The Rouleur Podcast

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Rouleur Podcast January - Adam Blythe Jan 16, 2020

Show notes

Adam Blythe rode for some of the biggest teams in racing over his ten-year professional career – Tinkoff, BMC, Orica-Greenedge and Lotto Soudal – but it was his year with British squad NFTO that proved most fruitful and fun, including his win at RideLondon in 2014.

Adam joins our own Stuart Clapp and host Ian Parkinson on the sofa at the Rouleur Classic to talk through past, present and future, the troubled state of domestic UK racing, being a TV pundit, and racing with a hangover. His advice? Don’t do it, kids.

Desire editor Stu, meanwhile, has been razzing around the Peckham BMX track on his Brompton, has a new bike to wax lyrical about (it’s a gravel bike, don’t @ him), and does an impression of Mark Cavendish that is actually better than Mark Cavendish. Hearing is believing.

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Rouleur Podcast December - Cecillie Uttrup Ludwig, Dave Rayner Fund and Ribble Dec 20, 2019

Show notes

The always-ebullient Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig joins Ian Parkinson to explain how she went from stacking supermarket shelves to being a major talent in the Women’s World Tour, with podium finishes at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Tour of Flanders and La Course. The young Dane moves to a French team next season, and promises to keep her attacking style. “That’s how I love racing, the harder the better.”

The Dave Rayner Foundation recently acquired charitable status, a big advantage for the fund that aids young riders racing abroad. Former friend and team-mate Tim Harris and his partner Joscelin Ryan tell us about Dave and where the money raised goes, with a long list of household names who have benefitted from Rayner support, and we are joined by two young Rayner-funded riders.

Our Desire editor Stuart Clapp knows a fine looking bike when he sees one. Wandering the bling-filled aisles of the Rouleur Classic, his attention is drawn to a brand formerly known for being cheap and cheerful – Ribble. They have upped their game considerably of late, with some smashing machines coming out of the north of England, but still excellent value. Stu gets the lowdown on the e-bike used by Sean Yates and a stunning 24 carat goldleaf build making its debut at the show.

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Rouleur Podcast November - Lachlan Morton, Emily Chappell, Castelli Nov 28, 2019

Show notes

We are going long distance for a change on the latest Rouleur podcast.

Lachlan Morton of EF Education First joins us to explain his thinking behind tackling some unusual and challenging events this season, a million miles away from the standard pro road racers’ fare.

From the GB Duro – Land’s End to John O’Groats mostly on bridleways and country lanes – which Morton won, through to the legendary Three Peaks cyclo-cross in Yorkshire, the Australian has been riding with a big grin on his face having previously considered packing in road racing for a career.

We also speak to another lover of ultra-distance racing, Emily Chappell, former bicycle courier and women’s winner of the Transcontinental Race in 2016. Emily has an excellent new book out, Where There’s a Will, detailing her trials and tribulations on the road and in life, which we highly recommend.

Also, Desire editor Stuart Clapp gets the backstory and hears about the latest tweaks to the famous Castelli Gabba, the poor weather jacket of choice for the pro peloton. Ian Parkinson even lets him finish his interview without fading out…

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Rouleur Podcast November - Greg and Kathy LeMond Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

“Jean de Gribaldy said no sex for two weeks before a one-day race, no sex four weeks before a big tour, so you never had sex! There was that fear that it would take energy away from the riders.”

We were honoured and delighted to have Greg and Kathy LeMond as our special guests for the entirety of the Rouleur Classic. They were both on absolutely sparkling form throughout the three days of the show, and we are truly indebted.

Hear from the LeMonds on coming to Europe as young Americans and shaking up the traditions of a staid sport, steeped in tradition and superstition. From eating pizza to playing golf to million-dollar contracts to what went on – or not – in the bedroom, Greg and Kathy questioned every silly rule in the book and won.

Greg also tells us how he hid the severity of his near-death hunting accident in 1987 to protect his job and family – remarkably coming back to win two more Tours de France to add to his 1986 title.

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Rouleur Podcast October - Pidcock, Peiper and Polartec Santini Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

Tom Pidcock launched his new team Trinity Racing before launching into a full season of racing in the mud and dirt of top level cyclo-cross on the Continent. The reigning under-23 ‘cross world champion had a decent road season too – first at Paris-Roubaix espoirs, stage and overall at Tour Alsace, and a terrific performance with the entire GB team at Tour de l’Avenir before a horror crash on a stage 6 descent knocked him out. But there was no way he was going to miss the opportunity of a medal on his home roads of Yorkshire in the World Championships.

“I love being around bike riders. That’s the amazing thing.” Allan Peiper, one of Australia’s pioneers in the pro peloton, is a hugely respected directeur sportif in the sport whose prostate cancer has returned this year. In an emotional interview with Rouleur editor Andy McGrath, Peiper tells us how the cycling family has closed around him and how riders – some well-known to him, some not so much – have been in touch to offer support.

