Sigma Sports presents Matt Stephens Unplugged

Alex Dowsett is happy to have maxxed out his pro cycling career

Matt Stephens and Alex Dowsett enjoy catching up in the neutral zone of this podcast, before getting down to brass tacks. With his incredible pro cycling career coming to an end with Israel Premier Tech, Alex reflects on how the time felt right to move on to the next chapter with lots of exciting media and business ventures to look forward to. With some great advice on how to use a power meter to best effect, and a deep-dive analysis of how he could outperform his teammates on time trials while pushing fewer watts, Alex is a firm believer in racing with your head, not your legs.

Alex Richardson on making deals in the heat of the breakaway

Matt Stephens learns how Alex Richardson went from brokering deals in the City of London to striking deals in the pro peloton. With a fascinating story of how Stage 3 of the Tour of Britain unfolded, Alex feels that putting too much trust in his fellow riders’ word perhaps cost him the race. The story of how an obsession with cycling took over his life leaves no wonder how he made it from laps of Richmond Park, all the way to the pro peloton. 

Philippe Gilbert on his illustrious career and imminent retirement

Matt Stephens and Philippe Gilbert discuss his incredible career in the pro peloton and how he has prepared for retirement at the end of the season with one final ride on the Cauberg. A former world champion, with stage victories at all three grand tours, his dominance of the Spring Classics is perhaps how Philippe’s career will be best remembered. But the Lotto Soudal rider insists it’s not just the victory that matters, but the manner in which it is won. 
 
For more information on Phil’s last ride as mentioned in the podcast, visit www.philslastride.com

Jack Haig from hitch hiking to the podium at Vuelta a España

Matt Stephens and Jack Haig discuss the value of consistency above all else. The story of how a young Australian mountain biker went from hitching hiking around North America to the third step of the 2021 Vuelta a España is inspirational. His determination and grit are the key to his success and the Bahrain Victorious rider reckons the most important thing to do, is to turn up - just put in a shift no matter how it goes - it’s the sum of your consistency that really makes the difference. Now recovering from a nasty wrist injury, how does he feel to watch the Vuelta on TV and not have the opportunity to play his part?

Rob Hatch is an ordinary man behind an extraordinary voice

Matt Stephens and Rob Hatch discuss the immense privilege they feel to have the opportunity to commentate on professional cycling for a living. While there might be a lot of ego in the business, Rob’s down-to-earth approach to life is refreshing and his mantra of "be nice to people" is something we can all learn from. With funny stories from behind the microphone, like when the fog at the 2021 Giro d’Italia meant he had to commentate without any pictures, this is a refreshing chat between two great friends. But how well does Rob know fellow Accringtonian Mystic Meg’s racehorse business?

Ella Harris from Zwift Academy Champion to Mont Ventoux Challenger

Matt Stephens welcomes proud Kiwi Ella Harris to the podcast in this turbo-charged chat about how much her life has changed since winning the 2018 Zwift Academy, which earned her a pro contract with Canyon SRAM. Comparing her riding style to an all-wheel-drive with a diesel engine, Ella can do everything but sprint. That’s when she’s fit, of course. Recovering from surgery at the time of recording, Ella was looking forward to her return to racing at the Mont Ventoux Challenge. But does she know the price of Kimchi Eggs on Sourdough in her local café, did she really invent the spatula, and will her hometown of Dunedin ever acknowledge her as their unofficial ambassador? 

Ben Turner on changing his attitude to have more fun racing

Matt Stephens and Ben Turner talk about his impressive first season with team INEOS Grenadiers, with his performance at Paris Roubaix a real highlight. Recorded in the lead-up to the British National Championships in June 2022, Ben’s dedication is evident from his preparation for that race, which would become another highlight of his season. But can he beat his good friend Connor Swift’s score in the Doncaster quiz? 

Tour De France Femmes Avec Zwift 2022 Special - A pivotal moment in cycling history is unfolding before our eyes

At the midpoint of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift 2022, Matt Stephens chats to Hannah Walker on the ground at the race. With every rider relishing the chance to be a part of history, it’s clear that we’re witnessing a pivotal moment in cycling. Then, with commercial sponsorship an increasingly essential component to race organisation, Matt speaks to Hollie Weatherstone of Muc-Off, who spearheaded a campaign to help charities support more women on bikes all around the world.

Tour De France Unplugged Stages 16 to 21 - Vingegaard crowned champion and Pogacar hits the decks

Looking back at the Tour de France 2022, Matt Stephens reckons it was one of the most memorable editions of all time. Not just for the breathtaking bike racing, but for all the wonderful sights and experiences he shares with us on this podcast. In this episode, we hear about the dog that sneezed mid-kiss, a nun gets kidnapped very briefly, and Bradley Wiggins suffers the after-effects of consuming too many yoghurt drinks. Matt also looks forward to what the future holds for the sporting pair, Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar, who both gained so many fans this season.

Tour De France Unplugged Stages 10 to 15 - Pidcock’s Alpe d’Huez victory makes Matt emotional

The second week of racing at the 2022 Tour de France was nothing short of breathtaking for so many reasons. From Jonas Vingegaard’s race-changing attack to Tom Pidcock’s Tour debut heroics, there’s so much for Matt Stephens to dissect. As usual, Matt has been recording his highlights throughout his time on the ground, including an in-car invasion from the Dutch Corner fans and a close call with an olive oil sample sachet fired from a caravan canon. Matt also looks forward to the final six stages of Le Tour, making some changes to his fantasy team to try and get them further up the leaderboard.