The Real Science of Sport Podcast Festive Season Catch-up: What We Missed, Watched and Debated During The Holidays
Jan 14, 2026
The podcast dives into a range of intriguing sports topics from the festive season. It critiques the tech failures during the Ashes and discusses the dynamic world of cyclo-cross, covering athlete dominance and mental health challenges. The Battle of the Sexes exhibition in tennis sparks debate on equalizing court sizes. Luke Littler's rise in darts is highlighted alongside concerns over match-fixing. The Enhanced Games generate philosophical discussions about doping, while the latest in anti-doping technologies raises questions on the integrity of sports.
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Cyclocross As Elite Training
- Cyclocross builds high-power, stochastic efforts that transfer well to the classics.
- Ross Tucker and Gareth Davies argue cyclocross is great training and underused by road teams.
Lights-On Cyclocross Spectacle
- Ross described the lights-on cyclocross races in Belgium as among the most enjoyable events he's watched.
- He plans to attend Belgium races between Christmas and New Year after watching the televised spectacle.
Dutch Women, Belgian Men: A Puzzle
- The Netherlands dominates women's cyclocross while Belgium dominates men's, despite shared cycling culture.
- Ross Tucker highlights this unexpected gender-based national disparity and asks why it exists.