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Published on:

1st Nov 2024

Cadel Evans: Previews the 2025 Tour de France route with Bobby and Jens

Cadel Evans has achieved many accolades during his career, part of a small select group of riders who've won both the rainbow bands and the yellow jersey - Australia's first Tour de France winner and now - the first guest to appear alongside Bobby and Jens three times.

We discuss what a route announcement is actually like for riders, whether Mark Cavendish could come back and who the route actually suits!

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Transcript
Speaker:

That could have been the end of my tour.

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Right there for the stupid glass

of champagne photo Hello and welcome

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:

back to another episode of The Odd Tandem.

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:

Today just happens to be the day

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that the 2025 tour de France race

route was announced.

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And what better opportunity than to speak

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about that with our guest today, Cadel

Evans?

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Cadel has been on the podcast before,

but we get to talk a little bit

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about the tour de France route, his career

and what he's doing now.

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Yancey

always great talking to Cadel, isn't it?

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Oh, absolutely it is.

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He is still close to the cycling scene.

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He is an inside out.

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Interesting point of use

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and obviously brings back memories

because that tour he won.

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My captain and my team mate Andy Schleck

finished second.

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So we spent basically three weeks

trying to beat Cadel,

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And we came up just a little short.

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And Cadel won the tour.

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So yes, it's always good to see him again

and to see him being happy

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and having a good place in life.

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So sit back, relax and listen

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to this great conversation

with Cadel Evans.

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All right.

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Today we have a special guest, Mr.

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Cadel Evans.

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Welcome to the odd tandem, boys.

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Absolute pleasure to be here.

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And it's been a little while, a few....

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I can’t remember it was a year ago

I was with you guys at, But

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it is a pleasure to be here and tell me

what's what's been going on in the world.

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Update me.

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I know there was a big race

presented today. Update me?

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Yeah, that's, you know, everything

works out here on the odd tandem.

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You know, we have an ex

tour de France champion on the day

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that the tour de France

:

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So I have a question about that because I

was never invited to one of those things.

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Or maybe I was and I was on the other side

of the world, but I was never there.

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So what actually goes on

at the tour de France presentation?

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Like, how long are you there? Is it?

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Yeah, just tell us about it.

What is it like?

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It's the first thing.

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Why a lot of riders I noticed, like, past

winners weren't weren't present there.

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It's, First, first of all, it's

in the middle of the holidays

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or the off season, and riders off

season is shorter and shorter,

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and they get you less

and less time off, too.

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So they have an obligation in that short

window of time where you can.

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And if you've got

if your family still still recognises

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you and once you welcome you home,

you can go back, go back and see them.

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So that's the first part of it.

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But I went to quite a few of

especially the years

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I was on the podium and things

is that of respect to the organisation.

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In Palais de Congres

you have this enormous theatre.

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it's a huge stage.

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And it's a fantastically,

really well presented show.

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And a lot of journalists there

and some team managers

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and things because a lot of them

exposed to riders and things.

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It's a train ride from Brussels

or something for them.

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So it's not a big deal to get there.

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But and I think the year after

I won, I was invited up on stage

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and have a little talk with them was

because it was already monsieur Prudhomme

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was, the race track down

when for most of our careers,

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and, yeah, it's

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a huge professional show

in this big screen, and it's, Yeah,

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they present and they roll at each stage

and show you a bit of a brief on it.

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And from there

on, all the journalists happen,

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and the journalists

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are there and asking questions

and getting grabs and things and,

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and then all of a sudden

everyone just goes home.

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So it lasts,

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a long winded answer to say,

oh, you go there for about an hour,

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say big show, and then you go,

so it's got to be all these journalists

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and wanted to ask questions to the riders

or former riders So,

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hey, what do you think about this stage?

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What do you think about the crosswinds

or the near Audis and death and so on.

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So that goes on until midnight or.

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Oh no, because it's what is it?

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So I think it's probably,

what,:

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So it's some kind of morning thing.

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You might be

I would have gone there the night before.

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I particularly like going there

when I was with BMC because Andy would

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go there with Andy Rihs,

unfortunately no longer with us,

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but we got to dinner

and it would be great.

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And in the off season you can go to a nice

restaurant and so on and spend some,

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you know,

just social time with you, team management

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and and then the next thing, yeah,

go to the presentation.

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But then sort of by about midday,

people are sort of

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walking off out of there

and going to the airport and,

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and going home

because they've got holidays

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that they're going on or something.

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So that's it's sort of yeah, it's a big,

a big white

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and a big, a big show and a big,

what do you call that, a big build up.

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But all of a sudden, you,

which everyone go and which is, like,

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if I,

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if I can say it as a personal experience,

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I sort of found myself on the train

platform sitting down there on my on a.

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Wait, wait, wait, wait,

is everyone go or something?

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But, certainly to be there in the show,

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sitting with the riders,

that's pretty special.

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And especially when you're there

with your next year's competitor

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or the guy you came second to

or something, the city in the crowd there.

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That's oh,

that's kind of a a different experience.

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Well, you know, since it was

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only released today,

we don't expect you to have,

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dove into it and studied it at the depth

that Jens and I have done it.

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And as I was doing that today,

I was kind of laughing.

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And, here

we are getting ready for this podcast.

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So we need to kind of know

what the tour de France is, right?

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There were years that I don't think

I knew the stages of the tour

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until we got to the tour

and opened up the book.

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Oh, we're doing this.

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Oh, we're doing that now.

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You know, it's it's released.

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It's online.

You can research it perfectly.

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You know,

everything's analysed already for you.

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So we can sit here like armchair

quarterbacks and give our opinion of it.

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So Cadel cliff notes of the 2025

tour this year.

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Right.

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It starts on the 5th of July

and ends on July 27th.

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There's two time trials, one flat,

one uphill, seven sprint stages, six

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mountain stages and six

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quote unquote hilly stages,

which we all know

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are some of the most dangerous stages

out there.

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So all in all,

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it's a pretty common

and classic tour de France.

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And the thing I like about it the most,

and this is what I want to ask you about,

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was it's the first time in quite a while

that the entire tour is in France, right?

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Like they started in all these satellite

locations, which, I don't remember

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starting a tour out of France,

except for maybe the year

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that it started up in Belgium.

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And we did the prologue

up there, in Liege.

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So it was, you know, the next day

I think we were in France, but

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what does that first week

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of the tour,

when you have to go to a different country

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and then transfer back to France, like,

is that

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is that just added stress or,

you know, kind of cool.

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I think the, the one year

we had the biggest amount of stress was,

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to for the tour start was when the,

when there was the traffic that

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pilots strikes

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and I think the start was in Britain.

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That that was the biggest amount of stress

I ever had for a tour start.

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But the overseas starts,

my son made me realise this,

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so I said, oh, I'm going to the tour.

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Where are you going?

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Oh, Copenhagen. He's like, what?

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Every year it's the same thing.

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Go to the start of a Giro or Vuelta

or a Tour with it

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where they start overseas. But,

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I was really a as a, as a

I look as a rider now.

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I look at it, of course, as a more

as a fan and as a tour guide host.

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So I look at it much different like now,

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but as a rider, I was just so

I was quite rational about it.

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Okay, that stages crosswinds,

that stage is cobbles, that stages

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change to get to recovery.

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That stage is going to be important.

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Whether it was in Belgium,

France, Luxembourg.

