May 06 2024 36 mins
Just three days into the Giro d’Italia and, after Tadej Pogacar’s sterling work over the opening weekend, it’s already a done deal, isn't it?
No, of course it isn’t. Yes, the Slovenian has the pink jersey and has made a great start, but there's still plenty of racing to come and work to be done, according to Stephen Roche, who knows better than almost anyone what it takes to win the Giro-Tour double.
Although he recognises that Pogačar is a class apart as a racer, Ireland's 1987 Triple Crown winner explains why chasing victories and time gains every day could soon lead to some serious strategic problems for the Giro leader, both within his own team and amongst the rest of the peloton.
Also from the Giro, we hear from British debutant Harrison Wood, with the Cofidis rider offering his perspective on his first weekend of Grand Tour racing.
Meanwhile, over in France, safety is once again the focus of attention after a horror crash during the Ronde de l'Isard under-23 stage race in the Pyrenees that resulted in one of Australia's brightest prospects being hospitalised.
Our reporter at the event caught up with Trinity Racing's team director Pete Kennaugh to get his perspective on the incident and why the sport needs more volunteers to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences in the future.
We also report from the race on the latest crop of upcoming talents who are likely to be breaking into the elite ranks in the coming seasons, including a cohort from Visma | Lease a Bike and an extremely promising 18-year-old Belgian.
Global Peloton's Dan Challis joins us as a guest presenter and he tells us about China's growing enthusiasm for road racing, spearheaded by the China Glory team. Dan talks to the team's French team director Lionel Marie, who reveals the team is looking to move up from the continental ranks, with the WorldTour a long-term goal.
In our regular "How to Make Cycling Better" slot, Bahrain Victorious's Pello Bilbao proposes a quick fix solution for the UCI points system – simply do away with it!
This podcast is brought to you with the support of our sponsor, Saddle Skedaddle.
Music provided by HearWeGo
Marion - High Hopes
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