Bobby and Jens return with EF Education's newly crowned US National Champ Sean Quinn as he discusses his incredible season so far... and his ambitions for the future.

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Image of Sean provided by Harry Talbot (Instagram: @visualsofharry)

Hello

everyone, and welcome to the Odd Tandem.

2

The Odd Tandem is

3

a brand new name for our podcast,

and you may know us by another name,

4

so we just want to say thank you to Velo

for a great three years of support.

5

we've seen many messages

that you guys have sent us over

6

the last couple of months

since our final episode in, in February.

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We're really sorry that we couldn't

get up and running again

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so quickly, but, honestly,

we needed a little break as well.

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Jensie Right?

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We did? Yes.

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And we actually did give it

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a quite serious consideration

about whether we gonna come back.

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If we want to come back, we can come back.

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How we come back and what did work.

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And if it's the right

decision to come back or not.

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Yeah.

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It wasn't easy.

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I mean, something as little as changing

a name took us very, very long time.

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And there's a lot of stuff to think about

when starting a podcast.

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yeah. This is this is new.

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Like, we're we're winging this.

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We're on our own now,

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so we still gonna have

the same great podcast

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like you folks used to know

what one weekly episode we will have.

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Plus,

you will get a bonus two podcast per month

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where we actually just

answer your questions so

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you get more to know about Bobby and me,

about our experience, about our stories.

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On top of that, we are launching

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a Patreon where you can join for $5

and you will get

30

a little bit

more bits and pieces from our podcast.

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And you know,

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although

this tandem bicycle is built for two,

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the odd tandem community

is built for everyone, and we've included

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some very special people

in building this new podcast.

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We have, Taylor Phinney,

who has done the soundtrack for us.

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Everybody knows Taylor.

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We're big fans of Taylor.

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And by the way, congratulate.

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Congratulations, Taylor.

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on the marriage to Kasia Niewiadoma,

and Jim Dwyer,

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who used to make the the GCN race images.

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He's done our pod art.

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So, you know, we're trying to engage

as many people

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in cycling into this

and including some great guests.

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So we're going to be starting from scratch

and hang with us.

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We're going to have a great ride.

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But, you know, don't worry, we're going

to have the same sort of great interviews.

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They they're going to go nowhere

We're going to add some little bits

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and bobs here and there, maybe

even an extra segment during the week.

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So, let's get this first episode

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of the odd tandem started with our U.S.

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road champion, Sean Quinn.

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All right.

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Welcome, Sean Quinn to the odd tandem.

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Sean, how are you doing, man? Good.

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Thanks for having me, guys.

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fan of the podcast and,

yeah, really happy to be on.

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So I look forward to.

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Yeah.

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Well, if you haven't noticed,

we've changed our name.

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the odd tandem is a community

built for everyone.

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And our first guest is you.

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Sean, tell us a little bit

about what it means to you to be

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national road champion.

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Yeah,

I think it's, it's a pretty big honor.

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It's, a good achievement.

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I think the coolest part is being able

to represent the country,

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even when you're racing for your tri team.

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So you get to wear the jersey

for the whole year.

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and yeah, it was also really special

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when I was a junior,

I think nationals was always

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one of the biggest races, but I never

I never was able to win.

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And so yeah, to finally win

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as a pro was, even extra special.

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And yeah, it's,

it's not necessarily a crazy achievement,

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but to me, it's, it's really cool

being able to race in the jersey

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and yeah, represent my country every day

when I, when I got out of training.

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So yeah, super happy with it.

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And is it true that the American champion,

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the rider himself has,

a word to say about the design of it?

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Because for us in Germany, it's standard.

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It has to be white and,

the three colors as a chest on the chest.

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But that's about it.

You cannot change anything.

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How is it for you?

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Is it true that you can change the design?

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I think there's,

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a rule that you have to have the blue.

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Blue with the stars on the shoulders

and then the rest red and white stripes.

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But I don't know, ifs

pretty artsy sometimes,

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and they did a pretty interesting design.

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I don't I don't really get a say in it.

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Maybe I will next year like, for 2025,

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but, yeah, I'm happy with the design.

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It's not it's not super standard

like the German kit.

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yeah.

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It's got some cool prints

that if you're up close, you can see.

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So it's nice.

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Well, hey, man,

I mean, I'm jealous, number one,

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because I was never national champion

as a pro.

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I think my last national champion

kit was like,

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1617 cyclocross and, Shoot,

I would trade

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20 of those in to be be able to wear the

the stars and stripes in the pro peloton.

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So good on you.

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But talk us a little bit through that race

because, I mean,

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you were in the breakaway

with Nielsen and,

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your, your old buddy, Mr.

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McNulty

and you guys worked him over pretty good.

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But, you know, what were the tactics like?

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Was it, I was under the impression

that you guys didn't have radios, but

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then I saw some social media that you guys

did actually have radio contact.

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talk us

through, like, once you guys got away

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and you guys were tag team

and, poor Brandon there.

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what what actually happened? What?

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How to come down to the

the final outcome there?

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Yeah. So we did have radios.

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We had, the women's director, Carmen

Small in the car, and she was helping us.

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But to be honest,

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there's not there's not a ton to say

when it's just the two of us.

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And we went in with the plan.

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It was like,

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yeah, just kind of make the race

hard, jump in moves and eventually

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it's going to end up the two of us

and Brandon and it it happened that way.

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There was this other guy,

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domestic pro Scott McGill, for a while,

and he hung pretty well.

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But, yeah, the last 2 or 3 laps,

it was just the two of us.

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And yeah, we talked it over before

and we were like, yeah, on the on

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the flat part, we just have to take turns

tag teaming him.

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And yeah, it's

basically the math just worked out

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that he, he ended up in the wind twice

as much as either of us.

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So yeah, we're both super fresh.

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And then on the last lap

there are two climbs.

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We both we I attacked on one,

Neilson attacked on the other.

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But props to Brandon. He was super strong.

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I mean, he wrote us back

time and time again and then

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yeah,

once, once we got over all the climbs, I.

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I just backed my sprint

and waited for the line.

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So it did it ever cross your mind

that in a situation like that,

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if the single rider is not absolutely

superior and can drop both of you,

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he then decides who will be champion

because he goes, okay, I'm alone.

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they are two

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I can mess up one’s chances,

but I can’t mess up both of their chances.

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So I guess Brandon could decide, okay, I'm

going to block him

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and I hope it's the right choice

for Brandon

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or I'm gonna sit on his wheel and hope

this is the right choice.

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Did that ever cross your mind?

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Yeah, definitely.

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I mean, there are also ways

we can get up, you know?

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I mean, well, like,

every time I attacked, I was like, wow.

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I mean, now it's it's really just 1V1.

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And if he brings me back at the perfect

time, then, you know, maybe

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maybe he will, he will be Neilson

and I'll be completely smoked.

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So there are ways for him to win

and, Yeah, like you said,

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he he does have a choice.

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And, maybe, maybe that's the reason I'm

national champ.

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Maybe he has some beef with Nielsen

that I don't know about, but

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I don't think I don't think

that's the case.

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I think he did his best to beat

both of us.

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And he came. He came super close.

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so, yeah,

that that just makes me think, like,

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what was your relationship

with Brandon before the race,

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and has it changed?

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since then?

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No, we're we're buddies and I don't think

that race changed anything.

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I mean, at the end of the day, it's like.

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Yeah, I mean, you almost feel bad

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sometimes just going to against

one in a race like that.

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It's it's not exactly fair.

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But, yeah, he he's a good guy.

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We've been teammates since, or I guess

we were teammates when we were juniors.

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And so I've known him for a long time,

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and I think, yeah, all the Americans

in the world tour peloton,

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we all know each other and get along

pretty well. So.

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And, is it still ever known then?

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one of these, special moments

when you, like, just go out training

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and you put on the national champion,

could you go, damn, this is cool.

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You know, like weeks or months after you

go, damn, I still love it.

