Life in the Peloton, presented by MAAP

The Leadout Men

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by Rapha

Well, it is Tour time, and I´m taking this opportunity to look at one of the most fascinating technical aspects of pro racing – the art of the lead-out. And what better time to do it than right now, at the beginning of the Tour de France, so you can sit back and watch the adrenaline-charged sprint finishes, with a deeper understanding of the game of chess that is playing out on the road.

 

The idea of the designated lead-out man is something that has only really gained traction in the pro peloton in the modern era, and in that time, we have seen some incredibly talented lead-out riders, that put aside their own winning aspirations and built their careers on leading out others for the win. I spoke to some of the biggest names in the game – Mark Renshaw, Michael Morkov, Brett Lancaster, Koen de Kort, Roger Kluge, and Freddie Rodriguez. They have worked with some of the most successful sprinters of the modern era – Mark Cavendish, Robbie McEwen, Andre Greipel, and Alessandro Petacchi, to name just a few.

 

The depth of experience with the riders in this episode is exceptional, and I wanted to find out how they had become lead-out riders, what the evolution was like, from trying to win races themselves, to suddenly finding themselves leading out others for the win. It was interesting to hear about how quickly this change can happen and about the necessity of finding your niche in the peloton which is so important to the longevity of your career.

 

The lead out is a role where you don´t get the big accolades, and you don´t get to stand on the top step yourself, but you can get plenty of recognition and job satisfaction for playing an important role in winning big races, and that was something that really came across for all of these riders - how accepting your role in the team and leaning into it, can become even more satisfying than vying for smaller wins yourself.

 

I wanted to ask some big questions: when you find yourself in the lead with 200m to go, how tempting is it to go for the win yourself, and why does a sprinter even need a lead-out? There were some fascinating insights into the split-second decisions, the adrenaline rush, the importance of trusting your lead out, calculating risks, and learning to switch off your mind in order to get the job done, the sacrifices that are made when you ride in service of another rider that gets the glory of winning, and what is it like working with these typically very explosive personalities.

 

I had a lot of fun putting this episode together and I loved hearing about the intricacies of the lead-out, and I hope you get plenty out of it to take into your TDF watching this year!

 

Cheers,

 

Mitch

 

 

 

The Cadel Evans Story

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I have a special guest on the pod this week, making his debut appearance on Life in the Peloton. He´s no stranger to you all though, he is a fellow Victorian, a former mountain biker, road world champion, and Australia´s only ever Tour de France winner, I´m talking of course about the legend himself, Cadel Evans.

This was a great opportunity to really get back to the beginning of the Cadel Evans story and hear it in his own words. I was keen to hear all about his infamous upbringing in a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory of Australia, and how he made his start as a mountain biker when his family moved back to Victoria when Cadel was primary school age. We chatted through his evolution from junior mountain biker to European-level mountain biker, before moving to road cycling in Europe, and eventually, as the history books show, going on to become a world champion, and the first-ever Australian to win the Tour de France, in 2011.

Along the way, he forged some incredible partnerships and made some powerful allies, with team directors, teammates, coaches and sponsors, many of whom are still loyal to Cadel and his brand today, showing the amount of mutual respect and trust that he built up within his inner circle throughout his career. Always something of an outlier among the professional cycling ranks, we chat about the ways in which he was a visionary rider and ahead of his time, and how so many of these habits that he had are now somewhat ingrained in the pro peloton (chamomile tea after dinner, and solo training rides, to name a couple.)

It was fascinating to hear Cadel´s take on the crossover between road cycling and mountain biking, and the ways in which MTB prepared him to become one of the best cyclists of his generation. I loved getting the chance to chat in depth with him about his relationship with the visionary Italian coach Aldo Sassi, which was instrumental in shaping him into the forward-thinking cyclist that he became.

One of the golden eras of modern cycling, it was great to hear in-depth about his time on the iconic teams Mapei, T-Mobile, Lotto, and BMC – where he started his campaign towards becoming an eventual Tour de France winner, and the years of missed opportunities and bad luck that ensued along his road to winning. And to take a deep dive into his World Championship win in Mendrisio in 2009, with all the drama and team politics that came along with that win.

Something of an enigma in the world of cycling, I loved this chance to hear the Cadel Evans story from the man himself and to clear up a few myths and legends that have circulated around him throughout his career (for example, was he really the highest ever tested V02 max at the AIS?)

It´s a story we are all familiar with, but I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about the Cadel Evans story - I really loved chatting with him and hearing his story in his own words.

Cheers,

Mitch

Talking Luft! With Alison Jackson

I just loved having Alison on Life in the Peloton so much last week, I decided to get her back for this episode of Talking Luft! I know you loved hearing all about her epic Paris Roubaix Femmes win this year, and how she became only the third-ever winner of the event. She has since been dubbed Miss Paris Roubaix (by me), for the commanding style in which she won.

Of course, we chat a bit more about that epic win, as well as dig into the really important questions in true TL style, plus I throw a few extra cobble-related questions Alison´s way. The big stuff, like rice or pasta (she´s introduced me to the idea of rice with maple syrup), world champ style (all rainbow, why not), I get some insight into some of her pre-race rituals and learn a few new Canadian terms that describe how she would choose to wear her hair in the pre-helmet golden days of cycling.

She´s a lover of bucket hats and coffee stops, a drinker of black coffee and cortados, and unsurprisingly, she will take racing over training any day. But don´t take my word for it, sit back and enjoy the listen and get to know more about the legend Alison Jackson, as she gets the full TL treatment!

Cheers,

Mitch

 

 

Alison Jackson - Miss Paris - Roubaix

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by Rapha

It is her first appearance on the pod, you might know her from her larger-than-life social media presence, or you might have watched her progress through the women´s peloton, but you´ll definitely know her as the Queen of Roubaix, after her triumphant victory there this year, and I´m super excited to be chatting to Alison Jackson this week.

I couldn´t wait to hear about her epic 2023 Paris – Roubaix win, where she won so impressively, and etched her name in the cycling history books by becoming only the third-ever female winner of the race. Her post-win finish line dance catapulted her from exalted winner to something of cycling legend, and she´s known as this big-energy person that comes across online (if you´re not currently a follower, do yourself a favour and go check out her Instagram and TikTok), where she just keeps it real and has such a fun vibe. But Roubaix really cemented her position in the pro peloton, and announced to the world that she´s an excellent tactical rider and a natural racer – you just don´t find yourself in that position at a race like that for any other reason.

I wanted to hear all about how Alison made the leap from Canada to Europe – a challenge all pro cyclists go through but with varied success. It was refreshing to hear Alison´s take on what it takes to be a pro, and how you get through those challenging early years where you´re missing home, you´re just not happy in Europe and to top it all off, you´re getting your head kicked in at races. It can set off a real downward spiral for many riders, but for Alison it was the racing that kept her Euro dreams alive - she just absolutely loves to race.

And finally, we had a bit of a chat about where female cycling is headed, and the immense changes it has gone through in recent years – the increase in tactics, professionalism, and support and the flow-on effect this is having on the dynamics of women’s racing.

As you can probably tell, this episode was a lot of fun to put together, and I hope you love listening to Alison´s story as much as I did.

Cheers,

Mitch

 

Life in the Peloton - The Goldfields Adventure

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by Rapha

I´m bringing you something a bit different for Life in the Peloton this week, I have been back on the road exploring and learning some of the fascinating history of the Victorian goldfields, by riding the historic Goldfields Track. By now, you´ve probably become used to my bike-packing adventures, but this time the trip was not just about tackling a challenging adventure and exploring my own backyard, but also learning some of the history of this country and how this thriving regional area came to be what it is.

This trip is one that has been on my bucket list since moving back to Australia last year – I had become so used to being surrounded by incredible history while living in Europe, but it has really occurred to me how much history there is right here in Australia as well. I wanted to explore the Aussie countryside, but to also give the trip some purpose. Not just to ride, but to tap into a bit of local history and learn the backstory of this country along the way - why do these little Victorian country towns exist, and what has made the area so famous?

So back in the summer, before the weather in Victoria turned bad, I grabbed my good mate Al Iacuone, someone who is well known on the pod, and we headed off from Mount Buninyong, in the direction of Bendigo. The Goldfields Track is an existing, point-to-point trail and one that is regularly ridden by mountain bike, that takes in some of Victoria´s most historic towns. It´s a 210-kilometre journey, generally tackled over two to four days. We´re doing it in a day.

The trip threw up a few surprises, but we had a lot of fun out there. The trails made for beautiful riding, and although it was much tougher than expected, being out on the road allowed us to absorb the history and stories of the land in a way we never could by sitting at home and reading in a book or on the internet. Of course, there´s value in that as well, but there´s just something about being out there and hearing the stories for yourself that makes the experience that much more special and it really gave our expedition an incredible sense of purpose and meaning. In short, I would highly recommend this trip to anyone that has been considering it or another one like it. I hope you enjoy the listen, learn a thing or two along the way, and as always, I hope it inspires you to get out on your own bike adventures!

Cheers,

Mitch

Talking Luft! With Jai Hindley

 

Well I know you loved his last appearance on the pod, my recent chat with Australia’s one and only Giro d’Italia winner, Jai Hindley, where we heard some epic stories about his early cycling career and his meteoric ascent to the top of the pro cycling ranks.

 

So he’s back today for the Talking Luft! treatment and I just couldn’t wait to put a few curly questions to him. Jai Hindley is a real Aussie gem in the European peloton. He has been riding and racing his bike since he was six years of age, all he has ever wanted to be is a pro cyclist and just loves everything about the sport. His love of the cycling eras of old made me really want to test out his knowledge and see if I could really put him to the limit.

 

We talked Giro ups and downs, and what it feels like to gain the confidence to know you can finish out a Grand Tour, and just get better and better. We talk casquette style, where I was a little surprised to find out it’s not really his thing. We went back in time to discuss the pre-helmet days of cycling in the early 90s, and some of the best kits and team rosters of all time. We chat race food, drinks of choice, what makes a good roommate on tour, and whether he is more of a bus or a team car kind of guy. He passes my name the bike test with flying colours, with some pretty impressive knowledge of cycling throughout all the eras. And of course, I just had to ask him the all-important question, if (and in Jai’s case, when) you do become world champion during your career, how are you going to wear that rainbow kit.

 

I loved chatting with Jai and finding out some of the lesser-known things about him for this episode of Talking Luft! and I hope you have a laugh and enjoy listening along. If you missed the Life in the Peloton episode, Jai Hindley – For the love of cycling, head back and take a listen!

 

Cheers,

 

Mitch

 

 

 

 

 

Talking Tech with Lachlan Morton

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by Rapha

It’s no secret that I’ve become a bit of a bike-packing devotee over the past few years, I just love everything about it – the challenge, seeing parts of the country that I’ve never seen before, meeting people along the way, experiencing some country Australiana, and just getting out on my bike and rediscovering what I really love about cycling. And I can see that this resonates with so many of you that love the adventure of bike packing as well (and if you’re yet to try it, I’ll say it again – it doesn’t need to be epic, or hard, just get out there and give it a go!)

Every time I post one of my bike-packing adventures, I’m inundated with questions and requests for recommendations on which gear to use. I totally get it, you want to be prepared when you hit that open road, where there are already so many unknowns and so many variables, and it’s natural to want to try to control that and limit the things that can go wrong (even though these can all be part of the fun).

I don’t claim to be an expert on bike packing, and like you guys, most of what I’ve learnt about gear, equipment, and planning, I’ve learnt on the fly, usually by reaching out to fellow cyclists and friends that I see out exploring by bike. One of the guys I’ve gone to for advice most often is, unsurprisingly, the bike-packing legend and my friend Lachie Morton. So, in putting this episode together, I knew exactly who I needed to reach out to for some tips of the trade. Lachie has embarked on more long-distance bike packing expeditions than anyone I know, and like me, he’s someone that has just learnt on the go, and he’s always happy to share his experiences and what works for him.

So I took your questions and put them to Lach, and I loved having the chance to sit down with him and pick his brain on all things bike-packing tech. This is in no way an exhaustive tech guide, just a fun chat about some of the things we love about bike-packing and the gear we like to take along with us to maximise the fun and enjoyment, and a chance to record it all in one spot for others to learn as well. I hope you get a few helpful tips during the listen!

 

Cheers,

Mitch

For the love of cycling - Jai Hindley

I’ve got a cracking episode for you this week, one I’ve been sitting on for a while and I am so excited to bring it to life. We needed to start at the very beginning with this one, because I know you want to hear as much as I do, the whole Jai Hindley story, and it’s such an epic one that you won’t want to miss a bit of it. I sat down with Jai earlier this year at TDU, because I just couldn’t miss the opportunity to record this episode in person.

 

He’s one of the great talents and great personalities of the pro peloton. He’s the Aussie kid made good, who grew up only ever wanting to become a pro cyclist. And at just 26 years of age, he has not only realised that dream but he’s also already become one of the greatest in our history. He is a true cycling purist, he loves everything about the sport - he loves vintage bikes, he was drawn to the Tour de France as a 6-year-old, there was really nothing else he ever wanted to do - he just loves cycling to the core. And this always comes across when you chat with Jai, his pure love of the sport. He loves the history of the sport and the classic era of cycling, and he was inspired by the Aussies in the European pro peloton in the early 2000s, which I loved chatting with him about. But most of all, he’s just a top bloke and his humble and unapologetic nature are a big part of what make him such a great champion.

 

We had an in-depth chat about how he got into cycling (as a 6-year-old no less), and we talked at length about his early time as an amateur racing in Italy. To say he has had an astronomical rise since then is, of course, an understatement. His breakthrough came when he won the Herald Sun Tour, followed by his infamous second spot in the 2020 Giro d’Italia, where he lost the pink to Tao Geoghegan Hart in heartbreaking fashion on the final stage (I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of that one). But most notably, last year, he came back to take an incredible Giro d'Italia victory, becoming the first Australian ever to do so, and only the second Australian ever to win a Grand Tour. Of course, I couldn’t interview Jai without also touching on the speculation and pressure that will accompany him into the Tour de France, where he’s learning to manage the expectations that inevitably now rest on his shoulders.

 

If you don’t know Jai too well, you’ll love getting to know him in this episode, where he is candid and utterly himself – a trait that cycling fans have come to know and love. I hope you enjoy the listen and getting to know this young Aussie legend as much as I enjoyed recording it!

 

Cheers,

 

Mitch

Talking Luft! with Ian Boswell

Rapha presents Talking Luft!

I recently took you on a journey through the absolute torture that was taking part in the beast that is Cape Epic. In case you missed it, it’s an hors categorie mountain biking event, across the challenging terrain of South Africa’s western cape, and it really pushed me to my limit.

I thought while I was there, I might as well get out the microphone and turn it on my friend and Cape Epic partner Ian Boswell, and give him the Talking Luft! treatment.

We had a nice little chat, spanning Bos’ early interactions with Lance Armstrong, his thoughts on achieving luft, hypothetical musings on whether it’s better to ride with or sans helmet, and whether he finds it important to keep shaving the legs post-retirement.

We did a bit of a deep dive on kit selection; how to select your kit post-pro career, which of the former pro kits and bikes are worth keeping, and if you had become world champion during your career, how would you wear your rainbow kit?

We took a look into Bos’ current Strava status (hint- it’s solid), favourite riders from the cycling history books, what his dream loop is, and his favourite pro race – which threw up a few surprises, and of course we delved into some of the trials and tribulations that we overcame at Cape Epic.

We had a bit of fun chatting in this episode, and I hope you enjoy listening along!

Cheers,

Mitch

Behind the Mirror Lens - with Scott Barrow

Behind the Mirror Lens - with Scott Barrow

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by Rapha

Have you ever wondered about what goes into the team behind the team, and what sort of support goes into helping professional athletes to get the best out of themselves? I have spoken to plenty of interesting people on the pod over the years that have helped to build the behind-the-scenes picture, mostly in the realm of physical support – osteos, soigneurs, and team directors.

They are all super crucial roles in the sport, but something that is often a bit underrated in cycling and in professional sport, is what goes into trying to train the psychological and not just the physical aspect.

Sometimes, people can write athletes off too early in their careers as being physically past their prime, when they are actually just facing mental demons, or are blocked in some way, and when they can overcome this, they have a lot more to give.

That is why I was keen to catch up with my friend, professional coach, and mentor Scott Barrow, to chat about how he gets behind the lens, find out what makes people tick, and get a glimpse into the psyche of the people he helps – and he helps people from all walks of life to get the best out of themselves and reach their potential.

I was at a crossroads in my own career when I first met Scott. He reached out to me when I was on the verge of leaving GreenEDGE, where I had been performing the role of domestique within the team for quite a few years. I knew that the impending change was going to require a lot from me mentally, to go from being a worker to needing to ride for myself and get results.  

Our paths crossed at just the right time, and by working with Scott, I was able to realign my career, and I went on to have another four years in the pro peloton, with EF Pro Cycling, where I was able to write a whole new chapter in my pro career to finish it off.

We had a great chat, covering topics like how pressure affects performance, how he helped me to realign things in my own career, and how he handles taking on the pressure of others, without becoming burdened.

I hope you enjoy the listen!

Cheers,

Mitch