Escape Collective

What a stage. The stage of the Tour so far? We think so. It had everything, from breakaway wins to big GC crashes to finish line protesters. Caley, Jonny, and Iain are joined by Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal and (briefly) Defector's Patrick Redford to talk through the day. Today's podcast title brought to you by Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal. 

We did it. We made it to the first rest day of the Tour de France. It took ten days but we got there. Caley, Jonny, and Iain sit down in Toulouse to answer your rest day questions. 

What a day in the mountains. Two races in one, a fantastic yellow jersey, and the first hints of a coming GC battle. Caley, Jonny, and Iain are joined by Chris Marshall Bell to talk through the day's stories. Alternate episode titles today (feel free to suggest your own):Massif Bental St Martins CollegePhilippe Philippe Simon is Massif France's Bastille Day Bungle is Massif

Jonas Rickaert had a dream.A fast, chaotic sprint made even more interesting thanks to some heroics (or insanity? Fine line) from Mathieu van der Poel on the road to Chateauroux. Caley, Jonny, and Iain break down the stage.

Sprint day! It was a hot one in central France and Jonathan Milan won the drag race up a slight rise to take his first Tour de France stage. Did Alpecin-Decueuninck back the wrong man? And is Pogačar a threat for the green jersey? Caley, Jonny, and Iain break it all down and then extol the virtues of a Bergadou breakaway and discuss Feed Zone Gate. 

For the record, we had our episode title before the Cycling Podcast did. Pogačar had this one circled on this calendar, and there was no denying him. Caley and Jonny are joined by Iain, just in from Norway, to chat through the stage (which was fun), whether it means anything for the GC battle (not really), and look ahead to a big haul across the middle of France this weekend. 

We thought it would be a breakaway day, and indeed it was. Ben Healy put on a show, sneaking away at just the right moment to take his first Tour stage win. Behind, weird decisions from UAE and Visma left the pod crew with many questions. Caley and Jonny are joined by pro photographer Zac Williams and reporter Chris Marshall Bell to break down the motivations of those big teams, how Healy pulled it off, and plenty more. 

Time trial day! It's Ronan's Christmas, birthday, and birth of his first child all rolled into one. The man could not be more excited. Jonny and Caley, in contrast, are just hoping for literally anything interesting to happen. Lucky for us, it did. Jonas Vingegaard underperformed (or did he?), Remco Evenepoel smashed it, and sweet Kevin Vauquelin (or is it VauqueliCAN) rode his way into the top three. 

Another lumpy finish, another string of attacks, another brave French boy, and Pogačar's first (and 100th) stage win. Caley, Jonny, and Ronan come to you from Rouen where they discuss the finale, Evenepoel's motivation level, Ralph Denk's aura farming, and much more. 

A whole lot of nothing, then lots all at once. That was the feeling from stage 3 of the Tour de France, where a processional day was punctuated by a nasty crash and the exit of Jasper Philipsen, then even more crashes in a hectic finale in Dunkirk. Caley, Jonny, and Ronan break down the stage, bring you news from Bryan Coquard and the Cofidis bus, and more. 

The French boys were so brave today. Caley, Ronan and Jonny bring you the latest from stage 2 of the Tour de France, where Mathieu van der Poel soared to the stage win and was handed the yellow jersey by Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Jasper Philipsen. Elsewhere, we've got the latest on Remco Evenepoel heading to the exit door at Soudal-Quick Step, and likely off to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe.

Visma-Lease a Bike is not going to roll over this week. Stage 1 of the 2025 Tour de France was a cracker, for a sprint stage, with wind and crashes playing a role in setting early GC gaps and Jasper Philipsen pulling on the first yellow jersey of the Tour. Caley, Jonny, and Ronan join you from a canalside in Lille, 50 meters from the Visma bus. We hear from Matteo Jorgenson on his team's plan and how it was executed, do a little Echelon 101 schooling, and smell a few smells. 

