Stanley St. Social | cycling conversations

Luke Plapp calls in fresh off a third place finish at the Tour de Hungary — long travel, wet roads, and a GC that got away thanks to a cancelled stage and 50km/h crosswinds. We break down the drama of stage four, the cinema of stage five, and what Cosnefroy bonus second dominance.
Then it's a full Giro d'Italia wrap through stage nine — Narvaez back to winning ways, the Arrieta and Afonso cobblestone chaos, Felix Gall's blockhouse charge, Ciccone in pink, and why Jumbo-Visma look completely dialled in. Plus the transfer rumour mill is spinning — Hindley to Visma, Turner to Soudal, Frigo to UAE and more.
Maxi's top five this week? The most overrated things in cycling as a spectator — from "racing on instinct" to neutralised starts, the most combative rider award, and watts per kilo obsession.
Presented by Giant Bicycles and Pillar Performance — use code STANLEY15 for 15% off at Pillar Performance.

Heinrich Haussler is a Sports Director at Decathlon). We chat as the team prepares for the 2026 Giro d’Italia starting in Bulgaria. Haussler dives into the logistical challenges of the early Bulgarian stages and the transfer to Italy, the role of a DS handling logistics, hotels, vehicles, and performance, plus how the team has stayed injury-free heading into the Grand Tour. 

He breaks down Decathlon’s impressive 2026 classics campaign, the rapid rise of Tobias “Toby” Lund Andresen, the incredible maturity and potential of 19-year-old sensation Paul Seixas (already turning heads with podiums and massive watts), Felix Gall’s ambitions, and building a strong team culture with Luke Rowe and others. 

Topics include:
• Evolution of cobbled classics (nutrition, tubeless tyres, training, and why races are faster and harder)
• Creating a “Cervelo Test Team” style selfless atmosphere
• Differences between Red Bull and Decathlon environments
• Australian cycling
• Haussler’s hot takes on riders to watch, his favourite races, and bold Giro predictions for Toby and Felix

Ed Langdon join Max and Alex to review the first 3 stages of the Giro.

Zak Dempster is the Chief of Sports at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe.
He raced at the WorldTour level for over a decade before transitioning into team management, rising quickly through roles at Israel Cycling Academy and INEOS Grenadiers to now oversee all sporting and performance operations for Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe.

Giro starts Friday.
Plappy's back after a top five at the Tour de Romandie, and we're getting into all of it. The watts, the motorbike chaos, Lipo refusing to ride with Pog, and exactly where Plappy lost time in the prologue - spoiler, it's the corners.
Then we preview the Giro. Vingegaard goes in as the overwhelming favourite for a race he's never done. The GC field's already missing Almeida and Carapaz. The sprint battle is stacked. And the Pillar Performance Top 5 Giro moments of the last decade. Tommy D taking a roadside squat in the pink jersey. Froome attacking from 80k out. Yates winning it back on the exact climb that broke him. It's all in there.
Patrick Eddy winning in the Australian jersey in Europe, Ineos's new money, and the teams that win table updated.