Life in the Peloton, presented by MAAP

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Here we go, guys: It’s Tour de France time. The big one starts on Saturday, so I sat down with Durbo and Southam for a special EMERGENCY PODCAST to preview the 2026 edition of the race. Who better to preview the biggest race of the season with than two guys who are going to be there; Southam in the team car as a sports director for EF Education Easypost, and Durbo riding his 12th and final Tour de France for Greenedge. 

 

Kicking off this weekend with a team time trial in Barcelona, the race then heads up through the Catalan roads that Luke and I trained on together when I was across in Europe. This may be the Tour de France, but this is basically a home stage for Girona resident Durbs. From there, the Tour crosses the Pyrenees into France and - although there are a few big mountains in the first two weeks of the race - the route this year is very back heavy, climaxing with not just one, but TWO ascents of the infamous Alpe d’Huez. After 20 brutal days of racing, the pelo jet across to Paris for the awesome new final stage with the cobbled climb of Montmarte to draw the curtain down on another Tour de France. 

 

Of course, as well as the big preview we have our regular segments. In PeloChat Durbo’s asking the question; is it worth going to the traditional Tour de France warm up races any more? More and more riders are favouring training camps over racing to get a better quality build without the risk of crashing, picking up an injury, or just totally rooting yourself before the big show in July, but what’s the best way to prepare for the Tour?

 

Over in Talking Tactics, Southam’s diving into where that tipping point in GC is for riders just underneath the top tier favourites. Where do they have to be sitting in the top 10 or 20 before they decide to sit up, let the overall go, and head up the road in breakaways in search of a stage win. The likes of Pidcock, Ayuso, Lipowitz, and more who could stretch for a podium if everything goes there way, but could really turn the race on it’s head if they decide to go for stages.

 

The Communiquiz is a super simple quickfire from quizmaster Durbo; which teams ride which bikes. I won’t spoil the results for you on this one, but let’s just say Southam spends a lot of his time in amongst the bunch looking at their bikes, and I…don’t.

 

Who’s riding? Who are the favourites? What are the stages like? How will the race unfold? What are our predictions? Tom, Luke and I discuss all of these questions, and more in this special emergency ep. 

 

Listen to this episode and get yourself ready for three weeks of baguettes, berets, wine, beautiful countryside, sunshine…oh, and a bloody big bike race too!

 

Cheers,

Mitch

 

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July is almost here and, in the world of cycling, that can mean only one thing; it’s time for the Tour de France to begin.  Le Tour, the big show, the Grande Boucle - whatever you call it, the Tour de France is the biggest cycling event in the world. 

 

If you’re a pro cyclist, you’re going to spend your whole career being asked the same question: “Have you raced the Tour de France?”. Me? I never quite got there. I made it on to a few long lists, but I never managed to make the final selection. My old mate Svein Tuft, however, raced the Tour three times between 2013 and 2015, and so can proudly answer that question - have you done the Tour? - with a big fat “yes!” 

 

One thing we both have in common is the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to get in the condition to make the cut. The psychological torture and mind games some team managers put you through whilst they keep you waiting to find out whether or not you’re getting on the plane. Last minute changes of plans that leave you scrambling around packing your suitcase at the eleventh hour…or unpacking it and telling your parents to cancel their flights to Paris when the team decides to take the squad in a different direction. 

 

The point is, it’s a wild ride that kicks off months before the race even begins, and that’s what Svein and I are chatting all about in this month’s Life In The Peloton: Chronicles. Whilst Svein’s been off coming face to face with grizzly bears in the Canadian wilderness (seriously…that is a crazy story) and I’ve been dashing about Australia screening our new film ‘Holy Week’ (available to watch now on YouTube, we’ve both been thinking through our experiences in making…or in my case missing out on…the Tour de France startlist.

 

As you’ll know by now, Sveino is a real smart guy. He has a really pragmatic, grounded approach to anything that comes his way, and the Tour de France is no different. Yes it might be the biggest bike race in the world that makes or breaks riders careers, but Sveino has the wherewithal to look at his three participations and wish he’d only done the race once.

 

This month, though, it’s not just Svein and me. We’ve spoken to heaps of riders - past and present - to hear their stories about Le Tour selection and what it means to them. Matt ‘Whitey’ White, now a sports director at Movistar team, is right in the middle of being that guy on the other end of the phone telling the riders whether or not they’re lining up for a month long all-expenses-paid trip around France. He raced the tour just once as a pro in 2005 for team Cofidis, so has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of Tour selection from both sides.

