SPOT.
HomeDiscoverScoresWatchListen
SPOT.Sign In

Spot Sports

Everything worth following in sports

Content

  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Channels

Company

  • About
  • Support

Legal

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • YouTube Terms

© 2026 Spot Sports. All rights reserved.

Home
Scores
Watch
Listen
My Spot
Context, What Context?

Cycling

Context, What Context?

The Cycling Podcast›
Nov 27, 20251:12:06

Listen now

Episode Notes

In this week’s episode of The Cycling Podcast, Daniel Friebe and Tudor Pro Cycling stalwart Larry Warbasse discuss some of the more intriguing and controversial news stories of the last few weeks. 

With most teams about to gather for their first pre-season training camps, some also face an uncertain future. The long-mooted Lotto-Intermarché merger still hasn’t been confirmed, raising questions about who will even be in the WorldTour in 2026. The UCI’s introduction of a promotion and relegation system was supposed to ensure that such matters were decided primarily on sporting merit. With the latest three-year cycle having just concluded, Daniel and Larry discuss whether the UCI needs to go back to the drawing board. 

We also discuss what was formerly Israel Premier Tech’s new identity, Marcel Kittel’s eye-catching recent comments about doping and why exactly the pro peloton has got so much faster since Covid.

EPISODE SPONSORS
NordVPN
Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

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).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Next listen

All from The Cycling Podcast →
S14 Ep24:  It’s Coming Home

Next listen

S14 Ep24: It’s Coming Home

Yesterday1:27:03

Next listen

S14 Ep24:  It’s Coming Home

S14 Ep24: It’s Coming Home

Yesterday1:27:03
S14 Ep23: Hell of a Debut

S14 Ep23: Hell of a Debut

2 days ago1:04:05
S14 Ep22: Arrivée: Paris-Roubaix Femmes

S14 Ep22: Arrivée: Paris-Roubaix Femmes

5 days ago35:55
All from The Cycling Podcast→