The Cycling Podcast

Last updated
The Cycling Podcast
TCP 2020 NORMAL.jpg
Presentation
Hosted byRichard Moore, Lionel Birnie, Daniel Friebe, Orla Chennaoui, François Thomazeau, Rose Manley, Lizzy Banks, Tom Whalley, Ian Boswell
GenreSports
LanguageEnglish
UpdatesThursday
Production
ProductionJonathan Rowe, Jon Moonie, Tom Whalley, Alex Adey, Paul Scoins, Will Jones, Adam Bowie
Audio formatPodcast (via streaming or downloadable MP3)
No. of seasons7
No. of episodes805
Publication
Original release2013
Ratings70,000 listeners/week, 48.4 million all-time listens
Cited forThe Cycling Media Awards Best Podcast 2016, British Podcasting Awards Bronze Medal 2018, British Podcasting Awards Bronze Medal 2019
Cited asTop 10 Audio AIPS Sports Media Awards 2018, [1] Top 10 Audio AIPS Sports Media Awards 2019 [2]
Provider Audioboom
Related
Related showsKilometre 0 by The Cycling Podcast, The Cycling Podcast Féminin, Explore by The Cycling Podcast
Website thecyclingpodcast.com

The Cycling Podcast is an independent sports audio production created by Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie, and Daniel Friebe. Launched in 2013, [3] weekly, hour-long episodes provide insight, analysis and often irreverent take on professional road cycling. Each episode features interviews with different professional cyclists, team staff and other actors from across the sport. Increased coverage is provided at the Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) where daily episodes are recorded at the end of each stage. It is also published by the UK broadsheet newspaper, The Telegraph . [4]

Contents

The Cycling Podcast Series

History

The Cycling Podcast began as short audio dispatches from the 2013 Tour de France supported by sponsorship from Sharp. Listener numbers hit 9,000 [11] halfway into the race which helped secure funding from Jaguar for the following year. In 2015, audience numbers grew to 30,000 and partnerships were developed with The Telegraph and Eurosport. Support from sports nutrition brand Science in Sport saw The Cycling Podcast cover their first Giro d'Italia in 2016 and title sponsorship from cycling lifestyle brand Rapha, secured the future of the podcast for the following two years. Notably, The Cycling Podcast was referenced in the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's report into Combatting doping in sport. [12]

The Cycling Podcast was the first podcast ever to be accredited to the Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has been nominated for several awards since 2016. The podcast was given best podcast at the 2016 Cycling Media Awards. [13] In 2018, The Cycling Podcast was a Bronze medalist in sports podcast category at the British Podcast Awards. [14] It has been renominated in the Sports category in 2019. The Grand Tour Diaries, the second book by the team behind The Cycling Podcast was released in November 2019. [15]

Beginning in 2018, Daniel Friebe became a member of ITV's cycling coverage team for the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, and started appearing on the podcast less frequently during those races, and often contributing in the way of a guest pundit. As ITV didn't typically cover the Giro d'Italia, he remained a key part of the team during the Italian Grand Tour. The Cycling Podcast was recorded live with an audience at the 2019 World Championships. [16]

In early 2022, lead presenter Richard Moore died suddenly. In his absence, Birnie and Friebe were the main presenters during the Giro d'Italia, and during the Tour de France, the podcast was hosted by Birnie, François Thomazeau and recently retired cyclist Mitchell Docker.

Coverage

Giro d'Italia

In 2016, The Cycling Podcast team covered the Giro d'Italia for the first time, thanks to new sponsorship funding from Science in Sport. Italian journalist Ciro Scognamiglio [17] of La Gazzetta dello Sport is a regular contributor during the three-week stage race.

