Velo Podcast

Hindsight is 20/20 — and that's exactly what PYSO is bringing to this special episode reflecting on the 2020 Tour de France. Co-hosts Bobby Julich, himself a podium finisher at the Tour, and retired racer Gus Morton look back at the highlights, the lowlights, and the surprises of this year's race. In the plus column, for starters, there was a Tour de France — and it made it all the way to Paris. In the year of Covid, just the existence of the race was a success. But then the race turned out to be filled with drama all the way until the end of the Stage 20 time trial. Bobby and Gus break down their favorite stages and performances, explain how the green jersey competition played into the overall race like never before, and analyze what Jumbo-Visma did right and did wrong. Bobby also speculates on what all this means for former Tour winners Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, both of whom sat out this edition. "It's going to be difficult for both of them," Bobby says. "And they're probably two of my favorite riders ever. I have the ultimate respect for them. But this new generation of such young riders being kind of steered in the correct way of doing things, I think it's gonna be really hard, just from a recovery standpoint, because when you're racing against guys that are 12 to 14 years younger than you, I mean, logic says they're going to be able to recover a little bit better." Tune in for a 20/20 take on the 2020Tour de France.

It's our final VeloNews Podcast episode of the 2020 Tour de France, and there are so many twists and turns to address. The Tour de France overall was upended in the final ITT, as Tadej Pogačar overcame a 57-second deficit to leapfrog Primož Roglič into the yellow jersey. On today's episode Fred Dreier and Andrew Hood break down all of the action and perspective from Pogačar's historic win. How did he pop such a big ride, and what happened to Roglič? What does the victory mean for Pogačar, and what does the defeat mean to Jumbo-Visma and its leader? Fred and Andy offer their perspective on the big news. Then, what impact did the 2020 Tour de France's media restrictions have on the stories we read throughout the race? Andy offers his perspective on what type of storytelling was lost and gained during this very strange Tour. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Wheels have changed drastically just in the last several years. They've gotten wider, deeper, hookless, tubeless, and more aerodynamic. Princeton CarbonWorks made its play into the wheel market with something completely different: a sinusoidal rim shape. What the heck is that? Basically, it's a wavy pattern that lends a host of advantages to your riding. And yes, it looks like Zipp's sawtooth pattern, but Princeton's wheel is its own beast entirely. Listen to the episode to find out how.

It's our penultimate episode of the 2020 Tour de France, and Jens Voigt joins the show to talk about the action on stages 18 and 19 of the race. Jens provides insight into the two breakaways that succeeded on these two tough stages, and what the riders did correctly (and incorrectly) in the big moves. Ineos Grenadiers won a stage and boosted Richard Carapaz into the polka dot jersey. Is this enough to salvage the squad's 2020 Tour de France? Jens and Fred analyze the high expectations for the team in the race. Then, what are riders planning to do for Saturday's individual time trial up La Planche des Belles Filles? Some riders are planning bike changes on the course, and Jens explains why this could be a huge gamble. We catch up with Sepp Kuss at the finish of stage 18 to hear about his super domestique duties at the Tour, and see whether or not Sepp has any intentions of one day leading a team to the Tour de France Then, James Startt and Andrew Hood sit down with French journalist Pierre Carrey of the publication Liberation to discuss how the French population is viewing the 2020 Tour de France. The race's controversial running amid the COVID-19 pandemic has created split opinion in the host country, and Carrey discusses the various storylines swirling around the event in France. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

This year has posed unique challenges for everyone in pro racing, and TV commentators have not been immune. In this episode of Put Your Socks On, retired pro Matt Keenan talks about his preparation process for calling the Tour de France. In short, a lot of homework is involved. This year, instead of commentating for ASO in France at the Tour, Keenan is calling the daily action for SBS from his native Australia. "Commentating remotely, you lose a couple key things about the feel for it," Keenan says, adding that he misses being able to drive the end of each day's course and being able to talk with journalists of other nationalities to get the latest news and gossip. "I like to be able to inform people when I'm commentating about stuff that they can't find from Dr. Google," Keenan says. "The upside of commentating from home is I get to see my family each day. Normally I spend maybe five months or so in a hotel bed. So that's been one of the positives." This year Keenan has also been training during the Tour, thanks to the legend Graeme Brown coaching him. "Graeme said, 'you're going to be at home, why don't let me coach you through the Tour and see if I can get you fitter at the end than what you are at the start?'" Keenan says. And Keenan breaks down his method of preparation on each of the riders at the Tour. "I have two start lists," he says. "I have a start list with a really brief set of stats on every single rider: their age, where they're from, their height, their weight, couple of key results, how many times they've ridden the Tour. So if they appear in the breakaway, I've got a really quick reference point on them. And then I've got another I list, an extensive database [with all the notes on their background]." "Then each day during the Tour, I spend about an hour and a half or so going through the book that tells us the details about the churches and all that sort of stuff. And you've got no idea how much feedback we get on that. We get more feedback on that than we do on the race." Tune into Put Your Socks On to listen to one of the key voices of the Tour de France.

The peloton rumbled up the Col de la Loze on Wednesday, and the soaring mountain did not disappoint. On today's episode, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down all of the action from the big day in the Alps. What were Primož Roglič and Sepp Kuss up to in the final 3km of the race? Jens breaks down the action. Then, we hear from American Sepp Kuss about his Tour de France debut and the role he's been playing for Roglič throughout the Tour. Finally, James Startt and Andrew Hood file their dispatch from the Col de la Loze. James was on a race motorcycle for the soaring climb, and he takes us inside the race. All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast! Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

The 2020 Tour de France took a disastrous turn for Egan Bernal and Team Ineos Grenadiers on Sunday, as the team's hopes for the GC crashed and burned on the Grand Colombier. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down Ineos' setback, and try and trace the roots of the bad day. Why was Bernal not ready for the hard day in the Jura, and how come the seven-time Tour de France-winning team faltered? Then, Jens offers his insight on Team Sunweb, which as emerged as the most entertaining team in the 2020 Tour de France. What's it like to be part of a team that dramatically changes focus from one season to the next? As it turns out, shifting focus requires lots of work on and off of the bike in order to be successful. Then, we hear from fan favorite Toms Skujins on what it's like to race the 2020 Tour de France, and what it's like to race past empty roadsides in the mountains. Andrew Hood and James Startt file their dispatch from the Grand Colombier, and analyze the new shape of the GC battle. Could Tadej Pogačar overhaul Primož Roglič to win the Tour de France? It's become the biggest question of the race in week three. All that and more on today's episode! Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Rapha's founder and CEO Simon Mottram has seen riding clothing change drastically over the last decade. Having worked closely with Team Sky (now Ineos-Grenadiers) and its 'marginal gains' mantra, Mottram learned exactly what it takes to make clothing for the fastest races in the world. What about clothing for the rest of us? Is it the same as the pros' clothing? Listen to this episode of the tech podcast to find out.

The Tour de France rumbled up the ascent of Puy Mary this week, and the brutal climb had a major impact on the GC. Egan Bernal was dropped, Tadej Pogačar vaulted into second place, and Primož Roglič looked untouchable. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Jens Voigt breaks down all of the action, and offers his critique of Team Ineos Grenadiers' bizarre tactics during the stage. Then, Jens offers his take on Peter Sagan's relegation after his controversial sprint on stage 11 into Poitiers. Was the UCI race jury right to punish Sagan for his sprint? Jens thinks so. Then, American rider Ben King joins the podcast to talk about the challenges to preparation and training caused by the 2020 racing shutdown, and how it may be impacting riders at the Tour de France. Will some riders lose their legs in week three at the Tour? Ben thinks so. The, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from the finish at Puy Mary, and take us inside this very challenging stage of the Tour. Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to https://www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Most VeloNews readers know the story of Greg LeMond well. But what was it like growing up in that world? This week, Bobby and Gus sit down with Geoffrey LeMond, son of Greg and the kid made famous for his appearance alongside his father on the top step of the Tour de France podium in 1989. Now 35, Geoffrey reflects on the racing, the characters, and the innovation that went on during his father's career, such as Giro aero helmets and Scott aero bars. Geoffrey talks about how his love of inventing has led him back to the cycling world with the development of new carbon technology, as well as the upcoming relaunch of the fabled LeMond bicycle brand.