Road Adventures of Cycling Men of Leisure

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A single late attack can win a Tour de France stage, but a wave of illness can threaten an entire campaign. After an Alpine Stage 18 packed with climbing and chaos, we break down how Richard Carapaz nailed the timing on the final climb, cracked the day wide open, and rode away to a statement win. We also talk through why the GC group looked unusually conservative, and what it means when the top contenders choose patience over panic with only a few days left.

Then the conversation shifts to the real drama brewing inside UAE Team Emirates. We unpack the stomach and flu-like issues affecting key riders, including Brandon McNulty’s difficult day and eventual abandon, plus Tim Wellens fighting just to stay inside the time limit. That becomes the perfect launching point to explain Tour de France team tactics in plain language: why domestiques matter, how leaders get protected, and what a “strong rider on paper” loses when the support network starts disappearing.

We wrap by looking ahead to Stage 19 and the legendary Alpe d’Huez: a shorter, more explosive day where attacks can fly and pacing mistakes get punished in every hairpin. We also clarify the OTL outside the time limit rule and how officials can apply discretion when the race turns brutal. Subscribe, share this with a cycling fan, and leave a review if you’re enjoying the daily breakdowns. What’s your call for Alpe d’Huez: bold long-range move or controlled GC defense?

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Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

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Stage 17 was supposed to be the sprinters’ last clean shot before the Tour de France hits the High Alps, and instead it turned into one of those days where the race refuses to behave. We talk through Jasper Philipsen’s long-awaited win, how a top-tier leadout from Mathieu van der Poel sets it up, and why the green jersey points race suddenly feels tight enough to change tactics at every intermediate sprint. If you love sprint strategy, positioning, and that frantic final-kilometer math, you’ll feel right at home here. 

Then the stage gets weird in the best way: breakaways everywhere, a peloton that keeps fragmenting, and moments where it briefly looks like the general classification could get dragged into the mess. We dig into the key storyline of Adam Yates struggling with illness and what that could mean for UAE Team Emirates when the climbing turns serious. And we relive the late ambition from Jasper Stuyven, caught only a few kilometers from the finish, which is basically the breakaway experience in one scene: hope for hours, heartbreak in seconds. 

We also slow down and make the breakaway make sense, from drafting and wind shelter to the way teams “keep the break on a leash,” plus why strong riders are not always welcome in the escape. To put it all in context, we share a few famous Tour de France breakaway examples, then pivot to a Stage 18 preview with big climbing, an uphill finish, and a blunt prediction about what needs to happen for the GC gap to stay interesting. Subscribe, share this with a Tour fan, and leave a review if the mini-series is helping you follow along. What’s your call for Stage 18: fireworks or steady control?

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Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

One brutal truth defines the Tour de France time trial: you can do everything right and still lose time. We pick apart Stage 16’s individual time trial where Remco Evenepoel rips the course at blistering speed, grabs the stage win, and claws back 28 seconds on Tadej Pogacar. It’s a big moment for Remco’s confidence and a clear reminder that against the clock, he’s one of the most dangerous riders in the world.

But the yellow jersey story stays complicated. Pogacar limits the damage and carries a commanding GC lead of 4 minutes and 32 seconds into the next day, which forces a real question: is the Tour still open, or does it take chaos to crack that margin? We talk through what that gap means tactically, how two straight wins can shift a team’s mindset, and why momentum matters even when the standings barely move.

Then the episode takes a darker turn with a reported road rage incident involving Brandon McNulty on the way to the start, plus the emotional gut punch of Florian Lipowitz crashing near the finish and abandoning the race. We keep it grounded in what’s known while also speaking plainly about cyclist safety and how moments like these can rattle a squad.

We wrap by nerding out on time trial gear and marginal gains and then look ahead to Stage 17: mostly flat, likely controlled by sprinter teams, but still full of breakaway intrigue. If you like Tour de France analysis, cycling tactics, and smart takes with a little banter, subscribe, share the show with a riding buddy, and leave us a review. What do you think decides the Tour more often, legs or luck?

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

They say “rest day,” but the Tour de France never really rests. We’re back with a mid-race reset from the 2026 Tour de France, recapping where things stand after 15 stages and why Stage 16’s individual time trial could still shake the leaderboard. Between huge mountains and unpredictable weather, the race has already delivered the kind of chaos that makes fans either fall in love with cycling or start yelling at the TV.

We dig into the biggest storylines: Pogacar’s wins and the growing talk of cycling immortality, Evenepoel’s breakthrough road stage and his best shot to gain time against the clock, and Pidcock’s high-risk breakaway style that brings points, penalties, and controversy. We also talk crashes and the weird moments that can flip a Grand Tour in seconds, plus the reality that even proven winners can hit total exhaustion in the high mountains.

Then we go where cycling always leads sooner or later: anti-doping. We unpack what it means when riders get woken up at 2 a.m. or 5 a.m. for testing, how the athlete biological passport fits into modern enforcement, and why storing samples for 10 years is both reassuring and unsettling. Along the way we debate what “fair” looks like when sleep, recovery, and performance are all tied together, and we ask whether today’s systems match what the sport needs in 2026.

If you’re following the Tour de France, love time trials, or just want smarter cycling analysis without the fluff, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a racing friend, and leave a review so more fans can find our Tour de France coverage.

Support

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

One crash can erase months of planning, and Stage 15 of the Tour de France proves it. We walk through a mountain day that feels unreal on speed alone, then gets even more intense with a major shake-up in the overall standings. Remco Evenepoel lands a huge stage victory on a brutal summit finish, and suddenly the race feels less predictable than it did 24 hours earlier.

We also wrestle with the hardest part of pro cycling to watch: Jonas Vingegaard goes down, suffers a fractured clavicle, and has to abandon. From there we unpack the tactical questions that stick in your brain as a fan. Why was his team driving the pace for kilometers? What was the plan supposed to be, and how does a single mistake on a corner change what “second place” even means going forward?

Then we pivot to two controversies that spark real debate among cycling fans. First: overnight anti-doping controls, including wake-ups at 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. We support clean racing, but we ask whether the timing is fair before the hardest stages in the sport. Second: Tom Pidcock’s penalty for illegal assistance, what the UCI rule actually says, and how a 20-second time hit and other sanctions can ripple through a rider’s goals.

We close by looking ahead to the rest day and the stage 16 individual time trial, then shift gears to RAGBRAI updates where heat, crowded roads, and emergency vehicles make one thing crystal clear: communication saves people. Subscribe for daily Tour coverage, share this with a cycling friend, and leave a review. What’s your take on the 2 a.m. testing and the stage 15 turning point?

Support

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

Rain turns a mountain stage into a pressure test, and Stage 14 of the Tour de France makes that painfully clear. We jump from a few real-life road problems of our own (including a theme song blunder we have to own) straight into a day of relentless climbing, aggressive racing, and descents that look terrifying even from the couch. 

We break down the Stage 14 route and why the raw numbers matter: 153.3 km, roughly 3,800 meters of elevation, and four categorized climbs that never let riders settle. Then we get into the story everyone’s talking about, Tadej Pogacar’s latest statement ride in yellow. We explain how UAE Team Emirates keeps control, why the attack timing is so devastating on steep gradients, and what it signals for the general classification. We also hit the key supporting results, Del Toro right there again, plus 19-year-old Paul Seixas lighting it up and taking the white jersey. 

The most intense segment is the weather. We talk wet tarmac, team radio warnings, and the split-second decision-making behind high-speed hairpins when traction is limited and mistakes multiply. After that, we look ahead to Stage 15 with a summit finish and discuss who still has a real window to take time back, even if the overall win is starting to feel out of reach. We wrap with a community check-in on RAGBRAI 53 as Iowa heats up, including hydration and safety tips and our plan to try getting updates from the road. 

If you enjoyed the breakdown, subscribe, share this with a riding buddy, and leave a quick review. What part of rainy mountain racing makes you the most nervous?

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

The longest day of the Tour de France just lit a fuse. We’re back with a fast, listener-friendly Stage 13 breakdown after a 205.8-kilometer grind along the Swiss border that turns into pure breakaway drama at the line. Mario Schmidt takes the win out of a massive move up the road, fights through cramps, and still has the calm to time a two-man sprint perfectly, right down to the final surge and the little front-wheel lift that says, “I survived.” 

Then the race pivots to the bigger story: Tom Pidcock blows up the general classification picture. We walk through how a single day rockets him from 10th to 4th overall and suddenly puts the podium fight on a knife edge heading into the mountains. We also update where things sit for the yellow jersey battle, what the time gaps really mean, and which jerseys matter as the Tour gets sharper and less forgiving. 

To keep it fun, we sprinkle in quick local finish-line flavor and some of the Tour’s best weird history: disqualifications, forged bike parts, riders gaming last place for cash, and even the legendary roadside beer stop. We close with a Stage 14 look-ahead plus a community note on an upcoming cycling meetup and how to handle brutal heat on long rides. If you like Tour de France recaps, cycling strategy, and stories that make the sport feel human, subscribe, share this with a riding buddy, and leave us a review. What was the wildest moment of Stage 13 for you?

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

A flat Tour de France stage can feel calm right up until it suddenly isn’t, and Stage 12 is a perfect example. I’m recapping the day solo while Michael’s off the grid on family vacation, so you get all the facts, a few guaranteed mispronunciations, and a clear breakdown of what actually mattered when the race hit full speed. The headline is Tim Merlier’s hat trick: his third win of the Tour, sealed in a chaotic bunch sprint shaped by crashes, nerves, and the kind of positioning battle that decides everything in the final kilometers.

But the sprint is only half the story. We walk through the late-race attempts to blow things apart, including waves of attacks that briefly split the race and forced teams to react. Then we get into the green jersey drama: the intermediate sprint, the jury review, and a points competition that’s now genuinely tight. With the top four separated by just 50 points, every intermediate and every finish from here can flip the order, especially as the route gets harder and sprint opportunities shrink.

We also zoom out for the details that make the Tour so fun to follow: the stage’s connection to an F1 circuit, a town linked to the invention of photography, and a practical explainer on the musette, the iconic feed bag riders grab at speed in the feed zone. I wrap with a quick GC check, a note on how stable the standings stay on a sprint day, and a look ahead to Stage 13 as terrain and tactics shift toward breakaways and climbing.

If you’re learning the Tour or you just want a sharp Stage 12 recap, subscribe, share this with a cycling friend, and leave a review so more fans can find the show.

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

Stage 11 of the Tour de France felt less like a “flat day” and more like a high-speed science experiment that got loose. We start in Vichy and finish in Nevers, then watch the whole race tip into history as the peloton clocks the fastest road stage the Tour has ever seen. With a strong tailwind and a relentless pace, the stage averages a staggering 31.6 mph, and suddenly every small detail matters: positioning, leadouts, timing, and which teams are willing to burn matches to control the finale. 

The story we can’t stop talking about is the winner: a rider who’s dead last the day before after a crash and a hand injury, then shows up the next morning and pulls off a shock Tour de France stage win. We break down how the breakaway animated the day, why it still got reeled in with about six kilometers left, and how the finish turned into pure “chaos in motion.” We also unpack the Jasper Philipsen ruling that flips from relegation to reinstatement, and what that says about sprint interference, safety, and how messy the last 200 meters can get. 

From there, we zoom out to the classifications and the numbers that actually shape the race: yellow jersey control, Mads Pedersen’s green jersey momentum via intermediate sprints, and the polka dot and white jersey gaps that are technically doable but brutally hard without a bad day from the leaders. We also talk GC time gaps, team points, and the reality that once you’re five to six minutes down, you’re usually betting on chaos, not form. If you love Tour de France stage breakdowns, sprint tactics, and jersey strategy, hit play, then subscribe, share the show with a riding buddy, and leave a quick review so more fans can find us.

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail

One bad corner can change a Grand Tour, and today’s Tour de France proved it. We’re Michael and Adam from Cycling Men of Leisure, checking in with a daily leisure breakaway recap, and we start with the biggest lesson from the stage: when riders are descending at 50 to 60 miles per hour, the margin for error is basically nonexistent. We talk through the crashes, what likely causes them on technical descents, and why it’s a win for the whole race that nobody appears to be forced out.

Then we get into the meat of the stage analysis. With 166.6 km (103.5 miles), about 4,450 meters (14,600 feet) of climbing, and seven categorized climbs, this is one of the toughest mountain days of the first half of the Tour. We break down how the terrain shapes breakaway chances and why Tadej Pogacar’s near-summit attacks are so devastating late in the day. He takes the stage and stretches his overall lead to 3 minutes and 36 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard, tightening his grip on the general classification and the King of the Mountains fight.

We also zoom out for some Tour de France history on Bastille Day, including France’s shockingly long drought since 1985 despite leading all nations with 36 overall Tour wins. Before we sign off, we run the jerseys and standings: Pogacar in yellow and polka dots, Mads Pedersen in green, and a notable change in the white jersey. We share a quick community meetup note and where you can watch us now across YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

If you like smart, fast Tour de France recaps with stats, context, and a little friendly banter, subscribe, share this with a cycling friend, and leave a review. What was the biggest moment of the stage for you?

Support the show

Adam and Michael’s friendship has grown through years of shared miles, challenges, and laughter on the bike. Their passion for cycling has carried them through life’s twists and turns, creating a bond full of stories, jokes, and unforgettable rides. In their podcast, they bring that same spirit to the mic—sharing adventures, trading banter, and welcoming listeners into their cycling community. Whether tackling steep climbs or cruising open roads, their conversations capture the fun, friendship, and freedom that cycling brings. Tune in for stories that celebrate the ride and the camaraderie that makes it unforgettable.

and Remember,

It's a Great Day for a Bike Ride!
https://www.facebook.com/cyclingmenofleisure
https://cyclingmenofleisure.com/
https://www.cyclingmenofleisurepodcast.com