Wheel Talk

In this special episode of the Wheel Talk podcast, Abby sat down with 2024 and 2025 Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini to talk about how she won the Giro with UAE Team ADQ. Elisa dives deep into her move from Lidl-Trek to UAE Team ADQ, how she prepared for the 2025 Giro, and how she won the race. 

The 2026 Giro d'Italia starts on Saturday, and Wheel Talk will be bringing you daily podcasts all race long. Tune in for rider diaries and analysis from all your favorite voices. 

For the written story about Elisa's Giro victory, check out EscapeCollective.com. 

And here's a stage-by-stage breakdown of the race. 

Thanks for listening!

Abby, Georgie, Gracie, and Loren break down all four stages of the Vuelta a Burgos. From the first two days for the sprinter(s), the second explosive stage that continued a fantastic run of form for a podcast favourite, and the final GC stage that allowed a new GC contender to emerge. 

Next, Abby spoke with Elisa Balsamo about sprinting against Lorena Wiebes, Lidl-Trek, and her wedding dress (written story coming to Escape Collective later this week).

And finally, the team looks ahead to the Giro d'Italia, set to start Saturday, May 30th. 

Read Matt's story about Yara Kastelijn's victory here. 

Stay tuned for a special podcast on Friday, where Elisa Longo Borghini details her Giro d'Italia victory with Abby. 

Love what we do? Sign up for Escape Collective at escapecollective.com/wheeltalk

This week, Abby, Georgie, and Loren are joined by special guest Matt de Neef of Escape Collective to talk about Itzulia Women - the latest WorldTour stage race in Spain, and Abby spoke with Lauren Dickson of FDJ United-Suez about the breakthrough results that landed her on the top team in women's cycling. 

The three stages and overall were swept by two riders, but neither was a member of the strongest team in the race. Mischa Bredewold was back for the third year, with a vengeance, while Dominika Włodarczyk surprised with a standout performance. Meanwhile, FDJ United-Suez was doing...something else. 

Earlier this year, Abby spoke with Lauren Dickson, who had a standout ride at Itzulia, about her rapid rise through the ranks and riding with some of the top women in the sport. You can read Matt's written story based on the interview here. 

Love women's cycling? Sign up for Escape Collective at escapecollective.com/wheeltalk to support this podcast, and thank you for listening!

This week, Abby, Gracie, and Georgie are joined by a very special guest to analyze La Vuelta Femenina: UAE Team ADQ's Brodie Chapman. They discussed the "comeback" of SD Worx-Protime and especially Lotte Kopecky and Anna van der Breggen, the famous L'Angliru, and the young riders who animated this year's Vuelta.  


With "before the coverage" audio diaries from Alexis Magner and Babette van der Wolf of EF Education-Oatly and Riejanne Markus of Lidl-Trek. 

Love women's cycling? Become a member of Escape Collective by signing up at EscapeCollective.com/wheeltalk

This week, Abby talked to Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney about her Spring campaign, how she really feels about coming second, what was different coming into the season, and La Vuelta Femenina.

Gracie, Georgie, and Loren joined Abby to talk about the Vuelta stages, what to look out for, and who they're watching for the GC in the final two stages.

The written piece on Kasia can be found here.

Abby also referenced Matt's story about the Vuelta, which can be found here.

For more on the Vuelta this week, read Abby's stage-by-stage breakdown of the route and overview of the possible contenders.

Love what we do? Sign up for Escape Collective by using this link: escapecollective.com/wheeltalk

Loren, Gracie, and Georgie joined Abby this week to wrap up the Classics with a discussion of La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. They talked about FDJ United-Suez's continued dominance and how Demi Vollering has transformed while with the team. They also discussed the live coverage situation and the upcoming Vuelta España.

Georgie and Gracie joined Abby this week to talk about De Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race. They discussed the continued power of FDJ United-Suez with Célia Gery, another top rider to add to their list of wins this year, how SD Worx-Protime is still struggling to execute, and what to expect from the final two races of the spring.

Abby also sat down with Femke de Vries to talk about her time at Visma-Lease a Bike and the interesting way she found herself on one of the best teams in the world. You can find the written story here.

In this special episode of the Wheel Talk podcast, Abby and Loren are on the ground at Paris-Roubaix Femmes. They chat with Alice Jackson from Rouleur about the shortened live coverage this year, catch up with Marianne Vos before the start, and try to break down how the race played out while recording beside the velodrome.

With audio diaries from Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) herself as well as Martina Martins (Canyon-SRAM-zondacrypto), Alexis Ryan (EF Education-Oatly), Lauretta Hanson (Lidl-Trek), and Jeanne Korevaar (Liv-AlUla-Jayco).

This week on the podcast, Abby, Georgie, Loren, and Gracie talk Tour of Flanders and Dwars door Vlaanderen: does FDJ United-Suez have any faults (not this week, they don't), what is going wrong with UAE Team ADQ, Marlen Reusser's comeback and subsequent injury, and more.

Plus, Abby talked to Franziska Koch, the best transfer of the year, about her move to FDJ United-Suez, taking on a leadership role at Paris-Roubaix Femmes, and what you need to know ahead of the big Classics races as a rider.

This week, Abby, Gracie, Georgie, and Loren focus on the Ronde van Brugge and In Flanders Fields-In Wevelgem. They discuss the sprint that ended an incredible winning streak, how the peloton got to that point, and which teams are finally putting everything together, as well as how UAE Team ADQ and FDJ United-Suez could have played the race on Sunday differently.

Abby also sat down with Lucinda Brand of Lidl-Trek to talk about her incredible cyclocross season, her role on the road team, and how the team is starting to come together just in time for the Tour of Flanders.