Women Who Ride: Kate Veronneau, Katie Boling & the Rise of inGamba Women's Weeks

Women Who Ride: Kate Veronneau, Katie Boling & the Rise of inGamba Women's Weeks

What does it feel like to show up to your bike already prepped, your route loaded, your tires perfect — with nothing left to do but ride? For the women who joined inGamba's sold-out Calpe women's week this past February, that was just the beginning. Cycling Conversations with inGamba co-host Molly Hurford sits down with two Kates who made it happen. First up is Kate Veronneau, the force behind the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, who joined the Calpe trip as a guest and came away with a new answer to what a pro cycling experience actually feels like. Then co-host James Startt takes over to chat with Katie Boling, inGamba's women's program lead, about how the numbers of women on inGamba trips have climbed past 30% — and what comes next. Between them, they cover the team-camp energy of 15 women from four continents riding the sun-drenched climbs of Costa Blanca, a private nine-course dinner at a seasonal restaurant that hadn't even opened yet, and why Lecchi in Tuscany and the Algarve coast of Portugal are the next two destinations on the women's calendar. Kate V. also gives a preview of what to expect from the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift this summer: a route starting on Lake Geneva, a finish in Nice, and a Ventoux stage with 12,500 cyclists on the mountain the day before the women race it. In this episode: * What the Calpe women's week felt like from the inside: the riding, the bonds, the best meal of the trip * Why inGamba isn't a training camp, and why that's exactly the point * How Katie Boling has helped grow women's participation at inGamba and what the dedicated trips offer * Upcoming women's weeks: Lecchi, Tuscany (fall) and Algarve, Portugal (January 2027) * Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2025 preview with Kate Veronneau Want to join an upcoming women's trip? Visit ingamba.pro/trips [http://ingamba.pro/trips]

The Art of Solo Dining & Finding Flow on the Bike: Behind the Scenes of THE MAGAZINE

What does eating alone have to do with riding bikes? More than you'd think—and this episode makes a compelling case for both. Host Molly Hurford is joined by writer Colin O'Brien and inGamba creative director James Startt for a conversation around two features from the new issue of inGamba’s latest issue of The Magazine. Colin's piece "Party of One" is a love letter to the art of dining solo: the freedom, the focus, and why putting the phone away is half the battle. James also takes the group to Siena, a city as close to inGamba's heart as the races that finish there, covered in the magazine by Barry Ryan. Then Bill Strickland, Editorial Director of the Hearst Enthusiast Group and one of cycling journalism's most celebrated voices, joins for a wide-ranging conversation on what it means to stay in love with the sport across a decades-long career. His piece in the magazine, "The Flow," captures something all three have felt — that state of being fully present on the bike, whether alone on a descent or tucked into an echelon with new friends. They also get into the riders they'd most want to sit down with for a meal. In this episode: * Colin O'Brien on the joy of dining alone, and how to actually do it without doom-scrolling * Siena: cycling city, Renaissance city, and one of inGamba's most beloved destinations * Bill Strickland on "flow": what it is, why it matters, and how inGamba embodies it * James and Bill on how their love of cycling has evolved from racing to something richer * The riders they'd most want to share a coffee (or a bottle) with Learn more and book a trip at ingamba.pro [https://ingamba.pro/] Want to get a copy of THE MAGAZINE? Contact us here: hello@ingamba.pro

Paris Roubaix, Cubism, Futurism and Franzi Koch: Behind the Scenes of The Magazine

Our creative director and award-winning cycling photographer James Startt and inGamba The Magazine guest editor Ed Pickering joined cycling journalist Molly Hurford to discuss the a very relevant feature in the new edition of The Magazine: A celebration of cubism and futurism that begins, surprisingly, at Paris-Roubaix. James was also on the ground at the race and shares his experience watching Franzi Koch, a rider we featured in The Magazine, ride to the first major victory of her career. Full shownotes: https://ingamba.pro/feature/podcast-3-paris-roubaix/ [https://ingamba.pro/feature/podcast-3-paris-roubaix] In this episode: * Wout van Aert, Franzi Koch, and the drama of Paris-Roubaix 2026 * Why the bicycle was a symbol of modernity for early 20th-century artists * Metzinger’s Au Vélodrome and the layers of a Cubist painting * Futurism and capturing movement in a still image * The one-word answer that explains the link between cycling and art Join us in 2027 at Paris Roubaix – spots are open now! [https://ingamba.pro/trip/paris-roubaix-2027/]

Legends Never Quit — A Conversation with Adrie van der Poel

What does it take to win monuments, wear the yellow jersey, become a cyclocross world champion, and raise one of the greatest cyclists of all time? Adrie van der Poel does it all. In this episode, inGamba's James Startt sits down with the cycling legend for a wide-ranging conversation that covers nearly 20 years of professional racing, the tactical sprint that shocked Sean Kelly at the 1986 Tour of Flanders, the yellow jersey he wore for a single unforgettable day, and how he spotted Mathieu van der Poel's talent before the boy could even reach the pedals. Adrie is one of inGamba's most beloved special trip leaders — and this episode is a preview of the kind of storytelling you get when you ride alongside him. WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE Nearly 20 years as a top pro — the secret to longevity Adrie's answer is disarmingly simple: he just loved riding his bike. When the big classics became too hard in his mid-30s, he found new goals in smaller races and cyclocross rather than walking away. He draws a parallel to Greg Van Avermaet, who retired when he knew Flanders would never come again — a very different kind of story. Mathieu van der Poel — the moment Adrie knew The story starts before Mathieu could even ride without training wheels. His school teacher called Adrie to ask why he still had them on — because Mathieu had been riding every other kid's bike in the schoolyard without them. "When he was five, I started doing some small races in the region and you saw a certain drive. How he got on the bike, got off the bike, changing gears — you only had to explain it once. He was just a total natural." But Adrie is clear: talent was only the beginning. Why cyclocross produces great road riders: Asked about the pipeline from cross to road (ahem, Wout van Aert, Mathieu, Tom Pidcock) Adrie's take is characteristically direct: "They have a lot of talent. And later on they discovered they were very good on the road. But it all starts with talent. And then: try to enjoy your work. That's the only thing that matters." Flanders vs. Roubaix — which is more special? Despite winning Flanders, Adrie's most cherished race is Paris–Roubaix. His reasoning mirrors what Tom Boonen told him: Flanders shares roads and climbs with a dozen other spring races, but the Roubaix cobbles are opened just once a year. "The cobbles at Roubaix — they didn't put them in the ground on their knees. They dropped them from an airplane. That's it." Still a kid on new bike day: Even now, riding 10,000 kilometers a year, Adrie puts a new bike in the bedroom and stares at it. "I enjoy a new bike like I was 10 years old." This season, Adrie van der Poel is part of our inGamba trips to Milan–San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris–Roubaix — and the stories you'll hear on the road make this podcast episode sound like a warm-up act. Sign up for one of our 2027 trips now so you don’t miss your chance! ingamba.pro [http://ingamba.pro] Cycling Conversations with inGamba is produced by inGamba. Hosted by Molly Hurford. Creative direction by James Startt. Visit ingamba.pro [http://ingamba.pro] to join the next trip.

Inside the Tour of Flanders with Manuel Cardoso and Sergio Paulinho

The Tour of Flanders is more than a race — it's a cultural phenomenon, a brutally hard monument, and for the Flemish people, something close to a world championship. In this episode of Cycling Conversations with inGamba, host Molly Hurford and inGamba creative director and award-winning cycling photographer James Startt sit down with two riders who've lived it from the inside: Portuguese pros Sergio Paulinho and Manuel Cardoso. From white-knuckle descents at 80+ km/h and crashes into farm runoff, to broken cleats and moments of pure bewilderment, their stories bring the race to life in a way no broadcast ever could. This is the conversation you get when you're riding alongside former pros — and exactly the kind of access inGamba delivers on their Classics experiences. MEET THE GUESTS * Sergio Paulinho is a former Portuguese professional cyclist who represented his country at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he claimed a silver medal in the road race — a result that earned him a spot on the classics squad at Liberty Seguros. A grand tour stage winner and all-around classics rouleur, Sergio raced the Tour of Flanders in 2005 and has the distinction of featuring in the Flanders Museum's permanent collection — albeit not for a winning photo. * Manuel Cardoso is a former Portuguese professional road cyclist known as a prolific winner throughout his career, claiming around 10 victories a season at his peak and multiple national championship titles. A rider built for punchy, hilly classics, Manuel raced the Tour of Flanders multiple times — first as a wide-eyed neo-pro with RadioShack, and later as a seasoned domestique with a key tactical role. inGamba offers curated cycling travel experiences at the world's greatest races and most beautiful roads. Their Spring Classics trips put you in the middle of the action at the Tour of Flanders — with VIP access, behind-the-scenes intel, and guides who have actually raced and won these events. That includes inGamba guide Adrie van der Poel, the 1986 Tour of Flanders champion, who features in this very conversation. As Molly mentions in the episode: the best stories are the ones shared off-mic. The only way to hear them is to be on the trip. Check out all of our upcoming tours at ingamba.pro [http://ingamba.pro] KEY TIMESTAMPS Time Topic 00:59 Welcome & intro — why Flanders matters 01:42 James Startt on Flanders as a monument 03:21 Introducing Sergio Paulinho & Manuel Cardoso 05:22 Manuel's first Flanders — the fans, the fight, the feeling 07:09 Manuel's sport directors: "You can do well here" 08:17 The descent into the Kwaremont — chaos at 80+ km/h 11:56 Paterberg in the rain: crashes, cleats, and catastrophe 13:08 Sergio's 2005 Flanders debut — the Olympic silver medalist arrives 15:30 Sergio crashes into a Flemish farm's finest 16:29 What it's really like in the middle of the peloton 17:23 Manuel: one month to recover from his first Flanders 18:20 Flanders vs. Roubaix — Kristoff, Sergio, and the debate 20:29 Adrie van der Poel and how racing has changed across generations 22:28 Team tactics from RadioShack to the Pogačar era CONNECT WITH INGAMBA * 🌐 Website: ingamba.pro [http://ingamba.pro] * 📸 Instagram: @ingamba [https://instagram.com/ingamba] Cycling Conversations with inGamba is produced by inGamba. Hosted by Molly Hurford. Creative direction by James Startt.