18. Final Tuning

June 22 | In the latest Cycling Podcast, Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Rob Hatch discuss the final warm-up races for the Tour de France, now just over a week away, and the Women’s Tour, won by world champion Lizzie Armitstead.

The Tour de Suisse is sometimes called the fourth Grand Tour, but this year’s was dogged by terrible weather. In the rain and cold it was a 22-year-old Colombian, Miguel Ángel López, who emerged as a deserving winner, beating several big names, including Tejay van Garderen and Geraint Thomas, with the Welshman unable to repeat his podium finish of 2015.

López’s more illustrious countryman, Nairo Quintana, won the Route du Sud after weeks away from competition. Last year’s Tour de France runner-up has been training at altitude back home in Colombia but, although the field at the Route du Sud was modest, looks to be in the kind of shape to pose a serious challenge to Chris Froome and Alberto Contador over the coming month.

From the Women’s Tour, there are interviews with Armitstead and with the Barnes sisters, Alice and Hannah, who is still working back to full fitness after five months on crutches.

The Cycling Podcast is supported by Eurosport and is promoting the Poppyscotland Sportive on 25 September: www.poppyscotland.org.uk