VN Podcast: The Vuelta’s generational shift; wait or race; World Cup winner Maghalie Rochette
Why this year's Vuelta a España was a race of the past, present, and future. Plus, Maghalie Rochette takes us inside her cyclocross World Cup win.
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The Vuelta a España came to a thrilling conclusion last week with a series of exciting stages across central Spain. On this week’s episode of The VeloNews Show, Fred and Andy deliver their final thoughts on this Vuelta, and discuss why this race was one of the past, present, and future.
That’s right, the final podium in Madrid featured three riders from different generations: Alejandro Valverde, Primoz Roglic, and Tadej Pogacar. What was the significance of the Vuelta podium for each man? Fred and Andy break it down.
The final week of racing saw several stages that nearly upended the race. Stage 17 saw brutal crosswinds decimate the main field, as Deceuninck-Quick Step and Movistar looked to take control of the race. Andy takes us inside the chaotic crosswinds stage at the race, and explains why many riders said it was the hardest day of the Vuelta.
Then, Movistar drew criticism after it pushed the pace following a nasty pileup on stage 19. The entire ordeal penned another chapter in cycling’s ‘wait or race’ debate, which erupts every few years. Was Movistar right to keep racing after the crash, or did they push the competition beyond the line?
The grand tour season may be over, but the cyclocross season is just getting started. And this week we hear from Maghalie Rochette, who just won the World Cup opener in Iowa City, Iowa. Maghalie is a longtime racer on the North American mountain bike and cyclocross circuit. Last year she left Team Clif Bar and struck out on her own, with her own self-made team. We talk with Maghalie about the lessons she learned as a privateer racer, and why her World Cup win was so special.