VN Pod, ep. 178: Tour Colombia 2.1 importance; Ian Boswell retires to gravel

Your probably didn't watch any of the Tour Colombia 2.1. The race was not broadcast in North America, and finding illegal feeds to stream the action presented a headache. Guess what? The Tour Colombia is one of the most important bicycle races in the entire world, and it is the biggest stage race in the entire Western Hemisphere. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we examine the Tour Colombia and its growing importance within the global realm of pro bike racing. Reporter Rebecca Reza was in Colombia for the 2019 and 2020 editions of the race, and she takes us inside the enormous crowds, aggressive racing, and pandemonium that the race brought to Colombia last week. What do the Colombian riders think of the event? Why does the race attract millions of spectators? Will the race join the WorldTour? And why couldn't we watch it live on TV? Reza has the answers. Then, we catch up with American rider Ian Boswell to talk about gravel racing and American road cycling. You may have read the news that Boswell has stepped away from WorldTour road racing and plans to race gravel in 2020. Unlike Peter Stetina and several other road riders who are racing gravel, Boswell considers himself retired from the sport. We discuss this important designation, and talk about what Boswell's life will be like in retirement. All that and more on this episode of The VeloNews Podcast.