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For me, it really it didn't didn't change

that much at all for me.

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Like I was really

I suppose I was really rational.

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I just looked at the sporting aspect

and, and I left it at that.

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I remember also

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our early tours,

we didn't really have internet,

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so we were really relying on

these books on paper.

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Right. That's all the information you had.

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And if on that map

it shows three arrows, it means, oh,

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that's a steep up because I got three

little arrows going up. It.

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So yeah, that that really has changed.

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It made it a lot easier, for us,

the two of you.

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One, that one was 3320km long.

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It this one is 3400 No, yours was 3400.

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This year is 3300.

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It's just a honeycomb a difference.

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So that's more or less the same, right.

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You would say that that doesn't

change too much in the last 20 years, No.

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In the last 20 years I go about five

can faster for the whole thing.

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So yeah, it's like being even shorter too.

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But, but, no, I mean, those things are

even new for this stage is 200 or 220.

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It's like everyone's going to be tired

after 150. Anyway.

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I would, I was always sort of this

much. Too much is better.

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Obviously, once you go 180,

:

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60 there where it sort of

it makes a really big difference.

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But those little distances again,

I didn't.

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Yeah.

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I'm more looking like how how fast

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is the short like GC deciding stage

from the start, which are stage

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two is already a bit lumpy,

I think, in the:

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So there are just going to be finish up

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with the time trials on stage five,

if I remember correctly.

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You know, I've got in from day one

and I am

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now that we have the internet,

I put my map away

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because I've got a chance

to go for a ride tomorrow.

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So I pulled out the map and had a

look at it because, you know,

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all that old habits die hard.

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And and

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I learned had

I learned a map rides off of a paper map.

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So it sort of stuck with me.

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We better.

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I still use the internet now,

of course, for that.

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Sorry. Let me get the router. But.

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And then you're like,

it's quite a short time trial.

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Well, I look at like,

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as a as a time trial, as GC rider,

you got all the GC

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riders are going to be looking to be sharp

for that, especially,

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and even Paul, I'll be looking at,

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you know, training my time trial bike,

like leading up to the race.

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Those kinds of things would probably be

the first thing I look on, on it

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may I might be a stage.

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I'd have a bit.

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One Asterix

next two for a chance of trouble.

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I think.

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Dunkirk. Valenciennes.

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I can't remember those roads.

I'd have to ask advice on that.

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But then, you know, I'd look straight

to where the first block of mountains and.

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And then being really ready for those.

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No rest time, Paul as well.

How long since that's happened?

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Well, I

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kind of block, I cut it down into three

different blocks.

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Right.

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So block number one is nine

pretty mellow stages with one flat TT.

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And then that last stage of that ten day

block is the first big uphill

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mountain day, right

then into the Pyrenees.

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So that's that first block is mostly up

in the northwest corner of France,

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which we know can get windy,

ups up and down,

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even if it's not on the profile,

it's altitude.

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Metres are there.

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Then block number two,

is only five stages long, so that's.

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But there's three uphill finishes

and one uphill one.

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And including the the uphill time trial.

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That's in the Pyrenees.

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So ten days rest day,

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five days rest day, and then block

six in the Alps with six stages,

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with Ventoux, Superbagnères and La Loze

and finishing in Paris again this year,

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after our one year hiatus

from the Champs-Élysées

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to to finish that awesome stage in nice.

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So did you ever race a tour

when there was only one rest day?

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No, I think I was in the era I was in.

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There are still nine

riders, but, two rest days.

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I don't think I ever wrote

a grand two with only one rest.

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I actually,

member my first grand tour in:

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yeah,

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maybe maybe that was, I forget the year

that they changed to two rest days, but,

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you know, that that blocks it off

pretty good, right?

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Today's on a rest day.

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You know, some hard mountain days.

You know,

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another rest day after five more days

and then the final push to Paris.

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You know, we can go into the minutia,

you know, any other time.

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I don't think we need to do that

totally here.

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But the one thing that's missing

and was always one of my favourite stages.

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And yet you probably are with me on

this one,

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is there's no team time trial again

this year.

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Have we seen the end of team time

trials in in Grand Tours

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or at least the tour de France? Cadel

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It seems that way, doesn't it?

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And but there's also no sort of,

if I can say this, a spectacle stage

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like cobbles, gravel roads or something,

which I'm kinda surprised about

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because it seemed to have been the been

becoming the norm in in Grand Tours.

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But Yeah, it's team time trials.

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Because because as for

from an organisation point of view,

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it's the TV time.

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So there have to be a certain distance,

it has to fit in a certain time.

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And then of course, keeping the riders

and the teams happy,

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and the like, the equipment

sponsors are happy with team time trials.

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They seem popular on TV and they.

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I've not not not

not really up to date with the ratings,

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but yeah, they sort of

they're becoming less and less and

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they're it's a bit of a dying on this one.

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Were you a fan of the team time

trial in the in the tour de France?

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Did you like it when I rode with BMC?

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Yes, when I didn't ride with BMC, no,

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because I used to lose a lot of time

with a team like Lotto,

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but we saw, another little comeback

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of the, mountain, mountain top,

uphill time trial, what do you call it?

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And probably uphill.

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We haven't had one of them for,

Yeah, I suppose it's a bit

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a spectacle stage and it's on

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because it goes up to that

one of those, mountain airports, right?

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One of the ones on an angle like this

stage, was that, 20, 23,

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that spectacular stage there

where, where Pog lost

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six minutes to Vingegaard Where there

that finish and really stayed there.

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That would be,

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I've never I've never had the chance

to land in an aeroplane

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landing on one of those.

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But I don't know if I'm missing,

but it looks kind of intimidating.

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Man, I mean, the tour de France

we get so excited about.

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But like, honestly,

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you could probably put that on any route

and it would still be the classic.

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But, I want to go back to

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when you won the tour de France

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in 2011, right?

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That final day going into Paris.

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Right. You've got the race in hand.

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I mean, barring any catastrophe.

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But I always see,

you know, guys passing around champagne

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every everyone's patting each other

on the back after basically

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going to war with each other for,

you know, three weeks.

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What was that like, knowing, okay,

I got to take this picture with champagne.

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I may have a sip of it.

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I'm going to accept all these accolades

from my counterparts,

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but I'm about ready to fulfil a lifetime

dream.

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I mean, my head

would just be all over the place

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with, hey, celebrating,

but I'm not quite to the finish line yet.

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What was that final day like for you?

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And in 20,

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I'm like, I, I, like I mentioned before,

I'm a bit rational about these things.

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I'm like, we celebrate when we get the

yellow jersey over the line.

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Stay calm, stay concentrated to the line.

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Because after it was 20 years of dreaming,

I'm working or something to

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to get to that point,

I wasn't going to throw it away

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for a small thing,

just on the champagne thing.

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I always had this thing for myself.

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If I was going to win the tour, I'd win

open a bottle of like Aussie Aussie beer,

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just to do something different.

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But of course I don't want to jinx myself,

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so I never bought some Aussie

be with me for that reason.

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Though the year that.

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Oh, you like,

you have to do the photo every year

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we do the photo with the champagne

and you have to do it for L’Equipe,

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and the organisation

and the tradition. You have to do it.

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Or can't we just get racing

and get this over with?

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Because I want to get this like, Jersey

across the line.

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The year that 2011 glass of champagne

in hand.

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There you there with the director doing

chin chin and,

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I have a sip

and the TV made it back in front of me.

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Crashed like, right in front of me. I

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know, like,

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I had the gutter on this side, the team

car on this side and the motorbike crash.

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I had absolutely nowhere to go, and I was

holding a glass of champagne in one hand.

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Fortunately, because I'm Australian,

have my brakes going the other way

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so I can with my left,

grab a handful of rear brake.

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But like that could have been

the end of my tour

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right there

for the stupid glass of champagne for my.

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I was a little bit disappointed

this annoyed about that one.

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But I did this this get the get

get this over the line.

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And, and yeah, it was,

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the thing for me

was, like, I had a couple of key moments

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and you guys raced with this, like,

so you know them well,

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but I could sort of

see with and in his body language,

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I think, oh, I think he's,

I think he's losing confidence in this.

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And then, my, my biggest moment

I think on Saturday evening,

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before going to,

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let's say stage,

my phone rang with a number I didn't know,

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and it was Andy ringing me up.

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And he congratulated me and I was like,

I was really taken aback by it.

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I was just stunned.

And I was impressed. Stunned.

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And I was really

that was sort of one in those moments.

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And then, of course, when you cross

the finish line, it's just like, oh,

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thank God.

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At least that was the biggest celebration

ever, which I think the clip of us

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hugging after the finish line was played

in the halftime show.

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The Super Bowl the following year.

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Oh, that would be big.

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We need to do some research on that.

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Yeah, it was, it was played in the yeah.

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Like me George Quincy Burghi,

Amaël, Steve Morabito?

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Yeah,

it was at the super Super Bowl, show.

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So you, in your tour, the one you won,

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you had to work hot

and work late into the tour.

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This year's tour de France.

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Pogacar headed relatively early,

and it looked like,

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okay, this is safe

and it is cemented, right.

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So what do we expect for the 25 tour?

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Will it be done?

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Stage 19 short vicious mountain stage

with a hilltop finish.

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Will it be decided

only two days before the finish or you?

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You think already? I don't know, in the up

time.

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Try in the Pyrenees or what do you think?

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Early or late? But I don't want to put it

that predictable.

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I don't want to put a damper

on the excitement for it.

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But when I first, looked at the info

for the for the race route,

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I looked at it and said,

oh, Pogacar’s going to win eight stages.

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I'm sure that there will be a lot.

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I'm sure that's not going to happen.

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Well, I'm

pretty sure this I'll never say that.

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I'm sure I'm sure that's going to happen

with him.

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It's ridiculous.

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But, but I, Well,

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:

I'm really hoping that, like, Vingegaard,

I think what was great to see in victory

377

:

in 2024 was,

it was nice to see some humility from him

378

:

and the fact that he went out and like

379

:

showed that towards Pog as well.

380

:

But I, I think, I hope a healthy,

concentrated

381

:

Evenepoel, are going to be able

to present really different competitors

382

:

towards, Pogacar

but at the same time, I'm pretty sure,

383

:

yes, I can imagine

he's going to ride the Giro Tour again.

384

:

I imagine in his case, if he wanted

to do two, he could do Giro Vuelta as a

385

:

as a leading to

won the world Championships or something.

386

:

Would be would be my recommendation.

387

:

But,

388

:

but I think we're going to see, Yeah,

hopefully,

389

:

hopefully the guys stay safe enough

after what happened to them.

390

:

Evenepoel and Vingegaard in 2024,

I'm sure they're going to have a slightly

391

:

different approach to the to the season

and staying safe and being there.

392

:

And and I think we're going to have a

three, four pronged attack from all sides.

393

:

I hope that,

394

:

the monkey is off from Rogla’s back,

and that he can

395

:

also be in the mix as well,

because that would be great.

396

:

And, you know, after what Hansgrohe

and Red bull and all this, is there

397

:

any sort of big,

huge ambitions in the:

398

:

And they put everything on Rogla

and the next thing he wasn't there?

399

:

You think

400

:

maybe Primoz is getting

just this one year too old?

401

:

His body, I mean, these other young kids

are like at their prime.

402

:

And Primoz has a lot more experience,

maturity and all that.

403

:

But do you maybe think it's just just

as one more year or one year, two old?

404

:

I don't know.

405

:

I love the man and he wants so many races.

406

:

He's a classy rider,

but you think he still has a chance

407

:

to come up against the three young guns?

408

:

Well, I think the young guns.

409

:

Well, what would take it?

410

:

Are we talking about their five years

before they prime?

411

:

But they've already run

a couple of grand tours each.

412

:

Certainly.

413

:

Yeah.

414

:

Everything's changed.

415

:

So Roglic at his age, is already

416

:

way too old by if you look at

417

:

the the new what

what the prime ages is a Grand tour rider.

418

:

But I agree with you where I like

same Roglic.

419

:

I love the guy.

420

:

I met him a few years ago,

421

:

before he was sort of a known rider and,

super nice guy, great, fantastic

422

:

bike rider.

423

:

But, the, the,

as I once you go to sort of 30, 32,

424

:

that window of opportunity is really,

really closing because your recovery

425

:

is really compromised.

426

:

And I remember being,

I think I was 32 myself when I read,

427

:

I think it was a quote from Eddie Merckx

or something or whatever, whatever.

428

:

But, one thing goes wrong

and then you never come back.

429

:

When I, when I started back,

it's like 35 full problems

430

:

and so on, but all of a sudden my recovery

just was nowhere what it was before.

431

:

And, and I think that's unfortunately

the just being honest about it,

432

:

that's the case.

433

:

I hope I hope that Roglic can prove me

wrong, but, he's it.

434

:

I think his biggest thing is

he's just been really unlucky in the tour

435

:

where he crashed this year,

like he was nowhere near the gravel stone

436

:

sections in the stage.

437

:

He crashed in things,

but it was a really unlucky crash.

438

:

There's a crash

on the other side of the road

439

:

on the other side of a traffic island,

and he got taken out.

440

:

It was kind of like,

how does how does that even happen?

441

:

But but that happened to him.

442

:

And that was the start of the end of his

two:

443

:

I think Red bull have made

a bit of a strategic error

444

:

in sort of holding, my compatriot

Jai Hindley back.

445

:

Of course I got a little bit of bias,

but also a great guy.

446

:

But, you know, it's better

to have one more up there if you can,

447

:

at least for the first half of the tour,

until it's clear that you've got a

448

:

a designated leader.

449

:

But I think they made a mistake in

450

:

like having him slip out of GC

so early to Hindley.

451

:

Come out of GC so early.

452

:

Well talking about

453

:

compatriots your boy Ben O'Connor

454

:

had one heck of a year this year

and he's switching teams.

455

:

You know

tell us a little bit about your opinion

456

:

of how his season went

with such an amazing,

457

:

you know fourth place in the Giro,

second place in in the Vuelta,

458

:

second place in the world

Championship road race.

459

:

I mean pretty pretty impressive stuff

right.

460

:

Incredible

especially are the worlds for me.

461

:

That was the one that really

because he's a GC rider and we have here,

462

:

we expect things from me

as a in a three way race.

463

:

When he was called up

to go to go to the Olympics,

464

:

the guys who rode with him, there's like

this guy who's in a one day race, right?

465

:

And then he comes out

and gets second worlds.

466

:

Obviously the worlds being special

this year. I think it was a bit

467

:

such a hard race that it sort of.

468

:

Yeah, it was it was, it was just

staying there and being patient

469

:

in the end, which got him his result,

but still think he did it in probably

470

:

what was one of one of the hardest world

championships for a long, long time.

471

:

Amazing season, amazing turnaround.

472

:

I think you for him,

if he had been continuing

473

:

on this team, on this, on paper,

I would say what he can do this year

474

:

with this team, with, Alula and,

being on an Aussie team, normally he would

475

:

that would lift him.

476

:

They'll believe in him more,

they'll support him more.

477

:

He should be able to do more hunting

with all of his best results.

478

:

His fourth place at the tour de France.

479

:

I think he's second place at the World

Championships as well.

480

:

He sort of come in

as an, underrated rider.

481

:

He hasn't come in with,

when he's a watch rider.

482

:

Whereas when he went back to the two,

tour de France after his fourth place,

483

:

he got into

fourth place from coming from a breakaway.

484

:

When I think a lot of his competitors

really, underestimated him, whereas,

485

:

now he won't have that, advantage of

being underestimated by his competitors.

486

:

I think he might,

that might work against him.

487

:

Unfortunately.

488

:

And, just out of the blue, your opinion.

489

:

Will Cavendish race

another tour de France?

490

:

I mean, he says he's retired, but he.

491

:

You know,

he said it already somewhat before.

492

:

And then we didn't know

if he has a contract or not.

493

:

And I don't know.

494

:

I mean, I don't trust this whole team yet.

495

:

Plus was the first relatively like,

496

:

you know, nine stages,

relatively flat or easy for we could win.

497

:

And I said, do you think it's 5050

or you go, nah, that's bullshit.

498

:

No, it like this, when you put it like

that, might you feel you shift my opinion?

499

:

When we were speaking before we were

recording, it's like we can't sit still.

500

:

Like he's going to be.

501

:

He's probably going to be out

riding his bike any, every day anyway

502

:

because he doesn't know differently.

503

:

He'll be like,

I'll just go and do the race.

504

:

But, yeah, I suppose there is some

better opportunities for him this year.

505

:

And Cav, it's, I started

want to say this on TV,

506

:

but when you're doing a live TV,

as you know, it's

507

:

sometimes a bit difficult,

but he's kind of like a Hollywood script.

508

:

He sort of just convinces the US,

the viewers

509

:

or the fans that it's impossible,

that he can't do it and he won't do it.

510

:

I'm thinking of the image, even from me

riding into Emilia-Romagna in the heat.

511

:

He's got to take me to it.

512

:

Two team-mates with him. He's

ten minutes behind.

513

:

It's like

514

:

this guy isn't even going to make it

through the first week,

515

:

never knowing

when to start at 35th stage of the tour.

516

:

Sure enough, what does he do?

517

:

Everyone's just completely convinced

that he can't do it.

518

:

And then he turns around and does it.

519

:

Maybe does kind of stick

with that Hollywood script thing

520

:

where he does it intentionally, and

I don't think he does it intentionally.

521

:

If if we all say, no, no,

he won't, he's done.

522

:

He can't do it.

523

:

And we'll probably, yeah,

to turn everything around and go again, I,

524

:

I, you know, with some

525

:

I'll just be a

526

:

bit vague on this info,

but I know, Astana did turn down

527

:

a good sprinter that they could have had

in their team just recently.

528

:

So, so, so, so maybe that maybe

529

:

there could be a slight indicator.

530

:

Well, I got to spend some time with Mark.

531

:

Last week here at the Hincapie

Grand Fondo.

532

:

I was here before.

533

:

You know what? It's

wish I could have been there this year.

534

:

It was a little bit different this year

because of the hurricane

535

:

that blew through.

We had to adjust the course a little bit.

536

:

And I was sitting there with at lunch

with Mark and George, Christian and Brad,

537

:

and we were just kind of,

you know, chewing the fat a little bit.

538

:

And I wasn't 100% convinced

that he's not going to race next year.

539

:

He's all over the place.

540

:

He's super busy until the end of the year,

but I couldn't

541

:

I was trying to pull that out of him like,

so this is it, right?

542

:

Because you're absolutely right

and you're absolutely right, Cadel.

543

:

Like you just never know with him.

544

:

And he could just flip the script

and be racing next year.

545

:

And you know, it'd be great to see.

546

:

But, you mentioned about Ben.

547

:

You know, Ben's changing teams.

548

:

We just read today

that Demi Vollering is changing teams.

549

:

Cadel, you know, we were team-mates.

550

:

You started

your career at Seiko, went to Mapei

551

:

You went to Telecom?

552

:

I don't know if that was the best place

for either you or I.

553

:

At that time, I.

554

:

And then you went to, you know, the,

the Belgian teams Davitaman-Lotto

555

:

and Silence-Lotto before ending your

career with, what, 6 or 5, five years?

556

:

Six years at at BMC.

557

:

So can you talk a little bit about,

from your experience

558

:

changing teams,

what that means to the rider

559

:

and what sort of little pitfalls

you may have to navigate?

560

:

Yeah, I think, and I'd be interested

in your opinion,

561

:

especially when you went to, CSC,

we'd we've on a race.

562

:

There was, a turnaround in your career

for all for the better.

563

:

What I think, for that,

for the most part,

564

:

personally, I was always,

motivated for a new environment.

565

:

Like, I was changing teams

normally for a reason. I.

566

:

I normally change teams

because I wanted to,

567

:

it was it was my choice not being forced

out of a team or something.

568

:

So I was sort of like,

anyone would be better than here.

569

:

So I'm going to change.

570

:

And I was always really motivated

and also motivated.

571

:

One thing,

and I always say this to young riders

572

:

who are starting out,

be primed and ready from the first race

573

:

because you

that's where you sort of set the bar

574

:

and you go to the first race,

and if you win a stage of

575

:

what is it to Down under the

My Great Ocean Road race or something?

576

:

You're

that's where you really win respect

577

:

from the staff, your team-mates,

the riders, management, everyone.

578

:

So, so get get the ball rolling.

579

:

Well, but also, you know,

you don't just sometimes

580

:

you can't

you don't have a choice of teams,

581

:

but if you have a choice of teams,

you make the choice

582

:

based on an opportunity or something, or

this is a better environment to work in.

583

:

And and so in my career,

it was always a step for the better.

584

:

It was strange

585

:

when I was at Lotto, but there

I left a year before my contract ran out.

586

:

I had to pay myself

out of my contract and things,

587

:

but I just wanted to get out of that team

because it just was not working for me.

588

:

But then I was going from the world

589

:

tour to the Pro Conti team,

which was kind of unusual, really.

590

:

But, in the end, it,

and the BMC Racing team

591

:

was a team on a on a huge growth

curve on a great positive growth curve.

592

:

And, yeah, it was

it was great timing for me.

593

:

And the best one of the best,

594

:

decisions I ever made.

595

:

But I'm interested

for you to go from telecom to CSC.

596

:

What was it?

597

:

Was it called CSC then the first year?

598

:

Yeah, we've been it was like,

that's not the Bobby Julich I kow he's

599

:

he was like,

you had 2 or 2 extra legs to ride with.

600

:

Yeah.

601

:

I'm glad this came up.

602

:

Wasn't really planned, but,

603

:

you know, when you sign your contract

for your first team, right?

