Brent Bookwalter was one of the most likeable riders in the peloton, and a fierce competitor to boot. In 2011, his BMC team, led by Cadel Evans pipped Jensie and the Schleck's to Tour de France victory. Since retirement he's become a fixture of NBC's Tour de France coverage, and is studying for a degree in Sports Psychology.

However, he's also led the fightback after Hurricane Helene hit his new hometown in Western North Carolina last October. To help out Brent and the team in Black Mountain head to https://www.rebuildblackmountain.org/ and check out Brent's personal site here https://www.brentbookwalter.com/

The Odd Tandem is a Shocked Giraffe production and is produced and edited by Mark Payne. The music is provided by Taylor Phinney. Follow The Odd Tandem on social media by searching for @OddTandem on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky and TikTok.

The podcast is also available ad free - with additional articles by Jensie over at Patreon.com/OddTandem and in Video at Youtube.com/@OddTandem

The 2025 Road World Championships seem like an eon away at the start of the cycling season, but for Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio they represent a huge goal. For the first time in the history of road cycling the rainbow bands will be contested on the African continent; giving the four time continental champion a unique target at the end of the season.

Ashleigh is no stranger to World Championship firsts though, securing the first ever E-sports World title back in 2020.

Ashleigh may not have made the start line had things worked out differently in 2022, she had set her goals on retirement, but is now keen to highlight there's plenty of tread left on the tyres.

Alongside her successful racing career Ashleigh is also the co-owner of Rocacorba Cycling a hotel based in Girona where you can stay and ride where the pros train! For more info click on this link https://www.rocacorbacycling.cc/about-us

The Odd Tandem is a Shocked Giraffe production and is produced by Mark Payne. The music is supplied by Taylor Phinney.

Check out the video version on our YouTube channel or follow us on social media - just search for @oddtandem wherever you are to find more fans!

And remember if you want to hear the ad-free version of this podcast - it's up on our Patreon right now. Pateron.com/OddTandem

Ned Overend has one of the most impressive and diverse palmares in cycling. A MTB pioneer, he won a MTB world title, two XTERRA world titles and even added a national fat bike title at the age of 59.

He joins the podcast to discuss his incredible career in the saddle and his role working for specialised, on the cutting edge of cycling tech.

The Odd Tandem was produced by Mark Payne for Shocked Giraffe. The soundtrack was provided by Taylor Phinney.

Follow The Odd Tandem on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and Bluesky by searching for @OddTandem.

The podcast is also available in video on youtube.com/@oddtandem and ad free on our Patreon page (patreon.com/oddtandem)

In 2000, Marcel Wüst crashed at the Criterium d'Issoire as he battled for an intermediate sprint. The accident, in the middle of his preparation for that year's Vuelta España would cost Marcel the vision in one eye and ending his career.

Marcel had been one of the best sprinters in the bunch, winning 14 Grand Tour stages - including pipping Jensie to victory at the Tour de France in 2000. Now Marcel, now runs Casa Ciclista in Mallorca - where you can ride and stay with him!

His sense of humour was well known in the pack... and nothing has changed in the past 25 years.

Find out more about Marcel's cycling resort here

https://www.team-casaciclista.de/

The Odd Tandem is a Shocked Giraffe production and is produced by Mark Payne. Additional audio was provided by Taylor Phinney.

You can join our patreon page to support the podcast by heading to

patreon.com/oddtandem

You can view the video version of this podcast by heading to the Odd Tandem youtube channel

youtube.com/@oddtandem

And follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and Bluesky by searching for  @OddTandem 

Juri Hollmann entered the professional peloton in 2018 as a teenager. In this chat with Bobby and Jens he reveals the battles he's had in order to maintain his status as a World Tour rider.

Now in his second year at Alpecin he reveals what it's like to go to work for Kaden Groves and Jasper Philipsen as well as former World Champions Alejandro Valverde and Mathieu van der Poel.

This podcast is a Shocked Giraffe production. This episode was produced by Mark Payne and features original music composed and performed by Taylor Phinney.

Follow The Odd Tandem on Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram by searching @OddTandem on those platforms.

The podcast, as always is available in video on the @OddTandem Youtube channel

You can also gain access to the ad-free version of the Podcast and exclusive articles written by Jensie, by heading to the Odd Tandem Patreon page.

Ben O'Connor had a breakout year in 2024, 4th place at the Giro, a stage win and second place at the Vuelta; after 12 stages in red, before closing the year out with a world title in the team relay - and a silver medal in the men's elite road race.

He joined Bobby and Jens shortly after making the move to Team Jayco–AlUla to reflect on his stunning season and look ahead to a new start.

The Odd Tandem is a Shocked Giraffe production and is produced by Mark Payne. The soundtrack is provided by Taylor Phinney.

Please consider subscribing to our Patreon to hear an ad free version of the podcast - head to Pateron.com/oddtandem

You can follow us by searching for Oddtandem on Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to see clips from the shop and more. Or if you want a fully visualised version of the podcast it's available on The Odd Tandem Youtube channel.

Will Remco close the gap to Jonas and Tadej? Will SD Worx maintain their control of the women's peloton? What did Bobby and Jens actually do in their preseason? All these questions and more answered in our first ever season preview!

Special thanks to our Patreon members

Scott

Steven Kimbrough

Marie Teixeira

Jeff Kralik

Brian Colon

Chris Merritt

Tim Farriss

Jim

David Swartwout

Bill Babcock

Randy Corbett

Nancy Ness

Michael Terblanche

Jim Burns

Swim School Bob

Steve

Scott Nabors

Joseph

Philip Shama

Mark Payne

Steven Martin

Jeff Seckendorf

Jeff Hartley

Chris turner

David

and Olivia Beattie!

You make this podcast what it is! Thank you

Bobby and Jens sit down for their annual review of the year, hand out the gongs and get ready for 2025 by rewarding the biggest names ahead of the new season.

Special thanks to everyone who subscribed, listened and shared our podcast in 2024. In particular a big thanks to our fantastic Pateron members:

Scott

Steven Kimbrough

Marie Teixeira

Jeff Kralik

Brian Colon

Chris Merritt

Tim Farriss

Jim

David Swartwout

Bill Babcock

Randy Corbett

Nancy NesS

Michael TerblancheJim Burns

Swim School Bob

Steve

Scott Nabors

JOSEPH

PHILIP SHAMA

Mark Payne

Steven Martin

Jeff Seckendorf

Jeff Hartley

Chris turner

David

Olivia Beattie

who supported us throughout the 2024 season. If you want to sign up for add free podcasts and more - head to Patreon.com/OddTandem

Mentioned in this episode:

Sign up to our Patreon

Remember during December you can sign up for our Patreon by heading to Pateron.com/OddTandem and entering the code ODDTANDEM to get 10% off

Team Visma–Lease a Bike entered 2024 as the undisputed kings of the male peloton. Their riders had won every Grand Tour in 2023, their star rider Jonas Vingegaard looked was aiming to win his third straight Tour de France, amongst their 72 race victories.

Instead, the gods of cycling had different plans. The team suffered misfortune with star riders Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard amongst the team's riders who suffered serious, season altering crashes. That was before factoring in a resurgent Team UAE Emirates led by Tadej Pogacar - who enjoyed one of the greatest seasons ever in pro cycling.

Following the departure of team boss Merijn Zeeman the leadership of the men's team will fall largely on the shoulders of Grischa Niermann. He joins Bobby and Jens and shares his reflections on a challenging year, and why he thinks the team is set to return to the top of the World Tour standings in 2025.

The Odd Tandem is a Shocked Giraffe production and is produced by Mark Payne. The podcast theme is written and performed by Taylor Phinney.

If you enjoyed the podcast please consider subscribing wherever you're listening so you never miss an episode. You can also back us by joining our Patreon page by heading to Patreon.com/OddTandem

You can join the Odd Tandem by following us on our social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram or TikTok.

You can also catch this podcast in video - by heading to the Odd Tandem Youtube channel.

Mentioned in this episode:

Sign up to our Patreon

Remember during December you can sign up for our Patreon by heading to Pateron.com/OddTandem and entering the code ODDTANDEM to get 10% off

Ned Boulting is a British journalist, author, presenter and commentator. His voice has been heard on UK TV covering the Tour de France since 2003, his first foray into the sport. As he reveals to Bobby and Jens, the sport hooked him, and since then he's been on a mission to tell it's stories to the world.

Since 2018 he's been creating a record of those events in the form of the Road Book. A mighty tome that tells the tale of a season with every race result, articles from top cycling journalists and the pros themselves. In this episode Ned reveals the process of the road book's annual creation, shares his favourite stories from the roadside and why he became obsessed with an edition of the Tour from over 100 years ago.

You can order the 2024 edition of the road book here

https://theroadbook.co.uk/

To sign up to the Odd Tandem Patreon head to

https://www.patreon.com/c/OddTandem

and remember to send your questions for our next mailbag episode to

[email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

Sign up to our Patreon

Remember during December you can sign up for our Patreon by heading to Pateron.com/OddTandem and entering the code ODDTANDEM to get 10% off