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Spin Cycle

Sports & Recreation Podcasts

The best podcast in cycling, formerly known as the Placeholder Podcast. Spin Cycle is Escape Collective's weekly chat show that brings you the biggest and weirdest stories from the world of cycling. Hosted by Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, and Kit Nicholson, this podcast offers an accurate and informative breakdown of major news events without forgetting that cycling is just silly sometimes. Please check out our other podcasts on your preferred podcast platform: - Geek Warning - how bikes work and how to make them better - Wheel Talk - all things women's cycling - How the Race was Won - racing and tactical analysis - The Rest Day with Jack Haig - insights from within the pro peloton - Overnight Success - The founders and innovators in the cycling industry Escape Collective is entirely member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/member/

Location:

United States

Description:

The best podcast in cycling, formerly known as the Placeholder Podcast. Spin Cycle is Escape Collective's weekly chat show that brings you the biggest and weirdest stories from the world of cycling. Hosted by Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, and Kit Nicholson, this podcast offers an accurate and informative breakdown of major news events without forgetting that cycling is just silly sometimes. Please check out our other podcasts on your preferred podcast platform: - Geek Warning - how bikes work and how to make them better - Wheel Talk - all things women's cycling - How the Race was Won - racing and tactical analysis - The Rest Day with Jack Haig - insights from within the pro peloton - Overnight Success - The founders and innovators in the cycling industry Escape Collective is entirely member-funded. If you like this podcast please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/member/

Language:

English


Episodes
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Leg hair mullets and Pogi's millions

11/6/2024
Is the cycling off-season ever really off? Even though road racing has been done for a while (except for Saitama, of course!), there's plenty to talk about. Tadej Pogačar's new contract with UAE is massive - €8 million a year until 2030, making him the highest-paid rider in the peloton. It's sparked a larger discussion about the economics of pro cycling and how teams are built around these superstar riders. Demi Vollering’s move from SD Works to FDJ is a big shakeup in the women’s peloton. It seems, unlike on the men's side, that the women's transfer market is wide open, with teams throwing around big money to secure top talent. This move also prompts questions about the role of sponsors like Specialized in rider moves, and the cultural differences between Dutch and French teams. Then there’s some good old-fashioned paperwork drama. Ceratizit messed up their WorldTour license paperwork and might lose one of their star riders. Is this just an "admin error," or is there something more going on? And of course, no Spin Cycle episode would be complete without some listener interaction. This week, we tackled Drew’s question about the aerodynamics of a leg-shaving mullet, with Ronan offering his expert analysis. Don’t forget to send us your own cycling-related queries at escapecollective.com/hello. We’ll be answering them in an upcoming mailbag episode.

Duration:00:48:26

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What do we make of the Tour de France route?

10/30/2024
Jonny Long, Kit Nicholson, and Dane Cash join Caley Fretz to break down the route of the 2025 Tours de France (men's and women's), and they also talk squirrels, rally car racing, and crypto in cycling.

Duration:00:49:33

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Chapeau to budget caps

10/23/2024
This week on the Spin Cycle podcast, Caley, Jonny, and Kit kick off with an update on Tom Pidcock's dramatic transfer saga. It turns out he's going nowhere. Or is he? This whole situation adds to the growing narrative that INEOS is a difficult team to be on, as evidenced by Ethan Hayter's recent comments about the "weird environment." Despite the failed transfer, it sounds like there are a few other teams still interested in acquiring Pidcock, but it'll probably take a hefty buyout to pry him away from INEOS at this point. Next up, the crew discuss Chris Froome's shocking admission that he won't be vying for another Tour de France victory. It's tough to see a legendary athlete come to terms with the limitations of their body, but we admire Froome's honesty and grace in addressing the situation. We also take some time to discuss the UCI's exploration of budget caps within the WorldTour. Chris Marshall Bell, who broke the story for Escape Collective, joins to talk about the potential implications of these financial regulations. While there's no consensus on the matter yet, it's clear that the UCI is serious about addressing the financial disparities within the sport. And finally, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the tough news regarding Chris Hoy's health. His strength and positivity in the face of such a challenging diagnosis are truly inspiring, and we wish him and his family all the best.

Duration:00:38:12

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Pidcock pulls the parachute

10/16/2024
This episode of the Spin Cycle Podcast focuses on the latest developments in the Tom Pidcock saga. Caley, Jonny, and Kit discuss rumors of his potential move to Q36.5, a second-tier team. What are the implications of the move for Pitcock's career? Is there potential for Q36.5 to rise in the ranks of professional cycling with a billionaire backer and Doug Ryder at the helm? We dissect the media frenzy surrounding Pidcock's withdrawal from Il Lombardia and the lack of clear communication from Ineos. In the second half of the show, the crew analyze Tadej Pogačar's dominant season, culminating in his victory at Il Lombardia. Is dominance boring? We polled our members and most don't think so.

Duration:00:43:02

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Tadej Pogačar, Mortadella King

10/9/2024
This week on the Spin Cycle podcast, Caley, Kit, and Jonny discuss the UCI's proposed change to the 3K rule and the peloton's protest of the dangerous racing conditions at Tre Valli Varesine. Plus, discussion of Tadej Pogačar's first post-Worlds victory and subsequent hefting aloft of a giant mortadella. We then pivot to a discussion of Strava's beta "Athlete Intelligence" feature, sharing humorous examples of its feedback and debating its purpose. Luke Rowe's surprising transfer from Ineos Grenadiers to Decathlon AG2R is analyzed, along with the controversy surrounding whether the Gravel World Championships were gravelly enough.

Duration:00:36:51

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We're out of superlatives here

10/2/2024
In this episode of the Spin Cycle podcast, Caley, Kit, Jonny, and Ronan focus on the recent UCI Road World Championships, discussing both the thrilling victories and the controversial incidents that unfolded in Zurich. We recap the men’s and women’s races, highlighting Tadej Pogačar’s extraordinary solo attack in the men’s race and exploring the Dutch women’s team’s unexpected loss, which stemmed from tactical errors. We break down the women's race, examining the unusual dynamic between the Dutch riders and pointing out the squandered opportunities that cost them the win. Next, the crew examines the controversial decision made by the UCI officials to not penalize Mathieu van der Poel for riding on the sidewalk, even though clear rules prohibit this action. We also discuss Mike Woods’ curious choice of mid-race fuel – bicarbonate soda – and look at the logistical problems encountered at the Tour of Langkawi, where several teams’ bikes were lost in transit. We wrap up the episode by reviewing Suvi Loponen's recent article about the environmental impact of carbon fiber use in cycling and analyze the obstacles the industry faces in tackling sustainability concerns.

Duration:00:57:39

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Remco's breakfast is bigger than yours

9/25/2024
Jonny Long and Kit Nicholson join Caley Fretz to talk about Remco Evenepoel's breakfast and the up-and-comers at Worlds, with Abby Mickey making an appearance to discuss the Tashkent City women's team and Dane Cash joining to preview the road races in Zurich.

Duration:00:55:07

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Ineos is on the Oregon Trail

9/18/2024
Welcome to the first episode of the Spin Cycle podcast, formerly Placeholders. This week on the show: - The Ineos pain train continues as extremely Ineos man Luke Rowe is apparently headed to... Decathlon. - Simon Yates is taking a pay cut - SRAM loves cables again - The UCI president is running for IOC president - And more...

Duration:00:51:33

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The Vuelta debrief

9/11/2024
Kit Nicholson, Dane Cash, and Ronan Mc Laughlin join Caley Fretz on this week's Placeholders for a Vuelta debrief, some kit discussion, Britain corner, and more.

Duration:00:54:33

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How much gold is too much gold?

9/4/2024
Johnny Long and Ronan Mc Laughlin join Caley Fretz on this week's Placeholders to discuss the Vuelta, Remco Evenpoel, transfers, and more from around the cycling world.

Duration:00:51:09

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Beating the heat and a supermarket sweep

8/28/2024
Kit Nicholson and Jonny Long join Caley Fretz to discuss the heat and a big transfer at the Vuelta and a supermarket sweep in Germany. Plus, Joe Lindsey joins to chat Di2 hacking.

Duration:00:52:05

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The greatest Grand Tour stage

8/21/2024
This week's Placeholders recaps one of the greatest Grand Tour stages in history, goes into the history of the race radio debate, and discusses nationality swaps of Olympic athletes.

Duration:00:48:24

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Transfer corner and the last chance saloon

8/14/2024
On this week's Placeholders, Caley Fretz, Jonny Long, and Kit Nicholson talk transfers, Dane Cash pops by to preview the Vuelta a España, and Ryan Simonovich provides the lowdown on Leadville.

Duration:00:46:46

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Tour Femmes Daily: The dreaded Double Day

8/13/2024
Abby, Loren, and Tilda had a long day, but not as long as the team staff. Two stages in one day, two winners and a whole lot of drama. With audio diaries from Quinty Ton (Liv AlUla Jayco), Noemi Rüegg (EF-Oatly-Cannondale) and Lea Curinier (FDJ-Suez).

Duration:00:10:39

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Tour Femmes Daily: Things are really heating up in Rotterdam

8/12/2024
Abby, Tilda, and Loren are on the ground in Rotterdam for the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. All the fastest Dutch women wanted the first stage victory, but only one rider could pull on the first yellow jersey. The stage was not without some controversy, some ice cream needed, and some of that first stage hype.

Duration:00:10:15

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Olympic photography lessons

8/7/2024
Two absolutely incredible Olympic road races lead this week's show, and we bring in somebody with a truly unique view of all the action. Zac Williams shot photographs from a motorcycle all weekend and takes us through what he saw and what goes into getting the shot. For more on the photo in question, check this story on the site.

Duration:00:47:31

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Olympic Fever

7/31/2024
We're back from the Tour de France but the racing hasn't stopped. The Olympics are on and Caley, Jonny, and Dane discuss two thrilling mountain bike races, some very wet time trials, and look ahead to this weekend's road races. Plus, Iain Treloar jumps in to update us on some of his Capital J Journalism and its impact.

Duration:00:54:30

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The much-delayed Awards Episode

7/30/2024
One last Tour de France Daily podcast, delayed by some lost luggage but finally here for your ears. An annual tradition, the Awards Episode looks back over a highly enjoyable Tour de France and hands out the most prestigious awards that we hand out.

Duration:00:12:18

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Stage 21: That's a wrap

7/21/2024
The end of the Tour de France. Tadej Pogačar is now a three-time champion and the first to do the Giro/Tour double since Pantani. Caley, Jonny, Iain, and Ronan talk through the biggest storylines of the month, plus a bit of tech from the paddocks in Monaco. Thank you to everyone who listened along this month, we hope you enjoyed this Tour as much as we did.

Duration:00:49:38

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Stage 20: Very Niiice

7/20/2024
The final road stage of the 2024 Tour de France is behind us. Caley, Iain, Jonny, and Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal talk through Romain Bardet's last road stage, Tadej Pogačar's win record, and much more.

Duration:00:40:35