Velo Podcast

Cervelo debuts new aero and climbing bikes at the Tour de France that couldn't be more different, yet also match in one very important way, and we've also spotted the Visma–Lease a Bike squad rolling on prototype Reserve wheels laced with carbon fiber spokes.

Tadej and the rest of the UAE team won't feel left out, though, as they're using the just-released ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels. But what about that kinda-hook bead rim? Alvin Holbrook and Mike Levy delve into the details as they discuss tire retention and UCI-mandated width regulations that likely played a role in the new rim design.

They also agree to disagree on Mathieu van der Poel's newest sponsor signing with a private jet company that has many fans up in arms, and Levy talks about his first bikepack race adventure at the BC Epic 1000 that included all the heat, not enough calories, and plenty of time spent laying on the ground.

Further reading:

Review: The New Cervélo S5 Is Lighter, Faster, and Buys in on 1x

Spotted: We Have the Details on Visma-Lease a Bike’s New Giro Aero Helmet

Video: Top Bikes and New Paint Jobs at the Tour de France

Spotted: Not One, but Two New Cervélos at the Tour de France

$8K vs $18K: The Tour de France’s Least and Most Expensive Bikes Compared

What Every Tour de France Team Brings to the Race: Breaking Down a $1 Million Equipment Haul

Enve SES 4.5 Pro Delivers a Double Take at 1295 Grams With a Hooked Bead

Van der Poel Hits Back after Fans Blast Private Jet Partnership: ‘Not about Luxury, about Performance’

Tricky roads and strong winds have made it a hectic start to Le Grande Boucle, and the conditions have already seen two big names abandon the race due to injury, while two GC contenders have lost over half a minute to the favorites.

Legendary Tour de France reporter Pete Cossins unpacks the sprints, the breaks, the crashes, and especially the wins that make up the first three stages, and he also answers all of Mike Levy's questions about Tour etiquette and racer politics. 

The 2025 Tour de France is right around the corner, the largest race in cycling all year. Mike Levy, Andrew Hood, and Jim Cotton get together on the Velo Podcast to break down the key stages of the 112th Tour de France – including one with over 18,000 feet (5500 m) of climbing. They dig into the history of the stages relevant to this year, the key contenders and teams to know, and a whole lot more.

In addition to this Tour de France preview, stay tuned for a daily Tour de France stage recap podcast to come on the Velo Podcast feed, as well as our coverage of the latest and greatest around the Tour.

Shimano's *mostly* new GRX Di2 12-speed group is the Japanese giant's

Senior tech editor Alvin Holbrook has unboxed, installed, and ridden GRX Di2, and this week's episode sees the crew dive into his early impressions on shift speed, gear range, and how it compares to SRAM's wireless offerings.

BMC had also just released a new, lighter and even more climbing-focused Teammachine SLR ahead of the Tour de France, while Orbea launched the revamped Terra Race gravel bike. We've ridden both bikes and Josh, Alvin, and Levy break down how they perform and who they best suit.

For your consideration:

TRP's new Vistar drivetrain combines a 12-speed cassette with a

Josh has also been riding the new SRAM Force and Rival drivetrains that aim to bring the performance of Red down to a lower price point; he describes the differences between each group and tells Levy why Force is the answer. 
Cervelo also just released their Aspero-5 gravel race bike that trades tire

Alvin has been testing the fresh Aspero and explains why this new "gravel bike" might be the ideal all-road machine for many riders.

Lastly, the crew debates the UCI's strange new tech mandates that limit handlebar width, fork leg geometry, rim height, and aero helmets, all of which are intended to slow racers down and increase safety. But are yet more rules really the answer, and how do the UCI's decisions affect what consumers can purchase? 

For your consideration:

New Zealander Cam Jones talks to Mike Levy about escaping early with an eager partner, how they built an 8-minute gap on the field, and the importance of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They also get into the time Cam lived in a U-Haul truck while racing in America, his lifelong love of good adventures, and how he plans to tackle the Leadville Trail 100.

For your consideration:

Unbound gave us some incredible racing and smashed previous course records, but it wasn't without controversy. With higher speeds, larger fields, and more competition than ever before, the Unbound pit zones were hectic and dangerous, especially with pros and amateurs alike taking a free-for-all approach. Should Unbound add more rules to keep racers safe, or should they move to a fully unsupported format without pit zones?

Alvin, Josh, and Levy also dig into all the new prototypes, including the unreleased Cervelo, something that sure looks like a new Specialized Diverge, and Factor's wild-looking aero machine that takes its DNA from their track bike. Alvin has also been riding DT Swiss' new F132 ONE gravel suspension fork and it sounds like he's a believer. 

Fresh off his record-breaking win at the 350-mile Unbound Gravel XL race, Rob Britton chats with Levy about his strategy, how he fuels for an ultra, and why an aero bar and suspension fork make so much sense. They also get into stopping for pee breaks, those low moments before being reborn with the sunrise, and how he mentally recovers from such a massive effort.

Unbound has become the epicenter for not just the latest gravel bike tech but also some of the most interesting equipment choices of the year.

Alvin Holbrook spent the week in Emporia, Kansas, tracking the race and also tracking down prototype bikes from Orbea, Pinarello, and Specialized. He also found Lachlan Morton's Cannondale Topstone with its water-carrying Tailfin rack and custom front bag, some unreleased rubber from Pirelli, and what most of us would consider a reverse tire set-up that ended up winning the race. 

Today's show takes a deep dive into two new bikes at opposite ends of all the spectrums: State's no-fuss 4130 All-Road sells for under $1,000 USD, and Cannondale's Topstone Lefty Gravel bike that employs a single-sided suspension fork and 30mm of rear-wheel-travel via a clever system combining built-in frame flex with a single pivot.

Alvin, Josh, and Levy also dissect Zwift's new outdoor ride-tracking feature that may (or may not) eventually challenge Strava as many people's go-to app, and Alvin reports back on how using shorter cranks for the last five months has propelled him to new heights and watts... or maybe not?