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Do you still have these moments or.

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Well, it's just a kit I put on and go

riding in races or training.

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Yeah.

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I mean, it's only been, I guess

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exactly about a month, so.

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I mean, I didn't

even get the kit the day after, so

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it still feels pretty special

to pull it on.

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We'll see.

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Ask me again in 11 months, but,

I can't see, can't see.

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Getting tired of it, to be honest.

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and yeah, change is always nice.

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and yeah, randomly you'll just be riding

and look down and be like,

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oh, yeah, that's that's sick.

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I'm representing the US.

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We have

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a couple junior national championships,

around the green...

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champions around the Greenville area.

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And it just seems like

every rider, every event,

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I see them out, they have like

one more thing, you know, socks,

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gloves, little stickers, stuff like that.

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what kind of other cool schwag

has, has popped into your, ensemble,

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your riding ensemble

since you've been become

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national champion?

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Nothing yet, so.

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Oh, man, I always swore

if I was national champion, I'd get, like,

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stars and stripes, boxers, sweat

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bands like, you know,

I'm still fighting for the package.

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We'll see.

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We'll see when it comes,

I don't know, we'll get all.

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Vaughters will text Vaughters after this

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and make sure he hooks you up

or something.

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Yeah, yeah.

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I mean,

I haven't been chirping them at all.

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I'm just.

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I believe they're doing it as fast

as I can, but maybe I'm just being naive,

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and they're just like, yeah, here's

one jersey that should do for 12 months.

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They will for sure have.

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It'll be more

so now that you won the nationals.

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That's one box ticked.

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looking a little further into the future

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and what type of rider you want to develop

or where do you see your future?

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You want to try?

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GC and I don't know, in a Dauphiné,

in the Grand Tour one day

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races, the hilly classics, the cobblestone

classics, more time trialing.

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Where do you think you want to go

with your national champion jersey? No.

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Yeah, well,

I know I want to be a GC rider.

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at the end of the day,

I don't know how far my talent

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is going to take me,

but I'm willing to sacrifice, you know?

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Yeah, maybe being a better sprinter

and being able to win

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some one day races if, if I can at least

try and become a Grand Tour other

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I'm still young

that I still have some time, you know,

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maybe I'm not that young for the sport

anymore, but, I think for...

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Yeah, like I said, for me

it's worth it to just try and see

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and and I do think that's

where my talents lie.

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And like, the longer climbs and.

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Yeah, maybe one day time traveling,

I still have a lot of work to do.

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And in both those categories,

and just developing in general.

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But, that's, that's the, the racing

I dream of is, the Grand Tours.

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That's

what gets me on the bike every morning

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talking about this great achievement.

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You know, this achievement

almost didn't happen because you were one

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of the riders that were involved

in that very serious crash in Pay Basque.

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I read that you suffered, a concussion

and a sternum fracture.

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How did you pop up from that so well?

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And be able to come back in

and win the national championships?

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Yeah, it's pretty interesting.

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I think I've talked about this

with a few people and

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when you have an injury like that.

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Yeah, it's super hard, but it's pretty

clear the path you have to take.

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You know, it's like all right,

I need to do this rehab.

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I need to take this amount of time off.

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I need to every day. You just do.

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You know, you just check check the box,

and you're not really training too much

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at first.

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And, yeah, I found it was really easy

to build up momentum from that injury.

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You know,

you go to such a a rock bottom almost,

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and it's like, you can't you can't ride.

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I was supposed to do the Giro.

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So that's out the window.

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And I don't even know. Yeah.

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Can I ride what

what's the extent of this fracture etc..

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And, you know, when you're at

such a low point, every step,

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you just,

you just build a ton of momentum.

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And by the time I got back training,

which luckily was super fast,

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I mean, I was just doing everything

right, basically, in my opinion.

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And,

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yeah, you know,

I just got momentum pretty quick.

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And then I didn't have a ton

of expectations going into nationals.

265

I mean, I knew I was riding super well,

266

but racing is a whole different beast

sometimes.

267

but yeah,

it didn't seem like that crazy to me.

268

to be competitive right away.

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and like I said,

I think that's from the momentum

270

of having such a low point.

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so now you, both mentioned

272

or you talked about that crash

in the Basque Country,

273

and your teammate Neilson Powlesss,

he was another bigger crash.

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And the Dauphiné

was also a lot of GC rider.

275

Some of them are the same from the crash

in a Basque country.

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Do you think they're just

a really weird coincidence,

277

or did something change in the last 1

or 2 years?

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In cycling, people are writing harder,

more aggressive?

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Or was it

just a really bizarre coincidence

280

that we had two big crashes

with a lot of GC contenders?

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Whether it's the GC contenders

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crashing or anyone else crashing,

I don't know.

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Maybe that's a coincidence, but

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I think we're going to see more

and more big crashes.

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I hate to say it,

but the way guys are racing,

286

I mean, for for guys who have been pro

287

for ten, 15 years,

I think they really see the change.

288

For me, it's I'm pretty new,

289

so I've been racing with a lot

of these guys who are taking more risks.

290

The young guys who are, you know, pushing

those limits even further.

291

I've been racing with them for since I was

a junior, so it's not that new to me.

292

But even two years ago, three years ago,

when I first

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turned pro, there was,

294

I don't know.

295

I don't know if respect is the right word,

but there was a lot more.

296

Yeah.

297

It was it was just a lot more chill

sometimes in the peloton.

298

And we have these days

now where, you know, it's

299

not even a super decisive GC day,

but all the directors are saying,

300

you know, there's a narrow bridge coming

or there's, technical descent coming.

301

And every single team has like, yeah,

they just have these riders who are like,

302

all right, well obviously we're going

to be the first team into that.

303

And I think all 20-25 teams

have the same goal.

304

And it's just simple.

305

Like we don't fit on the road.

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And so we're all riding.

307

I mean, yeah,

centimeters away from each other.

308

And it's kind of bound to happen.

309

Of course.

310

definitely.

311

The, the what? Roads or slippery roads.

312

That was like an unfortunate situation.

313

But I think you're always going to have

that,

314

error

from like, the environment or the course.

315

And now we're just riding so close

from like 80kms out,

316

we'll just be, I mean, completely blocked.

317

Like, it'll be we'll everyone's riding

15 wide the first ten rows or something.

318

And, yeah, it is pretty crazy,

319

but it's kind of what you have to do

because.

320

Yeah. Flick or be flicked. Yes.

321

Yeah.

322

If you're not moving

up you're moving back in the peloton.

323

But so I had an interesting weekend.

324

last weekend I was doing a gravel event,

325

and I wound up crashing and,

Yeah, pretty hard.

326

And I got a concussion

and, on the side of the road,

327

I took out my phone, and I called my wife

and passed the phone to Ben Renkema,

328

who was one of the race promoter promoters

that was, following us on a motorcycle.

329

And then for some reason, I took

330

that phone, pointed it at myself

and kind of,

331

I don't know if it was a,

a coaching moment, a journal or whatnot,

332

but I, I actually admitted to myself

that, hey, I'm concussed right now.

333

And I wound up

334

sitting on the side of the road

waiting for a SAG car to come

335

pick me up and take me to the finish line

for 45 minutes.

336

And I don't remember any of that, but

337

I made six videos, basically saying

338

the exact same thing to myself

or to the camera.

339

then when I got in the car,

which was a 30 minute drive

340

that felt like 30s, it was, I made another

5 or 6 of the basically the same video.

341

So I was out of it, and I'm really glad

that I did that for myself

342

more than anything,

because it really made me

343

realize what you guys and girls

are having to deal with

344

along the side of the road

after a crash like,

345

can you explain a little bit

about the concussion protocol,

346

the questions that they ask you

or what they wait to see?

347

response wise

before you're allowed back on your bike?

348

Because honestly, if I didn't make those

videos, I wouldn't have remembered it.

349

But looking back at those videos,

if I was to get back on my bike,

350

if I hadn't have

351

crunched my collarbone in four places,

I probably would have tried to get back

352

on my bike.

