S14 Ep50: Viva Somarriba!

Grab a round of agua con gas and listen in as Rose Manley, Denny Gray and Rebecca Charlton review the Spanish stage racing block.

With many of the big hitters away making preparations for the forthcoming Giro d’Italia, the short stage races of Itzulia and Vuelta a Burgos provided plenty of surprises and breakthroughs. On a rare opportunity from domestique duties, Mischa Bredewold led the charge for SD Worx who looked back to their old imperious best. But what does the win mean for a team that already have so many champions in their roster? Yara Kastellijn’s huge victory on the final day of Burgos cemented a phenomenal few weeks for the rider who has been without a win since her breakthrough at the Tour de France Femmes in 2023. Plus, did FDJ United Suez make the wrong call in Itzulia by not backing young British star Lauren Dickson?

In our mini feature we speak to the last Spanish rider (before Paula Blasi this year) to win a women’s Grand Tour. That champion is Joane Somarriba, a rider who twice won the Giro Feminile and three times won Tour de France Femmes precursor the Grand Boucle. She talks about her journey to the top, overcoming hospitalisation and prejudice to become one the best riders of the late 90s and early 2000s.

We also look ahead to this year's Giro d’Italia Women which begins at the end of the month. The Cycling Podcast Féminin will be bringing listeners daily coverage of the race for the first time, starting on 30th May.

Also on the agenda: the ambience of shopping malls, virtual sangrias and Denny’s dream of being paid in cheese.