The Rouleur Podcast

"To have that jersey hanging up in the wardrobe, in the context of who has won it subsequently and before – Simpson, Wiggins, Cavendish, Thomas – to be on the trophy and on that list of names that I admire is very special.” Matt Stephens recalls the feeling of being British national champion, a title he took in 1998. He was then promptly fined £500, and spilt tea down his gleaming white jerse...

The Rouleur team are joined by Phil White, co-founder of Cervélo, and his wife Anna Dopico - who's written a book about the company's remarkable story. Phil and fellow engineering student Gerard Vroomen started Cervélo in a basement and it grew into one of the most respected brands in cycling. But the pressures of running a rapidly expanding business, financial crises and the - possibly unwise - d...

As the Giro finally enters the mountains, we catch up with Larry Warbasse and Conor Dunne. At the end of last season they were jobless after the collapse of Aqua Blue Sport and set off on a bike-packing adventure they called the NoGo Tour. Now they're back racing the roads of Italy - Larry with AG2R, Conor with Israel Cycling Academy. We also meet the legendary Lee Turner, Melbourne's multi-hued p...

In a special edition of the podcast to tie in with the magazine's Desire issue, presenter Ian Parkinson is joined by Managing Editor Ian Cleverly, Desire Editor Stuart Clapp, Marketing Exec Miles Baker Clarke and top bike photographer Benedict Campbell. What are the latest trends in bikes and kits? How do you take pictures of your pride and joy? Are 650B wheels really the future? What's wrong with...

It's 25 years since the giant figure of Eros Poli pulled off one of the most surprising Tour De France victories ever with a solo breakaway over Mont Ventoux. Eros recalls that memorable mountain stage and reflects on his time as the Lion King's lead-out man. David Millar faced many challenges in the saddle during his career but nothing could have prepared him for his upcoming ride - Leicester to...

A Flanders themed edition to mark the climax of the Spring classics season.  Ian Parkinson talks with legendary hard-man Roger “Mr Paris Roubaix” De Vlaeminck – always good value for an inflammatory soundbite, as seen in the latest edition of Rouleur. Freddy Maertens recalls the triumphs and disasters from a career which saw him win World Championships, Grand Tours and Classics – and reflects...

Michael Woods led the EF Education First team at Tour Down Under, finishing seventh on GC. Ian Parkinson talks to the Canadian who had a fine 2018 season and started this year in decent shape. He’s been practising his descending using visualisation techniques, adapting to the intense heat in Australia, and building towards the Ardennes Classics. Will he have time for some gravel racing in the summ...

Rouleur editor Andy McGrath and Ian Parkinson pore over the three Grand Tours of 2019 and consider the possibilities. Can Simon Yates return to the Giro d’Italia to correct unfinished business and take the maglia rosa all the way to the finish this time out? Will Team Sky go out with a bang at their final Tour de France before the sponsor leaves and its star riders are (potentially) scattered to t...

On this edition, Lizzie Deignan tells Rouleur's Hannah Troop about her new team, training, ambitions for next year - and motherhood. It won't surprise you that this Yorkshirewoman has the 2019 World Championships firmly in her sights. Ian Parkinson talks 'cross with Mike Kluge, founder of Focus Bikes, and Roger Hammond, who won his junior world 'cross title the same day Mike won the senior. Meanwh...

Ian Parkinson has some gift ideas for the cyclist in your life in this edition, ably assisted by our Desire editor Stuart Clapp and a host of special guests. Sir Bradley Wiggins tells us about his new book  Icons  and why, somewhat controversially, Lance Armstrong is included among his 21 cycling heroes in this handsome tome. Cillian Kelly, statistician extraordinaire, is the man behind&...

A slightly different Rouleur Podcast, an audio version of Rouleur's new video series Chat Stephens. Hosted by Matt Stephens and featuring David Millar, Pippa York and Stuart Clapp. For the full video, search for Rouleur's YouTube or Facebook page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quick Step Floors tally of 73 wins for the 2018 season was a remarkable total and testament to the work of Patrick Lefevere and the entire team. Rouleur podcast regular Brian Holm tells us what makes the team tick from top to bottom, while photographer Sigfrid Eggers spent the whole year embedded with the Quick Step squad to produce his new book, The Wolfpack: 365 days on the Road. Plus Olympic an...

Ian Whittingham from Sigma Sport joins Ian Parkinson to discuss the latest trends in bikes and kit that you can expect to see at the upcoming  Rouleur Classic . As the backer of a former British pro road team, Whittingham also explains the difficulties facing the domestic racing scene currently as teams fold during what seems a boom time for British cycling.  Architect and designer Max B...

