full

full
Published on:

19th Jul 2024

Josh Tarling

At the age of twenty Josh Tarling has already earned a European Championship and a World bronze medal. Now he's heading to his first Olympic games with his eyes firmly fixed on an Olympic medal.

He caught up with Bobby and Jens from his training camp in Puigcerdà, Spain as he revealed how he plans to take on Remco Evenepoel, Ganna and more.

Join our Patreon now to get an ad free version of the podcast and your name in the titles

patreon.com/OddTandem

And remember to check out the video version of the podcast at our youtube channel youtube.com/@oddtandem

Find us on social media by searching ‪@OddTandem‬ on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook

Transcript
Speaker:

Hello everyone, and welcome

to another episode of The Odd Tandem.

2

:

Today we have quite the guest.

3

:

I must admit,

I am very partial to this sort of rider.

4

:

He's an amazing time trialist.

5

:

We have the Olympics in Paris

right around the corner,

6

:

so we were able to get a hold of him

up in Andorra,

7

:

where he's putting the final touches

on his Olympic preparation.

8

:

Jensie, who was our guest today?

9

:

Our guest is the reigning

European TT champion, Josh Tarling,

10

:

an absolute talent,

only 20 years old and most impressive.

11

:

Please stay tuned.

12

:

The size of the chainring he's

planning to use at the Olympics.

13

:

Just alone.

14

:

For that, it's worth

listening to us and his taste in music.

15

:

So sit back and relax

and listen to another great episode today

16

:

with Josh Tarling.

17

:

All right, here we go.

18

:

On the odd tandem today

we have Josh Tarling.

19

:

Josh how are you doing man

20

:

I'm all good, mate.

21

:

I'm all good.

22

:

You know,

doing a little bit of research on you,

23

:

I realized

24

:

I realize that you are quite a bit

younger than us.

25

:

Jens and I are about to turn 35.

26

:

You're like 20.

27

:

53, Bobby, not 35, 53.

28

:

We it.

29

:

Did I say 35?

30

:

Yeah, that's what I feel.

31

:

That's that's

that's the vibe that I'm going for here.

32

:

So, just to kind of put

this into perspective,

33

:

I kind of want to break the ice

a little bit to kind of get to know you,

34

:

because I've seen you on TV.

35

:

So just a couple real short fire questions

36

:

to let me know where you stack so we can,

you know, adjust our age to fit yours.

37

:

You know, because we want to be

one of the cool kids, too.

38

:

cool. Okay, so here we go.

39

:

Your favorite genre of music.

40

:

Oh, Eminem, 50 cent and,

41

:

them ones mate, can't lie.

42

:

Okay, good for the warm ups.

43

:

Okay. You pass.

44

:

okay. Favorite off season cheat food?

45

:

good

46

:

burger or something chocolatey.

47

:

Oh, he got both of our favorites there.

48

:

Jensie.

49

:

Okay, other than cycling, the favorite.

50

:

Your favorite sport to watch on TV?

51

:

MotoGP

52

:

okay, that's Jensie’s.

53

:

One of Jensie’s good.

54

:

Okay.

55

:

This is this is a good one.

56

:

What word would you describe?

57

:

Something that is good in your vernacular?

58

:

Sick.

59

:

Okay, so so now I'm just calibrated now.

60

:

So now I'm ready.

Now I'm ready to ask my real question.

61

:

Jensie You you you adjusted down

a little bit in age like we're good to go.

62

:

I try to follow up.

63

:

I try to think like my teenage kids.

64

:

Now I'm thinking,

65

:

all right, that was just kind of,

you know, now we know where we stand.

66

:

So, Josh, where are you coming to?

67

:

Coming to us from right now.

Where are you at?

68

:

I'm in, Puigcerdà.

69

:

I don't know how to say it exactly.

70

:

just outside Andorra,

in a training camp for, for the Olympics.

71

:

So we talking altitude training, right?

72

:

And as,

73

:

far as I know, is there a bike track or.

74

:

It's all on the road you're training

for? Now.

75

:

It's all on the road.

76

:

All on the road.

77

:

It's not actually,

it's not too high altitude.

78

:

I think it's 1100 here.

79

:

It's not really.

80

:

It's more there's good roads for the TT

bike here long straight drags.

81

:

So, it's more intensity

rather than altitude.

82

:

Okay. Nice. Nice.

83

:

And where are you actually based

during the season

84

:

Andorra also just down the road okay.

85

:

Okay.

86

:

So yeah let's let's get into it man.

87

:

How how is the preparations

for the Olympics going?

88

:

I mean, you're 20 years old.

89

:

You're headed to your first Olympics.

90

:

I went to my first Olympics when I was 32.

91

:

You're 20.

92

:

So you're going to be doing this for

for quite a while.

93

:

yeah. How's it going?

94

:

Hey, it's going good.

95

:

I think,

96

:

that particular long, I, I,

97

:

like a nice big block

now, so I’ve ridden the TT bike too much.

98

:

Everything’s sore.

99

:

Everything's tight.

100

:

I think we're getting faster.

101

:

So getting there.

102

:

So when you say you've ridden

your TT bike -

103

:

your position is dialed in

or is there anything.

104

:

You go,

we could make this a little quicker,

105

:

or we can do a little twist or turn here,

or you go, nope.

106

:

Just perfect. Don't touch it anymore.

107

:

I think, right now it's all sorted,

so I wanted to get it all done

108

:

before this block. And then,

109

:

I could, like, ride that same position

because we we changed it.

110

:

We changed it before the Dauphiné.

111

:

and I

112

:

didn't even get to ride the bike off

in the recon before it on that position.

113

:

And then it was, again,

the same for the nationals.

114

:

after that.

115

:

So I was like, alright, this block,

we'll get it exactly how we want it.

116

:

And then we don't change until after.

117

:

What exactly did you change?

118

:

it's quite a lot further forward.

119

:

so we worked out that

120

:

because I'm quite told this part of my arm

is, is quite long, and,

121

:

you can see kind of

how Remco is quite he's quite short here

122

:

and it helps him be lower And even if,

my head's really low or whatever,

123

:

this bit is still quite tall.

124

:

So we made it short

and I have to lean forward.

125

:

And then this part of my arm is usually

I should be,

126

:

more than 90 to the bar.

127

:

And then we found that, like,

that kind of close everything.

128

:

I also, if you lean forward, it

kind of bends your shoulders in as well.

129

:

Well,

it does sound fast, but uncomfortable.

130

:

How long do you think

can you sit in that position, my friend?

131

:

Right.

132

:

It’s not nice, is not I'm trying,

I'm trying.

133

:

But, I think, on the it's

going to be about 35 minutes maybe.

134

:

And so I'm hoping that long.

135

:

Geez.

136

:

Yeah.

137

:

as soon as you said that, you were,

you know,

138

:

at above 90 degrees, that puts

a lot of strain on your upper body.

139

:

So now we know why you're sore.

140

:

You're probably having to get more massage

141

:

on your upper body than your lower body

after stuff like that.

142

:

But now that you mention it, you being,

what,

143

:

194 1.94m tall,

144

:

which for here in the US is six foot four?

145

:

you're trying to emulate a guy

that's much, much smaller than you.

146

:

So, were you in the wind tunnel?

147

:

you know, to kind of find these little,

148

:

these little gains or, like what?

149

:

What motivated you to kind of change that

position to emulate the world champion?

150

:

Remco Evenepoel?

151

:

Yeah, I think I keep losing to him.

152

:

So I had to try and do something.

153

:

so before the Dauphine.

154

:

Yeah, we we I've been in the tunnel.

155

:

3 or 4 times now,

156

:

and, there's obviously like

157

:

kit, kit wise, working out

because I guess with the Olympics,

158

:

you don't have to ride team, stuff.

159

:

And GB themselves

have a range of different suits.

160

:

We could have worn.

161

:

So it was a lot of,

you know, testing all of them.

162

:

And then, yeah.

163

:

So one was on that

and there was positional stuff because

164

:

I guess it is free isn't, you know,

if you gain,

165

:

I don't know, 2%, 3% in the tunnel

in a day to get that in training.

166

:

This, is a long, long kind of process. So

167

:

I think

I think we've got a really good place now.

168

:

Yeah.

169

:

So, I guess we we all three.

170

:

We agreed that no matter how aero you go,

you will need

171

:

to push more watts than Remco,

because he's just lower and smaller.

172

:

Yeah.

173

:

You have an idea or what?

174

:

You be able to share that information.

175

:

You think you need to push 100 watts

more than Remco or 50W,

176

:

25W or 200W or.

177

:

I don't know.

178

:

I don't know roughly

what he's going to want to do.

179

:

because he is punchy.

180

:

I don't have my pace and there yet,

but I like to kind of

181

:

460-470 is what I would like.

182

:

He's quite a bit lighter than me,

so I'm hoping

183

:

I'm hoping it's enough

what I can get over.

184

:

But, yeah, I reckon I'll probably need

185

:

100 because he's more

186

:

aero on his skinnier than me. I

187

:

so this is a question.

188

:

So if that's say your FTP, your threshold,

189

:

whatever you want to call it these days

because it's basically all the same.

190

:

But if that's kind of like what you set

your training zones around,

191

:

you know, I, I used to work with

192

:

team Sky back in the day and we would have

we would have

193

:

we would test these guys on the climbs

and we would test them on the time

194

:

trial bike and I only saw

195

:

two riders,

pretty much my whole coaching career

196

:

that were able to basically have

197

:

the same wattage on the road bike

198

:

going uphill compared to the time trial

bike on the flats.

199

:

So are you in that range is if

200

:

if 470 is your,

201

:

you know, FTP, let's say on your time

trial bike,

202

:

is it

the same on your road bike or even higher?

203

:

I think I'm pretty pretty similar.

204

:

And we did quite a bit of them.

205

:

I ride it a lot in Andorra

on the climbs and stuff,

206

:

because then the position is,

207

:

is a lot harder and a lot, you know?

208

:

Yeah. Like,

209

:

I don't know, chasing it more.

210

:

So I think I'm pretty.

211

:

I should be equal.

212

:

Okay.

213

:

You're in very good company there then.

214

:

Because the only two guys I saw do

that was Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

215

:

So you have to work on you.

216

:

Good work mate. Hahaha.

217

:

So now that it looks like

218

:

you got the training,

and all that worked out, on your bike,

219

:

what do you have roughly need

of how much your entire setup

220

:

is when you be rolling off the start

ramp at the Olympics?

221

:

Are we looking at 10,000 pound 20,000

30,000 like a medium sized car?

222

:

It’s it’s fancy, man it’s fancy.

223

:

that's why I ask our listeners for sure.

224

:

They also. are curious now. Yeah, yeah.

225

:

I don't, I don't know, maybe there's some.

226

:

Everything's been ceramic ified.

227

:

the wheels, they've got to be.

228

:

Three, maybe four.

229

:

We go for around 20.

230

:

But then there's things that are quite

difficult, like the skin suit is really,

231

:

really cool.

232

:

like, I don't know how.

233

:

I don't know

if it's available or whatever, so I'll say

234

:

£20,000-£25000 Jensie.

235

:

That's exactly what I said before.

236

:

I said it's probably around 25,000.

237

:

Wow, wow.

238

:

And do you have the 3D

printed handlebars as well

239

:

I do now.

240

:

Yeah yeah yeah. Nice.

241

:

Yeah I'm cool.

242

:

Jens shared this picture

with, with with myself

243

:

and our producer Mark today

on our little text thread.

244

:

And it was he and I doing a two up

team time trial in Buhl,

245

:

Germany after the tour de France in 2004,

before I left for the Olympics.

246

:

And that's what prompted me

247

:

to ask that question

of how much your bike setup is worth,

248

:

because that picture Jensie,

I'm looking at it like maybe ten grand,

249

:

like our skin suits probably cost $150.

250

:

And these guys have skin suits,

especially with UK sport.

251

:

You're talking 6 to 8000 and that's

252

:

where I believe I lost the Olympics was

my skin suit was not optimal.

253

:

I it was the team USA skin suit.

254

:

The guy that wound up beating me

had like this special Nike one.

255

:

And I wound up losing to him

by eight seconds.

256

:

And it's one of those things.

257

:

So man, pay attention to all that stuff.

258

:

But what is your favorite?

259

:

I mean, this is geeking out

because I'm a time trial guy as well.

260

:

What is your favorite part of that

$25,000 euro pound setup?

261

:

Maybe wait till you see the bike.

262

:

It looks so good. Is it?

263

:

they've got the Olympic paintjob

coming out,

264

:

so it looks class

265

:

nice.

266

:

And to be fair, you know, when you put

a good skin suit on and it feels fast.

267

:

I've never haven't ridden outside

that skin, so.

268

:

Yeah, just in a tunnel.

269

:

But you know, and it's just like,

I don't know, you feel sick in it

270

:

and it gives you like, you know, an extra

271

:

2% motivation, confidence

because, you know, okay, this is the best

272

:

possible equipment you can have

on this planet for now, right?

273

:

Yeah, exactly.

274

:

That's pretty cool.

275

:

So, no, it's all in quality, right?

276

:

Yeah.

277

:

I mean, you're still a young kid

further down the road.

278

:

Do you fancy some of the classics? Maybe.

279

:

Or you go now.

280

:

I just want to become

ten times, teach world champion.

281

:

Nah, I, I really enjoy racing like that.

282

:

drives me nuts.

283

:

Like watching stuff and, like,

284

:

trying to work stuff out.

285

:

And when I'm racing, I love doing

all the - which side of the wheel and,

286

:

you know, timings and counter-attacking.

287

:

So obviously I'm going to try and win

every TT

288

:

I start but, for sure next year

we go for the classics as well.

289

:

And the winner.

290

:

And you know,

291

:

you're not the only

I mean, you're 1.94m tall.

292

:

We've had Miguel Indurain.

293

:

That was,

a little bit shorter than you at 1.9,

294

:

Bradley Wiggins was 1.88m tall.

295

:

what do you think you need to work on?

296

:

I mean, obviously you got your time

trial dialed, but what what

297

:

other kind of training objectives

or do you need to focus on?

298

:

I guess, like what are your limiters

299

:

right now that you want to work on

over the next year or so to be ready

300

:

for the classics?

301

:

I think,

302

:

we worked on a bit this year

with the punch before the classics.

303

:

I think the teaches that you can turn

quite easily,

304

:

which is and also for my job

with like in the Dauphiné

305

:

or Paris-Nice and, you know, positioning

or even climbing these is okay.

306

:

But for the classics,

307

:

once you once you've made that,

308

:

that groove, then it's fine.

309

:

It's just the

you have to have the punch to get in it.

310

:

so it'll be.

311

:

Yeah, kicking and then I need to work

on the weight as well.

312

:

That’ll obviously help

I think being tall is harder, isn't it?

313

:

You know, like,

I mean, you have to be skinnier than than

314

:

some of the smaller guys

just because you're heavier.

315

:

Have you ever.

316

:

I mean, you're a tall, tall man.

317

:

have you have experience with these very,

very short cranks?

318

:

This seem to be a thing in a moment.

319

:

Like Pogacar has 165’s.

320

:

obviously that looking very,

very short for men of your size.

321

:

The experienced, or tested some of that.

322

:

we haven't.

323

:

I'm not using any in the Olympics.

324

:

But it is something I've used on the track

325

:

a lot, obviously it’s quite short there.

326

:

And, I think

especially with this really far forward

327

:

position, that could be

it could be something in it,

328

:

I think, I mean, it's it's different,

you know, because I'm quite tall.

329

:

Anyways, I don't need to

330

:

too short, but for sure

that there might be something in it,

331

:

especially on the track with, you know,

if you've closed your hip angle off.

332

:

Anyway, then you've got your knees

hitting your chest and whatever.

333

:

so there might be something in there.

334

:

Yeah.

335

:

So we were honored enough to have

Chris Boardman on recently and asked

336

:

asked him about time trial pacing

and to paraphrase what he said, he said,

337

:

if you're riding if you're asking yourself

if you can go harder

338

:

and the answer is yes, it's too late.

339

:

If you ask yourself to go harder

and it's no, you're really in trouble.

340

:

The what you want is, can I go any harder?

341

:

And it has to be maybe.

342

:

So you're always in that zone

343

:

of basically going maximum, right.

344

:

what what is your mentality

345

:

around a time trial

and especially the pacing part of it.

346

:

So we have

we with the team, you do a pacing plan

347

:

and that'll be split into,

you know, the the section

348

:

and of the course.

349

:

so I'll understand that.

350

:

And then you go about it where it's like,

okay,

351

:

if this section is 440 watts

352

:

but the predicted speed for that section

353

:

is, is higher.

354

:

It's like 54.

355

:

and I'm doing 53.

356

:

Oh, I'm doing 50 and 440 and you,

I feel okay.

357

:

Then you whack it.

358

:

and then equally the other way around,

359

:

if I'm going faster than the predicted,

360

:

there's no way I go, I, I

361

:

deliberately try and go less than the

362

:

than the predicted,

but I will I'll stick roughly

363

:

to that speed or just the watts

And if I sit higher, I sit higher.

364

:

I quite like all the,

365

:

at the breakdown of the course.

366

:

I like all the

367

:

like in the recon

you can work out different

368

:

road surfaces and then you can relay

that back to the pacing plan.

369

:

So obviously the pacing plans done,

either before or

370

:

or a long way before.

371

:

So then this set aside,

this section is 440.

372

:

Again, if the road surface is a lot

rougher than then,

373

:

I thought it was going to be all.

374

:

Then the speed is predicted

and we know, okay,

375

:

I need to overpace this bit

because it's a lot harder than we thought.

376

:

And, I like breaking it down and sort of,

377

:

you know, relating,

relaying the course to the pacing,

378

:

in terms of like

379

:

getting it

380

:

out, I think I always have quite a,

381

:

my, my coaches that is Ganna’s coach.

382

:

So he, Mr.

383

:

Bigham not that Dario Cioni.

384

:

Yeah.

385

:

so he oh,

386

:

I’m convinced he gives me Ganna’s powers

387

:

because they're always like,

it's too high.

388

:

So I always like,

I can trust that the pacing plan

389

:

is basically as hard as I can go.

390

:

and yeah, just that really.

391

:

So how much influence do you have

392

:

as the pilot of the bicycle into that,

that pacing plan?

393

:

I think there has to be some room

for you to make the decisions right?

394

:

Yeah, yeah, I think

395

:

like the model

396

:

it's good.

397

:

But then

398

:

a lot of it comes from the recon,

you know, where,

399

:

hey, maybe it's predicted

there's a headwind, but

400

:

then there might be a crosswind, but

then there might be loads of trees and,

401

:

and then it's up to me to kind of go,

look, I'm holding I'm holding that speed

402

:

that is predicted that.

403

:

So I don't need to push

404

:

as hard in this section

and I can save it for the climb later.

405

:

I know, or like I said,

with the road surface and not and

406

:

I mean, apart from that,

if I go from the pacing plan

407

:

I want to go above,

I have to kind of wait a little bit.

408

:

I can just like, fit instantly above,

409

:

you know, for the first say,

half of the race.

410

:

Is it?

411

:

The pacing plans are basically supposed

to be as hard as you can go,

412

:

so it is risky,

but then it's on feel as well.

413

:

because

414

:

again, you get you get sections

of, of the plan

415

:

and it'll be like a wattage

for that section, but then the road

416

:

might be slightly going up

and down, up and down, and you might,

417

:

you can take that

as almost like an average for that section

418

:

and not something to set up to kind of go,

okay, first

419

:

bike 450 and then we go 420

420

:

and kind of go

that averages out, you know,

421

:

435 440.

422

:

do you ever afraid of overthinking

423

:

and like losing energy by,

424

:

calculating all the watts you overspeed up

here, relax on a down.

425

:

And, second part of the question,

how important is feedback from the car

426

:

behind you to

to guide you through that race?

427

:

Not. Yeah.

428

:

I think I'm not bright enough

to overthink.

429

:

I think, like,

I kind of do it on feel really.

430

:

So it's like,

431

:

Yeah.

432

:

I don't have to think about, you know,

I need to do this, watts and whatever.

433

:

I can kind of.

434

:

I think it

435

:

helps with you kind of

get the feel of the speed and the powers

436

:

quite well from the track, because

obviously, you’re not allowed a Garmin,

437

:

so you get just like, time splits

and then you get the feel

438

:

of what that cadence is like.

439

:

And, and you can kind of feel it

on, on the road as well.

440

:

so a lot of it comes from like your arse

and how fast it's feeling.

441

:

And, yeah, yeah

442

:

Jensie

I, I'm just blown away at 20 years old.

443

:

Would you have been thinking

about anything like this or just a no?

444

:

Put on your time trial suit,

get on your time trial bike that

445

:

you just put together the day before

and just let it rip.

446

:

You know?

447

:

and that kind of brings me,

I mean, being so young and,

448

:

you know, kids coming into the sport

now seem to be getting

449

:

younger and younger and winning

right away.

450

:

I mean, you did the same thing.

451

:

You know, you did the you

you were able to do the under 23

452

:

World Championships last year

and instead you decided to do the elite

453

:

and you got a medal.

454

:

what about

455

:

with these other young kids

that don't have the resources, don't

456

:

have maybe the

the progression of talent at your age,

457

:

what advice would you give to young riders

that want to be in your shoes?

458

:

Remco’s shoes, Tadej’s shoes.

459

:

You know, you know when they're when

they're like younger than you like 17, 18.

460

:

I just think like you don't have to have

461

:

like nice like really nice stuff.

462

:

You know, you don't have to have

I didn't have

463

:

the attitude or

464

:

I like took years

until I was close with Ineos.

465

:

it's more like you have to learn racing

466

:

and then you don't have to have that

good legs if you know how to race.

467

:

and you have to do that by

468

:

a) racing.

469

:

but b) like, you have to watch things

you have to listen to,

470

:

like these podcasts and after,

you know, like,

471

:

just watch all the racing

and then you can get a good idea,

472

:

you know, like today with all the on the,

473

:

the Tour and all the positioning and stuff

like that.

474

:

You can watch all of that.

475

:

And it's it's like crystal clear

what everyone's trying to do.

476

:

Everyone's trying to pick a side and,

and there's ways that you do that

477

:

and how you always leave room for a guy

and and

478

:

and then you can also tell how the wind's

going.

479

:

depending on, you know,

480

:

the punch and,

and how that's shaped and stuff like that.

481

:

So you have to

482

:

do that.

483

:

And I think

you don't have to worry about winning,

484

:

because if you think the teams have race

winners,

485

:

you're not you're not going to be paid

straight away to win races.

486

:

You want to.

487

:

But like if you know how to race

and you know how to position people,

488

:

the team's going to be mega

impressed anyway.

489

:

because like, yeah, like

490

:

I say, you're not going to go in

and you're not going to be tall, right?

491

:

You win

492

:

straightaway because they've got people

like, we've got Kwiato, Carlos, Tom.

493

:

All these guys like,

I don't have to win a race

494

:

that they have all like, really good.

495

:

so yeah, I just wouldn't stress

and just make sure you keep

496

:

you have to learn

how to, like, ride a bike race

497

:

and then get strong with the team

rather than worrying about,

498

:

you know, training and hurting yourself

and then not knowing how race basically.

499

:

So since you mentioned half of your team

there,

500

:

they are currently in the tour de France

and we have another TT coming up.

501

:

What's your point of view on that?

502

:

Because it's uphill. It's downhill.

503

:

Does it suit the specialist better

or maybe an GC contender?

504

:

what's your pick on that?

505

:

I don't know if I have been that climb

506

:

before, maybe in Paris-Nice but,

507

:

I if it's up for sure

today is going to be strong.

508

:

be strong everywhere.

509

:

I guess obviously lives there as well.

510

:

So you have him as I think.

511

:

I think Remco is the favorite.

512

:

he's climbing class.

513

:

I do think maybe with the descent

514

:

he might struggle, but, mate he's

going to have reconed it so many times.

515

:

I think Tadej obviously

516

:

lives there,

so he'll have a big, advantage,

517

:

but I don't I don't think

it's going to be, you know, like the

518

:

the out and out specialist, like,

519

:

Küng or Bissegger.

520

:

Sorry if it is, Kong missing.

521

:

Okay.

522

:

You know, so you haven't seen the course

because I don't think I'm in Pyrenees.

523

:

They go up that side,

they go up the other side.

524

:

But, you've probably gone down it.

525

:

But if you were to guess, knowing

526

:

that that climb is about eight

527

:

kilometers at six, six, 6.5%

528

:

and then the rest of it

is basically downhill,

529

:

would you consider changing bikes

530

:

or would you do the whole thing on a time

trial bike?

531

:

I think I would stay in,

532

:

the descent is, well, it's not

straight, is it?

533

:

But is it?

534

:

There is a straight section

across the top.

535

:

There's downhill. So,

536

:

I would, I would say run a classified

maybe.

537

:

and then you can do,

538

:

you can have like a little ring inside,

but you can also keep like a,

539

:

I mean, we use like 68 is that's

540

:

what the,

what they're for for the descents.

541

:

yeah.

542

:

So I would,

I would go classified TT bike all the way.

543

:

yeah.

544

:

But keep a big chainring if we can. 68

I think I've only seen them.

545

:

I never touched one of them.

546

:

Why not just one of them?

547

:

I have impressed,

548

:

they feel so good. One.

549

:

They just, like, waft around.

550

:

So, you're quite,

coming from a cycling family.

551

:

Is that correct? Yeah. Yeah.

552

:

do you have a brother?

553

:

Correct.

554

:

Yeah, yeah.

555

:

So what would you say?

Is he as good as you?

556

:

Is he better than you,

or is he follow in your footsteps?

557

:

you keep an eye on him.

558

:

No chances. Better than me, mate.

559

:

No chance.

560

:

that's a good answer. Can you answer that?

561

:

Yeah. He's he's really good.

562

:

I, yeah, we we follow him, and,

563

:

he's going in the 23, with Israel

564

:

and, Yeah, hopefully we get to.

565

:

I've never really raced him.

566

:

I think we've done a few through,

567

:

you know, like Wednesday night

crits back in Wales.

568

:

But,

569

:

yeah, I haven't,

I haven't really raced him properly.

570

:

Put him in a barrier. Maybe.

571

:

So, so just listening,

listening to how you speak and,

572

:

you know, you've obviously been

around the sport of cycling for a while.

573

:

You've really looked into it,

broken it down.

574

:

You understand the different phases.

575

:

you know, there's a quite a few other

good Welsh cyclists.

576

:

but I believe you came through

the Welsh system with Darren Tudor.

577

:

But how were you exposed to

cycling in in the first place?

578

:

my dad used to race,

579

:

just locally in, place called Shrewsbury,

580

:

and there was, little, little site like,

purpose built cycling track on there.

581

:

And, that was like

582

:

every, every Wednesday

and I think every Sunday as well. So.

583

:

And you went to the track

a lot as well in Newport.

584

:

so I was kind of like around it

all the time.

585

:

I think I learned how to ride a bike

in Newport track Center.

586

:

and then our memories are like

right around the car park.

587

:

And then when all the races were done,

I was like to do, like, a lap

588

:

with my dad and stuff around on a track

when everyone's gone home and stuff.

589

:

So it's kind of hard

not not to really, you know.

590

:

you know,

591

:

you have, three more years

with the team Ineos-Grenadiers, right?

592

:

So that's a lot of fun to develop

into all different directions.

593

:

What would be a result

you want to achieve until then?

594

:

Or what type of rider you want to be by?

595

:

Let's see, the end of 2027.

596

:

In three years from now?

597

:

I don't know really.

598

:

I want to is

I want to win classics first for sure.

599

:

so and I want to win a monument.

600

:

by 2027.

601

:

I mean sick man

602

:

- but Roubaix didn't go very well.

603

:

but Flanders was good, and, Yeah.

604

:

So for sure, I want to win a monument,

and I want to just win some bike races.

605

:

You know, it's what I like. And

606

:

it's cool when you win a road race

and you get your hands in the air.

607

:

And so it was like a cool story when a TT,

it doesn't matter how much you win it

608

:

by it’s ugly, you know, like skin suits

609

:

tiny and the helmets funny and

610

:

there's more class in a road race, aye.

611

:

So then that's that's that's easy,

612

:

you know, with the power you have,

if you leave him behind.

613

:

Let's see at 10km to go, they would need

three entire teams to chase you.

614

:

So the only challenge for you

615

:

is to have that first initially 10s gap

and then you’re as good as gold.

616

:

So hopefully hopefully hopefully

617

:

well you know you have quite

a bright future ahead of you.

618

:

It was an honor to meet you

or to semi meet

619

:

you virtually meet you and of your story.

620

:

we're rooting for you.

621

:

I know that,

the Olympics is a is a very special thing.

622

:

it was, at least for me.

623

:

And we wish you all the best in that

and then the future and can't wait

624

:

to hopefully have you back in the future

once you have a little bit more time and,

625

:

won some of those classics,

those monuments that you're talking about.

626

:

So thank you very much, Josh,

for coming on the odd tandem today.

627

:

Yeah. No,

thank you. I really enjoyed it. Thank you.

628

:

Well, that's everything for this week.

629

:

Now please remember to follow us at Odd

Tandem on TikTok,

630

:

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and wherever

you get your favorite podcasts.

631

:

Thanks a million to Josh

for being our guest,

632

:

and congrats on getting a brand

new three year deal with Ineos.

633

:

Also remember,

if you want to see the video version

634

:

of this podcast,

it's up on your YouTube channel right now.

635

:

youtube.com/@oddtandem.

636

:

And if you want the full,

uninterrupted version of this podcast

637

:

and your name in the titles,

just head to our Patreon

638

:

where you can sign up for $5 a month

and keep this podcast going.

639

:

That's patreon.com/oddtandem

640

:

thanks to our Patreon members

Scott, Steven Kimbrough,

641

:

Marie Teixeira, Jeff Kralik,

Brian Colon, Chris

642

:

Merritt and Tim Farriss who’ve done

just that who've done just that.

643

:

And remember, if you want your question

in our next mailbag episode,

644

:

make sure you keep sending us

your questions

645

:

to oddtandem@shockedgiraffe.com

646

:

or any of our Odd

Tandem social media channels.

647

:

Please

648

:

keep sharing the podcast and leaving

your reviews wherever you're listening.

649

:

It really helps us to build our audience.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for The Odd Tandem Cycling Podcast with Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt

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.