Velo Podcast

This year has posed unique challenges for everyone in pro racing, and TV commentators have not been immune. In this episode of Put Your Socks On, retired pro Matt Keenan talks about his preparation process for calling the Tour de France. In short, a lot of homework is involved.

This year, instead of commentating for ASO in France at the Tour, Keenan is calling the daily action for SBS from his native Australia.

"Commentating remotely, you lose a couple key things about the feel for it," Keenan says, adding that he misses being able to drive the end of each day's course and being able to talk with journalists of other nationalities to get the latest news and gossip.

"I like to be able to inform people when I'm commentating about stuff that they can't find from Dr. Google," Keenan says. "The upside of commentating from home is I get to see my family each day. Normally I spend maybe five months or so in a hotel bed. So that's been one of the positives."

This year Keenan has also been training during the Tour, thanks to the legend Graeme Brown coaching him.

"Graeme said, 'you're going to be at home, why don't let me coach you through the Tour and see if I can get you fitter at the end than what you are at the start?'" Keenan says.

And Keenan breaks down his method of preparation on each of the riders at the Tour.

"I have two start lists," he says. "I have a start list with a really brief set of stats on every single rider: their age, where they're from, their height, their weight, couple of key results, how many times they've ridden the Tour. So if they appear in the breakaway, I've got a really quick reference point on them. And then I've got another I list, an extensive database [with all the notes on their background]."

"Then each day during the Tour, I spend about an hour and a half or so going through the book that tells us the details about the churches and all that sort of stuff. And you've got no idea how much feedback we get on that. We get more feedback on that than we do on the race."

Tune into Put Your Socks On to listen to one of the key voices of the Tour de France.

The peloton rumbled up the Col de la Loze on Wednesday, and the soaring mountain did not disappoint. On today's episode, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down all of the action from the big day in the Alps.

What were Primož Roglič and Sepp Kuss up to in the final 3km of the race? Jens breaks down the action.

Then, we hear from American Sepp Kuss about his Tour de France debut and the role he's been playing for Roglič throughout the Tour.

Finally, James Startt and Andrew Hood file their dispatch from the Col de la Loze. James was on a race motorcycle for the soaring climb, and he takes us inside the race.

All that and more on today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast!

Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

The 2020 Tour de France took a disastrous turn for Egan Bernal and Team Ineos Grenadiers on Sunday, as the team's hopes for the GC crashed and burned on the Grand Colombier.

On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down Ineos' setback, and try and trace the roots of the bad day. Why was Bernal not ready for the hard day in the Jura, and how come the seven-time Tour de France-winning team faltered?

Then, Jens offers his insight on Team Sunweb, which as emerged as the most entertaining team in the 2020 Tour de France. What's it like to be part of a team that dramatically changes focus from one season to the next? As it turns out, shifting focus requires lots of work on and off of the bike in order to be successful.

Then, we hear from fan favorite Toms Skujins on what it's like to race the 2020 Tour de France, and what it's like to race past empty roadsides in the mountains.

Andrew Hood and James Startt file their dispatch from the Grand Colombier, and analyze the new shape of the GC battle. Could Tadej Pogačar overhaul Primož Roglič to win the Tour de France? It's become the biggest question of the race in week three.

All that and more on today's episode!

Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Rapha's founder and CEO Simon Mottram has seen riding clothing change drastically over the last decade. Having worked closely with Team Sky (now Ineos-Grenadiers) and its 'marginal gains' mantra, Mottram learned exactly what it takes to make clothing for the fastest races in the world.

What about clothing for the rest of us? Is it the same as the pros' clothing? Listen to this episode of the tech podcast to find out.

The Tour de France rumbled up the ascent of Puy Mary this week, and the brutal climb had a major impact on the GC. Egan Bernal was dropped, Tadej Pogačar vaulted into second place, and Primož Roglič looked untouchable.

On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Jens Voigt breaks down all of the action, and offers his critique of Team Ineos Grenadiers' bizarre tactics during the stage.

Then, Jens offers his take on Peter Sagan's relegation after his controversial sprint on stage 11 into Poitiers. Was the UCI race jury right to punish Sagan for his sprint? Jens thinks so.

Then, American rider Ben King joins the podcast to talk about the challenges to preparation and training caused by the 2020 racing shutdown, and how it may be impacting riders at the Tour de France. Will some riders lose their legs in week three at the Tour? Ben thinks so.

The, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from the finish at Puy Mary, and take us inside this very challenging stage of the Tour.

Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to https://www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

Most VeloNews readers know the story of Greg LeMond well. But what was it like growing up in that world? This week, Bobby and Gus sit down with Geoffrey LeMond, son of Greg and the kid made famous for his appearance alongside his father on the top step of the Tour de France podium in 1989.

Now 35, Geoffrey reflects on the racing, the characters, and the innovation that went on during his father's career, such as Giro aero helmets and Scott aero bars. Geoffrey talks about how his love of inventing has led him back to the cycling world with the development of new carbon technology, as well as the upcoming relaunch of the fabled LeMond bicycle brand.

The 2020 Tour de France rolls on, and Jens Voigt joins the podcast again to break down all of the action from the Pyrenees and Tuesday's sprint stage.

Sam Bennett's sprint win on stage 10 carried extra significance because he out-kicked his old teammate, Peter Sagan. Jens discusses Bennett's career path and the decision of Bora-Hansgrohe to choose Sagan over Bennett for years. Why is Peter Sagan winless in the Tour thus far? Jens analyzes Sagan's form, as well as the strategic decisions made by Bora-Hansgrohe.

Then, Jens lends his opinion on Jumbo-Visma's aggressive strategy through the first half of the Tour. Has the Dutch team spent too much energy in its attempt to win? And why didn't Primož Roglič attack on the Col de Peyresourde after he dropped Egan Bernal?

American rider Tejay van Garderen joins the podcast today with a wide-ranging audio diary about the 2020 Tour de France. What elements of this strange edition feel completely different from the norm, and what elements are the same? What are riders talking about inside the peloton? Tejay gives us his take.

Then, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from Île de Ré, and discuss the Tour de France's COVID-19 testing and the stir it caused inside the peloton.

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The battle for the Tour de France's yellow jersey heated up over the weekend, as the peloton tackled two punishing stages in the Pyrenees. On today's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, we break down all of the action between contenders like Egan Bernal, Primož Roglič, and Tadej Pogačar.

Then, we hear from American Neilson Powless, who has attacked into two day-long breakaways already in this Tour. Why is Neilson on the attack, and what has he learned from these breakaways?

Then, Andrew Hood and James Startt file a dispatch from the Tour de France, where the peloton is anticipating a big moment for the 2020 race. On Monday, the race will test more than 600 riders and staff for COVID-19, and determine who stays in the race and who is sent home.

Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling.

It was a soapy start to the 2020 Tour de France, and the tech headlines have all focused on the tiny patch where the rubber meets the road.

What makes a good tire? Why are riders experimenting with options beyond tubulars? Find out on today's episode.

Team Ineos Grenadiers detonated the peloton during Friday's 7th stage of the Tour de France, and a handful of contenders were caught out. Wout van Aert won the stage in another stunning example of why he's the most exciting men's rider of the year.

On today's episode of the podcast, Fred Dreier and Jens Voigt break down the action from the last few stages of the Tour de France, and analyze the biggest storylines in the race.

Van Aert has now won two stages of the Tour de France, and he's shown that he can climb, descend, and win one day races. What does the future hold for van Aert? Jens offers his unvarnished opinion on how van Aert should steer his career — and cyclocross is not a part of the picture.

Jens also has some opinions on the UCI's ruling to penalize Julian Alaphilippe for taking an illegal feed on stage 5.

Then, the guys break down the coming stages in the Pyrenees and discuss why the Pyrenean climbs present a challenge that is wholly different from climbs in the Alps.

Then, our special guest Brent Bookwalter joins the show for some insight into the opening week of the Tour de France. Why is the Tour's opening week so stressful, and what's it like to be inside the pressure cooker of the race? Brent explains the dynamics that build pressure around riders, and remembers scenes from his four Tour de France starts. Brent also offers his take on teammate Adam Yates, and just how long Yates can hold the Tour's yellow jersey.

Finally, Andrew Hood and James Startt chime in from Millau, France, and take us inside their adventures in covering the 2020 Tour de France. James was on the photo motorcycle this week and received an up-close view of the race.

Today's episode is sponsored by a new training supplement called MitoQ. MitoQ is a unique form of the antioxidant CoQ10 that is designed to get inside our cell's mitochondria to help create energy and neutralize free radicals. For more information go to www.mitoq.com/powerupcycling