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Mar 21, 2025•4 min
SEMIPRO CYCLING
Welcome to Chain Reaction. I’m Coach Damian Ruse, a professional cycling coach for over a decade. Each episode unpacks a real cycling story about the human side of performance.
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Episodes
The Knock That Changed Everything
What would change if you truly believed in your ability? → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Mar 14, 2025•6 min
Breath-Holding, Doping, and the Truth About Cycling Performance
What if holding your breath could make you faster? Allen Lim thought so—until Floyd Landis showed where the real gains came from. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Mar 07, 2025•5 min
They Never Saw It Coming
The week started off like any other—routine, predictable. But by the weekend, everything had changed. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Feb 28, 2025•4 min
The Mistake That Cost Him the Race
He trained harder than ever—so why did his race fall apart at mile 100? → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Feb 21, 2025•4 min
Two Riders, Two Paths: The Difference Between Super Champions and Almost Champions
Two talented young cyclists start with identical potential - but what leads one to European glory while the other fades into obscurity? → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Feb 14, 2025•6 min
The Shift That Changed Everything for One Cyclist
How an unexpected holiday shattered a performance plateau and revealed the hidden cost of everyday stress. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Feb 07, 2025•4 min
Caffeine might not enhance performance for everyone!
When too much caffeine ruins a race – the science behind it. → Subscribe to the Cycling Science Digest → Join Team SEMIPRO
Jan 31, 2025•6 min
INEOS using aero undershirts and the Vuelta stuff you missed
In today's QuickSpin Cycling Digest, we dive into new and cool cycling products. We cover Remco Evenepoel's road bike, Lachlan Morton's crazy stem, innovative tools, new aero undershirts, and the stuff you missed at the Vuelta Espana 2023. Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/4o2LVaf-_ME Links from the show: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwNkxuFtrXn https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/wout-van-aert-wins-first-ever-gravel-race-by-nine-minutes https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/news/news/van-aert-stops-i...
Sep 02, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Did Tramadol Help Nairo Quintana at the Tour de France?
Delving into the controversy surrounding Nairo Quintana's positive tests for tramadol during the 2022 Tour de France. We discuss the complex considerations surrounding the substance's classification, its potential impact on performance, and recent developments that have prompted new discussions. Plus, 750D? Another new wheel size has been revealed, this time for gravel bikes, more controversy, team finances, and the social media rounds. Watch this on Youtube: https://youtu.be/pjvUKLWDWeY WADA Tw...
Sep 02, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Did Fairings Help Jonas Vingegaard Win the Tour de France?
Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma had a secret weapon or two at the Tour de France that could of given him a drag reduction of more than 9% that meant savings of 1.5 seconds a kilometre. We dig into the aero impact of this secret weapon and ask some serious question about their legality. That’s on today’s show, and…epic social media rounds with everything from white shorts to toilet testing, plus articles on the pains of integrated components. Watch this on Youtube: https://youtu.be/wJ5vt6XhsDk �...
Sep 02, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 5
"From 'Little Guy' to Leader" Jonas Vingegaard Interview
How did Jonas Vingegaard transform from 'the little guy' working at a fish factory to a Jumbo-Visma leader? I have top the top 5 takeaways from a recent Jonas Vingegaard interview before he races in the Vuelta a España 2023. That’s on today’s show, and… I have another rider profile, the burnout problem in the women’s peloton, should we ditch hardtail mountain bikes and the best gravel tires for every situation. Links from this show: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/how-jonas-vingegaard-transf...
Sep 02, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 4
How Much Do Pro Cyclists Make? Shimano 105 12-Speed Mechanical?
On today’s show, and… Damian has news on bike launches from Canyon and Bianchi, a glimpse at the potential next-Generation SRAM AXS Shifters, and some other tasty treats, and Peter Sagan real retirement plans for 2024…but we’re starting this show with inside baseball on nutrition and pro rider salaries from the secret rider… Secret Pro Insights: https://escapecollective.com/the-secret-rider-nutrition-fads-silly-season-and-salaries/ Peter Sagan Update: https://escapecollective.com/i-want-mountain...
Sep 02, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 3
The surprising reason Pro MTB rider uses gum before a race
The surprising reason and performance benefit Pro MTB rider Puck Pieterse uses gum before a race. We dive into the fascinating connection between gum and cycling performance. Plus World Championships Recap, the Evolution of Endurance Training, an Altitude Adjust App and the Social Media Rounds. You can watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/-wH8iATvL_Q Links World Champs: RunGum: https://rungum.com/products/bubblegum-12-pack 10 Bike Tech Highlights - Cycling World Championships: https:/...
Sep 02, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 2
What is the Specialized Speed Sniffer? And what is Peter Sagan doing in Retirement?
In this week's episode of Quick Spin, Damian provides a comprehensive rundown of the latest happenings in the world of cycling. This show covers the new Specialized Tarmac SL8, featuring the "Speed Sniffer" fat head tube. Find out why they designed this unique feature. Plus innovative cycling products, social media rounds and even a glimpse into the retirement plans of cycling superstar Peter Sagan. You can also watch this on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/zTUPfeTnSbc → Subscribe to the Cycling ...
Sep 02, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Pro Cyclist: Jai Hindley - The making of a Giro d'Italia winner
In this episode we talk with Giro d'Italia winner Jai Hindley to find out what it takes to win a Grand Tour. And we’re not only talking about the 3 weeks during the race, but also the decades of work and journey beforehand. From lifestyle, to family and support, to self-belief, to training and a lifelong passion for cycling - herein we dig into Jai Hindley’s journey from a 6 year old rider with a dream through to Grand Tour winner. Guest panelist: Jai Hindley Twitter: @JaiHindley Instagram: @jhi...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 15 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 2 of 2
In this two part series we chat with Dr. Teun van Erp, current data scientist with INEOS Grenadiers, about how World Tour cyclists train and perform during competitions. In our opinion, given Tuen’s extensive research and experience working with World Tour cyclists, he is one of the best people in the field to discuss this topic with. In this episode we examine Dr. Teun’s research further and get into the details of how pro men and women cyclists actually train. But this episode is more than tha...
Jun 23, 2022•58 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 1 of 2
In this two part series we chat with Dr. Teun van Erp, current data scientist with INEOS Grenadiers, about how World Tour cyclists train and perform during competitions. In our opinion, given Tuen’s extensive research and experience working with World Tour cyclists, he is one of the best people in the field to discuss this topic with. In this episode we take aim at measures of training load in training and racing. One of the measures discussed is TSS - aka, the training stress score from Trainin...
May 28, 2022•52 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Elisabetta Borgia- A new emphasis and approach to sport psychology in cycling performance
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! In this day and age of power meters, advanced physiologic metrics, and emphasis on aerodynamics it is very easy to overlook other key components of cycling performance- such as the emotional state of the athlete. In this episode we discuss the importance of a cyclist’s emotions when pursuing peak performance in the sport. To best facilitate the exploration of this topic we talked with Sport Psychologist Dr. Elisabetta Borgia. Dr. Borgia works for ...
May 16, 2022•57 min
Cycling Performance Club: Luke Plapp - From world class track cyclist to World Tour road racer
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! In this episode we chat with Luke Plapp - Olympic bronze medalist on the track, current Australian Road Champion, and Ineos Grenadiers rider- about his transition from a successful track cyclist to racing on the road at the World Tour level. And contrary to what one might initially think, his transition between these two roles was much more complicated than simply adding more “base” to his training schedule. Luke has moved across the world to a ne...
May 06, 2022•1 hr 22 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nicholas Jamnick- Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 2 of 2
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! In this episode we continue our trip down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity with Dr. Nick Jamnick (part 2 of 2). Previously, we critically examined graded exercise tests, VO2max testing, lactate thresholds, and the usefulness of lactate testing. Herein, we dive deep into Nick’s comprehensive review critiquing the common methods of determining and prescribing exercise intensity. This review evaluated different methods of prescribing intensity b...
Apr 26, 2022•45 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nick Jamnick - Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 1 of 2
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! When it comes to performing and prescribing training sessions, there are four main principles to consider: frequency, duration, volume, and intensity. The first three of these principles are relatively simple and agreed upon. However, when it comes to exercise intensity we can quickly find ourselves traveling down a crazy rabbit hole- as it’s definitely not as simple as exercising at a percentage of FTP. In the next two episodes we go deep down th...
Apr 18, 2022•36 min
Cycling Performance Club: Shannon Malseed - Life lessons in mental wellness and high performance
On this show we really enjoy talking about the nuts and bolts of cycling performance. Whether it’s determining thresholds, approaches to training, or race tactics and skills, if you’ve listened to the show before you know we love that stuff. But in this episode we want to change gears a bit and ask you this simple and straightforward question: How is your head? Here we discuss mental wellness and its importance in human performance. To facilitate this conversation we invited Shannon Malseed to j...
Apr 05, 2022•50 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 2 of 2
In this episode we continue our discussion with Dr. Dajo Sanders (part 2 of 2), an individual whose skill and expertise in the realm of cycling performance are well developed. Dajo is a prolific researcher in many aspects of endurance training and specializes in the very distinct research cohort that is well-trained high-performance cyclists. He is also a member of the performance group at Team DSM where he uses his experience and knowledge to help World Tour cyclists perform at their absolute b...
Mar 22, 2022•48 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 1 of 2
There are many components within endurance training. Take for example field-testing, training intensity distribution, or training load. Each of these components have dozens of papers in the scientific literature that can help guide a cyclist’s training and a coach’s practice. However, contrary to what one might think, taking findings from research, evaluating them, and then effectively putting them into practice is a skill unto itself. In this episode (which is a part 1 of 2) we talk with Dr. Da...
Mar 10, 2022•1 hr 11 min
Cycling Performance Club: Australian road nats, training apps, the coach’s role in athlete success, and CP musings
Hey there! After a bit of a break in recording at the end of 2021 we (the co-hosts) sat down for a catch-up and to talk some shop. This episode can be best described as a throwback to our roots when we used to host chats on the Clubhouse app. Just a pro cyclist, a professional coach, and a sport scientist asking each other questions, giving opinions, and having a laugh. In this episode we discuss Australian road nats, training assistant apps for cyclists, the coach’s role in an athlete’s success...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 14 min
Cycling Performance Club: Simon Jones- Coaching, science, and a post-marginal gains world
Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 This week it’s a meander through some performance-related topics like coaching, marginal gains, performance teams, training load, and more with Simon Jones. Don’t know who that is - I’m sure if you’ve been a fan of cycling for any time, you know a rider or a team he’s worked with - with a performance career in cycling for over 25 years ther...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 33 min
Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 2
Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 In this part two on critical power (CP) we continue our conversation with Jason Bartram and cover W’ and W’ balance. Additionally, we consider what the CP metrics can realistically add to your cycling performance and coaching practice. And… it might actually surprise you what Jason’s (JB’s) takeaways are for these measures, after studying t...
Jan 24, 2022•45 min
Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 1
Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 Is there a better measure of threshold for cyclists out there than FTP? Yes! We think there is. Welcome to the world of critical power (CP), W’, and W’ balance- truly science-based measures related to the “anaerobic” threshold. While the advantages of CP over FTP are many, its determination is a bit more complicated than 95% of your 20-minu...
Jan 17, 2022•58 min
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Paolo Menaspà - A master generalist in high-performance sport
Dr. Paolo Menaspà is the current Chief Science Officer at the Australian Institute of Sport and has had a long and interesting career in the world of high-performance. Previously, he worked as the Head of Performance Solutions at AusCycling, was a performance manager and coach for Team BikeExchange and the Australian National Team, and a sport scientist and coach at Sport Service Mapei. We discuss with Paolo what it means to be a generalist; how his role as a generalist and solutions provider ha...
Dec 17, 2021•1 hr 21 min
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