• Stage 1 of the Tour de France delivered complete chaos, with crosswinds, crashes and a textbook lead-out from Alpecin Decuninck.
• Jasper Philipsen takes the yellow jersey after a dominant finish.
• We call out a few big names who got caught napping when the splits came.
• Looking ahead, we preview the early key stages, including the all-important time trial and the showdown at Mûr-de-Bretagne.
• Plus, a quick-fire preview of the Giro Donne: • Who’s lining up • Who’s missing (no Neve Bradbury!) • And what to watch as the women’s Grand Tour gets underway

This week on The Wheelhouse, the UCI dropped a rulebook bomb—and we’re here to pick through the debris. From banned handlebars to gear limits and a crackdown on bike tech, riders are fuming and we’re asking… WTF, UCI?!

But it’s not all outrage. There’s also an Aussie lighting up the Giro Next Gen, a Tour de Suisse GC shake-up, and who will make the cut for July’s Tour de France.

• 🔧 UCI Rule Meltdown – Minimum handlebar widths, gear restrictions, fork limits, and tech bans.
• 🗣️ Reaction from riders: Amanda Spratt, Fisher-Black, van Dijk and fit experts fire back.
• 🇦🇺 Luke Tuckwell goes big at the U23 Giro – three days in pink, finishes 2nd overall.
• 🇨🇭 Tour de Suisse Recap – Almeida wins, Ben O’Connor stays steady, UAE looking stacked.
• 📋 Tour de France squad – Will UAE have too many cooks in the kitchen?
• George Hincapie rejoins the Pro Tour – well, kinda.

Hit play, grab a handlebar that actually fits, and let’s unpack the week that was in pro cycling.

Kate, Henk, Joel and Merckxy are in the bunker this week with lots to chat about.

• Giro d’Italia Drama
  • 🇦🇺 Chris Harper’s epic queen-stage victory at Sestriere
  • Simon Yates wins overall with a classic team move
  • UAE Team Emirates’ costly tactical errors.
• Critérium du Dauphiné Insights
  • Remco Evenepoel dominates Stage 4 time trial.
  • Early stage victory and vulnerabilities for Tadej Pogačar.
  • Ben O’Connor gears up for the upcoming Tour de Suisse.
• Women’s Racing Round-up
  • Ally Wollaston clinches Tour of Britain Women in thrilling fashion.
  • Cat Ferguson emerges as breakout talent
  • Women aren’t small men

Your essential cycling update—sharp, insightful, and action-packed!

Buckle up for an explosive final-week recap of the 2025 Giro d’Italia on The Wheelhouse Podcast!

Katey, Henk and Merckxy dive into all the juicy drama and thrilling racing from Italy:

• 🌧️ Stage 16 Chaos: Brutal weather sparks crashes—Roglič bows out in agony.
• 🚑 Bee Attack! Juan Ayuso’s bizarre abandonment mid-stage.
• 🇨🇦 Derek Gee’s Rise: Canada’s dark horse gallops to 4th overall—can he hit the podium?
• 🚀 Lidl-Trek Domination: Pedersen and team dominate sprints and climbs alike.
• 📢 Brisbane’s Bridge Battle: Cyclist protest halted—what’s next for safer cycling infrastructure?
• 🚴‍♀️ Women’s Vuelta a Burgos Féminas: Marlen Reusser sweeps all before her.

And don’t miss Henk’s insider scoop on mid-stage Giro deals—revealing the dodgy negotiations that decided the maglia rosa behind closed doors!

We also pay tribute to beloved Belgian rider Ludo Dierckxsens, whose legendary late-start career inspired us all.

It’s controversy, triumph, tragedy—and cycling chat at its finest.

Join Kate Bates, Henk Vogels, and Merckxy for a wild ride through cycling's most entertaining and dramatic moments!

• Aussie highlights at Giro d'Italia 2025, including Lucas Plapp and Kaden Groves, plus Jai Hindley's crash.
• Ayuso, Del Toro, Yates and McNulty - Team UAE Emirates have four in the top ten - too many cooks in the kitchen?
• Can Roglic find a way to the Maglia Rosa with a reduced team?
• Chaotic animal pitch invasions: goats, rally squirrels, bears, dolphins, and even black cats.
• Women's Vuelta recap featuring Demi Vollering as the MVP
• Marianne Vos's strategic brilliance.
• Inspirational bike-packing journey from Ireland to Australia by Fergal Guihen.
• Debate over an Aussie city's billion-dollar bike lane refurbishment.

Buckle up—this episode is packed with insights, laughs, and unexpected twists!

• Wout van Aert’s rough start – cramping at Dwars door Vlaanderen and tactical misfires.
• Elisa Longo Borghini wins at Dwars door Vlaanderen – showing the field how it’s done.
• Mads Pedersen’s insane 55km solo at Gent-Wevelgem (his third win there!) – because who needs a peloton?
• Primož Roglič turns back the clock at Volta a Catalunya, edging out rising star Juan Ayuso.
• Mathieu van der Poel demolishes the E3 Saxo Classic field – pure dominance on the cobbles.
• Tour of Flanders preview – our spicy picks and bold predictions for the men’s and women’s races.
• Aussie Track Nationals wrap – celebrating Kai Sakakibara’s inspiring comeback and Ella Liang’s record-smashing ride.
• The Amy Gillett Foundation sets the record straight – tackling media myths, pushing ANCAP for cyclist-inclusive safety ratings, and standing up for cyclists when journalists get it wrong.
• Beyond for Traction – a quick shoutout to an epic charity ride that’s pushing limits for a great cause for kids.

Hop on and join the ride – don’t forget to follow or subscribe for your weekly cycling fix!

Recorded live at Track Nats from the Anna Meares Velodrome, hosts Katherine Bates and Scott McGrory unpack a massive week in cycling.

• The epic men’s and women’s Milan-San Remo – the attacks, the Aussie results, and Van der Poel’s brilliance • Pogacar’s shock announcement to ride Paris-Roubaix in the rainbow jersey – what it means for the sport • Caleb Ewan’s emotional first win for Ineos and what it signals for his season • The inaugural ProVelo Super League comp wraps up – with Scott on the ground sharing the highs, the champions, and what’s next • Aussie Track Nationals headlines from Anna Meares Velodrome • The sudden axe of the Track Champions League – what went wrong? Subscribe and follow for your weekly dose of racing news, bold opinions, and insider stories from the world of pro cycling.