The Vuelta is over and the world champs is well underway, which means we’re nearly at the end of the 2025 racing season! It’s really crept up on me, I can’t believe it! On one hand, it feels like it’s flown by, but on the other - the Spring Classics feel like forever ago.

This month’s communique focuses on the World Champs over in Rwanda. It is an absolutely brutal course this year; almost 270kms with over 5000m of climbing. Whoever wins this is going to be a thoroughly deserving winner. Remco’s already got himself a rainbow jersey in the TT; can he double up with another road race title?

What about Pog? He looked pretty knackered in the TT at the world champs, didn’t he? Still cooked from the Tour or just reaching the end of his rope? I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but there’s a big question mark over him ahead of the road race! But just watch him make me look like a cock knob and win by 9 minutes solo now.

There’s some strong looking underdogs in the mix too; Del Toro, Healy, Carapaz, McNulty, Pidcock, and loads of other in form hitters that could spring a surprise and overcome the two main favourites. We discuss all the favourites as well as make our predictions.

In this month’s PeloChat, Turbo Durbo gives us some insight into the end of a pros season - limping or striving through the last few races. Usually, a rider gets their provisional calendar at the start of the year, and it runs through to the Vuelta. After that, it’s a case of “we’ll see”. There’s still races to go, but so many riders are sick, injured, or just cooked - so pulling together a decent squad to knock out the last few races of the year becomes a tricky task. Riders have to be adaptable throughout the whole season.

Southam’s talking tactics dives into UAE’s record breaking season - the most wins in 1 season by any team ever. How have they managed this? How does the team manage so many world class riders? How have they won so much but still lost the Giro on the last day, and seemingly piss the Vuelta away by hunting stages? Tom shares his take on UAE’s questionable tactics at points throughout the year that still haven’t stopped them winning almost everything.

The quiz this month is all about the world’s TT. I’m quiz master, and the boys go head to head. Brace yourselves, I’m thinking next month’s season finale is going to be a bumper CommuniQuiz edition.

Guys, I hope you like listening to this month’s communique as much as I love recording it. Sitting down and spinning a yarn about bike racing with some mates - does it get any better?

Cheers

Mitch

The Race Communiqué is brought to you by TrainingPeaks! Track, plan, and train smarter - just like the pros.

Get 20% off TrainingPeaks Premium now at trainingpeaks.com/litp

I’ll be heading to Adelaide this January for the Santos Tour Down Under - chasing the racing, riding the bunches in the morning, and soaking up all the summer vibes the city has to offer. Hope to see you there.

🎧 Timecodes

00:00:00 – Intro

00:08:38 – Race Recap (World Championships preview)

00:33:44 – Pelo Chat (What's it like at the end of a pro season?)

00:49:09 – Talking Tactics (UAE’s record-breaking year)

01:02:24 – CommuniQuiz (World Champs TT Special)

Guys, the Vuelta is over and, well, what a race. My favourite grandy felt a little bit different this year with a huge amount of disruption, tension and uncertainty that meant the racing took a back seat for a lot of people. We saw some unreal rides from Jonas Vingegaard, Tom Pidcock, and utter dominance from UAE Emirates. Holy shit, they were good, chaotic at times, but banked a whole heap of stage wins.

The anti-Israel protests that impacted the race so much really shone a light on how fragile and vulnerable bike racing is. There were some hairy moments out there on the road, and – although the bunch made it to Madrid – the riders were robbed of the traditional podium ceremony. But, in this disruption, we saw one of the coolest, old school, grassroots style podiums I’ve ever seen in Pro Cycling.

Our British Boys, Harry & Stu, have put together a banger of an episode for this month’s ep of Life In The Peloton’s Race Radio. Here’s what old mate Stu Downie has to say about this month’s Race Radio:

With La Vuelta ending in what could be both the best and worst podium we’ve ever seen, we invited our mate Sean Hardy along to chat – why? Because he was in that very car park to witness the madness of the day unfold. Sean has been Lidl-Trek’s photographer for a few years now, earning the trust of the riders – including fan favourite and points jersey winner Mads Pedersen – and making some of the best pictures in racing. We hear about the day, get a severe case of FOMO, and get the lowdown on life in the Lidl-Trek bus. We also consider the history of protest in cycling, talk about racing’s place within wider culture, and wonder aloud when the UCI will do something about the more severe cases of sports washing. A nice light chat to start the weekend, no?

Guys, I hope you like this episode as much as I do. I can’t believe we’re coming to the end of the race season, with just the World Champs in Rwanda and Lombardia left to go!

Catch up soon,

Cheers,

Mitch

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP

Mike Woods has achieved a lot in his cycling career. Despite not turning pro until he was 30, he’s won stages at the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, and stood on the podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the World Championships. A proud Canadian, Woodsy’s represented his nation at the Olympics and the Worlds, and flown the Maple Leaf jersey as natty champ.

Earlier this year, Mike announced that 2025 would be his final year in the pro peloton, and he was going to come across to the world of retired pro cyclists. He’s under no illusion that the sport is only getting harder, and made the call to leave the young megastars to it, put his family first, and continue enjoying the bike - and his running - with a more relaxed mindset.

We were teammates for a few years back on EF, and I loved training hard in the mountains of Andorra with Woodsy back in the good old days before 120 grams of carbs an hour. A three-time guest on the pod, I wanted to catch up with him in the last few weeks of his career before he hangs it up for good for one last ep. of Life In The Peloton.

We talk about all sorts of things in this one, guys. There’s some heavy-hitting questions to find out more about what makes Woodsy tick, and he gives me a quick lesson in Canadian Ice Hockey team politics. I also impart a bit of wisdom on Mike to let him know what he’s in for as he leaves the world of pro cycling behind and adjusts to life on the other side.

Guys, I hope you enjoy this pod. I really wanted to speak to Mike one last time, and I hope you enjoy hearing his honest thoughts about all things pro cycling and beyond.

Woodsy - congrats on a great career, mate. Enjoy your last races and being able to bring the curtain down back home in Canada. Can’t wait for a death ride out of Andorra soon.

Cheers,

Mitch

This episode is brought to you by our mates at Shokz – the world leaders in open-ear, bone-conduction headphones. Head to shokz.com and use the code LITP for a special listener-only discount.

I’ll be heading to Adelaide this January for the Santos Tour Down Under - chasing the racing, riding the bunches in the morning, and soaking up all the summer vibes the city has to offer. Hope to see you there.

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Saily. If you're heading overseas for your next ride or trip? Avoid nasty roaming fees and get set up with Saily, the eSIM app from the legends behind NordVPN.

Download the app and use the code PELOSURF for 15% off your next data plan - or hit saily.com/pelosurf to score yourself a special listener-only discount.