Geraint Thomas Cycling Club

Last week we previewed the Tour de Suisse with an excited G - but this week we had to ask him about an innocuous crash that saw him have to head home from Switzerland early. Has it wrecked his Tour prep? Is he recovered? He answers both of those questions in this week's pod and looks back at the winner in Suisse, the impressive Joao Almeida. And next week? Well, you can expect a Tour de France preview from us - and then the greatest cycling show in the world starts just a few days later... We'll see you then. Watts Occurring is brought to you by Continental Tyres. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello GTCC and Watts gang, we have another podcast recommendation we think you might like. It's called For The Love Of Cricket, with two England legends, Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler. If you already love your cricket, if you used to love cricket and have fell out of love, or if you've never been into cricket but fancy giving it a go... this is the podcast for you. Full of insight and incredible stories, here is a little teaser of the first episode. To listen to the full episode, click here or search For The Love Of Cricket wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to win a VIP trip to the Tour's Grand Depart AND the chance to ride on the cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix? Of course you do. Continental Tyres are running an incredible competition to do just that right now. Enter here: https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/wattsoccurring/ Right, now you've entered that, let's get on with the show - and G's got an update after two days at the Tour de Suisse, where he's putting the finishing touches to his Tour de France prep. We're excited to see him rip it up in the mountains this week... fingers crossed. And, of course, we've got another Pog show to dissect. What a display he put on at the Dauphine. Can Vingegaard close the gap before the Tour? Hmm... See you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Win VIP tickets to the final stage of the Tour de France: https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/rewards/tdf/ Luke Rowe and Tom Fordyce are here for the early stages of the Dauphiné. It's not the Tour, but it looks like the Tour, and it's shaping up like the Tour might shape up. Oh - and why Froomey wouldn't eat dinner until Contador had eaten his… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the odds? Geraint Thomas is stinking hot up a mountain, but he's still got time to catch up with Luke Rowe for a proper debrief into this year's dramatic Giro d'Italia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luke, G and De Pluski all hop on in typically chaotic fashion to digest the 20th stage of the Giro. And everyone is baffled! There's huge praise for Wout Van Aert, G's mind is blown by UAE tactics and our Chapeau of the Day goes to a Brit. Join us here back on Tuesday for a FULL Giro debrief, when hopefully we'll have some answers. See you then. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a GC battle for the ages! With three stages to go, the maglia rosa is still up for grabs. Luke and G unpack a busy stage 18 including Ayuso being stung by a bee, and discuss all the contenders for the podium. G's backing Carapaz, Luke has a soft spot for Derek Gee, but could Briton Simon Yates sneak it? We'll see you back here after the final stage for our big Giro debrief! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A huge day in the GC at the Giro and Geraint and Laurens De Pluski are debriefing it all from training camp in Tenerife. After some big name exits and cracks on stage 16, who's left standing? Is Derek Gee still De Pluski's man? Is Simon Yates smelling blood? There's also Continental chapeau of the day for Astana after a first and second finish, and we get the low-down on G's birthday celebrations including a suspect cheesecake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's G's birthday eve and he's spending it in the best way possible... podding with Luke! There's a lesson on pronunciation from a fan in the Czech Republic to start, followed by a fierce debate over the aero helmet. But are you for or against? And following an unexpected day on stage 14, is Del Toro now a serious contender for GC? Or is it still Roglic's to lose as we go into the final week? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who are G and Luke backing as we head into the business end of the Giro? Will Tom Pidcock win a stage? And why is Luke wearing Christmas pyjamas in May? Plus Luke offers G the chance to rip up his pre-Giro predictions. Will he take it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

G's back on top of Mount Teide and reunited with Luke on the pod as they review an eventful weekend at the Giro. Who got their tactics wrong on stage 9? Is Isaac del Toro a serious threat for GC and should Tom Pidcock ride GC to Rome? Plus after 9 days of racing we pick our Chapeau of the Week and the boys preview Tuesday's TT. Is it Josh Tarling's to lose? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watts ambassador De Pluski is in the hot seat today with Tom Fordyce to look back on the last few days of Giro action including the longest stage of the race. Stage 6 had it all towards the end - a big crash, retirements and a gutsy sprint finish. Plus someone collected a hat-trick of wins on stage 5. G and Luke will be back on Monday to review the opening week and preview the second TT. And, check out our social channels to see our Continental Tyres Chapeau of the Day every day of the race. See you then. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

G's back on the pod to reflect on the first three days of Giro action - and it's fair to say Albania kicked up a storm for its first-ever Grand Tour Grande Partenza. Again, there's no spoilers here... but it's fair to say Mads Pedersen had an excellent few days, while Primoz Roglic cemented his reputation as the favourite for the maglia rosa. G also got on the phone to young star and teammate Josh Tarling, to ask him all about his huge TT win on day two. He joined G for the final 10 minutes of today's pod to go through the action and give the inside line on the INEOS camp. Our stage three Continental Tyres Chapeau of the Day is a leadout man who's already made a big impact on the race and, as the race now hits Italy, we'll be picking our Chapeau of the Day after every single stage. Check out our social channels to see our picks. G and Tom will be back later in the week as the race heads for the high mountains for the first time. See you then. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Giro d'Italia is officially underway in Albania - and the opening two days have already lived up to the hype. A crazy stage one saw a reduced bunch do battle for the stage win, today's TT was won by a second, we've seen two maglia rosa wearers , GC hopes extinguished... Ahhh you can't beat Grand Tour racing. No spoilers here, but tune in and let Tom and Luke talk you through the action from the first two days. G will be back Monday to recap stage three - and pick our Continental Tyres Chapeau of the Day. See you then. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

G's home from Romandie and has got a hefty debrief for Luke from the comings and goings in Switzerland. It was another solid week for G on his course to the Tour in July. Next up? Tenerife for his birthday. Ahh, lovely. Luke's been busy recording his new book - no wonder his voice sounds a bit croaky - and the boys throw their hats into the ring with some bold Giro predictions. Who do you think will make up the podium? Let us know by emailing gtcc@crowdnetwork.co.uk. See you next week, when the racing for the pink jersey will be well underway - and keep an eye on our social channels from stage one on Friday, where we'll be naming our Chapeau of the Day, sponsored by Continental Tyres. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode title says it all. We've got Sam 'Skippy' Watson winning the Romandie prologue 24 hours after being told to get a flight; a rundown on INEOS' kitchen sink-esque Liege-Bastogne-Liege tactics; and Pogi unsettling G by having a quiet convo with him at 420 watts. That's plenty to be going on with, but don't worry. There's lots more than that too. A classic Watts Occurring if ever we've heard one. See you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've got a treat for you all this week: Ambassador De Pluski's back on the pod. He joined Luke, who was fresh home from the Amstel Gold Race, where... well, where he got lost. Long story. In one of the most dramatic Classics of the season, Pog didn't win. Remco didn't win. But Matthias Skjelmose did. Chapeau, Sir. Next up for both Luke (in the car) and De Pluski (on the bike) is Liege-Bastogne-Liege this Sunday. Will it be Pogi vs Remco again? Or will De Pluski pull off a wild long-range attack of his own? Who knows. Maybe if he fuels with the Luke Rowe sandwich, he'll be fine. (You'll have to listen for that one to make sense.) G will be back next week. See you then. Want to try NordVPN? Head to https://nordvpn.com/gtcc for a special sign up deal. We're also hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November! Tickets are available here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back baby. That's right, Luke and G are reunited for the first official Watts Occurring of 2025. The season starts now. And, of course, there is a lot to catch up on - first and foremost, Sunday's Roubaix. And it was a cracker. Mathieu van der Poel won his third on the bounce (how nuts is that?) and Tadej Pogacar showed the world that one day he could well add it to his palmares. Luke's day was equally eventful and he told G all about his first Paris-Roubaix as a Sport Director. Attention now switches to the Ardennes - and G's eyeing up a final ride at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. What do you reckon: should he do it? Let us know by emailing gtcc@crowdnetwork.co.uk. We'll be back next week with a bumper