Team Sky's woes continue | Episode 9

March 8 | In this week’s episode of The Cycling Podcast, Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe discuss the latest racing in Europe and the ongoing controversy that has engulfed Team Sky, putting pressure on their boss, Sir Dave Brailsford.

The European season continues to amp up towards the Spring Classics. At the weekend, Strade Bianche both underlined its claims on a place among those hallowed races, and also the credentials of the riders likely to star in Belgium, in particular, over the coming weeks. Daniel has previously dubbed Michał Kwiatkowski Sky’s “vanity signing”. Will the Pole’s second victory in the event force him to revise that assessment?

Meanwhile, in Paris-Nice, two sensational stages on the plains and in the winds of the Northern France saw the Quiskstep and FDJ teams flourish – and pre-race favourite Romain Bardet get himself disqualified for illegal assistance from a team car.

Our hosts weigh up the rights and wrongs of that decision - then switch their focus to the even more contentious latest developments in the saga of Team Sky, the Jiffy Bag and the Fancy Bears leak. More precisely, they ask and answer the question of whether it is time for Brailsford to fall on his sword as the riders, though notably not Chris Froome, publicly back their boss.

The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport.