This episode was going to be an audio with commentary for my Substack.  But, as often happens when I speak with Joe Lindsey from the Escape Collective, the conversation becomes so interesting that I just couldn’t see NOT sharing it on all my platforms.

Another reason I wanted to share this with everyone is that Joe, is an expert on competitive bike racing, which I am not, and since the 2025 continental and world races are pretty much over, I figured it was time to review them.

We begin with a short discussion about this year’s World’s, which for the first time was held on the African continent.  Political for sure; but all seemed to go well.

Not so with the Vuelta A Espana as Joe and I move into a conversation about the Israel-Premier Tech team and how politics and protest, which have always been a part of bike racing, has now reached a level that is truly dangerous to the riders, the sponsors, and the sport itself.

Since Joe and I spoke, much has happened, both in the Middle East and with the team itself.  Premier-Tech pulled their sponsorship, saying that “the core reason to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable.”

Sad to say the least, but I think you will hear some good reasoning in my conversation with Joe.

As we cover some of the women’s racing from this past season, we get into the topic of fueling and weight.  Ugh!

Weight is an especially tough topic for women – just look at the endless ads for weight loss and what defines beauty in all forms of advertising.

But there has been a seismic shift in thinking about fueling for bike racers and with that a shift away from just focusing on weight to the importance of nutrition.

Joe also talks about course design as it relates to the physique of a rider.  Certain courses do favor a light, sprite rider while others offer advantages to a different body type. 

And then there is course design as it relates to the safety of the riders.

We get into the weeds a bit with the UCI vs SRAM dispute about gearing as the discussion runs headlong into where the UCI should focus its work and what might happen if everyone rode the same bike – much like stock car racing. So you see, it’s a solid discussion and I hope you enjoy it.