BrakeDown Podcast

The Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Festival was a fun series of races! Ben Hill of CCS Cycling and Georgie Howe of Knights of Surburbia join podcast host Jamie Finch-Penninger to talk about the tactics and significance of the Warrny!

U23 women's road race champion Alyssa Polites of Sydney Uni -Staminade and 4th in the men's road race, Kane Richards of ARA-Pro Racing Sunshine Coast, talk with host Jamie Finch-Penninger about the Australian Road National Championships. Apologies for the delayed release on this one and the audio ticks in recording, been a while and I'm a bit rusty! Enjoy and give some feedback on the Australian Cycling Insider social media.

The Powercor Melbourne to Warrnambool was run and won to the rapturous attention of thousands last weekend! Liam White of Oliver's Real Food Racing and Justin Barrow of Roxsolt Liv SRAM join host Jamie Finch-Penninger for a long chat about how the men's and women's races at Warrny panned out and looked ahead to the battle for the David Reid Homes Grafton to Inverell victory.

The Powercor Melbourne to Warrnambool is just around the corner with a very strong field that had guest analyst Tim Decker poring through the names on the startlist alongside host Jamie Finch-Penninger and coming up with a number of top riders to watch.

Georgie Whitehouse of Sydney Uni-Staminade and Tom Bolton or Oliver's Real Food Racing join the podcast to talk through an exceptional opening six days of racing at the NRS National Tour on the Tweed Coast.

Reigning national time-trial champion Sarah Gigante (TIBCO-SVB) and Sam Hill (Team Bridgelane) are here to talk about the nine-day extravaganza of National Road Series racing in northern NSW. It shapes as a tough succession of one-day classics that will decide the overall NRS winners for 2020!

Pro cyclist Lucy Kennedy of Mitchelton-Scott and Belinda(reallyspoketome on Twitter) join host Jamie Finch-Penninger in a conversation previewing the Giro Rosa 2020.

James Whelan talks about the lessons, and there are lots of them that he learned as a first-year WorldTour professional. An insightful chat with the EF Education First rider.

The Australian Cycling Insider in-depth wrap-up of all the action from the womens and mens Herald Sun Tours and the Melbourne to Warrnnambool. Featuring interviews with riders too innumerable to mention here, with interstitial sounds made by Jamie Finch-Penninger.

A plethora of guests as Marcus Culey of Team Sapura, Jayco Herald Sun Tour race director Scott McGrory, BGradeCyclist.com's Ryan Miu, Anya Louw of ARA-Pro Racing Sunshine Coast, James Whelan of EF Education First and Jai Hindley of Team Sunweb join the podcast to talk about the imminent staging of the Herald Sun Tour.

Chris Harper, newly of Jumbo-Visma and formerly of Team Bridgelane, speaks to the Australian Cycling Insider podcast about his rise to the WorldTour from the ranks of anonymity within the National Road Series.

Sam Hill of Team Nero-Bianchi joins Jamie Finch-Penninger to talk about his recent stage win and the team's general classification win at the Tour of the Tropics. They also look ahead to the upcoming Tour de Tweed which kicks off this weekend.

Marcus Culey of Team Sapura Cycling (yes, new team) joins the podcast to talk all things Sun Tour, including gravel climbs, will Ben Dyball win and who's running hot at the moment. Brodie Chapman of TIBCO-SVB also shares her thoughts ahead of her title defence in the race that catapulted her into the WorldTour.

The interviews with the winners and movers and shakers from an unpredicatable national road race championships. Includes a chat with the head honcho/organiser of the nationals Kipp Kauffmann, head of Sport for Cycling Australia.

An odd collection of criteriums and one massive climb for the latest round of the National Road Series at the Tour of Gippsland!

Kate Perry of Specialized Womens Racing and Nick White or Oliver's Real Food Racing join the podcast to chat dirt, gravel and fun at the Tour of King Valley 2018. N.B. The audio isn't great for this episode, proceed with caution.

Wind, rain, sun, a bit of hail... that could have been the description of 20 minutes in the constantly changing weather conditions on the border of South Australia and Victoria. It made for a fun place to stage a bike race! Chats with all the winners and riders that made the action at the 2018 edition of the Tour of the Great South Coast.

It's three podcasts in one this episode as Ryan Cavanagh of St George Continental and Georgie Whitehouse of Sydney Uni-Staminade Womens Cycling talk about the recent running of Battle Recharge, and Ben Hill of Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum has a chat about racing since coming back from a nasty crash at the end of last season.

Grace Brown of Holden Team Gusto and Chris Miller of Nero KOM Financial Advice Racing Team join the podcast to talk all things Battle Recharge. It's been a long hiatus for the National Road Series, but things look set for a hot return to racing around Murwillumbah.

Marcus Culey of St George Continental joins the podcast to preview the first event of the National Road Series, the Grafton to Inverell, and to talk about Aussies performing overseas. With a special appearance from Amanda Spratt of Mitchelton-Scott, talking about her incredible Ardennes performance!

Newly crowned Oceania womens TT champ Grace Brown of Holden Team Gusto and mens Road Race champ Chris Harper of Bennelong-Swiss Wellness join the podcast to discuss the Oceania Road Championships in Tasmania,

Brodie Chapman joins the podcast fresh off her victory at the inaugural womens Jayco Herald Sun Tour to wrap the season alongside Mobius Bridglane's Peter Livingstone. A roundtable discussion about the takeaways from the Aussie summer of racing, with a bit of Kiwi action thrown in as well. Hosted as always by host Jamie Finch-Penninger and sponsored by Out of the Rat Race Cycling Apparel (find them at oorr.com.au).

Another memorable edition of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour, with winds, climbs, a race neutralisation, beautiful scenery and superb riding. Sure, the focus could be on Esteban Chaves... but we're committed to the local Australian scene. Plus Chaves is a very soft speaker and didn't pick up well on the audio! Featuring interviews with Sam Crome of Bennelong SwissWellness, Cyrus Monk of Drapac Pat's Veg and Ed Clancy of JLT Condor.

A quick pod wrapping up the inaugural womens Herald Sun Tour and previewing the 65th edition of the Mens race. Interviews with women's winner Brodie Chapman, runner-up Annemiek van Vleuten and Gracie Elvin. Helping to preview the mens is Tour of Tasmania winner Lionel Mawditt.

A great stage of racing, topped off by a worthy winner and a host of other stellar performances! Features interviews with Lauren Kitchen of FDJ/UniSA, Grace Brown of Holden Team Gusto, Amanda Spratt of Michelton-Scott and Lauren Stephens of Cylance Pro Cycling.

Kat Garfoot surprised noone by showing her strength on what was a fast, dirty and wet Stage 2 of the Santos Womens Tour Down Under. Racing was in the gutter for the second half of the race, but despite conditions that would have made the Europeans feel more at home it was the Aussies that filled out the podium on the Mengler's Hill ascent.

Wiggle High5's Annette Edmondson couldn't let her brother have all the limelight, taking out the first UCI womens race of the 2018 season. Including interviews with Gene Bates of Michelton-Scott, Georgia Baker of TIS Racing, Rachel Neylan of Movistar/UniSA, Annette Edmondson, Girogia Bronzini of Cylance and Lauretta Hanson of UHC/UniSa.

A mix of interviews and chats with riders at the Aussie road nationals in Buninyong to try and determine how the mens and womens race will go for 2018. Not that we necessarily have any certainty over how either race will go, but it's been a lot of fun dissecting the tactics. Featuring Oscar Stevenson, Luke Durbridge, Lucy Kennedy (both Michelton-Scott) and Shara Gillow (FDJ).

The place-getters in the Under 23 Mens Time Trial talk post-race about a variety of topics. Callum Scotson is focusing on the road, Sam Jenner is keen for some leadership roles and Jason Lea was happy with the result and the progression he's been making in recent years. Three pretty different young guys all with different paths ahead of them to get to the top of the sport.

New teams, old teams, riders moving... there's a lot to talk about on the local scene! Marcus Culey of St George Continental and Sam Layzell of Oliver's Real Food Racing join host Jamie Finch-Penninger to pick apart the off-season action ahead of the 2018 season.

Gracie Elvin and Rochelle Gilmore join the podcast to talk about the UCI Womens World Tour with a particular focus on the Australians competing. It was a good year for Aussies abroad so there was plenty of positivity, but we also talk about the demise of the High5 national development team.

Rebecca Wiasak (High5 Dreamteam) and Tom Robinson (NSWIS) join the podcast to discuss the action at the recent Tour of Gippsland and discuss issues within Australian cycling.

NRS series leader Shannon Malseed of Holden Womens Racing and Tom Robinson of NSWIS join the podcast this week. Tom is fresh off his narrow defeat to Nathan Elliot at the Melbourne to Warrnambool whilst Shannon has her sights set on defending her NRS lead in the final race on the calendar.

Brendon Davids of Oliver's Real Food Racing joins the podcast to talk accusation of doping and his superb performance during the recent Battle Recharge.

Lucy Kennedy of High5 Dream Team and Stu Shaw of NSWIS join the podcast to chat about the recent Amy's Otway Tour and looks ahead t the World Championships in Bergen, Norway.

Stu Shaw(NSWIS) gets off his podcast duck by joining Kate Perry (Specialized) and Jamie Finch-Penninger for this wrap of the racing at the Sam Miranda Tour of King Valley. Plenty of interesting discussion around other issues effecting Aussie cycling as well.

Kate Perry of Specialized Womens Racing and Pat Shaw join the podcast to talk about the upcoming Sam Miranda Tour of King Valley as well as Aussies racing overseas.

Pat Shaw and Jamie Finch-Penninger join forces to do a deep dive into the fortunes of the current top Aussie riders outside the World Tour. Should they go for the World Tour, can they and will they make it? Old, young, male, female... it's a long pod, but worth the effort.

Andrew Christie-Johnston, is he the guru of Aussie cycling? We talk development of talent like Richie Porte and Nathan Haas, as well as local issues in an in-depth interview with the IsoWhey Sports-SwissWellness director.

Jamie Finch-Penninger, Marcus Culey of St George Continental and Louisa Lobigs of Holden Women's Cycling chat about the wrap up of the recent Tour of the South West and look ahead to upcoming battles in the Mersey Valley Tour and the Grafton to Inverell.

David Hunter(@cyclingmole) and Marcus Culey of St George Continental cycling team join host Jamie Finch-Penninger to talk for a very long time about all things Giro d'Italia related. The course, teams, sprinters and major contenders all get the microscope treatment as the panel offers their opinions and prediction of how the first Grand Tour of 2017 will pan out.

It's a weekend of Oceanias Championships in the offing! Jamie is joined by Marcus Culey of St George Continental Cycling and Louisa Lobigs of Holden Womens Racing to discuss the ins and outs of the racing in Canberra. Now sponsored by Out of the Rat Race!

Tour of East Gippsland overall winner Louisa Lobigs of Holden Womens Cycling and Neil van der Ploeg of IsoWhey Sports-Swiss Wellness join the podcast to chat all things local racing. Not just the action though, also talk about Louisa's Phd, rider safety and lookalikes in the peloton!

Jamie Finch-Penninger and Marcus Culey take a look back at the racing over the last month and talk about racing blocks, event timing and the Aussie riders that have impressed so far this season.

Marcus Culey joins the podcast to share his vast array of knowledge and occasional wit as we dissect the key players in the upcoming Herald Sun Tour.

Logan Griffin of Oliver's Real Food Racing joins the podcast fresh off his second-placed finish at an action-packed edition of the New Zealand Cycle Classic.

Pat Shaw and Jamie Finch-Penninger chat Tour Down Under and preview Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race whilst in a car just before the Race Melbourne. Includes press conference with the winners of the race, btw make sure to register your like or dislike of the inclusion of interviews with the riders as it may be something that sees further use.

David Hunter aka the Cycling Mole joins Jamie Finch-Penninger to preview the Tour Down Under, slap down the pretenders, laud the favourites and mis-assign gender. It looks like the hilliest edition of the Tour Down Under ever and could throw up a new winner of the event. Which riders end up being the picks of the podcast for the overall?

The effervescent Carlee Taylor of Ale Cipollini joins the pod to talk Womens TDU + wrap roadnats. Light-hearted but with some serious analysis of the first UCI event of the year.

Louisa Lobigs of Holden Women's Racing and Marcus Culey of Tinelli-Powerstream join the podcast to talk about the time trial and the road race at the Australian National Road Championships. All the tips, roadside gossip and fanfare ahead of the big event.

Jamie Finch-Penninger is joined by David Hunter for a dissection of the major offseason action in the Men's WorldTour. With a brief preview of the upcoming Aussie season!