Spin Cycle

This week's Spin Cycle podcast opens with the news that Rabobank is returning as a sponsor for Visma-Lease a Bike, like a salmon returning a once-polluted river. Rabobank's history in the sport is long and somewhat sordid, and their departure due to doping scandals felt final. Well, now they're back. What does that mean? 

Then Caley, Jonny, and Dane preview the upcoming Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne races, analyzing route changes, potential contenders like Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock, and the "Omloop curse." We touch on UAE's classics team and possible favorites for the races. Finally, we head into corrections corner. 

It's a massive Spin Cycle show this week because we have something special: our 2025 Men's Pro Cycling Draft! Your favorite Spin Cycle podders, plus one member standing in for all the rest of you, pick their teams for the coming season. 

The first part of the show is your standard fare - discussion of the two best GC riders in the world and how they fared at their respective early-season stage races, plus an unfortunate trip to Crash Courtyard, where Chris Froome is waiting. 

Today on Spin Cycle: Caley, Jonny, and Dane dive into the Algarve Poop Show, alternative race endings, and the curious case of Mou. Then, we head back to Ratcliffe Row with the help of a very handy compass.

The Spanish Strade Bianche, Clásica Jaén, needs a premium Sunday time slot. The race has only been around since 2022 but is already one of our favourites, and a rider favourite too. 

This week on the show, Caley, Kit, and Jonny discuss how to create new races properly, how not to set up a sprint (maybe no speed bumps), and Geraint Thomas' unsurprising announcement that this will be his last season. Plus, Alejandro Valverde's refusal to stop racing. And lots more, of course. 

This week, Caley, Dane, and Jonny discuss Netflix Unchained's cancellation, the troubles of Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS sports empire, and sprinters going head-to-head in the Middle East. 

Ok, ok, Pogačar is probably not going to Paris-Roubaix. But what if he is? WHAT IF?! Wouldn't it be glorious? 

This week's Spin Cycle tackles this cobbled hypothetical, discusses the use of time trial helmets in road race, and has a look at how the sprinters are doing so far this season. Plus lots more, of course. 

In this week's episode of Spin Cycle, Jonny Long breaks down his plan for the future of pro road cycling. National teams, a Classics Cup, a draft, and more. It's big, it's bold, it's almost certainly impossible, but it's a lot of fun to talk about.

Plus, Thibau Nys and Mathieu van der Poel are going skiing, teams have to go to more races, and Tom Pidcock is a bit cheap. 

On this week's Spin Cycle: Carbon monoxide inhalation has been banned, a beef with another podcast (these two are related), cyclocross worlds happened, and Lenny Martinez may have made a mistake. Plus lots more besides. 

We just want to watch cycling on TV for a reasonable price. Is that too much to ask? 

Caley, Jonny, and Dane kick off the show with a discussion of the new unfortunate and expensive reality for anybody trying to watch bike racing in the UK. How exactly do these rights work and what do major players like ASO think about it all? Should we start doing VPN affiliate links? 

Then, back to Pidcock Paddock, which is already filling with new silverware. Plus, Ritchey lost its rainbows and Rigoberto Uran still can't play ball sports. 

Is the pro cycling calendar an all-you-can-eat buffet? Jonny Long thinks so. Caley Fretz just wants to go to a normal restaurant, and will certainly avoid the bucket of shrimps. 

This week's episode kicks off with an update on the various new and interesting ways Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have managed to trip over themselves. Then, Kit Nicholson provides the penultimate sincere cyclocross update of the year. Plus, Caley and Jonny have apologies to issue and there's Tour Down Under to discuss.