604

:

You're over the moon, you're like,

I'm a pro. I've made it.

605

:

And then when those options come up,

you know, it can't be just financial,

606

:

right?

607

:

You gotta think about the team

environment, your team-mates.

608

:

I mean, you just rattled off

your whole:

609

:

BMC Racing

team, tour de France team, right.

610

:

You remember their names, right?

611

:

Because you guys were brothers.

612

:

You guys your family still family now?

613

:

Yeah. Yeah.

614

:

And, you know, it was it was hard

615

:

being an American on French teams.

616

:

It was hard then going to a German team.

617

:

Like I was always

chasing something that that

618

:

that perfection that I, you know,

you're like me.

619

:

I'm like, you could tell, like,

we think about the minutia.

620

:

We think about the little things.

621

:

For me at least, I could have 99 things

out of 100 lined up going perfectly.

622

:

And I could only think about that

one thing that I didn't have.

623

:

Right.

624

:

So that was that was always my

I was too much inside my own head

625

:

on those French teams, and especially

the German team that I was team-mates

626

:

with you all I can say, and it's funny

that any athlete that's a great mentality.

627

:

So going

628

:

so you be an Australian,

me being American, we both rode for German

629

:

team Telekom and this cat right here,

one of the best German riders of all time.

630

:

Never wrote for for for telecom.

631

:

I mean it's it's

and he's kind of mind blowing.

632

:

Kind of

mind blowing when you think about it.

633

:

But I had no options

634

:

after 2003 World

Championships up in Hamilton.

635

:

Right?

636

:

I was five years

removed from the tour de France podium.

637

:

I could not get out of my own way.

638

:

I was a mental milkshake,

and how I tell people how I was operating

639

:

was that I was driving around in my car

with the parking brake up, right?

640

:

So I was able to go, but I wasn't able

to go anywhere efficiently.

641

:

As soon as I went to CSC,

642

:

the first hour of the first team

meeting that we had there were Viana

643

:

just set the tone for the team

and the vision of the team.

644

:

I felt that parking brake

go all the way to the floor

645

:

and it was freedom and it was fun

646

:

and I'm still best friends with

most of the guys that are on that team.

647

:

That's what makes cycling

648

:

so much fun

and that's what I see with Totti Pogacar.

649

:

He's seems to have

that enjoyment that that real

650

:

you know, his team-mates are

651

:

amazing, but like he is the leader

and he has a smile on his face.

652

:

I had a smile on my face in 2004, 2005

653

:

until I crashed out of the tour in 2006,

which was my last tour.

654

:

But yeah, it's there's something there's

655

:

a lot more than the contract, right?

656

:

If you get paid, you know, a million

to go to this team or 1.2 to go to that

657

:

team, you need to find

what makes you happy around good people.

658

:

And I love what you said

about making those connections with staff.

659

:

You know, the riders

kind of know who's getting paid what.

660

:

So the pecking order is kind of,

already done.

661

:

But when it comes to the staff, which is

662

:

a monumental

part of your happiness on a team,

663

:

if you make that first

good impression on them and you show that

664

:

you're not just a jerk or a little prima

donna,

665

:

that's going to go a long way. So,

666

:

that team dynamic that Ben

667

:

is going to have to,

668

:

I guess, curate himself

669

:

and especially Demi going to,

the FDJ women's team,

670

:

that's my advice

671

:

is to go in there with no ego,

get your work done,

672

:

be professional, have fun and

and really get that whole team around you.

673

:

Yeah.

674

:

And also as a when you go in as a leader,

I think a big thing is to is like

675

:

go to the first race and like,

676

:

you know, the race plan gets in,

but then also put your hand up was like,

677

:

I'm not going with any good.

678

:

Anyone's going good.

679

:

I'll ride on the front,

whatever needs to be done.

680

:

Also, just straight away

being honest about that as well.

681

:

Like, because even if you go

there as a leader there,

682

:

you also go there with the expectations.

683

:

But it's also when you do have

those expectations for the whole season.

684

:

It's kind of nice to go the first race

of the year and ride on the front for

685

:

for someone who never gets, any chance

to lead a race or something.

686

:

And it also sets the tone, like you say.

687

:

And I think there's one thing saying

688

:

setting the tone,

but then there's going out and doing.

689

:

Oscar Freire told me this

when I was with him at my pay

690

:

is one thing saying, but when they go out

and do it, you like it.

691

:

Just you just convinced

692

:

two things.

693

:

If I can just touch on what you say,

Bobby.

694

:

I can relate to you with that, driving,

riding around with the handbrake

695

:

on, I had, I used the same.

696

:

I was in exactly the same situation,

and I used exactly the same metaphor.

697

:

And, something happened.

698

:

I had a meeting or whatever,

and the handbrake was released, and,

699

:

the next day was the World championships

in:

700

:

to make a long story short, and, the today

701

:

his one thing that's so remarkable,

obviously he's amazingly talented.

702

:

He's a very good bike handler.

He seems to have a lot of luck.

703

:

But he can just stay

so relaxed and enjoy it.

704

:

If I relaxed and enjoyed it and laughed

like that, something went wrong.

705

:

I'd be in a crash.

706

:

Or I'd be like,

707

:

when psychology like under aroused, your

not not at your best because.

708

:

Because you're not in your peak condition.

Because I needed a bit of.

709

:

I need to be a little bit nervous

and stressed.

710

:

I just had to calm myself down to perform

well, but I couldn't.

711

:

I could also relax too much if I just

712

:

laughed around and looked around like,

713

:

like like today does in the bunch.

714

:

I agree, when I had a job,

I mean, there will be a few stages

715

:

where I wouldn't have a job.

I mean, I was never a GC rider.

716

:

You could relax a little,

but when you have a job,

717

:

when we plan a big attack with Cancellara

or Schleck brothers, I.

718

:

I even went to my gym friends.

719

:

Look, I can't talk. I'm focussed.

720

:

Sorry.

721

:

I just need my head in the game

and I cannot talk

722

:

and throw jokes

because we got a big day ahead.

723

:

So you both have been, a leader

724

:

and, gaming following changing teams.

725

:

Also, Ben O'Connor,

how much of a say does

726

:

the new leader has in a brand new team?

727

:

About the tour de France team.

728

:

Not the entire team, but the team.

729

:

The men and woman

to go within to tour de France.

730

:

And you knew in the team.

731

:

How did you guys handle that in your past?

732

:

I think I think this also relayed to you

what you're saying, Bobby,

733

:

I think Ben's got an easier transition

734

:

to make because he's

going from a French team to an Aussie team

735

:

where his team is going in opposite

direction.

736

:

I've never seen a French team myself, so

I don't know the culture very well. But,

737

:

I don't I don't know how that would go

if I, if I can say just about the tour de

738

:

France selection, especially my years

with BMC and Jim Ochowicz

739

:

where it was obvious

that I was going to be the guy for GC,

740

:

Yeah, I got to have a fair bit of input

into the, into the, selection of the team.

741

:

But but it's never up to one person

in the, in the selection.

742

:

In most of the teams that I've been

in, it's sort of a collaboration.

743

:

It's kind of like a vote of 4 or 5 people,

whether it's the coach

744

:

and four directors

and and maybe my input as well would be,

745

:

not quite

746

:

including that in that vote,

but maybe influence the votes of others,

747

:

maybe, directors

or something in my own thing.

