The Rouleur Podcast

"I didn’t want a Stone Age ecosystem, a ready-meal career path. I wasn’t for UCAS statements, study placements, three-year degrees and guessing how to succeed.I needed anarchy. A world with a clear winner: always the strongest, the smartest, finishing first. Throw away the protocols, policies, processes… no thanks to 9am and waiting for the clock to strike five.I craved a wave of noise, colour and zeal. Klaxons, chaos and bup, bup, beeeep. Moments to unfurl on a team car bonnet, opportunities to be hurled like live grenades: forward and back until they explode.I wanted to be riding, or lying down,Lying down, or sitting up,Sitting up, or eating up,Anything elseWas wrong.This awe-inspiring, time-consuming wave is cycling. I wanted to ride that wave, to achieve perfection.I wanted to be a professional cyclist."Not just any cyclist either, but the second coming of Sean Kelly. It didn't go quite as Daniel Stewart had hoped. In our latest issue's longread, the Irishman reflects on his turbulent time in the ratrace.The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘Learning to Fly’ by Daniel Stewart, from Rouleur 20.6. Download the Rouleur app and use the code LEARNINGTOFLY to read the whole issue free of charge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Stewart grew up riding his bike on the streets of East Belfast, dreaming of being a pro racer. And his dream came true, even if it wasn't quite what he was expecting. He tells the story of his mad journey through the pro peloton in Rouleur 20.6 and on this edition of Rouleur Conversations. He joins presenter Ian Parkinson, Executive Editor Ian Cleverly and Paolo Martelli, official photographer of the world's most photogenic sportive - the Eroica series. Paolo's photo feature in Issue 12.6 inevitably includes shots of his friend the late Luciano Berruti - whose extravagant moustache and goggles made him the face of L'Eroica. They also find time to reflect on a mesmerising Tour De France and a new generation of race winners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“You peer at this gleaming canvas of countries and you can see that the paint is still wet.” - Kwame Anthony Appiah, The Lies That BindWith Slovenian riders on the cusp of achieving an historic one-two at the Tour de France, we revisit our 2019 exploration into how a country less than thirty years old, the size of Wales and home to barely two million inhabitants, has risen to the status of cycling superpower. Seemingly overnight.The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘Slovenia’ by Nick Christian, from Rouleur 19.5. Download the Rouleur app and use the code SLOVENIA to read the whole issue free of charge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Rouleur crew have torn themselves away from the television briefly to discuss a fascinating opening week of the Tour.Can Primož Roglič go all the way to Paris, assuming the race does... Is Marc Hirschi's stupendous stage 9 descent into Laruns one of the best cycling moments we have ever witnessed? And is Sam Bennett a big crybaby or a lovely, lovely guy? (We know the answer, don't @ us)And Stu even manages to shoehorn Heinrich Haussler into the conversation, cycling's longest running bromance.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some fine racing in the opening week of the Tour de France for our panel to mull over. Ineos Grenadiers looking less than convincing, Jumbo bossing it, Caleb Ewan on fire. Fingers crossed we will get to Paris for a grand finale. A Rouleur quartet of Andy McGrath, Ian Cleverly, Maria David and Stuart Clapp join Ian Parkinson for a Tour chinwag. Lizzy Banks was a revelation at the GP Plouay, finishing second to an imperious Lizzie Deignan. She’s been a guest on our podcast before, because she’s a great talker as well as a brilliant bike rider. The Équipe Paule Ka rider enjoyed La Course immensely, is improving her racecraft to go alongside the strong legs, and will be in action at the Giro Donne imminently.  Rouleur contributor Maria David has been following Donnons des Elles au Velo, a group of riders who ride the Tour de France route one day ahead of the men to campaign for a women’s race of equal standing to the men’s. Now in its sixth year, it seems ASO and Christian Prudhomme are finally listening to their fine efforts. Finally!    Desire Editor Stu has broken arms. Yes, that’s right. Both of them. A bike riding incident, you’d think? No, but there were wheels involved. Don’t do this at home, kids.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Rendell tracks Nairo Quintana’s rise from Alejandro Valverde’s understudy to leader in his own right.The 2013 Tour de France saw the Colombian challenge the old order at Movistar – and challenge Chris Froome for the top step of the podium.In this extract from his book Colombia es Pasion, Matt details the key moments from that year’s race as Quintana went on to take a stage victory in Semnoz, the Young Rider classification and finish runner-up in Paris.The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacopo Guarnieri is a key component in Arnaud Démare’s sprint train at Groupama-FDJ – as well as being a rouleur.cc columnist.  Since racing's restart, he’s already guided his main man to a win at Milano-Torino, along with two stages and overall victory at the Tour de Wallonie. All being well, he’ll be leading out stage wins at the Giro d’Italia in October. There’s a new philosophy at the team, he tells us: “We want to win. And win a lot.” It seems to be working… Dr. Norman Lazarus came to cycling relatively late in life, yet is still putting in some serious mileage at the age of 84. His new book The Lazarus Strategy (published by Yellow Kite) details how to live a healthier life for longer, via exercise, diet and mental health. Ian Parkinson talks to the author to hear his theory behind living an active and medication-free lifestyle in our golden years. Here’s a man who practises what he preaches.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I’ve seen everything. I’m tired. I am tired of these guys thinking she just needs to shut up because this is the way it is, because I’m a woman in our sport.” What began as isolated complaints against one man has escalated into numerous accounts of inappropriate behaviour at the least - and sexual assault at worst - in professional cycling teams. Women call for change. Now.Orla Chennaoui uncovers disturbing evidence of sexual abuse and harassment in the women’s peloton – this is pro cycling’s #MeToo moment.Content warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse.The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘Cycling's #MeToo Moment’, from Rouleur 19.6, written and read by Orla Chennaoui.Download the Rouleur app and use the code METOO to read the whole issue free of charge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Photographer Chris Auld, who took one of the most iconic Tour de France photos in recent history, joins Ian Parkinson as he returns to work in Italy, capturing a hot and dusty Strade Bianche and the torrential downpours of Trittico Lombardo for starters. How is it being back at the races? Is it odd shooting with no crowds? And how did he get the ever-charismatic Julian Alaphilippe to give him a broad smile after a disastrous Strade Bianche? Stuart Clapp, our Desire editor, is still buzzing after a ‘mates ride’ with four former British champions, including one Tour de France winner. Turns out they are all still pretty handy on a bike, but not so hot at mending punctures. Funny that… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all have our favourite Tour de France out of the 106 editions of this legendary race.For many, 1989’s stunning turnaround by Greg LeMond of Laurent Fignon in the final stage on the Champs-Élysées remains one of the greatest moments in sporting history, let alone cycling’s crowded canon. A mere eight seconds difference at the end of three weeks of racing – a truly epic battle.Others may cite Eddy Merckx’s imperious performance in the 1974 edition, giving the Cannibal his record-equalling fifth Tour victory, with eight stage wins along the way. Some prefer to look back even further, to the great years of Coppi, Bartali and Anquetil.Patriotism often plays a part in our collective memories too, with the previously fallow cycling minnows separated from the European racing heartland by the Channel mining a rich seam since Bradley Wiggins broke the British duck in 2012. For Americans, surely LeMond in 1986 is the standout moment that turned millions of US sport fans into bike racing supporters. And millions of proud Colombians will never forget a youthful Egan Bernal’s victory just last year.We asked the Rouleur writers for their personal highlights from La Grande Boucle. They range from 1948 right up to 2019 – races full of surprises, amazing feats and intriguing battles. The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘The Magnificent Seven’, from Rouleur's brand new Tour de France special. Download the Rouleur app and use the code LETOUR to read the whole issue free of charge.To listen to individual years skip to:3:15 - 1976 by Olivier Nilsson-Julien9:42 - 1995 by Olivia Kaferly14:00 - 2003 by Andy McGrath18:34 - 1948 