Escape Collective
Wheel Talk
Weekly breakdowns of what is going on in the Women's World Tour plus exclusive interviews with professional riders and influential people in the sport. Hosted by Abby Mickey with Gracie Elvin, Georgie Howe and Loren Rowney. Escape Collective is member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/wheeltalk/
Author
Escape Collective
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Podcast website
Latest episode
Jul 6, 2026
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Episodes
Maternity leave and ice socks 06.07.2026 1:07:11
This week, Abby, Loren, and Gracie talk about the recent news that Elise Chabbey and Emma Norsgaard are pregnant, Kate Courtney, ice socks and the future of the sport amid the recent heat waves, and BTS.
How Rebecca Charlton relied on cycling through cancer diagnosis 29.06.2026 52:04
This week, Abby sat down with Rebecca Charlton, commentator for TNT and Wheel Talk regular, to talk about her mid-Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift cancer diagnosis in 2025 and the year that followed. Rebecca talks about how cycling helped her through the hardest year of her life, how everything impacted her as a mother, and more.
Building confidence at the Tour de Suisse 22.06.2026 1:03:13
We are back to our regularly scheduled podcast this week as Abby, Gracie, and Georgie talk all things Tour de Suisse. From Zoe Backstedt to Marlen Reusser, from horrendous heat to that time trial on stage 4, there's a lot to say about the final WorldTour race before the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in over a month.
Amanda "Spratty" Spratt's last hurrah 15.06.2026 54:19
This week, we go back in time to just before the Spring Classics, when Abby sat down with Amanda "Spratty" Spratt to talk about her final season racing bikes. Normal episodes of the podcast will resume after the Tour de Suisse, which kicks off on Wednesday, June 17th. The five-stage race will feature a few potential Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift contenders, so we will have plenty to discuss ne...
Giro d'Italia stage 9: When dreams become reality 07.06.2026 1:09:16
The final stage of the Giro d'Italia absolutely delivered. What a day of bike racing! Heartbreak for some meant healing for others. A stage that wasn't originally billed as a race-changing day turned into the biggest fight of the week. Abby and Loren called up a team fitting of such a stage: Anna Shackley and Alice Barnes. Plus audio diaries from Eva van Agt (FDJ United-Suez), Amanda "Spratty" Sp...
Giro d'Italia stage 8: What could have been... 06.06.2026 44:09
The eighth stage of the Giro d'Italia was supposed to be the big one. The stage that would all but determine the general classification, even with one final stage remaining. Instead, the stage was cut short by about 27 km and one iconic climb. The battle that was foretold came to nothing, which means the final stage is going to be...well. It's going to be something to watch. For the eighth episod...
Giro d'Italia stage 7: Expect the unexpected, or better yet, expect Alison Jackson to attack 05.06.2026 54:13
The seventh stage was unpredictable, with a category 3 climb that topped out with 27 km to go. Other than the one climb, it was a flatter stage, so would Elisa Balsamo harness her Lidl-Trek teammates to control the race? Could a breakaway finally sneak in for a victory? Or would some of the GC riders who have already lost time go for it on the descent? Or...all of the above? Loren and Abby are joi...
Giro d'Italia stage 6: Embrace the YOLO mentality 04.06.2026 38:22
The Giro d'Italia is officially "almost over". Stage 6 is done and dusted, and even though Uno-X Mobility tried to make the race chaotic, it ended up coming down to the fastest rider(s) once again. Today, Anna Shackley is back with Abby and Loren to talk about stage 6 and look ahead to stage 7. Will the breakaway finally get its chance? Our audio diarists today include Nienke Veehoven of Visma-L...
Giro d'Italia stage 5: Under pressure 03.06.2026 53:24
The fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia was a brutal day, with over 3,000 metres of elevation gain in 146 km. The racing started when the flag dropped, with every team trying to send riders up the road. The stage ended up going to the favorites, as some minor movements were made in the general classification. Aidan Burgess (@burgess_and_his_bike) and Georgie are back to talk about the stage and what...
Giro d'Italia stage 4: GC riders take center stage in uphill time trial 02.06.2026 44:16
The fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia was a 12.7 km, majority uphill, time trial, which meant it was finally time for the general classification hopefuls to dust off their watts and fight for the jersey. The results were something to write home about, and with five stages remaining, we've got a real battle on our hands. Hannah Barnes, Giro stage winner, and Anna Shackley, former teammate of the e...
Giro d'Italia stage 3: Who said a 2.5 km climb isn't for the GC contenders? 01.06.2026 40:07
The third stage of the Giro d'Italia, with a category 3 climb of 2.5 km with 22 km to go, looked like one for a reduced bunch, but the general classification contenders had other ideas. The finish was still far from a surprise...depending on who you ask. Today, Gracie and Abby are joined by Anna Shackley, former rider for SD Worx-Protime, to talk about all the action. With audio diaries from bre...
Giro d'Italia Women stage 2: 20 grams and a fast finish 31.05.2026 45:36
Stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia continued the drama that wrapped the first stage. The situation with Lorena Wiebes hung over the peloton, but didn't stop the rest of the sprinters from doing their thing . In this second Giro Daily podcast, Abby is joined by Georgie and Aidan Burgess (@burgess_and_his_bike) to break down stage 2 and the disqualification of Wiebes . With audio diaries from Nienke Vee...
It wouldn't be the Giro d'Italia without some drama 30.05.2026 22:55
Abby, Loren, and Gracie tune in for the first stage of the Giro d'Italia, a sprint stage from Cesenatico to Ravenna. Lorena Wiebes won the stage, but it wasn't the end of the race for the Dutch champion. Drama would follow the SD Worx-Protime rider hours after she pulled on the pink jersey. A few riders commented on the technicality of the final circuit, and Gracie has some thoughts. With audio...
Elisa Longo Borghini's perfectly imperfect 2025 Giro d'Italia 29.05.2026 1:01:53
In this special episode of the Wheel Talk podcast, Abby sat down with 2024 and 2025 Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini to talk about how she won the Giro with UAE Team ADQ. Elisa dives deep into her move from Lidl-Trek to UAE Team ADQ, how she prepared for the 2025 Giro, and how she won the race. The 2026 Giro d'Italia starts on Saturday, and Wheel Talk will be bringing you daily podcasts...
Vuelta a Burgos wraps the Spanish block 25.05.2026 1:15:18
Abby, Georgie, Gracie, and Loren break down all four stages of the Vuelta a Burgos. From the first two days for the sprinter(s), the second explosive stage that continued a fantastic run of form for a podcast favourite, and the final GC stage that allowed a new GC contender to emerge. Next, Abby spoke with Elisa Balsamo about sprinting against Lorena Wiebes, Lidl-Trek, and her wedding dress (writ...
Two riders, three stages - an Itzulia Women rerun 18.05.2026 1:33:04
This week, Abby, Georgie, and Loren are joined by special guest Matt de Neef of Escape Collective to talk about Itzulia Women - the latest WorldTour stage race in Spain, and Abby spoke with Lauren Dickson of FDJ United-Suez about the breakthrough results that landed her on the top team in women's cycling. The three stages and overall were swept by two riders, but neither was a member of the stron...
La Vuelta break down with Brodie Chapman 11.05.2026 1:36:33
This week, Abby, Gracie, and Georgie are joined by a very special guest to analyze La Vuelta Femenina: UAE Team ADQ's Brodie Chapman. They discussed the "comeback" of SD Worx-Protime and especially Lotte Kopecky and Anna van der Breggen, the famous L'Angliru , and the young riders who animated this year's Vuelta . With "before the coverage" audio diaries from Alexis Magner and Babette van der Wo...
Kasia's fantastic Spring and the Vuelta 04.05.2026 1:23:03
This week, Abby talked to Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney about her Spring campaign, how she really feels about coming second, what was different coming into the season, and La Vuelta Femenina. Gracie, Georgie, and Loren joined Abby to talk about the Vuelta stages, what to look out for, and who they're watching for the GC in the final two stages. The written piece on Kasia can be found here . Abby also r...
Comfort or confidence? The transformation of Demi Vollering 27.04.2026 1:15:00
Loren, Gracie, and Georgie joined Abby this week to wrap up the Classics with a discussion of La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. They talked about FDJ United-Suez's continued dominance and how Demi Vollering has transformed while with the team. They also discussed the live coverage situation and the upcoming Vuelta España.
What a podium presentation says about someone's personality 21.04.2026 1:17:57
Georgie and Gracie joined Abby this week to talk about De Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race. They discussed the continued power of FDJ United-Suez with Célia Gery, another top rider to add to their list of wins this year, how SD Worx-Protime is still struggling to execute, and what to expect from the final two races of the spring. Abby also sat down with Femke de Vries to talk about her time...
Between a Koch and a hard place at Paris-Roubaix 14.04.2026 49:57
In this special episode of the Wheel Talk podcast, Abby and Loren are on the ground at Paris-Roubaix Femmes. They chat with Alice Jackson from Rouleur about the shortened live coverage this year, catch up with Marianne Vos before the start, and try to break down how the race played out while recording beside the velodrome. With audio diaries from Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) herself as well as...
FDJ United-Suez is changing the game 07.04.2026 1:23:12
This week on the podcast, Abby, Georgie, Loren, and Gracie talk Tour of Flanders and Dwars door Vlaanderen: does FDJ United-Suez have any faults (not this week, they don't), what is going wrong with UAE Team ADQ, Marlen Reusser's comeback and subsequent injury, and more. Plus, Abby talked to Franziska Koch, the best transfer of the year, about her move to FDJ United-Suez, taking on a leadership ro...
Why wait for a sprint? 31.03.2026 1:33:02
This week, Abby, Gracie, Georgie, and Loren focus on the Ronde van Brugge and In Flanders Fields-In Wevelgem. They discuss the sprint that ended an incredible winning streak, how the peloton got to that point, and which teams are finally putting everything together, as well as how UAE Team ADQ and FDJ United-Suez could have played the race on Sunday differently. Abby also sat down with Lucinda Bra...
Don't call it a comeback 24.03.2026 1:26:16
The full team of Gracie, Loren, Georgie, and Abby are back this week for a lengthy discussion on Milan San Remo, including the attack that wasn't on the Cipressa, that crash, how UAE Team ADQ lost the race, and how Lotte Kopecky won it. Plus: a discussion of whether this means SD Worx-Protime can salvage their spring. Abby also called up Margaux Vigié, who was one of the Visma-Lease a Bike riders...
A barrel of UAE Team ADQ riders 17.03.2026 1:20:11
There was a lot to talk about after the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, so Loren, Gracie, and Georgie all joined Abby this week on the podcast. We discuss the strength and depth of UAE Team ADQ, the importance of confidence in yourself and your team, how data has changed in-race decisions, and more.
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