Ian Parkinson visits Santini in Italy to get up to speed with their latest developments. Hairy vests, anyone? Think punk-era mohair jumpers, but for cycling. Stuart Clapp tells us what he’ll be up to at the upcoming Rouleur Classic, plus Kenny van Vlaminck, another special guest at the Classic, has some mixed news, mostly involving peas.

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Rouleur Podcast October - Cavendish, Doull and Ewan; The London 6 Day Oct 10, 2019

Show notes

Mark Cavendish, Caleb Ewan and Owain Doull guide us through the upcoming Six Day London at the Lee Valley Velopark.

How does Cav make sense of the Madison? Can Caleb find his track legs in his first ever Six? And can Owain and the vastly experienced Cavendish topple the talented Italian duo of Viviani and Consonni?

Ian Parkinson visits Christian Dagnoni in Milan to marvel over his family’s stunning collection of pacing - or ‘stayer’ - motorbikes and Dernys, featured in issue 18.8. It’s an exhilarating discipline, with 78kph covered in one hour at the Vigorelli stadium back in the day…

Plus, Stuart Clapp is back from the Worlds in Yorkshire with a dose of ‘Harrogate fever’ and is still marvelling over Annemiek van Vleuten’s stunning solo win. He has a survival guide for the upcoming Rouleur Classic and a fun anecdote featuring an autograph hunter. Wlll he get to the end? Probably not…

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Rouleur Podcast September - From the World Championships in Harrogate Sep 25, 2019

Show notes

Yorkshire is once again the centre of the cycling world and the podcast comes direct from Rouleur's temporary home - the Corner Haus Belgian bar in Harrogate. Ian Parkinson is joined by Ned Boulting and Rebecca Charlton, looking back at the championship so far and looking ahead to the star events - the men's and women's elite road races. Will Vos be unstoppable or will the home crowd cheer home Yorkshire's own Lizzie Deignan for the win. And can anyone stop Mathieu van der Poel from leading that last sprint past Betty's Tea Room. One thing is certain, both races are going to be long, brutal and probably wet.

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Rouleur Podcast September - Orca and Cycling Mole Sep 06, 2019

Show notes

Ian Parkinson travels to Spain to meet Joseba Arizaga from Orbea and ride their brand spanking new Orca OMX. Proudly Basque, cooperatively owned and backers of Fundación Euskadi, they do things differently at Orbea.

Our man Stu Clapp is back from his travels and full of beans, just for a change. Apart from holidaying in Japan, he’s been getting up close and personal with some classic supercars for the next Desire shoot. Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches abound, but the Fiat 500 and the Vespa are more Stu’s bag.

And Cycling Mole, who you probably know from our daily Top Mañana punditry for La Vuelta, tells us how he analyses every stage in great detail before deciding who is the likely winner. Unsurprisingly, there’s far more to it than meets the eye. And the Vuelta is extremely hard to predict...

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Rouleur Podcast August - Yanto Barker and Phil Anderson Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

Yanto Barker explains how 20,000 hours of riding as a pro inspired his quest to make better kit with his clothing brand Le Col. "I'm one of those rare people who will say the customer is wrong, which my team find really uncomfortable, but the fact is I am an expert." And we hear from the first non-European to wear the Maillot Jaune, the Australian great Phil Anderson. More than forty years since he took the Yellow Jersey after an epic day in the Pyrenees he can still remember every detail. What's more surprising is that it was his first Grand Tour, and his first ever taste of riding in the big mountains. "My teammate said, no don't look down the road, you've gotta look up there and I looked above the clouds at these misty peaks of the mountains, and I'd never seen anything like that before." Phil, one of the guests at this year's Rouleur Classic event, recalls that seminal day and other highlights from his career with host Ian Parkinson.

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Rouleur Podcast August - Rob Hayles and Café Du Cycliste Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

Not many former pros can boast as varied a career as Rob Hayles. The former Cofidis rider and British national champion holds Commonweath and Olympic medals, and track World Championships golds in the team pursuit and Madison (with Mark Cavendish). On retiring in 2009, Hayles slipped seamlessly into a commentating role for television and radio, but also repairs carbon frames and, interestingly, now makes jewellery with cycling at its core - carbon and titanium loom large. Rob tells us what he’ll be bringing to the Rouleur Classic in London, and recalls what life on the GB squad was like in the cash-strapped pre-Lottery funding days. It’s not all glamour, as you might guess…

Café du Cycliste make some of the loveliest garments in cycling. Morgane Bigault from the quality French kit makers discusses the brand’s inspirations - from Morocco to the avant-garde.

Your host is Ian Parkinson, and Executive Editor Ian Cleverly chips in with news of the Rouleur Classic.

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