Join Lionel Birnie, Hannah Troop and Ian Boswell for an episode of Explore, looking at the world of adventure riding and bikepacking.

It's the first of who-knows-how-many lockdown editions of Explore and although we can't travel the world on two wheels at the moment, the series will continue with stories celebrating the freedom, friendship and spirit of adventure cycling can provide.

00:00 Introduction

04:00 Le Tour de Flat

Meet Jacob Hill-Gowing who decided, on something of a whim, to ride the distance of the Tour de France on his exercise bike in his flat to raise money for the vendors of the Big Issue who currently cannot sell the magazine because of the coronavirus crisis. It was only after he'd committed to the challenge that it occured to him to check how long the Tour de France route is...

If you want to follow Jacob's progress he is on Twitter and Instagram. And if you want to chip in as he seeks to raise £5,000, this is his Just Giving page.

Many of our listeners will know Ian as the former Team Sky and Katusha pro rider who retired at the end of last season and was looking ahead to a very different cycling challenge. The coronavirus has changed his plans but he too has plenty of stories to tell. This segment, recorded before the restrictions on our movement began, about fat-biking in the snow, is a warming story of friendship and freedom.

Our main feature this month is on the legendary Three Peaks cyclo-cross race, held every September in Yorkshire. It's part cyclo-cross, part-fell-running event. We hear from three-time winner Nick Craig, a veteran of 21 editions Simon Scarsbrook, and EF Procycling rider Lachlan Morton, who took on the event for the first time last year.

If you want to watch the films mentioned in this section, Benedict Campbell's excellent For the Love of Mud is here; and the story of Lachlan Morton's ride was the subject of one of the EF & Rapha Gone Racing films.

The Cycling Podcast, brought to you by iwoca and supported by Science in Sport

iwoca is title sponsor to The Cycling Podcast. 

Over the past seven years iwoca has grown from a small start-up to one of the fastest-growing business lenders in Europe. Now they’re a team of more than 300 in London and Frankfurt working towards the goal of funding one million small businesses, including cafes, spin studios and bike shops. They can lend between £1,000 and £250,000 and make it quick and easy to get a decision. If you are interested in finding out more about what iwoca can do for small businesses go to: iwoca: Fast, fair and flexible business funding

The Cycling Podcast is supported by Science in Sport. For a 25% discount on all your Science in Sport sports nutrition products use the code SISCP25 on www.scienceinsport.com