The Cycling Podcast is an independent sports audio production created by Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie, and Daniel Friebe. Launched in 2013, weekly, hour-long episodes provide insight, analysis and often irreverent take on professional road cycling. Each episode features interviews with different professional cyclists, team staff and other actors from across the sport. Increased coverage is provided at the Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) where daily episodes are recorded at the end of each stage. It is also published by the UK broadsheet newspaper, The Telegraph.
The Cycling Podcast Series
Kilometre 0 by The Cycling Podcast is a recurring series produced at each of the three Grand Tours. The series takes listeners behind the scenes, bringing them the stories from beyond the racing. Previous topics include the gastronomic culture, politics and sustainability. The title, Kilometre 0, is the official start of a bike race which arrives after the "départ fictif" or neutralized start. The Cycling Podcast Féminin is a monthly magazine show covering women's professional road cycling and the UCI Women's World Tour. It is presented by Richard Moore with Orla Chennaoui and Rose Manley. Explore by The Cycling Podcast, a six part series that premiered in 2018. It examines the emerging trends of bikepacking, endurance and ultra-endurance cycling. It is set to return in March 2020. It is led by Lionel Birnie with Hannah Troop and Tom Whalley. Adam Blythe Interviews... by The Cycling Podcast is a six-part series, launched in spring 2019. In each episode, Lotto-Soudal rider Adam Blythe interviews a significant figure from the world of professional cycling. Service Course by The Cycling Podcast, introduced in 2019 is Tom Whalley and Lizzy Banks' show looking at the world of bikes, technology and equipment. Life in the Peloton An existing popular podcast that was hosted under the umbrella of The Cycling Podcast for 1 season, presenting by the EF Education First pro cyclist Mitch Docker. Mitch is joined by Lionel Birnie for a short discussion before and after Docker’s podcast to discuss and reflect on the talking points of the episode. Mitch typically interviews unique and interesting characters in the world of professional cycling. Notable guests include Svein Tuft, Luke Durbridge, Mike Woods, Adam Hansen, Paul de Geyter (cycling agent) and Phil Liggett (commentator and known as “the voice of cycling”).
History
The Cycling Podcast began as short audio dispatches from the 2013 Tour de France supported by sponsorship from Sharp. Listener numbers hit 9,000 halfway into the race which helped secure funding from Jaguar for the following year. In 2015, audience numbers grew to 30,000 and partnerships were developed with The Telegraph and Eurosport. Support from sports nutrition brand Science in Sport saw The Cycling Podcast cover their first Giro d'Italia in 2016 and title sponsorship from cycling lifestyle brand Rapha, secured the future of the podcast for the following two years. Notably, The Cycling Podcast was referenced in the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's report into Combatting doping in sport.
The Cycling Podcast was the first podcast ever to be accredited to the Tour de France.
The Cycling Podcast has been nominated for several awards since 2016. The podcast was given best podcast at the 2016 Cycling Media Awards. In 2018, The Cycling Podcast was a Bronze medalist in sports podcast category at the British Podcast Awards. It has been renominated in the Sports category in 2019. The Grand Tour Diaries, the second book by the team behind The Cycling Podcast was released in November 2019.
Beginning in 2018, Daniel Friebe became a member of ITV's cycling coverage team for the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, and started appearing on the podcast less frequently during those races, and often contributing in the way of a guest pundit. As ITV didn't typically cover the Giro d'Italia, he remained a key part of the team during the Italian Grand Tour. The Cycling Podcast was recorded live with an audience at the 2019 World Championships.
In early 2022, lead presenter Richard Moore died suddenly. In his absence, Birnie and Friebe were the main presenters during the Giro d'Italia, and during the Tour de France, the podcast was hosted by Birnie, François Thomazeau and recently retired cyclist Mitchell Docker.
Coverage
Giro d'Italia
In 2016, The Cycling Podcast team covered the Giro d'Italia for the first time, thanks to new sponsorship funding from Science in Sport. Italian journalist Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport is a regular contributor during the three-week stage race.