Astana impressed at the first cobbled race of the season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. How did young Michael Valgren pull off this big win? We analyze the race and also look at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, where Dylan Groenewegen confirmed that he's a top sprinter to watch. Plus, American Alexis Ryan found the podium in the women's Omloop. Also on this podcast, Andrew Hood talks to Paris-Roubaix winner Greg Van Avermaet about the classics and why Tour of Flanders will always be his dream race to win. We wr...
Feb 27, 2018•52 min
If you've ever ogled a handbuilt steel frame, you should thank Tom Ritchey. Founder of the eponymous brand, Ritchey was one of the pioneers of modern framebuilding. He also was integral when a band of Californians decided to take their bikes off-road on the trails around Marin. This interview covers all of that and much more with a living legend of American cycling.
Feb 22, 2018•36 min
Can you feel that? The cobbled classics kick off this weekend with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad! We look ahead to that race and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Who is riding well? Why did Sagan decide to skip these fun early spring openers? Plus, we call up European correspondent Andrew Hood for an inside look at the crazy media scrum that was Ruta del Sol. Ruta del Sol? Yep, it was Chris Froome's debut race, and as you'd expect, there was a lot to discuss. All that, and we also look back on last week's other ...
Feb 20, 2018•54 min
It's time to unlock the mysteries of fatigue. Is it just lactic acid pooling in your legs, as your high school coach probably told you? No, that’s not it. The answer is actually a lot more complex than you'd think. In fact, some of the most exciting theories have only recently been proposed. This episode reveals those exciting revelations and explores the foundations of fatigue. First, we’ll discuss the many different physiological causes of fatigue, including muscle damage, glycogen depletion, ...
Feb 16, 2018•1 hr
They might look like skinny superheroes, but pro cyclists grapple with fear just like the rest of us. In this podcast, we talk to Andrew Hood about his recent article in VeloNews magazine, "Fear Factor." He explains why the pros are afraid of some unexpected things. (Hint: Crashing isn't one of them.) But before that, we analyze scads of early season bike races from Dubai to Colombia to this week's action across Europe. What can we tell about the sprinters and their teams? Are the GC guys starti...
Feb 14, 2018•57 min
This week, the Fast Talk podcast went live! Hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case fielded questions on Facebook from podcast listeners like you. Here are a few (of the many) topics we covered: - How does oatmeal compare to other grains? - What type of riding should I do to prepare for a gran fondo with 7,400 meters of climbing? - Is compression clothing beneficial? When and for how long should I use it? - What's the difference between the inflammation caused by training and that caused by certain f...
Feb 09, 2018•1 hr 7 min
American Olympian Ruth Winder is headed to the Netherlands to race for Team Sunweb. We talk to the up-and-comer about what it's like to make the big move to one of Europe's top teams. Also, Winder talks about her experience as an alternate on the U.S. team pursuit squad at the Rio Olympics. Did she snag selfies with sports celebs? Do alternates win medals too? Why does track cycling make you so good at road racing? All of that and much more in this week's interview.
Feb 08, 2018•30 min
With brutal mud on a gnarly course, 'cross worlds didn't disappoint... and neither did the U.S. women's team. We recap and analyze the battle between Sanne Cant and Katie Compton. Then, we try to make sense of why the tables turned in the ongoing rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Of course, the podcast wouldn't be complete without an update on Chris Froome. Turns out, he's going to race in a week or so, despite the Salbutamol scandal. We debate whether this is the right mov...
Feb 06, 2018•50 min
NOTE: This is an updated version of episode 37. We apologize for uploading the previous, rough cut of this podcast. This is the one you want ... Thanks for listening! We take on the always-controversial subject of nutrition. Why is it so controversial? First, it’s very personal: Many people, trained or untrained, have strong opinions on the subject, and a lot of heated debate revolves around what is healthy and what is best for performance. We’ve had a few prominent guests on Fast Talk previousl...
Feb 01, 2018•1 hr 4 min
Rainbow jerseys are on the line this weekend at cyclocross worlds in the Netherlands. We consider the top favorites and look back at the treacherous final round of the World Cup last Sunday in Hoogerheide. Road season is also underway with early season races in Argentina, Mallorca, and Australia. Trek-Segafredo came out swinging this week with five wins worldwide. One of the men to raise his arms was Toms Skujins, a newcomer to the American team. Spencer interviews him to talk about the turmoil ...
Jan 30, 2018•1 hr 14 min
Compton and Keough went one-two in the Nommay 'cross World Cup. We look back on a memorable race for the Americans and puzzle over Mathieu van der Poel's seemingly nonchalant approach to winning. Then, Fred Dreier calls up Andrew Hood for the inside line on Tour Down Under. From the heat to the surprise winner, to the cuddly critters, Hoody gets us up to speed. Plus we consider who was off the front and who was off the back in the past week of bike racing.
Jan 25, 2018•49 min
Is climbing as simple as power-to-weight ratios? Not so much. In the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine, we dug into the rarely explored science of climbing. This podcast goes behind the scenes of the making of that article, and the many fascinating discoveries that came out of it. Co-hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case turned themselves into mad scientists and convinced WorldTour pro Sepp Kuss (LottoNL-Jumbo) to join them for several time trials up a few Boulder climbs in the quest for ...
Jan 19, 2018•1 hr 11 min
With Compton crushing her 14th title and Hyde battling Powers for his second title, CX Nats was an instant classic. We look back on the key races, and what's ahead for the best American cyclocross racers. Also in this show, we discuss the 2018 Women's WorldTour. Some key riders have moved to new teams, but will that stop Boels-Dolmans from winning nearly any race? The Dutch powerhouse team looks as good as ever.
Jan 17, 2018•1 hr 2 min
Daniel Holloway burst onto the track World Cup this year winning an omnium event in Chile. First of all, he explains what the omnium event is all about. Then, we discuss his role on the new USA Cycling National Team and his diverse background as a pro cyclist. He's done everything from European racing to Red Hook Crits.
Jan 11, 2018•53 min
Expectations are high for Richie Porte to podium (or win!?) the Tour de France. The trouble is, his past performances have been patchy. We debate the Australian's talents and weaknesses in the first half of this podcast. There are some reasons to be bullish and others to be skeptical of Porte's potential. Then, we look ahead to this weekend's USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Reno! Will Katie Compton get lost in a casino and open the door for a rival to break her streak of 13 cons...
Jan 10, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Are you getting out to ride this winter? This podcast covers the physiological effects of training in the cold, from muscle damage to the increased caloric demands. We also discuss tips and tricks to set up your bike, stay warm, and even keep your bottles from freezing. And if it's too damn cold, we explain the best way to balance time indoors on the trainer with outdoor rides. We speak with Dr. Stephen Cheung, Dr. Inigo San Millan, Trek-Segafredo pro rider Kiel Reijnen, and former cyclocross ch...
Jan 05, 2018•1 hr 10 min
To kick off the new year, we examine the key stories to watch in 2018: Sagan vs. Van Avermaet, Froome's Salbutamol scandal, and much more. We are joined by our new reporter, Dane Cash of VeloHuman and the Recon Ride podcast to look ahead to the coming cycling season. Later in the show, Fred Dreier talks about a story he wrote for the January/February issue of VeloNews magazine about religion and cycling. Lots of top professionals are religious, but they often feel compelled to keep their faith u...
Jan 04, 2018•49 min
Rally Cycling's pro riders put their bikes away for this off-season team camp. Instead, they hiked, skied, played basketball, and bonded with teammates new and old. The team-building may prove to be an essential ingredient if they hope to succeed in 2018 because the team is moving up to the Pro Continental level of racing. This should mean harder races, more European racing, and higher expectations. Editor in chief Fred Dreier caught up with Rally staff and riders in Winter Park, Colorado to lea...
Dec 26, 2017•27 min
In this episode of Fast Talk, we tackle the always-popular topic of climbing. A listener in Iowa asked if he could become a better climber. Not only will we answer his question, we’ll describe ways in which anyone can improve their technique, efficiency, and power to refine their climbing. Surprisingly, climbing isn't as simple as dropping a few pounds or spending your days riding in the Rockies. We look at the question from a few angles: First, does dropping weight make you a better climber? Th...
Dec 21, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Chris Froome's Vuelta anti-doping test has thrown the 2018 cycling season into limbo. No one knows if he'll be allowed to race the Giro d'Italia as planned. It also remains to be seen if he'll have his 2017 Vuelta title stripped. We discuss. Also, Chris Case summarizes a conversation he had with an asthma doctor that tested Chris Froome. How could the Tour champ have gone so far over the limit for Salbutamol? What's the difference between exercise-induced asthma and regular asthma? Want to win a...
Dec 19, 2017•39 min
We break down the key storylines behind Chris Froome's doping test from the Vuelta. He went over the limit for Salbutamol. Now, Froome and Sky have a chance to explain themselves, but a pall of doubt has been cast over his four Tour wins and that Vuelta victory. We speak with Andrew Hood who has insider knowledge from an anti-doping expert and a lawyer. This is cycling's biggest story in years — stay tuned as new developments come to light. Want to win a smart trainer? Enter Bkool's winter VeloN...
Dec 15, 2017•32 min
How will the UCI crack down on motor cheating? Why did it settle the case with Sagan over his Tour de France disqualification? Our special guest Jeremy Whittle just got back from an interview with new UCI president David Lappartient. He'll help us understand a few of the hot-button issues facing cycling. Plus, Whittle gives us an insider's perspective on how the British cycling fans are reacting to UKAD's inconclusive ending to the Wiggins/Sky "jiffy bag" investigation. This episode is sponsored...
Dec 12, 2017•54 min
Recently, a big debate kicked up on the Internet. Some cycling experts were saying that Functional Threshold Power (FTP) was dead. Many of the big names in cycling got involved debating the value of FTP and what is and isn’t current when it comes to profiling riders and determining their training zones. We didn’t get involved because we consider everyone in the debate friends at Fast Talk, but we also couldn’t resist a good scientific question. So, we got a number of top coaches into a room toge...
Dec 06, 2017•1 hr 17 min
We've been poring over stage profiles and maps to decipher the 2018 Giro d'Italia route. But we couldn't do it alone. So, we called Italian insider Gregor Brown to talk about the key stages, the overall route design, and why the race has shunned trendy short stages. Gregor waxes poetic about all things Italian, from the Mount Etna volcano to the spectacular Zoncolon. In addition to our in-depth look at the Giro route, we have our usual silly segments: #AskACat3 and the triumphant return of Off t...
Dec 05, 2017•54 min
The future of mountain bike racing is bright. High school kids throughout the U.S. are turning out in droves for the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). In this interview from our trip to Interbike, we sit down with NICA executive director Austin McInerny and Cody Phillips, a NICA graduate. They explain why the programs are so successful, the organization's plans for growth, and are very apologetic for all of the super-fast youngsters who are now dropping us at group rides and r...
Nov 30, 2017•28 min
Chris Froome is expected to race the Giro d'Italia. We talk to our man on the ground in Italy, Gregor Brown, to learn about this breaking news, how the fans will feel about Froomey, and whether he's a shoo-in to win the pink jersey. Also, we are deep into the winter 'cross season. That means wild, muddy races, and a few top Americans — Katie Compton and Ellen Noble — are thriving. As usual, we wrap the show with our segments, #askacat3 and the VN Podium!
Nov 28, 2017•46 min
Spencer Powlison sits down with Katie Compton in Louisville, Kentucky ahead of the Pan-American Cyclocross championships at the beginning of November, 2017. The 13-time national champion talks about her new approach to this cyclocross season, the new races she's been able to start, and up-and-coming American racers to watch. She also answers questions on gender equality in bike racing.
Nov 21, 2017•24 min
We cyclists can get a little lost in the weight room. That doesn't mean strength training doesn't have important benefits though. We are joined by Jess Elliott, who is the sports performance coach and biomechanist at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center. She helps us understand the fundamentals of strength workouts in the weight room: what to do, how to do it, and how many times to lift those big hunks of iron. Plus, we speak with pro rider Brent Bookwalter (BMC) abo...
Nov 20, 2017•1 hr 10 min
This week, the Fast Talk podcast went live! Hosts Trevor Connor and Chris Case fielded questions on Facebook from podcast listeners like you. Here are a few (of the many) topics they covered: How to fit in training around a busy work schedule. What to do in base training period How do deal with hot weather Training tips for older riders The effects of high altitude on training. All that and much more on this week's Fast Talk podcast.
Nov 17, 2017•1 hr 5 min
In this week's episode, we have an impromptu book club after reading Phil Gaimon's new book, "Draft Animals." His controversial memoir calls out Fabian Cancellara, and now Gaimon is in the hot seat. The book provides a personal, in-depth — and sometimes depressing — look at what it's like to be a pro cyclist trying to make the WorldTour. We discuss this and other notable cycling autobiographies. Also, Andrew Hood talks about his interview with the legendary Svein Tuft and we critique Movistar bo...
Nov 15, 2017•1 hr