by Isabel Best24:00 - 2007 by Richard Abraham29:15 - 1973 by Paul Maunder32:35 - 2019 by Ian Cleverly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly time for Le Tour, but who will win? Without any racing to base our predictions on, it's something of a wildcard scenario this year. The Rouleur team gathers then socially distances in Ian Parkinson's garden to discuss the upcoming edition, our favourite Tours in history and the latest lovely cover by Sean Hardy.And writer Maria David joins us with the story of one of the great sporting rivalries – Jeannie Longo and Maria Canins – told in Issue 20.5. Subscribe by Tuesday 28th, July to receive this Tour de France special issue and help keep print magazines in business. Meanwhile, our man Stuart Clapp has gone riding and 'wild camping' with four former British champions: Sir Bradley Wiggins, Matt Stephens, Steve Cummings and Adam Blythe. But their plan to ride from Essex to Kent is scuppered by a ferry closure. What happens next? Sometimes having a famous face comes in handy – Brad, that is, not Stu. Listen in... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the story of a big house in Belgium. Within its walls, along its corridors, through its communal kitchen and living space, some of the finest riders in the world have idled, prepared for races, slouched in front of the TV, boiled water for pasta and generally discovered whether or not they will make it. It is a remarkable institution, with no official accreditation. It is almost as if it doesn’t exist.“Nobody knows we really do this. They wouldn’t have the foggiest idea. It’s not a known thing.”Ned meets former British champion (and chair dealer) Tim Harris to uncover the story of the unofficial academy house that has hosted young hopefuls from around the globe determined to make the grade. Cavendish, Froome, Thomas, Armitstead, Yates, McLay and many more have stayed en route to stardom. And Fernando Gaviria mowed the lawn…The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘The Chairman’ by Ned Boulting, from Rouleur 17.2. Download the Rouleur app and use the code CHAIRMAN to read the whole issue free of charge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the overall scheme of things, one delayed bike race is no big deal - but it's surprising how much the Tour De France has become an integral part of so many people's July. Ned Boulting hasn't spent July at home since 2003 but he's hoping to be back on the road in a couple of weeks as racing restarts including, we hope, the Tour De France. He's also reflecting on cycling and transport post lockdown. Rouleur's Miles Baker-Clarke takes us through the latest gear and kit in the Emporium, while presenter Ian Parkinson eyes up Rapha's latest glasses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I was told by everyone that I was bad. Bjarne won but he is bad. He is a bad man. All the newspapers. People in cycling. Everyone. I’m a cheat. I lie. That name. For years and years this was my story. It was my life. You almost start to believe it. You have to understand that I stood alone when it all came down. A young man. I didn’t have that much life experience. And nothing about how to handle this! How are you supposed to react? The consequences are unimaginable to understand. Telekom left me. I had nobody around me that could help. Like with many other riders. It does something to a person. Being in that position.”Tour triumph, doping, depression, the end of managing his world-beating team: it’s not easy being Bjarne Riis. Our man Morten tracks him down for an interview after a three-year chase.The Rouleur Longreads Podcast brings you selected long form articles from the magazine, especially recorded for Rouleur. Don’t stop what you’re doing – do it while listening to the world’s best cycling writing.The latest in this series is ‘Being Bjarne’ by Morten Okbo, from Rouleur 19.8. Download the Rouleur app and use the code BJARNE to read the whole issue free of charge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teniel Campbell has come a long way already, but her ambition is almost limitless. She wants Olympic and World medals, she wants to win Classics and set records on the track. She wants to outdo her idol Marianne Vos. And she wants to help more people like her into the sport. In this edition, Teniel tells Ian Parkinson how a young girl from Trinidad fought her way to the Women's World Tour. Meanwhile, Rouleur's Stuart Clapp has been fighting his way through the haunted woods with a collection of fancy gravel bikes and a giant bear's head. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.