VeloNews Podcasts

The VeloNews Fast Talk podcast is your source for the best training advice and most compelling insight on what it takes to become a better cyclist. Listen in as VeloNews managing editor Chris Case and our resident physiologist and coach, Trevor Connor, discuss a range of topics, including sport science, training, physiology, technology, nutrition, and more. We all know how to train hard. Tearing up a set of Tabata intervals, giving it our all at the local Tuesday night training race, or attacking someone from New Zealand on Zwift is what we do. But training — at least effective training — is actually a balance between stressing our systems and recovery. Remember that training does damage. It's in recovery that we repair and get stronger. This may be why several recent studies have shown that training based on our recovery level can be more effective than rigidly following a structured plan. This is also why Coach Connor loves to say “be as intense in your recovery as you are in your training.” Train hard, rest hard. Yet, while there are a multitude of tools to measure our training stress – bike computers, power meters, heart rate straps, WKO, Golden Cheetah, Xert and the list goes on – the list of tools to measure recovery is not nearly as robust. But new players such as Whoop – which uses a combination of resting heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep and strain to assess your daily recovery level – are starting to tackle this very important side of the training balance. So today we dive into the recovery side of the training-recovery concept and talk about: - This fundamental principle of training also called super-compensation. - How to know when the balance between training and recovery goes too far towards the training stress side and is leading to over-training. Interestingly, it starts neurologically which can express as changes in mood and motivation long before it shows up on the training ride. - We discuss ways to identify neurological fatigue both on and off the bike. - Next, we dive into the recovery side of the equation and discuss ways of measuring recovery including resting heart rate and heart rate variability. - Why sometimes going into the red on the recovery score is necessary - We discuss the new Whoop strap 3.0. Whoop is a sponsor of this episode and Coach Connor and I are excited to have them as part of the show. This isn’t the first episode where we’ve preached the value of recovery and Whoop is the one tool out there really focusing on that value. And their new strap is providing even better metrics including their strain coach to help you decide when to push and when to pull the plug. Our primary guest today is Kate Courtney, the reigning mountain bike world champion, and winner of the first two rounds of the UCI World Cup this season. Along with Kate we talked with Houshang Amiri, a past Canadian Olympic and National team coach and owner of the Pacific Cycling Centre. Houshang has helped athletes such as World’s Silver Medalist Svein Tuft by focusing on the value of recovery. Houshang talks with us about ways he’s used to assess it. We include a past interview with Phill Gaimon, who talks about the importance of feel and knowing your own body. Finally, we feature an interview with two top coaches in Colorado – Mac Cassen with Apex Coaching and Frank Overton with FastCat coaching. This interview was actually from episode 45 a few years back, but we talked about measuring recovery and it’s the episode where Frank introduced all of us to the WHOOP strap.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast Fred and Andy link up to discuss some of the biggest news stories from pro cycling in the month of June. What can races like the Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse tell us about a rider's form in July? What's the significance of Vincenzo Nibali's transfer to Trek-Segafredo for 2020? Then, Andy recounts his memories from the 2009 Tour de France, which featured the inter-squad battle between Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong. As it turns out, the budding website Twitter played a major role in how we reported on Armstrong and on the race. Finally, we catch up with Richie Porte to talk about his preparation for the 2019 Tour de France. We also give Porte a chance to walk us through the various setbacks he's had at the Tour de France over the years. The 2019 VeloNews Tour de France Guide is available now. Get your copy at www.velopress.com.

Spencer RETURNS this episode to take us through his race at Dirty Kanza 200, and what lessons he learned about gravel racing. Fred and Spencer break down all the action from the Dirty Kanza. Then, Andy takes us through the final week of the Giro d'Italia, which saw Richard Carapaz fend off attacks from Vincenzo Nibali. What does the Giro's outcome tell us about Carapaz, Mikel Landa, and Primoz Roglic? Plus, we hear from American Chad Haga, who won the final stage. Finally, we invite Colin Strickland back on the podcast to talk about the Dirty Kanza. Only this time, Colin tells us about his stunning win in the men's race. This episode is sponsored by Vittoria Tires, which provided its Terreno tires for all of our gravel events this year. Spencer raced Dirty Kanza on a pair of Vittoria Terreno tires and didn't suffer a single puncture. Check out the complete line of tires at www.vittoria.com.

In episode 75, we’re joined by Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the top exercise physiologists of today. Dr. Seiler has talked with us previously about the polarized, or 80/20, model of endurance training, he’s shared his thoughts on zone models, and he’s helped us understand how slow your “slow” should be. For more with Dr. Seiler, return to episodes 51 (Polarizing your training) and 54 (Applying the polarized model). We’ve already talked about the overall polarized approach and how to do that 80 percent — the long, slow ride. Today, we’re going to talk about the other 20 percent: high intensity work. In this episode we’ll address: - Why, even though Dr. Seiler recommends 80 percent or more of our work to be at low intensity, he is by no means against some hard work. -What you should use to structure the intensity of your interval work: heart rate or power, percent of max or percent of threshold. Or, is there another approach? His answer might surprise you. - Dr. Seiler’s multiple studies on interval work, including the three protocols he’s studied — 4x4 minutes, 4x8 minutes, and 4x16 minutes. - Notice that while each workout is hard, none of those three protocols is very complex. We talk about why things like execution, accumulating time, and consistency are more important than complexity. - Some of you may cringe, but we also discuss why the specificity of interval work isn’t as important as a lot of people think. To a degree, most work hits most systems. So don’t get caught up in being a few beats or watts over or under the target. - We’ll briefly discuss the periodization of interval work.We’ll wrap up the show with a discussion of higher intensity anaerobic intervals such as Tabata’s, and ask both Dr. Seiler and some pros about their favorite interval work. Finally, we’ll answer the pressing question: Who’s the biggest nerd of all. Our primary guest today is, of course, Dr. Stephen Seiler. At this point, he needs no introduction. He is one of the most influential researchers working today.  Along with Dr. Seiler, we’ll hear from Michelton-Scott rider Brent Bookwalter about balance in interval work. This is the third episode in a row that we’ve heard from Brent, and that’s because as a top pro, who’s raced 10 grand tours, he has a lot of good things to say.  Next we’ll hear from Ruth Winder, a talented racer on the women’s Trek-Segafredo team. Finally, we'll hear from Bruce Bird. Bruce took up cycling in his 40s and has since won the Gran Fondo World Championships multiple times. At 50, he can tear apart the local pro races in Ontario. In other words, he’s figured out a few things about proper training. So, if you’re ready to get intense, if you’re prepared for a smattering of nerd bombs, it’s time to make you fast!

If you want to know what gear to use for Dirty Kanza, there's no one better to ask than the course record holder, Alison Tetrick. She joins tech editor Dan Cavallari to talk about her bike and gear choices for the 2019 Dirty Kanza race, what she can't do without during the long, lonely miles, and how gravel racing has changed in the face of new technology and WorldTour riders entering the post-pavement game. And most importantly, Tetrick lends plenty of perspective on what kind of mental toughness you'll need to make it through the adversity you're sure to face during the long miles before the post-finishline beer.

The Giro d'Italia has roared to life, with plenty of chaos and drama in the second and third weeks. On this episode, Fred and Andy link up to discuss all of the action surrounding Primoz Roglic, Vincenzo Nibali, and the other heavy hitters. Plus, Andy tells us the compelling backstory of current Maglia Rosa wearer Richard Carapaz of Ecuador. Then, the Dirty Kanza 200 is on the horizon. Fred discusses gravel cycling's Super Bowl, and why the 2019 edition has a compelling storyline. Professional road racers are set to compete, and nobody knows how these riders will impact the race. Finally, we catch up with gravel and fixed-gear rider Colin Strickland, to discuss how the gravel scene has allowed him to live the pro life. How does he think the pro road riders will shake up Dirty Kanza? Listen to the pod to find out. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by Canyon Bicycles, which is providing its Canyon Grail for us to race at gravel races all season long. Check it out at https://www.canyon.com/en-us/road/grail

On this episode, Fred and Andy link up to discuss the wet and dramatic opening week of the Giro d'Italia, which saw two favorites bit adieu before the race even got started. They also discuss the talking points from the Amgen Tour of California: EF Education First's strategy, Tadej Pogacar's ascendance, and the success of young riders. Then, we hear from Brent Bookwalter at the Giro d'Italia about life on his new team, Mitchelton-Scott. And then, we have a long conversation with Lindsay Goldman, co-owner and rider on the women's team Hagens Berman Supermint. Lindsay shares her opinions on how and how not to grow women's cycling. This episode of the VeloNews podcast is sponsored by apparel manufacturer Pactimo, which is providing its Summit Stratos 12-hour Bibs to our 2019 gravel series. The boys recently rode the Summit Stratos 12-Hour bibs at the Land Run 100, and they will also wear them at the Dirty Kanza 200 and other gravel races this year. For more information go to www.pactimo.com.

STAGE 7 Santa Clarita to Pasadena: Bobby and Gus dive into the last day of the TOC then get into today’s theme; the race after the race aka "packing up the carnival." An interview with Team Sho-Air Twenty20’s General Manager, Nicola Cranmer. A brief but illuminating discussion of the infamous Rose Bowl Crit and two National Team Fan Club Highlights; Sam and Travis.

VeloNews Voices | Put Your Socks On with Bobby Julich, Ep. 6 by VeloNews

In episode 74, we speak with one of the leading researchers on how women’s physiology influences optimal training and performance. There has been a long history of gender-neutralizing sports science. Money in sports science research is tight, and physiologists often assume they don’t have the resources to study male-female differences. We’ll address later in the show why that “added expense” assumption isn’t true, but the more important issue is that most research is conducted on men and then generalized to women. The problem is that women are not just small men. Now that sports science research is being conducted specifically on women, we are discovering, not surprisingly, that men and women don’t have the same physiology. And what works for men doesn’t always work for women. Dr. Stacy Sims has been leading a surge in research on women athletes. Her book "Roar" takes a deep dive into female physiology and how it impacts training. There’s a wealth of knowledge in the book – far too much to address in a single episode – but today we'll focus on a few of its key points, including: - Stacy Sim’s background, and how she became a leader in women’s sport’s physiologyWhy the “shrink it and pink it” approach to women’s sports research doesn’t work – optimal performance means tailoring training to the female physiology - How the menstrual cycle affects both training and performance, and why some types of training can be very effective at certain times during the month and relatively ineffective at others - Why all female athletes should track their cycle and learn how it impacts their training – there's a very real physiological explanation why you sometimes get on the bike and just can’t put out the power - Why women often need more protein for recoveryThe impact of birth control pills, and why the very common practice of giving athletes the pill may be misguided - Why research has too often ignored these questions, and why that actually presents a big opportunity for coaches and physiologists - Finally, Dr. Sims will offer advice specific to both masters and junior female athletes Our primary guest today is, of course, Dr. Stacy Sims. Many of you know her as the founder of Osmo and one of the founders of Skratch Labs. But her research has always focused on the physiology of female athletes and her book "Roar" is a must-read. In addition to Stacy, we also talk with Brent Bookwalter, a WorldTour pro with Michelton-Scott. His wife is an ex-professional cyclist and we discuss how their training regimens differ. Finally, Chris speaks with Ruth Winder, a top pro with Trek-Segefredo and winner of the 2017 Redlands Classic. Ruth had some insights on how the length of women’s races affects race dynamics and, more importantly, as a big fan of Stacy’s book, how understanding the science specific to women has helped her training. And one final note: We know that the majority of Fast Talk listeners are male. But before you say, “So much for this week’s episode,” we encourage you to listen in. Dr. Sims does a great job of explaining this complex subject. And as she points out later in this episode, just about every one of us has a wife, daughter, sister, or a female training partner. This is a sport that’s about helping one another out and you can’t help if you don’t understand.

Stage 5 Pismo Beach to Ventura. Find out why George Hincapie named his son Enzo, jump into a heated debate over sock lengths, listen to Coach Bobby J break down today’s race and deep-dive into the subject of Riding On The Front. Special bonus, an off-the-air-on-the-air honest discussion of the Van Garderen decision; what could have happened, what should have happened. “Slip one under the carpet.” - Coach Bobby J

Stage 4 Laguna Seca to Morro Bay. Coach Bobby Julich does a deep dive into all things aero and wind related including but not limited to whether or not riding with your forearms on the tops and your hands dangling off the front in a mock TT position is good idea, Superfans’ true identity is almost accidentally outed, Gus talks about playing Grand Theft Auto vs actually racing on the Speedway along with some very poignant thoughts on which side of the bike front and rear brakes should be mounted, and of course the team gets into yesterday’s crash and subsequent questionable "Van Garderen" ruling.

Stage 3 Tour of California: Stockton to Morgan Hill. Coach Bobby Julich and Gus morton discuss what happened in the race and the art & science of descending from the supertuck to the #pantanidangle. Superfan weighs in with a question about style as it relates to the topic of going downhill fast. Producer MFS shares his thoughts about slog vs slouge. Interviews with Alex Howes and Peter Stetina. Featuring original music by Taylor Phinney, a track called Sad Bang.

Stage 2 of the Tour of California: Rancho Cordova to South Lake Tahoe. "It’s one of the few stages that I’m actually scared of in cycling. It’s not very often that you go from sea level to 2,500-2,800 metres without ever having a break in the pedals. It’s virtually uphill for 110km, and for those power geeks out there you’re average power is exactly the same with or without zero, because you are always on the pedals.” - Nathan Haas. On course shaped like a ramp into the sky, today's show is all about power.

VeloNews Voices is a NEW multimedia platform featuring a collection of cycling luminaries each with their own distinct POV and channel. Coaches, Athletes, Movers and Shakers, Visionaries, the old guard, the new guard, the Vanguard, VeloNews Voices is how and where the story of our sport is being told now and into the future. -- Olympic Medalist and Tour De France podium finisher Coach Bobby J invites you to Put Your Socks On. Winning and losing, training and racing, agony and defeat, all of it comes down to understanding what works and what doesn't and for that, you need an experienced and accomplished Coach. From insightful analysis into our sports most iconic races and racers to entertaining, educational and actionable advice, PYSO is an illuminating deep-dive into the art and science of racing. Come for the Legends, Fan Clubs, Knowledge, At the Race and SuperFans. Join Coach Bobby Julich and former World Tour Racer and Outskirts visionary co-host Gus Morton as they help you watch the race, do the race. Prepare to be prepared. It’s time to Put Your Socks On. “Whether you are training or racing, the moment you put your socks on, that’s the point of no return. That’s it, it’s time to go to work.”