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Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! Have you ever wondered why riders attack off the front? Why do they form breakaways? Is it just for the TV cameras or is it actually a race-winning tactic? The Tour de France is upon us and you’re almost guaranteed to see a daily breakaway. It’s historically how a pro cycling race is run: the first 50km is riders attacking off the front – trying to form a breakaway, the breakaway goes, gets several minutes ahead, then the peloton chases them back for the final sprint.  But why go to all this effort? And is it really that straight forward?  Who controls how close the peloton gets? Is it the breakaway, or the peloton? Or even the team directors? And is it really that easy to just ride off the front of the peloton in the first place? There’s so much more to breakaways than meets the eye, and I was keen to dive into this essential part of racing with some of the true specialists in the peloton.  In this episode I speak to two masters of the breakaway: Dutchman Taco van der Hoorn (Team Intermarché Wanty Gobert) – the modern-day breakaway artist, and Steve Cummings (DS at Team Ineos Grenadiers) – the British breakaway Veteran, (who won two Tour de France stages from the break) to hear their perspective on the art of the breakaway.  I also chat to Neo-Pro Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) for a newcomer’s perspective on pro peloton breakaways.  And finally, I couldn’t forget the other side of a breakaway – the chase. I speak to arguably the best controller of breakaways in this generation, Belgian Tim Declercq (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), or The Tractor, as he’s known. All these guys had a different take on the art of the breakaway, but one thing’s for sure – they are breakaway specialists.  I absolutely loved this chat & hope you gain as much insight as I did into what’s really happening in the minds of the riders racing full gas to get away from the peloton. I hope you also enjoy hearing from special guest, Sam Bewley who helps me introduce the episode. Stay tuned next week for Talking Luft with Steve Cummings and be sure to tune in to The Cycling Podcast next week as I cover the Tour de France with them daily. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Check out Taco’s win from the breakaway at Bink Bank Tour here and the Giro d’Italia here. Check out Steve’s two Tour de France breakaway stage wins, 2015 here and 2016 here. . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Merch We have an exciting new Tshirt collaboration with Çois Cycling coming up for the Tour de France. Stay tuned to our socials for the drop next week! SOLD OUT! Our first release of our new Talking Luft cap has now sold out. Stay tuned for the next drop in the coming months. Paris-Roubaix Caps. Get your cap to wear at the Roubaix stage of the Tour de France now!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! This week I’ve got Aussie former professional cyclist, and commentator Simon Gerrans on Talking Luft – brother to Andy Gerrans, Pro team Osteopath, who I had on the podcast last week talking about life as a staff member on a World Tour team. For those not familiar with Simon, he had a hugely successful 14 year career – winning stages in all 3 Grand Tours as well as wearing the Yellow Jersey at the Tour de France and taking out multiple one day classics such a Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Milan-San Remo. Simon’s no stranger to the podcast, I had him on for an in-depth chat about his career way back in 2017, when he was in his 13th year pro. Head back and listen to that to hear more about Simon. But for now, we’re Talking Luft. We chat caps & where Luft originated from. We get into the serious stuff like shaving legs post retirement, old team kit, Gravel bikes, the atmosphere at Amstel Gold Race, cyclocross racers, Fassa Bortolo kit, a Vuelta war story, the epic 2006 Tour de France and so much more! Gerro’s so easy to chat to, and always has a great story to tell. I hope you love the listen as much as I did. Stay tuned next week for an episode dedicated to the art of breakaway – the Breakaway Theory with Taco Van der Hoorn, Steve Cummings, Ben Healy and Tim DeClercq. Cheers, Mitch   Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes In case you missed my previous episode with Simon Gerrans – Making of a Champion, back in 2017 you can listen here: https://lifeinthepeloton.com/2017/01/31/simon-gerrans-making-of-a-champion/ Or search on your favourite podcast app. … Check out Simon’s most re-watchable race: Stage 11 – 2006 Tour de France: https://youtu.be/7thnSqvd9CY . . . Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 1:25mins – Snippet from last week’s episode with Andy Gerrans – Behind the scenes: Working in a Pro Cycling Team 1:25 to 3:15min – Intro 3:15min to end – Talking Luft with Simon Gerrans . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Merch NEW! Get your hands on our fresh new Talking Luft cap. The last of our first release are still available in our shop. Paris-Roubaix Caps are back in stock. Get your cap collection growing – jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! Have you ever wondered how you get a job on a Pro Cycling Team as a staff member? Or who the people are who work behind the scenes? What qualifications do they have? What is a Soigneur compared to a Physiotherapist or to an Osteopath?  Well I sat down with Andrew Gerrans, or Andy as I know him, the brother to well-known retired pro cyclist Simon Gerrans.  Andy is a veteran in the cycling world, not as a cyclist, but as an Osteopath.  He’s worked in pro teams for more than 10 years, and like all the other staff, can be a jack of all trades at times, moulding into the routine and getting the job done, often outside of his trained skill set, on the rigorous day to day grind of World Tour racing.  But his path into the World Tour wasn’t as straight forward as you might think and I was keen to hear how he eventually came to work in cycling & ask him about keeping a job in the sport and the day to day life of a pro team staff member. After a few brief periods trying a job in cycling while studying Osteo in 2005, Andy decided to take the more ‘traditional pathway’ for a university graduate and set up his own practice in his hometown of Mansfield in country Victoria, Australia. In 2013, realising he was looking for more, he sold his practice and took off on a soul-searching backpacking trip around the world. While visiting his brother, Simon, in Europe in June, he was asked to put his Osteo skills to good use and help him prepare for the upcoming Tour de France. It turned out GreenEdge was also looking for a therapist to join them for the month of July. And then in August… And September. And soon Andy’s solo trip was cut short.  Andy is now working with Israel Premier Tech after a long stint at GreenEdge and has not only made a life for himself as a World Tour Osteopath living in Europe but, very much like his older brother, an impressive reputation within the world we call top level cycling. I knew it would be great to have Andy on the podcast to give some perspective into what it’s like working for a World Tour team, & hear the ins and outs of finding (& keeping) a job in the sport. It was great hearing his insight into just how differing and dynamic the staff roles are. I hope you enjoy the chat. Stay tuned next week for Talking Luft with Simon Gerrans! Cheers, Mitch   Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 3:48mins – Intro 3:48 to 27:25min – Andy’s path into working in the World Tour 27:25 to 49:45min – Finding a job on a cycling team, the day to day & working with pro athletes 49:45min to end – Outro . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Merch NEW! Our fresh new Talking Luft caps will be going live on our shop tomorrow, Thursday 16th June.  12:00 pm CEST Madrid, ES 11:00 am BST London, UK 20:00 pm AEST Melbourne, AUS 6:00 am EDT New York, USA Paris-Roubaix Caps are back in stock. Get your cap collection growing – jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! I've got US crit racer & co-founder of L39ion of LA, Cory Williams, back on the pod for the good stuff - talking style, talking culture, talking all the best bits about riding & racing. Casquette or no casquette? How does he wear his kit? Arm warmers & leg warmers? Gloves or no gloves? Speedsuit or jersey? We chat all-day pre-race breakfasts, coffee orders, cheat meals, his favourite rider of all time & he throws his worst roommate under the bus. Plus we reminisce on some iconic kits from the Cipollini days, iPod Shuffles, hanging out on race & so much more! This was a fun chat, and I loved hearing more about Cory. I hope you guys enjoy the listen! And the news is out.. our fresh new Talking Luft caps will be going live next week. Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first in the know. And jump across to our Instagram for a sneak peek. Cheers, Mitch   Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00 to 3:00min - Intro  3:00 to 23:40min - Talking Luft with Cory Williams 23:40 to end - Outro . . . Keep up with Cory on Instagram @nationsnumber1beast Find out more about L39ION of LA at l39ionla.com or on Instagram @l39ion.la . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch NEW! Our fresh new Talking Luft caps will be going live next week. Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first in the know. And jump across to our Instagram for a sneak peek. Paris-Roubaix Caps are back & available to shop. Get your cap collection growing – jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.        

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! This week I’ve got a really cool guest for you on the pod, American Cory Williams. Hailing from South Central L.A. (and weighing in at 65 kilos…). Cory is a hugely successful racer and regular winner on the U.S. criterium scene, as well as a founder of the L39ION of Los Angeles racing team.  Growing up in a cycling-mad family (their father, Calman, competed internationally for Belize) Cory and his two brothers, Justin and CJ, spent their youth racing up to four criteriums a week in California.   The brothers soon recognised that traditional cycling races and media weren’t hitting the mark with an audience who were used to following faster-paced US sports like NFL & NBA. So, instead of just trying to follow the traditional pathways of cycling over in Europe, they set about trying to make the changes they wanted to see in their home country.  Starting off by strapping a Go-Pro to Cory’s helmet, and filming from inside action-packed criterium races, the brothers soon built a huge following online while also winning big on the road. Since then, things have taken off, the brothers have been dominating the US crit scene, and L39ION of LA has grown to be one of the most popular teams on the planet. The team has one of the coolest kits and most unique vibes out there, and in 2021 through the ‘Into the Lion’s Den’ crit in Sacramento – started to get involved in organising events.  If you haven’t seen Cory’s videos, they are well worth checking out at nationsnumber1beast on YouTube – they are fun to watch, have some great insight and of course, they are filled with characters you’ll love to follow.  I had a great chat with Cory about his journey, from the early days of being an outsider – putting his lycra shorts on to go training after school in South Central LA, through his love of film and racing, to breaking down how his team dominate in the races they ride. We also spoke about his current plans to try to create a new race series in the US, as well as his famed love for Zwift.  I hope you enjoy the insight! Cheers, Mitch   Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:45 – Intro to episode 2:45min to 5:53 – Cory’s path into cycling 5:53min to 29:43 – L39ION of LA & the US racing scene 29:43 to 31:55 – Talking Zwift, training in LA & the ethos of the team 31:55 to end – Outro . . . Keep up with Cory on Instagram @nationsnumber1beast Find out more about L39ION of LA at l39ionla.com or on Instagram @l39ion.la . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back & available to shop. Get your cap collection growing – jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.  

Rapha presents Talking Luft! Talking Luft is back this week with the smiling assassin – Colombian Pro Cyclist Esteban Chaves, riding for EF Education First EasyPost. I had him on the pod last week to hear his incredibly inspiring and tough story of how he got his start in the World Tour – coming back from a nasty crash – then eventually going on to win stages in the Giro and Vuelta and wearing leaders jerseys in both. He's a seriously great guy and is loved both inside and out of the peloton for his inspiring character, his positive attitude and gratitude. Plus he's also great for a laugh, and I absolutely knew he'd be awesome to get Talking some Luft with. And he doesn’t disappoint. The guy’s got style! How does he wear his cycling cap? ‘Pre-Race breakfast’ or normal breakfast? Favourite race food? How does he have his coffee? Favourite ever rider? Best & Worst part during a race? Where does he sit on the team bus? And so much more! This was a good bit of fun & I hope you enjoy hearing a little more about Chavito. I know I did. Enjoy guys! Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 1:05 – Snippet from my episode last week with Esteban Chaves – ‘The Power of Determination and Belief’ 1:05min to 3:00 – Intro 3:00min to 29:10 – Talking Luft with Esteban 29:10 to end – Outro . . . Find out more about the Esteban Chaves Foundation at https://funchaves.org/en/ . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back & available to shop. Get your cap collection growing – jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! Esteban Chaves was the first Colombian to win a monument at the Tour of Lombardy in 2016, he’s a podium finisher and multiple stage winner in both the Giro D'Italia and the Vuelta España. Not only is he a hugely talented rider, but he’s an incredibly positive & inspiring guy. Off the bike, he runs the Esteban Chaves Foundation in Colombia, helping disadvantaged youth in his home country. After eight years at GreenEdge, in 2022 he’s made the big change to join my team EF Education-EasyPost, and I thought what better time to reunite with him and chat about his incredible (& tough) story into the World Tour, the highs and lows of his career to date & his outlook through it all. ..(read more at lifeinthepeloton.com).. He’s a hugely popular rider, both inside the peloton and out, and I know you’ll hear why in this episode. His positive attitude is infectious and he is a genuinely great guy to have a yarn with. I hope you guys enjoy the chat and most of all his enthusiasm for cycling and life.  Stay tuned next week for our Talking Luft! Cheers, Mitch  Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:40 – Intro to the episode 2:40min to 29:45 – Esteban’s story – coming back from injury and entering the World Tour 29:45min to 36:00 – Esteban's Giro D'Italia stage wins & 2nd place on GC 36:00min to 41:23 – Staying with GreenEdge and moving to EF Education First-EasyPost in 2022 41:23min to end - Hearing about the Esteban Chaves Foundation . . . Find out more about the Esteban Chaves Foundation at https://funchaves.org/en/ . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back & available to shop. Get your cap collection growing – jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! Arm warmers over or under sleeves? Gloves or no gloves? Glasses over or under helmet straps? After our Giro episode last week I've got American pro, Joe Dombrowski back on the pod and this week we're Talking some Luft. 2.0 to be exact. Talking Luft 2.0 is always a bit of fun, and I ask him questions about the little intricacies of style in the pro peloton. We talk the evolution of aero jerseys, pasta in the morning, hidden snickers bars in your feed bag, biblical salt-passing folklore, coffee stop snacks and much more! This was a good laugh and I hope you enjoy the listen. Stay tuned next week for my episode with Esteban Chaves. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 1:38 – Snippet from last week’s episode 'For the Love of the Giro d'Italia' with Joe Dombrowski 1:38min to 4:00 – Talking Luft Intro 4:00min to 28:00 – Talking Luft 2.0 with Joe Dombrowski 28:00min to end – Outro . . . Listen to Joe's story coming up into the ranks of pro cycling from my series 'My Giro, My Team' at the Giro 2018: My Giro, My Team Episode #3 - Joe Dombrowski . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! Photo: Cor Vos It’s Giro time! This week I caught up with a former teammate of mine, Joe Dombrowski, as he finished off his preparations to head to Hungary to start his seventh Giro d’Italia. The Italian Grand Tour is a really special race to be a part of and Joe is a true Giro specialist. We rode the race as teammates in 2018, and it was obvious to me the affiliation this former winner of the U23 race has with all things Giro. We caught up on Joe’s own career and highlights from the race, as well as our impressions and thoughts on probably the most beautiful race of the season.  (read more at lifeinthepeloton.com) With the Giro d’Italia kicking off this weekend, I thought it would be great to chat with a rider who has built his career on the Corsa Rosa. Joe Dombrowski is the archetypal Giro rider: he’s a former winner of the U23 or ‘Baby’ Giro, he’s built for the mountains, loves it when a stage goes uphill out of the neutral, and in 2021, after nearly ten years of trying, he finally became a stage winner there. For Joe, it makes sense that the Italian Three-week Stage Race would always be a special event and form a key focal point of his racing career. As he points out though, “If the Tour is the Superbowl, then the Giro is college football”, and it’s true that making a career as a Giro specialist doesn’t come with the glory of doing the same thing at the Tour de France. But for the connoisseurs of the sport, the Giro is probably the stage race of the year.  We discussed what it meant for him to be able to win the U23 race as a young rider, and how he has carried that reputation into his career as a professional. He also took me through the highs of his stage win in 2021, as well as the lows that followed when he crashed out in the very next stage.  We delved into the aspects of the racing at the Giro that make it so unique, and so hard at the same time. We also managed a bit of a laugh at some of the many uniquely frustrating quirks that can happen outside of the racing there, which, trust me, can sometimes be the things that break you at this race.  The Giro is a race that really is everything for Joe, so I was really happy to get this pod in with him. It also reminded me of my own love-hate relationship with the Giro. It’s a beautiful race, and I’m really excited to follow this year’s edition… from a distance. I hope that this pod wets a few appetites out there and gets you guys in the mood to follow along for the next three weeks.   Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 4:05 – Episode Intro 4:00min to 11:30 – Joe’s story & Baby Giro 11:30min to 21:48– What makes the Giro so beautiful but so hard 21:48min to 24:28 – Previewing the Giro 2022 24:38min to 33:57 – Joe’s Giro Stage win 2021 & the tactics of past Giros 33:57 to end – Changing teams & Joe’s ambitions for the upcoming Giro . . .  Check out the highlights of Joe’s Giro 2021 stage win below: https://youtu.be/oHxrvW2zuSM 2022 Giro d’Italia Route Map: . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! If you loved last week’s episode with the king of gravel, Colin Strickland, you’re gonna love this week’s Talking Luft! Colin is an American fixed-gear bike racer turned gravel racer, and as you would have heard last week, an all round awesome guy. In his spare time he fixes up Diesel engines and has started his own garage renovating 1950s Spartan Travel trailers, even working with his coveralls thrown over his kit sometimes! After hearing his story last week, I knew it would be a lot of fun to talk some luft with Colin. And it didn’t disappoint. We chat the lack of luft in the gravel scene, the early days racing in old pro kit & no shirts, an epic at Oregon gravel, the best of pros, bikes, coffee and spirits. And so much more! It was just a great chat, with so many fun stories thrown in there. I know you’ll love the listen as much as I did recording. Enjoy! And stay tuned next week for my episode with Columbian Pro cyclist at Team EF Education EasyPost Esteban Chaves. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Or listen below: Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 1:35 – Snippet from last week’s episode ‘Red Hook Master to Gravel legend’ Colin Strickland 1:35min to 3:45 – Talking Luft Intro 3:45min to 32:00 – Talking Luft with Colin Strickland 32:00min to end – Outro . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! Gravel racing scenes are taking off all around the world. It's something I've loved sinking my teeth into back here in Australia & as I begin to understand more about the scene I thought it'd be great to chat to someone who's been racing at the top end for a while now - American fixed-gear racer turned gravel legend, Colin Strickland. Colin came into cycling late, and by somewhat of an unconventional path. He grew up on a farm in Texas, went to college and rode bikes purely for transportation. It wasn’t until his early 20s when he competed in (& won) his first ever race - an Alleycat fixed-gear race, that he was hooked on bike racing. He’s a guy that blazes his own trail, and his career is evidence to that: taking him across almost all the cycling disciplines, in not necessarily the order you would think. Colin first tried his hand at fixed-gear racing, went across and refined his craft with road racing, came back to seriously dominate Red Hook criteriums then made the jump across to cyclocross and gravel, making his mark on the US scene in the years to come. In 2019 he took victory in the notorious Dirty Kanza ahead of a star-studded field, which earnt him a World Tour contract offer. True to his path, he declined and continued doing what he loves, racing these epic events supported by brands he admires. Colin’s story was a breath of fresh air to the usual path into the sport & I especially enjoyed his perspective on the different racing scenes he’s been a part of. In this episode we dive deeper into Red Hook racing & the scene in the late 2000s & we get into the ins and outs of gravel racing; the tech & the tactics out on the trail & what it takes to excel at these events. Plus, I hear about his awesome new project renovating 1950s Spartan travel trailers, at his garage Wheelhouse. That and so much more! You’ll hear he’s a great guy & I could have kept chatting for much longer. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Stay tuned next week for Talking Luft with Colin! Cheers, Mitch . . .  This episode is sponsored by Restrap - Yorkshire based makers of top quality, handmade and sustainable bike packing accessories. Use the discount code PELO10 for 10% off your order. Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Photos of Colin at that first Alleycat race that got him hooked on bikes: And the bike frame he won: Find out more about Colin at his website. Check out his new project, renovating 1950s Spartan travel trailers at Wheelhouse. . . . Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 4:00 – Episode Intro 4:00min to 23:42 – Colin's story & Red Hook racing 23:42min to 43:20 – Gravel racing: tech, tactics, the racing scene 43:20min to 45:35 - Colin's new project - Wheelhouse 45:35min to 1:02:25 - Turning down a Pro contract and working with Meteor x Allied 1:02:25 to end – Outro . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! Luke (Durbo) Durbridge has been on Talking Luft before – both 1.0 and 2.0, so this week it’s Talking Luft 3.0 – and I had something a little different lined up for him. It’s Cobbled Classics time, he’s up in Holland getting ready for Paris-Roubaix & I thought I’d test his knowledge on the race & a whole lot more. Can he name 5 Paris–Roubaix cobbled sectors? Does he know how many metres the Roubaix velodrome is? Who was best known in the peloton for the cut-off casquette? Most importantly, I ask him questions about the history of cap style, bikes & beers, plus I throw him some scenarios that aren’t too far from what might happen out on a training ride.  It's another week of laughs, because let’s be honest, I really just could chat to him all day. If you haven’t listened to our Classics episode from last week, it’s the perfect warm up for Paris-Roubaix this weekend. For now, enjoy this bit of fun, something completely different to our usual Talking Luft. How do you score against Durbo? Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:00 – Snippet from last week’s ‘Talking Cobbled Classics‘ episode with Luke Durbridge 2:00min to 4:00 – Intro to Talking Luft 3.0 4:00min to 29:50 – Talking Luft 3.0 – The Quiz – with Luke Durbridge 29:50 to end – Outro . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one now. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.  

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! Photo: Zac Williams Christmas is here. And by that I mean: it’s Cobbled Classics’ season. If you’ve listened to the podcast you’ll have heard me bang on about the cobbled classics, Belgium, and especially the brutally beautiful Paris-Roubaix. It’s no secret that these races were a passion of mine throughout my career and being on the other side of the fence hasn’t changed that one bit. Every year I have loved catching up with my good mate Luke (Durbo) Durbridge, from Team Bike-Exchange, on the podcast mid-classics to debrief the races that have been, preview the coming classics & generally chat about Belgium during this racing period. This year was no different, except that I’m back in Australia & more keen than ever to hear about racing from someone inside the peloton. I caught up with Durbo the day after Tour of Flanders, and he recounts the less than ideal travel schedule that a lot of riders embark upon the night of a brutal 270km. We take a look back at the Spring classics, from Milan-San Remo through to Tour of Flanders. We chat about the amazing crowds lining the cobbles to the incredible speed of the bunch, and talk some massive power numbers that are being put out in these races. We then answer your listener questions – from after race parties to cobble-specific equipment, to the ‘Spring Classics Rider’, to recon & recovery between races and what the single thing is that will win or lose you the bike race. I could chat all day about the classics, especially with Durbo. This was a good laugh & great insight into the new level of racing up there in Flanders. Enjoy the listen and stay tuned for a special Talking Luft 3.0 with Durbo next week. I want to dedicate this episode to Richard Moore. A huge loss in the cycling and journalism community. Will miss you mate. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:00 – Episode Intro 2:00min to 15:45 – Durbo Flanders & San Remo recap 15:45min to 31:32 – Changes in the speed of racing, power outputs in the peloton & crowd at Tour of Flanders 31:32 min to 55:50 – Listener questions; After parties, equipment, nutrition, recon & recovery & more.. 55:50 to end - Outro . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics!  Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! I’m Talking Luft with the legend from London, Alec Briggs. Alec grew up in SE London and has raced track, cross, MTB, road and made his way to fixed-gear racing in Red Hook Criteriums, or 'Moto GP on bikes’ as he was first introduced to it. He’s hugely passionate about cycling & getting people involved in the scene. As well as being a super talented rider himself, Alec went on to start his own team, Tekkerz CC, as a place to support young guns coming into the sport. Make sure you head back and listen to last week’s episode to hear all about it! I knew he would be a great guy to have on the podcast to not only hear his story but also to Talk some Luft. So this episode we jump into all the usual questions, how does he wear his casquette? Luft or no luft? He shares his favourite ‘training’ loop that’s a little more exciting than most, his favourite ever bike, we agree to disagree about the AG2R kit & he tells a war story that ends in triumph at a Red Hook Criterium. Plus a whole lot more! This was a lot of fun and I know you’ll love hearing more from Alec. Enjoy guys! And stay tuned next week as it’s time for some cobbled classics chat with Luke Durbridge. Cheers, Mitch   Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Find show notes and more at the Life in the Peloton website. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 1:20 – Snippet from last week’s episode – Alec Briggs’ 1:20min to 4:45 – Episode Intro 4:30min to 33:20 – Talking Luft with Alec Briggs 33:20min to end – Outro . . . Check out Alec’s Most Re-watchable race – Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2015 – where Ian Stannard outlasts a breakaway with 3 Etixx-Quick-step riders. Watch the final 20km here: https://youtu.be/RW2DoqVnxYU . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen on all good podcast apps, and now on Youtube. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch Paris-Roubaix Caps are back for the classics! Jump over to our online shop to grab one in time for that Sunday in Hell! Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! One of the great things about looking at cycling from a new perspective this season has been coming across people who are making their mark outside of World Tour racing, and are doing things their own way. Alec Briggs may not be the most well known name in the cycling world, but the Londoner is a truly great cycling personality and is one of the most passionate guests I’ve had on the pod. As well as being a hugely talented cyclist himself, Alec is the founder of Tekkerz C.C. (if you don’t know you’ll have to have a listen to find out what that all stands for), and his unique outlook has made him a real name to look out for in the sport in 2022.  I have been waiting to chat to Alec for quite a while as I love what he does, from the way that he promotes his team, to the philosophy that he’s created it with.   ... Read the full synopsis on lifeinthepeloton.com Enjoy guys! Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & Subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. (or listen below) Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:30 – Episode Intro 2:30min to 17:30 – London Racing Scene & Herne Hill Velodrome 17:30min to 29:05 – Alec’s transition to Cross & Red Hook Crits 29:05min to 40:20 – Tekkerz CC 40:20min to 47:55 – Tekkerz kit 47:55min to end – Alec turns the mic on me & outro . . . Follow what the Tekkerz CC team is up to on their Instagram & check out the Tekkerz CC website to buy some of their awesome merch.   . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen to our short spin off series Talking Luft presented by Rapha – much like DVD Extras, every second week. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch LITP x ÇOIS Cycling: Find the last sizes of the Road Worlds Collection at coiscycling.com. Snapbacks have now been restocked. Shop now! LITP Cycling Caps: Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! Talking Luft is back for another week & following on from my first on-race episode at the MTB epic Otway Odyssey, I’ve got a MTB-themed Talking Luft, with local Aussie legend Brendan Johnston, also known as Trekky (who won the Otway Odyssey!). Brendan is a huge name on the Aussie Mountain Bike scene. He’s Australia’s most successful MTB marathon rider, consistently taking the top step of the podium. But he not only races MTB -he also crosses over to other cycling disciplines – racing at the highest level on the Aussie road scene, having won the prestigious Melbourne-Warnambool and placing in the Australian National Road Championships – all this while working normal hours running his own business! He’s a great guy and has overcome a lot to get to where he is today. I learn about his journey overcoming cancer at the age of 17 when his cycling career was just taking flight. It changed the path of his life but he never lost his love of cycling. He’s a lover of all forms of cycling and I knew it would be fun to sit him down to Talk some Luft – MTB style. I loved getting into the ins & outs of the mountain bike scene – we chat Peaks on Helmets, bikes, Bar ends, an epic MTB World Cup from 2013 & a whole lot more. Enjoy guys! Cheers, Mitch   Listen Listen & Subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. (or listen below)  Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:08 – Snippet from last week’s episode – On-Race at Otway Odyssey 2:08min to 4:30 – Episode Intro 4:30min to 24:58 – Brendan’s Career 24:58min to end – Talking Luft with Brendan Johnston . . . Brendan’s Most Re-watchable race – The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2013 Albstadt. Watch highlights here: https://www.redbull.com/au-en/videos/uci-albstadt-2013-highlight-programme . . .  This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen to our short spin off series Talking Luft presented by Rapha – much like DVD Extras, every second week. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch LITP x ÇOIS Cycling: Find the last sizes of the Road Worlds Collection at coiscycling.com. Snapbacks have now been restocked. Shop now! LITP Cycling Caps: Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life in the Peloton! My "Opening Weekend" of racing looked a little different this year. I swapped out the brutal cobbles of Belgium for the beautiful, yet unforgiving trails of the Otway Ranges in Victoria - swapping my classics bike for my Mountain Bike and Gravel Bike. It was my first race of the year, and one hell of a baptism by fire into the MTB/Gravel racing scene; a 100km marathon MTB Race backed up by a 100km Gravel Race. It wasn't quite Belgium but it was for sure on another level of epic (that I was very underprepared for!) Join me for a bit of fun as I take you on the road at my Opening Weekend - Otway Odyssey 2022. (Read full blurb at lifeinthepeloton.com) . . . Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 2:25 – Episode Intro 2:25min to 2:42 – Day 1 - 100km MTB  2:42min to 39:00 – Day 2 - 100km Gravel 39:00min to end – Outro and next episode preview . . . Read more about Otway Odyssey: https://otwayodyssey.rapidascent.com.au . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Listen Listen & Subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen to our short spin off series Talking Luft presented by Rapha – much like DVD Extras, every second week. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo . . . My Opening Weekend at Otway Odyssey -  An On-Race Diary When I finished my professional racing career last year, I knew there would still be an itch - a part of me that wanted that thrill of racing my bike. Even though racing at the highest level on the road was no longer for me, I just love riding and racing my bike too much to let it go completely. Being back in Australia has allowed me to go back to the scene that I started in, and to discover some new forms of cycling that I had missed out on the first time around. After getting involved and chatting to people here, I started to understand that the Otway Odyssey, held in the Otway Ranges south of Melbourne, was an event that I could not miss. The Otway Odyssey is legendary for anyone who lives over here, and it is an amazing event. The first day is a 100km Marathon MTB race over the Otway ranges, starting and finishing in the Victorian town of Forrest. If that’s not enough then we had to back it up on the second day which was a 100 km gravel race in the same area. The Otway Ranges are spectacular and there was some absolutely beautiful riding: but holy hell it was tough! I went in unknowingly very under prepared, and I payed for it. After being in the World Tour for over a decade I was in for a big shock to go well out of my comfort zone and step away form the luxury of team busses and a high group of staff dedicated to helping me go faster. This was in fact my own "Opening Weekend" of racing: the start of my new adventure. It all came as a bit of a shock, and you can hear in the episode just how I got on (and how hard these things are!). I also got the chance to meet a whole new crew of people, and be part of a new peloton (but this time it was me who was the total amateur). In the name of the pod, I threw the mic in there and started to document just what my new life in the peloton is going to be like.. I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride! Cheers, Mitch . . . Merch LITP x ÇOIS Cycling: Find the last sizes of the Road Worlds Collection at coiscycling.com. Snapbacks have now been restocked. Shop now! LITP Cycling Caps: Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Talking Luft! Talking Luft is back for another week of cycling culture chat. This week I’ve got none other than a legend of the sport, American ex-pro & super domestique, George Hincapie I grew up watching George race – staying up late here in Australia to see the big hitters of Team US Postal light up the TV. George has always been a lover of the cobbled classics, and for this I was especially keen to get him on the podcast. In this episode I asked George a few more than the usual Talking Luft questions – I couldn’t resist asking about his love for the classics & his 2001 classics season, which was arguably a breakthrough year for him, and I hear about his win at Gent-Wevelgem and a muddy Paris-Roubaix in which he finished 4th. We then chat a bit of style on the bike - how he wears his casquette, racing with no helmet, his favourite training loop from his Girona days, a cautionary tale about waving when out of the saddle, his best and worst roommate on tour and a war story from a very cold Col du Galibier. Plus a whole lot more! I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this chat, as you’ll hear he’s a great guy. I really hope you enjoy the listen. Stay tuned next week for my first on-road diary of the season from ‘My Opening Weekend’ at the Otway Odyssey MTB & Gravel race. For now, enjoy this episode with George. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, or Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00 to 1:30min – Snippet from last week’s Life in the Peloton episode with Cardiologist Dr. Andre La Gerche 1:40 to 3:45min – Episode Introduction 3:45 to 20:30min – George Hincapie Intro & Cobbled Classics chat 23:30 to 47:50 – Talking Luft with George Hincapie 47:50 to end – Outro & preview of next episode . . . Watch the full Gent-Wevelgem 2001, where George takes the win:  https://youtu.be/cQYSOxpebtU . Watch a muddy Paris-Roubaix 2001, where George takes 4th:  https://youtu.be/cRQtz-yI59E . Watch George’s ‘Most Re-watchable Race’: a muddy Paris Roubaix 2021: Highlights below, or watch the full race on GCN  https://youtu.be/56UTneSPyr8  . . .   This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen to our short spin off series Talking Luft presented by Rapha – much like DVD Extras, every second week. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch LITP x ÇOIS Cycling: Find the last sizes of the Road Worlds Collection Tees and Snapbacks online at coiscycling.com! LITP Cycling Caps: Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.

Rapha presents Life the Peloton Are the best pro cyclists simply born that way - if so, is it Mum or Dad whose genetics have the biggest impact? What would happen to riders if Grand Tours were six weeks long? Dr Andre La Gerche is a sports cardiologist whose work with top athletes - including many pro cyclists, gives us answers to these questions.  I talked to Dr La Gerche here in Melbourne for the latest episode of the pod and got to ask the important questions about the heart and performance, as well as, for good measure, clarifying his position on choosing training or beers (never both!)  ... (Read full blurb at lifeinthepeloton.com) Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & Subscribe to this series on the Life in the Peloton website, at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher, Youtube or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Episode breakdown: 0:00min to 1:30 – Episode Intro 1:30min to 2:42 – Intro to Dr Andre La Gerche  2:42min to 51:20 – Episode with Dr. Andre La Gerche 51:20min to end – Outro and next episode preview . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen to our short spin off series Talking Luft presented by Rapha – much like DVD Extras, every second week. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch LITP x ÇOIS Cycling: Find the last sizes of the Road Worlds Collection at coiscycling.com. Snapbacks have now been restocked. Shop now! LITP Cycling Caps: Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.    

Rapha presents Talking Luft! Photo: Mason Hender Talking Luft is back for another week of cycling style & lifestyle chat and learning a little bit extra about my guest from last week. Last week on the podcast I had Peta Mullens, Australian champion in multiple bike disciplines, talking about her diverse career and following her passion through the ups and downs in the sport. It was a super inspiring chat and I loved hearing Peta's story as well as her new role at Team Roxsolt Liv SRAM. This week with Peta we dive into a bit of fun with Talking Luft – we chat cap style & kit style – where she makes a damning confession about her personal kit collection, her favourite training loop, her favourite race on the road and trail, plus some incredible stories and a war story from her favourite enduro mountain bike race, Tour of East Timor. If you loved her episode from last week you’ll love this one! Enjoy and stay tuned for my episode next week with Cardiologist Andre LeGerche, where we talk heart adaptations in athletes, heart health with exercise and much more. Cheers, Mitch Listen Listen & subscribe to this series on Life in the Peloton at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Stitcher or your favourite pod app. Show Notes Watch Peta’s ‘Most Re-watchable Race’: The 2018 Elite Women Val di Sole MTB World Cup: https://youtu.be/n1FsZQht5fc . . . This episode is brought to you by Rapha, makers of the world’s finest cycling clothing & accessories and the worlds largest cycling club, RCC. Find out more about Rapha: their kit, their club, their events and awesome clubhouses at rapha.cc. . . . Episode breakdown: 0:00 to 3:00min – Snippet from Life in the Peloton Episode 3 with Peta Mullens 3:00 to 5:00 – Episode Intro 3:00 to 33:30 – Talking Luft with Peta Mullens 33:00 to end – Outro Keep in touch Find all our episodes, LITP news and merch on our website www.lifeinthepeloton.com Listen to our short spin off series Talking Luft presented by Rapha – much like DVD Extras, every second week. Follow us on socials: Instagram: @lifeinthepeloton Twitter: @lifeinthepelo Merch LITP x ÇOIS Cycling: Find the last sizes of the Road Worlds Collection at coiscycling.com. Snapbacks have now been restocked. Shop now! LITP Cycling Caps: Jump over to our online shop to grab one. Shop LITP casual Merch anytime online at our store. From casual caps to mugs, embroidered tees, logo tees, sweaters and much more.. Theme Music The theme music for Life in the Peloton was composed by Pete Shelley, who was lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. It was commissioned by the production company behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France in the 1980s and was used as the theme music for the nightly highlights show. Pete died in December 2018. We were given permission by Pete’s widow and his manager to continue using the music for the theme tune to Life in the Peloton. To hear more about the music, listen to the Andre Greipel episode of Life in the Peloton. Subscribe  Sign up to Life in the Peloton email updates to get the latest episodes and merch news straight to your inbox.