pod. Want to try NordVPN? Head to https://nordvpn.com/gtcc for a special sign up deal. We're also hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November! Tickets are available here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the GTCC we've got another racing debrief from G. He's fresh off Catalunya where he enjoyed a solid week and where Ambassador De Pluski rode to a strong second on the final stage and a top 10 overall. And then we've got a bumper interview for you. Adam Hansen, the President of the CPA (essentially, the riders' union), joins us for a lengthy chat about his role, how he helps the riders, and the sheer breadth of topics his job covers. It gives a fascinating perspective on the considerations at play for all types of major decisions in professional road cycling. We hope you enjoy this one. Don't forget to use our code GTCC1M for a free month on ROUVY when you sign up for the first time - and let us know how you find it! Want to try NordVPN? Head to https://nordvpn.com/gtcc for a special sign up deal. We're also hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November! Tickets are available here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the GTCC it's a hefty debrief of G's final Milan San Remo and a soggy opening day at the Volta a Catalunya. He's been a busy boy. Oh, and the team bus ran out of hot water. Long story. After G updates you all on that, it's time to head back a couple of months to sunnier times, and G's trip to Australia. While he was there, he headed to the driving range with his old, old teammate from Barloworld, Daryl Impey. Impey's a cult hero of the sport, a South African who wore the yellow jersey at the Tour and forged a brilliant career for himself. They chatted about the evolution of the sport across their careers, retirement transitions... and if G will ever get decent at golf. It's a cracker. We're just not sure we'll ever run Daryl's proposed GTCC Golf Day. Join us for this week's GTCC ROUVY ride right here: https://riders.rouvy.com/events/72d92560-01bc-4e07-b3d1-ce8a0f4f7d95. And don't forget to use our code GTCC1M for a free month on ROUVY when you sign up for the first time. We're also hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November! Tickets are available here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 Finally, don't forget you can pre-order G's new book, Geraint Thomas According to G, right here: https://geni.us/AccordingToG_Signed See you next week for one of our most interesting guests of the season... Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you imagine racing against each other as kids round a park in Manchester and just a few years later you find yourselves at the top of the sport, winning some of the biggest races around? That's G and Swifty. With G's career coming to an end we thought it was time to finally welcome 'Swifty' to the GTCC - and take a big old trip down memory lane. It didn't disappoint. From leading Swifty out to his first major win at the Tour Down Under many moons ago, to Swifty becoming domestique deluxe to help G to a multitude of big wins over the years, these two have been through a lot together since those early days racing as juniors. And to be honest, Tom could have let them chat away for hours. Maybe we will one day. In the land of ROUVY, we're tackling part of the IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire route for this week's GTCC social ride. Sign up to join us for the spin here: https://riders.rouvy.com/events/a6eb8b98-5774-4c81-bd6e-ae12111ecc57 And don't forget to use our code GTCC1M for a free month on ROUVY when you sign up for the first time. We're also hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November! Tickets are available here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 Finally, don't forget you can pre-order G's new book, Geraint Thomas According to G, right here: https://geni.us/AccordingToG_Signed See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we're welcoming Luke back to the pod, for our very own GTCC Book Club. Yes, as you may have seen, both Luke and G have new books coming out in 2025! You can pre-order Luke's book, Road Captain, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0857507826 And you can pre-order G's new book, Geraint Thomas According to G, right here: https://geni.us/AccordingToG_Signed The boys chatting through their respective books and also did a deep dive into a fascinating Strade Bianche that saw Pog win (of course) but Brits Tom Pidcock and Conor Swift put in memorable rides to challenge him. We also toasted Luke on his 35th birthday! In the land of ROUVY, we're heading to the iconic Horseshoe Pass for this week's GTCC social ride. Sign up to join us for the spin here: https://riders.rouvy.com/events/4b7378d1-1d0a-450a-b33a-82f34db4e3cc And don't forget to use our code GTCC1M for a free month on us when you sign up for the first time. We're also hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November! Tickets are available here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! As we told you on Tuesday, we're planning our next live show: G's retirement party! And tickets went on general sale this morning. Get yours here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geraint-thomas-tickets-adp1206752 At the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November, G and Tom will be looking back on his incredible career - and we'll have plenty of surprises up our sleeve on the night. Let us know if you're coming by emailing gtcc@crowdnetwork.co.uk and we'll shout you out on an upcoming pod. See you in November! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LIVE SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT! Yes, we're planning another live show - and this one will be our biggest ever. We're hosting a retirement party for G at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 16th November. Pre-sale tickets are available at the link from 10am, Wednesday 5th March: https://www.wmc.org.uk/geraint-priority Before then though, G's got some big bike races to ride - and plenty of pods to record. Today, we're welcoming INEOS' new recruit Axel Laurance to the GTCC. When G first met Axel, he knew that he would be a brilliant pod guest - and he didn't disappoint. Just 23, and with the cycling world at his feet, we can see some big wins on the horizon for Axel in 2025. Enjoy getting to know him. In the land of ROUVY, we're heading to Wales for this week's GTCC social ride. Sign up for a spin along the Pembrokeshire coastline here: https://riders.rouvy.com/events/aeb15efd-5f82-4928-bd76-d24a3fc234ab And don't forget to use our code GTCC1M for a free month on us when you sign up for the first time. See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The cycling world wondered what would happen to Caleb Ewan this season. Seemingly on his way out of Jayco Alula, where was he going to end up? INEOS swooped in, midway through January, and now have themselves a top level sprinter. Exciting, right? G certainly thinks so, and is delighted the team have signed a close friend. He called him up and, following the move, we thought it was the right time to get Caleb back to talk about it. Why did he leave Jayco? Did he ever consider stopping? What can we expect in 2025? Will he be at the Tour? He answers all of those - and plenty more besides. Enjoy. In the land of ROUVY, a new update went live last week which allows full compatibility with Zwift hardware on the platform. Until now, the Ride plus Click and Cog were only compatible with Zwift software. However, with the introduction of ROUVY's virtual shifting compatibility, riders using Zwift hardware can now access ROUVY software and ride any of the 1,500+ immersive routes on the app. Riders will have full use of all 24 virtual gears, which are displayed on-screen to indicate their current gear status, alongside the already existing on-screen data including power, heart rate and cadence. If you've been waiting for this tweak to give ROUVY a try then use our code GTCC1M for a free month on us when you sign up. See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been far too long. GTCC members the world over have been writing in to ask: when will he be back? Well, he's back. Yes, Ambassador De Pluski is back on the pod - and he's back in action with G. The Volta ao Algarve kicks off this week and the duo will be tackling the climbs of southern Portugal against the likes of Roglic, Vingegaard and Wout van Aert. It should be a cracker. With De Pluski back on the pod, we thought we'd take the opportunity to pick his brain and hold our first GTCC preview of the season. Can Pog win San Remo? Will he ride Roubaix? Can Vingegaard reclaim his Tour throne? Why is Roglic riding the Giro? There's lots to discuss and boy oh boy are we excited for the 2025 season. In the land of ROUVY, a new update went live this week which allows full compatibility with Zwift hardware on the platform. Until now, the Ride plus Click and Cog were only compatible with Zwift software. However, with the introduction of ROUVY's virtual shifting compatibility, riders using Zwift hardware can now access ROUVY software and ride any of the 1,500+ immersive routes on the app. Riders will have full use of all 24 virtual gears, which are displayed on-screen to indicate their current gear status, alongside the already existing on-screen data including power, heart rate and cadence. If you've been waiting for this tweak to give ROUVY a try then use our code GTCC1M for a free month on us when you sign up. See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, that's right: G's got some big news for you all today. This year in the peloton will be his last. A pro career that started in 2007 will finish at the end of this season. It's been a pretty good run hasn't it?! He sat down to tell Tom all about his decision and his plans for the final year. It's gonna be a good'un. There'll be plenty of time to reflect come the end of the year but, for now, if you want to send in your favourite memories from G's career we'd love to hear them: gtcc@crowdnetwork.co.uk. The GTCC is sponsored by ROUVY. Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M when you sign up - and join our weekly ROUVY rides every Wednesday at 18:30 UK time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week we brought you Stevie Williams and this week we're bringing you his teammate, and another man you've wanted to hear from for ages: Michael Woods. His story is a relatively well known one at this point: elite runner turned cyclist. But we got to dig a bit deeper with Woodsy, spending 40 minutes with the charismatic Canadian. Michael now has 16 wins to his name, having joined the WorldTour just nine years ago. His story is a remarkable one. He also happens to be Tom's favourite rider, so he really enjoyed today's chat. In other news, G's finally back from the land Down Under. He's got a Cadel Evans Road Race debrief for us, and the guys get stuck into the chaos that unfolded at Etoile de Besseges last week. We are also very excited to confirm that our ROUVY rides are back for 2025. Come and join the fun every Wednesday at 18:30 UK time. You can sign up for tomorrow's ride (12th February) by clicking here. And if you haven't signed up for ROUVY yet, use the code GTCC1M for a free month on us. See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One man's name came up time and again when we asked you who you'd love to hear on the pod this season: Stevie Williams. G's compatriot Stevie had a stunning 2024 season and he joined the guys to tell them how he overcame a debilitating knee issue after he turned pro to realise his potential. This season? Just the small matter of repeating the feats of last season. It'll be fascinating to see how he copes with the challenge. Meanwhile, G's safely home from a great month in Australia. He gave Tom an in-depth rundown of the action. Who else would you like to hear from on the GTCC? Let us know by emailing gtcc@crowdnetwork.co.uk. We are also very excited to confirm that our ROUVY rides are back for 2025. Come and join the fun every Wednesday at 18:30 UK time. You can sign up for tomorrow's ride (5th February) by clicking here. And if you haven't signed up for ROUVY yet, use the code GTCC1M for a free month on us. See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've partnered with BrewDog for January to help bring some balance to our GTCC members. You can get 15% off BrewDog's alcohol free range by visiting: https://brewdog.com/collections/geraint-thomas-cycling-club We thought it was about time we welcomed another Tour de France winner to the GTCC... Come on in, Demi Vollering! The Dutch superstar came within an agonising four seconds of retaining her TDFF crown this summer, but she'll return to the race in 2025 as the hot favourite on her new team, FDJ-Suez. Demi joined us from training camp and was open and honest about her tumultuous 2024, the crash that defined last year's Tour, and her plans for the future. It's fair to say, G and Tom were big fans. Meanwhile G's been battling hard against a bout of illness in Australia, but remains in good spirits. To be fair, who wouldn't be spending January in Adelaide. It's the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race next up for him. Who else would you like to hear from on the GTCC? Let us know by emailing gtcc@crowdnetwork.co.uk. We are also very excited to confirm that our ROUVY rides are back for 2025. Come and join the fun every Wednesday at 18:30 UK time. You can sign up for tomorrow's ride (29th January) by clicking here. And if you haven't signed up for ROUVY yet, use the code GTCC1M for a free month on us. See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've partnered with BrewDog for January to help bring some balance to our GTCC members. You can get 15% off BrewDog's alcohol free range by visiting: https://brewdog.com/collections/geraint-thomas-cycling-club Yes, G's season starts here - and as he's in Australia, we've chosen a ripper of an Aussie for today's guest. We're sure you've heard of Luke Plapp - he was G's teammates for two years, after all - but how well do you know him? Today you'll find out all about one of the nicest fellas in the bunch, his Grand Tour ambitions for 2025, his gnarly crash in the Paris Olympics, and plenty more. Can he win Tour Down Under to kick-start his year in style? We will find out. We are also very excited to confirm that our ROUVY rides are back for 2025 - and last week's first weekly ride was a big success! Come and join the fun every Wednesday at 18:30 UK time. You can sign up for tomorrow's ride (22nd January) by clicking here. And if you haven't signed up for ROUVY yet, use the code GTCC1M for a free month on us. Enjoy Plappy. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've partnered with BrewDog for January to help bring some balance to our GTCC members. You can get 15% off BrewDog's alcohol free range by visiting: https://brewdog.com/collections/geraint-thomas-cycling-club G'day GTCCers. G's still living it up in the heat of Adelaide ahead of the Tour Down Under, while Tom and Producer George continue to do battle with the elements in Greater Manchester. It's alright for some, isn't it? As a legend of the cobbles, today's guest was no stranger to the cold and rain during his career either - albeit his biggest ever win came in the summer Olympic heat on the Copacabana beach. Yes, that's right - today we welcome Greg van Avermaet to the GTCC! GVA is one of those riders that we feel like must have been on before - but has somehow never made it to the GTCC, until now. He chatted to the guys about that incredible Gold medal ride, his remarkable run of success in 2017, his gravel exploits today and so much more. We are also very excited to confirm that our ROUVY rides are back for 2025 - and will take place each and every Wednesday at 18:30 UK time. You can sign up for tomorrow's ride (15th January) by clicking here. And if you haven't signed up for ROUVY yet, use the code GTCC1M for a free month on us. Enjoy Greg. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've partnered with BrewDog for January to help bring some balance to our GTCC members. You can get 15% off BrewDog's alcohol free range by visiting: https://brewdog.com/collections/geraint-thomas-cycling-club Happy New Year! We are back for 2025 and joined for our first episode of the year by G's old teammate, Pavel Sivakov. Pavel was a long-time teammate of G's, having started his pro career at Team Sky, before spreading his wings and joining UAE at the start of 2024. He speaks honestly about why he made that move, tells us what it's really like to ride for Pog - and lots more. You'll enjoy this one. Meanwhile, G's in Australia prepping for the Tour Down Under, and Tom's in full training mode for our next GTCC Rouvy ride. More details on that next week. See you then. Want to try ROUVY? Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M at this link: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to try ROUVY? Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M at this link: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast Merry Christmas! Yes, we're a little early, but this is the last pod from us this year - so a huge thank you to everyone who has listened along the way. And what's our Christmas present to you all? Well, it's a chat with Olympic Road Race winner and Team EF–Oatly–Cannondale rider Kristen Faulkner. You may not know much about Kristen, aside from seeing her win Gold over heavyweights Kopecky and Vos in Paris this summer, but her story is remarkable. She'd barely ridden a bike aged 24, turned pro at 28, and now? She's a two-time Olympic Gold medallist. There's also chat about halibut and bears. What more do you need? We will see you all in 2025. From G, Tom, Luke, and Producer George Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to try ROUVY? Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M at this link: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast As you heard on last week's pod, while G was out in Miami he spoke to Mark Cavendish - and this week you get our second Miami record, with El Pistolero himself, Alberto Contador. A winner of the Tour, Giro and Vuelta, the Spaniard has seen it all, and Alberto was open, honest, and a lot of fun. Meanwhile, G's been playing some new games with his teammates on training camp, and he's got a recap of last week's ROUVY ride. Enjoy - and see you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to try ROUVY? Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M at this link: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast And make sure you're signed up for our first-ever GTCC x ROUVY ride, on Wednesday December 4th at 5pm (UK time)! Click here to sign up. G and Cav have known each other since they were kids. Lining up together on London Bridge for their Tour de France debuts in 2007, they had to pinch themselves. 'What are we doing here?' Little did they know that 17 years later Geraint would be a Tour de France winner and Mark would have won the most Tour stages in history, eclipsing Eddy Merckx' record. We were delighted to finally welcome Mark to the GTCC and today's pod is basically about just that: how their respective careers have unwound since they lived together in a student house in Levenshulme, a suburb of Manchester. They share a bond, and fresh from Mark announcing his retirement, it was a delight to ride back down memory lane with two icons of British cycling. Enjoy. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to try ROUVY? Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M at this link: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast And make sure you're signed up for our first-ever GTCC x ROUVY ride, on Wednesday December 4th at 5pm (UK time)! Now, if you watched the Tour de France this summer, you will have noticed Jonas Abrahamsen. The man from Norway spent the first half of the race in the polka dot jersey, making breakaway after breakaway for Uno-X. His journey to the top of the sport is a fascinating one. Having started out as a 60kg climber, he's now an 80kg Swiss Army knife of a rider. He dealt with delayed puberty and numerous other complications, before gaining 20kg and becoming an advocate for healthy weight in cycling. He's also a top fella. You'll love this chat. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to try Rouvy? Get a free month on us using the code GTCC1M at this link: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast And if you need something to listen to while hitting the roads in Rouvy, well, this week's pod is an absolute classic. Victor Campenaerts had one of the stories of the summer - a father for the first time amidst a nine-week(!) altitude camp, and then his first-ever Tour de France stage win. Years don't come much more dramatic. Everyone's favourite Belgian (after De Pluski, of course) joined G and Tom to chat about that and plenty more besides. Meanwhile G's been in Miami, but he tells Tom that pre-season starts now. We shall we. Enjoy - and see you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, that's right - the GTCC is back! And we are back with a double bang. Not only are we welcoming American superstar Matteo Jorgenson to the show, we have welcomed a new training partner to the GTCC - ROUVY! We have our very first GTCC ROUVY club ride coming up over the next couple of weeks but, before then, you can go and check out the platform with a free month's trial. Sign up here: https://rouvy.com?utm_source=geraint-thomas-cycling-club&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=chasing-goals&utm_term=podcast and use the code GTCC1M to activate your free month. G and Tom are very excited to be back on club duty and Matteo was a brilliant first guest for season five. Fresh from joining Team Visma-Lease a Bike at the start of 2024, Matteo has gone from strength-to-strength, winning Paris-Nice, Dwars-door-Vlaanderen, and riding to a remarkably consistent string of results across the year. Enjoy - and see you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TWO WEEKS TO GO! It's so nearly time for Watts Occurring Live. It's going to be the night of the year; we promise. Come and see Luke and G at the Lowry Theatre in Salford on Friday November 8th. The last tickets are available here: https://premier.ticketek.co.uk/shows/show.aspx?sh=GERAINT24 Tadej Pogacar has had the season to end all seasons. But it was truly complete until he'd walked home with a couple of Watts Occurring awards? We'll let you be the judge of that. Yes, the boys are back for the final Watts Occurring of the year and, of course, it's our annual awards show. Rider of the Year, Win of the Year, Team of the Year, Race of the Year... the list goes on and on. And yes, that is our last Watts of 2024. Thanks to every single listener who's joined the ride. Next week? The GTCC is back. Get ready. Watts Occurring is powered by Eurosport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you got your tickets for Watts Occurring Live? Come for a night out with Luke and G at the Lowry Theatre in Salford on November 8th. The last tickets are available here: https://premier.ticketek.co.uk/shows/show.aspx?sh=GERAINT24 Did you watch Lombardia this weekend? And were you surprised by the result? No, of course you weren't. It was an absolute clinic from Pogi yet again, and capped what could just be the finest season the sport has ever seen. Luke and G reckon he might have to be a bit more like Maximus Decimus Meridius if he wants to keep his popularity next season (you'll have to listen to understand that one... but we doubt he'll care either way). What a weapon. There's plenty for the boys to catch up on - and we'll be back for the final Watts Occurring of the year next week, with our Annual Awards Show. See you then. Watts Occurring is powered by Eurosport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you got your tickets for Watts Occurring Live? Come for a night out with Luke and G at the Lowry Theatre in Salford on November 8th. The last tickets are available here: https://premier.ticketek.co.uk/shows/show.aspx?sh=GERAINT24 Did you catch the Gravel World Championships this weekend? It was a cracking race, won by the multi-disciplinary weapon that is Mathieu van der Poel. The British gravel champ Connor Swift battled to a very impressive sixth in amongst the Belgian mafia - and as an INEOS Grenadier, the boys thought it was time to get him on the pod to learn all about the inner workings of a major gravel race. Is G tempted to give it a bash, as Connor's wingman?! With a bit of peer pressure, we think it could happen... We loved having Connor on the pod - and realised we should have done this years ago. Ledge. And, as you'll have heard at the start of the pod, Luke will be on stage at Rouleur Live this November, on Friday 15th - and we've got a cheeky 10% off tickets for Watts Occurring listeners. Use code Watts10 at rouleur.cc/collections/rouleur-live-tickets. We'll be back next week with a big Lombardia review. See you then. Watts Occurring is powered by Eurosport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices