Velo Podcast

In this episode of Velo’s Tour de France Podcast, Mike Levy and Pete Cossins dig into stages 11–13 of the 2025 Tour and what really goes on during a so-called “rest day.” Pete explains how riders still spend hours on the bike, tending to injuries, staying sharp, and preparing their bodies for what’s next. Stage 11 was shaped by an audacious breakaway from kilometer zero, with Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X) ultimately outsprinting Mauro Schmid to take his and his team’s first Tour stage win—just four weeks after breaking his collarbone. The stage also featured a nasty crash for Pogačar and a wild spectator incident. Stage 12 delivered fireworks on the legendary Hautacam climb. Pogačar attacked solo after Adam Yates and teammates set things up perfectly, putting over two minutes into Vingegaard. It was a statement win—his 20th Tour de France stage victory—leaving many wondering if the GC race is effectively over. Stage 13’s short, brutal mountain time trial saw Pogačar extend his lead yet again, winning his 21st career stage and sixth consecutive mountain finish. The hosts preview Stage 14’s massive climbing day and ponder whether Pogi’s dominance will crack—or if Vingegaard has any path back into yellow. Read and watch the latest from the Tour de France from Velo here See everything else from Velo up now here

In this episode of the Velo Podcast, Mike Levy and Peter Cossins recap Tour de France stages 8, 9, and 10, which delivered a mix of heartbreaking breakaways, sprints that come just short, and all kinds of tactics in the mountains. Stage 8 saw Italian powerhouse Jonathan Milan power to his first Tour stage win, finally breaking through after numerous intermediate sprint efforts. Pete and Mike marvel at his raw, upright sprinting style compared to the finesse of rivals like Tim Merlier. Stage 9 brought drama as Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Rickaert launched a 173 km breakaway—nearly pulling off a stunning win before being caught just 600 meters from the finish. It was a heartfelt effort, especially from Van der Poel, who wanted to reward Rickaert’s years of teamwork. Stage 10 introduced real climbing, with eight categorized climbs and massive shakeups. Ben Healy animated the stage and sacrificed a potential win to claim the yellow jersey, while Simon Yates claimed the day’s honors. UAE’s weakness without João Almeida became clear, and Visma Lease a Bike showed tactical depth with multiple threats across the board. With the Pyrenees and Alps looming, team tactics are more crucial than ever—and the Tour is wide open. For the latest on the Tour de France from Velo

Pete Cossins is back with Mike Levy to explain all the action from stages 4-7 of the Tour de France, including the GC contenders fighting each other for early stage victories yet again, Ben Healy's epic solo win, and they dig into what could be a Tour-defining time trial loss for Jonas. We're all hoping that it's far from over, however, with some monster mountain stages in the coming weeks that suit Vingegaard, and especially considering that Pogi, for all his dominance, isn't infallible over the high mountain passes. 

Cervelo debuts new aero and climbing bikes at the Tour de France that couldn't be more different, yet also match in one very important way, and we've also spotted the Visma–Lease a Bike squad rolling on prototype Reserve wheels laced with carbon fiber spokes. Tadej and the rest of the UAE team won't feel left out, though, as they're using the just-released ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels. But what about that kinda-hook bead rim? Alvin Holbrook and Mike Levy delve into the details as they discuss tire retention and UCI-mandated width regulations that likely played a role in the new rim design. They also agree to disagree on Mathieu van der Poel's newest sponsor signing with a private jet company that has many fans up in arms, and Levy talks about his first bikepack race adventure at the BC Epic 1000 that included all the heat, not enough calories, and plenty of time spent laying on the ground. Further reading: Review: The New Cervélo S5 Is Lighter, Faster, and Buys in on 1x Spotted: We Have the Details on Visma-Lease a Bike’s New Giro Aero Helmet Video: Top Bikes and New Paint Jobs at the Tour de France Spotted: Not One, but Two New Cervélos at the Tour de France $8K vs $18K: The Tour de France’s Least and Most Expensive Bikes Compared What Every Tour de France Team Brings to the Race: Breaking Down a $1 Million Equipment Haul Enve SES 4.5 Pro Delivers a Double Take at 1295 Grams With a Hooked Bead Van der Poel Hits Back after Fans Blast Private Jet Partnership: ‘Not about Luxury, about Performance’

Tricky roads and strong winds have made it a hectic start to Le Grande Boucle, and the conditions have already seen two big names abandon the race due to injury, while two GC contenders have lost over half a minute to the favorites. Legendary Tour de France reporter Pete Cossins unpacks the sprints, the breaks, the crashes, and especially the wins that make up the first three stages, and he also answers all of Mike Levy's questions about Tour etiquette and racer politics. 

The 2025 Tour de France is right around the corner, the largest race in cycling all year. Mike Levy, Andrew Hood, and Jim Cotton get together on the Velo Podcast to break down the key stages of the 112th Tour de France – including one with over 18,000 feet (5500 m) of climbing. They dig into the history of the stages relevant to this year, the key contenders and teams to know, and a whole lot more. In addition to this Tour de France preview, stay tuned for a daily Tour de France stage recap podcast to come on the Velo Podcast feed, as well as our coverage of the latest and greatest around the Tour.

Shimano's *mostly* new GRX Di2 12-speed group is the Japanese giant's first single-ring drivetrain for gravel, and it borrows tech from the mountain bike world to make it happen. Senior tech editor Alvin Holbrook has unboxed, installed, and ridden GRX Di2, and this week's episode sees the crew dive into his early impressions on shift speed, gear range, and how it compares to SRAM's wireless offerings. BMC had also just released a new, lighter and even more climbing-focused Teammachine SLR ahead of the Tour de France, while Orbea launched the revamped Terra Race gravel bike. We've ridden both bikes and Josh, Alvin, and Levy break down how they perform and who they best suit. For your consideration: First Ride: The Orbea Terra Race Is an Aero Road Bike in Gravel Disguise Classified Can Now Be Controlled Directly by Shimano Di2 Shifters First Look: The Canyon Endurace AllRoad Checks All the Boxes For Under $1,500 First Ride: Shimano GRX Di2 1x Is the Fastest-Shifting Wireless Gravel Drivetrain I’ve Used S-Works Torch Remco Is Uber Light and Ultra Expensive

TRP's new Vistar drivetrain combines a 12-speed cassette with a Classified internally geared hub to give you the benefits of a front derailleur without the hassle and complication, but does it work in the real world? Senior Tech Editor Josh Ross has spent months using it and explains the benefits, drawbacks, and how the hybrid 1X system compares to a traditional drivetrain. Josh has also been riding the new SRAM Force and Rival drivetrains that aim to bring the performance of Red down to a lower price point; he describes the differences between each group and tells Levy why Force is the answer. Cervelo also just released their Aspero-5 gravel race bike that trades tire clearance and comfort for pure aero-focused speed, which is the opposite approach that we're seeing with most new designs. Alvin has been testing the fresh Aspero and explains why this new "gravel bike" might be the ideal all-road machine for many riders. Lastly, the crew debates the UCI's strange new tech mandates that limit handlebar width, fork leg geometry, rim height, and aero helmets, all of which are intended to slow racers down and increase safety. But are yet more rules really the answer, and how do the UCI's decisions affect what consumers can purchase?  For your consideration: TRP Vistar with Classified Stacks up to the Big Groupset Players, but There’s a Catch SRAM Force AXS First Ride: RED Gets a Discount SRAM Rival AXS XPLR First Ride: 13-Speed Gets Cheaper First Ride: Cervelo Áspero-5 Is a Fast Gravel Bike That Might Just Replace Your Road Bike New UCI Gear Rules Incoming: Rim Height Limits, Minimum Bar Widths, and a Tech Fraud Crackdown

New Zealander Cam Jones talks to Mike Levy about escaping early with an eager partner, how they built an 8-minute gap on the field, and the importance of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They also get into the time Cam lived in a U-Haul truck while racing in America, his lifelong love of good adventures, and how he plans to tackle the Leadville Trail 100. For your consideration: Power Analysis: The Watts Behind the Fastest Ever Unbound Gravel 200 Unbound Bike Check: Elite Men’s 200 Winner Cameron Jones’ Scott Addict Gravel Unbound Gravel 200 Men’s Results: Kiwi Cameron Jones Kicks Late for the Win Unbound Is the New Launch Pad to a Pro Career

Unbound gave us some incredible racing and smashed previous course records, but it wasn't without controversy. With higher speeds, larger fields, and more competition than ever before, the Unbound pit zones were hectic and dangerous, especially with pros and amateurs alike taking a free-for-all approach. Should Unbound add more rules to keep racers safe, or should they move to a fully unsupported format without pit zones? Alvin, Josh, and Levy also dig into all the new prototypes, including the unreleased Cervelo, something that sure looks like a new Specialized Diverge, and Factor's wild-looking aero machine that takes its DNA from their track bike. Alvin has also been riding DT Swiss' new F132 ONE gravel suspension fork and it sounds like he's a believer.