Sigma Sports presents Matt Stephens Unplugged

Marianne Vos on finding happiness in everyday life

Marianne Vos tells Matt Stephens all about her upbringing in the Netherlands, and how cycling was second nature to her. Having won her first World Championship at the tender age of 19, her life changed overnight - Matt was keen to find out how the Jumbo-Visma rider succeeded in becoming one of the most successful cyclists of all time while dealing with the pressures and expectations of such early promise. And if you’re wondering which kind of cake Marianne would choose if she had to be paid in cake, you’ve come to the right place!

Mitch Docker on personal sacrifices, ticket ballots and retro fashion.

Mitch Docker and Matt Stephens shoot the breeze with a meandering chat about retro cycling fashion, tramp bikes and the challenges of being a road captain. The EF Education-Nippo rider still loves racing his bike, but explains how realising what matters most in life helped inform his decision to retire. The hometown Quiz brings us the lowdown on Melbourne, while the Random Question Generator fires off a doozy featuring the Spice Girls!

Tai Woffinden gets a buzz from being on the limit of control

Tai Woffinden tells Matt Stephens how a snap decision at just 12 years of age set him on the path to becoming the three-times Speedway World Champion he is today. His impulsive nature is also responsible for his growing addiction to road cycling, and if he’s not racing Speedway, he’s riding his road bike as hard as he can; on the tarmac or in his custom-built Zwift cave. While the Perth native might reside in Poland, Matt grills him on his birthplace of sunny Scunthorpe and gets more than he bargained for.

Matt Stephens and Ned Boulting (sort of) live from the 2021 Giro d'Italia

Ned Boulting explains the virtues of a good darts game to Matt Stephens and the duo discuss why they are out at the Italian stage race. Ned shares his thoughts on the lack of crowds at the 2021 race and if a diminished Tifosi makes a difference when it comes to watching a bike race unfold. Tune in to find out how well he knows his hometown on Andover and what the Tour de Ned would look like.

Matteo Trentin is a big fan of watching modern bike races

Matteo Trentin admits to Matt Stephens that the modern era of road racing is brilliant for the spectators but extremely difficult for the riders - so it’s a good thing he’s a fan. He credits the amazing team spirit of UAE Team Emirates to the collection of social riders they’ve put together, and measures this by how difficult it is to leave the dinner table. Tune in to find out which is Matteo’s favourite cog, and what his dream bike would look like.

Elisa Longo Borghini wears the Maglia Tricolore with pride

Elisa Longo Borghini tells Matt Stephens how a period of reflection during lockdown helped shape her give-it-all attitude toward the 2021 season. The Trek Segafredo rider remembers geeking out on the Giro d’Italia as a kid, and can’t help but enjoy adding to the hurt her competitors feel on race day. Tune in to learn all about her vow to entertain on the road, and the magical connection between herself, her mother and the Olympic games.

Lachlan Morton admits he has the best job in the world

Lachlan Morton explains to Matt Stephens how cutting down his road race calendar has meant he can now enjoy each race as if it’s his first, thanks to the alternative calendar afforded to him by EF Education-Nippo. As a world-beating endurance rider, he tells us how he’s had to harness his inner McGuyver to fix a range of trailside mechanicals. The Random Question Generator was on overload, dictating a number of meandering tangents, while the Port Macquarie quiz tackles nudist beaches and Aussie cover-bands visiting Lachlan’s hometown.

Eric Min founded Zwift and rediscovered his love for riding outdoors

Eric Min tells Matt Stephens how his unemployability meant he had no choice but to start his own company, Zwift. A bike racer in his youth, Eric has cycling in his DNA and is now rediscovering the joys of riding outdoors since moving house to rural England. Matt demands a pat on the back for his extensively researched Seoul quiz while Eric reflects on the importance of having a positive social impact through business, and how building an online community can be just the ticket.

Nic Dlamini from the townships to the WorldTour

Nic Dlamini tells Matt Stephens all about growing up in hunger and how that has shaped him as a person and an athlete now. The Qhubeka Assos rider started riding a bike for a very cool reason, and now races to change people’s lives, with his team’s primary sponsor doing such great work in providing bicycles to people who need them in Africa. In the Cape Town quiz, Matt stumps Nic with a question about his hometown’s penguins.
 
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Rebecca Charlton on the buzz of live broadcasting

Rebecca Charlton tells Matt Stephens how she wanted to be a broadcaster from a very young age, and how the role of cycling was somewhat secondary in the pursuit of her dreams. The pressures to adapt to a male-dominated industry in order to thrive eventually encouraged her to do just the opposite, carving her own path in her own personal way. Rebecca has her work cut out in the hometown quiz, as Matt’s done some diligent research on Shoreham-by-Sea - plus the Random Question Generator serves up an existential head-scratcher!