Trek's IsoSpeed technology with super-sleek aerodynamics and WorldTour-level handling and stiffness. In fact, you'll see Trek-Segafredo's riders aboard these superbikes throughout the Tour. Learn more at https://www.trekbikes.com

In episode 49, we’re talking all about the science of suffering--the science of training, fueling, and racing Dirty Kanza 200. Co-host Chris Case decided to take a second crack at the grueling 200-plus mile gravel race across the Flint Hills of Kansas. With the assistance of Coach Connor, Chris set out to transform himself, someone who loves the repeated anaerobic efforts of cyclocross, into someone who could completely empty every cell in his body and still finish strong. In essence, the pair had the goal of turning Chris into an endurance machine. We’ll discuss the challenge of turning Chris into a Dirty Kanza rider, and how we went about working his energy systems to prepare: everything from the nature of the training, to the non-physiological side – strategy, pacing, hydration, and fueling. Chris will touch upon what it all felt like to do so many miles at or just below his aerobic threshold. Finally, we’ll discuss the race itself. What did Chris do right, what did Chris do wrong. And how with even the best laid plans…things can go wildly sideways.

The main event of the pro cycling season is fast approaching. With just three days left to the start of the 2018 Tour de France, it's a perfect time to take a closer look at the race. Can anyone dethrone four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome? Which of the sprinters will reign supreme? Will green jersey hopeful Peter Sagan find the route to his liking? We "recon" the route — and it's a good one — and the many stars set to make the start in the French grand tour.

As far as lead-ups to the Tour de France are concerned, 2018 has been one of the craziest. First, Tour organizer ASO bans Chris Froome from racing. Then, the UCI clears him of any wrongdoing in the Salbutamol case. So now he's back in! How did this all take place? What do anti-doping experts say? What do other pro teams think? And will Froome even win this race? We answer all those questions and more. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by CycleOps, makers of the Hammer indoor smart trainer. The VeloNews editorial staff may be hunched over computers all day during the Tour de France, but we can stay fit all July, day or night, by hopping on the Hammer and riding in our favorite virtual training app, like Zwift, Rouvy, TrainerRoad, or The SufferFest. Learn about the Hammer here: https://www.cycleops.com/product/hammer

This is the second episode in our series on strategy and training for particular races. (See Episode 43 for part 1.) This episode is all about hilly road races and winning the GC at a stage race. Some of the themes we discuss include: - Is there ever a race where you truly don't need a sprint? - The difference between hilly and flat races, including which are usually more dynamic, and how to know if you should favor sprint races or the tougher hilly races. - How to approach a hilly race, both in terms of strategy and how to train for them. Hint: it's not just about dropping weight. - The elements of a stage race, including the crit, time trial, and road race, and which you should focus on. - And finally, the difference between how pros and amateurs race these events, and why trying to imitate what you see at big pro races may not always work.

In episode 100 of the show, we recap the action from U.S. Pro road nationals and then dive into Tour de France talk with VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood. Roster announcements are coming hot and heavy this week as teams narrow down their selections for cycling's main event, and there are a few surprises worth discussing. Meanwhile, transfer rumors are beginning to fly, but are the questions surrounding BMC's continued existence throwing the market into uncertainty? Plus, tech editor Dan Cavallari stops by to talk disc brakes at the Tour and more.

Pain and injury often go hand in hand with life as a cyclist. Relieving that pain can be tricky, especially when it comes to medications and anti-inflammatory supplements. CBD oil is the new kid on the block — promising anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties, among a host of other benefits — and it's championed by controversial former cyclist Floyd Landis. That's not surprising, given Landis's history of painful hip injuries. In this episode of the VeloNews tech podcast, Tech Editor Dan Cavallari catches up with Landis — now proprietor of Floyd's of Leadville — at the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival to find out what CBD is, why it works for cyclists, and what made Landis choose this controversial business. This episode is brought to you by Pro Bike Gear. With its new online saddle selector, you can find your next saddle with just a few clicks. Visit pro-bikegear.com and check out Pro’s newly expanded line of saddles.

As we inch closer to July, the build-up to the Tour de France is taking center stage in the world of cycling. EF Education First-Drapac's Alex Howes drops by the VeloNews world headquarters to talk Dauphiné vs. Suisse and to share his experiences with the highs and lows of Tour roster selection. Andy Hood also brings us a dispatch from Movistar's media day as the Spanish WorldTour squad gears up for the Tour with its highly touted three-headed GC monster.

Peaking. It's that elusive target we all strive for — to be on our best form right when our target race comes around. We build plans for it, we follow six-week guides we find online, and yet too often we wake up the morning of our target race with flat legs. Perhaps it's so elusive because peaking is both a science and an art. What we discovered over the course of this podcast is that the two don't seem to get along with one another. Some of that has to do with the fact that science lays out a very specific four-week plan for peaking, while the art says that it is very individual. Even among those who understand the science, it appears that what they do is different. We are joined by Colby Pearce, hour record holder, an Olympian, a thinker, a tinkerer, and someone with massive amounts of experience as an athlete. He'll give us six key tips to preparing for a goal event.

It's pretty darn hard to get on a Tour de France team. Do results at the Dauphine or Tour de Suisse really matter? We talk to some of the peloton's key directors to understand how they assemble their rosters. Plus, we hear from riders about this stressful process to get a spot on a coveted spot in the Grand Boucle. Then, we bring on tech expert Dan Cavallari to talk about one of the wackiest stories we've seen in awhile: The aerodynamic leg gel that Lotto-Soudal used in the Dauphine's team time trial. What the heck? This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Feedback Sports.

If you're one of the many people who suffer from foot numbness while riding, you have come to the right place. In this episode of the VeloNews Tech podcast, Dan Cavallari talks to Bontrager's Kyle Russ about feet. Why do they go numb? Are there some affordable ways to remedy the problem? Will new insoles make your old shoes better? We get the answers to make your rides more comfortable. This episode is brought to you by Pro Bike Gear. With its new online saddle selector, you can find your next saddle with just a few clicks. Visit www.pro-bikegear.com and check out Pro’s newly expanded line of saddles.

Is Dirty Kanza "cycling's answer to Ironman?" Fred Dreier and Chris Case were out in Eastern Kansas this past weekend to find out. We hear from Kaitie Keough, Ted King, and Rebecca Rusch about what makes this race so special (and damn hard). Fred also talks to lots of other riders out on the dirt who faced physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, coming out the other end transformed. Plus, Chris did more than talk the talk — he rode and finished the 206-mile race. Listen to the second half of the show for his first-hand perspective on the race. This episode of the VeloNews podcast and our coverage of Dirty Kanza is sponsored by 3T, manufacturer of the aerodynamic Exploro gravel bike. Learn all about the bike Chris rode: https://www.3t.bike/en/3t-bikes/exploro-2.html

If we had to summarize sports nutrition in one word it would probably be … controversial. Or maybe just confusing. In this episode, we’ll discuss the difference between a ketogenic diet and a high-fat/low-carbohydrate diet, and why the latter may be the more important one to discuss. Are there potential health benefits, outside of performance, of trying a ketogenic diet? We’ll take a look with help from our guest Dr. Timothy Noakes, who has been at the center of endurance science and sports nutrition research for decades.

Well, Chris Froome did it. He won his third grand tour in a row at the Giro d'Italia, waiting until the last possible moment to do it. Rivals crumbled, fans freaked out, and lots of people have opinions about his impressive victory. So let's try to make sense of it all. To better understand things, we hear from our European correspondent Andrew Hood, who was on the ground at the Giro this year. He has audio from Chris Froome and Simon Yates's Canadian teammate Svein Tuft. Finally, Chris Case comes on the show to talk about this weekend's big gravel race, Dirty Kanza 200 and why he put a narwhal on his bike.

What just happened? Chris Froome blew up the Giro d'Italia's GC in stage 19 Friday. Simon Yates is out of pink. Chris Froome is in it. And poor Tom Dumoulin is left chasing another Englishman. We recap the action, hear from Froome at the post-stage press conference, and have some takes and analysis about Froome's performance. Was it his best ever? Was it believable? All that and more. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Smith Optics, which outfitted us with the Session helmet and Attack Max sunglasses for the Epic Rides mountain bike series. Check out www.smithoptics.com for more.

We hear from Svein Tuft on what it's like to see his Aussie team grow up from its roots as upstart Orica squad to world-beaters as Mitchelton-Scott. Plus, we discuss Simon Yates's four-month ban for an asthma medication back in 2016 and whether that should color our opinion of his Giro dominance. We also talk about the recent round of the Epic Rides mountain bike series in Grand Junction as well as Stephen Hyde's plans to try for an Olympic spot as an XC mountain biker. Finally, Fred's got a few hot takes after his week covering the Amgen Tour of California. This week's VeloNews Podcast is sponsored by Fezzari, the bike company that brings a personalized experience to buying bikes online. With a 30-day "love it or return it" guarantee, you can shop with confidence and get the ride that's right for you. Check out www.fezzari.com to learn more.

After the stage 4 time trial propelled Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) into the general classification lead at the Tour of California, stage 6 brought another big GC shakeup. Sky's Egan Bernal reclaimed the yellow jersey with a powerful move on the long climb to South Lake Tahoe, nabbing his second stage victory in the process. We catch up on the big storylines from the day and hear from Bernal and his teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart after their impressive performances on the final big GC day of the race. Over on the women's side in California, UnitedHealthcare's Katie Hall soared to a convincing victory in Lake Tahoe — and then shared her thoughts with the podcast on how it all went down. And then there's the Giro. We talk about Monte Zoncolan and hear from Sky's Chris Froome as the Italian grand tour visits its hardest climb.

Have you ever noticed a little "Tg" on your carbon fiber rims? It means "glass transition." Did that clear things up for you? Of course not. So, our tech editor Dan Cavallari spoke with Enve's Scott Neilsen about what this means for bike wheels. Why does glass transition matter? How does this relate to rim durability under heavy braking as well as ride quality? We answer these questions and more. This episode is brought to you by Pro Bike Gear. With its new online saddle selector, you can find your next saddle with just a few clicks. Visit http://www.pro-bikegear.com and check out Pro’s newly expanded line of saddles.

It's often overlooked, sometimes forgotten. But it never should be. Recovery is just as important to strong performances as your daily workouts and weekly riding volume. Recovery is the other side of the training balance that we often neglect. In today’s technology-driven training world, we have easy-to-use tools like power meters to track our performance. But tracking recovery is not so easy. What’s lacking is that one clear metric or tool to tell us when we're fatigued. In today’s episode, we delve into the question of recovery metrics. First, we'll discuss why the balance between training and recovery plays such an important role in performing at our best. We'll also address the difference between overtraining and functional over-reaching. Next we'll discuss a recent review comparing subjective metrics to objective metrics of recovery. If you think that a blood test or heart rate measure is necessarily better than answering a few questions every morning about how you feel, think again. Finally, we'll hear from several coaches and athletes about what they feel works best when it comes to monitoring recovery.

America's biggest race is underway in California! Dane Cash and Fred Dreier are on the road and covering all of the key stories from the Amgen Tour of California. We discuss Colombia's emerging climbing talent Egan Bernal who won the Tour of California's queen stage on Gibraltar. Fun fact: He actually had to borrow a helmet for his first bike race back in the day. Bernal has come a long, long way since then. Plus, we hear from Americans Sepp Kuss and Brandon McNulty at the race. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Smith Optics, which outfitted us with the Session helmet and Attack Max sunglasses for the Epic Rides mountain bike series.

The Giro d'Italia is underway! And Froome is off the back... Already! Should Sky worry about his bad ride at the opening TT? We check in with Andrew Hood and Gregor Brown who are on the ground in Italy. Back in the States, the Amgen Tour of California starts on Sunday. We preview the route, the key riders, and more. Finally, in our tech segment, we talk to Dan Cavallari about patents. Are they a window into the future of bike design or just a tease, never to materialize on our personal bikes? Kind of a little bit of both, but they are still very interesting to follow. Want to watch the Giro d’Italia? Stream all the stages on Fubo.tv for a special first-month introductory rate of $19.99. Subscribe now: https://www.fubo.tv/lp/giro/?irad=361812&irmp=1235874

Should we call them frenemies? Not quite. Mountain bike stars Howard Grotts and Payson McElveen are close friends and training partners even if they clash on the trails at the races. We recorded this interview in the back of McElveen's van at Whiskey Off-Road in Arizona before they embarked on a road trip to U.S. marathon mountain bike nationals in Arkansas. As they did last year, the Durango, Colorado duo brought the heat with McElveen winning his second title in a row and Olympian Grotts again getting a silver. We talked a little about the racing but a lot more about their heavy duty training programs, and how Grotts likes to keep it old school as far as technology is concerned.

Welcome to the brand new VeloNews Tech podcast, in which we’ll discuss complex tech topics and distill them down into terms we can all understand. Aero tube shapes are now integral parts of bicycle design. Engineers test them in the wind tunnel once they’ve got a prototype in hand, but before such prototypes even exist, a virtual design can be created and tested on the computer using Computational Fluid Dynamics, or CFD. Chris Yu from Specialized walks us through CFD and explains how it influences bicycle design today. Episode one is brought to you by Pro Bike Gear. With its new online saddle selector, you can find your next saddle with just a few clicks. Visit pro-bikegear.com and check out Pro’s newly expanded line of saddles.

The Giro d'Italia is here! Froome vs. Dumoulin. The Zoncolon. We preview all of the big storylines ahead of the season's first grand tour (at 42:30). But first, Spencer talks about what makes the Whiskey Off-Road and other Epic Rides mountain bike races so successful. On the other side of the country (and racing spectrum), Fred went to the Red Hook Crit. Why is fixie racing so popular these days? Plus, we have a rundown of the latest news from Romandie and takes on Lieuwe Westra's doping confession. This week's VeloNews Podcast is sponsored by Fezzari, the bike company that brings a personalized experience to buying bikes online. With a 30-day "love it or return it" guarantee, you can shop with confidence and get the ride that's right for you. Check out http://www.fezzari.com to learn more.

This episode is all about data. Not long ago, people looked at you funny if you had a two-inch screen mounted to your handlebars. Now, we ride with head units the size of iPhones, sensors connected to our limbs, and wearables that track our every step and heartbeat. No one bats an eyelash. A few episodes ago, we talked with Hunter Allen about the history of power and how we got to this point. Today we ask this question: Where is all of this data going, and what do we gain by covering our bodies in sensors like something out of a Star Trek Borg episode? In this episode, we'll discuss the data revolution, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. There’s been exponential growth in the amount of information we're now able to collect and analyze. That data is allowing us to analyze our training in ways we never could before, but it also comes with some dangers.

The first grand tour of the 2018 season gets underway on Friday. The Giro d'Italia kicks off with a time trial in Jerusalem, making it the first grand tour to begin beyond European soil. The start list is an impressive one, with Chris Froome (Sky) making an attempt at the first half of a Giro-Tour double — assuming he is not suspended for his adverse analytical finding for Salbutamol — and he's not the only big name set to be in attendance. Defending champ Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb), Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), and rising star Miguel Ángel López (Astana) will also be in the mix for the three-week race. The Recon Ride talks route and favorites ahead of the Italian grand tour — and also hears from GC contender Simon Yates, who forms part of a dangerous Mitchelton-Scott two-pronged attack with Esteban Chaves.

Lance Armstrong settled with the Feds for $5 million... Did he win? Plus, we discuss the tactics that played out in one of the most exciting editions of Liege-Bastogne-Liege in years. Later in the show, we bring on tech editor Dan Cavallari to talk about the biggest bike show in North America, Sea Otter Classic. What tech was cool? What trends are growing? And what's the deal with e-bikes? All that and more on this episode.

The spring classics are nearing their conclusion, with one monumental race left for classics fans to enjoy this Sunday: Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) will look to defend his title against a flying Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) and a host of other punchy climbers in the Ardennes week finale. The Recon Ride previews the parcours and the favorites of "La Doyenne," the oldest major one-day on the calendar and the final marquee classic of the spring.

The WorldTour peloton has left the pavé behind, but the classics rage on for another week in the Netherlands and the Ardennes forest. Michael Valgren kicked off Ardennes week with a classy victory at the Amstel Gold Race, toppling heavyweights like Peter Sagan and Alejandro Valverde. On the women's side, Chantal Blaak took the win for Boels Dolmans, defending the title her teammate Anna van der Breggen nabbed last year. Meanwhile, the North American peloton got into gear this week at the Joe Martin stage race, where Rubén Companioni and Katie Hall delivered overall wins. The VeloNews podcast talks Amstel takeaways as well as the domestic racing scene — with Canadian pro Rob Britton weighing in to boot — as the Amgen Tour of California approaches. VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari also gets in on the fun as he prepares for the Sea Otter Classic — and a string of his own tech-oriented shows soon to arrive on the VeloNews podcast network.

We take a deep dive into race strategy and tactics, and the necessary skills and training you need to excel at bike racing. We'll discuss some of the differences between professional and amateur racing and why that leads to different approaches. We’ll take a deep dive into crit racing: why skills are so important, how to save energy, and how to get comfortable with the speed and fear you might feel while racing in the pack. Next it will be flat road races: the importance of saving energy, how it's one of the most predictable races in cycling, but why you still need to be attentive to those unexpected moves. And finally, we'll talk about some of the dynamic tactics you'll encounter in these races, including sag climbing and breaking away. We’re joined by two veterans of both European and American racing from Rally Pro Cycling. Team manager Pat McCarty has spent much of his adult life racing, as a junior, U23, on the WorldTour, in Europe, in the U.S., in crits, climbing races, and on team’s big and small. One of Team Rally’s leaders, Evan Huffman is known for his skills as a breakaway rider and time trialist. He’s coming off a phenomenal 2017 season.

Sagan finally succeeded in winning Paris-Roubaix, doing it in the most audacious way imaginable. Andrew Hood and Dane Cash were on the ground in France to witness the world champion's second career monument victory. They discuss how the race played out, what it means for Sagan, and also speak to Zdenek Stybar and Philippe Gilbert to find out why their Quick-Step freight train went off the rails. As you may know, Sunday also was tragic. Michael Goolaerts, 23, died of heart failure at Paris-Roubaix. Our deepest condolences to his friends and family.

The grand finale of the cobbled classics is nearly here! The hardmen are headed south to take on the so-called "Queen of the Classics," Paris-Roubaix. The gnarliest cobbles on the WorldTour await on Sunday, with defending champ Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), world champ Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), and a stable of powerful Quick-Step riders set to do battle on the pavé one last time this spring. The Recon Ride takes a deeper dive into the parcours and the list of pre-race favorites, with Quick-Step's Zdenek Stybar and EF Education-First's Tom Scully also providing some insight ahead of the 116th edition of Paris-Roubaix.

Coming to you from the classics heartland of Belgium, we've got ample analysis and opinion on Tour of Flanders. Some riders surprised, impressed, and amazed us. Others... not so much. Dane Cash and Andrew Hood look back on the biggest race in Belgium and what it meant for the key classics riders. Tune in for lots of post-race interviews with key players of the peloton, recorded on site in Oudenaarde, Belgium.

This episode is all about POWER. First, we’ll touch upon the history of power, and how it has fundamentally changed the sport of cycling and, more importantly, how we train. When did the use of power meters and power analysis first appear? Which athletes were the first to use them? And how did the pioneers of power revolutionize training methods over time to create the many sophisticated metrics we take for granted, like TSS, FTP, and performance management charts? We are joined by Hunter Allen, a veteran coach who, along with Dr. Andrew Coggan, wrote the original book on training with power in 2006: "Training and Racing with a Power Meter." That book has now been translated into 20 different languages and has recently started selling throughout Asia.

All the "tune-up" races are in the rearview mirror. The big kahuna of the Flemish classics awaits. The Tour of Flanders — De Ronde van Vlaanderen for the faithful — rolls out from Antwerp on Sunday. In contrast to recent years that saw Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen bidding the cobbles adieu, the conversations at the classics in 2018 have not revolved around "last hurrahs." Instead, all the focus has been on big stars in their prime. Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet, seemingly every rider on Quick-Step Floors ... They will all be in the hunt for Belgium's biggest cycling prize at De Ronde. The Recon Ride pre-race show previews the route and the contenders, hears from perennial contender Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac), and picks a few favorites to land on the podium ahead of the Tour of Flanders.

Go inside the Belgian spring classics with our team of reporters who are on the ground (er... cobbles) at E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem. Dane Cash, Andrew Hood, and Gregor Brown discuss the racing action. Just how good was Quick-Step at E3? Is Sagan's win at Gent-Wevelgem an indication of bigger things to come? Why did American Coryn Rivera go off the front in Gent-Wevelgem instead of waiting for the sprint? Stay tuned for more analysis and interviews throughout the rest of the big one-day races, including Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

We receive tons of compelling questions from Fast Talk listeners, and now it is time to give you the answers. On this first edition of "Ask Fast Talk," we discuss the following: the importance of aerobic threshold training and the physiological adaptations that take place from doing so; should FTP be based on one's very best race effort or on a test; dealing with muscle soreness after weight training; training in extreme cold; and much more.

With a daring attack over the final climb, Vincenzo Nibali wrote himself into Milano-Sanremo history with a solo win. Did he get lucky, or was this a result of careful tactics? Which sprinters' teams blew it in the final chase? We unpack all of the takes and analysis from the first monument of the season and talk to reporter Gregor Brown who was on the ground in Italy. Plus, Spencer has a rundown of his trip to Oklahoma for the Land Run 100 gravel race. He didn't end up scraping peanut-butter mud off his bike with a paint stirrer, but it was still an epic day on the bike.

When it comes to exercise, can there be too much of a good thing? In this episode we take a deep dive into heart arrhythmias in endurance athletes, and the details of how and why long-term endurance exercise could cause a variety of heart arrhythmias. We’ll analyze the research, discuss warning signs, and give you an idea of how hard your heart is working when you’re doing that set of intervals or running a marathon. And, of course, we’ll discuss at length the evidence that suggests there could be too much of a good thing when it comes to exercise.

With the season's first monument just around the corner, the show is switching gears for a deep dive into Milano-Sanremo via the Recon Ride, back with the VeloNews podcast for the spring classics! The Recon Ride is a race preview show with more analysis and commentary than you ever knew you needed. On this week's show, hosts Cosmo Catalano and Dane Cash take a closer look at the route and favorites for Milano-Sanremo, and also have a chat with one of the contenders, Quick-Step's Elia Viviani.

This week's Tirreno-Adriatico race got us thinking: What would Team Sky do without Chris Froome? The four-time Tour champ had a rough outing at the one-week Italian stage race. We analyze the action from there and also consider the takeaways from Paris-Nice. Plus, Fred talks about his recent article on virtual racing. Will bike races of the future take place on trainers, in front of sell-out crowds in huge stadiums, on Zwift?

Strade Bianche was a muddy masterpiece of bicycle racing. We've got takes on how the racing action went down, and what we can expect in the classics this spring. Then, we unpack the never-ending Team Sky saga, which again has Bradley Wiggins in the hot seat, defending his reputation and his time as Britain's standard-bearer in the Tour de France. Is his reputation tarnished forever? We discuss. All that and more on this week's VeloNews podcast!

Is aging as bad as everyone thinks it is? Are our rides doomed to slowness and pain after 35? Don't despair, on this podcast we give you some answers. Throughout, we talk to Ned Overend about how he's managed to stay fast into his 60s. We first address what the research says, and why even past research painted a much grimmer picture than reality. We’ll explore the science with Dr. Jason Glowney and coach Frank Overton who know how to help masters athletes get the most out of their aging bodies. Don't sweat it, folks — age is just a number!

Astana impressed at the first cobbled race of the season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. How did young Michael Valgren pull off this big win? We analyze the race and also look at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, where Dylan Groenewegen confirmed that he's a top sprinter to watch. Plus, American Alexis Ryan found the podium in the women's Omloop. Also on this podcast, Andrew Hood talks to Paris-Roubaix winner Greg Van Avermaet about the classics and why Tour of Flanders will always be his dream race to win. We wrap things up with a look ahead to more classics action coming up Sunday at the men's and women's Strade Bianche races on Tuscany's white dirt roads.

If you've ever ogled a handbuilt steel frame, you should thank Tom Ritchey. Founder of the eponymous brand, Ritchey was one of the pioneers of modern framebuilding. He also was integral when a band of Californians decided to take their bikes off-road on the trails around Marin. This interview covers all of that and much more with a living legend of American cycling.

Can you feel that? The cobbled classics kick off this weekend with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad! We look ahead to that race and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Who is riding well? Why did Sagan decide to skip these fun early spring openers? Plus, we call up European correspondent Andrew Hood for an inside look at the crazy media scrum that was Ruta del Sol. Ruta del Sol? Yep, it was Chris Froome's debut race, and as you'd expect, there was a lot to discuss. All that, and we also look back on last week's other stage races: Tour of Oman and Volta ao Algarve.

It's time to unlock the mysteries of fatigue. Is it just lactic acid pooling in your legs, as your high school coach probably told you? No, that’s not it. The answer is actually a lot more complex than you'd think. In fact, some of the most exciting theories have only recently been proposed. This episode reveals those exciting revelations and explores the foundations of fatigue. First, we’ll discuss the many different physiological causes of fatigue, including muscle damage, glycogen depletion, body temperature, and why no one of these reasons fully explains fatigue, despite what some researchers might tell you. We’ll discuss an exciting new theory that suggests there’s a “central regulator” of fatigue, which integrates all of the different past theories and ultimately allows our mind to decide where are limits are. That is, could fatigue be, in part, a psychological thing. We ask the question, how much fatigue is actually a conscious choice that can be influenced by the length of the race, cues we give ourselves, and mental tricks And finally, we’ll examine why we need to be careful about toying with our fatigue limits. Our guest for today is Dr. Stephen Cheung, an exercise physiologist and professor in the kinesiology department at Brock University in St. Catherine’s, Ontario, whose research interests include the effects of environmental stress on human physiology and performance. We'll also hear from Sepp Kuss, a neo-pro with LottoNL-Jumbo on the WorldTour, who will talk about his limits when racing.

They might look like skinny superheroes, but pro cyclists grapple with fear just like the rest of us. In this podcast, we talk to Andrew Hood about his recent article in VeloNews magazine, "Fear Factor." He explains why the pros are afraid of some unexpected things. (Hint: Crashing isn't one of them.) But before that, we analyze scads of early season bike races from Dubai to Colombia to this week's action across Europe. What can we tell about the sprinters and their teams? Are the GC guys starting to awaken? How can Chris Froome be racing if he's (possibly) got a court date this week?

This week, the Fast Talk podcast went live! Hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case fielded questions on Facebook from podcast listeners like you. Here are a few (of the many) topics we covered: - How does oatmeal compare to other grains? - What type of riding should I do to prepare for a gran fondo with 7,400 meters of climbing? - Is compression clothing beneficial? When and for how long should I use it? - What's the difference between the inflammation caused by training and that caused by certain foods?

American Olympian Ruth Winder is headed to the Netherlands to race for Team Sunweb. We talk to the up-and-comer about what it's like to make the big move to one of Europe's top teams. Also, Winder talks about her experience as an alternate on the U.S. team pursuit squad at the Rio Olympics. Did she snag selfies with sports celebs? Do alternates win medals too? Why does track cycling make you so good at road racing? All of that and much more in this week's interview.

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 opinions.

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, how cadence plays a role, and if those basic online calculators can really predict your time up a climb. We also collected novel on-the-road biomechanical data. This special episode of Fast Talk takes a deeper dive into our in-house experiment, more so than any magazine article could. No, our experiment wasn't worthy of publication in the journal Science, but we had a lot of fun, we discovered some things that we're very excited about, and, most importantly, we hope to help all of you become better climbers. Joining us for the podcast is Ryan Kohler of the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center, who helped with the experiments on the road.

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 of talented riders and coaches: Sepp Kuss, newly signed with the LottoNL-Jumbo WorldTour squad; Dr. Iñigo San Millan, director of the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center; as well as fantastic climbers Joe Dombrowski and Ned Overend.

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.

We cyclists can get a little lost in the weight room. That doesn't mean strength training doesn't have important benefits though. We are joined by Jess Elliott, who is the sports performance coach and biomechanist at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center. She helps us understand the fundamentals of strength workouts in the weight room: what to do, how to do it, and how many times to lift those big hunks of iron. Plus, we speak with pro rider Brent Bookwalter (BMC) about how he fits weight lifting into his busy travel schedule.

This week, the Fast Talk podcast went live! Hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case fielded questions on Facebook from podcast listeners like you. Here are a few (of the many) topics they covered: How to fit in training around a busy work schedule. What to do in base training period How do deal with hot weather Training tips for older riders The effects of high altitude on training. All that and much more on this week's Fast Talk podcast.

In this week's episode, we have an impromptu book club after reading Phil Gaimon's new book, "Draft Animals." His controversial memoir calls out Fabian Cancellara, and now Gaimon is in the hot seat. The book provides a personal, in-depth — and sometimes depressing — look at what it's like to be a pro cyclist trying to make the WorldTour. We discuss this and other notable cycling autobiographies. Also, Andrew Hood talks about his interview with the legendary Svein Tuft and we critique Movistar boss Eusebio Unzue's wacky idea to introduce substitute riders in the Tour de France. And of course, the podcast wraps up with our usual segments: #AskACat3 and the VN Podium.

Former cyclocross national champion Ryan Trebon was the driving force behind the new US Cup-CX cyclocross series. We catch up with him at the Derby City Cup. He talks about how the first year went, where the series is headed, and why American 'cross needs a national series. The always-opinionated Trebon also sounds off on why he doesn't object to Lance Armstrong's donation to support the US Cup prize purse.

This year is starting to wrap up, which means that pro cyclists are heading to sunny Southern Spain for team camps. VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood was at Movistar's recent camp. He explains what happens at these camps and has an update on how the team will handle its wealth of GC contenders. (Somehow they're all going to race the Tour!?) The US Cup-CX cyclocross series also just wrapped up. We talk about the key riders — Stephen Hyde, Kaitie Keough, Katie Compton, and more. Plus, we have a new segment to go along with our usual weekly VN Podium.

Illness can be a big setback for cyclists at all levels. What causes us to get sick, and how do we avoid it? If we train too hard, will it ruin our immune system, or can we power through it and ride with the sniffles? We are joined by Dr. Jason Glowney of CU Sports Medicine to answer these questions and better understand the science of illness and how it can make us better, healthier cyclists.

It's our first-ever Mail Musette episode! You sent in scads of great cycling questions, and we picked out the very best queries. For this episode, we got our European correspondent Andrew Hood on the horn to lend his expertise on the Tour de France, the drama between Quintana and Landa, why Vino and Astana are suing Aru, and much more. Plus we've got our usual segments: Ask a Cat 3 and the VN Podium where we pick our favorite weird cycling team sponsors.

This is the Taiwan KOM Challenge, 105 kilometers and nearly 11,000 feet up into the heart of Taiwan. Sea level to the top of the world in one go. A brutal, seemingly Sysiphean symphony that builds over 90 kilometers to a crescendo in the final ten, where pitches over 20% stretch on forever and no gear feels quite low enough. It is one of the most spectacular rides in the world. One of the hardest, too. One of the best. Sign up for a chance to win $700 worth of Scott gear: www.scott-sports.com/velonews

Phil Gaimon is retired from pro racing, but he's busier — and maybe faster — than ever. In this week's interview, Fred Dreier talks to the former Slipstream rider about how he left the sport sooner than he'd wanted to. They also discuss what to make of ex-dopers who return to racing. And of course, we also get Gaimon's take on stealing Strava KOMs from the locals. All that and much more!

The cyclocross season is underway. Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel has been dominating the European scene, especially the World Cup. The women's field, on the other hand, has afforded more surprises and even a few fresh faces. On the domestic scene, Sho-Air has formed a new series in the US Cup-CX. Fred Dreier and Chris Case have traveled to the first two stops and share their insights. We take a look at some of the key riders to watch. Plus, we have our usual antics with Ask a Cat 3 and the weekly VeloNews Podium.

Ouch, it burns! But what is "it" — the root cause of the pain in your legs when you smash it up a hard climb? For the longest time, we colloquially called "it" lactic acid. It turns out that was wrong. Coach Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz examine the chemistry that occurs in our muscles while riding and racing. They talk to Dr. Iñigo San Millán, who is the director of Colorado University's exercise physiology lab. Best of all, they give you practical advice for your own training to help make that burn go away — or at least make you faster even if it hurts.

The Tour de France unveils its 2018 route. We've got to hand it to ASO for thinking outside the box. This could be the route that breaks Chris Froome and Team Sky. Or, it might be just a gimmicky way to include Roubaix cobblestones. We analyze the key stages, name some favorites and opine on the Tour's ambush-friendly route. In our segments, you #AskACat3 and we answer with all of our usual wisdom. Then, we pick our VN Podiums for the all-time best Tour de France villains.

Fred Dreier sits down with cyclocross star Stephen Hyde to talk about his unusual path to the top, the weight of his national championship jersey, his relationship with an old mentor, Jeremy Powers, and a battle with depression.

Cannondale-Drapac pro Alex Howes is the celebrity guest on this week's episode of the VeloNews Podcast, which digs into crashes and descending skills at Lombardia, the emotional toll of Cannondale's summertime financial woes, and, for the first time ever, answers to your burning #AskACat3 questions.

What will bikes look like in five years? What will they ride like? Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz and joined by VN tech crew Dan Cavallari and Kristen Legan to dig into the future of bikes.

Straight from Interbike, Fred Dreier, Spencer Powlison, and Caley Fretz have more guests and more games in this week's special VN Podcast episode. Sabra Davison joins to chat about Little Bellas, a program that gets girls on bikes, and play a round of "Two Truths and a Lie." Geoff Kabush is "the Deaner" and both are tested on Geoff Kabush knowledge. Finally, Josh Tostado of Montezuma's Revenge fame is quizzed on the intricacies of toast.

