Benji Naesen on the Best & Worst of the 2025 Pro Cycling Season
In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz are joined by Benji Naesen of the Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast to dive deep into his favorite and least favorite things about the 2025 season, as well as how Benji would devise a strategy to compete against dominant riders like Tadej Pogacar, reflections on the greatest eras in cycling, and why Milan-Sanremo is now the sport's best race.This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. Get your first month free through this linkBeyond the Peloton Newsletter: 2025 Season in Review Part 1: Deciphering the UCI Promotion/Relegation RankingsAndrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe
--------
1:28:45
--------
1:28:45
TdF 2026 Route Details, Gravel's Future & What the NBA's Gambling Scandal Could Mean for Pro Cycling
In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz break down the LTGP’s season finale at the weather-shortened Big Sugar event, including what the future holds for Cinderella series winner Cam Jones and the evolving landscape of gravel racing. They also dive into a few key details of the 2026 Tour de France route, how the NBA’s recent mafia-driven gambling scandal could affect cycling, the thinking behind the new extremely short cycling off-seasons, and much, much more.This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. Get your first month free through this linkBeyond the Peloton Newsletter: 2026 Tour de France Route BreakdownAndrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe
--------
1:12:36
--------
1:12:36
Are Big Money Transfers Actually Worth It in Pro Cycling?
In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin and Andrew Vontz dive into the wild mix of late-season gravel and road racing—from the Scratch Labs Café bike rack scene in North Boulder to Cam Jones shaking up Little Sugar, to how Isaac del Toro is reshaping UAE’s hierarchy alongside Tadej Pogačar. They debate whether teams are truly getting value after paying massive sums for top stars, unpack Mattias Skjelmose’s frustrations with Juan Ayuso’s arrival at Lidl-Trek, and consider whether pro cycling’s calendar needs a complete reset. Along the way, they share their vision for what the sport could look like, rather than the current disorganized mess.This episode is brought to you by Join Cycling. Get your first month free through this linkBeyond the Peloton Newsletter: In-Depth Il Lombardia BreakdownAndrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe
--------
1:21:37
--------
1:21:37
Pogačar’s Dominance Rolls On & Derek Gee Gets Sued
In the latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, Andrew Vontz and BTP newsletter author Spencer Martin break down what Tadej Pogačar’s presumed dominance in the season finale means, explore what other riders could do to stop him, and marvel at Tom Pidcock’s private jet dash from the finish line of Lombardia on Saturday to the start of Gravel Worlds on Sunday. They also dive into the unfolding legal drama between Derek Gee and his IPT team, and Andrew unpacks the brewing dispute between Garmin and Strava.Beyond the Peloton Newsletter: In-Depth European Championships BreakdownAndrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe
--------
1:13:08
--------
1:13:08
Tadej Pogačar’s Worlds Domination, Remco’s Meltdown, the Rise of Isaac del Toro & the Upcoming Galácticos Clash at Euros
In our latest episode of the Beyond the Peloton podcast, Andrew Vontz and I discuss a few major takeaways from Tadej Pogačar’s dominant World Championship win in Kigali, Rwanda, including the staggering watt numbers behind his solo attack, and the cracks apparent in Remco Evenepoel’s armor after his costly mid-race bike swaps. We discuss whether rising stars like 21-year-old Isaac Del Toro and 18-year-old Paul Seixas are already knocking on Pogačar’s door, preview this weekend’s European Championships showdown between Pogačar, Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard, dig into transfer news with Uijtdebroeks and Carapaz, as well as Mathieu Van der Poel’s interesting appearance on an LA group ride.Beyond the Peloton Newsletter: In-Depth World Championships BreakdownAndrew’s Choose the Hard Way Newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beyondthepeloton.substack.com/subscribe
Cycling writer Spencer Martin breaks down the why and how of the professional cycling race. Subscribe to learn what happened, how it happened, and why it happened in an attempt to glean a deeper understanding of the sport. beyondthepeloton.substack.com
España