748

:

But also that came, that comes.

749

:

So you go to the team presentation

and okay, there's no team time trial.

750

:

So there are eight

751

:

riders, maybe you have ten in mind

and no team time travel.

752

:

Well, it won't be him.

753

:

It'll be him.

754

:

But like, at this point, yeah.

755

:

Today

there might be some ladies thinking that.

756

:

Yeah, I can't really, I, I have no,

757

:

nothing to say there because I,

758

:

you know, when I was a leader on Cofidis

and then Crédit Agricole,

759

:

things were not going

right up here for me, so I had no,

760

:

no pull, no say, in the,

in the tour de France selection.

761

:

But, you know, nowadays it seems like.

762

:

Yeah, you get that little band of brothers

and those guys are the long team and,

763

:

you know, they can not many people

can ride themselves into the team,

764

:

but maybe a couple guys ride themself

out of the team or get get injured.

765

:

But it is such a stressful time,

you know,

766

:

not only as a, as a rider,

as a team leader, but also as a,

767

:

as a coach and in, in middle management,

when it boils down

768

:

to that final selection, you know,

we used to have nine riders in the tour.

769

:

Now we only have eight.

So that even makes it more difficult.

770

:

You got 30 guys on the team.

771

:

Only eight get to go to the tour de France

every single one of them

772

:

want to go to the tour de France.

773

:

So it's an incredibly stressful time

that we have, what, 250 days

774

:

to to talk about between now

e start of the tour de France:

775

:

But I do want to ask you something

about the tour de France next year.

776

:

Cadel Mont Ventoux,

777

:

you've had

778

:

great days on Mont Ventoux

when you won in Paris-Nice.

779

:

And you've had some average days,

to say the least.

780

:

I'm on, on two.

781

:

I have never had a good day

on Mont Ventoux.

782

:

To me, it's

my least favourite climb on the planet.

783

:

And what is your opinion

of of Mont Ventoux, and why is it such a

784

:

an absolute

classic climb in used in the tour?

785

:

I'm going to be rational

about this as well.

786

:

People always ask

what's your favourite car minimise

787

:

any climb that I'm going

and that I'm winning on.

788

:

It's it's my favourite climb.

789

:

Any climb that I'm not winning on

or getting dropped on, especially

790

:

when I have to be there for GC here.

I'm not.

791

:

It's not my favourite climb

and if you're okay on up to is, it's okay

792

:

if you're I up

the ways was a bit the same for me.

793

:

It was also famous

but I never had like a great day there.

794

:

And then we have one, two in the

in the two.

795

:

Yeah.

796

:

Outside of the Tour

797

:

I, I normally had good days there, but

in the tour, something always went wrong.

798

:

And,

so it was a bit for me. It was a bit,

799

:

whenever we went there, I was always,

in the last time we went down

800

:

Astana, split the field in a crosswind,

801

:

way before, way

before the start of the climb.

802

:

And they ride to the bottom.

803

:

It's like, I can't remember,

you know, but,:

804

:

and, and.

805

:

Yeah, that was that.

806

:

I suppose

that was my probably my last race.

807

:

And what I'm doing. I'm back.

808

:

I've been back a couple of times.

This is a tourist.

809

:

And that it's just been fantastic to ride.

810

:

But, yeah, I'm just very.

811

:

If I'm having a good day in the climb,

it's a good climb of having a bad day.

812

:

Well, that's bad.

813

:

I don't like that climb on that day,

that's for sure.

814

:

I think one thing, so as Neil

Stephens said this to me

815

:

years ago about, like,

what makes a up to is famous.

816

:

It's not that I hope to

is is particularly hard or anything,

817

:

but because in the middle of the Alps

818

:

you've always got to

go over heaps of mountains to get there.

819

:

So what happens on it

afterwards is always very dramatic.

820

:

And I think von two is a dramatic,

it's openness,

821

:

it's wind, it's barrenness.

822

:

Like just to watch it.

823

:

It's it looks pretty imposing, doesn't it.

824

:

And then of course, like the Chris Froome

running up there without a bike and,

825

:

and those kind of days make it make it,

make it and just add to

826

:

that that

or I think we all have about one, two.

827

:

Well,

828

:

since we already talk about the memories,

do do you have any particular moment

829

:

in your entire tour France history

that sticks out to you?

830

:

Very likely it's your winning days

or is there, like, anything?

831

:

Oh, wow. That day was just amazing.

832

:

And like, you go nowadays,

just all in the tunnel of pain behind me.

833

:

Oh, I, I suppose I have, I had moments

834

:

I'm not one for

when people think about the climbs.

835

:

And the other day I had to look at Monte

836

:

Pana today like a stage

finish that I visit in the Giro this year.

837

:

But I tell names, those things.

838

:

I didn't remember any of them, of course.

839

:

Then the names of the big climbs,

I remember.

840

:

But, someone asked me today,

someone in the family of you rode

841

:

Paso Fedaia, cos I'm going for a ride

tomorrow, and I could ride there,

842

:

but I can't remember, but, But.

843

:

Oh, the. Oh,

the gradients and the entrances.

844

:

Narrow road by road, wide road, off

camber.

845

:

corner.

846

:

Caught a good, headwind up the valley

or something like that.

847

:

All those things I remember.

848

:

But things like names that

I don't remember, but certainly moments

849

:

and experiences really struck,

strongly in my mind about the two.

850

:

And especially you go back

and you write books

851

:

and you give like talks to groups

and things about everyone.

852

:

After my 2011 two, everyone wanted to hear

what was going through my head

853

:

in like the, stage to the Galibier

where I was chasing down Andy, trying

854

:

close down the gap to Andy

And so of course, I've relieved that

855

:

moment so many times.

856

:

It's kind of it's

quite heavily in my brain.

857

:

But there's a

858

:

oh, when

I, when I start thinking back to it.

859

:

Yeah,

I have a lot of really vivid memories.

860

:

And I think one thing you, as a writer,

especially if you're in the press

861

:

and on TV, you bring asked

862

:

you sort of reviewing the

your experience so many times

863

:

and if you had a good time,

it you're not just reviewing it

864

:

after each stage in the interviews

and the TV, but you reviewing it,

865

:

doing corporate talks in the offseason

in Australia for me, writing books,

866

:

and you just going, reviewing and reading,

which is just of course,

867

:

reinforcing your memory, of,

of, of all those experiences.

868

:

So a lot of a lot of mine

are really vividly etched in my mind.

869

:

But I still have to.

870

:

When I was writing a book,

I had to look up on Wikipedia

871

:

and see if you know who was one place

in front of me in the breakaway or,

872

:

what was the name of that town?

873

:

I spent a lot of time

874

:

looking on maps and Google Maps,

looking for town names and things.

875

:

You know, going back to the Mark

Cavendish, is he going to race?

876

:

Is you not going to race?

877

:

We kind of had the same question

about you, Cadel.

878

:

You know, like you you finished

879

:

you won the tour de France in 2011

and:

880

:

You get seventh place, 2013 you,

881

:

you did a little bit less than that.

882

:

I think you were top 30. Top 40.

883

:

But then in 2014, your last full season,

you didn't even do the tour de France.

884

:

You did the Giro and the Vuelta, right.

885

:

And then,

886

:

yeah, that one question.

887

:

Is Cadel going to race the next year

and you get third in the tour Down Under.

888

:

And I think I have it here in my notes

somewhere.

889

:

I think it was at mine

that was my inaugural fifth in

890

:

the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road race.

891

:

And then well,

not the fifth point. And then

892

:

and then stopped.

893

:

Yeah.

894

:

Was that plan, did you want to or were you

I mean, when you get third

895

:

in the tour Down Under and fifth

or whatever in your race is

896

:

it wasn't there some itch to say,

hey, man, I still got it.

897

:

Well, you know, I'm still happy today

that I'm like,

898

:

you know, if any of you, if anyone asks me

about my career or whatever.

899

:

The day I retired, I was ranked

third in the world, because it only been

900

:

one WorldTour race, but, that

that sort of stays, I suppose, forever.

901

:

But, I had, illness in 2012

902

:

that wasn't discovered until,

after the tour de France was racing with

903

:

this,

904

:

virus actually for the whole year there.

905

:

But, that really, not only mentally,

but my, my relationship

906

:

with the team and my team-mates really

caused really, rattled things.

907

:

Then 2013,

908

:

the team wanted

909

:

me and but they came very late in the,

in the into the plan.

910

:

They came in some of the day before

Milan San Remo and said,

911

:

oh, you should ride the Giro

to get ready for the tour.

912

:

Come on, it's March.

913

:

No, I think I went home that night

and looked at the Giro stages

914

:

on the internet

915

:

just to know where I went,

because of course

916

:

I was getting ready for the tour, so

I hadn't paid much attention to the Giro.

917

:

But then, they didn't want me to ride

the tour.

918

:

They wanted me to try and do something

in the Giro because I thought I might be.

919

:

I'd do something a year, but a different.

920

:

Can't do anything.

921

:

I'm with at the tour,

and this was probably Jim Ochowicz choice,

922

:

I'd say, with recommendations

from people within the team.

923

:

But I was okay with that.

924

:

I wasn't, like, I was always fixated

in the tour de France in my career,

925

:

but I always actually wanted to ride

the Giro.

926

:

So for me, that worked out well.

927

:

But then, I did

actually want to continue after that.

928

:

And this is the thing between Jim Ochowicz

and I where

929

:

I remember earlier when I first joined

the team, he said to me,

930

:

I was we were talking about

retirement of riders or something.

931

:

He said he looked me in the eye

and he said, we need you to retire.

932

:

I'll tell you.

933

:

And so I've gone to him in

934

:

2014 and said, I, yeah, I'd like to ride

another two years and this.

935

:

And he looked at me and said,

936

:

this is not a place for you on this team.

937

:

You should retire.

938

:

And it wasn't

what I wanted to hear at all. Right?

939

:

Totally not what I wanted to hear, though.

940

:

And then, so my,

941

:

because I wanted to keep racing,

but it wasn't for the right reasons.

942

:

So, I asked, can

I just do the month in Australia

943

:

because it's the first edition

of my own race,

944

:

which I'd been working on

for some two years or so, more

945

:

to get going and get everything going.

946

:

And my thing was with him, I'm

going to train like there's no tomorrow

947

:

because I'm only going

to do one month of racing

948

:

and it's going to be in Australia,

and I'm going to do

949

:

everything I can to do

the best that I can.

950

:

And with the way the points work

and everything,

951

:

it worked out really well for them.

952

:

And Rohan Rohan Dennis was my, team mate,

and it was actually the fact

953

:

that I was there on GC

and he won two down Under.

954

:

He maybe he wouldn't have been able to

do that without, without me being there.

955

:

But it was a couple of months

later, actually,

956

:

and I was going somewhere with him again,

and I actually thanked him.

957

:

I said,

958

:

I said thanks to him for for saying that

because I needed to be told that.

959

:

And no one else could have said that

to me.

960

:

So, you know, I sort of I didn't

want to stop, but I was forced to stop.

961

:

But it was the right thing to do.

962

:

And and I did my last race,

and I always had this thing in

963

:

my career was always to become

a professional cyclist.

964

:

Was, for me, it was a I always saw it

as a fantastic opportunity.

965

:

It was a dream come true, an opportunity

966

:

to make a living racing my bike,

which is all I wanted to do anyway.

967

:

And so I always look at it, is this window

of opportunity to make the most of.

968

:

And that motivated me a lot in my training

and everything that I was doing.

969

:

But knowing that

this window of opportunity

970

:

would close one day and that window

of opportunity closed on the finish

971

:

line of of my own race, the great Ocean

Road Race in February:

972

:

But I have to say,

I crossed the finish line that day,

973

:

cramping and okay,

I wasn't happy with the result.

974

:

Like so often.

975

:

I was not happy with the result

that I got in the race, but

976

:

but I said okay, I gave it everything.

977

:

Now it's time for the next chapter.

978

:

Next chapter.

979

:

That is actually a good way

to go across to my next question,

980

:

there's,

any more few new chapters in your life?

981

:

Any new jobs coming up? For this year?

982

:

For next year?

983

:

Yeah.

984

:

I'm moving my family back to Australia,

which has been, it's only 26 years.

985

:

I've been based in Europe, actually,

so I'm I'm not going to know myself

986

:

in Australia, but that's, in my personal

life, a big thing.

987

:

I did get married this year as well.

988

:

I, we,

989

:

I, I'll be working more on my race,

the great Ocean road race in Australia,

990

:

doing more things in Australia,

of course, obviously being based there.

991

:

But it's been an interesting thing

that I have to say that with me

992

:

cycling in the tours

and particularly being,

993

:

I was nearly going to go to the tour de

France presentation today for this.

994

:

But I have to say, it's been really nice.

995

:

The first, group

996

:

that I hosted was at the Giro d'Italia,

and we were staying in Como,

997

:

and because I live 25 kilometre

or 25km from Como,

998

:

I've got like a story to tell about nearly

every corner of every street in Como.

999

:

But to be able to share that

:

00:50:34,614 --> 00:50:37,993

with my own, especially Australians,

but other anglophones.

:

00:50:37,993 --> 00:50:41,246

But having been a share, my experiences

of being in Europe, whether it's racing

:

00:50:41,246 --> 00:50:44,374

or racing,

culinary decides, politics or whatever,

:

00:50:45,083 --> 00:50:48,086

anything I've learned about this

time, it's just been a really,

:

00:50:48,420 --> 00:50:51,757

a really nice way to sort of be

at the races, enjoy the races.

:

00:50:51,757 --> 00:50:54,843

But, but better share it

with other people.

:

00:50:54,843 --> 00:50:59,056

And we had, and we were riding up

the Tourmalet, in July of this year.

:

00:50:59,681 --> 00:51:01,349

And there was a we had this guest.

:

00:51:01,349 --> 00:51:03,769

He was an awesome guy from Adelaide,

:

00:51:03,769 --> 00:51:06,772

and he just stopped and took a photo

and like nearly every switchback.

:

00:51:07,147 --> 00:51:10,817

But he just loved every metre of the

climb, every metre of every ride we did.

:

00:51:10,817 --> 00:51:13,570

It's pouring rain. It's so foggy.

This is fantastic.

:

00:51:13,570 --> 00:51:17,949

I just it just completely reinvigorated

my passion and appreciation

:

00:51:18,158 --> 00:51:21,578

for riding in, at least in France,

in this case in the Pyrenees.

