Velo Podcast

This week, Velo’s resident gravel expert Betsy Welch sits down with SBT GRVL co-founder Amy Charity for a discussion on the rapid growth of gravel events, the challenges that come with it, and what the future holds for cycling’s hottest discipline.Charity’s SBT GRVL event was a hit right off the bat when it debuted in 2019, and has managed to keep up the buzz ever since with the event selling out in a matter of minutes. Running the event hasn’t been without its challenges though.Local residents had complaints about the event, forcing major changes for the 2024 edition that took place last month. And as gravel has matured in the last half decade, controversies over race tactics and debate over whether there should be separate starts for elite men and women have forced her race to adapt. Charity talks us through those challenges and why she holds some views that are contrary to what other gravel events are doing. At the same time, she and her team are also learning from rider feedback and implementing that into the event.Charity has branched out to several events around the world beyond the original marquee event in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She discusses where she thinks gravel events as a whole may be heading, and what’s next for the category.

With the conclusion of the Vuelta a España, grand tour season is officially over for 2024. Velo Podcast host Hannah Knapp breaks it all down with former pro cyclist Bobby Julich and Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood.How did the race stack up against other grand tours this season? We analyze key performances, including Ben O'Connor's breakthrough podium finish and Primož Roglič's slow and steady chipping away at the red jersey. We also discuss the impact of missing superstars like Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, and the overall entertainment value of a race without the sport's biggest stars.The conversation also touches on the performance of UAE, the struggles of Team Visma-Lease a Bike, and the surprising success of Kern-Pharma as well as other great moments from the race. To finish off, we discuss potential changes to future Vueltas to contend with the hot weather that dogged large portions of this year's edition.

This week on the Velo Podcast, Andrew Hood checks in from reporting on the Vuelta a España to catch us up on all the latest from the season’s final grand tour. It’s turning into an unpredictable race with major GC swings, and the next four stages will prove critical. Joining Hoody for the discussion is retired professional cyclist Bobby Julich who raced the Vuelta a few times during his career. The team also discusses Wout van Aert’s return to the top with a slew of stage wins, and how the Americans in the race are faring. In the second half of the episode, we throw it over to Velo senior tech editor Josh Ross and tech editor Alvin Holbrook for a discussion about the 2024 MADE Show in Portland, Oregon. Josh attended the handmade bike show last weekend and found a number of fascinating bikes to talk about, including an aerodynamic 3D-printed titanium bike from No. 22, and perhaps the coolest kids bike you have ever seen. As always, you can catch all the latest professional racing and bicycle tech news at velo.outsideonline.com.

This week we discuss the Tour de France Femmes and break down all the action from the closest edition of the Tour ever recorded. Then, we hear from Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood who is following the Vuelta a España in Spain.

The Olympics are winding down, with only track events remaining, and it’s been quite an exciting period of racing. Velo Podcast host Hannah Knapp is joined by Velo European correspondent and former Olympic medalist Bobby Julich to discuss this Paris Games to remember.In the road races, American Kristen Faulkner secured an unexpected victory, while Remco Evenepoel reminded everyone how strong he is by winning the men’s race, a week after also winning the time trial. The Olympics is more than road racing, though, and we dive into track racing as well and the impressive team pursuit title the American women secured on Wednesday. Then we preview the remaining events for the Americans.The Olympics wrap up this weekend, but the summer of cycling rolls on Monday with the Tour de France Femmes. We preview the eight-stage race and riders to watch.Stay tuned to Velo for all the latest updates from the Olympics and Tour de France Femmes.

The Olympics are in full swing in Paris, and we’ve already been treated to some incredible racing in the time trial and cross country mountain biking.On this week’s episode of the Velo Podcast, former Olympic medalist in the time trial Bobby Julich and Velo European Correspondent Andrew Hood, currently in Paris for the Games, take us through all the racing, and preview what’s to come in the road race and track events.We’ve already had some great performances from the American athletes, with Haley Batten and Riley Amos getting the best ever results in Olympic mountain biking for Team USA. And in the time trial, Chloe Dygert took home a bronze while Brandon McNulty powered home to fifth.The conversation transitions to the upcoming road races and track cycling events, discussing the favorites and potential dark horses for each event. The road race is shaping up to be a monster day on the order of a monument.Also on this episode, Bobby discusses how different being part of the Olympic atmosphere is for cyclists compared to the rest of the season, as well as how different the strategies are between the Olympics and and a regular pro road race.

