The Cycling Podcast

In this week’s regular episode of The Cycling Podcast, Daniel Friebe is again joined by journalist Richard Abraham and former Classics maestro Mitch Docker, as we revisit the men’s Tour of Flanders on Sunday and review some of the more salient and controversial talking points from ‘Vlaanderens Mooiste’. Mathieu van der Poel’s third Flanders victory was his most emphatic to date, but his triumphant solo move on the Koppenberg - while others floundered in his wake - also raised questions about whether that iconic climb should be removed from the Ronde course. We discuss this, Michael Matthews’ relegation in the sprint for the minor places, plus the accomplished performances of Movistar and runner-up Luca Mozzato. In the last part of the episode, thoughts then turn to Paris-Roubaix next weekend and the Tour of the Basque Country - where the ‘home team’ is lining up with a surprising import. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now.   The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

For our first Féminin Arrivée of the season, Rose Manley and Denny Gray pore over an explosive edition of the Tour of Flanders. Team SD Worx start the race with World Champion and home favourite Lotte Kopecky looking to make it a hat-trick of Ronde Van Vlaanderen victories.  But can Lidl-Trek, a team growing in confidence and tactical nous, finally reap their rewards? And what of the GOAT Marianne Vos, can she add a title here to her wins from Dwars door Vlaanderen and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad already this season? buycycle Arrivée is supported by buycycle. Visit buycycle.com to buy and sell used bikes safely and securely. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now. The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

In our second Arrivée episode of the Classics season, Daniel Friebe & Richard Abraham deliver their verdict on the 108th edition of the Tour of Flanders or Ronde van Vlaanderen. With Wout van Aert’s spring campaign ruined by a crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, the Belgian’s long-time bête noire, Mathieu van der Poel, started the race as the hot favourite. Find out whether MvdP could become the first reigning world champion since Peter Sagan in 2016 to ride to Flanders glory in the rainbow jersey - or who among the cast of challengers, led by Mads Pedersen & Matteo Jorgenson, managed to thwart him. buycycle Arrivée is supported by buycycle. Visit buycycle.com to buy and sell used bikes safely and securely. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now.  The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

In this week’s episode of The Cycling Podcast, Daniel Friebe is joined by former Classics stalwart Mitch Docker and the journalist Richard Abraham, as we look back at last weekend’s pre-Ronde van Vlaanderen appetisers, the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem. Friday saw the latest masterclass from Mathieu van der Poel in E3, which  underlined his status as the outstanding favourite for De Ronde. Forty-eight hours later, though, Mads Pedersen’s victory over Van der Poel in Gent-Wevelgem led some to wonder whether Lidl-Trek had happened upon the perfect blueprint for defeating the Dutchman - not that the strategy will be easy to implement on Sunday.  In the final part of the podcast, we hear from a rider for whom just being on the startline on Sunday will represent a personal triumph - the Dane Michael Valgren, whose career was almost ended by a horror crash in the 2022 Route Occitanie.  Babbel Learn a language the fun, easy way with intuitive 15-minute lessons you can do when you want. Choose from 14 languages including Spanish, French, Italian and German. Get six months free with the purchase of a six-month subscription at Babbel.com/play with the promo code CYCLE24. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now.  The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Our mini-feature this month focuses on the final riders to complete Paris-Roubaix. Riders who have had to overcome difficult circumstances to reach the end of one of the most formidable races in cycling, even when they finished way outside of the time limit. We speak to Ilaria Sanguineti, Eluned King and Senne Knaven about what motivated them to push past crashes, injuries and calamitous conditions to reach the famed velodrome and what it is like to ride the famous cobbles once the race is already long gone. We also have plenty of race analysis from the first few Classics of the season. Rose Manley is joined by Denny Gray and Rebecca Charlton to pick apart what could be a changing of the guard at the top of the women’s peloton. Elisa Balsamo outsprinted rider-of-the-moment Lotte Kopecky to take the spoils at Trofeo Binda after a huge effort from her team. With Lidl-Trek finally taking the top spot after improving results and rising confidence, we ask: what gave Lidl-Trek the winning edge and could it finally end SD Worx’s winning dominance? We also discuss Ellen Van Dijk’s victorious return from maternity leave, pick out rising stars Mareille Meijering and Puck Pieterse, and make a rare detour on to the track to reflect on Laura Kenny’s golden career following her retirement. This episode is sponsored by AG1 If you want to take ownership of your health, try AG1 and get a FREE one-year supply of Vitamin D AND five free AG1 travel packs with your first purchase. Go to drinkAG1.com/cycling Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now. The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

This week’s episode of The Cycling Podcast comes from the latest stop on Daniel Friebe’s springtime Mediterranean tour, Mallorca, and precisely the home of Eurosport commentator Rob Hatch. That pair are joined by journalist Richard Abraham, as we revisit some of the most compelling storylines from Milan-Sanremo at the weekend.  Jasper Philipsen’s victory on Via Roma meant heartache for Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates team - and prompted questions about their strategy. Will Pog now have to rethink his not-yet-winning formula in La Classicissima, particularly in light of his newly declared ambition to become the greatest rider in history? Speaking of history, in a special investigation, Daniel sets off in search of a piece of Sanremo’s. And, speaking of the future, Mathieu van der Poel has just committed the next decade to one company, as Rob reports.  NordVPN This episode is supported by NordVPN. Ensure your security online with a subscription today. Listeners will get an exclusive NordVPN deal at nordvpn.com/tcp   Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now.  The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

We’re on the Ligurian Riviera for the first Monument of the season - almost live from the finish-line on Via Roma. Join Daniel Friebe & Brian Nygaard to hear how the race was won & what some of the key protagonists said. There’s also a cameo from perhaps our most cherished friend - Ciro Scogamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport. buycycle Arrivée is brought to you by buycycle – the online marketplace for used bikes, where cyclists buy and sell pre-loved bikes with complete confidence. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now.  The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

This week’s episode of The Cycling Podcast is a special dispatch from the Côte d’Azur, partly recorded at the home of our own Captain America - better known to us as Décathlton-AG2r La Mondiale’s ‘Motown Maestro’ Larry Warbasse - and featuring an exclusive interview with Visma-Lease a Bike’s newly crowned Paris-Nice champion, Matteo Jorgenson, on the morning after his triumph on the Promenade des Anglais.  Larry and Daniel Friebe kick off with a recap of some of the week’s big stories, including Paris-Nice. Jorgenson’s victory was the most important in his flourishing career to date - and, over coffee in Nice’s Vieux Port, the Californian by birth, Idahoer by upbringing and Niçois by adoption tells Daniel how he overcame pre-race favourite Remco Evenepoel and childhood friend Brandon McNulty. After that, also in Nice, we hear journalist François Thomazeau’s reflections on what was due to be his final Race to the Sun.   In the last part, it’s back to Larry’s secluded hideaway in Èze to hear about his week in Italy at Tirreno-Adriatico. Larry will also be in action at Milano-Sanremo at the weekend - and he reveals some of the secrets of La Classicissima here, while also pondering what Tadej Pogačar has to do to win.  Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). Babbel Learn a language the fun, easy way with intuitive 15-minute lessons you can do when you want. Choose from 14 languages including Spanish, French, Italian and German. Get six months free with the purchase of a six-month subscription at Babbel.com/play with the promo code CYCLE24 MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 100 exclusive episodes. Our latest, four-part KM0 special, ‘Classicissima: Springtime in Sanremo’ is available on the Kilometre 0 for Friends of The Cycling Podcast feed now.  The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

In this week's episode of The Cycling Podcast, Daniel Friebe and journalist Richard Abraham are back in the bike race bubble at Paris-Nice, where two of the Big Four contenders for this year's Tour de France start to piece together their preparations for July.  Remco Evenepoel comes fresh from victory at the Volta ao Algarve but is taking on a stage race on French soil for the first time in his career. Meanwhile Primož Roglič looks to open his account for his new team, BORA-hansgrohe, at a race he won in 2022. We discuss the expectations of both riders and hear from experienced Australian Jack Haig on what makes Paris-Nice a race of singular difficulty.  Of course we also tackle the weekend's big talking point, namely the exploits of another one of the Big Four, or should that be the Super Six: Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche. Daniel and Richard hear from Pog's former teammate Matteo Trentin and digest an 81km solo victory that will undoubtedly go down as one of one of his greatest hits.  Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). LinkedIn Sales Navigator LinkedIn could help your company's sales team identify the best clients, establish contacts and close deals. Visit LinkedIn.com/win for a 60 day free trial. Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 60 exclusive episodes. MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

We’re looking at motherhood in our February episode of The Cycling Podcast Féminin. With Ellen Van Dijk’s much-anticipated return from maternity leave on the horizon, we explore the growing trend of racers returning to the peloton post-baby. Rose Manley speaks to Lizzie Deignan, one of the first women to be supported by her team to a return to racing and her agent Emma Wade, as well as new mum and Uno-X rider Joss Lowden, former Trek-Segafredo rider Abi Van Twisk and former British champion Meg Backstedt (née Hughes). Rose is also joined by Orla Chennaoui and Denny Gray to look at the recent racing, most notably a rare debut win for the GOAT Marianne Vos at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Discussion descends into bickering as the team try to decide how well Lidl-Trek played their tactics at the race after finishing third and fourth. We also ponder Lotte Kopecky’s recent transformation after showing off her climbing legs on the UAE Tour’s Jebel Hafeet and wonder how that might affect a seemingly tense relationship with teammate Demi Vollering. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast 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). MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. 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.