Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast

In March 1993, four men met in secret on a beach in Cuba. The topic of discussion was mountain biking. Could they take the still-young cycling discipline to the Olympic Games in Atlanta within three years? One of the men, the one who’d been helping to build the sport for years, figured it could be done, but they’d have to continue to operate without most of the UCI knowing what they were all up to. The man behind this initiative was Marc Lemay. He’d got his start in cycling as a road rider, but soon realized he was better as an organizer. He worked at the club level in his hometown of Amos, Que. Later, he became the technical director of the Tour de l’Abitibi as that race got off the ground. From there, Lemay eventually progressed to the head of the Canadian Cycling Association. In 1991, he was elected to the International Amateur Cycling Federation. Today, he’s the president of the UCI’s arbitral board and member of the UCI’s disciplinary commission. Outside of cycling, Lemay is a lawyer. From 2004 to 2011, he served as a Bloc Québécois member of Parliament for the riding of Abitibi—Témiscamingue. Throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Lemay helped to develop mountain biking. He had the support of UCI president Hein Verbruggen. The Canadian figured mountain biking might make it to the Olympics by the 2000 Games. But in March 1993, there was the opportunity to get XC into Atlanta, if everything went right and as long as the wrong people didn’t find out what Lemay and his allies were up to. In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, Marc Lemay tells the riveting story of how mountain biking became an Olympic sport. It is a great tale from the man who was at the centre of it all.

This past spring, Ashlin Barry won two junior national championship titles: one in the time trial and one in road race. The Toronto rider snagged the victories south of the 49th parallel, so he pulled on the stars and stripes each time he stood on the podium. Since the beginning of the year, Barry—son of Michael and Dede Barry—has been racing with a U.S. licence instead of a Canadian one. He has dual citizenship as his father is from Toronto and mom is from Milwaukee, Wisc. In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, Ashlin delves into this decision. The 16-year-old rider also discusses some of his results abroad. In March, he won Tour du Bocage et de l'Ernée 53. It was his first UCI race, a 2.1, in Europe. Later, he came in seventh at Paris-Roubaix Juniors. It was an experience he enjoyed, even with the tough cobbles of the Hell of the North. In fact, he found it easier to race on the pavé than to ride over them in his race reconnaissance. Since the event is held on the same day as the elite and under-23 men’s events, the roads were lined with fans. In the final cobbled sectors, he was hit with sounds of the cheering crowds, which gave him a boost. He’s keen to return to that race next year. Looking ahead, Barry has his sights on the world championships, both the TT and the road race. His U.S. titles qualified him for those races around Zurich, Switzerland. It’s the one-day races that have captured his imagination, such as worlds, Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Milan-San Remo, and even the Olympics. With his talent, it seems he’ll be in the mix in those events in the years to come. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by MS Bike. Register and start fundraising at msbike.ca. Also, check out MS Bike-specific training advice and tips from Canadian Cycling Magazine experts: there are eight-week and four-week training plans to get you ready. Also, for your fundraising efforts, you can get some pretty cool kit. Register and start fundraising.

Recently, Environment and Climate Change Canada delivered its summer seasonal forecast. It looks like things will be hot, or at least most of the country will experience above average temperatures. These temperatures will mostly be seen in the North, across most of Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces. While we don’t know things like how many heat waves we’ll face or how high those temperatures will be, it’s certain that it will all be more than normal. Even now, as summer begins officially, parts of the country are sweltering. Stephen Cheung is a professor and senior research fellow in the department of kinesiology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. He has studied the effects of environmental stress (which includes heat) on human physiology and performance. For the 2016 world championships, he helped U.S. cyclist Amber Neben to adapt to the heat she’d face in Doha, Qatar. She won gold in the time trial that year. Cheung is a rider, too, and has contributed to Canadian Cycling Magazine with various articles throughout the years. In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, he helps you understand heat and its effects on your rides, and what you can do about it. He discusses how your body can adapt, how much to drink, the role of sweat and what to wear. And don’t forget your sunscreen. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by MS Bike. Register and start fundraising at msbike.ca. Also, check out MS Bike-specific training advice and tips from Canadian Cycling Magazine experts.

At the recent cross country World Cup in Nové Město, Isabella Holmgren had her one shot to qualify for the Olympics. Her brother Gunnar also had to do well if he wanted to get the single spot Canada has for the men’s XC race in Paris. Isabella won the under-23 women’s XCO event, finishing 2:05 ahead of the second-place rider. Almost 24 hours later, Gunnar finished eighth in his race, one of the best results for an elite Canadian male in the past five years. Those performances make the siblings the most likely riders to represent their country in the races at Élancourt Hill this summer. In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, hear from the two riders from Orillia, Ont. Learn how everything came together for the sister and brother on one weekend in May. Also find out why their places on the start lines at the Olympics aren’t assured just yet, and what they plan to do until the end of July and beyond.

Bike component maker Shimano has launched its new GRX Di2 groupset, which features 12-speed cassettes and semi-wireless shifting. On this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, Dave Lawrence and Nick Legan of Shimano talk about how the latest version of their gravel group came to be, its features and what still might lie ahead for GRX. Lawrence is a road and gravel product manager at Shimano and has been with the company for more than 30 years, overseeing the launch of numerous groupsets. Legan, a former WorldTour mechanic and current Shimano road and gravel brand manager, has been participating in gravel and chronicling its development since its early days. He not only provides context for GRX, but looks at the gravel scene as a whole. Topics the duo cover are why there’s only a 2-by option of the groupset, the GRX’s compatibility with Di2 road groups and the new feature called Front Shift Next. Also, is there ever tension within Shimano between innovation, possibly pushing technology and keeping things ultra reliable, a feature which the brand is known for? Canadian Cycling Magazine has something to say about the new gravel group, too. Recently, associate editor Andre Cheuk was at a Shimano media event for GRX in Carson City, Nev. He took the groupset on some serious rides, including Stetina's Paydirt gravel race. Cheuk, ever the gear geek, gets into the nitty-gritty details of how GRX performs on gravel, in sand and even after some stream crossings. You can read Cheuk's detailed look at the Shimano GRX Di2 on the Canadian Cycling Magazine website. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by MS Bike. Register and start fundraising at msbike.ca. Also, check out MS Bike-specific training advice and tips from Canadian Cycling Magazine experts.

This episode was just getting polished up as both Michael Woods and Riley Pickrell were involved in crashes in Stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia. Before the start of Stage 6, Woods presented symptoms of a mild concussion. The team made the decision that he should leave the race, head home and recover fully. Even though Pickrell was feeling well, he, too, didn't start Stage 6 in case of concussion. While the interviews in this episode were recorded at the start of the Giro, they will still give you insights into the riders we all care about, including what might be ahead for Woods this year as his career is winding down. Do have a listen. And, to keep on top of updates on Woods and Pickrell, visit cyclingmagazine.ca. So, go behind the scenes of the Giro d’Italia with Michael Woods, Riley Pickrell and others at Israel-Premier Tech. Also, take a ride in the Israel-Premier Tech team car. Directeur sportif Oscar Guerrero offers support to Pickrell on his first Giro stage and shares his knowledge about riders and Grand Tour racing. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by Yoeleo Canada. Did you know that the brand, which is based in China, has an office in Montreal? That's where you'll find support for all of Yoeleo's carbon products including bike frames, handlebars and wheels, like the new Pro Next wheelset. If you head to yoeleocanada.com with the code UPGRADE2024 you can get 20 per cent off a pair of Pro Next wheels.

Stephen Roche has accomplished what only one other rider has done: won the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and the road world championships in one year. (The other is Eddy Merckx.) This season, it seems Tadej Pogačar could match the Irish rider’s feat from 1987. In this episode, Roche looks back at the challenges he faced during that historic season: the tumultuous Giro with the split within his team and the Italian public seemingly out to get him; the Tour, which was not only a physical contest but a psychological one, too; and the world championships where the rider got himself into “a fine mess” in Villach, Austria. Roche is a great storyteller. He also brings his cycling insights and analysis to the current day. Ahead of this year’s Giro, which starts May 4, Pogačar is the favourite to take that Grand Tour. He’s won two Tours de France in his career and, at 25, is a top contender for the 2024 edition. The hilly worlds course in Zurich looks to be a puncheur’s playground—a place where the winner of Il Lombardia (three times), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (twice), the Tour of Flanders and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal could take the rainbow jersey. Roche breaks down just what has to happen for Pogačar to make history. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by MS Bike. Register and start fundraising at msbike.ca. Also, check out MS Bike-specific training advice and tips from Canadian Cycling Magazine experts.

With the final Nations Cup of the season nearing, Sarah Van Dam was in Milton, Ont., with the Canadian squad getting ready for the event. Since the Olympics are only a few months away, the Nations Cup is a key part of the qualification process for Paris. Van Dam and the other riders on the team pursuit squad are after a top-eight place at minimum. But they’re really expecting a better result. In 2023, the group took bronze in the event in Milton. Van Dam uses road cycling to support the track, however, she finds the track work doesn’t actually add to her racing on tarmac. Still, she’s continuing to balance both disciplines this year as she did the previous season. Last year, she took on a serious block of road racing in Europe, which she found overwhelming at first. She didn’t even eat during a 140-km stage. In March, she was back on the narrow, twisty routes of that continent, making improvements. Following the Olympics, Van Dam is planning to mix it up once again on the roads of the one-day Egmont Cycling Race Women and seven-stage Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche. From serious racing, and serious splinters from crashes on the track, the discussion in this podcast episode also moves to dancing. Van Dam and her teammate Maggie Coles-Lyster create dance numbers for social media. Van Dam discusses that process, and how they roped in a reluctant Champions League rider, one who’d go on to win the event, into one of their clips. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by the No. 22 Bicycle Company, makers of fine titanium bikes. Founders Mike Smith and Bryce Gracey check in to discuss their unique approach to bike construction, which is all done in North America, and their hands-on approach to getting you the best bike.

Mel Webb, who has taken on such challenges as the Atlas Mountain Race and the Alberta Rockies 700, can weave the zany and the serious tougher almost effortlessly. Take her snooze in an outhouse this past summer. It’s kind of gross and funny, but in this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, it also leads her to discuss ideas of safety and what roles a public amenity should play in a self-supported event. Throughout the interview, she tackles big topics, like the lack of gender parity within cycling and sharing personal struggles online, and more whimsical subjects, such as what to listen to during a multi-day cycling challenge. Webb is also the co-host of a podcast called Detours, which takes listeners on deep dives into all things ultra-cycling. Recently, track cycling legend Gordon Singleton passed away. Editors Matthew Pioro and Matt Hansen remember and pay tribute to the world champion and world-record holder from Niagara Falls, Ont. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by the No. 22 Bicycle Company, makers of fine titanium bikes. Founders Mike Smith and Bryce Gracey check in to discuss their unique approach to bike construction, which is all done in North America.

Kevin Field is back on the pod. Longtime listeners will remember Field as Mr. Moneyball of Canadian Cycling. For years he’s been analyzing data to help riders perform at their best at the top levels of the sport. Today, he’s the chair of the board of directors at Bridge the Gap, an organization that works with riders as they progress toward their pro cycling careers. He’s also on the board of Team Ecoflo Chronos, an under-23 outfit that supports young racers. Field looks at some commonly held ideas about road cycling in Canada, and then takes a look at the numbers. The data shows interesting, and sometimes startling, trends. Is road racing really dead in North America? With our nation’s pros winning Tour de France stages and a Monument, is Canada truly in a good spot within the pro circuits? Finally, is road cycling all about the young superstars? Junior to pro—it’s the only way to go? Find out what the ever-insightful Field has to say about these topics. This episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast is supported by the No. 22 Bicycle Company, makers of fine titanium bikes. Founders Mike Smith and Bryce Gracey check in to discuss their unique approach to bike construction, which is all done in North America.

Dirty Reiver, Migration Gravel Race, bikepacking in the mountains of Turkey and Across Andes—these are some of the big rides that Sami Sauri took on this past year. In this episode, Sauri goes in-depth into how she managed these events. She talks about her gear choices for gravel races, and how she’s adapted to the way gravel racing is evolving. Sauri is also an accomplished photographer who brings her camera along on her rides. Learn why there’s never a conflict between Sauri’s two passions—cycling and photography—except for one time. Listen to this extended interview with Sauri, presented with the support of YT Industries. Recently, YT released a 30-minute documentary about Sauri’s Migration Gravel Race, “The Wildest Gravel Race in the World.” Check out the doc and her one-of-a-kind YT Szepter gravel bike that she received for the challenging ride in Kenya.

World championship wins in two disciplines, a repeat rainbow jersey on the track, World Cup wins in downhill and cross country, a Tour de France stage win and more—there were a lot of big performances by Canadian riders this past year. In this episode, Canadian Cycling Magazine‘s editors—Matthew Pioro, Matt Hansen and Terry McKall—present their top-five lists. You won’t believe what some of the editors cut, just to whittle their lists down to five top stories from 2023. You can also listen back to interviews with the year’s biggest newsmakers: A deep dive into Michael Woods’s Tour de France stage winIn-depth interview with Derek Gee on the Giro d’Italia and the seconds that count

Cyclocross nationals is just a few days away. The competition is returning to Victoria as are many of the athletes who competed at last year’s event. In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, six riders not only reflect on the significance of nationals, but also look back at their races so far this year, as well as what lies ahead. There are former and current national champions—some of them multiple-time winners—Pan Am champions, champions in other disciplines and even a world champion. Two are actually not racing in Victoria, but their stories provide important context for nationals. In all the interviews—with Michael van den Ham, Sidney McGill, Luke Valenti, Evan Russell, Rafaelle Carrier and Isabella Holmgren—the stars of CX reveal what it means to be Canadian cyclocross racers and discuss the challenges they face as they practise that muddy art.

In March 2023, Nick Khattar and five others embarked on a 1,340-km bikepacking trip from Terrace, B.C., to Haines, Alaska. The riders pedalled hardtails and pulled trailers with splitboards strapped to them. They planned to ride, snowboard and record their adventures for a film. Not far into the trek, the team faced harrowing close-passes by trucks on the narrow highway. There was also bad weather, mechanical issues and the fatigue that comes with riding hard with heavy loads in the cold. Then, a true crisis happened in Jade City, B.C., about the halfway point of the trip. Three team members wouldn’t go on to Alaska. Listen to this extended interview with Khattar as he unpacks the trip. Also, find out what made the difficult journey completely worth it.

Derek Gee reveals a heartwarming story about how he came under the spell of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal. Isabella and Ava Holmgren, two stars of cyclocross and cross country, find themselves with race duties in Montreal. Canadian Cycling Magazine’s photographer takes a hit. Plus, heartbreak for some Canadians at their home races. All these tales and more are mixed with tips about how you can plan your visit to Quebec’s largest cities to take in the races to their fullest next year. Also, check out Nick Iwanyshyn’s photos from the races. Plus, scandal! An Israel-Premier Tech rider had St-Hubert ribs in the lead-up to the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. Episode Highlights 6:39 13-year-old Derek Gee, a ride from Ottawa to Montreal and Thomas Voeckler’s gloves 14:16 Benjamin Perry on the significance of the GPCQM 29:41 Pan Am champ Pier-André Coté breaks down the Quebec City race soon after finishing 40:31 How the 2026 road world championships course in Montreal is shaping up. 46:51 A few laps in the Team Canada car at the GP Montreal. It’s not a car race! 1:01:17 Charlotte of the Ottawa Bicycle Club and her bottle basketball net. 1:02:49 An old friend of the pod, and former co-host, makes an appearance. 1:06:54 Success for Charlotte! 1:07:28 Ava and Isabella Holmgren have a job to do at the GP Montreal. 1:12:21 In this case, it was No. 1 that affected Derek Gee.

He did it. But man, was it close. Michael Woods won a stage at the Tour de France this past July in a dramatic fashion on the Puy de Dôme. In this extended interview with Woods, the rider from Ottawa gets into the details of how it all came together, and how it all nearly fell apart. Find out about his relationship with Matteo Jorgenson, the rider whom Woods denied a win on Stage 9. Learn why Woods went for a trail run shortly after the Tour. Finally, who is the guy known as Disco and why is he so important to Woods? Also in this episode, the Matts, Pioro and Hansen, look ahead to the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal. The two one-day races return in about two weeks. The Canadian Cycling Magazine editors break down the routes and likely key riders at North America’s only WorldTour events.

When Devon Clarke lined up for the national gravel championship race this past April, most riders and fans didn’t really know how fast she was. Sure, she’d won the provincial road race the previous summer, but still, she wasn’t as well known as her competitors Maghalie Rochette and Ruby West. At the end of the 108-km event in Ancaster, Ont., Clarke became the country’s first national gravel champion, a year after she started racing bikes seriously. Since then, she’s won the Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo—which qualifies her for the gravel world championships in Italy this October—and the Reggie Ramble. She now has her sights set on bigger gravel events. Find out more about this rider from Collingwood, Ont.

Enduro rider Kasper Woolley has had a terrible run of luck in the past year. In August 2022, a rider going the wrong way on a pump track smashed into Woolley. This past February, he crashed on a trail and damaged his spleen. The injury was so severe that he faced a five-month recovery. Woolley, who’s been on YT Mob since the start of the year, is now planning his return to competition at the end of July at the Cranworx’s Canadian Open Enduro. Later in September, it’s off to France for the final events of the UCI Enduro World Cup. It’s a late start to the season, but one Woolley is looking forward to. As he’s done in the past, he’s sure to be on podiums once again.

Motorola, U.S. Postal and Garmin-Sharp are some of the teams that Geoff Brown has worked on, preparing and fixing bikes for the biggest road races, including the biggest of them all, the Tour de France. His first Tour was in 1994. Since then, he’s amassed many stories, some hilarious and others tragic. Find out why he doesn’t like time trials, but does like tubeless tires. Also learn how a mechanic is often more than just a person who tunes a bike. While Brown hasn’t been back to the Tour since 2018, he is making a return this year. In just a few weeks, he’ll be wrenching at the Tour de France Femmes with his current team, Human Powered Health.

Since 2018, Matt Kadey has been designing bikepacking routes. Some of his most popular tracks include the BT 700, the Grand Nith Ramble and No Winter Maintenance, all in Ontario. This past March, he launched the Great Northern Bikepacking Route, an adventurous way to get from Victoria to St. John’s, N.L. Kadey discusses why riders needed a new way to go west to east, why the route is not all in Canada and why—even though there are 16 Ride With GPS files that will help you to get from one coast to the other—there’s still work to be done on the route. Recently, Kadey hosted the fifth grand depart for the first route he designed, the BT 700. He talks about the importance of such send-offs. Kadey not only builds routes, but community, too. Also in this episode, the regular Matts (Pioro and Hansen) look back at recent races abroad and in Canada. One Matt competed against the other in a hill climb, using an ebike. It didn’t go exactly as planned.