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How did Derek Gee do it? How did he get into breakaway after breakaway at the recent Giro d’Italia? And what’s next for the Ottawa rider who impressed and entertained throughout his first Grand Tour? In this in-depth interview, Gee analyzes his four second-place stage finishes. He also talks about the feisty young Israel-Premier Tech squad that made it to Rome, the state of his apartment following his arrival from the Giro, getting slapped in the face, telling Thibaut Pinot to cool it, his relationship with mountains and what type of rider he might be able to become.

At stage races this season, Olivia Baril has been in the mix. Recently, the rider from Rouyn-Noranda, Que., sprinted against Demi Vollering, Annemiek van Vleuten and Katarzyna Niewiadoma for a podium place on the final stage of Itzulia Women. Baril was third on the day and finished fourth overall. Her result at that race and at La Vuelta Femenina show that a Grand Tour win is a possibility. The rider herself has the confidence in her abilities for such a feat. She'll have a chance this summer as the team recently informed her that she'd be heading to the Tour de France Femmes as UAE Team ADQ's general classification rider. In this episode, Baril talks about the dynamics within the women’s pro peloton, living and racing in Spain and her goals for the rest of the season. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by MS Bike. Register and start fundraising at msbike.ca. Also, check out MS Bike specific training advice and tips from Canadian Cycling Magazine experts.  

Mark Beaumont has the world record for circumnavigating the world by bike. He also documents his big rides—down a massive volcano or from Cairo to Cape Town—on GCN. His latest book, The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology (written with Dr. Jim Taylor), draws on his adventures and his co-author’s expertise to provide you with ways to boost your mental game on the bike. This wide-ranging and inspiring conversation with Beaumont will help you to start training your mind. The rider also talks about bike design as he’s consulted on the new Argon 18 Krypton, the Montreal company’s all-road bike.   The two Matts chat about La Vuelta Femenina, prairie dogs and something you shouldn’t do with a cargo bike.

From within the infield at the recent Track Nations Cup in Milton, Ont., athletes snagged medals, joked, made vows out of frustration and looked ahead to the world championships and Paris 2024. Find out about the off-track competition team-sprint members Kelsey Mitchell and Lauriane Genest had the day they rode to silver along with Sarah Orban. Learn about the psychology and tactics that go into a team pursuit race. Sometimes you can use an opponent’s strengths against them, which is what the Canadian women’s squad did in the bronze-medal race. Also, the two Matts talk Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Pan Am championships. Terry reports on the cool stuff he saw a Sea Otter, including carbon-fibre bottom bracket threads, new hubs and, yes, jean shorts.

On the eve of Geoff Kabush’s birthday, the mountain biker, gravel racer and underbiker covers a range of topics: the evolution of bike tech, the right amount of flare for handlebars, sarcasm, his relationship with cheaters from back in the day and even a plan for editor Matthew Pioro involving pushups. A word that pops up frequently during the wide-ranging discussion with the 15-time national champion from Courtenay, B.C., is balance, which seems to be a key to Kabush’s longevity. That, and fun. Editors Matt and Matt discuss Paris-Roubaix and Alison Jackson’s historic win at the Hell of the North.

As the snow starts to melt at various rates across the country, and with the recent release of the ride guide in the April/May issue of Canadian Cycling Magazine, editors Matthew Pioro, Matt Hansen (a.k.a. ’90s Matt) and Terry McKall discuss some of the hard-won lessons they’ve learned from doing various cycling events: gravel races, gran fondos and mountain bike challenges. Learn from their mistakes before you head into your outdoor riding season. Also, lots of talk about recent pro races abroad and a look ahead to the Tour of Flanders. Another lesson: always guess “Steve Bauer” for Canadian cycling trivia.

A rainbow jersey on the track, multiple downhill World Cup wins, a Tour de France stage win—there were a lot of big performances by Canadian riders this past year. Canadian Cycling Magazine's editors—Matthew Pioro, Terry McKall and Matt Hansen (a.k.a. '90s Matt)—break down the top stories of 2022.  You can also listen back to interviews with the year’s biggest newsmakers: The inside story of Hugo Houle’s Tour de France stage win Road and criterium national champion Maggie Coles-Lyster is on the podium a lot

As Hugo Houle crossed the line in Foix on July 19, he pointed to the sky. He had accomplished a goal he had had for close to 10 years: win a Tour de France stage for his brother, Pierrik, who died after being struck by a vehicle while he was out for a jog. In this episode, find out what went into that victory, the decisions made out on the road and how a rider can be transformed. Featuring Houle himself, Michael Woods, Steve Bauer and Antoine Duchesne.

In late September, it became official: 18-year-old Michael Leonard signed with Ineos Grenadiers for three years. About a month later, he returned home to Oakville, Ont., from his base in Italy. He was staring at his new team bike, but couldn’t ride it. In this episode, find out why Leonard wasn’t taking that sweet new Pinarello out, as well as how he landed on the pro cycling’s richest team. Also, the Matts talk riding in Italy—where Hansen was recently to check out Campagnolo’s facility—and masters cyclocross. Pioro had a short CX season riding across fields, sliding in mud and running through sand. Do you know what drivetrain was on his bike? It’s Classified. No, really. It’s Classified. Find out more.

On Oct. 10, 2012, almost 10 years ago, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) released its reasoned decision, a comprehensive investigation into doping by Lance Armstrong and other members of the U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel cycling teams. The document brought charges against Armstrong and supported USADA’s call to strip Armstrong of his results, including his seven Tour de France wins. The reasoned decision sent reverberations up to this side of the U.S./Canada border. Michael Barry provided USADA with a signed affidavit detailing his doping practices during his career. In this episode, former president of Cycling Canada John Tolkamp looks back at the volatility in cycling 10 years ago and how he struggled with the information that was coming to light, officially. He also speaks about his organization’s attempts to clean up the sport. Tolkamp is both an insider in the world of cycling, but also a cycling fan who was working his way through tough revelations about Barry and, later, Ryder Hesjedal.

This past August, Leah Kirchmann revealed that she’ll retire from professional road racing following the world championships in Wollongong, Australia. Kirchmann turned pro 12 years ago. In that time she’s ridden with Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies (now Human Powered Health) and Team DSM, the latter since 2016. In this episode, Kirchmann looks back at career highs, such as the team time trial at the 2017 world championships and her three maple-leaf jerseys from the 2014 national championships. She also hints at what might lie ahead. Also in this episode, the Matts go on about testing gravel bikes—mostly how they feel post-ride.  It seems their outing left them a bit spent.

JaBig, a.k.a. Jean-Aimé Bigirimana, is known for his huge rides, including a 15-month, 17,000 km trek on a fixie across Canada that took him to the Arctic Ocean. His most recent adventure was around the U.S., from the northwest, down the Pacific coast, east across southern states, north on the Atlantic side and then back west. In this episode, JaBig looks back on his big ride. He’s a great storyteller with tales about bike theft, serious attention to gear, harrowing rides through unwelcoming areas and the great generosity of the people he met. He has some eye-opening insights into differences between Canadians and Americans. Throughout the trip, he raised funds for World Bicycle Relief. Also in this episode, the Matts—Pioro and Hansen—discuss the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal.

Tour de France Femmes, the Giro d’Italia Donne, Paris-Roubaix—those are just a few of the races Magdeleine Vallières Mill did during her first season on a WorldTeam. The 21-year-old rider from Sherbrooke, Que., had 40 days of racing, supporting her EF Education-TIBCO-SVB teammates. This year, Vallières Mill also opened a bike shop, called Qui Roule, in her hometown with her father and two business partners. In this episode, she looks back at the busy season, as well as important moments in her growth as a cyclist, including a 1,000-km bikepacking trip she did at the age of nine. Also in this episode, the Matts—Pioro and Hansen—discuss the Vuelta a España and a not-uncommon bit of “advice” that really ticks off Pioro.

It’s Laurie Arseneault’s second season with Canyon MTB Racing. The squad was a total powerhouse at the national mountain bike championships in July, where she took the short track event and her teammate Emily Batty won the XCO title. In August, the day after the World Cup at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Arseneault returned to her place in Bromont, Que. She had had a tough XCO competition as she faced a few mechanicals. Still, she was glad she could race in front of friends and family, and vowed to return to MSA stronger next year. In this episode, the rider from Terrebonne, Que., talks about racing, a superstition, the role of fishing in her life, the "fire in her heart" and what she’s most proud of this season. (Hint: It’s not a race result.) Arseneault still has two major events ahead of her for the 2022 season: the world championships in Les Gets, France, and the final World Cup of the season in Val di Sole, Italy. Before the interview with Arseneault, the Matts (Matthew Pioro and Matt Hansen) talk Finn Iles’s win at Mont-Sainte-Anne, why Matthew should probably never interview Arseneault in French, swearing on a pod and at work and Matt’s continuing adventures in crit racing. Also, Matthew likes Matt’s humour piece. Matt treats it (too) seriously.

This past June, Maggie Coles-Lyster won the national championship road race and the national championship criterium. Of the two results, the crit win was possibly less of a surprise. Coles-Lyster has been on the podium at American Criterium Cup races regularly throughout the past two years. Still, she’s no stranger to longer road events, including the Joe Martin Stage Race where she took the young rider’s jersey in 2021. In this episode, Coles-Lyster looks at the significance of both her national championships titles. The rider from Maple Ridge, B.C., has also had much success on the track. In fall 2021, she competed in the UCI Track Cycling Champions League, where she won the first scratch race of the series. In 2017, she won the points race at the junior track world championships. As this episode comes out, she’s racing on the track (and road) at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. In this conversation, Coles-Lyster also discusses the vibe in the U.S. crit scene, a competitive approach to yoga, dissecting salmon and the races she’ll take on later this year.

In 1997, Linda Jackson was third at the Tour Cycliste Féminin. The 12-day stage race, with two split stages, was the closest thing to a Tour de France for women at the time. In 2004, Jackson started a women’s team that has now become EF Education-TIBCO-SVB. That team will be at the new Tour de France Femmes, starting on July 24. In this episode, Jackson discusses her career as a cyclist, the growth of her team and the new women’s Tour. What can that race do for women’s cycling and what can’t it do? Jackson also reveals the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB’s lineup for the Tour. Since the interview was taped, Magdeleine Vallières-Mill was added to the six-rider squad and Sara Poidevin was designated as a reserve rider. The rest of the lineup that Jackson reveals remains unchanged.

Oh, things move fast these days. Matthew Pioro and Matt Hansen are joined by former pro Michael Barry to preview the Tour de France. How many Canadians will be there exactly? Well, check out the discussion around Guillaume Boivin that was nicely prescient. And don’t forget Steve Bauer. The trio discusses a bridge that could have a significant effect on the race, cobbles and the main contenders. Can Tadej Pogačar be beaten? Also, Euro Disney [?!] and Michael Woods’s chances of taking a stage or the polka dot jersey.

Since 2020, Dave Shellnutt, the Biking Lawyer, has been a legal force behind cyclists in southern Ontario. With his partner Joel Zanatta based in Vancouver, the pair cover a lot of ground advocating for riders. At Canadian Cycling Magazine, editors often call on Shellnutt when they need an expert quote or insight about road safety and cyclists' rights. Shellnutt is quite active in the community. He not only commutes, but races gravel, too. He does workshops. He’s also behind the Bike Bridge, an initiative that gets food to communities in need. Not long after Shellnutt spoke with Canadian Cycling Magazine’s Matthew Pioro, the lawyer called out the president of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mark Shapiro wanted an end to one of the city's active transportation arteries so ball fans could have an easier time driving their cars to games. You can imagine how Shellnutt felt about that idea. He’ll call baloney when he sees baloney. The main goal for this conversation with Shellnutt is to bring you tips and advice for staying safe on the road and for what to do in a crash. Crashes are not a great subject. But we have to be ready if the worst happens. The Biking Lawyer can help.

Ahead of gravel racing’s biggest event, Unbound Gravel, two racers discuss the discipline of riding the bumpy stuff. Former pro-roadie and coach Andrew Randell will be racing Unbound for the first time. He talks about his preparation for the 200-mile event. Canadian cyclocross star Michael van den Ham, who started racing gravel in 2018, looks at how much the sport has changed in four years. He was second at his first gravel event, Mid South, after he finished his cyclocross season that year, took a short break and did a bit of training. This year, after CX wrapped up, van den Ham tried a similar strategy and says he was blown out the back of the pack at Mid South. Still, he’s not doing too badly this spring. He won Paris to Ancaster in April. Just recently, he took the win at Grinduro in California. Soon, he’ll be competing at Lost and Found instead of taking on Unbound. This episode also features interviews with two up-and-coming endurance track riders. From the infield at the Milton velodrome during the most recent Nations Cup, Ngaire Barraclough and Sarah van Dam discuss their races. Barraclough competed in the scratch race. Later, during the omnium competition, she won the first event, which was another scratch race. Van Dam had a crash in the elimination race, but was able to get back on her bike and finish in an impressive sixth place. Ottawa’s Alex Cataford checks in from the Giro d’Italia. No pizza for him during the stage in Naples, nor any wine after a winery visit. (Fantini is a major sponsor of Cataford’s Israel-Premier Tech team.) Grand Tour racing is truly hard.  

In this episode, former pro Ryan Roth recounts his big win in northern France. In 2012, the rider from Kitchener, Ont., won Tro Bro Léon, a race that features gravel sectors called ribinoù. Its famous prize is a pig, however, Roth didn’t leave the podium with livestock. No, the pig goes to the best-placed rider from Brittany, the region within which Tro Bro is held. Tro Bro can be a chaotic race. Riders, sport directors and race officials each often have only a partial picture of what’s going on at a given time. Remembering how a race played out after a space of 10 years can be tricky, especially with an event as tough as Tro Bro. For some extra perspective on the race, Kevin Field, Roth’s sport director on SpiderTech powered by C10, shares his recollections from 2012 as well. The show starts with a current race: the Giro d’Italia. Alex Cataford of Israel-Premier Tech talks about the opening stages of this year's Italian Grand Tour and gives a few hints as to what might lie ahead for the Ottawa rider. For more on Roth and his 2012 Tro Bro Léon—including video of the rider checking with the race moto to confirm that, in fact, he was about to win the race—read his story “No, I didn’t win a pig.”