Tour de France

The Cycling Podcast began as daily dispatches from the Tour de France in 2013. Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe, along with a cast of special guests, have provided analysis and insight from each of the 21 stages of the race every year since. Esteemed French journalist [18] and author François Thomazeau [19] (winner of the 2015 Prix Jacques Goddet) has joined them in their coverage since 2017. [20]

Vuelta a España

Following the title sponsorship of cycling clothing brand Rapha, The Cycling Podcast added the third Grand Tour to their coverage in August 2016. Spanish cycling journalist and communications manager for Lizarte, Fran Reyes provides insight during the Vuelta a España coverage.

Contributors

The Cycling Podcast features regular contributions from journalists François Thomazeau, Ciro Scognamiglio, Fran Reyes, Brian Nygaard and sports commentator Rob Hatch. The Service Course, [21] a new tech show by The Cycling Podcast launched in 2019 with YouTube star Keira McVitty and radio producer Tom Whalley. McVitty was subsequently replaced by Lizzie Banks, a double Giro d’Italia stage winner.

Past contributors: Matthew Beaudin, Ned Boulting, John Bradley, Caley Fretz, Rupert Guinness, Andy Hood, Matt Rendell, Owen Rogers, Owen Slot, Anthony Tan, Hannah Troop and Moeen Islam (avid fan of the show).

Support and sponsorship

As of 2020, The Cycling Podcast is sponsored by Supersapiens, having until the end of 2019 been sponsored by Rapha [22] and after that by iwoca, [23] . It also receives support from Science in Sport. Past sponsors include Allpress Espresso, HumansInvent.com, Sharp, Van Dessel Cycles, British Eurosport, Nederburg Wines, Jaguar, Wellbrix and Hansgrohe showers and taps. The Telegraph is a long standing media partner of The Cycling Podcast. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling road race held in Italy

The Giro d'Italia is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 1909 to increase sales of the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, and the race is still run by a subsidiary of that paper's owner. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1909, except during the two world wars. As the Giro gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened, and the peloton expanded from primarily Italian participation to riders from all over the world. The Giro is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI WorldTeams, with some additional teams invited as 'wild cards'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mario Cipollini</span> Italian cyclist

Mario Cipollini, often abbreviated to "Cipo", is a retired Italian professional road cyclist most noted for his sprinting ability, the longevity of his dominance, and his colourful personality. His nicknames include Il Re Leone and Super Mario. He is regarded as having been the best sprinter of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradley Wiggins</span> British former professional road and track racing cyclist

Sir Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British former professional road and track racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2001 and 2016. He began his cycling career on the track, but later made the transition to road cycling. He won world titles in four disciplines, and Olympic gold in three. He is the only rider to have won both World and Olympic championships on both the track and the road as well as winning the Tour de France. He has worn the leader's jersey in each of the three Grand Tours of cycling and held the world record in team pursuit on multiple occasions. He won a gold medal at four successive Olympic Games from 2004 to 2016, and held the record as Great Britain's most decorated Olympian with 8 medals until Jason Kenny won his 9th in 2021. He is the only rider to win both the Tour de France and Olympic Gold in the same year, winning them a week apart in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giro d'Italia Women</span> Womens bicycle racing event

The Giro d’Italia Women is an annual women's cycle stage race around Italy. First held in 1988, the race is currently part of the UCI Women's World Tour, and is currently organised by RCS Sport, the organisers of the men's Giro d'Italia. The race was previously branded as the Giro d'Italia Femminile prior to 2013, the Giro Rosa from 2013 to 2020, and the Giro Donne from 2021 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Cavendish</span> Professional road and track cyclist

Mark Simon Cavendish is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Astana Qazaqstan Team. As a track cyclist he specialises in the madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines; as a road racer he is a sprinter. He is widely considered one of the greatest road sprinters of all time, and in 2021 was called "the greatest sprinter in the history of the Tour and of cycling" by Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domenico Pozzovivo</span> Italian racing cyclist

Domenico Pozzovivo is an Italian professional road racing cyclist, who most recently rode for UCI ProTeam Israel–Premier Tech.. His very small stature confer him with the qualities of a pure climbing specialist. He is most known for a victory in stage 8 of the 2012 Giro d'Italia, an overall victory in the 2012 Giro del Trentino, and is notable for his educational attainments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapha (sportswear)</span> Sportswear and lifestyle brand

Rapha Performance Roadwear is a cycling lifestyle brand focused on road bicycle racing and mountain biking clothing and accessories. Rapha has its headquarters in London and a United States office in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Richard Moore was a Scottish journalist, author, podcaster, and racing cyclist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Dowsett</span> British racing cyclist

Alex Edward Albert Dowsett is a British former professional road racing cyclist, who last rode for UCI WorldTeam Israel–Premier Tech. He was a time trial specialist, and in 2015, he broke track cycling's world hour record by 446 metres, with a distance of 52.937 kilometres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitchell Docker</span> Australian cyclist

Mitchell Docker is an Australian former road racing cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2006 to 2021.

The 2012 Gran Piemonte was the 98th edition of the Gran Piemonte single-day cycling race. It was held on 27 September 2012, over a distance of 188 km, starting in Fossano and ending in Biella.

The 2013 Giro del Trentino was the 37th edition of the Giro del Trentino cycling stage race. It started on 16 April in Lienz (Austria) and ended on 19 April in Sega di Ala. The race, that was officially presented on 8 April in Trento, consisted of four stages, with the first one divided into two half-stages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Opie</span> British cyclist

Christopher Ryan Opie is a British cyclist and a contributor to the Global Cycling Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Warbasse</span> American road cyclist

Lawrence Warbasse is an American professional road racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale. Best known for winning the 2017 United States National Road Race Championships, Warbasse has also competed for UCI WorldTeams BMC Racing Team and IAM Cycling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tao Geoghegan Hart</span> British road cyclist

Tao Geoghegan Hart is a British cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Lidl–Trek. He rode for Team Sky as a stagiaire in late 2015, and joined the team permanently for the 2017 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrea Pasqualon</span> Italian road cyclist

Andrea Pasqualon (born 2 January 1988 is an Italian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Team Bahrain Victorious. In June 2017, he was named in the startlist for the Tour de France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filippo Ganna</span> Italian cyclist (born 1996)

Filippo Ganna is an Italian track and road cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers. He is a record-breaking six-time world champion in the individual pursuit, winning a total of nine medals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, and part of the Olympic gold medal-winning team in the team pursuit at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He also won the men's individual time trial at the 2020 and 2021 UCI Road World Championships, and four stages in the 2020 Giro d'Italia and two stages in the 2021 Giro d'Italia, setting the record for most consecutive time trials won at the Giro with five. He is the current world record holder in individual pursuit, team pursuit and of the hour record, which he unified with the best human effort since the distinction was first made in 1997.

References

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  2. "AIPS SPORT MEDIA AWARDS: AUDIO TOP 10". Aipsawards.com. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
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  6. "The Cycling Podcast Féminin on Audioboom". Audioboom. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
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  10. "From the Top: 'Life in the Peloton' with Mitch Docker". CyclingTips. 2021-06-17. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
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  12. "Combatting doping in sport". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  13. "Cycling Media Awards" . Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  14. "British Podcast Awards" . Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  15. MacMichael, Simon (21 October 2019). "New book plus 11-date stage show from The Cycling Podcast next month". road.cc. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  16. "David Millar & Ned Boulting, plus The Cycling Podcast team, to take centre stage at Yorkshire World Championships". road.cc. July 4, 2019.
  17. Scognamiglio, Ciro. "Ciro Scognamiglio". Ciro Scognamiglio Muckrack. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
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  21. "The Cycling Podcast launches new tech show". 2 July 2019.
  22. "The Cycling Podcast + Rapha". Rapha.
  23. "Listen up – iwoca is sponsoring The Cycling Podcast". iwoca.
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