But it wouldn't have been safe.

353

Right?

354

Yeah. I,

355

I've never been in a race and had a crash

and done the concussion protocol,

356

so the advice country

was, like, immediately clear to me.

357

I stood up and,

my vision went blurry and I was like,

358

okay, I'm concussed 100%.

359

and then, of course,

you go and do, a protocol with the team

360

doctor after the race,

which I think I've done before

361

in crashes, but I've never done with like,

the race doctor, I've heard you.

362

You have to clear concussion protocol

363

if you have a bad crash and hit your head.

364

But I think the the ruling

there is pretty unclear.

365

I know this guy, James Knox,

who, tore down under,

366

stopped, crashed, hit his head

and did the concussion protocol.

367

But then he was like 20 minutes behind.

368

So, he got thrown out of the race

369

for drafting an ambulance or something,

which to me is ridiculous.

370

It's like, okay, he's going to do the

concussion protocol because

371

you say you have to, but then

372

you're going to throw him out of the race

when he's 20 minutes back.

373

So that didn't make sense to me.

374

Yeah, that's

that's what I don't understand,

375

because I would have had to have gone

through that concussion protocol

376

for at least an hour

and a half, maybe two hours.

377

And then if I, you know, obviously

you're not going to do that in a race.

378

So, you know, when we hear about this

and when we see it,

379

I just wonder if it's really, helpful.

380

obviously it's been a long time

since I crashed.

381

I think 2006 was the last time

that I had a serious crash.

382

So it was it was just it just reminded me

383

of what you you guys have to deal with.

384

And, I hope we can come up

with a better way, because.

385

Yeah,

if you're going to do it right and you,

386

you know, have to pace to get back

on, you know that that seems fair.

387

But, getting kicked out of the race

or getting kicked

388

out of the race for for drafting

doesn't doesn't sound right to me at all.

389

But thanks for putting my, for explaining

that a little bit, because obviously,

390

you know, when that happened to me,

it was, that question came right

391

to the front of my mind, and I'm glad

that you were able to answer it.

392

Yeah, I think there are actually helmets

393

or helmets, sensors that will tell you,

like how hard their impact was.

394

I think they use them

in some other sports, and I always thought

395

that that could be interesting.

396

I've seen some other riders

talking about,

397

maybe having those on on our helmets.

398

That would probably help,

but I don't see, a lot of effort

399

from the riders

or the UCI to to get that done. So

400

when I earlier this year, I

401

had a little meeting

with Eurosport commentators at the UCI,

402

they were trying to explain

that a little bit to us as well.

403

And they said what they want

is that even the non-medical part

404

of the team to mechanics, the masseuses,

get like at least a basic training.

405

So if a rider cannot even walk straight

that they would then say, hey, look,

406

why don't you just sit down and wait

407

and I get the team doctor

or the race doctor to you?

408

They cannot stop you

because you don't have the medical

409

knowledge or the official medical title

410

to say, hey, in my authority as a doctor,

I make you stop.

411

But you were pretty sure of the

after your crash.

412

Like, okay, I cannot walk straight.

413

My vision is not good.

414

I got to be concussed.

415

So that's fair

enough for me, I guess. Then.

416

Yeah,

417

that's the first thing I said to someone

when they came to check on me.

418

It was like, hey, I have a concussion. So.

419

It's good that you admitted that.

420

yeah.

421

Because normally people

422

just jump back on their bikes and they're,

they're they're off and running again.

423

But other than, you know, this,

this pressure

424

to be in the front of the peloton and,

you know, maybe misrepresent

425

or be a little bit dishonest with,

you know, a concussion.

426

What what other sort of pressures do you

young riders have to deal with

427

in the peloton nowadays?

428

Because it just seems like a totally

different sport when I'm watching it on TV

429

and I'm reading things on the internet

and social media,

430

you guys definitely have, a lot more

to think about them than we did.

431

It seems.

432

I'm not sure about that, actually, but,

433

you could be right.

