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Spin Cycle

Escape Collectiveescapecollective.com
All the cycling news, analysis, and banter you need. Become a member to get premium content, extra episodes, and ad-free listening at escapecollective.com. Check out our other podcasts on your preferred podcast platform: - Geek Warning - how bikes work and how to make them better - Wheel Talk - all things women's cycling - How the Race was Won - racing and tactical analysis - The Rest Day with Jack Haig - insights from within the pro peloton - Overnight Success - The founders and innovators in the cycling industry Escape Collective is entirely member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/member/
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Episodes

Giro thrills and can Pogi win in Paris?

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Welcome back to Spin Cycle, where no news is too big and no joke too small. We're about halfway through the Giro, and what a Giro it's been. Caley, Jonny, and Kit take a moment to appreciate a Grand Tour without Pogačar in it, and then look ahead to the next one he'll be in. The Tour de France finish in Paris has changed, and it's way harder. Can Pogi win it? Should the classics men get excited? Plus, a one-night stand could land you in dopin...

May 23, 202559 minEp. 465

Dusty Wout just covered in dust

The Giro d'Italia's mini Strade Bianche had everything: A winner everybody can hear for, a precocious young talent, GC crashes, dust galore. In this episode of Spin Cycle, Caley, Jonny, and Kit break down a spectacular weekend of racing, look back at some of our favorite Grand Tours stages of the modern era, downsize Big Jim to Medium Sized Jim, and wonder how UAE will handle yet another leadership question.

May 19, 20251 hrEp. 464

Big Jim's chemical romance

Primoz Roglič showed the Giro how to hang off a race director's car on Thursday and Mads Pedersen probably had to go on a boat even though he fell down. The Giro is going to Giro, always. Caley, Jonny, and Kit jump on to chat through the last few days of racing and concrete reporting that Total Energies and Ineos are about to become a new chemical romance. Plus, some kind words for the Giro TV crew and Mathias Vacek, who is so good it's actually quite scary.

May 16, 202555 minEp. 463

Don't make a bet with Mads

If there's one thing we've learned over the first three days of the Giro d'Italia, it's never make a bet with Mads Pedersen. The Lidl-Trek rider is on fire, trimmers in hand. In today's episode, Caley, Jonny, and Kit break down the Giro's opening weekend, question the morality of one of a big newspaper, learn the fate of the Tro-Bro Leon pig, and introduce the Farce-O-Meter.

May 12, 202557 minEp. 462

The Giro d'Italia and a Matt White mystery

The Giro d'Italia is upon us! Chris Marshall Bell rings in from Albania with the answers to cycling's biggest questions - whose legs are good? Who will be taking it day by day? We've got everything you need to know about the year's first Grand Tour. Plus, there's been a massive shakeup at GreenEdge. Longtime director Matt White is out. What are we hearing?

May 09, 202555 minEp. 461

Winning like Astana

Welcome back to Spin Cycle. In this episode, Caley, Jonny, and Kit give Astana the props they've been yearning for (almost as valuable as UCI points). Then, a look at the youngsters of Romandie, a cluster of a TTT at the Vuelta, and a trip in the sad Visma Van. Plus, Joe Laverick joins to discuss the Traka and how gravel has become a meme.

May 05, 202559 minEp. 460

Rabbit Holes: Who shot Greg LeMond?

In the arc of a life – especially one as rich and eventful as Greg LeMond's - certain stories get lost to the grander narrative. But in 1987, the bigger story was still unwritten. That year – soon after he'd won his first Tour de France, in the prime of his career – Greg LeMond was shot, and almost died. A Grand Tour champion, violence, drugs, intrigue, rehabilitation, and redemption: this is that story. We're running this first episode across our network, but future episodes will only be found ...

May 02, 20251 hr 15 minEp. 458

Red Bull gives you intermediate sprints

Marketing, activate! Red Bull's "groundbreaking" new feature is just a sprint point, but what does the company's increasing involvement in pro cycling mean going forward? That question is far more interesting. Caley, Dane, and Intern Nick are back to discuss Red Bull's latest, whether prologues are good, and we hear from Lachlan Morton on his decision to race Unbound XL.

May 02, 20251 hrEp. 459

Tadej on my tandem

Who would you want on your Tour de France tandem? Would Pogi and Almeida beat Vingegaard and Jorgenson? These are other important questions answered on this episode of Spin Cycle. Caley, Kit, and Dane run through Liège, Remco Evenepoel's very bad day, Ben Healy's breath of fresh air, and Demi Vollering's disappointing spring. Plus, Chris Froome retirement news and an appreciation for good kit, from Kit of course.

