Cannibal of the Cobbles | Episode 14

The Cycling Podcast

April 12 | In this week’s podcast Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe pick over the bones of the fastest ever Paris-Roubaix, won by Greg Van Avermaet. Van Avermaet has been in sparkling form throughout the cobbled classics, winning four, and he claimed his first Monument in clinical and decisive fashion.

He had to outsmart Zdenek Stybar, the Quick-Step rider who sat on the three-man winning break, hoping his leader, the four-time winner Tom Boonen, riding his last race, would reappear at the front. Was Stybar wrong not to work with Van Avermaet and Sebastian Langeveld? Richard says yes. Daniel and Lionel beg to differ.

They also look back on the Basque Tour, where Alejandro Valverde racked up another win: he has been as prolific in the southern stage races as Van Avermaet has been over the cobbles of northern Europe.

And as the world track championships get underway in Hong Kong we have an interview with Callum Skinner, the sprinter who won gold and silver medals at the Rio Olympics. Skinner, an athlete who isn’t afraid to express a view, talks Fancy Bears and TUEs, British Cycling and bullying, politics and sexuality.

The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport.