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Cyclist Magazine Podcast
77. Orla Chennaoui, the face of pro cycling
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Joining Emma and Robyn this week is Orla Chennaoui, lead presenter of Eurosport’s cycling coverage. Chennaoui has become synonymous with cycling, but it wasn’t always the case. She talks us through how she came to work in the sport, her favourite cycling rivalry and the growth of women’s cycling. She also shares her hidden talent (spoiler, it’s a good one), discusses sticking to her values and explains why her Instagram bio reads ‘balls may drop’.
Interview begins at 3m15
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This episode is brought to you by GCN+, the home of live bike racing. Right now a 12 month subscription is less than half the price of a monthly subscription, and all our UK listeners can get a further 15% off that by visiting gcn.eu/cyclist15
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This episode is also supported by H.V.M.N, the creators of Ketone-IQ.
We hear a lot about ketones in the pro peloton, but what are they?
According to the experts H.V.M.N, ketones are a natural source of fuel for your body. When stored carbs are depleted, your body starts to convert fat into ketones. Studies show that ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose, making them a super-efficient fuel source for the brain and the body.
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To learn more about achieving your ultimate metabolic potential, subscribe to H.V.M.N’s podcast “Health Via Modern Nutrition with Dr. Latt Mansor” on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. See hvmn.com for more details
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Simply go to quotezone.co.uk/cyclist and try out the comparison tool to be entered into the prize draw. Please note this competition is open to our UK listeners only and the winner will be selected at random and notified before the end of May 2023.
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150. Brian Smith: National champ, racing with Lance, saying no to EPO, and snakes in showers
01:07:07|This week, James and Will are joined by Scottish ex-pro turned team manager, commentator and pundit, Brian Smith.Brian cut his teeth in the 1980s at the school of cycling hardknocks, ACBB – Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt – in Paris, whose alumni include Jacques Anquetil, Stephen Roche and Pippa York, before turning pro with the legendary British Banana team in 1991. Three successful seasons followed including his first British national road race title, which led to Brian catching the eye of the Motorola team bosses. He signed for the American outfit in 1994, and went on to race alongside Lance Armstrong, Andy Hampsten and Phil Anderson. Brian won his second British national road race title that same year, but as we discuss in our chat, despite such success he found himself disillusioned and on the outside of a sport he loved as cycling embroiled itself in its darkest doping years – something Brian wanted no part of. He hung up his racing wheels in 1996 but returned to the pro-peloton in 2011 as directeur sportif for Endura Racing, where he stayed as it evolved into MTN-Qhubeka then Dimension Data, before retiring in 2014.Today, Brian can be found with a microphone in hand as a commentator and pundit for Eurosport, and among other parts of that job, Brian discusses his love of commentating and watching the lesser-known Tour of Hellas, a five-stage race around Greece which this year takes place between 6th and 10th of May, so keep an eye out for that one.There are probably few people with as much experience across the last four decades of cycling as Brian, and certainly few people who talk so candidly about everything from being invited into 'the program' by Lance Armstrong, to having a snake thrown into his shower by Shane Sutton. So get the kettle, pin back your lugholes and listen to this one.Interview begins at 3.44------------------The Tour of Hellas in Greece is a five stage race taking place from 6th - 10th May 2026. Find out more here, and check in with wherever you watch your cycling for broadcast times------------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout)------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your doorAnd it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk149. The legend of Eddy Merckx, with Lee Donaldson
01:05:59|This week, James is joined by Lee Donaldson, filmmaker and passionate cycling fan, to discuss his upcoming documentary 525: The Unstoppable Eddy Merckx. Lee describes 525 as having ‘the greatest cast of racing champions ever seen in a cycling documentary', and it's hard to disagree. Contributors include Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Lotte Kopecky, Bernard Hinault, Sean Kelly, Roger De Vlaeminck, fashion designer Paul Smith and Merckx's old mechanic, Ernesto Colnago, plus Eddy Merckx’s family and, of course, the man himself.As you might have guessed, Lee now has an encyclopaedic knowledge of The Cannibal to rival his personal passion, so plug in, sit back and enjoy our Merckx-centric chat, which covers everything from Merckx's insane Grand Tour performances, to his tragic crash in Blois, to what it was like going to lunch with the main man.Interview begins at 3.44------------------525: The Unstoppable Eddy Merckx is produced by Lee Donaldson and Simon Hardy's 6 Day Films. Find out more, including where you can watch it, here.------------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout)------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your doorAnd it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk148. Hunter Allen and the future of training and racing
01:23:44|This week James (and Will at the beginning) is joined by Hunter Allen, co-founder of Training Peaks, long-time elite level cycling coach to pros and US national teams, and the man who literally wrote the book on power meters back when torque measurement was just a twinkle in an SRM engineer's eye. That book was, prosaically enough, called Training + Racing With A Power Meter, and it put Hunter at the pioneering frontier of what would become the gold standard in cycling metrics: watts.Last year Hunter was back with his new book Training + Competing With A Continuous Glucose Monitor, and in this episode we discuss why continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are set to become the new power meter and how they and the sports science involved are already behind the uptick in speeds in the pro peloton. In short, CGMs can help a rider and coach work out precisely when to fuel, and to what extent, for maximum performance, and that means Pogačar and co are breaking more records.Hunter also talks about how to understand training data, the relationship between heart rate and power, managing training loads and fatigue, and how to develop better nutrition strategies to ride faster. It's a get the kettle on kind of pod, plus maybe fetch a pen and paper, because Hunter knows his stuff and he goes pretty deep.Find out more about Training + Competing With A Continuous Glucose Monitor hereInterview begins at 9.59------------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout)------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your doorAnd it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk147. David Millar: The Christmas special (sort of)
01:27:10|In this week's episode, Will and James are joined by David Millar, a man who needs no introduction, but just in case: David's career in cycling spans decorated rider (he was the first Brit to wear all three Grand Tour jerseys) to fallen hero (he admitted to, and was suspended for two years for doping in 2004) to risen phoenix (he returned to the pro peloton as an outspoken 'clean' rider and raced successfully until 2014) to writer, broadcaster and commentator (up until this summer he was 'the voice' of ITV cycling along with co-commentator Ned Boulting) to business owner (with clothing brand Chpt III) to brand director at Factor bikes (finally nothing more to write in brackets). Here, David chats about turning pro back in the 1990s and those difficult earlier years; the devastation of ITV losing its TV coverage and him his job; his new life at Factor bikes and the science behind Factor's new superbike, the Factor One; Factor parting ways with Israel-Premier Tech for political reasons; what it's like having your sister, Fran, as CEO of Rapha; whether he's duty-bound to ride the Rapha Festive 500; and his general and utter love for cycling.Merry Christmas, and thanks for listening for a whole year (or just reading this bit, possibly never having listened at all).Interview begins at 11.34This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------This episode is also brought to you by Help for Heroes Big Battlefield Bike Ride, am epic, four day, 250-mile trip around Belgium and Northern France that raises money for Armed Forces veterans and their families. See helpforheroes.org.uk for moreDid you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk146. Dr Hutch: Tears, resilience, beauty and endurance
01:23:02|This week, James and Will are joined by Dr Hutch, the legendary British time-trial rider (second only to Beryl Burton in national wins) turned Cambridge-educated doctor turned journalist. Dr Hutch is a longstanding columnist in Cycling Weekly (other cycling magazines are available, see our link to Cyclist below y'know), commentator, pundit, voice of cycling authority and author of several books including the critically acclaimed The Hour, a warts-and-all account of his ill-fated attempt at the Hour record, Faster: The obsession, science and luck behind the world's fastest cyclists, and most recently, Further: Seeking the distant limits of cycling endurance (Atlantic).In this episode, Dr Hutch explains the moment he 'cried for seven hours on a bike', how Haribo jelly-snakes saved his bacon, the mental madness and fortitude of endurance racing from national 24hr TTs to the Transcon, what makes a endurance specialist special, and why failing to take the Hour was exactly what it says: a failure, but one that rewarded him with lifelong lessons that have shaped his cycling ever since.The interview begins at 9.26This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------This episode is also brought to you by Help for Heroes Big Battlefield Bike Ride, am epic, four day, 250-mile trip around Belgium and Northern France that raises money for Armed Forces veterans and their families. See helpforheroes.org.uk for moreDid you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk145. Alistair Brownlee: triathlon legend, gravel racing demon and sportsmanship superstar
01:18:35|This week James and Will are joined by Alistair Brownlee, legendary triathlete turned Ironman champion turned gravel racing extraordinaire turned sports scientist turned... If there was a personification of the polymath endurance athlete, Alistair is it, from being the only triathlete to hold two Olympic individual triathlon titles, to sacrificing his own race to carry his exhausted brother, Jonny, across the finish line, to starting his own sports nutrition company, TrueFuels, to top-tenning some of the most notorious gravel events in the world, to... Here we go again with the listing, so you should probably just listen to the episode.Interview begins at 9.00This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------This episode is also brought to you by Help for Heroes Big Battlefield Bike Ride, am epic, four day, 250-mile trip around Belgium and Northern France that raises money for Armed Forces veterans and their families. See helpforheroes.org.uk for moreDid you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk144. Emma Pooley: Tour de France winner, Oat to Joy author and pro-athlete sage
01:13:25|This week, Robyn and Will are joined by Emma Pooley, Tour de France women's winner in 2009 (or the Grande Boucle Féminine as it was then), Olympic medallist, UCI world time-trial winner, multiple national road and time-trial champion and triathlon and duathlon champ, plus a first class honours student at Cambridge and University Challenge contestant to boot. Oh, and Emma also won the Brompton bike racing world championships and held the Everesting record in 2020 - 8,848m climbed in 8h 53m 36s, or ten loops of a 6.8km, 13% climb back-to-back plus descents. Incredible.In this episode, Emma talks about the psychological difficulties inherent in being a pro; the pressure of conforming to ideals like weight for riders; her highs and lows throughout her career; plus her new book, Oat to Joy, in which she explains the role of the humble grain in a cyclist's diet, along with recipes and stories about her life on a bike.Interview begins at 5.16Emma Pooley's Oat to Joy, a recipe book plus stories of her cycling life, is available now at emmapooley.net-----------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk143. Why are the pros so fast, and how can we go faster? with Dr Xavier Disley
01:28:53|This week James is joined by Dr Xavier Disley, sports scientist, aerodynamicist, national masters track champion and founder of AeroCoach, a UK collective of coaches, scientists and engineers who are all obsessed with one thing: making cyclists go faster. To that end, Xavier has worked with WorldTour teams and winners of all three Grand Tours, track champions, Hour record breakers, component manufacturers and clothing makers, all with one goal in mind: going faster.In our chat Xavier explains the basics of aerodynamics and the pursuit of speed from the ground up - underlying principles, how a rider/bike works, mistakes people make that slow them down, the best bang for buck when it comes to kit, and the all-important holy grail, how to go faster for free. It's a techie subject but Xavier explains it in a brilliantly relatable way, so put the kettle on and settle into you favourite chair. Or onto your turbo. Whatever works for you.Interview begins at 7.03-----------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk142. Magnus Cort: the Uno-X pro on Grand Tours, Classics and dyeing his moustache blue
51:53|This week, Robyn (and Will for the intro) is joined by Uno-X’s expert hotel reviewer and star racer, Magnus Cort. Winner of stages at all three Grand Tours, Magnus is now experiencing a new lease of life in the Classics with recent podiums at both Eschborn-Frankfurt and the Bretagne Classic, plus 6th place at Milan-San Remo this season. In this episode, the Dane speaks about his transition from stage hunter to one-day specialist, how he became a social media star, dyeing his moustache blue for a bet, the Monument he dreams of winning and his penchant for breakaways.Interview begins at 3.20-----------------This episode is brought to you by the Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer. Visit hammerhead.io and use the code CYCLIST to get a free HR strap with every purchase (just be sure to add the strap to your cart then apply the code at checkout).------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk