Podcasts about professional cycling

In the latest installment of our special edition podcast, Orogenesis Dispatches, Josh Weinberg talks with adventure cyclist Kurt Refsnyder, who is riding the entire trail from the US border with Canada all the way to Mexico.Kurt checks in from Bridgeport, California, about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) into the 5,000-mile (8,000 km) route. From there, with it being nearly halfway through the route, he reflects on challenges that have included substantial sections of deadfall in Oregon, smoke and fires in Idaho, and unexpectedly hard sections like a soft rail bed in Northern California. He also reveals a feeling of relief being in California, where the trails are more established for bikes, and deadfall will hopefully be less of a concern.The bulk of the conversation addresses reader/listener-submitted questions that span a multitude of topics, including using an electronic drive train over a mechanical one, riding without a chamois pad, how he chooses camping spots, the daily joys of waking up on the trail, and what lies ahead.

This week the whole team of Georgie, Loren, Gracie, and Abby talk European Championships, the UCI's decision to cut the U23 Nations Cup series, and more.How Magdeleine Vallieres prepared for the Worlds here.

Today on the show: Movistar is the new destination team, Kristoff crashed out, and we're headed back to Ayuso Alleyway.

Today on the show: Alexander Kristoff may miss his milestone, UCI points really matter for the next couple of weeks and there are more people leaving Ineos this off-season.

This week on Watts Occurring Femmes, Megan Jastrab talks all about her journey to bronze at the Tokyo Olympics for the United States. She dives into why she moved to the Netherlands and the differences between cycling professionally in Europe to the US.    Megan tells Manon and Emma about her injuries and how she overcame the mental barriers to get back to peak performance, and how she juggled two degrees alongside her career as a professional athlete! She also chats all about her fundraising to help junior cyclists in the US. Watts Occurring Femmes is brought to you by Rouvy, and hosted by Pinarello. Want a free month on ROUVY, on us? Use code FEMMES when you sign up and explore everything ROUVY has to offer. SIGN UP HERE: https://rouvy.com/?utm_source=gtcc&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=rouvy-brand&utm_term=femmes-podcast ROUVY connects indoor and outdoor by bringing the real routes from around the world to your home and ROUVY's new Route Creator tool allows users to film, upload and ride their favourite loops on ROUVY. Fancy a trip to your local Pinarello retailer? Visit https://pinarello.com/global/en/store-locator to find your local store today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To honour the epic World Championship road race we saw on Saturday, we've assembled an equally epic podcast team this week: Grace Brown and Iris Slappendel join Abby and Gracie to talk about what went wrong for the French, Dutch and Italian teams in Kilgali and what went right for the podium.With audio diaries from Alison Jackson (Canada), Amanda Spratt (Australia) and Niamh Fisher-Black (New Zealand).

Today on the show: We have new world champions, but there are many more fun things to talk about from the road races in Rwanda. Meanwhile, breaking news, Juan Ayuso is already causing a ruckus at Lidl-Trek.

Juan Ayuso has a new home, Chloe Dygert has a sticker printing machine, and there are also some World Championships happening in Rwanda. 

Josh Weinberg recently checked in with Kurt Refsnider, a bikepacker attempting the first full ride of the Orogenesis Trail. At roughly 5,000 miles, the route begins at the Canada–US border and travels through Washington, Oregon, and California to the Mexico border, then onto the Baja Divide.At the time of recording, Kurt was in Paisley, Oregon, about 1,100 miles in, nearing California and the halfway point through the U.S. section.Kurt details how challenging the ride through Washington was, with nearly 120,000 feet of climbing and descending over rugged moto trails and non-motorized singletrack near Mount St. Helens. He faced detours due to land closures, and construction added to the difficulty.Once in Oregon, Kurt has primarily followed the Oregon Timber Trail. Using elevation gain as a metric for daily effort, he explains how climbing has taken priority over daily mileage, aiming for 7,000 to 8,000 feet of climbing per day.He also dives into gear maintenance and resupply strategies, which have been tough, with dust wearing down his suspension and brake pads, and unpredictable provision availability. He's already swapped out some wear items and explains how opting for battery packs over a dynamo hub for power has worked out.Along the way, Kurt has been fueled by strong community support.Folks following along are tracking his progress, offering lodging, bringing food, and sharing real-time trail conditions. Looking ahead, he faces a tough, deadfall-heavy section in southern Oregon. Once he crosses into California, he'll encounter faster ATV trails before taking a rest near Quincy and heading into long singletrack sections through Truckee and Tahoe, where we plan to catch up with him again.

This week on the Wheel Talk Podcast we are obsessed with time trialling...the World Championships time trials to be exact. Gracie, Loren, and Abby look back at the elite women's race on Sunday, what it means for the upcoming road race, who opted to skip the race against the clock in favour of their chances on Saturday, and the U23 ITT and riders to watch in the future. Plus, an update on the latest transfers and more news (hint: babies!).

Today on the show: Remco made it three in a row as he passed Pogačar by, SRAM is suing the UCI and we have an update on the Israel-Premier Tech situation.

