Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast

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.