Wheel Talk

This week, we go back in time to just before the Spring Classics, when Abby sat down with Amanda "Spratty" Spratt to talk about her final season racing bikes. 

Normal episodes of the podcast will resume after the Tour de Suisse, which kicks off on Wednesday, June 17th. The five-stage race will feature a few potential Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift contenders, so we will have plenty to discuss next week. Check out the Wheel Talk Newsletter on EscapeCollective.com for a full breakdown of the stages and contenders. 

The final stage of the Giro d'Italia absolutely delivered. What a day of bike racing! Heartbreak for some meant healing for others. A stage that wasn't originally billed as a race-changing day turned into the biggest fight of the week. 

Abby and Loren called up a team fitting of such a stage: Anna Shackley and Alice Barnes. Plus audio diaries from Eva van Agt (FDJ United-Suez), Amanda "Spratty" Spratt (Lidl-Trek), and an EF Education-Oatly double with Alexis Magner and Magdeleine Vallieres. 

The eighth stage of the Giro d'Italia was supposed to be the big one. The stage that would all but determine the general classification, even with one final stage remaining. Instead, the stage was cut short by about 27 km and one iconic climb. The battle that was foretold came to nothing, which means the final stage is going to be...well. It's going to be something to watch. 

For the eighth episode of our Giro Daily podcasts, Loren and Abby are joined by Julie Leth to talk about the stage and what could have been, plus what they think will happen on Sunday. 

With audio diaries from Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM), Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-Suez), and Amanda "Spratty" Spratt (Lidl-Trek). 

The seventh stage was unpredictable, with a category 3 climb that topped out with 27 km to go. Other than the one climb, it was a flatter stage, so would Elisa Balsamo harness her Lidl-Trek teammates to control the race? Could a breakaway finally sneak in for a victory? Or would some of the GC riders who have already lost time go for it on the descent? Or...all of the above?

Loren and Abby are joined by Sarah Roy to talk about the seventh stage and what's to come on Saturday.

Audio diaries today include Alison Jackson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93), Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike), and Alexis Magner (EF Education-Oatly). 

The Giro d'Italia is officially "almost over". Stage 6 is done and dusted, and even though Uno-X Mobility tried to make the race chaotic, it ended up coming down to the fastest rider(s) once again. 

Today, Anna Shackley is back with Abby and Loren to talk about stage 6 and look ahead to stage 7. Will the breakaway finally get its chance? 

Our audio diarists today include Nienke Veehoven of Visma-Lease a Bike, Caroline Andersson of Liv AlUla Jayco, and Maggie Coles-Lyster of Human Powered Health. 

The fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia was a brutal day, with over 3,000 metres of elevation gain in 146 km. The racing started when the flag dropped, with every team trying to send riders up the road. The stage ended up going to the favorites, as some minor movements were made in the general classification. 

Aidan Burgess (@burgess_and_his_bike) and Georgie are back to talk about the stage and what it means for the race, with Abby. 

Audio diaries today come from Alison Jackson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon-SRAM). 

The fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia was a 12.7 km, majority uphill, time trial, which meant it was finally time for the general classification hopefuls to dust off their watts and fight for the jersey. 

The results were something to write home about, and with five stages remaining, we've got a real battle on our hands.

Hannah Barnes, Giro stage winner, and Anna Shackley, former teammate of the entire podium, join Abby to discuss stage 4 and what's to come in stage 5 on Wednesday. 

With audio diaries from Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ United-Suez), Alexis Magner (EF Education-Oatly), and Amanda "Spratty" Spratt (Lidl-Trek). 

The third stage of the Giro d'Italia, with a category 3 climb of 2.5 km with 22 km to go, looked like one for a reduced bunch, but the general classification contenders had other ideas. The finish was still far from a surprise...depending on who you ask. 

Today, Gracie and Abby are joined by Anna Shackley, former rider for SD Worx-Protime, to talk about all the action. 

With audio diaries from breakaway legend Alison Jackson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93), Matilde Vitillo (Liv AlUla Jayco), and Maggie Coles-Lyster (Human Powered Health).

Stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia continued the drama that wrapped the first stage. The situation with Lorena Wiebes hung over the peloton, but didn't stop the rest of the sprinters from doing their thing. 

In this second Giro Daily podcast, Abby is joined by Georgie and Aidan Burgess (@burgess_and_his_bike) to break down stage 2 and the disqualification of Wiebes. 

With audio diaries from Nienke Veenhoven of Visma-Lease a Bike, Alexis Magner of EF Education-Oatly, Caroline Andersson of Liv AlUla Jayco, and Soraya Paladin of Canyon-SRAM. 

Abby, Loren, and Gracie tune in for the first stage of the Giro d'Italia, a sprint stage from Cesenatico to Ravenna. Lorena Wiebes won the stage, but it wasn't the end of the race for the Dutch champion. Drama would follow the SD Worx-Protime rider hours after she pulled on the pink jersey. 

A few riders commented on the technicality of the final circuit, and Gracie has some thoughts. 

With audio diaries from Maggie Coles-Lyster of Human Powered Health and Amanda Spratt of Lidl-Trek.