Today on the show: Worlds starts this weekend, we love Tom Pidcock's mum, and Philly is back, baby. 

World Championships week starts on Sunday with the elite time trials, and we're here to break it down for you. Abby, Georgie, and Gracie also discuss the latest transfers, Fem van Empel's decision to step away from road, and the Tour Féminin de l'Ardeche where Lotte Kopecky ended her road season after taking one final win.

Today on the show: Alabelievers rejoice, the greatest Vuelta podium on a shortened final stage, and what does this all mean for pro cycling? 

Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano break down the final mountain stage and discuss the bigger storylines of the third week of the Vuelta a España.

Today on the show: Tadej Pogacar has is mojo back, Juan Ayuso won a bet, and we've got new tech to talk about.

This week Abby, Gracie, Loren, and Georgie chat the latest transfers, the Simac Ladies Tour, the upcoming Tour de Feminin l'Ardeche (and its time trial), and more.

Or is there any difference anymore? Today on the show: Is the Vuelta is a real bike race? Is UAE a good bicycle team? Is Chris Hoy the best? And is Geraint Thomas happy he's done? 

Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano break down stage 13 of the Vuelta a España and the rest of the second week so far.

In this first dispatch from the field, Josh Weinberg talks to Kurt Refsnider, who is attempting to ride the entire Orogenesis Trail from the Canadian border through Washington, Oregon, and California to Mexico via the Baja Divide.On day 12 of his journey, Kurt shares his progress, which entails riding over 500 miles into Washington with nearly 85,000 feet of climbing, much of it on challenging single-track and moto trails.Kurt also discusses the physical and mental demands of this particular trail thus far. He compares the experience to other long-distance trails, such as the Colorado Trail and the Tour Divide, with an emphasis on how rugged and demanding Orogenesis is. Reflecting on the balance between effort and reward, Kurt also touches on the performance of his equipment, camping conditions, and the encouragement he receives from local riders and towns.

Remember when Juan Ayuso was the biggest story of the week? Today on the show: Protests in the Basque Country bring the Vuelta to a halt, GC Pidcock has arrived, maybe? And we still haven't talked about Juan Ayuso officially leaving UAE, so we'll definitely talk about that.

This week we talk about the end of Ceratizit, some of the top transfers so far, the Classic Lorient Agglomération (GP de Plouay), and the upcoming Simac Ladies Tour.

Today on the show: Juan Solo looks to free himself from the new Death Star, rebel fighter Jonas Vingegaard quietly plots his route to destroying the UAE empire, High Prince Kulset is out of a job thanks to his father, and on the distant republic of Edinburgh, the Grand Départ isn't looking as certain as it once was …

Dane Cash and Cosmo Catalano break down stage 9 of the Vuelta a España and take a broader look at all the action from the first week of the race.

Today on the show: Vuelta drama fizzles before it starts and there's been another bike theft.

It's mailbag week! With limited racing to discuss this week, Abby, Gracie, Georgie, and Loren answer some of your burning questions. From what we want to see in women's cycling going forward to that Serena Williams ad. Plus: who was our messiest teammate? It's a fun one this week.

Today on the show: The Vuelta is underway, Vingegaard is back, and Danny van Poppel can't stop collecting yellow cards.

Today on the show: Mads' middle finger, Pogačar doesn't want you to take his picture, and the Secret Pro is back. And no, we will not be answering the question in the episode title. But you're welcome to guess! 

This week on the Wheel Talk Podcast, Abby, Loren, Gracie, and Georgie dive into the Tour de Romandie Féminin and the UCI's decision to disqualify five teams before the start of the first stage. They also talk about Charlotte Kool's move to Fenix-Decuninck and what that means for the sprinter and the Dutch team.

Today on the show: A Vuelta preview from Dane, disqualifications at Romandie with Abby, and Mike Woods is retiring, which makes us sad. Plus, the big green egg Pogačar bought his teammates. 

And cycling isn't even the most interesting bit. John is a professional skier with aspirations to make his debut in the Olympics the same time as his sport makes its debut. That's right, skimo is on the verge of becoming an Olympic sport in 2026 and John is one of America's very best. But he didn't grow up on skis, nor on bike (at least on bicycles). Nor was it in his plans to start and run an outdoor apparel company. Nor was it his plan to be a perennial presence on the Leadville podium. And yet, there John is! Keep Bicycle Accident Law in your rolodex just in case you need it! Try out the newest flavors of AG1 and get a $76 free welcome pack by visiting drinkAG1.com/tedking    

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today.Today on the show: Arkea and maybe Jayco are in a little bit of trouble? Tom Pidcock is going for GC again, and Patrick Levefere is angrily posting photos of his sandwiches.

This week on the podcast, Matt de Neef, Georgie Howe, and Iris Slappendel join Abby Mickey to talk about some of the biggest stories from the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. From the massive increase in viewership to where the top riders of this year's Tour go from here. There is far too much to talk about from this year's edition.

Today on the show: Pogacar is tired, a punch up in Portugal, and Kit went to a show. Let's get to it.

Is Remco's move to Red Bull good? Is Michael Storer an egg thief? Caley, Jonny, and Iain have the answers. 

Multiple African Champion, Commonwealth Games medallist, Olympian, multiple Giro Rosa podium finisher and one of the most experienced riders in the women's World Tour, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio has seen it all. In a pro career that has spanned over 15 years, Moolman Pasio has been a force in virtually every format, from Grand Tours to one-day classics and in e-sports racing, where she was world champion in 2020. In the aftermath of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Moolman-Pasio weighs in on the current status of women's cycling, explains how so much has changed in her time on the tour, how Zwift competition is regulated to ensure fairness, why the UCI's rules around bike weights doesnt work for women, how having an holistic approach to rider welfare at pro level will ensure better results and why the Covid pandemic proved to be a blessing for the women's sport.Discourse is our VIP community, where listeners gather around to chat more about the topics we cover on the show, the sports news, and anything else that has grabbed their sports science attention. If you want to be part of that community, and get way more value from The Real Science of Sport, you join by becoming a Patron on the show for a small monthly donation! We hope you'll support the show, and join the Sports science conversation! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Orogenesis” is the geologic process of mountain building — a gradual evolution powered by unfathomable forces that expand across and transform broad swaths of the landscape.Orogenesis is also set to be the longest mountain biking trail in the United Sates. At 3,500 miles, this new route stretches through Washington, Oregon, California, and then it connects to the existing Baja Divide bikepacking route to add another 1,600 miles to San Jose del Cabo at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. The creation of such a trail is an absolutely monumental vision, and endurance cyclist Kurt Refsnider will be guinea pigging his way down the full length of it for the remainder of this year as the first person to attempt the ride in its entirety.In this episode, we talk to Kurt Refsnider about the history of the trail, what drew him to it, and what to expect along the way. We'll then be checking in with him over the next few months as he makes his way from the US/Canadian border to Mexico.

Today, Georgie sits down with Dr Stacy Sims to discuss how women – from the professional to amateur ranks – should optimize their hormones for performance. This was a recording before the TDFF, but we thought it was an apt time to publish given the conversations sparked. It is all in an endeavor to answer the question: how sustainable is the current state of professional women's cycling?

Pauline Ferrand Prevot won the Tour de France Femmes in style, there's big drama in Guadeloupe, Roglic dropped his latest quote, and Remco hasn't moved yet. So much to talk about, and to keep us out of our post-Tour doldrums. Caley, Jonny, and Iain bring you the latest. 

The fourth edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is now complete and today's final stage delivered plenty of entertaining storylines. Join Georgie Howe and Matt de Neef as they break down another action-packed day of racing at the biggest event on the women's calendar. This final episode features audio diaries from Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Mags Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly), and Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez).

The queen stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift proved every bit as decisive as we'd expected. Join Georgie Howe and Matt de Neef on the Col de la Madeleine as stage 8 unfolds before your ears. This episode features audio diaries from Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal), Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez), Jelena Erić (Movistar), and Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly).

It's fun when directors fight. Lucky for us, we've got a true mano a mano bout in the team cars of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. This week, Caley, Jonny, and Dane chat through Visma vs FDJ, Visma vs UAE, and congratulate Ben Healy on winning a fake bike race twice in one go. 

Caley, Jonny, and Kit are back in the Spin Cycle studio for the final (men's) Tour episode. Is Pogačar burned out? Was it a good Tour? We have thoughts. 

From the rain-drenched cobbles of the Champs Élysées, Iain Treloar is joined by Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal and Patrick Redford of Defector to discuss Montmartre, an epic stage win, and the whiplash of arriving in Paris. Also: the famous Escape Collective Tour Award Show.

A breakaway winner was expected for stage 20 of the Tour de France, but did anyone expect it to be Kaden Groves?Iain Treloar is joined by Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal, Patrick Redford of Defector, and Jacob Whitehead from The Athletic to discuss the penultimate stage of this year's race.

The final mountain stage of the Tour de France – shortened though it was for cattle-related reasons – went to Thymen Arensman as Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar mostly watched each other on the final summit finish of the race.Iain is joined by Patrick Redford of Defector and Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal to talk about the racing but also the broader strokes.

The Queen stage of the Tour de France is now behind us. One mountain stage remains. Ben O'Connor played perfect legs with perfect tactics and took home a huge win for Jayco, while behind the battle for yellow wimpered and the battle for third, the white jersey, and the crucial Red Bull classification were absolutely firing. 

A straightforward sprint stage turned out to be anything but. A storm rolled into Valence just before the peloton did and led to a huge pileup in the finale. The good news? The fight for the green jersey is on. And tomorrow? The Alps. 

A beautiful day on Mont Ventoux capped by Johan Bruyneel calling UCI President David Lappartient the "Selfie King." Does it get any better? 

Ever have a question about the Tour de France? We've got you covered.