 

Christian Meier, a former teammate of both Sveino and me on Greenedge in the glory years, has got a wild story about his one and only Tour call up. Of all the places to be when you get the call telling you you’re in, holidaying in Vegas having not touched your bike in a week or so has to be one of the worst! 

 

After Christian, we hear from another Canadian; Alex Stieda - the first ever North American rider to pull on the yellow jersey riding for team 7-Eleven in 1986. His story is a crazy one; almost no notice, a backdrop of political unrest leading to the team abandoning the Vuelta in the months before, prior to it even starting, and only finding out there’s a TT in the race when they opened the road book at the team sign-on! Absolutely crazy. 

 

Finally, of course, we hear from the legend himself Durbo. The last man standing from that original Greenedge line up and a veteran of the Tour de France, getting ready to start his 12th and final lap of France in his final year as a pro cyclist. Luke’s had to earn his spot on the squad each and every time he’s done the race - it’s never a given. Just because you did it last year and went OK, doesn’t mean you’re nailed on for the next one! 

 

Guys, this is a really special episode. I love being able to chat to Svein and relive our golden years, whilst also bringing in fresh voices and perspectives that add a whole other layer to the conversation. Sit back, relax, open a bottle of Bordeaux or a warm six pack of those 3% French lagers you only find on the bottom shelf at the back of weird French supermarkets, and have a listen to this pod to get yourself in the mood for the Grand Depart in just a few days time.

 

Cheers,

Mitch

The Tour de France may be the biggest bike race in the world, but there’s a little-known race in the heart of the Pyrenees you might not have heard of that, in my opinion, might just be better. 

 

That’s right, La Route d’Occitanie, formerly known as La Route du Sud, is a third-tier stage race that sees up-and-comers and the occasional legend rip around the wild, rustic mountain towns of the Pyrenees a few weeks before the big show in July. No, it’s not the biggest race in the world, but it’s one of the most honest. Nowhere to hide, no massive plaudits: just heat, suffering, and craft. A real racer’s race. Just take stage four of the 2010 edition, for example: one of the toughest days in history won by a real racer…

 

With this in mind, I thought it would be the perfect place to send Life In The Peloton’s Race Radio p/b SHOKZ for stage three of their year of chasing the lesser-known but deeply loved races that the most passionate of fans get behind each year. 

 

With the mercury tipping over 40 degrees Celsius, Harry & Stu were in for a scorcher as they made their way from Saint-Paul-Cap-de-Joux to Loudenvielle. Here’s what Harry had to say about their long weekend on the Euro barbecue:

 

Three races into our ‘b-calendar’ for LITPRR this season, and after spending an amazing weekend at La Route d’Occitanie, I’m now totally convinced that smaller races are the best way to get out and watch bike racing live. 

 

You get the same thrill of a hundred pros whooshing past, but none of the endless road closures and angry policemen blocking the road, none of the jostling for position with other fans to get a glimpse of a flash of a bike or fleeting set of calves. Big races make everything much harder.

 

At smaller races, you get the best view in the house with no effort. You’ve got a better chance of chatting to the riders before or after the race, and everyone is much less stressed. The racing is still exciting, and the roads are still just as beautiful. 

 

I loved listening to this ep and hearing some familiar voices – my old team mate and DS on EF Pro Cycling, Matti Breschel, and Robert ‘Wagi’ Wagner, another former team mate and one of my oldest friends from my racing days. 

 

Now, I don’t like to pump my own tyres up, but I did actually somehow manage to win a stage of this race back in 2010, the final day from Lauvar to Castres. It was great to see the old Skil Shimano kit from that year dusted off and worn by Harry himself at the roadside – it even managed to get some TV time as Davide Piganzoli ripped past to take the overall win. 

 

Guys, enjoy this ep. The sounds, the vibes, and the atmosphere over in France at this time of year are the perfect combination to get you geed up ready for the big one in July, but don’t discount a trip across yourself next year for the Route d’Occitanie; one of the toughest races on the calendar. Only real champions win here…and me.

 

Cheers,

Mitch

 

This Episode is sponsored by SHOKZ and Saily! 

 

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Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP

 

Guys, the Dauphi…I mean the ‘Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes’ has just finished, which can mean only one thing; Le Tour is just around the corner! This month’s edition of the Race Communiqué with me, EF Education Easypost DS Tom Southam, and Jayco AlUla pro rider Luke Durbridge is the perfect pod to wrap up the racing we’ve just witnessed and get you in the mood for the big one! 

 

We kick off this month’s ep with our first listener question! That’s right, we’ve been doing this for three years and we’ve finally got our first question! Remember, drop us an email at contact@lifeinthepeloton.com with your questions and we might just feature them on the pod!

The Dauphine Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the ultimate warm up race for the Tour de France, and it always provides a great insight into how the favourites are going, as well as giving us a bit of a sneak preview of some of the stages. With the big three - Pogi, Jonas, and Remco - all favouring altitude camps, the Dauph…..race was set to be a showdown between the young French hope Paul Seixas, UAE Emirates defector to Lidl Trek Juan Ayuso, and Pogi’s Mexican prodigy Isaac Del Toro. 

 

Things started with a bang for Tom’s EF team with French superstar Alex Baudin taking the first stage and with it the yellow jersey, which they valiantly defended up until the final weekend. Young Aussie Luke Tuckwell put himself in the 60 rider breakaway on stage 6 and took over the lead of the race and, with Paul Seixas crashing hard on stage 7 and eventually abandoning at the start of the last day of racing, it was Tuckwell’s to lose. In the end Isaac Del Toro was just too strong and took the overall victory by just under a minute on young Luke. 

 

At just 21 years old, this is an absolutely massive breakthrough ride for Luke. He’s out there swimming with the Dolphins in his first year pro! I was stoked to have a quick catch up with him and hear his thoughts on the race, and what this means for the rest of his summer.

 

Durbo’s PeloChat is one for you data nerds out there. Last year, he said Tour de Suisse was the toughest stage race he’s ever done, but this year’s Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes might just take the crown. He’s going through the TrainingPeaks data to compare the races and categorically decide which was the bigger challenge. This isn’t just about the training load, though; these races can be a real hot bed for sickness and - being so close to the Tour - if you get sick you could wreck your chances of a 3 week all expenses paid trip around France in July.

 

Talking Tactics time next, and Southam’s going all in for the mega break. We’ve seen it a few times already this year; first at Liege and then again at the Dauphine, and it’s starting to become a tactic that teams like EF and Uno X are banking on to bring home some big results. Full teamwork, everyone committed, reap the rewards.

 

Guys, this pod is an absolute banger. I absolutely love chatting to Southam and Durbo when the race season really kicks off because they’re both still out there amongst it, and their insight is just amazing. This is the kind of perspective I feel really privileged to be able to share with you all. 

 

Roll on July!

 

Cheers,

Mitch

 

The Race Communiqué is brought to you by TrainingPeaks! Track, plan, and train smarter - just like the pros.

Get 20% off TrainingPeaks Premium now at trainingpeaks.com/litp

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP

 

Being a Doctor on a professional cycling team means something very different now to what it meant just a few decades ago. Nowadays, a cycling doctor is all about balancing performance with a rider’s long term health, keeping these high functioning athletic specimens fighting fit and ready for the physical and mental load of bike racing. But, it wasn’t that long ago that being a Doctor in professional cycling meant one thing; performance enhancement.

 

Guys, this month’s episode of Life In The Peloton is one of the most thought provoking conversations we’ve had in a while. I sat down with my old team doctor from my days on EF; Dr David Castol.

 

Dr. Castol has spent years working at the heart of pro cycling, helping riders navigate the demands of one of the toughest sports on the planet. But, in 2018, everything changed when David found himself on the other side of the medical system after a testicular cancer diagnosis that transformed his outlook on life and the way he practices medicine.

 

David and I talk about what it takes to have a long, healthy career as a sportsperson, and how to find the balance between being a high performance athlete and focusing on your long term health. Efficiency, recovery, and managing your body’s resources better to improve your performance economy are all at the centre of Dr. Castol’s philosophy, and there’s a lot to take away for pro athletes and amateurs alike.

 

Of course, we also dive into the real gritty questions that come with the territory of being a doctor in cycling. Is doping still present in the pro pelo? What does he think about these extraordinary performances we’re seeing more and more often in races these days? Where does the grey area of performance enhancement begin and end?

 

It goes without saying that your mind and your body have to work in harmony to get the most out of your athletic potential, and hearing Dr. Castol’s take on just how important mental health is for riders was really eye opening and reassuring to know that mainstream medicine is starting to focus on psychology as well as physiology.

 

Since I stopped racing at the end of 2021, the pro peloton is almost unrecognisable. Riders are going faster, breaking through younger, and retiring earlier; and it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down any time soon.

 

I actually learnt a hell of a lot from our chat. Despite not being a professional athlete any more, there’s so many broader points about your general health that are as relevant to day-to-day life as they are to bike riding. I hope you guys enjoy this chat and learn a thing or two about your physical and mental health as a cyclist, whether you’re a pro racer or a weekend warrior.

 

Cheers,

Mitch

 

 

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