Planning to watch the World Championships in Innsbruck? Of course you are, they're shaping up to be some of the most hard fought and unpredictable races in years. But don't watch until you've heard this special preview podcast from Rouleur's team on the spot - Executive Editor Ian Cleverly and Desire Editor Stuart Clapp are joined by Matt Stephens, fresh back from riding the challenging course. Wh...

Eddy Merckx and Beryl Burton will be the first inductees to the Rouleur Hall of Fame at the Rouleur Classic in November.   Authors William Fotheringham and Isabel Best join Ian Parkinson to discuss why these two greats are worthy recipients for the new award.   Fotheringham, author of  Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx,  tells us about the Cannibal and how he amassed...

Larry Warbasse and Conor Dunne were all set to ride the 2018 Ovo Tour of Britain until their team, Aqua Blue Sport, folded around them. Undeterred, the pair have set off on their own NoGo Tour, a freewheeling bikepacking trip around the cols and climbs of France and Italy. Larry talks through the trip with presenter Ian Parkinson, and sheds light on the precarious career prospects of a p...

ITV's "Voice of the Tour" Ned Boulting joins Ian Parkinson to reflect on events in July, and look forward to his one-man cycling stand-up show this Autumn. From Arbroath to Cleckheaton - although not, perhaps shortsightedly, anywhere in Wales - the "Tour De Ned" will include behind the scenes stories, stage insights and a musical finale. Also on this edition, Stuart Clapp tries to argue the benefi...

The last time Welsh rock guitarist and cycling commentator Peredur Ap Gwynedd was on the Rouleur Podcast, he was enthusing about fellow countryman Geraint Thomas wearing yellow in the 2017 TdF. How excited is he now that Thomas has actually taken the Maillot Jaune all the way to Paris? Very, and he's got some thoughts on the race itself, the development of Welsh cycling and the Sky rider's future...

Ian Parkinson talks to the British author tasked with the challenge of being the voice of Peter Sagan, Hannah Troop reports from an overexcited Dutch Corner and they both quiz Molly Weaver on The Tour, La Course and why she's taking a break from pro cycling. Plus, Stuart Clapp is chasing Brilliant Unicorns in Vienna and Brian Holm tells us why he hates the heat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Lotto Soudal's Adam Hansen will have a very different view of this year's Tour de France. After a record 20 consecutive Grand Tours, Adam has swapped his saddle for a commentator's chair and will be bringing his experience and expertise to the Eurosport coverage. He talks about the swap, and his tips for what to watch out for on this year's route. Connor Swift of Madison Genesis won the British ro...

Paul Fournel is one of the most distinctive voices in cycling journalism, with an impressive palmares of unusual and thoughtful books, essays and articles. In his native France, Paul is well known as a poet, publisher and cultural icon, a member of the eccentrically avant-garde Oulipo group of writers. His books "Need for the Bike" and "Anquetil Alone" have been published in English and...

"Business as usual" is Alex Dowsett's verdict on this year's remarkable Giro D'Italia "People were like 'this is an epic Giro' and we're like is it? It's just hard". The Katusha Alpecin rider attracted an appreciative audience for his social media updates throughout the Italian race, and says he's going to carry on tweeting from inside the peloton. He also gives us his view on the controversial St...

Phil Burt spent twelve years as head physio at British Cycling, and five with Team Sky. He tells presenter Ian Parkinson how he's now planning to use that knowledge to help the rest of us. We look at the state of steel framebuilding with Saffron Frameworks' Matthew Sowter, Caren Hartley of Hartley Cycles and Andrew Denham of the Bicycle Academy. And Rouleur's Stuart Clapp has an unfortunate story...

Three pro riders with very different experiences of head injury discuss the tricky subject of concussion in the peloton. Sports like NFL and Rugby have clear procedures for dealing with athlete head injuries, but Brent Bookwalter, Matt Brammeier and Tom Skujins think cycling could do better, and their colleagues in the peloton need to be more aware. Rouleur's Desire Editor Stuart Clapp talks up Go...

Peter Sagan's brilliant victory in Paris Roubaix was overshadowed by the tragic death of Belgium's Michael Goolaerts. Ned Boulting joins presenter Ian Parkinson to discuss the race, the dangers of pro-cycling, the season so far and some of the challenges hanging over the Grand Tours: will the Giro really start in Israel, and if it does, will Chris Froome be riding? Three times Paris Roubaix winner...