:

00:51:21,578 --> 00:51:23,789

It was just

it was a really, really great experience.

:

00:51:23,789 --> 00:51:26,124

And that's

so I look forward to doing that again.

:

00:51:26,124 --> 00:51:29,127

Coming back for the Giro,

maybe some of the other, classics,

:

00:51:29,711 --> 00:51:33,757

next year and then the tour as well

with Australians, anglophones.

:

00:51:33,757 --> 00:51:37,094

But for the most part,

and that's been a great new experience.

:

00:51:37,094 --> 00:51:39,179

But of course, since stepping away from

:

00:51:40,180 --> 00:51:41,014

from being a rider,

:

00:51:41,014 --> 00:51:44,142

I think I've, it's been fantastic.

:

00:51:44,142 --> 00:51:48,939

I've gone into a race organisation

in the bike industry with BMC,

:

00:51:49,189 --> 00:51:53,527

then going back to the races of host

with a, with the, with a tour company.

:

00:51:53,527 --> 00:51:57,114

And I'm just so there you more a fan

as a spectator as well.

:

00:51:57,322 --> 00:51:58,907

It's really been a nice

:

00:51:58,907 --> 00:52:00,283

other than being to so concentrate

:

00:52:00,283 --> 00:52:03,328

on everything within the barriers

now been involved in sort of everything

:

00:52:03,328 --> 00:52:05,956

outside of the barriers,

which has just been a a great learning

:

00:52:05,956 --> 00:52:09,251

experience and,

you know, really, really enjoyable,

:

00:52:10,001 --> 00:52:12,462

enjoyable.

:

00:52:12,462 --> 00:52:15,048

Nearly ten years now, ten years next year.

:

00:52:15,048 --> 00:52:17,926

So next year's tour of France,

I will see you and my old friends.

:

00:52:17,926 --> 00:52:21,596

You had the great with cycling

in the first week of the Tour of France,

:

00:52:21,596 --> 00:52:24,599

because I'm going to be there

for Eurosport on a motorbike,

:

00:52:24,641 --> 00:52:25,392

and then we're going

:

00:52:25,392 --> 00:52:29,354

to have a coffee together in a village

de pas talking to tour de France.

:

00:52:29,354 --> 00:52:30,730

My very last question for you,

:

00:52:31,731 --> 00:52:34,651

who is your favourite and if it's Pogacar,

:

00:52:34,651 --> 00:52:39,239

what does Remco and Jonas

need to do to challenge him?

:

00:52:39,823 --> 00:52:42,826

Attack earlier? Attack later?

:

00:52:42,868 --> 00:52:45,495

Oh, Who?

:

00:52:45,495 --> 00:52:47,289

My favourite.

:

00:52:47,289 --> 00:52:49,499

Well,

I suppose my favourite tour guy probably

:

00:52:49,499 --> 00:52:52,502

was actually, Roglic.

:

00:52:53,753 --> 00:52:56,047

I just like the guy, met him know him

personally.

:

00:52:56,047 --> 00:52:56,882

I don't know personally Vingegaard,.

:

00:52:56,882 --> 00:53:00,468

I don't know personally

Pog, Evenepoel either.

:

00:53:00,969 --> 00:53:05,056

But I think he's just incredible

in this talent.

:

00:53:05,056 --> 00:53:07,726

What he's doing

is just absolutely incredible.

:

00:53:07,726 --> 00:53:08,768

Amazing.

:

00:53:08,768 --> 00:53:11,605

I mean, all of his talent, but I,

:

00:53:11,605 --> 00:53:14,608

I think I think I sort of

:

00:53:14,774 --> 00:53:17,777

of either of those three,

I probably probably

:

00:53:17,819 --> 00:53:20,947

in terms of a fan, I'm probably more

an Evenepoel guy, to be honest.

:

00:53:21,489 --> 00:53:24,910

He’s sort of just the quiet achiever

just goes right.

:

00:53:24,910 --> 00:53:26,328

And he's just very calculating.

:

00:53:26,328 --> 00:53:29,080

I think he's also a very well rounded,

well rounded rider.

:

00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:35,295

And he's really gone beyond what, what,

just I know, I just seem to like him.

:

00:53:35,295 --> 00:53:36,254

Him as a rider.

:

00:53:36,254 --> 00:53:39,549

Just just a little bit more,

with all respect, obviously to Vingegaard

:

00:53:39,591 --> 00:53:41,927

and Pogacar

they're not just the best riders

:

00:53:41,927 --> 00:53:45,931

at the moment, like the best

Grand Tour riders for at least decades,

:

00:53:45,931 --> 00:53:48,225

if not generations and generations

before them.

:

00:53:48,225 --> 00:53:51,228

So, but we're in this period.

:

00:53:51,353 --> 00:53:56,775

I probably I'm quite I'm glad I'm a spectator and a fan now, rather than a rider.

:

00:53:58,443 --> 00:54:01,696

Cadel, thanks for sharing your insights

and thoughts with us.

:

00:54:01,696 --> 00:54:06,284

Thanks a million for being our guest today

on the old tandem with Bobby and me.

:

00:54:06,660 --> 00:54:10,205

It was absolutely fantastic

to catch up with you and maybe

:

00:54:10,330 --> 00:54:12,040

getting closer to next is tour de France.

:

00:54:12,040 --> 00:54:16,127

We might invite you back for

another update on your experience of that.

:

00:54:16,670 --> 00:54:19,214

Thanks again

one more time for being our guest tonight.

:

00:54:19,214 --> 00:54:20,632

Thanks, gents. Thanks, Bobby.

:

00:54:20,632 --> 00:54:22,175

An absolute pleasure to be here.

:

00:54:22,175 --> 00:54:25,637

And, Odd

Tandemit is a bit of an odd tandem.

:

00:54:26,179 --> 00:54:28,223

I hope I can be back with you sometime

soon.

:

00:54:28,223 --> 00:54:30,558

Thanks, guys.

:

00:54:30,558 --> 00:54:32,018

That's everything for this week.

:

00:54:32,018 --> 00:54:35,981

Now remember to follow us at Odd Tandem

on TikTok,

:

00:54:35,981 --> 00:54:40,151

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and wherever

you get your favourite podcasts.

:

00:54:40,735 --> 00:54:43,446

Thanks to Cadel for joining the podcast.

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00:54:43,446 --> 00:54:47,242

Also, please remember

if you want to see the video version

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of this podcast,

it's up on our YouTube channel right now.

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Youtube.com/OddTandem

and if you want the full, uninterrupted

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version of this podcast in your name

in the titles, just head to our Patreon

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where you can sign up for $5 a month

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That's patreon.com/oddtandem,

and thank you to our Patreon members!

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Scott, Steven Kimbrough, Marie Teixeira,

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Brian Colon, Chris Merritt,

Tim Farriss, Jim,

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Jeff Seckendorf and Jeff Hartley

who've done just that.

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And remember, if you want your question

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in our next mailbag episode,

make sure you keep sending us

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your questions

to OddTandem@shockedgiraffe.com

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And please keep sharing the podcast

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wherever you're listening.

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It really helps us to build our audience.

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About the Podcast

The Odd Tandem Cycling Podcast with Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt
Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt on all things cycling
Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt are back with a brand new cycling podcast. Speaking to the biggest names in the professional peloton and sharing their wisdom from their own careers.