Did Not Finish

It's two pods in two weeks as the lads come roaring back into form just in time for the final grand tour of the year: the Vuelta. They discuss why everyone hates the race, Cillian has a semi (topical stat), Harry tells a crazy story about French pros taking sleeping pills, and there’s more Jens Voigt chat. Shut up DNF!

The boys are back after a long (long) break, and while there is a topical statistic – always a treat when Cillian keeps things relevant – to kick things off, this episode is more of a post-Tour post-bag special. There’s excellent correspondence on OTLs, English Scotsmen, Sad Pog, UCI rankings, downhill racing, and much more!

After a brief pod hiatus due to boozy Center Parc holidays and work trips to the tax-dodging home of pro cyclists, Andorra, the boys are back and ready to stat. Cillian has incontrovertible* proof that Ireland are the greatest cycling nation of all time, but what happens when an Irishman, a Scotsman and an Englishman talk nationalities? A huge debate that almost ends in tears. Don't miss this one...

* Not incontrovertible, at all.

We don’t do Tour previews here on DNF, but we do still talk a little bit about the very big bike race that’s about to happen in France as Cillian brings a Grand Tour champion-related stat. Our resident statto is hard at work prepping for his debut as the official numbers man for his corporate overlords this July, while Harry is very nervous that he’ll make a complete bollocks of a stat and get in trouble. The Tour is almost here!

This episode starts with Cillian telling a true shaggy dog story before presenting our stat of the week: a neat little number about Geraint Thomas at the Tour de France. The boys discuss the Welshman’s incredible longevity and versatility, Cillian challenges Harry and Stu to a quiz, and there is the usual excellent correspondence from our brilliant listeners.

It’s a big, somewhat wobbly step away from the usual format this week on DNF as Cillian decides to bring ALL of his Dauphine stats to the table in one go. We discover how long it’s been since a French rider won a World Tour stage race (answer: a very long time) and who the youngest rider ever to finish the Dauphine was – and he also finished in the top ten!  And if those facts sound underwhelming, don’t worry, our mailbag is bulgier than ever, and the correspondence has been truly top notch, thanks all! 

Pog. Ving. Remco.

Cycling's 'Holy Moly' trinity are racing together this week at the Dauphiné - a real rarity as Cillian's stat reveals. We discuss whether they should compete against each other more or not, which one of them is our favourite, why Ving doesn't do the monument classics, does anyone care about 'One Cycling' or not, and much more. There's also a bulging mailsack of listener emails, and, of course, we refer back to Jasper Philipsen Toiletgate...

As we settle in for a rip-roaring final week at the Giro, Cillian uses the magic of stats to ask the question: "What makes a great grand tour?"

Harry tells some disappointing (for him, at least) stories about spending a few days with Jasper Philipsen last week, the group debate the merits of time trials (boring!) before pondering whether the first two weeks of the Giro has been absolutely fascinating or rather dull.

Oh, and did Cillian mention that he's done the Etape before? All that, and much more from your home of unprofessional cycling: DNF.

It’s lucky no. 13 for DNF as the boys discuss why Italy hasn’t had a good GC rider since Vincenzo Nibali in the latest episode. 

Harry tells us about the Shark’s enviable Lego collection while Cillian reveals a life in gambling before the trio debate the merits of gravel stages in grand tours (the argument is one-sided–we love them).

After a week off, the DNF trio are back and firing to preview the Giro (sort of). In this episode, we discuss why Giro winners never return to defend their title, Cillian is dethroned as the king of the funky penis, Harry has continued problems with bonking, and Stuart recalls being on the mountain when Tom Dumoulin almost sh*t his bibs.