Matt Stephens chats to Boru McCullagh about his incredible bikepacking trip around the globe. When he started out, Boru had a fixed route and planned to ride as quickly as possible, but he soon realised that was not the way he needed to do things. In this podcast he explains to Matt how his outlook on bike riding changed when he realised the bike was the means of experiencing the world, and not solely the experience itself. A fascinating chat with a unique young athlete that has some sage advice for all of us. 

To donate to Boru’s fundraising page for MIND mental health charity, visit this link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mindmapping

This podcast deals with themes of depression and suicide. If you are struggling with your own mental health, consider contacting your local health services or General Practitioner. Or visit https://www.samaritans.org/ for more information.

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Matt Stephens chats to UAE Team Emirates XRG’s Head of Performance Jeroen Swart about his role on the team, and how he helped transform them into one of the most successful sports teams in the world. With fascinating insights into the importance of applying scientific knowledge in a way that fosters team spirit and personalised approaches to coaching for each individual rider, it's clear to see what Jeroen is so highly regarded in academia and sports science. He discusses the impact of having a star like Tadej Pogacar on the team, the latest research into raceday fueling, and tells Matt how to win the Tour de France.

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Matt Stephens talks gravel racing with former British Gravel Champion Danni Shrosbree. The accomplished former road racer turned to gravel during lockdown and never looked back. Within a couple of years she had become one of the best gravel racers in the world, winning Badlands in the pairs category with her partner Bradley Shenton, finishing 4th at Unbound and inspiring a generation of young riders with her YouTube and Social Media content. In this podcast she explains her plan to race The Life Time Grand Prix, and has some great advice for anyone wishing to try gravel cycling for the first time.

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Matt Stephens chats all-things cyclocross with Dutch superstar Lars van der Haar. The Baloise–Trek Lions rider is a former U23 World Champion, won the European Championships twice, and shared the elite podium with the likes of Pidcock, Van Aert and Van Der Poel. So there’s no better expert to comment on how the sport is changing in terms of both the riders and their bikes. In this fascinating chat, Lars and Matt have a deep dive on the continued evolution of ‘cross, surprising off-season training methods, and a local hero award he recently received that’s guaranteed to raise an eyebrow!

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Matt Stephens chats to Toms Skujiņš about his hugely impressive results in recent seasons, with the Lidl-Trek rider coming second at last year’s Strade Bianche, and finishing 4th in the road race at the UCI World Championships in Zurich. The former Latvian national champ is suited to long and hard days in the saddle, and has high hopes for the 2025 season where he’ll certainly be one to watch. Once the official potato ambassador of Latvia, there’s no wonder he takes every opportunity to extol the virtues of the humble spud.

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Matt Stephens chats to Alex Yee about his illustrious triathlon career, where he became only the second man to win both Olympic gold and the World championship in the same year for the standard distance triathlon. Now his sights are set on running a marathon in 2025, Matt is keen to learn how training is going, and what time he’d be happy to finish with. For a man with a mural of his face in his hometown, you’d expect him to get full marks in the Lewisham quiz… right?

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Matt Stephens welcomes the first Dame he's ever had on the podcast in a wonderfully uplifting conversation with Laura Kenny. As Britain's most decorated female Olympian, Laura needs no introduction. But how she has embraced life since hanging up her wheels is something we could all learn from. Enjoying the freedom to use her own voice and to truly be herself, Laura is grasping as many opportunities as possible to try something new… and even suggests taking Matt's job when he retires.

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Matt Stephens chats to Bas Tietema about his incredible journey from promising young pro cyclist with a podium at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs, to falling out of love with racing, only to fall back in love with cycling as a fan. While following the tour de france from his tent at the roadside, Bas made some amazing YouTube content with friends and got the motivation to start racing again This inspired him to start his own racing team which became Unibet Tietema Rockets, racing at Pro Tour level. Bas’ story is unique and inspirational, and it feels like this young entrepreneur is just starting his journey. But can the Rockets make it all the way to the Tour de France?

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Matt Stephens chats to Robbie McEwen about his highlights of the 2024 season, and whether Tadej Pogacar can be beaten in 2025. The Australian fast man sprinted to his fair share of victories over his illustrious career; none more memorable than his first grand tour stage win in 1999, which came at the Champs Elysees - a story he retells with humorous detail. On the topic of rider safety raised by Christian Prudhomme recently, McEwen’s not shy of expressing his controversial opinions, and offers sage advice that some riders won’t want to hear.

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Matt Stephens chats to DSM-Firmenich PostNL rider Oscar Onley about his sharp rise to the top step of the World Tour podium. The young Scottish rider had a setback at the 2023 Vuelta Espana, but could focus solely on his recovery thanks to the faith his team showed in him by offering him a long contract. He has since gone on to race a fantastic season in 2024, including a stage win at the Tour Down Under, and helping teammate Roman Bardet to win stage one of the Tour de France. In the Kelso quiz, Matt awards a Rugby-related bonus point - but you’ll have to listen to find out why!

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