126. The doping olympics: president of the Enhanced Games, Dr Aron D'Souza

This week Will and James are joined by Dr Aron D'Souza, president of the Enhanced Games. Billed as 'the ultimate demonstration of what the human body can do', the Enhanced Games seeks in part to answer that age old pub question, 'What if athletes were allowed to dope, how much better would they be?' It's a divisive topic unlike any other in sport, but having secured funding - including from Donald Trump Jnr - D'Souza and his team are confident the first edition of the Enhanced Games will run within the next two years, and in so doing will change not just sport but humanity itself. Unlike the Olympics, athletes will be directly paid to participate and bonussed to break records, and thus the edges of human limits will be smashed through. There'll be input from pharmaceutical companies, profits will be recycled into the research of newer drugs to push boundaries ever further, and the trickle down effect will be that one day, that drug you saw on TV that helped that 69 year old woman run a sub-10 second 100m will be available to you.Is it madness or is this the future? Have a listen and make your own mind up.Interview begins at 10.45------------------ Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine?Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door.And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode James is joined by Phil Burt, former head of physiotherapy at British Cycling and Team Sky and the man who literally wrote the book on bike fit. They discuss micro adjusters and macro absorbers, how riders' needs and wants are changing, and the affect of indoor cycling on the body.Phil also explains the theory behind shorter cranks, the advantages, and how Bradley Wiggins was already on 165mm cranks at the Rio Olympics in 2016.Interview starts at 10:38.------------------ This episode is brought to you by Trek's custom Project One programme, which offersfull custom paint, components and setup on every Trek bicycle. Check out Trek.com to start designing your dream bike now. ------------------ Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, James and Will are joined by Spanish ultra-cyclist and runner, Juan Dual. As a teenager, Juan was diagnosed with familial adenomatous polyposis, a rare form of cancer that attacks the digestive system, and in the decades since he’s had his stomach, colon, large intestine, rectum and gallbladder removed. And yet Juan continues to compete in some of the most gruelling ultra-events on the planet, including El Kilometro Cero, 920km from Madrid to Cape Finisterre in under 100 hours.In this candid chat, Juan explains how he rides such huge distances despite not being able to feel hunger, absorb calories efficiently or control how often he needs to go to the toilet. He explains how he’s cheated death, how friends and family have picked him, and how surviving cancer and taking on ultra-endurance events has given him a whole new perspective on life that he’d love to share. Interview starts at 8.56 Follow Juan on IG here, and check out his exploits with sponsor Vielo here ------------------ Thisepisode is brought to you by Trek's custom Project One programme, which offersfull custom paint, components and setup on every Trek bicycle. Check out Trek.com to start designing your dream bikenow. ------------------ Didyou know Cyclist isalso stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpodand get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to yourdoor. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling andgravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, Robyn and Will are joined by ultra-cyclist Lael Wilcox, who set the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle in September 2024, cycling over 29,100km in 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes. Here Lael explains how to plan such a feat, the highs and lows of solitude on a bike, their fear, resilience and growth, and the unexpected emotional responses after achieving such a goal.Interview starts at 13.36------------------This episode is brought to you by Trek's custom Project One programme, which offers full custom paint, components and setup on every Trek bicycle. Check out Trek.com to start designing your dream bike now.------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week James and Will are joined by Michael Crawley, doctor of anthropology, sub-2h 20min marathon runner and award-winning author. In this episode, we discuss Michael’s latest book, To the Limit, which explores the meaning of endurance – why we do it and what it means to us culturally – through the eyes of Mexican running tribes, fell runners and professional athletes.We talk about the Enhanced Games – one man’s bid to an all drugs allowed ‘olympic games’; the pros and lamentable cons of sleep tracking and smartwatches; the culture of doping – or not – across the globe; the pitfalls of the biological passport anti-doping system; how community and spirit is just as important as altitude in creating great endurance athletes in places like Ethiopia; and voluptuous panic. You’ll have to listen to find out about that one.To the Limit: The Meaning of Endurance from Mexico to the Himalayas by Michael Crawley is published by Bloomsbury and available here as well as all good bookshops.Interview begins at 8.14------------------Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week James and Will are joined by Andy Schleck, Tour de France winner, brother to Frank and victim in the infamous chaingate affair, in which Alberto Contador rode past a stricken Schleck – the yellow jersey wearer having suffered a dropped chain – to snatch the 2010 Tour de France top step. Two years later, Schleck was retroactively awarded the win after Contador was banned for doping, but how does that sit with the 39-year-old Luxembourgish today?In a wonderfully candid chat, Schleck explains his thoughts then and now, plus what it meant to race with his brother, his special bond with teammates forged off the road, the doping scene in the early 2000s, his stunning 2009 Tour and his bittersweet experience in 2011, the injuries that led to retirement, the personal crisis he faced once he hung up his wheels, and what he really thinks about Bjarne Riis, Johan Bruyneel, Chris Froome and, of course, Christmas.Today, Andy Schleck runs several successful cycling shops in Luxembourg and is ambassador for the Kitzbüheler Radmarathon, a gruelling sportive that takes place in Austria in September 2025.----Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pitchforks at the ready. On this week's episode Will is joined by Cyclist's own Ewan Wilson and writer Felix Lowe to review the 2024 pro cycling season and look forward to what may come next. Along the way we find out the lucky winners of some of Felix's annual alternative awards – which you can find in full in Cyclist magazine issue 159, out now – including 'The Manchester United Bin Fire Award'. No prizes for guessing the recipient of that one.They also discuss whether Tadej Pogačar can repeat his historic 2024 season, what's going on with Ineos Grenadiers, the exciting status quo in the women's peloton, the future of the Tour de France's final stage and how to improve safety in races.Discussion with Felix begins at 11:36.----Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Will is joined by two-time Olympic gold medallist and World Champion in three different disciplines Tom Pidcock. After a turbulent season that included highs at Amstel Gold Race and Paris 2024 as well as very public lows after falling out with Ineos Grenadiers management in October.Will sat down with Pidcock in November to talk about his rapid rise to power and his rapid descending skills as well as what's on his agenda for 2025: full road focus or more mountain bike side quests? Pidcock also discusses how the media – and Netflix – portrays him, his 'down year' and how things could've gone differently, plus his self-imposed pressure at the Olympics.Finally he also speaks about Link My Ride, the business that he co-founded, which aims to help cyclists around the world organise group rides.Interview begins at 8:42.----Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Robyn and Will are joined by track superstar Joanna Rowsell. Joanna was picked up in 2004 by British Cycling's Talent Team, which visited her school looking for new talent, and just four years later she won her first World Championships in the team pursuit. Three more team pursuit world titles followed plus a fifth in the individual pursuit, but it was the Olympics that made her a household name. Riding alongside Laura Trott (latterly Kenny) and Dani King (latterly Rowe), Joanna won two consecutive team pursuit golds, the first at London 2012 and the second at Rio 2016 Games. Retired from competition since 2017, Joanna is still firmly embedded in the sport as pundit and commentator, appearing across the BBC's Olympic coverage this summer.In this episode, Joanna discusses the Olympics and the impact it had on British cycling; coming back from successes and medals to face real life; the emotional connection she still feels with riders from the commentary box; Matthew Richardson's switching nationalities from Aussie to Brit to compete for Team GB; plus she looks back at a stellar career that helped change the face of the sport in Britain and the popularity of women's cycling worldwide.Interview begins at 18.06----Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week James and Will are joined by Spartacus himself, Fabian Cancellara. Over a career spanning two decades, Cancellara established himself as arguably the greatest Classics rider and time-triallist of his generation, winning multiple Monuments, world, national and Olympic titles and Grand Tour stages. With a cool demeanour and effortless riding style, the Swiss cemented himself as the patron of the peloton, the guy everyone looked up to, listened to and wanted to impress. Today Cancellara owns ProTour team Tudor Pro Cycling, which this year raced its first Grand Tour as a wildcard at the Giro d'Italia, finishing a highly respectable tenth with Aussie rider Michael Storrer.Amongst a sprawling conversation, Cancellara discusses why he never talks tactics with his own team; the importance of rider safety, especially in light of the death of would-have-been Tudor Pro rider, Gino Mäder; his rivalry with Tom Boonen; if and when Tudor Pro Cycling will race the Tour; the importance of failure - and where he hurt most; and the effect of social media on young riders and cycling.Interview begins at 9.27----Did you know Cyclist is also stunning monthly print magazine? Subscribe now at store.cyclist.co.uk/cycpod and get every issue for less than in the shops, delivered straight to your door. And it's also a rather lovely website about everything road cycling and gravel. Check us out at cyclist.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.