Podcast appearances and mentions of Ned Boulting

England netball head coach Jess Thirlby, sports journalist Ned Boulting, The Big Issue editor Paul McNamee, and comedian Jacob Hawley join Rick Edwards for an hour of sporting punditry, humour and entertainment. Points are awarded for informed comment, wit and passion, but taken away for nonsense and answers lacking in conviction.In the final round, the top two points scorers go head-to-head in 'Defend the Indefensible' where they must both defend a statement however ludicrous or distasteful for twenty seconds. There can only be one winner!Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

Broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd, sports journalist Ned Boulting, GB sprinter Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and comedian Bob Mills join Rick Edwards for an hour of sporting punditry, humour and entertainment. Points are awarded for informed comment, wit and passion, but taken away for nonsense and answers lacking in conviction.In the final round, the top two points scorers go head-to-head in 'Defend the Indefensible' where they must both defend a statement however ludicrous or distasteful for twenty seconds. There can only be one winner!Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

Ned Boulting is a British journalist, author, presenter and commentator. His voice has been heard on UK TV covering the Tour de France since 2003, his first foray into the sport. As he reveals to Bobby and Jens, the sport hooked him, and since then he's been on a mission to tell it's stories to the world. Since 2018 he's been creating a record of those events in the form of the Road Book. A mighty tome that tells the tale of a season with every race result, articles from top cycling journalists and the pros themselves. In this episode Ned reveals the process of the road book's annual creation, shares his favourite stories from the roadside and why he became obsessed with an edition of the Tour from over 100 years ago. You can order the 2024 edition of the road book herehttps://theroadbook.co.uk/To sign up to the Odd Tandem Patreon head to https://www.patreon.com/c/OddTandemand remember to send your questions for our next mailbag episode to oddtandem@shockedgiraffe.comMentioned in this episode:Sign up to our PatreonRemember during December you can sign up for our Patreon by heading to Pateron.com/OddTandem and entering the code ODDTANDEM to get 10% off

Thanks so much to Ned for giving up his time to speak to us. Check out more from him here: https://www.nedboulting.com/liveYou can take a look at that footage from the 1923 race here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avp72imh6D4&t=10sAnd you can check out the video versions of the podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Cade_Media/videosIf you'd like us to send in a question, story, some good news, things you'd like us to discuss or anything else, email us at wildonespodcast@cademedia.co.ukThanks and see you next time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textFrom 2026, the familiar sights of the Tour de France – the epic mountain ranges, fields of sunflowers, Tadej Pogačar riding off into the distance – will remain the same. But for many cycling fans in the UK, the sounds will be very different.Next year's Tour, the 25th edition of the race to be shown live on ITV, will also be the final one to be broadcast on free-to-air television in the UK, after it was announced last week that Warner Bros. Discovery and Eurosport have agreed a new exclusive TV rights deal for cycling's biggest race from 2026 onwards.On this week's episode, ITV's lead cycling commentator Ned Boulting, who's been working on the race for the channel since 2003, discusses the sad and poignant end of 40 years of the Tour de France on free-to-air British TV, the news of which he discovered while touring his new show, based on the 1923 edition of the race.Boulting reflects on why ITV's long association with the race has come to an end, what effect this will have on the Tour's viewership within the UK, and his own personal relationship with the race.He also chats about his new show, the ‘Marginal Mystery Tour: 1923 And All That', which just so happens to celebrate ITV's coverage of the Tour de France and why he's crafted a piece of theatre about cycling and the context in which it takes place.

This week James and Will are joined by Ned Boulting: commentator, pundit, author, stage performer, part-time comic and all-round superb raconteur. Ned talks about the 2011 season (the star of his new The Road Book 2011 almanac), from a knife-edge Tour de France with Cadel Evans snatching a last gasp victory, to a Vuelta a España that announced a rising star in the shape of Chris Froome. Conversation then turns to this year's Tour, from Cav's history-making win no.35 to the imperial form of Tadej Pogačar. All that plus Primož Roglič the unsung hero; Alberto Contador, the man who flew too close to the clenbuterol; Dave Brailsford, Ineos and United; and Ned's new touring one-man stage show, Ned's Marginal Mystery Tour – all about his love affair with an unearthed newsreel from the 1923 Tour de France.Chat with Ned begins at 8.34----The Road Book 2011 is out now, with essays from Chris Froome, Emma Pooley, Cadel Evans, Ned Boulting and many more. Edited by Andy McGrath. Order your copy here.Ned's Marginal Mystery Tour is touring nationwide from 22nd October to 20th November. Get tickets here.----Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Radio and television presenter Dougie Anderson, sports journalist and television presenter Ned Boulting, journalist and broadcaster Mina Rzouki, and comedian Ivo Graham join Josh Widdicombe for an hour of sporting punditry, humour and entertainment. Points are awarded for informed comment, wit and passion, but taken away for nonsense and answers lacking in conviction.In the final round, the top two points scorers go head-to-head in 'Defend the Indefensible' where they must both defend a statement however ludicrous or distasteful for twenty seconds. There can only be one winner!Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

Today on The Sports Agents - Formula One driver Lando Norris joins us in studio, days on from his Austria crash with friend and rival Max Verstappen, and just hours before his home race at Silverstone this Sunday... Has all the chaos surrounding Team Red Bull and Christian Horner created an opportunity for Lando and McLaren? What really goes on inside his head at speeds of over 200mph and what he'd trade to win a home race! Gabby and Mark also marvel at Cristiano Ronaldo's heart-rate data during Portugal's penalty shootout and are also joined by broadcaster Ned Boulting, live from The Tour de France, after Sir Mark Cavendish's record-breaking stage win.Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: David DombVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

In this episode: Deserter is 10 - Q&A with Ned Boulting, live at the Shirker's Rest Lobster flavoured crisps A History of Crisps read by Dirty South Like Father, Like Son read by Dulwich Raider Back to usual next month

From behind the scenes of the second week of the Giro d'Italia, Matt Stephens brings us a mix of off-the-wall clips and considered race reviews. With his colleague and good friend Ned Boulting for company, the duo survive a night in a Snow White themed hotel, rescue Matteo Trentin, and as the fatigue sets in and food in the Italian mountains gets scarce, there's a disturbing suggestion of cannibalism.

Matt Stephens is back at the Giro d'Italia bringing his trademark blend of unusual clips from behind the scenes. This bumper episode takes us from before stage 1 through to stage 9 with a short review of each stage mixed with whatever spontaneous nonsense unfurls around him. Matt bemuses his Eurosport colleague Ned Boulting with some outlandish predictions, and the pair bring us into the booth for some exciting stage finishes, then they encounter the best-resourced tax policing unit in Europe.

England and Harlequins rugby player Danny Care, sports journalist Ned Boulting, pundit and presenter Mina Rzouki and comedian Bob Mills join Rick Edwards for an hour of sporting punditry, humour and entertainment. Points are awarded for informed comment, wit and passion, but taken away for nonsense and answers lacking in conviction.In the final round, the top two points scorers go head-to-head in 'Defend the Indefensible' where they must both defend a statement however ludicrous or distasteful for twenty seconds. There can only be one winner!Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