Tour 2024 Tour de France is wrapped, and now it’s time to ease the post-Tour hangover. This week’s episode of the Velo Podcast is all about looking back at the 2024 Tour de France. What were the best moments? Who were the big winners and losers? Where does it rank all time? All this and much more on the latest episode of the Velo Podcast.

We’ve reached another rest day of the Tour de France, which means it’s time to look back on all the excitement from the second week, and ahead to the third and final week, all on the Velo Podcast.Tadej Pogacar's dominance in the Pyrénées has been mind-blowing this past weekend as he took two mountain stages in a row. And the second week at the Tour has been fast and aggressive, with breakaways struggling to stay clear. UAE Team Emirates has shown impressive tactics and teamwork, while Visma-Lease a Bike has fought hard but struggled to match an untouchable Pogačar. Host Hannah Knapp, Velo European Correspondent Andrew Hood, and former pro cyclist Bobby Julich take us through a full discussion of the latest from the Tour, including: Can Pogačar play defense now that he has a comfortable lead? Where Visma-Lease a Bike goes from here. Remco Evenepoel’s excellent showing so far. Can Primož Roglič ever win the Tour? What to expect from the sprint stage on Tuesday. A look ahead at the mountain stages. Covid in the 2024 Tour de France. A quick check in on the American riders, including Matteo Jorgenson.

Any pre-race fears of a boring Tour de France have been put to bed in the first week. We’ve reached the first rest day of the 2024 Tour, and it’s been non-stop excitement for nine stages.We discuss it all in this rest day episode of the Velo Podcast. Velo social media manager Hannah Knapp hosts the discussion with Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood, who’s following the race on the ground in France, and Velo contributor and former pro cyclist Bobby Julich, who raced the Tour nine times and once finished in third place. We kick things off with a discussion of the much talked about gravel stage, stage 9. Does this parcours have a place in grand tour racing? Then we discuss the GC standings. Pogačar is in first, but doesn’t have the margin he would hope after a week of attacking. Then we shift to Mark Cavendish’s record setting 35th stage win, and Biniam Girmay’s excellent Tour, with two stage wins and the green jersey. On the flip side, Jasper Philipsen is having a frustrating Tour with second places and a relegation. The show also covers the incredible Tour that small teams and French teams and riders have been having, and then looks ahead to the second week of racing and what everyone is excited to watch. 

It’s once again the most important time of the year for road cycling. On Saturday, the 111th Tour de France rolls out from Florence, Italy, and it’s time to get ready for the racing.Velo Pod host Hannah Knapp is joined by former pro cyclist Bobby Julich and Velo European Correspondent Andrew Hood to discuss the upcoming 2024 Tour de France.The discussion begins with the GC contenders and the excitement surrounding Tadej Pogacar who is fresh off a commanding Giro d’Italia victory and looking to complete the elusive Giro-Tour double. For all the hype of the “Big Four” of Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, and Roglič does anyone else besides Pogi stand a chance at the yellow jersey after injury riddles seasons? The conversation then moves on to the must watch stages, with a focus on the grueling hilly opening stage that features seven consecutive climbs, and the challenging mountain stages and the final stage time trial in Nice. When the race finally wraps up, will Mark Cavendish leave as the sole owner of the Tour de France stage win record? He needs one more to best Eddy Merckx, but any win in the Tour de France is a tall order, especially at Cavendish’s age. We also discuss the absence of American rider Sepp Kuss, the loyal lieutenant to Vingegaard and the reigning Vuelta champion, and the impact it will have on the race. Things then move on to a discussion about other American riders to watch, including Matteo Jorgensen and Nielson Powless. And of course there’s Sean Quinn representing in his brand new national champion’s jersey.Finally, Hoody and Bobby fill us in on what has them excited for the 2024 Tour de France beyond the GC race, including top riders to watch.Listen in wherever you stream podcasts for the full discussion, and tune in to Velo for Tour coverage all race long.