"There’s no question there’s static there," Jeremy Powers says of his relationship with former protegé Stephen Hyde. So how does it feel when the apprentice becomes the master? Caley Fretz sits down with cyclocross star Powers to talk about fatherhood, Powers' relationship with Hyde, and the little Belgium that is Western Massachusetts cyclocross.

It was a three-Pete! The world championships in Bergen, Norway finished up over the weekend and Peter Sagan took home his third rainbow in a row. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison discuss whether WorldTour riders should be allowed in the U23 race, how the American women could have factored in the finale, whether Tom Dumoulin's TT win is a bad sign for Chris Froome, and more. Plus, a deep discussion of a Belgian team's new beard ban.

Taking time off can feel strange, but it's absolutely necessary. Why do you need an off-season? Can't you just keep riding? Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz sit down with Dr. Andy Pruitt to discuss the physiological and psychological needs of athletes, and how an off-season is crucial to meeting those needs.

We're live from Interbike! So, of course, it's time to play some games. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison quiz TJ Eisenhart on classic quotes, Alison Tetrick on her Alison expertise, and the Clif Bar team on its Luna Chix heritage. Plus, your host's favorite tech from cycling's annual tradeshow.

Did you know Nathan Haas can sing? In the first episode of our new interview series, Caley Fretz sits down with Dimension Data's smiling Australian to talk about racing against Peter Sagan, Haas' imminent move to Katusha, and the almost-collapse of Cannondale-Drapac (Note: This episode was recorded right before the team was saved.) Plus, a look at Haas' charitable efforts with the Girona Gala, which raises money for Qhubeka, and his favorite circus acts.

Did Chris Froome let Alberto Contador win on the Angliru? Should Jonathan Vaughters become an assistant professor? These questions, and many more, possibly answered on this week's podcast. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz and Spencer Powlison are joined by European correspondent Andrew Hood to discuss the Vuelta a Espana, Cannondale's new sponsor, and what cycling feat Froome should attempt next.

Who should you trust? How can you verify? There's a lot of training advice out there, often contradictory, so what's the best way for an athlete figure out what to do? Coach Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz are joined by pro cyclist Sepp Kuss and the founder of FasCat coaching, Frank Overton, to dig into the best methods for dealing with contradictory advice and ignoring bogus science.

Who is "Superman" Lopez, and how did he get that great nickname? The young Colombian has won two stages of the Vuelta a Espana already and could take another before the week is out. Could he make it on to the podium? Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, Spencer Powlison and Andrew Hood have some hot takes on the final grand tour of the season and its feared stage to the top of the Angliru. Then, a chat with Toms Skuijns about the uncertainty that hovers over Cannondale-Drapac and discussion of Andrew Talansky's sudden surprise retirement.

Slipstream Sports and its Cannondale-Drapac team are in jeopardy. The team may not have enough sponsorship to carry on in 2018. We talk to team principal Jonathan Vaughters as well as riders Joe Dombrowski and Michael Woods about the situation. Plus, we lead off with a look at the Vuelta, which Chris Froome may or may not be ruining by riding so darn fast. Senior editor Andrew Hood checks in straight from Spain and has his own perspective on the Cannondale situation.

For decades (almost a century, in fact), we've been told that cramping is caused by electrolyte imbalance or bad hydration. But new science suggests that this probably isn't why you cramp during exercise. So why do you cramp? It all comes down to something called altered neuromuscular control. And how do you stop it? Well, that's where things get even trickier. Listen in to find out.

Just half a week into the the Vuelta a Espana and already the GC battle is on. Chris Froome and Esteban Chavez fired warning shots on Monday, but Vincenzo Nibali was the one with his hands up — or, rather, a fin up — at the finish line. Fred Dreier and Caley Fretz are joined by Andrew Hood from Spain to chat about the first big mountain stage and what lies ahead. Then, takes galore on the hotter than usual transfer market. Your hosts question some of the moves riders and teams are making, and look into why so many swaps are taking place.

Are you considering riding a Haute Route event or another multi-day sportive? We talk to a veteran rider to learn some tips and tricks for training, packing, and more. The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid. What's this special podcast mini-series all about? Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine).

On this episode we talk to Mavic mechanic Max Ruphy about what it takes to keep riders running at the Haute Route Pyrenees. How do bikes break? Is it harder than a pro race? Should you tip with beer? That last one is easy to answer... The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid. What's this special podcast mini-series all about? Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine).

For Thursday's stage 5 time trial, we've got a special interview with the Haute Route race director. He explains how he balances famous cols with lesser-known mountains. Plus we ask him about the difficulties involved in wrangling 800 volunteers throughout the French mountains. What's this special podcast mini-series all about? Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine). The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid.

What do Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Romain Bardet, Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru, Ilnur Zakarin, the Angliru, and the Yates brothers all have in common? They're all in the upcoming Vuelta a Espana. This year's Vuelta might just be the best grand tour of the year. It certainly has the most star-studded GC field. So in this episode, Fred Dreier and Caley Fretz call up VN European Correspondant and amateur bon vivant Andrew Hood to dive into the course, the favorites, and the storylines of the impending Vuelta. But first, let's not forget about Colorado's return to top-level pro racing. The innovative Colorado Classic took place last weekend, and the racing was aggressive and exciting. Is this format the future of bike racing? It might just be.

On stage 4 of the Haute Route Pyrenees, the guys tough it out on a rainy ride over Col d'Aspin. They talk about the crazy mountainous route on the first-ever Tour de France and Fernando Escartin's raid over the Peyresourde in the 1999 Tour. What's this special podcast mini-series all about? Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine). The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid.

On this episode of the Haute Route Pyrenees special podcast, we take on the Col du Tourmalet. This famous climb was the first high-mountain ascent included in the Tour, back in 1910. We talk about that, Eddy Merckx's unbelievable win to Mourenx in 1969, and more. What's this special podcast mini-series all about? Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine). The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid.

Welcome to our special podcast mini-series from the Haute Route Pyrenees. Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine). The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid. On day two, we ride the Marie-Blanque and the famous Aubisque. It wasn't quite as hard as yesterday, but it was a good one. Plus Matt explains what natural wine actually is, and Spencer tells the story of Miguel Indurain's downfall.

The difference between a fast tire and a slow tire can be ten or more watts. So how should you optimize your tire selection and tire pressure? The science behind fast tires has evolved rapidly in recent years, so Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz called in tech writer Kristen Legan to dig into the latest research.

Welcome to our special podcast mini-series from the Haute Route Pyrenees. Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine). The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid. On stage 1, the guys wrap up their time in the Basque Country and take on the unpronounceable Col du Burdincurucheta, Bagargui, and Soudet. They also talk about Tyler Hamilton's crazy ride over Bagargui in 2003 and devise their own awards ceremony for the Haute Route.

Welcome to our special podcast mini-series from the Haute Route Pyrenees. Spencer Powlison is off in France doing this seven-day sportive with his friend Matt Mollo. Along the way, they'll discuss the history of these big climbs and the delicious wines of the region. Don't worry, as a wine importer, Matt's an expert on natural wines... Spencer will stick to cycling (and drinking the wine). The Haute Route Pyrenees mini-series is sponsored by Topical Edge lotion. Go to www.topicaledge.com/velonews for a free sample of a product that's clinically proven to reduce lactic acid. For our first episode, we're in Biarritz, France, which is part of the Basque Country, just up the road from San Sebastian. The guys check out the Pimento peppers of Espelette, drink a bit of wine from Côtes du Marmandaise, and ride the hilly countryside inland of the Atlantic coast.

This year at Tour of Utah, the domestic teams were picking on the one WorldTour team at the race, BMC Racing. Should we fault BMC for coming up short? Rally also proves its mettle with big overall win by Rob Britton. Plus, we call our man on the ground in Europe, senior editor Andrew Hood to talk about all of the hottest transfers this season. Oss leaves BMC. Kristoff goes to UAE. But what about Mikel Landa and Tejay van Garderen? All that and more on this week's podcast.

In the spirit of our recent "dirt" issue of VeloNews magazine, we've recorded two special interviews. First up, Spencer Powlison talks to mountain bike world champion and all-around legend Ned Overend. They discuss the state of mountain biking, old-school technology, how Ned stays fast into his 60s and more. Then, Chris Case and Kristen Legan talk to former cyclocross national champion Tim Johnson about his love of all things dirt. The world of participant-friendly cycling events seems to be centered on epic gravel routes. What's behind this trend? Will it last? We talk to Tim about this and much more.

Is it possible to stay fit and fast all year round? We talk to former pro and team director Mike Creed about the toll that cycling takes on a body. He also discusses the mentality required to endure bad days on a bike, which happen far more often than good days. Plus, we speak with Cannondale-Drapac pro Toms Skujins and Trek-Segafredo pro Kiel Reijnen about how they plan their seasons, schedule training and avoid the dreaded burn-out.

We were promised a race full of attacks and excitement — did the 2017 Tour de France route deliver? Spencer Powlison argues that it didn't. On the ground in France, Fred Dreier got really sweaty. He also got peeved that Chris Froome and Team Sky shut most journalists out of traditional rest day press conferences. Plus, we talk about the unconventional La Course women's race. First it went up the Izoard. Then, it raced around Marseille. Former world champion Lizzie Deignan liked part of it — but not all. Also we talk to Polish champion Kasia Niewiadoma.

The last week of the Tour delivered thrills and spills and plenty of drama and was capped off by Saturday's decisive time trial through the streets of Marseille. Fred Dreier and Caley Fretz have takes galore on the week's biggest stories and then take a walk through the TT paddock, catching up with Greg LeMond, mechanics, riders, and more. Then, the podcast heads into the Marseille Vélodrome for the final battle between Chris Froome, Romain Bardet, and Rigoberto Uran.

Six days to Paris. Two major mountain stages and a time trial. Four riders sit within 29 seconds of the lead. And the peloton is a herd of cats. Fred Dreier and Caley Fretz analyze the fight for the yellow jersey, discuss Sky's decision to bar a reporter from its press event, then sit down with Taylor Phinney and Nate Brown to talk about Tour rookiedom, pressure, stress, and yes, cats. Plus, a diary from top-10 hopeful George Bennett and insight into Dan Martin's quest for seconds.

The Tour de France podium is closer on time than it's ever been this far into the race. Can Chris Froome take yellow back? Can he defend against his own teammate, Mikel Landa? Are short stages like the one to Foix the future of the Tour? Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Andrew Hood dig into the Tour as it rides out of the Pyrenees.

Chris Froome just lost the yellow jersey. Is it the beginning of the end? Caley Fretz and Fred Dreier check in from their drive off Peyragudes and discuss what Thursday's stage means for the Tour de France. Plus, a look at the latest jury polemic, which saw two GC riders docked 20 seconds and a third, Romain Bardet, left alone despite identical offenses.

Forget what you thought you knew about sports nutrition. New science shows that cyclists should consider periodizing their nutrition, much like they periodize their training. We speak with Dr. John Hawley, one of the top experts in the world about the cutting edge trends in sports nutrition. Hawley also debunks myths about Ketogenic diets and explains the difference between race and training nutrition. Plus, we talk to Cannondale-Drapac's Toms Skujins and national champion Joey Rosskopf about how they use nutrition in the real world.

Richie Porte is out. Geraint Thomas is out. Nacer Bouhanni punched a guy. Fabio Aru says he can't see elbows and Chris Froome has trouble steering straight. The Tour de France is never dull. Fred Dreier is in France! He joins Caley Fretz and Andrew Hood to break down the GC battles of last weekend and dig into the controversies of the day — and there are plenty.

One mountain stage down, many to go. The Tour de France is about to head back into the high peaks and will tackle a stage Alberto Contador called the hardest of the Tour. Who will come out on top? But first, more on Peter Sagan's controversial expulsion, his court petition, and what might have happened if he'd won it. Can you skip a stage of the Tour de France? Then, the hottest of hot takes straight from the center of the cycling universe, Boulder, Colorado, and diaries from George Bennet and birthday boy Nate Brown.

Peter Sagan has been disqualified from the Tour de France. Is that right? Is that even within the rules? Who pushed for this? Andrew Hood and Caley Fretz report from France on the this Tour de France's biggest controversy.

It's American polka dot week! First for Taylor Phinney, then Cannondale-Drapac teammate Nathan Brown. VN correspondents Caley Fretz and Andrew Hood are on the ground in France and discuss the climber's jersey, Lance Armstrong's return to cycling media, and a new rule designed to keep the GC men out of sprint finishes. Plus, special hotel room diaries (and theme tunes) from both Brown and Tour of California winner George Bennett.

You watched the Tour de France stage, now hear Taylor Phinney describe the day, and his mindset, in his own words. What began with a rather awkward sounding meeting in the Cannondale-Drapac team hotel ended with polka-dots in Liège.

The Tour de France is here! Caley Fretz and Andrew Hood discuss the weird vibes in Germany, the unorthodox race route, and predictions for the first time trial. Plus, VeloNews tech editor Dan Cavallari has a rundown of the highlights in the pits — new bikes, helmets, and more. Finally, we hear from Tour debutant Nate Brown of Cannondale-Drapac and Orica-Scott director Matt White.

Have you ever turned on a Tour de France stage and found yourself wondering what the heck is going on? Why are these riders off the front? Shouldn't that team be chasing? In this special Fast Talk episode, we are joined by Cannondale-Drapac pro rider Toms Skujins to discuss the intricacies of racing strategy. Plus, we'll give you a few ways you can translate Tour de France tactics into your local races.

The Tour de France is here! Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison dig into the Grande Boucle. Listen in for analysis of the contenders, the route, good teams and bad teams, plus a hefty dose of speculation. Then, Caley catches up with your new American national road champion, Larry Warbasse to find out what the stars and stripes will mean for the Michigan native.

Is "Tour de Pharmacy" a horrible, sad depiction of pro cycling or is it merely cycling's "Caddyshack" moment? Have we finally made it? Spencer Powlison and Caley Fretz are joined by VN tech editor Dan Cavallari to debate the upcoming HBO film, as well as look back at the Tour de Suisse and ahead at the tech we're likely to see debuted at the Tour de France. Finally, Spencer catches up with Jeff Byers, a former pro football player and avid cyclist. This episode is presented by Velofix mobile bike shops. WIN a free tune-up, pedals, and Jagwire cable set at velofix.com/velonews

Is the heat of summer getting you down? Fast Talk is here to help. Coach Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz are joined once again by Rob Pickels, a physiologist who is currently studying ways to make clothing work better in hot weather. The panel discusses the mechanisms that cause your performance to drop when your body gets too hot, how to trick these mechanisms, and why you don't want to. Finally, Fast Talk digs into the best ways to stay cool and safe when the mercury rises. Fast Talk is presented by Quarq.

Richie Porte might have been the strongest rider at the Dauphine, but Chris Froome won the mental battle. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz and Spencer Powlison dissect the attack-filled final three days of the Tour de France tune-up race (with a little help from our Cat. 3 friends) and look ahead to what this race means for July. Then in a return to Belgium as the three discuss Fretz's story on Tom Boonen's final races and Dreier's story on Flanders's ability to find Boonen's replacement.

Was the Hammer Series a success? Who will win the Dauphine's Alpe d'Huez stage? Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz and Spencer Powlison are joined by Cannondale-Drapac pro Alex Howes to discuss the Hammer, the Dauphine, and the upcoming Tour de Suisse. Then, we ask Howes what makes the Giro special, what scares him the most on the road, and what his NPR name would be. This episode is supported by PowerTap. For a chance to win a free PowerTap power meter, head to PowerTap.com/VeloNews.

Your training questions answered, live! Coach Trevor Connor and VeloNews senior editor Caley Fretz turned on the Facebook machine Friday and held a live Q&A session, tackling questions on everything from cramping to recovery to Andrew Talansky's chances at the Tour de France. This is the audio from that chat.

To win races, you need to sprint faster. Everyone does, except maybe Marcel Kittel and Mark Cavendish. Though sprinting ability is largely a function of genetics, there are still tons of ways to get more out of your finishing kick, from positioning to neuromuscular training to simply showing up at the finish line fresher. Coach Trevor Connor and senior editor Caley Fretz discuss the ins and outs of sprint technique and training, and are joined by two-time national criterium champion Eric Young for some pro tips.

Did Tom Dumoulin win the Giro or did Nairo Quintana lose it? Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison dissect the Italian grand tour then look ahead to the weird and wacky Hammer Series, which sets off this weekend, and to the Criterium du Dauphine, one of the final tests before the Tour de France. How would a Cat. 3 tackle the Hammer series? Tune in to find out. Plus, you can WIN a free Powertap! Just head to powertap.com/velonews, sign up, and you're automatically entered. Contest runs through June 14th.

Tejay van Garderen won a grand tour stage! So did Pierre Rolland, thus officially ending the Cannondale Curse. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison discuss an action-packed week at the Giro d’Italia, from Tom Dumoulin’s time dump to van Garderen’s emotional roller coaster. Yes, there are some poop jokes.

Ever wonder what it's like to be in the team car behind Taylor Phinney? This special episode from the Big Bear time trial at the Amgen Tour of California takes you inside the cars behind Phinney and Rally's TOC stage winner Evan Huffman, including chats with both riders, their directors, and Huffman's mom.

What numbers do you use to describe your rides? Some cyclists keep it simple with mileage and time. Others delve into TSS, FTP, or kJ to quantify a day of training. We talk to Dirk Friel of TrainingPeaks to explain how cyclists can use the data to make your workouts more effective and productive.

Should Movistar have waited when a motorcycle took out GC contenders at the Giro? Will Cannondale-Drapac exist in 2018? Did Boels-Dolmans race dirty? The VeloNews Podcast comes to you from Italy and California this week and tackles the controversies of the weekend head on. First Caley Fretz and Fred Dreier report from an attack-filled second stage of the Amgen tour, including interviews with Ian Boswell, Brent Bookwalter, and Andrew Talansky. Then Andrew Hood and Rupert Guinness bring the hottest of takes on the Giro's latest motorcycle controversy. Finally, Dreier sits down with Cannondale-Drapac boss Jonathan Vaughters to discuss the future of the green team.

Just one second separates the top two places with one stage left in the Amgen Tour of California women's race. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Kristen Legan discuss the thrilling race, which has seen American teams like UnitedHealthcare take the fight to international juggernauts like Boels-Dolmans. Plus, a chat with Megan Guarnier about her return from a serious concussion, and a check-in with mountain bike legend Katerina Nash, who is racing TOC for Team Illuminate. Yes, she's doing so on mountain bike pedals.

The Giro d'Italia's first mountain stage is behind us, so what did we learn? This episode begins with a dispatch from our man on the ground, Andrew Hood. Then, Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz and Spencer Powlison dig into the Etna stage, find out Who Was Wronger, Ask a Cat 3, adopt a GC contender, and look ahead to the week of racing coming up. Plus, an interview with Tour of California favorite, and Tour de France hopeful, Andrew Talansky.

Your body is ready to race, but is your bike ready? Caley Fretz and Coach Trevor Connor are joined by VeloNews' tech team of Dan Cavallari and Kristen Legan to dig into the tech side of proper race preparation. What should you do to your bike to make it race-ready? Where can you find the biggest gains for the least cash? What do you need to have in your race bag? The panel tackles these questions and many more.

The Giro d'Italia is here! This race always surprises, and this year is no exception. Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison discuss a controversial new downhill racing competition, the tricky first week, and make their picks for the overall. Then, Spencer catches up with famous chef Chris Cosentino to chat about his No Kid Hungry charity and Chefs Cycle ride, plus ask him what he'd cook for famous cyclists, given the chance.

The breakaway. It is perhaps the noblest form of victory, and the most difficult. Joining and then winning from breakaways is as much art as science, as much tactical awareness as strength. In this episode, Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz are joined by Cannondale-Drapac's escape ace Toms Skuijns, winner of two breakaway stages of the Tour of California, as well as VeloNews managing editor Chris Case, to discuss the tips, tricks, and tactics needed to make a breakaway move stick. Fast Talk is presented by Quarq.

The classics are over. Sad trombone. But Fred Dreier, Caley Fretz, and Spencer Powlison still have plenty to say about the Ardennes courses, Alejandro Valverde, Boels-Dolmans, and much more. Plus, a look at a late stage of the 1988 Giro d'Italia that might have been even more crucial to Andy Hampsten's victory than the fabled Gavia stage, which includes a chat with Hampsten himself.

The Little 500. It's just a bunch of college kids on singlespeeds, but it's so much more. Caley Fretz heads to Bloomington, Indiana for the annual event, which captivates a 40,000 student campus and an entire state, and embeds himself with the winning team, the Black Key Bulls.