The Geraint Thomas Cycling Club

When we ask our GTCC members for guest suggestions, one man often comes up: Mr Luke Rowe. Of course Luke is a part of the GTCC family and a familiar voice to you all as half of Watts Occurring, but for the final GTCC episode of season four we thought we'd shine the spotlight on our other Welshman and dig into his career over the past few seasons, his plans for this year, and what life might look like when he's hung up his competitive wheels. 2023 wasn't kind to Luke. He lost his Mum, Alyson, in April and - as anybody can imagine - cycling took a back seat for a while. But, having penned a fresh two-year contract at the end of the season, he's hoping for a big 2024. And so after another incredible series, we call time on the GTCC! We'll be back next week with the first Watts Occurring of 2024 - and back in October for GTCC S5. We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're delighted to welcome a BIG guest to the GTCC today - G's boss and the head of INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe! A huge cycling and sports fan, Jim is one of the most talked about men in the sporting world right now, following his investment into Manchester United. The INEOS Sport portfolio continues to grow and, over an hour and a cup of coffee in his Monaco office, Jim was more than happy to chat to Geraint and Tom about how he's ended up owning one of the world's largest cycling teams, an America's Cup sailing team, two other football clubs, a stake in the Mercedes F1 team, become a major sponsor of the All Blacks, and so much more. There's also an excellent anecdote about being crashed by Chris Froome - yes, really - plus a lot of chat about Jim's plans for returning United to the top of English and world football. We hope this gives you a great insight into Sir Jim and a better understanding of his sporting investments. Meanwhile G's straight back to work - this time in Catalunya, as he continues his prep for the Giro. We'll see you next week for the last GTCC of season four! We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

G had to be on best behaviour for this week’s guest - because it’s the man who sets him his training day in, day out! Conor Taylor has been working with G for more than two years now and has played a major role in G’s longevity at the top of the sport, helping him to that incredible second place at the Giro last year, and Tour podium finish in 2022. The thinking behind cycling training and the nutrition to support it has changed beyond all recognition in recent years, with G himself happy to admit that he’s had to adapt with the times to stay relevant. Conor came to the GTCC with plenty of fascinating insights for our GTCC members - there should be something for every cyclist in this episode. In other news, G, Tom and Producer George have been working on something very exciting to end the series - so get ready for that one, if it comes off. We shall see. We’ll see you soon. We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lucy Charles-Barclay needs no introduction - although the first time G met her, he could have done with one! You'll hear that story here, as well as how Lucy went from being a star swimmer and just missing out on Olympic selection to the absolute top of the Ironman world. Her journey has been remarkable and we loved getting to know one of Britain's world endurance stars for this week's GTCC. And, of course, G managed to get plenty of advice out of Lucy as he plans his Ironman attempt in retirement. Tom might even join in too! There's also a Strade recap, an ode to Pog, and a deep dive into Jumbo's beautiful new aero TT helmet. See you next week for a fascinating chat with G's coach. We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We know what you're thinking: HOW did it take this long to get Julian Alaphilippe on the GTCC?! We don't know. But he's here now, and everyone's favourite Frenchman certainly didn't disappoint. Julian has been unfortunate with injury over the past two seasons and cycling waits for no man. Yet he's started this season with a spring in his step and nobody would doubt him adding to his frankly ridiculous palmares. Two-time world champion. Multiple Tour de France stage winner. Strade Bianche. Milan San Remo. Polka dot jersey. And, of course, the winner of a lot of hearts. Here at the GTCC we're also super excited to see Julian line up alongside G at the Giro this year, for the first time in his career. They'll also both be at Strade Bianche this weekend - although G's prep for that hasn't been the smoothest... he reveals all in the intro. We hope you enjoy Julian. We'll be back next week with a star of the triathlon world... We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's guest is one of the most remarkable we've ever welcomed to the GTCC. We are used to having guests who climb mountains - and, of course, G does it almost every day - but, well, not like this guy. Kilian Jornet is one of the most incredible athletes to ever walk this earth. Aged 24, he'd won basically every ultra endurance and trail race there is to win. Since then, he's secured his status as the greatest trail runner of all time by climbing and descending numerous major mountains in scarcely believable times. Most notably, he climbed Mount Everest twice in five days back in 2017. Completely alone and without supplementary oxygen or climbing ropes, Kilian tackled the world's highest peak and returned to Base Camp in 17 hours. And yes, you read that correctly. He did it twice in five days. He's also a huge cycling fan and loved chatting to G. We're sure you're going to enjoy this week's pod. Meanwhile, G's back up a mountain of his own - he's spending a couple of weeks in Sierra Nevada before racing Strade Bianche, off the back of the Volta ao Algarve, where he made his debut for the year. Tom got the lowdown from him. We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carlos Rodriguez joined INEOS aged just 18. Nowadays, that's par for the course. But four years ago it was relatively unprecedented in elite level cycling. There was a sense of intrigue around this young Spaniard who, it emerged, was also studying for a degree in engineering. How would he fare? Well, it's safe to say, he's done really rather well. Now a Tour de France, Tour of Britain and Tour of the Basque Country stage winner, Carlos also won the Spanish national road race championships in 2022. He's gone from strength to strength and looks set for an incredible 2024. Starting his year up in Tenerife with G, the duo sat down, gave Tom a call, and had a fascinating chat about his career to date. G had a lot of questions about his win on Caerphilly Mountain too. Meanwhile G is starting his season this week in Portugal - and he'll be racing alongside Luke for the first time in a while! We can't wait to see our Welsh duo back in action. We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aged just 20, Emma Finucane turned up to a home Worlds in Glasgow with a dream. She left it in a rainbow jersey, GB's first female track sprint world champion in a decade. Her rise has been meteoric and now she has her sights set on this summer's Olympics. A compatriot of Geraint's, she grew up in Carmarthen and, having discovered cycling, she spent her teenage years travelling to and from the velodrome in Newport - yes, that's right, the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales. We loved welcoming Emma to the GTCC and we're sure all our GTCC members will love hearing her story. We'll be back next week with another cracker. We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). You know the drill: it's Six Nations week, so GTCC rules dictate that we must welcome a rugby player to the show. Well, G pulled out all the stops this year, ringing up his old mate Ken Owens to join him and Tom on the pod. A long-term captain of Wales with an incredible 91 caps to his name, it was our pleasure to hear from 'The Sheriff'. Ken and G swap notes on the similarities between what they both do - despite all the obvious differences - and share some great stories from years gone by. Elsewhere, G has been enjoying himself in Tenerife. But has he finally made it right to the top of Teide? Tom has been dying to find out... See you next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). Few people in cycling can talk like Matt Stephens - so we split his chat with G and Tom into two parts. Here's part two, a continuation of Tuesday's part one. In this section, Matt talks about his career in the Police force, branching out into the media, racing against G and being a two-time Junior Tour of Wales winner. Yes, that's two more times than Geraint. We really hope you've enjoyed our chat with Matt. He's one of the good guys! We'll be back next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). If you listen to the GTCC, then you'll know Matt Stephens. One of the most likeable men working in cycling, Matt needs no introduction. Yet his cycling journey started many moons ago, before the sport in the UK became the force it is today. He battled to make it pro in the 90s, eventually getting there with the infamous Linda McCartney Team. After one solid year, the team unexpectedly folded - leaving Matt with no job, and no way of paying the mortgage. His story is a fascinating one, and Tom and G were delighted to welcome him to the GTCC. Indeed, the chat was so interesting and went on far longer than usual - so we've cut it into two parts. Here's part one - and we will release part two on Friday! Enjoy. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've welcomed a new partner to the GTCC this week! Visit https://hvmn.com/GTCC for 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ (discount automatically applied at checkout). We always love welcoming the people who work away behind-the-scenes at INEOS with G to the GTCC, and this week's guest is one of our most interesting ever: it's team chef, James Forsyth! What's it like cooking on a Grand Tour? How demanding are the riders? How specific are their nutritional needs? G, Tom and James got stuck into all of those topics, loads of listener questions, and much more besides in this week's show. James started out working in Michelin-starred restaurants before taking on the challenge of cooking for Dave Brailsford's men back in 2016. God only knows how much rice he's cooked in that time. Elsewhere, you lot came through with some incredible suggestions for a cycling phonetic alphabet and G is enjoying life back on the training regime. We'll be back next week with a very fun guest. More on that one soon! Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome (back) to the GTCC... Laurens de Plus! Our much loved Watts Occurring Ambassador De Pluski has become a regular on the pods this year - so we thought it was time to sit him down and let our GTCC members get to know him a little better. Tipped for huge success as a young rider coming out of Belgium, Laurens enjoyed an incredible start to his career: racing for Quick-Step, Jumbo, and then INEOS. But a viral illness and burnout wiped out almost his entire 2020 and 2021. The road back was a long and uncertain one. But he made it. And he's become G's right-hand man (after Luke, of course) along the way. A starring ride in support of G at the Giro this year showed the cycling world that LDP is back to his best and he's revving up for a big 2024. Meanwhile, Tom and G think it's about time we had a GTCC phonetic alphabet. Can you help? Hit us up on social or email GTCC@crowdnetwork.co.uk with your suggestions! It's also time for G to finally climb right to the top of Mount Teide. Let's see if he's true to his word this time round. We'll be back next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy new year to all of our GTCC members! We're back with a bang to kick-start 2024 - by welcoming Egan Bernal to the GTCC. Latin America's first Tour de France winner joined G and Tom to chat about his road to recovery after his life-changing accident. In January 2022, Egan was riding at 60km/h when he hit the back of a parked truck. He broke 20 bones including his spine, femur and kneecap, and his lung collapsed. He was lucky to be alive. Doctors initially warned there was a chance of paralysis. Remarkably, Egan returned to racing eight months later, at the Tour of Denmark. In 2023 he raced both the Tour de France and La Vuelta. And now, he's eyeing up an improved 2024 as he continues his journey back to the racer who changed the sport when he burst onto the scene in 2018. We'll be back next week. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well for our final regular GTCC episode of 2023, we thought it was time to bring out the big guns - and cycling guns don't come much bigger than MVDP himself, Mathieu van der Poel. The newly-crowned world champion joined G and Tom to talk about that remarkable ride in Glasgow, his two Monument wins at Milan San Remo and Paris-Roubaix - plus so, so much more. We've wanted Mathieu on the pod since day one of the GTCC and the Dutchman didn't disappoint. In other news the Thomas household is getting very excited about Christmas and Producer George is prepping for a pre-Christmas Zwift on Wednesday's GTCC ride - come and join him at 6pm UK time: https://www.zwift.com/events/series/geraint-thomas-cycling-club/view/3825884 We'll be back on January 2nd to kick-start 2024 - although we might have a cheeky bonus pod next week to tide you over. See you then. Music courtesy of BMG Music Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices