One of the all-time great climbers, Pippa York, who rode during the 80s and 90s as Robert Millar, was an inspiration to many a British rider. As a quiet Scot who shied from the limelight, she developed a fearsome reputation in the biggest races, winning three mountainous Tour de France stages and the King of the Mountains jersey in 1984.

In this episode, Pippa joins Bradley and Graham to discuss the mind games of climbing and her indelible link to today’s feature climb, the Col du Tourmalet. One of the most fearsome climbs in the infamous quartet known as cycling’s “Circle of Death,” two of Pippa’s stage wins at the Tour featured the Tourmalet. Here she discusses both, including one in 1989 where she gained revenge against Pedro Delgado, the rider who had taken advantage of a shocking set of circumstances to “steal” the Vuelta d’España title from her four years earlier.

Plus, Pippa and Bradley reflect, with huge emotion and affection, on their time together as coach and protégé, when a teenage Brad used to phone Pippa on her landline and cling to every morsel of information he could from one of his great inspirations.

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Café Aficionado is sponsored by CAMS, the UKs leading accident management company helping thousands of cyclists get back on the road.

Credits

Presented by⁠ Sir Bradley Wiggins⁠ and Graham Willgoss

Guest: Pippa York

Researcher: Luca Unwin

Production Manager: Ross Aitken

Social Video Producer: Rosie Mansfield

YouTube Editor: Theo Stocklin

Produced and Edited by: Toby Gilles

Executive Producers: Faye Stewart, Ashley Unwin & Dominic de Terville

Recorded at: Outset Studio London Bridge

Sir Bradley Wiggins' Café Aficionado is an Atomized Studios production.

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