Sigma Sports presents Matt Stephens Unplugged

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 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 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 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 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.   To learn more about Qhubeka or make a donation, visit their website: https://qhubeka.org/

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!

Michael Matthews explains to Matt Stephens just how professional bike racing has changed since he turned pro 10 years ago. How he owes his hugely successful racing career to an unlikely source of inspiration, and how he fell back in love with the sport of cycling. There’s a world-first in the hometown quiz, and Michael is asked to sum up his experience with all of his former teams in just one word.

Matt Stephens chats to British Paralympic athlete Lauren Steadman about her impressive career so far and how moving from swimming to triathlon unlocked her potential as an Olympian. It’s no surprise that the Psychology graduate backs up her sporting talents with immense mental strength, but how well does she know her hometown of Peterborough, and how will she react to the interruptions of the uncontrollable Random Question Generator? - There’s only one way to find out!

Matt Stephens chats to Richard Hughes about his impressive musical career and his undying love for cycling. Having grown up using his bike for fun and to get to band practice, the Keane drummer has gone on to complete some of the toughest rides in Europe. He talks candidly with Matt about how the bike really helped him cope with a hiatus from gigging, and the merits of planning your next challenge before you complete the current one. Having shared the same stage as his musical heroes, and the same roads as his cycling heroes - the parallels between the two are plentiful.

Adam Blythe and Matt Stephens discuss the modern era of road racing, and how competing against the likes of van der Poel and van Aert is a whole different ball game. There are two tenuously linked stories about the Junior Axel tour, and Adam gives us an insight into how it feels to ride pillion on an in-race moto at the Tour de France. The pair imagine a bike race without bikes, talk at length about Bubble and Squeak and Adam tries to phone a friend to gain a competitive edge in the Sheffield Quiz.

George Bennett and Matt Stephens discuss how fine margins win races, but fine margins are easy to close. From his apartment in Andorra, overlooking the empty pistes, the New Zealand native looks back at his career to date and explains how he’s grown as a rider. Now with Jumbo Visma, the Kiwi national road champion is flourishing at a team that really knows how to mine his talent. The Random Question Generator serves up a doozie, and Matt gets out his notebook to swat up on George’s hometown for the Nelson quiz.

Lizzie Deignan is enjoying life as a pro cyclist more than ever, and in this exclusive interview, she tells Matt Stephens all about her preference to train outdoors, whatever the weather. They look back at her confident victory at the 2015 World Road Championships in Richmond and discuss the future while touching on their shared addiction to property listing websites. Matt’s done his research in the Otley quiz, and Lizzie doesn’t disappoint with her local knowledge.

Steve Cummings tells Matt Stephens how his working-class background makes him uncomfortable with doing nothing. Now busy with a postgrad course and his new position at Ineos Grenadiers, Steve recognises how privileged he is to have lived the dream of being a professional cyclist, and is now in the fortunate position to start all over again. The random question generator is back, and Matt struggles to find questions about Steve’s hometown, in the Pensby quiz.

Karl Kopinski steps back from the easel to spend an hour with Matt Stephens and chat about their shared loves of art and cycling. Famed for his breathtaking illustrations and captivating portraits, Karl enjoys nothing more than unwinding with a hard session in the saddle. On his way to becoming the celebrated artist he is today, the Nottingham native worked as a pool attendant, did a shift in a pie factory, and spent a day as a refuse worker. But, it was an in-house stint at Games Workshop followed by a chance meeting with designer Paul Smith that really changed his life...

Matt Holmes takes a break from training on his snowy local roads to chat to Matt Stephens about his first Giro d’Italia and admits that while he’s not the best climber or sprinter out there, working hard can get you far. The Lotto–Soudal rider lays out his goals for the coming season, tackles the Wigan quiz, and explains how his newfound fame has changed the way he waves.

Kasia Niewiadoma tells Matt Stephens how she first took up cycling to prove herself to her father, then ended up making him incredibly proud by winning the Amstel Gold Race in 2019. Tune in to find out how the Canyon-SRAM climber prepares for a big race, how cycling is a great way to meet new people, and exactly how Matt managed to lose a quiz he wrote himself.

Jonathan Vaughters explains to Matt Stephens how his EF Education-Nippo cycling team is the natural home of intellectual misfits, and how no rider is greater than the team itself. With a personal love for individual expression, JV practices what he preaches and is known for standing his ground and swimming against the tide. But just how will he fare in the world’s first cycling-podcast-based Denver quiz?

Alec Briggs chats to Matt Stephens about the importance of developing bike handling skills above power and aerodynamics. With his Tekkerz cycling team poised to tackle 2021 head-on, the Lewisham native is determined to add to the cycling world; not replace anything. But just how did this self-professed snack expert manage to cause Matt to suffer ‘snack confusion’ in a first for the podcast.

Hugh Carthy tells Matt Stephens all about his recent success at Vuelta a España, and how it all came down to a massive team effort from EF Education First Pro Cycling. From his residence in Andorra, he’s been training in sub-zero conditions, but can he keep his cool when faced with Matt’s custom-made hometown centric Preston quiz?

Cherie Pridham tells Matt Stephens all about her excitement at becoming the first woman to manage a cycling team at WorldTour level, inspiring the next generation, and how hard work always pays off... eventually. But where will she place on the Guess That Snack leader board?

Sepp Kuss explains to Matt Stephens how growing up at altitude has helped him race in the mountains, and how his tongue usually only falls out of his mouth when faced with cross-winded flat sections. But can he use his famous poker face to cause an upset in the Guess That Snack leader board?

Austin Healey and Matt Stephens have plenty in common; both are former professional sportspersons of the highest level, both are now successful commentators, and of course, both love a good cardigan. From Rugby international to competitive amateur cyclist, Austin’s journey has seen him take the reins of ITV game show ‘The Fuse’ and almost podium as a contestant on BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. But, looking back, is there anything he’d do differently? Tune in to find out.

Justin Williams tells Matt Stephens all about growing up in LA to a family of black cyclists, how his dad left him at the roadside for wearing boxers under his bibs, and how his L39ion of Los Angeles Team aims to spark curiosity and hope. But perhaps even more importantly than that, Matt’s keen to find out if Justin wears his socks over or under his leg warmers?

Cal Crutchlow tells Matt Stephens all about exceeding the limits of adhesion, running out of talent and taking a gravel bath. The MotoGP legend has some shocking average heart rate figures, and when it comes to getting race fit, he does it on two wheels of another variety. At a pivotal moment in his career, Cal talks candidly about what matters most in life, his heroes, and feeling like a Gladiator in the paddock.

A cycling podcast with a difference, Matt Stephens breaks away from the bunch to engage in conversational tangents with the likes of Bradley Wiggins, Ben Foster, Rohan Dennis, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Cal Crutchlow and more. With exclusive special offers from Sigma Sports just for the podcast listeners, why not like, subscribe and recommend it to your cycling buddies.

Top broadcaster and cycling journalist Orla Chennaoui describes her version of heaven to Matt Stephens, which involves an elevator, reliable wifi and the freedom to chat ad nauseam. She shares her inspiring attitude to the difficulties of life and explains how hope always trumps despair. But can she deliver a shockwave to the Guess That Snack leaderboard?

Ben Foster explains to Matt Stephens how bike riding always brings a smile to his face, and there’s nothing quite like the buzz of winning a Zwift race. In a first for the pod, Matt’s up against a total expert in Guess That Snack; a man who rides his bike hard so he can grow his snack knowledge, guilt-free!

Chloe Dygert and Matt Stephens discuss injury setbacks and how they can help you grow as an athlete, the benefits of using Zwift racing to sharpen your instincts, and how she sees riding a bike as a job, not a hobby. Plus, The Grand Chores are back! This time, Matt is giving his living room a good dusting-down.

Rahsaan Bahati talks to Matt about how his passion grew from punishment, finding the line between fitting in and doing what you need to, and why it’s so important to teach your kids about history. They discuss The Bahati Foundation, now helping inner-city kids for ten years, and what needs to be done to affect change. Also, #AskMatt is back! - With more weird and wonderful random questions from the bowels of social media.

Pavel Sivakov chats to Matt Stephens about the new era of young professional riders, and how he tried lots of sports before taking to cycling like a fish to water, or more accurately, like the child of two professional cyclists to cycling. Also, guess that snack is back! But how will Mr International get on in our relatively localised corn and potato based snack trivia game?

Johan Museeuw chats to Matt Stephens about spending lockdown with his son Stefano, the joys of a nice Italian red wine, how your motivation can change after a strong ride, and how two millimeters can make all the difference. The Grand Chores is back, but with an injured Matt Stephens attempting to Clean the Shower, the real challenge will be finishing before the time cut!

Pippa York and Matt Stephens discuss her baptism of fire at the Belgian Classics in 1980, the fun of racing despite the pain, her continuing BYOC policy (Bring Your Own Chainring) and whether there is any place in soup for an egg. We also pay another visit to the ever-popular Grand Chores for stage four: Making the Bed!

Mike Woods chats to Matt Stephens about breaking his leg at the best possible time, how Sergio Higuita could become the best cyclist in the World, and how exploration and challenging yourself is the key to life. Guess That Snack has been customised for North American taste buds, and the Grand Chores returns, with Matt attempting to empty the dishwasher in the time it takes to make his morning coffee.

Alice Barnes and Matt Stephens chat about sewing, cafe bonk, the ability to smell salt and vinegar, and how you’d do anything for a teammate but you’d go that bit further for your sister. Still missing the Giro d’Italia, Matt’s been busy commentating on the latest stage of the Grand Chores.

Matt White chats to Matt Stephens about riding himself to the bone for Francesco Casagrande at the 2000 Giro d’Italia, meticulously planning stage race strategies months in advance as Sporting Director for Mitchelton Scott, and being the only native Australian speaker in the 1998 peloton. Matt’s found a replacement for commentating on the Grand Tours, and #AskMatt returns for more random trivia.

Matt chats to Bradley Wiggins about the compassionate power of being nice to your critics, using art as a creative release, and how cycling with your kids creates some of the best memories you’ll ever have. Matt’s found a replacement for commentating on the Grand Tours, and if you’ve heard from Kenny Van Vlaminck, let us know.

One of the most feared breakaway riders of a generation, Thomas De Gendt joins Matt from the comfort of his games room, as the pair discuss how riding aggressively is part of the Belgian’s nature. Matt delivers a lesson in one-directional moonwalking, and we hear more from another Belgian, Kenny Van Vlaminck, who gives us an update from his lockdown location in a pea factory in Flanders. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt is joined by one of Denmark’s rising stars of the women’s pro peloton, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, to chat about her favourite places in the world to ride a bike, how to really bring your Dahl to life with a secret ingredient, and of course the superiority of Danish Pick ‘n’ Mix. Kenny Van Vlaminck updates us from the Patrick’s Peas factory, and Matt’s been busy in the garden with his watercolours. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Stephens is joined by current UCI World Elite Men's Time Trial Champion, Rohan Dennis to discuss the Australian's love of Lego, play 'Guess That Snack' and discuss the feasibility of a chocolate hangover. Matt answers your questions in the first edition of #AskMatt, and everyone's favourite Belgian updates us from his self-quarantine session in a pea factory. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A weekly Sigma Sports podcast, Matt Stephens Unplugged kicks off with a musical theme as Matt is joined by Perry ap Gwynedd, lead guitarist in the rock band Pendulum. The duo talk about everything from the Tour de France to their favourite flying contraptions. Do you like a wheat-based challenge? You're in luck as this is your chance to play along with Matt Go For the Crunch. Other guests in this episode include Sigma Sports founder, Ian Whittingham and a man from Belgium who has a thing about peas. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.