The 2023 men’s WorldTour kicked off with the Tour Down Under, and that race features heavily in this week’s regular episode, with our roving reporter on the ground in Adelaide, Mitch Docker, bringing us up to date with the latest action. Mitch is joined by Daniel Friebe and multiple former Monument and Grand Tour stage winner Dan Martin to also discuss the rest of the week’s news. That includes the announcement that one of the most beloved riders in the pro peloton, Thibaut Pinot, will retire at the end of the 2023 season. The existential void into which some riders disappear when their career ends is our big discussion point in the second half of the podcast. It is also a poignant one in the week when the former Astana rider, Lieuwe Westra, passed away at the age of just 40, after years of mental turmoil. In the episode we’ll hear about those from Westra’s friend and biographer, Thomas Sijtsma. The Cycling Podcast is supported by Supersapiens and Science in Sport. Pod Live Sport Join Daniel, Lionel and special guest Dan Martin at Pod Sport Live at Kings Place in London’s King’s Cross on Sunday, February 12 2023. To buy tickets go here. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am). Supersapiens Supersapiens is a continuous glucose monitoring system that helps you make the right fuelling choices. See supersapiens.com Science in Sport The Cycling Podcast has been supported since 2016 by Science In Sport. World leading experts in endurance nutrition. Go to scienceinsport.com to see the whole range. Better Help This episode is also sponsored by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/cycle MAAP The Cycling Podcast x MAAP collection is available now. Go to maap.cc to see the full MAAP range. D Vine Cellars To order The Cycling Podcast Highlights case, or any of the cases commemorating the 2022 Grand Tours visit dvinecellars.com Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to more than 60 exclusive episodes. The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.