Life in the Peloton, presented by MAAP

Marcel Kittel – I’m a Sprinter now

Marcel Kittel is a house hold name when it comes to the big bunch sprints today. He has won stages in all 3 Grand Tours, La Vuelta Espana, Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. But it is not so well known that when he first singed as a professional with Skil-Shimano in 2011, he was signed primarily as a time-trialist who might be able to pull a good lead out for the sprinters. Things soon changed. He and I were teammates 2011 and it was nice to be there at the beginning of his stella career, and to now get the chance to discuss what has happened since those early days.

The Psych – Craig Appaneal

We all worry about the physical training that needs to take place in order for us to perform on a given race day. But I think not enough attention is payed to the mental training that should take place to have us ready psychologically to tackle the big race days. It can literally be the difference between the winners and the losers, having that right mind set. I was lucky enough to have the time to meet Craig Appaneal in my offseason this year and we discussed some situations that I have encountered through out my career, where things went well and where things didn't go so well. We then try and decipher what was happening in my head on those given days. Craig has a background in organisational psychology which not only looks at a individual, but also how a individual acts and works within a team and then how that team works in a organisation.  I think he is a person we can all benefit from in not only the performance side of cycling but in all aspects of our lives.

Simon Gerrans – Making of a Champion

We are back for 2017, and what a way to start with Simon Gerrans. We all know him as an assassin on the bike, a winning machine, where it sometimes feels like he is winning more races than he is losing. But what I wanted to find out, was when did that switch get turned on for him, from being a rider who can win, to a rider who is expected to win. I get inside that cool calm collected mind of his that when inside the final few hundred meters of a race can make unbelievable race winning decisions. To finish off, hang in there after the music at the end for the first live feed segment podcast I have done, not very successfully but it's a bit of fun anyway.

Graham Watson – Cycling from Behind the Lens

After always seeing him wiz by on the back of a moto bike snapping away during a race, I had the opportunity to pin Graham Watson down here at the last race of the season. It may come as a surprise but most often than not we do not stay in the same hotels throughout the year, so when we were I took the opportunity to have a chat. And just as expected through out his colourful 37 years of taking photo's of the sport of cycling he has some fantastic insights to all the eras he's been though during his time in the Peloton. Its great to hear things about the world of cycling from someone who is right there with us on the road, yet shares a different view.

Nick Schultz – Making the jump

Nick Schultz is a young Australian making his way into the European Pro ranks. He has taken a road not so often traveled anymore by Australians into the Euro cycling world. He jumped in the deep end, and immersed himself in the French scene. He has slowly but surely worked his way through the cycling ranks and created an all important european life for himself along the way. It's this jump from living at home in Australia with Mum and Dad as a 18 year old, to taking a  leap to a whole new culture and lifestyle, living on your own and facing all challenges that come along the way that can sometimes get over looked from everyone from afar. It's nice to hear that you can do it if you really want too.

Mat Hayman – Part#2 – The Day After Paris Roubaix 2016

So this is the big one! I am speaking with 2016 Paris Roubaix winner Matt Hayman. I caught up with him 1 month after that momentous day, on training camp up in the high mountains in Andorra. A very un-roubaix environment but the memory was still very fresh and vibrant. I get quite excited this week as I hear the story the first time myself, so will have to excuse some of the colourful language. I hope you enjoy it, I certainly did!

Mat Hayman – Paris Roubaix 2016 – Part#1 – The Night Before

Paris Roubaix is a cobbled stone classic one day race, it is one of the 5 memorials races in the year. It is a spectacle, it is a tough mans race. It is the best race of the year. It is my favourite race. Matt Hayman has ridden Paris Roubaix 15 times in his career, he is a specialist to say the least. This is his favourite race too. 2016 Roubaix was a special day for Matt, I was able to get his thoughts the night before, the night before he knew what the 2016 addition was going to be.

Mature View of Alex Edmondson

While I was back on training camp in South Africa I had the chance to sit down with Alex Edmondson for a what I thought was going to be a chat about the training involved for the Teams Pursuit in the lead up to the Rio Olympics. What I got a was a lot more interesting. Alex's is story is not the normal progression in which a cyclist tends to have. Although Alex is only 22, when he tells his story you would assume he is a seasoned professional. You'll have to excuse the volume in the episode, as its lower than I would have liked.

Sam Bewley & The Prologue

Fresh after the race, back in the hotel somewhere in the cold northern part of France in the proximity of Paris. I thought it would be great to capture the thoughts just after completing the Paris Nice Prologue, from my New Zealander team mate Sam Bewley. He explains just what a Prologue is, all the intricacies that go into them, how he goes about approaching one as a specialist and just what makes a good prologue to kick start your tour. 

Christopher Juul-Jensen – Changing Countries Changing Teams

This time I have some fun talking with my new team mate Chris Juul-Jensen. And he is not all the apricot Danish he is made out to be. He turned professional with Saxo-Tinkoff in 2012, and has now made the move across to Orica-Greenedge for 2016. We talk changing teams, changing countries and about the worlds best cappuccino, among many other things. Sit back and enjoy.