Giro d'Italia preview podcast: Who will challenge for the GC, and what are the key stages not to miss

We look ahead to three weeks of racing around Italy, after three days in Bulgaria

Off the Back Podcast Giro preview
(Image credit: Getty Images)

We're looking forward to the Giro d'Italia and three weeks of racing at the first Grand Tour of the year. Simon Richardson, Tom Davidson and Adam Becket dissect the route and consider which riders could challenge for pink.

The Off the Back Podcast is out every Thursday on YouTube, Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever your listen. All our episodes can be found below. If you enjoy listening, be sure to subscribe, and if you have any questions, or topics you'd like us to cover, send them to cycling@futurenet.com with 'Off the Back question' in the header.

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If you’ve followed Cycling Weekly for a while, you’ll know that we’ve never stood still for long.

Since launching as a print magazine back in 1891, our mission has always been simple: to serve cycling fans with the best journalism, insight and advice we can. But how we do that has changed a lot over the years.

We launched our website in 2006, our YouTube channel in 2008, expanded our global race coverage, and brought full-time North American staff on board in 2022. More recently, we’ve doubled down on social media, passing a hundred thousand followers on Instagram and closing in on half a million on Facebook.

In short, we’re always looking for new ways to meet you where you are.

Which brings me to podcasts.

The way people consume media is shifting fast. More and more of us are listening while commuting, cooking meals, hitting the gym, walking the dog, or, of course, riding our bikes. We want Cycling Weekly to be part of those moments, too. So, while we’re admittedly a little late to the podcast game, we’re excited to say we’re now four episodes into a brand-new weekly show: Off The Back.

The idea behind the podcast is straightforward. We get you up to speed with everything happening in the world of cycling. Each week, our team of expert journalists break down the biggest races and analyse the latest news across the sport and the industry around it. Grand Tours, Classics, gravel, tech, protagonists — it’s all there.

Think of this podcast as your domestique, helping you bridge back on. Listen to Off The Back to make sure you’re never off the back when it comes to cycling news.

What we’re really aiming for is something that feels a bit more behind-the-scenes. Fast reactions. Insider insight. Honest conversations from journalists who live and breathe the sport. The stories beyond the headlines, in a way we hope feels conversational and open. And, as the cycling season gets underway, we’ll be recording from wherever we are. That means in the press centres and on the sidelines of the sport’s biggest events. We hope you tune in, and we welcome any and all questions and feedback as we get this thing off the ground.

This isn’t our first or only foray into audio. Over the years, we’ve hosted several podcasts, and we’re continuing that momentum alongside Going Long with Cycling Weekly, our show dedicated to ultra-endurance cycling and bikepacking.

Meanwhile, the rest of Cycling Weekly continues to grow. The magazine remains the UK’s best-selling cycling publication, and our website reaches millions of riders worldwide every month. Launching Off The Back is simply the next step in that journey; another way for us to serve cycling fans, wherever and however you choose to tune in.

You can find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your podcasts.

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Anne-Marije Rook
North American Editor

Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.

Originally from the Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon, she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a journalist for two decades, including 14 years in cycling.

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