Apr 28, 202550 minEp. 457

Down a beer win a Fleche

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. The best indicator for Fleche Wallonne victory seems to be whether or not you drink a podium beer at Amstel. Caley, Dane, Ronan, and Intern Nick break down the mid-week Classic, look ahead to Liege, discuss Uno-X's excellent new 7-11 kits, and wonder aloud where all the olds have gone.

Apr 25, 202553 minEp. 456

A big swig of Amstel

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Is Tadej Pogačar tired? Amstel Gold sure seemed to suggest it. Caley, Dane, and Intern Nick break down the weekend's racing, a crazy story about Lucho Herrera, the One Day Oscars, and lots more. Then, Joe Laverick joins to discuss a new take on road racing that looks like a lot like an old take on road racing.

Apr 21, 20251 hr 10 minEp. 455

Remco's back in town

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Time to pivot to the Ardennes! By the time you listen to this, Brabantse Pijl will be wrapped up, and with it the return of Remco Evenepoel to the pro peloton. Caley and Dane are joined by Iain Treloar to put a bow on the cobbled classics and look ahead to the hilly one-days coming up. Plus Iain brings news of a new scam on the Internet.

Apr 18, 202557 minEp. 454

A load of cobbles

Caley, Ronan and Jonny come to you live from the Roubaix velodrome to break down the action and discuss the long-term narrative implications for what was a day out on the cobbles of northern France that will live long in the memory.

Apr 14, 202532 minEp. 453

Roubaix, baby

The Spin Cycle crew talks Paris-Roubaix. Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, Dane Cash, Ronan Mc Laughlin, and Zac Williams discuss all the storylines and field a few member questions ahead of the big race in front of a live audience in Kortrijk, Belgium.

Apr 11, 202548 minEp. 452

Flanders unspun

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Flanders is the best of bike racing, and Sunday did not disappoint. Caley, Jonny, and Dane sit down in Oudenaarde's old square to discuss Pogačar's villain arc, Kopecky's biceps, and how there was very little anybody could do about today's outcomes.

Apr 06, 202547 minEp. 451

Pick your Flanders fighter

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. The crew is back in Belgium! Caley, Jonny, Dane, and special guest Nick are on the streets of Ghent and focused on De Ronde, the Tour of Flanders coming on Sunday. They break down the two key protagonists and who might upset the apple cart, plus bring a healthy dose of Belgian flavor throughout. Then, a look a the shrinking podiums in mountain bike racing and what the racers are doing about it and what Visma should have done about the strawbe...

Apr 04, 202549 minEp. 450

The Classics pecking order

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. This week on Spin Cycle: Mathieu van der Poel got spit on, a Belgian rider got stuck in his hotel room, and Kit thinks Mads Pedersen is going to win Flanders. Plus the crew discuss E3, Gent-Wevelgem, Fabio Jakobsen's surgery, and extra team in the Ground Tours, and look ahead to Holy Week.

Mar 31, 202555 minEp. 449

The rise of Roubaix Pog

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Tadej Pogačar is officially heading to Paris-Roubaix. What do we think? Can he win? Is it all a secret ploy to get Nils Politt across the line first? Probably not. Caley, Jonny, and Dane discuss the biggest news of the week (anything Pogačar does, obviously) and then question WTF was happening with all the crashes at Brugge de Panne, look into the extra wildcard teams that might be racing Grand Tours this season, and salute Caleb Ewan getting...

Mar 28, 202557 minEp. 448

Actually, the best 45 minutes of bike racing

He's Ganna Poel up the Pog-gio! And other Milan-San Remo puns. How good was that weekend of bike racing? This week's Spin Cycle kicks off looking at Pogačar's team tactics in light of a behind-the-scenes video that dropped after the race. Things seemed to go mostly to plan, but did they? Then, why can't cycling have more races like MSR? How do you build proper launchpads? We have some ideas. Plus, Mads Pedersen's gut is not a place you want to be, the UCI Track Champions League bit the dust, Mar...

Mar 24, 20251 hr 6 minEp. 447

The best 15 minutes in bike racing

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Two Milan-San Remos for the price of one? Sign us up. This week's Spin Cycle previews the best 15 minutes in bike racing, the finale of Milan-San Remo, and makes some guesses about the return of the women's MSR for the first time in 20 years. But first, we dive headlong into the UCI's hatred of nipples, some strange man management at Cofidis, the Tours de France coming back to the UK, and the potential for a new stage race in Colorado....

Mar 21, 202559 minEp. 446

Welcome to the Ineos Fun Zone

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. This week on Spin Cycle: Caley, Jonny, and Kit dive into Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, discussing Sunday's dominant American duo, big boys who are good at climbing, and Ineos' new lease on life. Plus a bit of transfer speculation (Ayuso to Movistar anyone?) and the things on Patrick Lefevere's banned list.

Mar 17, 202552 minEp. 445

Cycling is not for soft people

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. We're in the thick of it. Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, rain, snow, riders warming hands on motorcycle exhaust manifolds, Jonas Vingegaard falling down. Caley, Jonny, and Dane break it all down on this week's Spin Cycle. Plus, is David Gaudu the baddie?

Mar 14, 202547 minEp. 444

Ineos needs money, TotalEnergies might have it

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Ineos might get a co-sponsor? Yep. Reporter Chris Marshall Bell brings us an exclusive - TotalEnergies, which currently sponsors a French Pro Team, is in talks with the British squad to come on as a co-title sponsor. Negotiations have been ongoing for months, and while not confirmed, it could mean TotalEnergies invests 10 to 15 million euros into Ineos. Read about it here . Then, of course, we have to dive into Strade Bianche. How did Tadej P...

Mar 10, 202558 minEp. 443

Pogi's white roads to Roubaix

Tadej Pogačar is going to Roubaix? Maybe for real this time? We can only dream. On this Strade Bianche Eve, the Spin Cycle crew cheers the news that the Tour de France Femmes may be headed to Yorkshire and discusses how Mathieu van der Poel toyed with the peloton before taking a moment to thoroughly enjoy Peter Sagan dancing on TV. Plus, everything you need to know ahead of Saturday's Strade Bianche and a look at the two stage races, Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, kicking off this week....

Mar 07, 202558 minEp. 442

Spring has sprung and it has sprung strange

Welcome back to Spin Cycle! We kick things off by diving headfirst into the opening weekend of the classics: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. First up, Omloop. What a weird day of racing, especially from the women's peloton. How and why did FDJ and SD Worx let the break get 15 minutes? It was a game of chicken where everyone ended up as a chicken. In the men's race, the surprise came in the finale as small groups came back together, which they don't usually do, resulting in a bi...

Mar 03, 202548 minEp. 441

Rabo's return and the cobbles are here!

This week's Spin Cycle podcast opens with the news that Rabobank is returning as a sponsor for Visma-Lease a Bike, like a salmon returning a once-polluted river. Rabobank's history in the sport is long and somewhat sordid, and their departure due to doping scandals felt final. Well, now they're back. What does that mean? Then Caley, Jonny, and Dane preview the upcoming Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne races, analyzing route changes, potential contenders like Wout van Aert and Tom...

Feb 28, 202558 minEp. 440

If pro cycling had a draft

It's a massive Spin Cycle show this week because we have something special: our 2025 Men's Pro Cycling Draft! Your favorite Spin Cycle podders, plus one member standing in for all the rest of you, pick their teams for the coming season. The first part of the show is your standard fare - discussion of the two best GC riders in the world and how they fared at their respective early-season stage races, plus an unfortunate trip to Crash Courtyard, where Chris Froome is waiting.

Feb 24, 20251 hr 48 minEp. 439

Two finish lines, better than one

Head to Escapecollective.com/member to sign up today. Today on Spin Cycle: Caley, Jonny, and Dane dive into the Algarve Poop Show, alternative race endings, and the curious case of Mou. Then, we head back to Ratcliffe Row with the help of a very handy compass.

Feb 21, 202553 minEp. 438

How to make a good bike race

The Spanish Strade Bianche, Clásica Jaén, needs a premium Sunday time slot. The race has only been around since 2022 but is already one of our favourites, and a rider favourite too. This week on the show, Caley, Kit, and Jonny discuss how to create new races properly, how not to set up a sprint (maybe no speed bumps), and Geraint Thomas' unsurprising announcement that this will be his last season. Plus, Alejandro Valverde's refusal to stop racing. And lots more, of course.

Feb 17, 202559 minEp. 437

Netflix cuts the cord on the Tour

This week, Caley, Dane, and Jonny discuss Netflix Unchained's cancellation , the troubles of Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS sports empire , and sprinters going head-to-head in the Middle East. Did Unchained work? Is Jim Ratcliffe bad at sports? He is in legal disputes, has pulled sponsorships, and cut jobs. The INEOS group was downgraded due to high debt. Things are bad. What's up at the Tour of Oman , where jerseys are being zipped and others unzipped? Finally, we discuss the UAE Tour , which will featu...

Feb 14, 202553 minEp. 436
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