It's Tour de France eve. Caley is back, joined by Jonny, Ronan, and special guest Matt Stephens to discuss the Jonas Vingegaard's press conference, why Kaden Groves is at the Tour, and lots more. 

Welcome back to the Tour Daily! These are our daily Tour de France episodes, brought to you by the same crew as Spin Cycle. We're on the ground in France, Lille specifically, to take in the vibes, ask questions at press conferences, and generally get this bike race started. In this first Tour episode, Ronan, Jonny and Chris Marshall-Bell gather on a grassy field next to a bar to cap off what has been an inauspicious start to the 2025 Tour de France for Escape Collective. Nevertheless, they bring you the latest from the pre-Tour press conferences and Ronan has been wandering around sniffing out some tech truffles.

Cycling's a beautiful sport. It's also a nightmare for new fans to get into – a mess of jargon, history, and tactics. Journalism professor (and new cycling fan) Holly Johnson has questions, and together with Iain Treloar, is on a mission to decipher pro cycling. In the first episode: a chat with Jonathan Vaughters about how teams work.

It's Tour de France time! This is the last regular episode of Spin Cycle before it turns into the Tour Daily. Caley, Jonny, and Dane run through the weekend's national championship stories and then dive into a preview of the upcoming Tour de France, with a heavy focus on a wild first week. We've got picks (Fantasy and otherwise), guesses, even some rampant speculation. This is Free Week at Escape Collective, so everybody gets access to After Dark this week. Today, we've got a look at Patrick Lefevere's reaction to our story about a rift in his team last week, an intense discussion of how much we'd pay for photos of his feet, plus member meetups in Lille, and a little tease of a story coming this weekend. 

Today on the Spin Cycle podcast, Caley, Dane, and Jonny discuss quel le fuq is going on in French cycling at the minute, buttering you up before we descend into the topic of whether monsieur moins sept is trying to worm his way back into cycling.We then have some transfer rumours to update you on and a weird doping story to finish things off.

In this episode of Spin Cycle, Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, and Dane Cash discuss the rising chaos at UAE, the UCI's new gear limits, and Pidcock going really fast.

Well, some of the knee-jerk predictions made last Friday didn't last very long, did they? Tadej Pogačar showed everyone who's boss at the Dauphine, and we wait with baited breath to see if he somehow messed something up going into the Tour de France. Caley's back from a successful foray into lobstering and is joined by Jonny and Kit to break down the weekend's racing. Then the three turn their attention to the other big story from the weekend, an incoming ban on a number of go-faster gear, including narrow handlebars. Has the UCI even lost Caley on this one, a man who thoroughly hates the narrow bar trend? Seems so. 

Jonny Long, Dane Cash, and Kit Nicholson offer some kneejerk reactions to a single time trial at the Critérium du Dauphiné and ponder sponsorship activation opportunities for cosmetics brands in the latest episode of the Spin Cycle podcast.

Jonny Long, Kit Nicholson, and Dane Cash debate the merits of sprint stages and ponder the media-friendliness of today's peloton.

Welcome back to Spin Cycle, everybody. This week, Caley, Dane, and Jonny bring you:Dave Brailsford is making a return to cycling after being shuffled from his day-to-day role at Man United, potentially focusing more on the cycling team. His return prompts discussion about Geraint Thomas's potential management role upon retirement, first reported by Escape Collective in March. The exact nature of Thomas's role is ill-defined, with speculation ranging from something like head sports director or director of racing, or perhaps stepping into a role providing human connection and emotional intelligence for the riders, given that he doesn't seem to relish internal politics.The Criterium du Dauphine is upon us, set to be a mano a mano a mano battle featuring Vingegaard, Pogacar, and Evenepoel in the same stage race for the first time this year. Jonas Vingegaard was spotted training with hairy legs and short socks.Netflix's "Unchained" series concludes, with the third and final season trailer released by Netflix France. The season is dropping really, really late on July 2nd, just before the Tour de France starts.Plus: A look at the Dauphine route, which is backloaded with difficult stages and has almost no flat days.

Welcome back to Spin Cycle. This week, the crew dissects a thrilling conclusion of the Giro d'Italia. Was it won by Simon Yates or lost by UAE Team Emirates? Perhaps somewhere in between? What is absolutely sure is the deployment of Wout van Aert via the Wout Signal was yet another example of why he's the rider you want on your Grand Tour team. Plus: meeting the pope, Mads Pedersen's new underwear, and what Tibaut Pinot got up to over the weekend. 

One weekend remains at a fantastic Giro d'Italia. We won't try to guess what happens, because that's impossible, and that's why the race is so good.Caley, Jonny, and Dane discuss the stories of the week, including Ayuso's bee sting, Carapaz's form, and Lance's toilet investment. Plus, we hear from Luis Lemus on the impact of Isaac del Toro on Mexican cycling. 

It's the last rest day of the Giro d'Italia, and two bits of GC news dominate conversation: Isaac Del Toro is officially UAE's leader now, and Primoz Roglič might pull out entirely. Caley, Jonny, and Kit are joined by Intern Nick to discuss Primoz Roglič's inevitable move to Israel-Premier Tech, Juan Ayuso's inevitable move to Movistar, and Del Toro's ability to put on a jacket. Plus much more besides, of course. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Welcome back to Spin Cycle, where no news is too big and no joke too small. We're about halfway through the Giro, and what a Giro it's been. Caley, Jonny, and Kit take a moment to appreciate a Grand Tour without Pogačar in it, and then look ahead to the next one he'll be in. The Tour de France finish in Paris has changed, and it's way harder. Can Pogi win it? Should the classics men get excited? Plus, a one-night stand could land you in doping jail. Beware! 

The Giro d'Italia's mini Strade Bianche had everything: A winner everybody can hear for, a precocious young talent, GC crashes, dust galore.In this episode of Spin Cycle, Caley, Jonny, and Kit break down a spectacular weekend of racing, look back at some of our favorite Grand Tours stages of the modern era, downsize Big Jim to Medium Sized Jim, and wonder how UAE will handle yet another leadership question. 

Primoz Roglič showed the Giro how to hang off a race director's car on Thursday and Mads Pedersen probably had to go on a boat even though he fell down. The Giro is going to Giro, always. Caley, Jonny, and Kit jump on to chat through the last few days of racing and concrete reporting that Total Energies and Ineos are about to become a new chemical romance. Plus, some kind words for the Giro TV crew and Mathias Vacek, who is so good it's actually quite scary. 

If there's one thing we've learned over the first three days of the Giro d'Italia, it's never make a bet with Mads Pedersen. The Lidl-Trek rider is on fire, trimmers in hand. In today's episode, Caley, Jonny, and Kit break down the Giro's opening weekend, question the morality of one of a big newspaper, learn the fate of the Tro-Bro Leon pig, and introduce the Farce-O-Meter. 

The Giro d'Italia is upon us! Chris Marshall Bell rings in from Albania with the answers to cycling's biggest questions - whose legs are good? Who will be taking it day by day? We've got everything you need to know about the year's first Grand Tour. Plus, there's been a massive shakeup at GreenEdge. Longtime director Matt White is out. What are we hearing? 

Welcome back to Spin Cycle. In this episode, Caley, Jonny, and Kit give Astana the props they've been yearning for (almost as valuable as UCI points). Then, a look at the youngsters of Romandie, a cluster of a TTT at the Vuelta, and a trip in the sad Visma Van. Plus, Joe Laverick joins to discuss the Traka and how gravel has become a meme. 

In the arc of a life – especially one as rich and eventful as Greg LeMond's - certain stories get lost to the grander narrative. But in 1987, the bigger story was still unwritten. That year – soon after he'd won his first Tour de France, in the prime of his career – Greg LeMond was shot, and almost died.A Grand Tour champion, violence, drugs, intrigue, rehabilitation, and redemption: this is that story.We're running this first episode across our network, but future episodes will only be found on the Rabbit Holes channel. Subscribe to Rabbit Holes on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production and sound design by Will and Stuart at Redbricks Media. Music from EpidemicSound. Thanks to Chris Marshall-Bell.Escape Collective is an entirely independent and member-funded publication, and this content is only possible through the support of our members. To subscribe, go to www.escapecollective.com/join.

Marketing, activate! Red Bull's "groundbreaking" new feature is just a sprint point, but what does the company's increasing involvement in pro cycling mean going forward? That question is far more interesting. Caley, Dane, and Intern Nick are back to discuss Red Bull's latest, whether prologues are good, and we hear from Lachlan Morton on his decision to race Unbound XL.  

Who would you want on your Tour de France tandem? Would Pogi and Almeida beat Vingegaard and Jorgenson? These are other important questions answered on this episode of Spin Cycle. Caley, Kit, and Dane run through Liège, Remco Evenepoel's very bad day, Ben Healy's breath of fresh air, and Demi Vollering's disappointing spring. Plus, Chris Froome retirement news and an appreciation for good kit, from Kit of course. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.The best indicator for Fleche Wallonne victory seems to be whether or not you drink a podium beer at Amstel. Caley, Dane, Ronan, and Intern Nick break down the mid-week Classic, look ahead to Liege, discuss Uno-X's excellent new 7-11 kits, and wonder aloud where all the olds have gone. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Is Tadej Pogačar tired? Amstel Gold sure seemed to suggest it. Caley, Dane, and Intern Nick break down the weekend's racing, a crazy story about Lucho Herrera, the One Day Oscars, and lots more. Then, Joe Laverick joins to discuss a new take on road racing that looks like a lot like an old take on road racing. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Time to pivot to the Ardennes! By the time you listen to this, Brabantse Pijl will be wrapped up, and with it the return of Remco Evenepoel to the pro peloton. Caley and Dane are joined by Iain Treloar to put a bow on the cobbled classics and look ahead to the hilly one-days coming up. Plus Iain brings news of a new scam on the Internet. 

Caley, Ronan and Jonny come to you live from the Roubaix velodrome to break down the action and discuss the long-term narrative implications for what was a day out on the cobbles of northern France that will live long in the memory.

The Spin Cycle crew talks Paris-Roubaix. Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, Dane Cash, Ronan Mc Laughlin, and Zac Williams discuss all the storylines and field a few member questions ahead of the big race in front of a live audience in Kortrijk, Belgium.

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Flanders is the best of bike racing, and Sunday did not disappoint. Caley, Jonny, and Dane sit down in Oudenaarde's old square to discuss Pogačar's villain arc, Kopecky's biceps, and how there was very little anybody could do about today's outcomes. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.The crew is back in Belgium! Caley, Jonny, Dane, and special guest Nick are on the streets of Ghent and focused on De Ronde, the Tour of Flanders coming on Sunday. They break down the two key protagonists and who might upset the apple cart, plus bring a healthy dose of Belgian flavor throughout. Then, a look a the shrinking podiums in mountain bike racing and what the racers are doing about it and what Visma should have done about the strawberry in their Mustard. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.This week on Spin Cycle: Mathieu van der Poel got spit on, a Belgian rider got stuck in his hotel room, and Kit thinks Mads Pedersen is going to win Flanders. Plus the crew discuss E3, Gent-Wevelgem, Fabio Jakobsen's surgery, and extra team in the Ground Tours, and look ahead to Holy Week. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Tadej Pogačar is officially heading to Paris-Roubaix. What do we think? Can he win? Is it all a secret ploy to get Nils Politt across the line first? Probably not. Caley, Jonny, and Dane discuss the biggest news of the week (anything Pogačar does, obviously) and then question WTF was happening with all the crashes at Brugge de Panne, look into the extra wildcard teams that might be racing Grand Tours this season, and salute Caleb Ewan getting an early win in Ineos colors. Plus much more, of course. 

He's Ganna Poel up the Pog-gio! And other Milan-San Remo puns. How good was that weekend of bike racing? This week's Spin Cycle kicks off looking at Pogačar's team tactics in light of a behind-the-scenes video that dropped after the race. Things seemed to go mostly to plan, but did they? Then, why can't cycling have more races like MSR? How do you build proper launchpads? We have some ideas. Plus, Mads Pedersen's gut is not a place you want to be,  the UCI Track Champions League bit the dust, Marc Madiot thinks France is best, and Vingegaard is back riding again. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Two Milan-San Remos for the price of one? Sign us up. This week's Spin Cycle previews the best 15 minutes in bike racing, the finale of Milan-San Remo, and makes some guesses about the return of the women's MSR for the first time in 20 years. But first, we dive headlong into the UCI's hatred of nipples, some strange man management at Cofidis, the Tours de France coming back to the UK, and the potential for a new stage race in Colorado. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.This week on Spin Cycle: Caley, Jonny, and Kit dive into Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, discussing Sunday's dominant American duo, big boys who are good at climbing, and Ineos' new lease on life. Plus a bit of transfer speculation (Ayuso to Movistar anyone?) and the things on Patrick Lefevere's banned list. 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.We're in the thick of it. Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, rain, snow, riders warming hands on motorcycle exhaust manifolds, Jonas Vingegaard falling down. Caley, Jonny, and Dane break it all down on this week's Spin Cycle. Plus, is David Gaudu the baddie? 

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Ineos might get a co-sponsor? Yep. Reporter Chris Marshall Bell brings us an exclusive - TotalEnergies, which currently sponsors a French Pro Team, is in talks with the British squad to come on as a co-title sponsor. Negotiations have been ongoing for months, and while not confirmed, it could mean TotalEnergies invests 10 to 15 million euros into Ineos. Read about it here. Then, of course, we have to dive into Strade Bianche. How did Tadej Pogačar's expensive watch fare in his crash? Does Caley have some news about Pogi's Roubaix participation? (Yes). Finally, the crew discuss Bradley Wiggin's comments on Dave Brailsford, the Saudi PIF and its sponsorship of the Giro d'Italia, and the latest on how to watch pro cycling (or not, as it were) in the UK. 

Tadej Pogačar is going to Roubaix? Maybe for real this time? We can only dream. On this Strade Bianche Eve, the Spin Cycle crew cheers the news that the Tour de France Femmes may be headed to Yorkshire and discusses how Mathieu van der Poel toyed with the peloton before taking a moment to thoroughly enjoy Peter Sagan dancing on TV. Plus, everything you need to know ahead of Saturday's Strade Bianche and a look at the two stage races, Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, kicking off this week. 

Welcome back to Spin Cycle! We kick things off by diving headfirst into the opening weekend of the classics: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.First up, Omloop. What a weird day of racing, especially from the women's peloton. How and why did FDJ and SD Worx let the break get 15 minutes? It was a game of chicken where everyone ended up as a chicken. In the men's race, the surprise came in the finale as small groups came back together, which they don't usually do, resulting in a bigger bunch sprint than we've seen in years. At least a lovely old lady got her Arnaud de Lie moment. At Kuurne, Kaden Groves got a yellow card and Jasper Philipsen was fastest. Is Caley's Jonathan Milan draft pick already looking foolish? At Tour du Rwanda, the final stage was cancelled due to bad conditions. Not a great sign ahead of the planned World Championships later this year.Finally, we like to end the show on a high note, so last up is the news that the 2027 Tour de France might start in the UK. Jonny is ecstatic.