The Cycling Podcast

Join Rebecca Charlton and Lizzy Banks as they recap the women’s World Championships Road Race in Montreal.

The Men’s World Road Race Championship will take place in Montreal this weekend without its defending champion, a crash in the Vuelta a España having seemingly ended Tadej Pogačar’s 2026 season. Of course Pogačar had finally looked set to win the Vuelta…finally, because this is the last Grand Tour missing from his collection, and it had been a long time coming.
The SlovAlien had in fact made his Grand Tour debut in the Vuelta in 2019 and never returned until this year. That first appearance, though, has gone down in cycling history as the race, the moment that lit the spark, the beginning of a one-man firestorm that would tear through professional cycling. Pogačar finished it with three stage wins and a place on the podium in Madrid. We had quite simply never seen anything like it. 
In this special KM0 episode, Daniel Friebe revisits and relives that 2019 Vuelta, speaking to key witnesses and delving into his own memories, those of Dani Arribas and Michele Pelacci. 
Ignition was written and produced by Daniel Friebe.

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Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
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The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

The World Championships in Montreal, Canada, got underway with Remco Evenepoel’s fourth straight win in the men’s TT at the weekend. In this episode we both review the Belgian “Aerobullet’s” latest triumph and look ahead to the road race on Sunday. 
First of all, Daniel Friebe and Lionel BIrnie react to rumours of Tadej Pogacar changing his mind and planning to return before the end of the season. It’s then full focus on the Worlds and, among other hot talking points, whether Remco can do the TT-RR double.
In the final part of the episode, we hear from Velon chief Graham Bartlett about the new tracking device which should ensure that tragedies like Muriel Furrer’s death in the Worlds two years ago never happen again.
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Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.
Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

With the World Championships well underway in Canada, Rose Manley, Denny Gray and Rebecca Charlton discuss all the happenings over in Montreal. 
They discuss a redemptive win for Marlen Reusser, a standout performance by Zoe Backstedt in her first ever women’s elite World Championships time trial and they ask what does Demi Vollering being caught by Reusser mean for the Dutchwoman’s hopes at the road race later in the week?
For the mini feature we hear from two Canadian cyclists who have shone this year: Maggie Coles Lyster of Human Powered Health and current world champion Magdaleine Vallieres about their upbringings in the country. Friends of the Podcast you can also enjoy a full length interview with Vallieres in which she discusses her move into the elite ranks, her difficult time at the World Cycling Centre and that incredible shock win.
Rose, Denny and Rebecca also cast ahead to this weekend’s road race to pick out what could be the key moments on the course and the key contenders for the title.
Also on the agenda: co-bletherers, Hallmark Christmas movies and how aero is your face?
Episode sponsors
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.
Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss as they look back at the weekend's two World Tour one-day races in Canada.
As expected on such demanding courses, the cream rose to the top, but what does this tell us ahead of the UCI World Championships, which take place in Canada in just over a week's time. Remco Evenepoel won the GP de Québec and Isaac del Toro took the GP de Montréal, catapulting themselves to the top of the list of favourites for the rainbow jersey in the men's road race in the absence of reigning champion Tadej Pogačar, who is out injured after crashing at the Vuelta. But what other clues did we garner from the two races? And who else is on the early list of favourites?
We also analyse the big transfers of the week, with Felix Gall and Gregor Muhlberger swapping Decathlon for Lidl-Trek next season. Gall is an intriguing signing – bolstering Lidl-Trek's list of Grand Tour riders. After finishing on the podium at both the Giro and the Vuelta this season, the Austrian is staking a claim to be considered the best of the rest – but is he likely to be able to match the likes of Del Toro and Seixas? We also look at Ben Turner's move from Netcompany-Ineos to Soudal-Safety Jogger.
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⛵Download the SAILY app and use our code cycling at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase. Or go to saily.com/cycling for full details.
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.
Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.