For The Love Of Cycling

Matthew Brennan is a Grand Tour stage winner!

The 21-year-old Visma rider takes a brilliant victory in Manosque on Stage 2 of the Vuelta, winning a fast and chaotic finish after 214.3km from Monaco through the hills of Provence.

Ethan Hayter made a huge bid for the red jersey, attacking out of the bunch and building a gap of more than a minute before the peloton began to bring him back. He took the six bonus seconds available at the intermediate sprint, putting himself into the virtual race lead, but the effort ultimately wasn't enough to stay clear. With Hayter caught and the pace exploding in the final kilometres, Pogačar, Van Aert and the other fast finishers all came to the fore before Brennan produced the winning sprint.

We break down Brennan's victory, Hayter's aggressive attempt to take red, the frantic run-in to Manosque and the early GC picture after two days of racing.

Plus, Ned Boulting and Lizzie Deignan join us with an update from the final stage of the Women's Tour of Britain in Royal Leamington Spa.

______________________________________________________________

🏅 For The Love Of Cycling is presented by Science in Sport, a pioneer in endurance fuelling: Backed by science. Trusted by athletes.

Find out more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Science In Sport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tadej Pogačar takes the first red jersey of the 2026 Vuelta, but he has to work right to the line to edge out Ethan Hayter by just nine tenths of a second. We get into an incredibly tight battle at the top, Hayter's near-miss, and Pogačar's decision to throw everything at the technical final section.

There's also a hugely emotional ride from Josh Tarling, who takes on the opening stage just days after the death of his younger brother Finlay, as well as early looks at the likes of Wout van Aert, João Almeida, Primož Roglič and Enric Mas.

So, what can we actually read into the first day? Who has started the Vuelta in good shape, and what does that opening time trial tell us about the three weeks ahead?

We also hear from Ned Boulting from the finish line of Stage 4 of the Women's Tour of Britain.

Pete Kennaugh and David Millar break down Stage 1 of the Vuelta.

______________________________________________________________

🏅 For The Love Of Cycling is presented by Science in Sport, a pioneer in endurance fuelling: Backed by science. Trusted by athletes.

Find out more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Science In Sport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Vuelta a España is almost here, and there’s no great mystery over the favourite. Tadej Pogačar arrives as the overwhelming man to beat, with the real question being who can join him on the podium.

Ned Boulting, Lizzie Deignan and Pete Kennaugh look ahead to this year’s Vuelta, discussing Pogačar’s dominance, the riders who could challenge for second and third, the parcours and the stages that could shape the race.

They also look ahead to the Women’s Tour of Britain, with Lizzie drawing on her own experience of racing the event, while the trio discuss the riders, route and storylines to watch this year.

Who will take the remaining podium places behind Pogačar? Which stages could prove decisive? And what can we expect from this year’s Women’s Tour of Britain?

All that and more on For The Love Of Cycling.

______________________________________________________________

🏅 For The Love Of Cycling is presented by Science in Sport, a pioneer in endurance fuelling: Backed by science. Trusted by athletes.

Find out more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Science In Sport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Demi Vollering has done it! She is now a two-time Tour de France Champion after a dramatic final stage around Nice.

It all came down to this. The final stage of the Tour de France Femmes was a brutal 99.2km mountain stage around Nice, featuring four ascents of the Col d’Èze and 2,100 metres of climbing, and with just eight seconds separating Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney at the start, there was everything to race for.

Ned Boulting and Lizzie Deignan are on the ground in France to dissect a dramatic final day that saw the race explode on the climbs. Zoe Bäckstedt drove the pace on the front in support of Niewiadoma-Phinney, while riders were dropped one by one as the favourites were whittled down.

Marlen Reusser, sitting third overall, was eventually distanced before a crash on the descent dealt a devastating blow to her hopes of finishing on the podium. Elisa Longo Borghini took advantage, moving into third overall.

Then came the final ascent of the Col d’Èze. Niewiadoma-Phinney attacked, Vollering followed, and the two went clear of the remaining contenders. Vollering then made her move, opening a gap over her closest rival before extending her advantage on the descent into Nice.

Demi Vollering crossed the finish line to win the stage and, more importantly, secure her second Tour de France title, becoming the first rider to win the race twice.

Ned Boulting and Lizzie Deignan break down Stage 9 of the Tour de France Femmes.

_______________________________________________________________

🎶 Music courtesy of BMG Production Music

_______________________________________________________________

🚴‍♂️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Muc-Off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code FTLOC20 for 20% off
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift delivered a dramatic finale on the road to Nice, with a long breakaway eventually caught and the GC contenders battling it out on the final climbs. Demi Vollering launched a decisive solo attack on the steep final ascent, breaking clear of Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney and Elisa Longo Borghini before holding on to win the stage by 17 seconds. The victory also saw Vollering take the Yellow Jersey, with Niewiadoma-Phinney just eight seconds behind in the overall standings — the closest top two ever heading into the final stage of the Tour.

Ned Boulting and Lizzie Deignan break down Stage 8 of the Tour de France Femmes.

_______________________________________________________________

🎶 Music courtesy of BMG Production Music

_______________________________________________________________

🚴‍♂️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Muc-Off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code FTLOC20 for 20% off
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices