VN Podcast, ep. 308: Lawson Craddock, travels, and travails at the Giro d'Italia

The Giro d'Italia kicked off this year with three stages in Hungary, followed by a big travel day down to Sicily for a stout mountain stage up Mount Etna.

How does all this travel affect the racing?

Riders often say different things, depending on who they are speaking to — or whether it's on the record. This year, fitness wearable company Whoop is providing rider data from the race, including heart rate data during the stages and sleep data after them. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EastPost), for instance, only got 5.5 hours of sleep on the big transfer day from Hungary to Sicily, according to Whoop.

U.S. national time trial champion Lawson Craddock is racing the Giro in support of Simon Yates, who won the time trial in Budapest. Andrew Hood spoke with Craddock about racing in Hungary for an Italian stage race, as well as his thoughts on the long road ahead at the Giro.

Host Ben Delaney chats with Hood from the press room on Mount Etna.