Has Pogačar already won the Tour? - Domestique Cycling Podcast

Has Pogačar already won the Tour? - Domestique Cycling Podcast

Three-stage races, one clear message: the Tour de France is coming, and the favorites are flying. Tadej Pogačar turned his Tour de Suisse debut into a public training camp - a 69 km solo on stage 1, a time trial win by four-hundredths of a second over Mathieu van der Poel, and a mountain win to finish. Three stages, the overall, and not a rival within six minutes. We break down the stage-1 "glitch", Narváez's 90 km breakaway raid in a thunderstorm, Van der Poel's surprising time-trial form, and what Primož Roglič's quiet week says about the twilight of his career. In Slovenia, Red Bull ran the show - Florian Lipowitz taking the overall and two stages, Laurence Pithie two more, in a near-perfect rehearsal 12 days before Lipowitz chases another Tour podium. And in Belgium, the Tour's sprinters sharpened their knives: four bunch sprints, four different winners (Girmay, Merlier, Kooij, and Philipsen), with Philipsen climbing well, walking off with the overall, and looking like the early green-jersey favorite under the new points rules. Then the big one: Wout van Aert is out of the Tour, and the morning's press points to a surprise replacement at Visma. We react to the Piganzoli reports, why Bram still wishes it were Ben Tulett, the back-to-back Grand Tour burnout question, and what it all means for Vingegaard's bid to chase down Pogačar. Fuel your body actually recognises. No artificial anything. 👉 Code DOMESTIQUE20 for 20% off your tasting box Order now! [https://mnstry.com/en-in?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=domestique&utm_campaign=260126_domestique_partnership-2026] https://mnstry.com/en-in?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=domestique&utm_campaign=260126_domestique_partnership-2026 [https://mnstry.com/en-in?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=domestique&utm_campaign=260126_domestique_partnership-2026] We've launched a free space to take a position on the biggest questions in pro cycling, rate other perspectives, and debate the community respectfully. No paywalls. Join at debate.domestiquecycling.com. [https://debate.domestiquecycling.com]

Del Toro is locked on for P3 in Paris - Domestique Cycling Podcast

The Critérium du Dauphiné is done, and a 22-year-old just announced himself to the world. Bram and Ethan break down Isaac Del Toro's back-to-back summit wins on the Grand Colombier and Plateau de Solaison, Paul Seixas' brave ride and painful final-morning abandon, and what it all means for the Tour de France. Is Del Toro already a better climber than Remco Evenepoel? We think so. We also dig into the soaking-wet Copenhagen Sprint that ended in carnage and handed Jasper Philipsen a big confidence boost before the Tour, and ask whether he can take green in 2026. Then it's countdown time. Tadej Pogačar finally makes his Tour de Suisse debut (good luck, everyone else), Roglič and Carapaz line up too, and Red Bull brings a Grand Tour-worthy squad to the Tour of Slovenia. Plus: what on earth is going on with Matthew Brennan and Arnaud De Lie's seasons? Fuel your body actually recognises. No artificial anything. 👉 Code DOMESTIQUE20 for 20% off your tasting box Order now! [https://mnstry.com/en-in?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=domestique&utm_campaign=260126_domestique_partnership-2026] We've launched a free space to take a position on the biggest questions in pro cycling, rate other perspectives, and debate the community respectfully. No paywalls. Join at debate.domestiquecycling.com.

Vingegaard, Giro safety and cycling’s salary problem - Domestique Hotseat with Michael Storer

Michael Storer has just delivered the best Grand Tour result of his career, finishing seventh overall at the Giro d’Italia for Tudor Pro Cycling. In this conversation, the Australian reflects on the race, explains why Jonas Vingegaard could beat Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France, and offers a different perspective on cycling’s safety debate. We start with the Giro. Storer discusses the breakaway that reshaped the general classification, the crash that ended Adam Yates’ challenge, his strongest WorldTour time trial performance yet, and why sitting at the back of the peloton can sometimes be the safest tactical decision. From there, we go deep into rider safety. Storer questions the UCI’s proposed restrictions on cycling computer sizes, calls for greater transparency around the research behind new regulations, and explains why better roads, street sweepers, clearer warnings, and the removal of dangerous road furniture could have a much greater impact. Then comes an unexpected idea. Rather than limiting the salaries of cycling’s biggest stars, Storer believes the sport should raise its minimum salary. He explains how low pay and short contracts can encourage riders to take greater risks, why two-year contracts could offer more security, and how reducing financial pressure may ultimately make racing safer. Storer also takes us inside life at a Grand Tour, from time trial recon and long hours on the team bus to reading Pride and Prejudice, watching Gossip Girl, and managing the mental fatigue of potentially racing the Giro and Tour de France back to back. And finally, his Tour prediction: based on what he saw firsthand at the Giro, Storer is backing Jonas Vingegaard to beat Tadej Pogačar this July.

Seixas should win the Dauphiné, but how he wins is everything - Domestique Cycling Podcast

The Critérium du Dauphiné 2026 (now the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) is wide open, and 19-year-old Paul Seixas arrives as the favourite ahead of Isaac del Toro. Two days in, the breakaway has won both stages by method of Alex Baudin and Anthon Charmig while the GC men wait.  We break down stages 1 and 2, why João Almeida is out of the Tour de France, the team time trial, and the brutal mountain finale on the Grand Colombier and Plateau de Solaison. Plus: Demi Vollering's stunning comeback to win the Giro d'Italia Women 2026, becoming only the second rider ever to complete all three women's Grand Tours. Fuel your body actually recognises. No artificial anything. 👉 Code DOMESTIQUE20 for 20% off your tasting box Order now! [https://mnstry.com/en-in?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=domestique&utm_campaign=260126_domestique_partnership-2026]

Budget caps, safety and the future of GreenEdge ft. Brent Copeland - Domestique Hotseat

Brent Copeland rarely gives interviews. As General Manager of GreenEdge Cycling (Team Jayco AlUla and Liv AlUla Jayco) and President of the AIGCP, the teams' union, he sits inside almost every room where cycling's future is being decided. In this conversation he opens up on all of it. We start with the Giro d'Italia: the stage 2 crash that took out Andrea Vendrame and changed the entire race, and what the Tour de France build-up looks like with Michael Matthews on the moment.  From there we go deep into SafeR, the body working on rider safety. Copeland explains how every crash in pro cycling now gets logged and analysed, the real story behind the handlebar width rule, and what actually happened with the SRAM gear restriction case. Then the big one: money. Copeland makes the case for a budget cap in professional cycling. He explains how average WorldTour budgets have nearly tripled since 2012, why losing Mauro Schmid came down to an offer 40% over market price, what he learned from the people who introduced salary caps to the AFL and NRL, and why he believes the current model is unsustainable. And he addresses the question every Australian fan is asking: what happens to the team when Gerry Ryan steps back?