21st April 2024 The Spokesmen Cycling Podcast EPISODE 352: Laura Laker SPONSOR: Tern Bicycles HOST: Carlton Reid GUEST: Laura Laker LINKS: https://www.the-spokesmen.com/ https://www.ternbicycles.com https://twitter.com/CarltonReid https://twitter.com/laura_laker https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/potholes-and-pavements-9781399406468/ Carlton Reid 0:11 Welcome to Episode 352 of the Spokesmen cycling podcast. This show was engineered on Sunday, April 21 2024. David Bernstein 0:28 The Spokesmen cycling roundtable podcast is brought to you by Tern bicycles. The good people at Tern are committed to building bikes that are useful enough to ride every day and dependable enough to carry the people you love. In other words, they make the kind of bikes that they want to ride. Tern has e-bikes for every type of rider. Whether you're commuting, taking your kids to school or even carrying another adult, visit www.ternbicycles.com. That's t e r n bicycles.com to learn more. Carlton Reid 1:04 I'm Carlton Reid and today's show is a chat with like journalist Laura Laker, author of an excellent new book, Potholes and Pavements. This is a travelogue featuring Laura's travels around the UK, writing on some of the best and worst bits of Britain's National Cycle network. From jaw droppingly gorgeous looking ancient military roads in the Highlands of Scotland to dark and dingy urban back streets blocked with barriers. As the books subhead warns, it's a bumpy ride. Um, so you've written a book. Is this your first? Laura Laker 1:46 Yeah, my first my first book, believe it or not, Carlton Reid 1:49 well done. Congratulations. It's a brilliant first book. One of many. I'm sure it'll be one of many. I noticed you've got a an agent. Yeah, you say in the back and thank him. So I'm guessing you're going to be doing more books? Laura Laker 2:00 Yeah, I guess so. I'm not trying to think about it too much. This one was very long in the gestation. I had an idea back in 2017 to do a basically ring around talking to people. I'd listened to the audiobook of John Steinbeck's Travels with Charlie, in which he travels across the US with his big poodle, and talking to people and he says he's most wonderful conversations, which were later question for their veracity, but it's just, it's just a wonderful format. And I love I'd kind of in that trip to America, I rediscovered my love of talking to strangers, which I had as a kid, and I'm kind of lost over the years, I guess, being British, but spending time in the US where everyone is just willing to talk to you and tell you their life story. I rediscovered this just love of cycling, is brilliant for that, you know, just talking to people you're travelling around, you might stop at some lights, or you might pass someone on a path and just get chatting to them. And it's wonderful people have the most amazing stories, I think Carlton Reid 2:59 Well, there's two teachers that you met, hopefully they will read the book. You weren't avoiding them. Laura Laker 3:07 I know Greg and Norton, they were so brilliant. And the most unexpected encounters and I was up in the Cairngorms and travelling alone and feeling a bit like oh, you know, such a beautiful, it's ridiculously beautiful up there. I'm always just astounded by Scotland, and how how it's possible for somewhere to be so beautiful. And the NCN [National Cycle Network] across the Cairngorms is something else, it's really quite remarkable. A lot of its off road, it's this dedicated path. It was an old military road. And the rest is on fairly quiet country roads. And I was pootling along on my big pink ebike, which I did some of my adventures on and I saw these roadies coming up behind me and I thought well that they're going to overtake me in a bit. And sure enough, they did. We said hello. And then I saw them stopped at this bridge and they were looking over and they just had this wonderful kind of whimsy about them this they weren't they were going a long way actually they're going from kind of Aviemore back to Preston where they were at least one of them lived and doing it over a couple of days in sort of training one of them's an Ironman enthusiastic participants, but on the way they were stopping looking over bridges, that sort of waterfalls over rocks and like looking across the landscape and just enjoying the scenery. And that for me is what cycling is about. It's about appreciating the world around us and the people around us and so they said we'll ride with us for a while and as you know ebike your Aberdeen bought a bike mine included, maxes out at 15 and a half miles an hour which these guys were obviously capable of exceeding quite easily. So but they they rode with me for quite some time and we chatted and they were just fantastic. And then yeah, they they stopped for a week and I had to run inside for a week. And then I came out and they'd gone Carlton Reid 4:51 but it's quite a nice way to say goodbye. Are you are you are you taking notes as you're going along? So you wrote their names and what they did. And or you coding stuff. How are you physically? Laura Laker 5:02 Yeah, so I get back at the end of a ride and write stuff down. And I do think it's best that way, especially with travel writing, because you forget so much so quickly. And the big three Cornwall, I think is, you know, in the early parts of the book, when I first started the exploration, further afield, you know, writing stuff down as you experience it, or very soon after is really important because you lose a lot of the detail and the texture of what you're experiencing. And I think it just makes for much richer story that way, but also difficult to do because you're having to memorise and maybe that's why Steinbeck was getting criticised because he wasn't writing No, no. As he was going along, he's remembering it. Well, memories can do. Memory is really interesting, actually. Because we we probably most of us think that our memories are fairly good, or the way that remember things is correct. But actually, it's very, very subjective. And the longer time goes on, the more we forget, or the memory gets warped, or things get introduced that didn't exist, maybe and it's really very, very subjective. I've got I don't know for some things, I've got quite a good short term memory so I can remember to a certain extent, but obviously, as Homer Simpson once said, you know, one thing comes into your brain another thing has to leave it so. Carlton Reid 6:23 That's 100% me though. So this book Potholes and Pavements, a bumpy ride on Britain's National Cycle network, it comes out May the ninth published by Bloomsbur. £16.99. Excellent, excellent book. I read it yesterday and got up early this morning to make sure I finished it before I spoke with you. Now normally when when I talk to people for this podcast, I always get them to send me a photograph so I can do the you know, the socials and the thing that goes on the show notes. What have you with you, oh, an hour and a half to do that. Because I have ridden with you ridden with you on bits of the ride that you are right that you mentioned in your book. So when you mentioned that, you know the cycle superhighway. You make an item was like, I've got that photograph because I was holding my camera photographing you behind me? Laura Laker 7:20 Yeah, with Brian Deegan. Carlton Reid 7:21 There's knowing smiles when I'm reading your books like I was on that ride. Like I know, Laura. Oh, my word. It's also like me on that ride. And when you describe windmills, yes. But the windmills and it's a cute book for me. Also cute because I know lots of these people who you're describing. And I know in the book, it says he didn't want to be described as a hero. But he is a hero. And because it's about the National Cycle network, then clearly that's got to be the guy who not single handedly founded it, but certainly pushed it through with those with those early innovators. So that's John Grimshaw. So he comes in, he's, he's in at least three or four parts of the book, you've clearly gone to speak to him a number of times wonderful. And it's fantastic that he's in there, because he really doesn't get the recognition he deserves. Laura Laker 8:16 Yeah, it's interesting. I mean, he I obviously have to speak to John Grimshaw. Because a lot of people as he points out, and as I tried to convey in the book, a lot of people and probably, you know, uncountable numbers of people were involved in the foundation of and development of the National Cycle network. And then it's maintenance ever since many of whom are working for very little, in fact, nothing, because they loved it. But John really seemed like, talking to people and talking to him, was the driving this real driving force behind it and his kind of self belief and single minded determination, I think was a major driver and he is such a character. I mean, a bit of a Marmite character, I think, but, you know, it seems like you need people to kind of drive things forward. Carlton Reid 9:05 Cos you need somebody like that. He's a visionary. Yeah, you know. I love Malcolm Shepherd. I love Zavier Brice, the people who are in charge now and Malcolm was the guy who came in after after John. But Malcolm wasn't a visionary. Malcolm was an accountant. And when when the organisation any organisation any business gets big, then you very often need somebody else to take over. And there's lots of faction there at the time. You don't go into it in a great detail. That was enormous friction there and there's still enormous amount of bad blood between people. Laura Laker 9:46 Yeah, and it's interesting because Caroline Lovatt. Here's another key figure from fairly early on and still works with John today. On there, they're still building cycle routes under a different organisation, cycle routes and greenways and Um, she says that, you know, for for years, according to her, John kept disappearing from the kind of record of that of the history of the NCN on Wikipedia, she kept putting him back in. And um, yeah, I mean, the story was, and that was a difficult part of it to tell. But it was one that had to be mentioned, I didn't want to go too into it. But obviously, you know, John, leaving Sustrans under fairly strange circumstances, and really against his will, was was part of the story that needed to be told. And it was a different and I spoke to a number of people and nobody really, I think, you know, there were potentially nondisclosure agreements. And so nobody really talks about what exactly happened, which is why I call I mentioned the omerta. Because it really seems like everyone has a slightly different story, or, and I and again, I, you know, it's memory and it was a painful time. And it was a long time ago. And it's quite common, as you say, with new organisations, you've got this big driving force, but then sometimes they're not the person to carry on leading an organisation once the first major thing is done, and, you know, they might not be great with people is, you know, having a skill to start and drive something is not the same as being a sort of manager of people and diplomats. And it's, yeah, it's quite often it's a painful process, certainly not unique, I think. Carlton Reid 11:16 No, it's very common for that kind of thing to happen. However, saying that it's very important to recognise who was that visionary? And I think he lost an awful lot of that. So, so wonderful to see John. central to that. So that's really nice part of the book because I, you know, John, John is a wonderful, wonderful guy, and absolutely, this would not have happened without him. I know, there's lots of other people you know, David Sproxton, all these kind of people were there at the same time, George Ferguson. So So Sproxton was Aardman Animation. So people who know admire animation, George Ferguson, Mayor of Bristol, at one point, all these individuals were there at the time, but it needed that guiding force that needed that. Just somebody who woulda just said no, and just went ahead and did it. That was that was the ethos of Sustrans in the early days. So that Laura Laker 12:12 Yeah, yeah, because the status quo then as it is, today, is very much stacked against cycling routes happening. And so you kind of need a rebel who's not willing, who's you know, not willing to take no for an answer? Who's going to be able to make things happen? And I think in a way that kind of, I guess, you know, being from a fairly well off upper middle class background, you have the confidence really the education that kind of gives you that confidence and and then the character and self belief to just to drive that forward. Carlton Reid 12:47 Mmm. That you didn't mention not even once Cycling, Touring Club CTC cycling UK. Because the book isn't in all cycling, you are you are laser focused on the National Cycle network. But there was also friction between those two organisations, you know, stranden effect was an upstart organisation, then it got for £42.5 million with Meatloaf handing that over on TV or that kind of stuff. And there was there was an awful lot of friction between still is between strands and and what is today cycling UK. So you haven't got into that at all. What Why didn't you go into that? Is that just because you wanted to just stay laser focused on the cycle network? Laura Laker 13:36 I mean, I mentioned that not everyone felt that Sustrans was being helpful because they felt that cycle route should be delivered by government and charities stepping in. And taking that role almost allows the government to say, well, you know, someone's doing it. Now. We don't need to get involved. But I mentioned the kind of tension between certain types of cyclists. I think I might quote to you, I think I've got you in the references on that. But I mean, I don't know if I just don't know how. I don't know. It's yeah, it's a tricky one. It's how much to include, and you always have to make these decisions, what to include and what not to include, and I guess I just didn't feel like that was a key part of the story at all. There was some thinking at the time around that but and I'm aware that there was tension and I know that Mark Strong for one who gets quite a mention in the book, talked about Sustrans being too successful and not successful enough in that, you know, they were doing this job notionally? No, they were doing a great job for with what they had and who they were and ie not the government and with not very much money but they were doing enough just to allow the government to just say, You know what, well Sustrans is delivering the National Cycle network, tick, job done. Let's get back to the serious business of roads. Carlton Reid 15:01 because there is there is you meant we will get on to the very positive points, you've got like a bunch of what what do you call it in the book where you've got a whole bunch of asks basically? Oh, yeah, the manifesto, the manifesto. There you go. Number one, we'll go through these points. 10 point manifesto. So there's some positive stuff to talk about that. But you don't really mention that there's this that, you know, you're talking about, you know, this should be funded nationally, and there is that struggle, bear with you know, this is a charity, etc, etc. But then you've also got the weakness of you have actually got to at least have British Cycling as well, three competing organisations, going to government and asking for money for various things. And wouldn't it be nicer and more practical and may even get more stuff? If there's only one organisation so there is that there is the absolute fault line running through cycling? That is one of the reasons why it's very easy for the government to not do stuff because they're getting told different things by different organisations and one organisation saying don't back them back us. So there's that kind of friction there. Laura Laker 16:22 I don't know if that's if I see it that way. I mean, Sustrans cycling UK, and British Cycling, and things like livable streets are all part of the walking and cycling Alliance. And I think what that what that's trying to do is to unify the voice, because ultimately they want the same thing. I mean, British cycling's coming at it from a sports point of view. But recognising that its members also need safe roads to cycle on. And that means a whole host of other things, safe protected routes in cities. And that's popular with members. And then cycling UK, originally a touring group, now a charity that lobbies for Safe Routes, safe conditions, and also delivers stuff for government, such as what to fix your ride, and a bunch of other things. And then Sustrans is a National Cycle network and behaviour change programmes. So there are overlaps, but I do think they are distinct. And I don't see I don't see it as I mean, they probably have internal, you know, perspectives on things and perhaps don't always agree with what the other one was doing. But I think I think they tend to present a fairly unified front these days. Carlton Reid 17:30 They're not as bad nowadays. I mean, it's when you get rid of it certainly did not get rid. That's the That's the wrong phrase. When individuals leave organisations, it can change because a new people come in, and you know, those alliances are, that's what you're just used to. But you know, before that alliance was put in place, they were cats and dogs, they were really hating on each other and slagging each other off to government as well. So that's why government was able to go up. This cycling is just mad look, these these, you know, what they, these three cats in a sack just fighting each other. Laura Laker 18:03 And then you saw, I mean, I think I talked about, you know, Malcolm Shepherd, who was the CEO after John Grimshaw. He went to ministers, and he was saying, why aren't we getting the funding we asked for? Or why are we getting taken seriously, I think was the question. And he was told, Well, you don't ask for enough money, basically. So they were thinking and perhaps this kind of historic infighting is also a function of the fact that these were kind of fledgling organisations to an extent for some time, not very much funding. They were run by enthusiasts probably, who all had their own ideas. And of course, let's not forget that there were also the vehicular ISTS who didn't even believe that we needed cycling's of which I think cycling UK early on was one and that might explain why they disagree with Sustrans who were trying to yes, no, there was a whole cohort who stands for that reason, absolutely. 100%. So maybe that, you know, it perhaps is a function of just the whole movement being in its infancy. I mean, it's been going for a good 40 or so years, but I don't know, maybe it was maybe it was just run by enthusiasts for a very long time. And that's why it's taken a while to kind of mature but also I think it was going I mean, our cycling lobby, organisations were kind of leading the way for much longer than a lot of European countries in a nice talk about this in the book in countries like France and in the Netherlands and in Denmark, they all started their calls for National Cycle networks or at least safe routes, thanks to charities and voluntary organisations. And then fairly quickly, were all taken on by the government who saw this as a piece of infrastructure firstly, quite often for leisure, but then they realised people were using these routes for commuting trips, and it was it needed to be part of the infrastructure and was taken up with great enthusiasm and in Sweden as well. By the various local departments and regional governments and delivered quite quickly and at quite a kind of scale. And that hasn't really happened here. And so perhaps those kinds of just the longevity of those cycling groups being so crucial to anything that happens for cycling, has kind of made this whole, I don't know, split more important than it would have otherwise been. Carlton Reid 20:24 Yeah. And like in the Netherlands, the the organization's tried to fight against this, but the government tax cyclists, and cyclists actually paid for the roads. Laura Laker 20:34 They did, that's right. Carlton Reid 20:37 But it's the very fact and this was a cyclist at the time were fighting against, they didn't want to be taxed. In the UK, and the Netherlands, they were taxed. And then cyclists became national infrastructure. And that became critical, as you say, and the fact that you know, there wasn't, there was some national infrastructure, obviously, I've done this the 1930 cycleways project. But the CTC is the British Cycling as of the time fought against all of this, they fought against taxation, they fought against cycle routes. And so there is there is some argument to be made that cyclists have been their own worst enemy. So I know in the book, you're saying, you know, it's just such a no brainer. And it is to back, you know, for want of a better word or phrase active travel. Now, in the book, you've got various people are saying we should call it something different. Laura Laker 21:27 Yeah, Lee Craigie. Carlton Reid 21:27 yeah. Yeah. But, you know, cycling has been difficult, at the same time. And it's like, what's happening in Wales, and in Scotland, is inspiring, possibly, because it's actually coming from above. A lot of it, you know, there's obviously enthusiastic people working on the ground, etc. But a lot of this is coming from government ministers. So that helps. Yeah. And, Laura Laker 21:54 I mean, we have this idea, and I'm sure we're not alone. And this point you just made and the example of the taxing of the cyclists in the Netherlands, which is something I learned during doing the research for the book, I didn't actually know about this, but I, you know, the reason we lost the railways that then became a lot of these greenways was because, you know, we see transport as needing to wash its own face needing to fund itself. And the railways at the time, were losing money for most of the routes. And so that was the reasoning. And, you know, with roads, obviously, drivers are taxed it's not sort of ring fence funding. It's not a road tax, it's, but you know, it is making the Treasury money and cycling has never really done that. And I, I think fundamentally, the way that way of thinking about transport is wrong, because of the benefits, the much wider benefits that transport gives us in terms of, you know, being able to access education and health and social opportunities and for our physical and mental health. And it's, its benefits span far beyond its own kind of silo. But we don't really see it that way. And I'm not really sure actually, if anywhere managers to think of it this way, but I think post pandemic, things like free bus services and in different countries has maybe illustrated that people are starting to think about it differently. But ultimately, I think it's it's a very tricky one. Because like you say, we in a way we weren't, we were own worst enemy in terms of our predecessors in the cycling world. But we were working within philosophy that's that dictated that actually, if you're going to build something, you know, who's making money from it, or, you know, how is the Treasury getting that investment back and not really seeing it as this makes people healthier? Or this gives them opportunities or promotes businesses, local tourism? And all of this? So yeah, I mean, if we'd done it differently, who who knows of cyclists in the UK? So fine, we'll pay a tax. Who knows? We might have an NCN now, but, and even today, it's a little bit of an uncomfortable conversation, isn't it? Because, you know, nobody wants to be taxed. Carlton Reid 24:02 So the book is, it's a polemic in many ways, not not all the way through. But there are definitely bits in there that are strident. And I cannot argue with at all I'm reading it nodding along. And certainly the bits about like the national infrastructure, right, and it's all being spent on roads. And it's it's the so many reasons why that is crazy. Yeah, and why spending even just a fraction of the roads budget on on a national cycle network, you know, genuinely joined up one high quality would bring many more, many more benefits. And then you've got and the irony is, and I did a new story on this is, you have a government minister, who has written the foreword to your book, and he said This is not government minister, a former government minister, a former Transport Minister, Jesse Norman, and then it's like, why don't you do this when you're in power? It's great. You've said it. It's wonderful that you're saying all these things. But you could have done this, you could have pushed for this. And he was also the Financial Secretary of the Treasury. Yeah, he could have released money. Yeah, let me see what he says. But Laura Laker 25:26 it's so difficult, isn't it? And it's, again, it's kind of facing it's the status quo. I mean, it's, I think, maybe important to remember, and I'm not making excuses for anyone. But, you know, he was a junior minister, certainly in his first round is cycling minister. And so he would have had to tow the party line. So I don't know how easy it is for. I mean, he's a very intelligent guy. He cares about cycling. But then he's part of a system, which ultimately, I guess, maintains the status quo doesn't want to upset the applecart. And that's why, in the manifesto, I, you know, I think it's so important that people speak up for these things, because I think until there's an outcry for it, it's very difficult for any one minister, unless we have a cycling Prime Minister, to change all of this. There's a lot of vested interests in maintaining, you know, roads for cars, keeping car manufacturing, going and, you know, taxation on cars is going to be very problematic, because obviously EVs electric vehicles don't pay, you know, drivers with EVs don't pay cortex. So what's gonna happen there? But yeah, I mean, it's difficult, but I think people need to speak up for this kind of thing. We get a lot of kickback pushback from people when there's cycle routes coming. But those are the minority. And one thing I tried to highlight in the book is that most people want this once cycling routes, they they want other options and to drive. And, you know, between two thirds and four fifths of people in representative polls say that they'd support this and many of them, even if it meant taking road space away from motor vehicles. But that's not what politicians listen to. And I think increasingly, politicians are listening to angry people on Twitter. And you know, if Mark Harper's comments about LTNs and 15 minute neighbourhoods is anything to go by, which was straight out of the kind of conspiracy theorists, Twitter playbook, you know, they're listening to the loudest voices. And I think until people say, you know, we actually want choice. We don't want to have to breathe polluted air, we don't want to have our neighbourhoods dominated by motor vehicles. We want our kids to be able to go to school safely. I think it's gonna be difficult for things to change. Carlton Reid 27:45 Hmm. So you have mentioned a variety of routes that are actually pretty good. So yeah, Keswick one is one of them. Laura Laker 27:55 Threlkeld, yes. Carlton Reid 27:58 And that's why I know, I know the route well, as good as now, you know, a cycleway there because that was that was long in gestation. But basically, it's it's it's, it's popular. You know, people say, oh, like, but that's a popular route now, isn't it? Laura Laker 28:15 Yeah, yeah, people drive there. And I mean, that was that was interesting for a number of reasons. I mean, incredibly beautiful. It sort of weaves through Greta gorge, which is just this kind of just this amazing landscape, this sort of rocky river which meanders through this very deep wooded valley. And it's on a former rail line. And it was, which storm was it was it 2015, there was a big storm, which basically crumbled a couple of the bridges with the sheer volume of water that ended up going through this narrow gorge. And then it was out of action for a couple of years. And that was an important, crucial route and a tourist attraction for local businesses. One pub owner apparently offered the local council, I think it was the national parks something like 30 grand out of his own pocket, reopened the route, but it was actually a sort of 2 million pound job. So that wasn't going to go all the way. But you know, this was a really important tourist attraction for people and people drive there because there aren't safe routes to get to and from the ends, so people drive and park and then cycle along it and cycle back. But yeah, it's popular, it's really popular. And they when they put the bridges, the new bridges in Sustrans with various parts of funding, they resurfaced it and there was a big hoo ha about putting tarmac on instead of the gravel that had been there before. But that actually opened up it up to far more people, including people who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters, because any sort of rough surface or uneven ground can tip someone in a wheelchair and it effectively makes these routes unusable. And this is something that I really learned in the book and feel very strongly about now. And there was a big outcry nationally about tarmacking this path because it's in the Lake District and everyone's He has an opinion about the Lake District even if they've just been there once and we all feel like we own it because it's such a beautiful place and I guess rightly so. We all care about it. Carlton Reid 30:07 The Lakers. Laura Laker 30:09 Lakers, my people. Yeah. The people who holidayed in the lakes were known as the Lakers. Yeah, which is brilliant. So yeah, they, you know, they held their ground and they tarmac it and you know, the numbers increased drastically. And this story plays out all over the country, wherever there's a improve surface on a path. Suddenly, it's open to everyone. And this is what this is what cycle rich should be in, in my opinion, it should be open to everyone. Carlton Reid 30:37 Yeah, it's like the cinder path. That's the Sustrans route national cycling group from from Whitby to Scarborough. That was the one that had a load of of people complaining because Cinder path you know, they were going to be tarmacking just parts of it. And lots of people are saying you know but this this this will you know, destroy it or whenever lots of yobs in and it just never got done. And then it's it's impossible for a lot of the year because it's just it gets just too rutted into mud into too horrible. And this is, you know, we discard it would just be so easy. You know, between these two conurbations and small conurbations, if you could ride there on an all year round an all weather path? Laura Laker 31:21 So yeah, I do. I do worry about this, because it's, you know, they say it's an effect gentrification. And you're you're bringing, you know, urban into the countryside yet. There's roads everywhere, and they got tarmac on, and nobody seems to be kicking up a fuss there. What's What's your problem? Yeah, I know. And I think it's just we have this idea about what the cycle routes should be or could be, and we see them as leisure routes quite a lot of the time, we have this kind of set idea about cycling, that it's not, you know, it's not a commuter option, or, but you know, it is, but it goes beyond that. And it is about who can access these parts. And quite often, having an uneven surface will lock a lot of people out. And you know, we're an ageing population in this country. And as we get older, we will all have disabilities, and mobility issues. And it shouldn't be that you know, these paths are any open to a few people. But yeah, it's a difficult one. And we would like to say we've never think twice about it for roads, we've never think about having a road as a dirt path. And I can you know, visually tarmac is not a beautiful thing, but I think if people understood that actually, it's it's not just about the visuals. This is about people and this is what these parts are for they're for people. Carlton Reid 32:34 Well you can make if you want it to be just that colour, you can make the the asphalt you can you can you can dye the asphalt. So it's it's more expensive. But you can you can do all sorts of treatments you can do to make it all weather doesn't have to look, you know, black. Yeah. So anyway, so let's go to another assessment. That's some negative ones. Where they tried to be certain, but then you point out the Polgate one, between Polgate and Glynde, which is almost happened to you by by mistake. Not mistake, but it's certainly a by accident. Yeah. And you're talking about it being just brilliant. So describe that one. Laura Laker 33:11 That's amazing. Yeah. So I was told about this. And then I know someone who lives in Lewis, which is at one end of it. And so we we we met at the station and cycled along this path. And so it's beside the A27, which is a national highways road. And it's right by the sales downs, which is hugely popular with cyclists. And basically, there were so many people cycling on this incredibly terrifying road. It's one of those narrow and winding A roads with huge volumes of traffic. I mean, I went on a walking trip near Louis the other day, and I had to cross it with no crossing and it was it was genuinely terrifying. I can't imagine people cycling on it, because it's, you know, six months. So yeah, anyway, people were being held up in their cars because of people cycling. And so national highways decided it was going to build a path alongside and it's this this was a real eye opener for me because they had done what needs to happen around the country. They had built a path behind the hedge row, which is wide and tarmac and smooze with lots of planting and culverts and bridges over rivers and and they just laid it you know, very little problem. I don't know if they owned the land or perhaps compulsory purchase probably a mixture of I think it was a mixture of both. And so they built this amazing kind of 10 kilometre joyful route, which is just you know, it's just like a road. It's like no stress. You just carry on. There was someone on the mobility scooter the day I was there, a couple of people on bikes, but it was basically hadn't opened yet. And yeah, it was just there. But it's quite funny because at either end, it just stopped because then that's the local councils job to kind of deliver it beyond. But you know, it shows what's possible if you have a national body with the power and the funding, and they have, you know, multi year funding pots which helps plan and deliver this stuff and they just did it, they just sort of swept aside all of the normal problems that I talked about in the book that usually dog these cycle routes. And yeah, it's quite, it was quite marvellous, quite Carlton Reid 35:11 I found it fascinating because one of the things you say is, as we just mentioned there, it, it was an effective bill to get the cyclists off the road. We made enough nuisance of ourselves, that is 1930s to a tee, you know, the transport, you know, built those 500 miles of cycle tracks in the 1930s to Dutch standards laced around the country. Some of them weren't brilliant, but some of them were amazing, you know, 12 foot wide Dutch Dutch level, concrete curbs, you know, perfectly brilliant bits of cycling infrastructure that are now just some of them are white elephants, because they didn't link up to anywhere. But, you know, the government at the time said, Oh, we're doing this for the safety. No, they weren't they were doing it to you know, get cyclists on the road because we're slowing down motorists, but you kind of almost don't care if if if you get a really superlative route behind the hedgerows. Yeah. Okay. It's such a difference. Yeah. That's the difference. It's got to be good. You can't just fob you off with shared route pavement, which is what yeah, the criticism of Sustrans has been is like there's so many shared route pavement. And that's why Sustrans got a bad rap, even though it wasn't their fault. And they were just trying to fill in the gaps. Laura Laker 36:28 That yeah, yeah. And yeah, they just have to use whatever was there, which was quite often a pavement along what would have been a not too busy road in the 70s or 80s. But it's now a sort of thundering highway and being on a pavement with no barrier between you and or no, no sort of space between you and the 60 mile an hour traffic is far from pleasant, and no, no, no parent is going to choose to cycle on that. If they have any other choice, you know, they're going to avoid that like the plague because you know, one little wobble or mistake and then you know, it's horrific there, you know, possible outcomes. But yeah, it's you know, it's, it's fantastic. Because you don't even barely know the roads there. It's just cool. It's just gorgeous. I'd like to go back actually, because it's been a good year, I think since I saw it. At least actually. Maybe Yeah, I think it's at least a year and yeah, let's see how the trees are bedding in and because it was brand new at the time it just been done. But yeah, it is. Ultimately it is possible. And regardless of the motivations it just goes to show what's possible. I liked recently because Andy Streets and his Walking and Cycling Commissioner Adam Tranter he's on my podcast. They announced they're going to deliver the HS2 cycleway alongside in and around HS2 between Coventry and Birmingham. And when they get to Kenilworth, they're basically connecting up to one of their 1930 cycleways into Coventry. So I quite like that, you know, it's sort of linking something that's already there. And Carlton Reid 38:01 yeah, and that's also a John Grimshaw project, wasn't it? That was that was a John Grimshaw. Laura Laker 38:05 Yeah. He cycled the whole thing. Yes. Yes, he's been he's been trying to get that one, you know, for a lot for a long time. And yeah, it does stand alone. No, you need really, you need the HS2, of course, just stand alone without it. Carlton Reid 38:21 It does. Yeah, saying that, it would have absolutely been put in at the same time, that would not have been the difference. So that is point three. So in your 10 Point manifesto, that's basically work together a behind the hedgeroq Act, compulsory purchase orders, all these kinds of things that only government can do. Yeah. needs to be brought in into play. Yeah. And then you you've said and it's very ambitious. But when you think about it's like, yeah, you could do this easily. And that is you know, if if this was done and if money was provided, and compulsory purchase orders were put in like you would do for roads, you can have an unbelievably fantastic truly superlative national cycling in four years. Laura Laker 39:02 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Brian Deegan active travel England reckoned reckoned on this, because, you know, they have such a huge amount of power and to take go to build a cycle, which basically takes three years generally you do you have a year to kind of plan it a year to consult and tweak and then a year to build it. And for that you need multi year funding, because without that, you can't plan anything, basically. And that's why we've ended up bits and bobs of improvements, because it's like, you get the money, you have to spend it pretty much immediately. But yeah, I mean, the amount of funding a body like national highways has would be enough to you know, link these existing routes. Sometimes there are quiet roads, you know, I guess, in the Netherlands, you have through roads and access roads, things like low traffic neighbourhoods, in the countryside. That is a that is a kind of measure that you can do. And some of it it doesn't all have to be Are these sort of high quality pieces of massive engineering cycle routes, either behind the hedge row or on main roads? Some of it can just be tweaking kind of existing infrastructure so that it's not not every road as a through road. But yes, it's some it's amazing. And I kind of did a double take when I heard this. But when we put our mind to something, it's amazing what's possible. Carlton Reid 40:24 And potentially, we will see the fruits of this in Scotland, and Wales, Scotland, Wales are putting in some really ambitious stuff. And Mark Drakeford going, you know, will they backtrack on the 20 mile limit? And will they, you know, reverse a lot of stuff that Lee Waters that all this kind of stuff is potentially up in the air? We don't know yet. Yeah. But Scotland does seem to be, you know, putting their money where their mouth is, you know, that the amount of money that's going in there, per head, dwarfs what we see here in England. So the potentially you've got, you've got like, in five years, you could have something incredible. In Scottish cities in Glasgow. Yeah. You're talking about Glasgow? Laura Laker 41:09 Yeah. And yeah, Glasgow was amazing. I mean, that was the first time I'd been to Glasgow, on that trip. And I was blown away, actually. So they're developing a city wide network of routes, they're lowering in bridges across, they've got this very kind of, I guess, I guess they had this, at the time, they were building roads, they had a very ambitious programme of building like highways. And maybe that's about the culture of the city that when something comes along, when an idea comes along, they kind of embrace it. Whereas Edinburgh has historically been much more conservative. And so when, when highways when sort of urban highways came along the bond level load of those, and now cycling is seen as this big sort of saviour of health and climates and all of these important things, they're going all out on cycle routes, which is fantastic. And yeah, I was really blown away by what they're doing really high quality protected routes with planting alongside, you know, for extreme weather, it's really important to have permeable and green planting on tarmac. And, yeah, and these beautiful bridges and this massive bridge that I saw, and you know, they're really, really ambitious, I think, I've got a piece coming out about Edinburgh in the next week or so. And it talks about the difficulties that Edinburgh has faced very, very different than the city very conservative. But similarly, it's had a huge amount of funding. And I think they're finally getting to the tipping point there where they're starting to deliver real change, you know, hopefully. But yeah, it's, you know, the money's there, I think there's still difficulties with politics. So they've got these active freeways, which would be a kind of National Cycle network for Scotland, these rural routes, you know, the plan is there, or at least the idea is there, but it's not being rolled out yet. So who knows what's going to happen with that, but definitely, the funding and having that long term funding does make it much easier. I'd really love to see Scotland, you know, doing big things. And I think Scotland and Wales have been very, very forward thinking and a lot of things got maybe Scotland particularly, and more consistently than Wales, because as you say, there's a bit of a question mark. Now over Wales, they've, you know, they had the active travel act, they arguably took term coined the phrase active travel with the active travel act about a decade ago. And yeah, but stuff, you know, they have the policy, they had the money, but again, it's very, very slow to change. And I don't know, maybe they maybe if Westminster were a bit more proactive and supportive, it will be easier, who knows, but you're always going to come up against these kinds of difficulties, local politics and stuff, but I think money talks, you know, the money's there for it local investment, which Council isn't going to want public realm improvements, and you know, health. Carlton Reid 43:49 Money is number one, in your manifesto, so it's funded, and okay, we get the money from it. Here's what you say, stop expanding road capacity, and we have delivered a comprehensive network of cycling and walking routes. Hallelujah. Yeah, exactly. It's just like, you know, we've got so many roads, why can't we have more and more and more and more, as we know, it just fills up with traffic if we're gonna have build it and they will come Okay, let's do it for bikes. Now. You know, roads have had eighty years of this, let's have 10 years for for bikes, but walking and . It's just, it's a no brainer. And the LTNs thing kind of like it's so frustrating. Because we're only talking like a few streets. We're not we're not talking. That's when you hear you know, the the shock jocks you'd think is every single road in the country is going to be catered and you're going to hand it to cyclists. That's, that's how it's portrayed. And we're actually you know, maybe maybe a fraction of 1% of roads. really, genuinely is all too Talking about is currently got anyway. Yeah, having safe cycle routes, you know, don't get it get blown up by us people like us journalists, Laura, we're to blame for misrepresenting this. That's that's, that doesn't say good things about our profession, does it? Laura Laker 45:22 No. And I think I think I mean, it speaks to the kind of economics of journalism that, you know, people want eyeballs on stories nowadays because it's that's what makes advertising revenue funding for journalism is fallen off a cliff. And I think this is sort of desperation about the industry at the moment. But, you know, I think it's important to remember that the people shouting against this stuff are a minority, and most people want this stuff or are willing to try it and see, and most of us want quiet, safe streets, we want our kids to be able to play out in safety, we want clean air, we want, you know, peace and quiet. And I think because we haven't seen it, a lot of cases, it's difficult to imagine. But you know, ultimately, these things happen. There's, there's a pushback from a handful of people who are noisy, but I think if we have conversations about, you know, what we could, what we could get from these improvements from these schemes, then it's much positive way of talking about it. Of course, that's not how news works. And I think that's why we need leaders who are willing to sort of look beyond that short period in which a lot of journalists are shouting, and a few people, some of whom have genuine concerns and need to be listened to a shouting and listen to them. But you know, this is something that people want actually, and, you know, the benefits so enormous. Once it's happened, I don't think people would want to go back. Carlton Reid 46:46 Yeah, this is the thing. It's like, a good example is Northumberland Street and Newcastle, which is a pedestrianised street used to be the A1, you know, really the central state through the centre of Newcastle. It's I think, outside of central London, Mayfair on Oxford Street. It's the highest grossing per square foot retail zone in the country, because it was pedestrianised. And it just made it easier. And nobody in their right mind would say, we need to make that the a one again, guys, you know, let's get the cars and buses soaring and you just wouldn't do it. But Newcastle spent the best part of 20 years doing this, it wasn't an overnight thing. We had to spend a long time, a lot of angst getting it done, but nobody would wish it away now. And that's what when we're not getting with all these LTNs and all these cycles, if only if we put them in, nobody would complain about them. Not really not once they see it, it's just if people don't like change. Laura Laker 47:47 yeah, none of us like change just a thing. And it's hard to picture. And I think it's easy to dismiss people's concerns. Because you know, it's normal for us not to want change, it's normal to be concerned about something if you can't picture it. And you're, you know, many of these are genuine worries about businesses, and how will I get from A to B and, and all of this, but yeah, I think what's been lacking in this conversation is just some sort of grown up honesty about, you know, this is going to be a change. But ultimately, it's going to be one that's positive for these reasons. We, you know, we are going to listen, but ultimately, this is a an agenda that most of us support. And we know it's beneficial for these reasons. And I think we've I don't know, I think there's too much government in this country, and in many English speaking countries, kind of almost government by fear of what the Daily Mail might say, in response to this policy. And even the the recent announcement by governments about you know, stopping anti motorist measures was all caps. You know, it was like almost a Daily Mail headline. Carlton Reid 48:52 Yeah, it's quite scary and sad. Yeah. But then, you know, like you say, if you know, for the ones that hold their ground, you know, stuff dies down, people say actually, that actually is much better. So you know, where I'm coming from, I know where you're coming from. And you're saying people want this, but I'm gonna play devil's advocate here and say, Well, no, they don't people want to drive around. And if you're a woman at night, and you describe a lot of the routes, the Sustrans routes, the Nationals, you wouldn't want to go there at night, and probably no matter how much lighting security whatever you put in, you probably would still feel that way. In. Yeah, yeah. On a bicycle, you're not protected. Whereas a car, a woman, a single woman can get into a car can lock the door, can maybe have, you know, dark windscreen even so nobody knows who's in there. You then become this powerful individual who can get around in safety at the end of the day. But bicycles aren't like that, Laura. So you're you're basically making it more insecure for women to go about as independent beings. Laura Laker 50:11 Well, so as a as a woman who cycles on her own at nights that that route from Arnhem to Nijmergen in the in the Netherlands, so I ended up leaving that event and it was dark and cycling home on my own however far it was, it's a good hours ride along these routes, but because you don't have to stop, you actually feel safe. It's only when you have to stop that you start to feel unsafe in my experience. I mean, there's certain routes like along the canal, I live in East London, along the Li River that I have cycled at night, but wouldn't do now. Because you know, that is very isolated. And people have been known to jump out with bushes. But I think for the large part, if they're well designed, and other people are using them, then cycling at night for me isn't a problem. You know, you're moving you're Yeah, I don't Yeah, I very rarely felt in danger of cycling through London at night, for example. I mean, it's been the odd park where I felt a bit sketchy, but I think if you design them, well, not every path is going to feel that way safe at night. But I think in urban places where a lot of people will be cycling to and from at night, it will probably be fine. I mean, you probably feel quite safe. It's about kind of eyes on the streets in a way having people they're with you. Yeah, and I think if a route were well used enough, and don't forget, you know, if you're, if you're, you know, you're not going to necessarily, you're not going to drive home after a night out if you've had a drink. And so you will have to sort of walk a section of your journey. Most likely, if you're in a place like London, you hate taking public transport, maybe you take a taxi, but I feel I don't feel like if I'm on a busy road, walking alone at night that I am safe with those other people around me because I don't feel like people who are driving through again to necessarily stop and help me if something did happen. So I think kind of busy streets can feel unsafe, even though they're very highly populated. And, you know, theoretically, and this kind of, there's been research on this, you know, people who live on quiet streets, no more of their neighbours, this sort of social safety element, and people start looking out for each other. Whereas if you have a traffic dominated environment, it's people tend to turn away from the street. Carlton Reid 52:28 Yeah, I don't disagree. But if it is looking at the motivation of many, many people, I mean, humans are generally lazy. Yeah. They generally want comfort. They want their own things, and they want security, all of those things you have in spades in cars. The downside is, because everybody wants that. And everybody's in a car, it means you don't get anywhere. Unknown Speaker 52:57 Yeah, I don't think that's a whole story. I mean, I think a lot of the time people drive because the alternative is either aren't there don't feel possible, or they don't feel safe. So cycling on the road wouldn't feel safe, you wouldn't even most people wouldn't even consider it. But we've seen I grew up in rural West Somerset, and you had to learn to drive as soon as you turn 17, you would take your test, you buy a car, and you drive everywhere, because the buses mean the buses are even worse. Now. They were okay at the time, but not great. But they just took longer, and you couldn't get everywhere you needed to go my friends as a teenager lived in variable kind of communities. And so you had to drive there was just no other option I would have loved to cycle. And you've seen in London, where we've got a growing network of roots, suddenly, all these people from all walks of life, all kinds of demographics. Laura Laker 53:48 genders, you see a much better one gender split, but also all types of people cycling. And that kind of speaks to the fact that actually, people do want to do this and they may want to convenience but they also want to enjoy their journey. They also want to save money. Cycling can be incredibly convenient, no parking worries, it's so much cheaper you know you don't have to stress of finding a parking space or you know, paying vast amounts of money. I think something like I forget the number who in transport poverty in this country because of cars basically. They spend something like 19% of their income on their car with finance lorry, using facts to convince me that's Carlton Reid 54:36 Anybody can convince with facts, come on. At that juncture, I'd like to go across to my colleague David in America. Take it away, David. David Bernstein 54:45 This podcast is brought to you by Tern Bicycles. Like you, the folks at Tern are always up for a good outdoor adventure by bike—whether that's fishing, camping, or taking a quick detour to hit the trails before picking Unknown Speaker 55:00 up the kids from school. And if you're looking to explore new ground by taking your adventures further into the wild, they've got you covered. The brand new Orox by Tern is an all-season, all-terrain adventure cargo bike that's built around the Bosch Smart System to help you cross even the most ambitious itinerary off your bucket list. It combines the fun of off-road riding in any season with some serious cargo capacity, so you can bring everything you need—wherever you go, whenever you go. Plus, it's certified tough and tested for safety so your adventures are worry-free. With two frame sizes to choose from and a cockpit that's tested to support riders of different sizes, finding an adventure bike that fits you and your everyday needs has never been easier with the Orox. Visit www.ternbicycles.com/orox (that's O-R-O-X) to learn more. Carlton Reid 56:04 Thanks, David. And we are back with Laura Laker the Laker people. And she's the author of potholes and pavements a bumpy ride on Britain's National Cycle network. It's not actually out yet, isn't Laura. It's actually middle middle of the next month, middle of night. Hmm. Yeah. So you having a launch day what you're doing? Laura Laker 56:28 Yeah, I've got some. You've got like, You got speaker a bank and tell us tell us what you're doing? Yeah, so I've got I'm having like a bit of a party for some friends and family. And then I've got a talk in Stanford's in Covent Garden. I'm speaking in Parliament. But I think that's more of a parliamentary event. And I have got an event at Stanfords in Bristol with Xavier Bryce, we're going to discuss the future of the NCN. I've got one I'm speaking in Oxford, at a bookshop. I'm going to be interviewed by Emily Kerr, who's a green Councillor there. I have got a there's a literary festival in Wantage in November. And we're looking at other events as we speak. Carlton Reid 57:16 Excellent. And this is two hundred and .... All right, I'm going to deliver the end of the book. We're talking 264 pages, and then you've got references back. I mean, one of them. Thank you very much. Laura Laker 57:32 Yeah. Carlton Reid 57:34 Thanks. as well. Yes, at the back there, but there's, there's lots in this. So who's gonna be? Who's your audience? Who's gonna be reading this? Who do you think will be reading this? And what might actually could it start something big with with in politics? Can we could we get this like your manifesto? Can it get out there? What do you hope to happen with your book? Laura Laker 58:00 Yeah, well, obviously, I want everyone to read it. I mean, my editor at Bloomsbury was saying, you know, it's probably going to be cycling enthusiasts, people who I guess already, maybe listen to your podcast, my podcast, read our articles about cycling. But I would like to think that you know, these people, these two thirds to four fifths of people who want more cycling people who think, you know, why do I have to drive everywhere? Why aren't there safe cycle routes? Why can't my kids cycle to school, and see that might see this book and think, Oh, this is going to tell that story, this is going to explain it to me. And so I hope that it's going to give people a sense of kind of why we are where we're at, with the history of the NCN and the stories, but also, you know, how wonderful it could be if we had this thing, this network of connected routes, if it were possible for all of these people who say they want to cycle and more who maybe don't even know they want to cycle could do so. And I hope that, you know, my perhaps naive hope is that people will read it and think, you know, this could be such a wonderful thing, why aren't we doing it? And how can we get it to happen and I hope policymakers you know, we've got an election coming up I think this speaks to you know, forget the culture wars. I think this speaks to all sides, you know, of politics, I think, you know, individual freedom and choice is a conservative value, right? Cycling, cycling delivers on that. Carlton Reid 59:26 Cycling is so libertarian is a form of transport I've had many conversations This is freedom. Why is this left wing? Why do people always assume it's just this thing? Laura Laker 59:42 Yeah, it's become a cultural thing. And it's only for I think, you know, certain factions of the right perhaps see this as a wedge issue. And a way of you know, rallying people around them on based on kind of outrage like false outrage really, untruthes. and you You know, in terms of the left, this is, you know, great value for money, the Labour Party is very, very keen on showing they're working and proving to people that they can be trusted with the economy. It delivers on the green agenda, it's so beneficial in terms of cutting carbon emissions, it delivers on health, pretty much every department that we can think of this offers people access to work, you know, so many people who are out of work, especially in rural communities can't even afford to go and find work or stay in a job because the transport is too expensive, or it's too patchy doesn't go in and they needed to go. So there's like barely a thing that this doesn't touch. And I really hope that you know, along with kind of griping, which is, I hope not too much of the book, and the polemic side that this shows actually, you know, this is great for tourism, this is great for our mental health. This can bring us together, you know, it's about in Scotland, I saw that a cycle route can be a linear park, it can be about artwork and community. It can bring people together from different walks of life around a space. And, you know, cycling delivers on these things. And, you know, if we kind of dropped the culture was narrative, which is nonsense. You know, we could see all of these benefits fairly quickly and for very little money, and have a far better country for it. Carlton Reid 1:01:18 Many people would baulk at having Boris Johnson back. And you do mention this in the book of what he and Andrew Gilligan were able to do. Hopefully, it doesn't seem like I want him back. But will it that that is what you need. I mean, you do talk about having a cycling Prime Minister, we had a cycling Prime Minister, we had a Prime Minister who said it was me a golden age for cycling. So we need we need him back. Laura, that we just we need we need Boris back. No, we don't like that back there. Are there other other politicians are available? We just need people to believe in it. And you know, I hope that people read the book and think, actually, this is something we can believe in, but don't need one of the good things about Boris Johnson. Not only did he you know, talk, the talk, walk the talk, all that kind of stuff. But he was right wing. So he could he just instantly takes away that that part of this oversight is a left wing things like well, here's this right wing politician who's pushing for this Andrew Gilligan, Telegraph writer. These are not left wing people in any way, shape, or form. So is that what we need we actually need and then we'd like all politicians to do this, but by the same thing, you need somebody almost on the opposite side to be doing this, they've got more chance of pushing this through. So that's why Boris Johnson did so well, because he was right wing and the Mail isn't gonna, you know, rail against what Boris Johnson was doing. They never did. Laura Laker 1:02:46 They did though. They did. They totally did. I don't think they discriminated against him because he was towards their political leanings. I mean, it's unlikely we're going to have another conservative government, right, when we've got the election coming up, it's going to be Labour by all likelihood. And so they're going to be the ones in power delivering. So I don't know, Carlton Reid 1:03:09 But they backtracked over their green policies. I mean, what hope do we have? Laura Laker 1:03:12 I know I know. I know it's incredibly disappointing. And the thing is this this stuff like the green agenda, more broadly investment in insulating homes, for example, is such great return on investment and if they're thinking about finances and showing they're working insulating homes is just a total no brainer. You know, we all pay far too much for our energy bills. We live in draughty leaky homes. So many houses are mouldy because of the cold walls are damp Yeah, I just think you know, and green technology, huge growth industry. Solar and wind where you know, we're windy little island, but a lot of coastline. Offshore wind is fantastic. Carlton Reid 1:03:55 But in your in the book, you show how national highways basically is an organisation set up to build roads. And once you've done something like that, and that's their raison d'etre. Guess what they're going to build roads. Yeah. So yeah, it's that oil tanker you know having to put the brakes on and change a whole culture so we're not talking about you know, Cuz your manifesto is saying you know, stop funding this and yeah. Laura Laker 1:04:28 Wales did this basically with their no more roads or no more roads and less they increased active travel and public transport policy. They basically have kind of repurpose their national highways body around this agenda, you know, fill in the potholes. We've got a road in a dreadful state and, you know, develop use all their skills and power and funding for active travel. You know, public transport in this country is drastically underfunded. Buses are so important, especially in rural areas, especially people on low incomes, especially for women and Do you know buses are so important? We're really, really not kind of reaping the power the massive power of the bus.? Carlton Reid 1:05:08 Yeah, that's in your book as well, because you're talking about how buses, you know, need to be able to carry bikes. Yeah. And that's, you know, that's a small part of what they could do but the broader transport perspective that's that's so impor

Sports journalist Ned Boulting, former GB badminton player Gail Emms, broadcaster Dougie Anderson and comedian Josh James join Rick Edwards for an hour of sporting punditry, humour and entertainment. Points are awarded for informed comment, wit and passion, but taken away for nonsense and answers lacking in conviction.In the final round, the top two points scorers go head-to-head in 'Defend the Indefensible' where they must both defend a statement however ludicrous or distasteful for twenty seconds. There can only be one winner!Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

Ned Boulting is a British sports journalist and former football commentator. He is also the author of 8 books about cycling, darts, football and his life. In this episode we talked about his long football commentating career, cycling, darts and everything in between. For all things Ned: https://www.nedboulting.com/ GooglePod/ApplePods/Spotify: https://anchor.fm/boredwithnelly 0:00 Preview2:00 Ned's voice twin3:30 Can you support 2 clubs?7:00 A club losing it's identity 10:00 Buying trophies in football13:00 Tennis. Easy Commentary job16:30 What Ned wants to do next21:20 Why Ned Quit Football28:00 Love for national football36:45 Deciding what to write about40:00 Personality in Football Punditry 45:00 Local Club Ned Supports49:45 Interview Jose Mourinho 53:15 Beers With Arsen Wenger58:15 Will Cycling Turn Into Football1:02 Triahlons1:30 Ned's Next Projects

For the past few months, the United States has been trying to broker a groundbreaking bilateral deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Iran, meanwhile, is forging an ever closer and ever more dangerous partnership with Russia. Finally, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt were invited to join the BRICS this summer – and are turning more and more towards the east. In short, the Middle Eastern order has shifted towards multipolarity. In this week's episode, Mark Leonard welcomes Ellie Geranmayeh, senior policy fellow and deputy director of ECFR's Middle East and North Africa programme, and Alistair Burt, pro-chancellor of Lancaster University and former UK minister of state for the Middle East and North Africa. Together, they discuss the power dynamics that are shaping the Middle East's embrace of multipolarity. Who are the winners and losers in these power shifts? How are China and Russia exploiting them? And what can Europe do to pursue its own interests in a region that has become much more comfortable with hedging? This podcast was recorded on 12 September 2023. Bookshelf: A Year on from the Mahsa Amini Protests: Where Iran is headed and the Implications for Western Policy | Ellie Geranmayeh And then what?: inside stories of 21st-century diplomacy | Catherine Ashton Assad | Con Coughlin 1923 | Ned Boulting

Ned Boulting worked on the Sky One documentary 'Steven Gerrard: A Year in My Life'. He worked up close with Gerrard during arguably his greatest year as a Liverpool player. In this interview with This Is Anfield, Ned, who is now a well-known cycling commentator, shares stories from Gerrard, Rafa Benitez and being around Liverpool during an iconic era.

This week, cycling commentator par excellence Ned Boulting on the Tour de France of a century ago; and Peter Parker delves into the many faces of the self-styled 'Master' playwright, Noel Coward.'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession', by Ned Boulting'Masquerade: The Lives of Noel Coward', by Oliver Soden Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recording of tonight's pod started at 3km to go of the Tour de France's first sprint day and... well, Luke and G won't be giving up the day job anytime soon to rival Ned Boulting and co in the commentary game. There was plenty of emotion though, and lots of classic sprint drama for the boys to dissect. G gives his thoughts on the weekend's action, Luke's got a sprint win to celebrate in Austria courtesy of Jhonny Narvaez, and Laurens de Plus deals a devastating blow in the prediction league by picking Philipsen. G and Tom will be back with you tomorrow to chat about another chance for the sprint boys. GTCC LIVE TICKETS: https://tourlink.to/CyclingClubPresale Music courtesy of BMG Production Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Robyn and Will are joined by commentator, podcaster and author Ned Boulting, to discuss his new book '1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession'. After being alerted to an old film reel from the Tour de France being sold at auction in 2020, Ned set off on a journey to find out all about it including the race, the riders, the onlookers, the social and political context and its spooky reflections in the modern world. Ned also shares his thoughts about the 2023 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, explains why he hates predictions and makes some of his own.Our chat begins at 5m20sYou can buy '1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession' by Ned Boulting now at waterstones.comDid you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly magazine? And if you subscribe now you'll receive a FREE set of EKOÏ sunglasses worth £75!Subscribe here: store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod_________This episode is supported by H.V.M.N, the creators of Ketone-IQ.We hear a lot about ketones in the pro peloton, but what are they?According to the experts H.V.M.N, ketones are a natural source of fuel for your body. When stored carbs are depleted, your body starts to convert fat into ketones. Studies show that ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose, making them a super-efficient fuel source for the brain and the body.These benefits led H.V.M.N to create Ketone-IQ: a drinkable ketone designed to support energy, focus and endurance.Developed alongside the U.S. military, Ketone-IQ is one of the most powerful ketone supplements on the market. It's designed to elevate your ketone levels for up to 4 hours – much longer than other products. Plus, it's vegan, caffeine free, and compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency's guidelines. That's a major win for athletes.Ketone-IQ Shots are the best way to get your ketones on the go. They're portable, convenient, and fit perfectly in your pocket during a ride or a race.You can save 20% on Ketone-IQ using the promo code CYCLIST at https://hvmn.com/CYCLIST?To learn more about achieving your ultimate metabolic potential, subscribe to H.V.M.N's podcast 'Health Via Modern Nutrition with Dr. Latt Mansor' on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. See hvmn.com for more details_________Click here for more on the Cyclist Magazine PodcastClick here to subscribe to Cyclist Magazine now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rouleur editor Edward Pickering catches up with photojournalist James Startt, who covered the Dauphiné from start to finish and shares his memories of the colour and landscape of the Alpine race. For the main part of the podcast, Ed interviews cycling commentator Ned Boulting about his fantastic new book, 1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession, which is published on June 22.Episode supported by www.calderalab.com. Listen to the podcast for a 20 per cent off offer on their revolutionary skincare products and visit www.calderalab.com/rouleur. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ned Boulting has watched a lot of bicycle racing. He has to, after all, since he's the voice of the Tour de France, among other races, for ITV4 on British television. It stands to reason, then, that Boulting should have lots to say about the stories, results, polemics, and minutiae that defined the past year of racing. That is perhaps why he found himself as the editor of The Road Book, cycling's comprehensive almanac.Boulting joins host Dan Cavallari on the Slow Guy on the Fast Ride podcast to give perspective on why the Road Book offers a unique historical perspective for the casual fan, data enthusiast, and even the journalism crowd. Boulting also gives his impression as to why it took this long for cycling to get its own yearly almanac — and who precipitated the drive to provide almanacs for years past, before the Road Book's inaugural release in 2018. (Hint: he's won a bunch of Tours de France and his name rhymes with, um, Chris Froome.)Be sure to check out our other podcasts, videos, and live streams, and subscribe wherever you get our stories. Dawn Patrol MTBThe Practical StillMental HealthleteTheme music: "This Year" by Angela Sheik

Ned Boulting joins me on today's show. You'll instantly recognise Ned's voice as the one which has commentated on many of the iconic moments in cycling history. Ned is also an author, rider & one man show performer. A rare insight into life on the other side of the fence. Check out Ned's new book Today's show sponsor is Stages. To get 20% off your power meter go to www.stagescycling.com and use code "roadman" at checkout. We are also sponsored today by HVMN. To avail of 20% off Ketone-IQ go to www.hvmn.me/roadmancycling and use the code "roadman20" at checkout. The heart beat of our community & best place to reach me is Twitter Our full back catalogue of episodes https://anchor.fm/roadman-cycling-podcast My gift to you is 14 days of free coaching. To Claim your gift go to www.roadmancycling.com/14daygift Support this podcast by buying me a beer https://www.patreon.com/anthony_walsh For coaching inquiries https://www.roadmancycling.com Follow my journey on Strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/145186 Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/roadman.cycling Follow us on LinkedIn --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/roadman-cycling-podcast/message

The Cycling Podcast completes its review of the 2022 season by electing our “Team of the Year”. In reality, it wasn't a difficult choice: Jumbo-Visma ruled the roost both in the terms of the quality and quantity of their victories, with Jonas Vingegaard's Tour de France title, Wout van Aert's July tour de force and Tobias Foss's rainbow jersey capping a sensational season. In an extended interview, the team's Managing Director Richard Plugge reminds us of his and their remarkable journey over the past decade, from the brink of oblivion to something akin to what Plugge calls "total cycling". Before that, Daniel Friebe and Rob Hatch discuss the week's big stories, including Astana's sacking of Miguel Ángel López. There's also a cameo from Ned Boulting of ITV and The Road Book, who tells us about that publication's riders of 2022. The Cycling Podcast is supported by Supersapiens and Science in Sport. Pod Live Sport The Cycling Podcast will be part of the line-up at Pod Sport Live at Kings Place in London's King's Cross on Sunday, February 12 2023. To buy tickets go here. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). Supersapiens Supersapiens is a continuous glucose monitoring system that helps you make the right fuelling choices. See supersapiens.com Science in Sport For 25% off all your SiS products, go to scienceinsport.com and enter the code SISCP25 at the checkout. Hammerhead For a limited time, listeners to The Cycling Podcast can get a free heart-rate monitor with the purchase of a Hammerhead Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io and use promo code CYCLE at checkout when you've added both items to your cart. GCN+ The cyclo-cross season is in full swing so make sure you don't miss a minute of the action with GCN+. UK listeners can get 25% off an annual subscription at gcn.eu/cyclingpod MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. D Vine Cellars To order The Cycling Podcast Highlights case, or any of the cases commemorating the 2022 Grand Tours visit dvinecellars.com Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 60 exclusive episodes. The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Matt Stephens welcomes Ned Boulting to a tiny cupboard in Soho (masquerading as a hotel room) to record the 100th episode of this very podcast. The pair waste no time going off-script and enjoy flicking through the 2022 edition of The Roadbook; the pro cycling almanack for which Ned is the editor. With an impromptu quiz about the 2022 Giro d'Italia, some fantastic prize-winning questions from our listeners and backstage stories from Ned's sold-out live show - this is a celebration not to be missed.   For more information on Ned's Cycling Almanack, visit www.theroadbook.co.uk

26th November 2022 The Spokesmen Cycling Podcast EPISODE 314: Book Talk With Hannah Reynolds and Ned Boulting SPONSOR: Tern Bicycles HOST: Carlton Reid GUESTS: Hannah Reynolds and Ned Boulting TOPICS: Hannah Reynolds talks about her LEJOG book and Ned Boulting discusses the fifth year of The Road Book LINKS: https://www.ternbicycles.com https://www.the-spokesmen.com/ https://twitter.com/CarltonReid https://www.theroadbook.co.uk https://www.lejog1000.cc

Nathan chats to Ned Boulting on the future of Gravel coverage, live TV and more.

In 2003, Ned Boulting made the switch from darts and football to covering the Tour de France, and since then he's become the voice of Le Tour, alongside David Millar. Here Ned looks back over two decades at the carnival, from doorstepping Floyd Landis to why Mark Cavendish should have (maybe) been at this year's Tour.Ned is also back touring his one man show, Re-Tour de Ned across the UK. See https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/ned-boulting for ticketsInterview starts at 5min 20secsFor more on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast - https://www.cyclist.co.uk/cyclistmagazinepodcastSubscribe to Cyclist Magazine now - https://cyclistmag.co.uk/cyclistmagazinepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode three of Matt Stephens' behind the scenes Giro d'Italia 2022 podcast series. With Biniam Girmay securing an historic victory on Stage 10, Matt and Ned Boulting reflect on the gravity of that victory as well as the Eritrean's misfortune on the podium. We find out what the chaps are looking forward to seeing in the final week of this thrilling grand tour, with three more stages in the high mountains, a sprint and a time trial remaining - it's all to play for. And with Matt busy making phone recordings whenever he can, we're treated to a critique of the Giro Caravan, Matt's struggle with a continental breakfast, and a round robin review of Ned Boulting's new shirt.

Hello Listener! Get twice as many podcasts and longer editions of these ones by joining our Supporters' Club. Sign up here: www.patreon.com/whensaturdaycomesAvoiding a ticking off from a kid in a referee's kit, magazine editor Andy Lyons, writer Harry Pearson and host Daniel Gray discuss Unexpected Promotions and Relegations, from Torquay United dog bites to Eddie Large the dug-out Jonah via Wiggy Threlfall's Morecambe and Don Scrimgeour MacKay's Coventry. WSC Deputy Editor Tom Hocking talks us through the pages of magazine issue 421 and Record Breakers brings Grecian glamour. We continue our rapidly maturing feature, The Final Third, in which a guest contributes a match, a player and an object to the WSC Museum of Football. Joining Dan as our visiting curator this time is author and broadcaster Ned Boulting.Come see WSC Live: www.whensaturdaycomes.eventbrite.co.ukSupport the show

The second instalment of our Giro d'Italia special series, with Matt Stephens behind the scenes with Ned Boulting to discuss the drama of the race so far. Looking back at stages 4 to 9, there's plenty to discuss - Cav's emotional 300m sprint victory, Biniam Girmay's incredible Giro debut, and the joys of the most unpredictable grand tour they've ever watched. Find out what the pair are looking forward to over the coming week, and get a real flavour of how it feels to be on the road following the race with Matt's random recordings; there's an incidence of Eurobeat road rage, a haunted mole grips, and a very windy volcano to contend with - an episode not to be missed!

Nick Hancock and Chris England discuss Maradona's fat, cheating shirt auction, the Champions League semi-finals and Chelsea's existential crisis.  Nick and Chris are also joined by sports broadcaster, journalist and author of ‘Square Peg, Round Ball', Ned Boulting. They discuss St. Pauli, George Best, Steven Gerrard's carpet, and watching football with Phil Collins and Rodney Marsh  Ned's book is available here - https://rb.gy/tmrtev And tickets to his tour are available here - https://www.nedboulting.com/ We're now on Twitter. Please, please, please follow us @slopingpitch  If you have any thoughts, feelings or queries, please feel free to contact us on slopingpitch@gmail.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Adam Hurrey and Charlie Eccleshare are joined by sports broadcaster and author Ned Boulting for the latest edition of Mesut Haaland Dicks. Among Ned's selections for his footballing fascinations and irritations are his good friend Peter Drury, the unique tenses used in footballspeak, the misunderstood Jose Mourinho and elite players' obsession with golf. Meanwhile, Ned reveals how he pioneered the divisive art of pre-match TV poetry and the mundane secrets of interviewing footballers.

Caren Hartley and Matt McDonough joined forces in 2017 to create Isen Frameworks, building high-end, award-winning custom steel and titanium bikes in their south London workshop. What are the latest developments in the field, as riders increasingly turn to off-road excursions to get their kicks? Tyres and brakes are the big game-changers, they say, and their designs reflect the advances, balancing comfort and joy. Plus an advance audio version of Ned Boulting's upcoming column from issue 109, entitled Paralympia, read by Phil Wright. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On discute avec Ned Boulting, éditeur du magnifique Road Book qui, entre beau livre et almanach cycliste, passe en revue l'ensemble des prouesses professionnelles chez les hommes et les femmes. Mais d'abord, on discute avec Charles Ostiguy et l'ancien coureur Jérémy Martin de l'actuelle saison de cyclocross. En particulier de la période du temps des fêtes. Jérémy y a déjà participé et ses anecdotes sont absolument succulentes.

Rouleur's Digital Editor and resident tech expert Peter Stuart takes host Ian Parkinson on a tour of some of the standout bikes and kit at Rouleur Live. Gravel bikes galore, a rear hub which does away with the front changer and a world-beating frameset that costs - well, if you have to ask the price you certainly can't afford it.And Ned Boulting is here with the hot-off-the-press Roadbook 2021, looking back over a season which - everything - gave us exciting racing and historic firsts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A Cyclist Magazine Podcast first as we are joined by not only by a relation of Kula Shaker's Crispin Mills but also Jordan Stephens, one half of Rizzle Kicks. It's Ned Boulting!Joe and James talk to Ned about commentating in China, buying Marianne Vos a dartboard, three-week Grand Tours without mountains, the correct pronunciation of Tadej Pogacar and much more. We also discuss the fourth edition of The Road Book.The Road Book, the most in-depth chronicle of the road racing season, is on pre-sale. Pre-order the Road Book 2021 before November 6th and receive a signed copy here - https://www.theroadbook.co.uk/If you liked this episode, please remember to leave us a review, comment and make sure to share with your cycling friends!For more on the Cyclist Magazine Podcast - https://www.cyclist.co.uk/cyclistmagazinepodcastSubscribe to Cyclist Magazine now - https://cyclistmag.co.uk/cyclistmagazinepodcast

... well, actually Sepp Kuss didn't chase it down, but rather broke away on the final climb in the Pyrenees to become the first American to win a stage of the Tour since Tyler Farrar in 2011. Fittingly, Andorra is the country in which he resides, too. Ned Boulting, David Millar, Chris Boardman, Matt Rendell and Pete Kennaugh reflect - and also lament the pitfalls of betting on cycling. Don't do it, kids.

In a largely quiet day's racing, German Nils Politt cruised to victory in Nimes having launched a superb late attack from strong group of riders containing current world champion Julian Alaphilippe, and Imanol Erviti and Harry Sweeny - who finished second and third respectively. The force of nature that is Tadej Pogcacar retained yellow. Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell, David Millar, Chris Boardman and Pete Kennaugh chew the fat, and also bring you an extract from an interview with Alexi Sayle.

‘That's not the most famous mountain in world cycling, it's a reasonably sized hill!' At least, that's how it looked the way Wout Van Aert rode Ventoux, crushing a high-class field with a breathtaking solo breakaway that seemingly lasted forever. It provided some well-needed cheer for the Jumbo-Visma team, who lost Tony Martin to a crash earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Tadeg Pogacar retained the Yellow Jersey - having finished 90-odd seconds behind the Belgian upstart - but he also showed his first glimpses of vulnerability in this renewal of the Tour. Ned Boulting, David Millar, Pete Kennaugh and Matt Rendell reflect.

If ever a stage has been taken in more convincing fashion by less than a quarter of a wheel, we'd like to see it. Mark Cavendish was quick to praise his teammates following his win. Especial thanks went lead-out man Michael Morkov, who made way a mere 100m from the line for the Manx sprinter to finish the job comfortably - despite the narrow margins between himself and the riders in second and third. It was a consummate display by Deceuninck-Quick-Step - and Cav is now just one off Eddie Eddy Merckx's all-time stage victory record. Ned Boulting, Pete Kennaugh, Matt Rendell, David Millar and Chris Boardmen reflect upon the action.

In addition to the important matters of the day, this episode is all about words you can't pronounce and have never used, because you're too frightened about mispronouncing or misunderstanding them. Think about the big words that fit that particular bill for you, then find out what David Millar's are. We'll give you a clue: he has three. Australian Ben O'Connor took out stage 9 of between Cluses and Tignes, with Tadej Pogacar extending his overall Yellow Jersey lead. The Slovenian is starting to look indomitable, as David would struggle to say. Ned Boulting, Pete Kennaugh, Matt Rendell and Chris Boardman also use a few long words of their own to describe the latest action.

Is this the moment we found our winner? Still a long way to go, of course, but day eight saw reigning champion Tadej Pogacar rip the yellow jersey off the back of young pretender Mathieu van der Poel, who was, as predicted, found somewhat wanting on the first Alpine stage. The honours went to Belgium's Dylan Teuns, but the sly, strong, stunning Slovenian did exactly what he needed to do to stamp his authority on the 2021 Tour, with potential threats and rivals spreadeagled far behind him on the slopes. Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell, Pete Kennaugh, Chris Boardman and David Millar are in situ to digest the action.

You can be sure the old Mark Cavendish is back when he wins a sprint in fine style, yet still finds time to complain about the efforts of rivals beaten, and the fact the finish line isn't quite where it's been in years gone by. But we wouldn't have it any other way. We missed you, bolshy pants! Ned Boulting, David Millar, Pete Kennaugh and Matt Rendell reflect upon another imperious display by the resurgent Manxman, and do their very best NOT to mention Cav's (until recently) unlikely assault on the 46-year-old Tour de France stage victory record held by the legend that is Eddi … oh, shoot! And if you can be bothered to listen until the end of the pod, you'll even get to hear our grumpy hero air his gripes - with an audible, knowing smile stretched across his face, of course.

‘Now, lads, I know you're the best cyclists in the world - and some of the fittest, strongest, most athletic and durable specimens humankind has ever produced - but I thought I might just nick 19 seconds from the lot of you over 39km on the time trial today, if you don't have any issues with that?!' Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell, David Millar and Pete Kennaugh reflect upon a stunning display by defending champ Tadej Pogacar during stage 5 of the 2021 Tour - alongside several other fine performances from those in his wake. The relief is also palpable that the gang don't have to describe any carnage on the road, on a day that Mathieu van der Poel put in a great shift to narrowly retain his yellow jersey. Sadly for him, mountains loom! We hear from him, Pogacar and a downbeat Geraint Thomas to boot.

Hey, Cav, nice to see you, what have you been up to for the last 5 years? Oh, not much, hanging out, keeping busy, minding my own business, been a bit under the weather, to be honest. What you doing today, then? Hm, dunno, thought maybe I might take out stage 4 of the Tour de France. Really? You're, like, 36. Well, you never know, stranger things have happened. Good luck with that, mate. Beer later? And chips! Yeah, why not, it's a date - I know a great little moules-frites joint in Fougeres. Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell, Pete Kennaugh and David Millar discuss yet another remarkable day in what's turning out to be a vintage renewal of the greatest bike race on earth. We also hear from Mark Cavendish himself, who was understandably emotional after his win, given his well-documented battles with the Epstein-Barr virus, a succession of injuries and clinical depression. It really is great to have him back where he belongs.

It's days like this that serve as a reminder as to just how extraordinarily courageous and granite-hard you have to be to be a professional cyclist. The third stage of the Tour de France was won by Tim Merlier, but that doesn't tell half the story. Geraint Thomas dislocated his shoulder early on - but still finished the stage in some sort of contention - there was yet another frightening pile-up towards the finish, and Caleb Ewen wiped out Peter Sagan during the sprint in what was an horrific incident just metres from the line. Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell and Pete Kennaugh are are quietly praying for an unventful outing on Tuesday. We also hear from Tom Steels, Mark Cavendish, Michael Morkov, Sepp Kuss and Tadej Pogacar - in interviews which landed after the podcast was recorded.

In an emotional day two of the tour, Mathieu Van der Poel took the yellow jersey by powering up the Mur-de-Bretagne for a sensational stage win on his debut - having attacked and attacked and attacked again. The Dutchman is the grandson of late great Raymond Poulidor, who died in 2019 and finished second overall in the Tour three times and third five times during the 1960s and 70s – an era dominated by Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx. Famously, Poulidor never wore the yellow jersey, making Van der Poel's achievement all the sweeter. Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell, David Millar and Pete Kennaugh consider it to be one of the greatest stage wins they've ever witnessed, so why not randomly invite footballer Lee Dixon onto the podcast to hold court?! (To be fair, he knows his onions.)

Gosh! Well, that was an uneventful start to the 2021 edition of the Tour. Nothing to talk about here at all. Nope, nothing: zip, nil, nada. That's not true, of course. It was a brutal opening salvo, not least thanks to the intervention of an overzealous and frankly reckless roadside spectator, who wiped out Tony Martin and most of those in his wake by thrusting a sign into the Jumbo Visma rider's path as he passed. Mayhem ensued. Proper mayhem. And then there was another massive pile-up, this time on a rapid downhill stretch of the course. Ouch! Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell, David Millar and Pete Kennaugh pick through the bones of what might literally have been bones after two massive crashes decimated the peloton during a dramatic opening stage between Brest and Landerneau - all of which rather overshadowed Julian Alaphilippe's victory run. It's not entirely clear who'll be saddling up come Sunday, such was the seriousness of both incidents, but everyone at ITV wishes all the riders well. Find out who makes it through to day 2 on ITV4 ...

Ned Boulting explains the virtues of a good darts game to Matt Stephens and the duo discuss why they are out at the Italian stage race. Ned shares his thoughts on the lack of crowds at the 2021 race and if a diminished Tifosi makes a difference when it comes to watching a bike race unfold. Tune in to find out how well he knows his hometown on Andover and what the Tour de Ned would look like.

David Millar and Ned Boulting begin their own grand tour of Italian morning shows reviewing the Most Beautiful Race in the World aka the Giro d'Italia. David is hosting from his home in Girona, Ned is our man on the ground in Italy. There is no race to review yet,  so we talk about the riders, and the Dante inspired team presentation, and Ned tells the funniest joke ever told...SIGN UP HERE TO GET ALL THE NEWS

A taster of what's to come, as David Millar and Ned Boulting reveal their limited edition daily podcasts from the 2021 Giro d'Italia. David anchors from his home in Spain, while Ned reports every morning from the race in Italy.SIGN UP HERE TO STAY IN THE LOOP

The 2020 Road Book, edited by Ned Boulting, is now in stock at the Rouleur store. Ned joins us to run through this most peculiar season of Covid-19 affected bike racing, starting with the UAE Tour back in February, all the way through to the Vuelta in November. This mighty tome reflects on what Ned describes as a “scintillating season, from start to finish, providing us with a fabulous diversion from the pandemic for just a few months.” Hear hear. Did you know Rouleur was backed and owned by Rapha back in 2006? Simon Mottram, Rapha's founder, tells us how frequent meetings and copious cups of coffee with Guy Andrews resulted in a wafer-thin issue 1, costing £9, and how Rouleur spread its wings and grew from there. It's quite a story. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The racing season is over, and to conclude it comes the publication of The Road Book 2020 - the third edition, edited and published by Ned Boulting celebrating and compiling a years of road racing. David and Ned discuss races, pandemics, castles and broken bones.BUY THE ROAD BOOK HEREVISIT CHPT3 HERE

Ned Boulting is in Sanremo. He takes us inside the pre-race buzz and transfers us to the finish line frenzy - he is our guide, and you'd have to have been in the race to have seen more than he witnessed today, fortunately for David that's useful because he's only watched a bit of it. They discuss the race and everything that happened while also straying yet never too far.Check out The Road Book and the offer Ned mentions here.Check out David's CHPT3 and find his Milan Sanremo stories here.

We catch up with the voice of ITV's Tour de France coverage as he waits anxiously for the 2020 race to get underway and tells us how much he's missed professional cycling and reveals the secrets of Gary Imlach's shirts… See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the story of a big house in Belgium. Within its walls, along its corridors, through its communal kitchen and living space, some of the finest riders in the world have idled, prepared for races, slouched in front of the TV, boiled water for pasta and generally discovered whether or not they will make it. It is a remarkable institution, with no official accreditation. It is almost as if it doesn't exist.“Nobody knows we really do this. They wouldn't have the foggiest idea. It's not a known thing.”Ned meets former British champion (and chair dealer) Tim Harris to uncover the story of the unofficial academy house that has hosted young hopefuls from around the globe determined to make the grade. Cavendish, Froome, Thomas, Armitstead, Yates, McLay and many more have stayed en route to stardom. And Fernando Gaviria mowed the lawn…The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don't stop what you're doing – do it while listening to the world's best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘The Chairman' by Ned Boulting, from Rouleur 17.2. Download the Rouleur app and use the code CHAIRMAN to read the whole issue free of charge. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the overall scheme of things, one delayed bike race is no big deal - but it's surprising how much the Tour De France has become an integral part of so many people's July. Ned Boulting hasn't spent July at home since 2003 but he's hoping to be back on the road in a couple of weeks as racing restarts including, we hope, the Tour De France. He's also reflecting on cycling and transport post lockdown. Rouleur's Miles Baker-Clarke takes us through the latest gear and kit in the Emporium, while presenter Ian Parkinson eyes up Rapha's latest glasses. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We interview the modern voice of cycling, Mr Ned Boulting, in many ways this was an opportunity for us to learn more about him. In the words of David, 'Ned got me into the TV business, and funnily enough I was one of his first interviews when he entered the fray of professional cycling, he asked me about the "the yellow jumper" - over the years our relationship has transformed from being separated by a barrier to sitting side-by-side; at times sharing a microphone trying to tell the same story. I think it's important to learn about him because he's easily as interesting, if not more, than the people he's so passionate talking to and about.'Ned founded, edits and publishes the first ever cycling bible, it's called The Road Book - FIND IT HEREFind Ned's numerous excellent books on the above website - but first listen to this extract from How I Won The Yellow Jumper HERE ON YOUTUBENed on Twitter: @nedboultingNed on Instagram: @ned_boulting

A bumper episode with many guests, all of whom are brilliant.First up, fellow podcasters Ned Boulting, Laura Laker and Adam Tranter aka Streets Ahead join us to discuss the impact that COVID-19 is and should be having on transport infrastructure and how the way we engage with our environment needs to change.Rick then chats to to the inspirational and impressive Eleanor Davis, who is not only an elite marathoner but is also a doctor fighting COVID-19.This episode is also explicit as Ned says sh*t. Sorry about that, but it was justified. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“He walks along with a lurch, unbalanced and awkward. If you are not prepared for how utterly changed his posture is off the bike, it comes as a shock.When we are inside his suite, I tell him what I think. ‘Honestly? You walk like a drunk, Chris.'‘I do, he says, ‘yeah.'”Following his horrendous crash prior to last year's Dauphiné, many doubted we'd see Froome back on a bike, let alone planning his eighth Grand Tour victory.Ned Boulting finds Froome in characteristic fighting form, training hard in Gran Canaria prior to lockdown, preparing for the Tour de France – if and when it happens.He'll be ready, no doubt about it.The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don't stop what you're doing – do it while listening to the world's best cycling writing.The fifth in this series is ‘Chris Froome and the Seventh Seal' by Ned Boulting, from Rouleur 20.3. Subscribe today from just £7 to receive it.Read by George Oliver. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cycling commentator and editor of the Road Book Ned Boulting is, like many of us, figuring out how to continue working in unprecedented times. How is he filling his time? Will the mighty Road Book be a narrow tome next year? And why has he deleted his Twitter account, just when everyone else is using it more than ever? Nathan Haas, meanwhile, is in lockdown in Girona. The Cofidis rider, who was caught up in the UAE Tour quarantine, is working out indoors despite not knowing when racing might resume. Keeping the drive alive is the big test for all professional cyclists right now, he tells Ian Parkinson. But thankfully, he's making silly videos to keep us entertained in the meantime. Zumba on bikes, anyone? Leopard print bibshorts and rock'n'roll form the theme for the latest Desire shoot. Stuart Clapp explains why we set fire to a helmet. POC, if you're listening, sorry. It won't happen again. And Stu's mate Dan does turbo training in his pants. Use your imagination. Actually, don't. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Millar and Mikkel B Rasmussen relaunch the OFF BIKE podcast. Ironically it is happening when we're forbidden by the law to ride our bikes, our respective countries of Spain and Denmark have us on lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic. Being literally off bike was never the plan when we created this, yet here we are, we discuss our current situations and what we make of it all, and we try to explain why we've been absent and what we have planned. Previous episodes include:#1 - Sir Paul Smith (Designer) #2 - Phil Gilbert Jr (Head of Design at IBM)#3 - Tim Marlow (Director of the Royal Academy of Arts in London David Millar - David, ex professional racing cyclist, is one of the founding partners in CHPT3, a company created to serve and supply the third space in our life, the time that exists beyond our family and work. It's origins lay in cycling and that is where it is currently focussed. David has written two books, Racing Through the Dark and The Racer, as well as numerous articles and essays. He was the principal consultant to Stephen Frears during the production of The Program, and helped Finlay Pretsell make feature documentary, Time Trial. During the summer months he will mainly be found alongside Ned Boulting commentating on bike races for British television.Mikkel B Rasmussen - Mikkel, one of the founding partners of ReD Associates, is a specialist at applying human science to business problems. As the director of ReD Associates Europe, he works closely with the top management of some of Europe's most forward looking companies, including Adidas, Lego, and Novo Nordisk. In his practice at ReD, Mikkel has pioneered new thinking on how to make social science methodology practical, creative and effective in business. He is the co author of the book "The Moment of Clarity - How to Use Human Science to Solve Your Hardest Business Problems" published by Harvard Business Press in 2014 as well as numerous articles and essays. Mikkel holds a Master in Economics from Maastricht University and Master of Applied Social Science from University of Roskilde.

Episode 149 of the Weekly Dartscast and co-hosts Alex Moss and Burton DeWitt are back to review the first event of the 2020 PDC European Tour, preview the UK Open this weekend, make their Premier League picks for Exeter, and answer your questions. Dirk van Duijvenbode, fresh from his first European Tour semi-final at the weekend, calls in, along with ITV reporter Ned Boulting, and friend of the show Matthew Kiernan - The Darting Nerd, who also brings us an interview with Riley's UK Open Qualifier winner Jason Heaver.

It’s Christmas, traditionally a time for people to come together and enjoy the simple pleasure of playing a friendly board game and a glass of eggnog. Join Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and special guest Ned Boulting for The Cycling Podcast’s Christmas Cycling Scrabble Challenge. This is Scrabble, but not as you know it. Only words that have a clear and obvious link to the world of professional cycling are permitted. And with that wonderfully vague rule, let the arguments begin. In honour of professional cycling, the rest of the rules of the game are unwritten… So tune in and see if Lionel can get Zakarin down on a triple word score... The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science In Sport. SPONSORS After three-and-a-half years, our title sponsorship arrangement with Rapha is coming to an end. We'd like to thank everyone at Rapha, and particularly Simon Mottram, for their support. Science In Sport have been sponsoring us for even longer than Rapha and we're delighted that will continue in 2020. All listeners can get 25% off their Science In Sport goodies at scienceinsport.com (https://www.scienceinsport.com/) by using the code SISCP25 FRIENDS OF THE PODCAST We’ve launched our new Friends of the Podcast system and it’s much easier to get the episodes on your phone now. Episode one, telling the story of Stage 19 of the Tour de France and featuring Egan Bernal, is online now. We’ve frozen the price at £15 for a year’s access and have two episodes to add over the Christmas and New Year period. To sign up you need only an email address and credit or debit card. You do not need your existing Friends of the Podcast login details. Go to thecyclingpodcast.com/subscribe (https://thecyclingpodcast.supportingcast.fm/) for all the details. Anyone who chooses to pay more and become a Very Good or Best Friend of the Podcast will also get a signed copy of our new book The Grand Tour Diaries. Everyone else who signs up as a Friend will be eligible for a 20% discount. Go to http://www.thecyclingpodcast.com/book for details. LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA You can buy a gift subscription to our Friends of the Podcast series for the pro cycling fan in your life at thecyclingpodcast.com/gifts (https://thecyclingpodcast.supportingcast.fm/gifts) and it will be kept a surprise until the big day. CHRISTMAS BREAK This is our final episode of 2019. We'd like to wish all our listeners a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for listening this year. We hope you'll be with us when we return in early January. In the meantime, we do have a couple of Friends of the Podcast episodes scheduled to go out over Christmas.

Yorkshire is once again the centre of the cycling world and the podcast comes direct from Rouleur's temporary home - the Corner Haus Belgian bar in Harrogate. Ian Parkinson is joined by Ned Boulting and Rebecca Charlton, looking back at the championship so far and looking ahead to the star events - the men's and women's elite road races. Will Vos be unstoppable or will the home crowd cheer home Yorkshire's own Lizzie Deignan for the win. And can anyone stop Mathieu van der Poel from leading that last sprint past Betty's Tea Room. One thing is certain, both races are going to be long, brutal and probably wet. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the first episode from the CHPT3 and The Roadbook sponsored channel - there will also be a series of interviews called THE NEXT CHAPTER, coming soon. In this, the inaugural THE ROADBOOK episode, Ned and Dave talk about this new podcast, a continuation of the ground-breaking, and much researched REVUELTA podcast.We mention Stephen Fry, this is the link: https://twitter.com/bbcr4today/status/1175003998035873795?s=21You'll find The Roadbook here: https://www.theroadbook.co.uk/And CHPT3 here: https://chpt3.com/

Listen up as David Millar and Ned Boulting analyse Stage 4 of this year's La Vuelta

David Millar and Ned Boulting present the second podcast of La Vuelta.

David Millar and Ned Boulting present the third installment of the La Vuelta podcast as the riders take on stage two.

David Millar and Ned Boulting return for the ITV Cycling podcast ahead of La Vuelta with ReVuelta - listen out for those special jingles too!

Ned Boulting and Matt Rendell are in Brussels for the Grand Depart of the 2019 Tour de France. The two sat down to talk all things Le Tour ahead of an exciting couple of weeks.

"To have that jersey hanging up in the wardrobe, in the context of who has won it subsequently and before – Simpson, Wiggins, Cavendish, Thomas – to be on the trophy and on that list of names that I admire is very special.”Matt Stephens recalls the feeling of being British national champion, a title he took in 1998. He was then promptly fined £500, and spilt tea down his gleaming white jersey, the stain stubbornly visible to this day. Ned Boulting and Ian Cleverly share the anecdotes and a few laughs along the way.Lisa Brambani knows all about national champion's jerseys - she claimed a remarkable four in a row in the 1980s. Now with her daughter Abby-Mae Parkinson making a name for herself on the road racing scene, Lisa is now more likely to be referred to as “Abby's mum”. But that's how she likes it: “I'm not one for blowing my own trumpet.”And how do you top being national champion? The 20-year-old Mandy Jones from Rochdale caused a major upset winning the 1982 World Championships at Goodwood. How was that, asks Ian Parkinson? "Absolutely fantastic, euphoric, and the best moment of my life.”Plus Desire Editor Start Clapp is reading a fine book by Paul Fournel. Will he finish telling Ian about it before we lose the signal from deepest Essex? Probably not... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cillian Kelly talks to Ned Boulting about their work on the astonishingly in-depth 2018 season almanac, The Road Book.Click to view: show page on Awesound

December 7 | Episode 4 After the incredible feats we've covered in the first three episodes of Explore, it's time for a bit of a gear change this time as we discover the joy of cycling and the way a journey on two wheels can develop (and sometimes test) a friendship. Lionel's Low Route is the antidote to the Haute Route, which tackles every mountain on the horizon. Carefully plotting a two-and-a-half day ride across some of England's flattest countryside, Lionel set off with television commentator and author Ned Boulting to prove that there can be a luxury end of the bikepacking spectrum. With Ned on his heavy commuting bike with luggage (some of it Lionel's!), and Lionel on his carbon-fibre Look, and joined by Passepartout Simon Gill, they set off for the inaugural Cambridge-Southwold-Cambridge Classic to talk cycling and much more. We also hear from professional riders Conor Dunne and Larry Warbasse, who set off on their own unsupported bike ride – the No Go Tour – when their Aqua Blue Sport team folded on the eve of the Tour of Britain. They talk about the ups and downs of going on a multi-day ride with a friend. And in the final part of a bumper episode, Richard Moore meets the inspirational Ishbel Holmes, who you may know as @WorldBikeGirl on Twitter. She's the author of the book Me, My Bike and A Street Dog Called Lucy. She set off with next to no money, and very little long-distance cycling experience, to ride round the world. The journey started as a trip to recover some money owed to her by the Iranian Cycling Federation, but turned into something quite different. It's a story that has to be heard to be believed. **Explore is supported by Rapha, Science In Sport and The Economist.** **RUNNING ORDER** **Part one:** Lionel's Low Route with Ned Boulting **Part two:** (from 1:01:00) Conor Dunne and Larry Warbasse on the No Go Tour and how to ensure a friendship survives bikepacking **Part three:** (from 1:09:00) Ishbel Holmes on riding round the world **THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS** **Rapha** support The Cycling Podcast all year and that support has enabled us to get the wheels rolling on series one of Explore. They have developed a range of clothing and accessories that are perfect for the adventurous world of endurance riding and bikepacking. Rapha. Adventure Starts Anywhere.  Check out Rapha’s Explore range at [rapha.cc](www.rapha.cc) **Science In Sport** are our other long-term supporters and if you are going to accept the challenge of a long multi-day ride, you need to get your nutrition right. Get 25 per cent off all Science In Sport energy drinks, bars and gels at [scienceinsport.com](www.scienceinsport.com) by using the code **SISCP25** at check-out. **The Economist** For over 170 years, The Economist has delivered trustworthy intelligence that helps people like you choose where to stand on the issues that matter most. We are delighted to announce that The Economist is also supporting series one of Explore. All UK-based listeners can get a free print copy of The Economist by texting **CYCLE** to **78070**

Ian Parkinson has some gift ideas for the cyclist in your life in this edition, ably assisted by our Desire editor Stuart Clapp and a host of special guests. Sir Bradley Wiggins tells us about his new book Icons and why, somewhat controversially, Lance Armstrong is included among his 21 cycling heroes in this handsome tome. Cillian Kelly, statistician extraordinaire, is the man behind The Road Book, a mighty 900-page record of the 2018 road season edited by Ned Boulting and including essays from Rouleur contributors Morten Okbo, Matt Rendell, Philippa York and many more. Ian spoke to Cillian at the Rouleur Classic to get the story behind “the Wisden of cycling”. The guys at Prendas Ciclismo have a fine range of jerseys titled Forgotten Races, made in conjunction with Santini. Andy Storey and designer Fergus Niland take us through the tales behind the collection. Plus photographer Laura Fletcher has an exhibition at Look Mum No Hands on the wonderful world of Japanese keirin racing, shot in Kyoto. And Stu gets misty eyed and a bit tearful recalling the bike his parents sold from beneath him when he was just a boy. Kleenex at the ready… See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

S3, Ep 4. In this episode: Bromley and Lord Haw-Haw That frickin' book again The Spoons of Norbury, Streatham Hill and Brixton A Moment of Silence: The beach Deserter School: Pubs 'n' drugs Pub & beer news from SE1, Forest Hill, Hither Green and Brockley Cartier's London Polluted rivers and chatty eels Unhealthy living: How to do it Hamlet return to Champion Hill (again) Coasting at work is good for you The Corporate Deserter: The office Book Corner: The Heart of Dart-ness by Ned Boulting; The Pub Manifesto with special guest, James Dowdeswell The social media "scene" Buy our book here: amzn.to/2yZkNMo Thanks to Deadly Hedley for engineering, James Dowdeswell and the Corporate Deserter. This podcast incorporates audio from the following contributors to Freesound: Robinhood76 freesound.org/people/Robinhood76/sounds/97915/ under this licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ vcantos https://freesound.org/people/vcantos/sounds/255841/ under this licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Paul & Andy discuss last nights football (including the odd refereeing decisions at Molineux). They welcome Cycling Journalist turned Darts author Ned Boulting. They ask who has the best Laugh at talkSPORT and the listeners give us their best Sean Dyche.... For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast Episode 204 Farts, darts and stalwarts – or, The Road Book, and yet more helmets Monday, 26th November 2018 HOST: Carlton Reid. GUESTS: Jim Moss Donna Tocci Ned Boulting Dr. Ian Walker SPONSOR: Jenson USA • The Latest Gear. The Best Prices. All In One Place. TOPICS: Carlton, Jim and Donna chat with Ned Boulting about The Road Book. After the break we hear from Dr. Ian Walker and his latest helmet research. LINKS: Go to the-spokesmen.com for URLs. Farts and darts. Kryptonite vs Bic, 2004. Donna's Linkedin page The Road Book. Video of Ned discussing the book. Tough at bike retail – ASE collapse, and the equivalent in the UK, Evans Cycles. Dr Ian Walker interviewed in The Psychologist magazine. Motorists Punish Helmet-Wearing Cyclists With Close Passes, Confirms Data Recrunch.

September 18 | The first post-Vuelta podcast features a report from the Canadian World Tour races from François Thomazeau, including interviews with Michael Matthews, Nathan Haas and Simon Gerrans. David Millar tells us about his bid to become president of the professional cyclists’ association, and there’s a response from the CPA. There are extracts from the diaries kept by Mark Downey at the Tour of Britain and Conor Dunne and Larry Warbasse at the #NoGoTour, and Ned Boulting tells us about the Tour de Ned. The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport

The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast Episode 200 Best-of episode celebrating 12 years of the show!  Sunday 16th September 2018 HOSTS: Carlton Reid and David Bernstein GUESTS: Tim Jackson, Donna Tocci, Rich Kelly, Neil Browne, Jim Moss, Anna Schwinn, Chris Garrison, Nicole Formosa, Jacquie Phelan, Julie Kelly, Ayesha McGowen, Laura Laker, Anna Luyten, Phil Liggett, Ned Boulting, Chris Boardman, Bob Roll, Floyd Landis, Christian Prudhomme, Jens Voigt, Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly, Ed Zink, Peter Darke, Cerri Dipple, Jeremy Vaught, Tim Grahl, Jonathan Maus, Michael Colville-Anderson, Adrian Kokk, Dr Rachel Aldred, Professor Bert Blocken, Peter Norton, Melody Hoffman, Chris and Melissa Bruntlett, Donny Perry, Christian Wolmar, Rick Vosper, and Jay Townley. SPONSOR: Jenson USA • The Latest Gear. The Best Prices. All In One Place. TOPIC: This is our 200th show! The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast was first aired in August 2006. This episode is a compilation of some of the best bits from our first 12 years. SHOWNOTES: http://www.the-spokesmen.com

Ned Boulting climbed into the hot seat and survived our LIVE Wheel Suckers Podcast experience in front of a cafe audience. This is a lightly edited interview recorded at Look mum no hands! 49 Old St. on Thursday 5th September. Watch the Facebook live video here: https://www.facebook.com/1ookmumnohands/videos/1071857869651974/ Buy tickets to Tour de Ned now: https://www.nedboulting.com/live/ ~ Guest ~ Ned Boulting https://www.nedboulting.com https://twitter.com/nedboulting ~ Topics ~ Jenni's apology: https://twitter.com/emilychappell/status/1037409459725905921 The race we're watching at 14:40 is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXZlJGoK78A Jenni reads from Ned's Book: “How I won the Yellow Jumper” https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-i-won-the-yellow-jumper/ned-boulting/9780224083362 Tour de Ned! https://www.nedboulting.com/live/ Ned quit the metro A moment with Richard Ballantine Yes we played Pass the Parcel! ~ Intro Track ~ Evangelion - A Cruel Angel's Thesis: Bike Horn Cover www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUamHEvVQy0Sounds ~ Work handles ~ Look mum no hands! www.lookmumnohands.com/ London Bike Kitchen www.lbk.org.uk/ ~ Our personal handles ~ Alex Davis twitter.com/Singyamatokun Jenni Gwiazdowski twitter.com/money_melon ~ Follow us ~ Twitter twitter.com/WheelSuckersPod Instagram www.instagram.com/wheelsuckerspod/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

ITV's "Voice of the Tour" Ned Boulting joins Ian Parkinson to reflect on events in July, and look forward to his one-man cycling stand-up show this Autumn. From Arbroath to Cleckheaton - although not, perhaps shortsightedly, anywhere in Wales - the "Tour De Ned" will include behind the scenes stories, stage insights and a musical finale. Also on this edition, Stuart Clapp tries to argue the benefits of wearing camouflage on the bike and Brian Holm looks back to the days when tattoos and coloured socks would have you thrown off a race. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast Episode 197 "You saved that cyclist's life!" Thursday 9th August 2018 HOST: Carlton Reid. GUESTS: Guitar Ted, Jack Stevens, and Ned Boulting. SPONSOR: Jenson USA • The Latest Gear. The Best Prices. All In One Place. TOPICS: Gravel riding in the USA. Jack Stevens saved a woman on a bike in London from being crushed under the wheels of a heavy goods vehicle. He filmed the incident, it went viral and then the video was picked up by Metro, a British newspaper which, in a bizarre tweet, blamed the cyclist. Tour de France commentator Ned Boulting called out the Metro newspaper for that duff framing. Also includes the apology from the Metro newspaper's social media manager Jay Jaffa. SHOWNOTES: the-spokesmen.com

A few years back, Ned Boulting thought the leader in the Tour de France wore the yellow "jumper”. After that initial hiccup (it's the yellow jersey, of course), Ned became one of the faces of bike race coverage in the UK, and more recently, took the microphone to become the voice that commentates on the biggest one of all. He also heads out on the road with his one-man tours Bikeology and Tour de Ned, but for this episode, we rolled across London along a fascinating route that is a favourite of Ned’s.See more on Instagram and find the route on Strava. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Sagan's brilliant victory in Paris Roubaix was overshadowed by the tragic death of Belgium's Michael Goolaerts. Ned Boulting joins presenter Ian Parkinson to discuss the race, the dangers of pro-cycling, the season so far and some of the challenges hanging over the Grand Tours: will the Giro really start in Israel, and if it does, will Chris Froome be riding? Three times Paris Roubaix winner Fabian Cancellara joins us from Utah with his thoughts on Sagan and Dillier's race to the velodrome and we grab a podium interview with Britain's junior Paris Roubaix star Lewis Askey. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

November 14 | During the Vuelta a España Orla Chennaoui went to Herne Hill velodrome to meet Ned Boulting, who races on the track throughout the year. Both work primarily in television but Orla was keen to talk to Ned about the various other strands to his career. He has gone from interviewer to commentator, written books and, more recently, performed a solo stand-up show. Despite all that, Ned admits that he still feels like a ‘newbie.’ The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport.

What does it mean to live a Stoic life in 2017? With the current resurgence of interest in Stoic ideas,, The Verb investigates. Helping Ian is the philosopher Angie Hobbs, technology writer Tom Chatfield, Coralie Bickford Smith, Ned Boulting and John Osborne. Producer: Faith Lawrence.

Stage 2 gets underway as the riders travel from a rainy Dusseldorf through to Liege in Belgium. Matt Rendell, Ned Boulting, Chris Boardman and David Millar reflect on another day of drama including that thrilling race across the line. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Ned Boulting answers all your Tour De France questions - well, most of them. Which are the key stages? Who's going to win? Is Chris Froome on form? Why do so few German riders have German names? He joins presenter Ian Parkinson and Rouleur Editor Ian Cleverly in the newly reopened pavilion at Herne Hill Velodrome. Plus, the Rouleur Quiz and the truth about David Millar's espresso habits. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Rendell and Ned Boulting conduct today's podcast while in pursuit of the Lesser Spotted Nairo – has anyone seen the little Colombian? Plus they have all the reaction to another big mountain stage. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

The 2016 Aviva Women's Tour was a fantastic race, and Dan and I talked about the racing action in our latest podcast (spoiler alert: so exciting!) - but I had a pretty unique view of the race this year, because I was doing commentary for ITV4. I was doing the "as live" commentary with Hugh Porter, while cyclocross superstar and general all-round cycling guru Helen Wyman did the presenting at the start and finish of each show with Ned Boulting. I had so many questions about her experience - so we chatted about it all, with a foray at the end into how the TV coverage of women's cyclocross has already changed the sport after one season - have a listen! For links to the videos, head over to my website: https://prowomenscycling.com/2016/06/27/talking-television-with-helen-wyman/

A Tour de France special for Issue 63 and, appropriately, two of the guests have worn the Maillot Jaune. Chris Boardman, David Millar and Ned Boulting join presenter Ian Parkinson to talk about the art of TV commentary, the Giro and, of course, the Tour. David Millar explains how Peter Sagan "defies the laws of physics" on a bike, Chris Boardman talks about the "compassionate ruthlessness" at the heart of the Medal Factory, and Ned Boulting reminisces about the time he met Davros the Dalek. Plus the latest Rouleur Competition. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jack Thurston says farewell and ITV Cycling's Ned Boulting joins new host Ian Parkinson and Rouleur Editor Ian Cleverly to discuss the contents of Issue 57, and anything else that comes to their minds - including this year's Tour De France, Matt Rendell's stylish "doorstepping" of French national treasure Laurent Jalabert, the legend of Sean Kelly and why the humble musette needs a 21st century makeover. Or not, depending on who you listen to. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jack Thurston is joined by a galaxy of stars from the world of cycling literature to pick over the cream of this year's crop of bike books. Nominating their cycling book of the year are Feargal McKay, Ned Boulting, Herbie Sykes, Daniel Friebe, Tom Southam, Richard Moore, Max Leonard and Emma O'Reilly. Guy Andrews, founding editor of Rouleur magazine, is on hand with his crystal ball to look at what cycling books we might expect in 2015 and years to come. Continue reading →

In this episode, we discover that Contador doesn't still ride for Astana!  We bring you our views on the doping "revelations" from the French Senate report & preview the forthcoming Vuelta. In mountain biking news we cover the season so far & bring you a preview of the World Championships in South Africa. Finally, you can find the excellent Cyclocross book by Balint Hamvas at his website and you can get Ned Boulting's new book, On The Road Bike, at all good literary outlets! (Or at Amazon)

In the first show of the new season, Jack takes a leisurely ride in the Welsh Borders with Ned Boulting, one of the faces of ITV's coverage of the Tour de France. They discuss Ned's new book "On the Road Bike: the Search for a Nation's Cycling Soul", an engaging and ideosyncratic history of British bike racing. Continue reading →

Interview with Ned Boulting at Revolution Oct 27th at Manchester Velodrome. An very honest and open interview.

It's July, that means it's the Tour de France. Jack Thurston talks with Ned Boulting, a sports reporter who has been covering the Tour for ITV since 2003. He talks about the rise in popularity of cycle sport and everyday cycling over the past decade and the high jinks he's got up to while covering the last nine Tours de France Ned's book, How I Won the Yellow Jumper, is out now, published by Yellow Jersey Press. Continue reading →