In a follow up to a Friends Special from 2016, Richard Moore travels to Nice to meet up with American professionals Ian Boswell, Joe Dombrowski and Larry Warbasse, and also a couple of younger riders, Will Barta and Matteo Jorgenson.

Boswell, Dombrowski and Warbasse are all at different points in their careers. After a serious crash in March, Boswell didn't race again in 2019 and is starting to look beyond cycling. Dombrowski is about to change teams, from EF-Education First to UAE-Team Emirates. Warbasse can reflect on his first year in a French team, Ag2r. 

They talk commitment and balance, the folly of youth and the benefit of experience, unfulfilled ambitions and strange dreams. We also meet Barta, who has just finished his first season with CCC, and Jorgenson, who will ride for Movistar in 2020. 

EPISODE SPONSOR

This episode is supported by Laka, the community of cyclists co-operating to insure their bikes and equipment and keeping premiums down. To check out Laka go to their website at laka.co.uk

FRIENDS OF THE PODCAST 2020

We've improved our Friends of the Podcast system so it is now much easier to sign up and access the special episodes using your favourite podcasts app. We've frozen the subscription fee too – it's still £15 for the year – and we'll be releasing 15 episodes over the course of 2020. Episode one is already online, it looks at the dramatically truncated 19th stage of the Tour de France and features Egan Bernal and the voice of Radio Tour, Seb Piquet. Sign up now at thecyclingpodcast.com/subscribe

Our new book, The Grand Tour Diaries, which covers the 2018 and 2019 seasons is available now at our website, thecyclingpodcast.com