434

I mean, I think for most athletes,

probably

435

the biggest pressure

is usually going to come from themselves.

436

and so I think it's kind of different

for everyone

437

how much, how much pressure

they're putting on themselves.

438

I think the one big difference

with young riders now is probably

439

you're expected to win

if if you have the talent,

440

you're expected to win

basically from almost your first race,

441

or at least be competitive.

442

And I think before

443

there was a lot of,

444

oh, we'll send you to this race

so you can learn or so you can develop

445

and you see it with some guys, but

446

yeah, if you're over 20 now, I think

447

like it seems

448

like you're coming in and,

and you have a job to do, you know,

449

which is good, but,

yeah, it will be interesting

450

to see the effects of,

you know, this generation, our guys

451

going to retire much earlier because

they didn't have as much time to develop.

452

And straight away

it was like, okay, I'm going to,

453

you know, racing

GC at these massive WorldTour races.

454

so it'll be interesting to see.

455

But,

yeah, I can't speak on the difference

456

in in generations per se, but,

one thing we touched on in former

457

episodes is how much quicker

458

or faster the nutrition pot has developed.

459

So now, I think I've seen pictures

and I've heard rumors.

460

People actually bring a scale to dinner

and wait, the slices of tomatoes.

461

Is that true?

462

And are you one of these poor

young men have to do that.

463

How does that feel?

You have to wait your food.

464

Because back in my days,

if somebody touched my food

465

or meat me wait my food,

I would offer them a proper beating.

466

But that's the audience.

467

You know, I'm not saying it was better

or worse back then, just different.

468

So how is it for you?

469

Do you wait your food and count

your calories every day?

470

I would say

471

most days at a race for sure.

472

A lot of days. I've tried.

473

See it?

474

The thing is, once you start, it's almost

475

it's almost impossible to go back.

476

And it's it's difficult,

477

it's difficult to see other kids

478

doing it or other other riders doing it

and then not do it yourself,

479

because if if it is really helping,

480

which I think science would say it is,

481

you don't want to just be giving

482

that up and say, okay, well,

that guy's crazy.

483

He's weighing his food.

484

I'm sure people, people said that 3

or 4 years ago, that guy's crazy.

485

He weighs every every tomato.

486

But now more and more guys start to do it.

487

And all of a sudden

the majority is weighing for sure.

488

Now, the majority of of guys in

the peloton, they're weighing their food.

489

And,

yeah, I mean, I feel like even if I skip

490

one day, I'm like, well, like, did it,

what am I?

491

What am I losing on this day?

492

okay, I'm not maybe that extreme, but

and for sure, parts of the year.

493

you can't do it every day.

494

I'm sure there are some guys

who do it every day, but

495

I don't know how much that's

helping them at that point.

496

but, yeah, it's getting pretty extreme,

I think.

497

Yeah. Also on the bike, nutrition,

498

it's just crazy.

499

yeah.

500

Smashing through carbs

and stuff like that. So.

501

Yeah.

502

to go back a little bit,

do not mess with the ends.

503

His food.

504

I had them stay at my house

505

a couple times, and, man,

that guy can can knock it, knock it down

506

and then seen portioned out,

personal portioned out,

507

you know, pre-made little bowls

508

for each rider or weigh in your food.

509

it's it's got to be tough.

510

But one of the things that I think

really makes a difference,

511

you know, we have all these data streams

and we can weigh our food

512

and we can have the faster bike

or the more aerodynamic suit.

513

I think one of the most important things

for, for riders to have is confidence.

514

And as we know, confidence is a

very is a very fickle thing, right?

515

It can change,

you know, from minute to minute, hour

516

to hour, day

to day, month to month, season to season.

517

What does being confident

mean to you and and how you race?

518

Yeah, I've I've gone back and forth.

519

Sometimes I think, okay,

520

this race is all physical and at the end

of the day I either have it or I don't.

521

And then I've gone through phases

where I think like, oh,

522

this sport is all mental.

523

And like, if if I go into a race

with the confidence, I'll get it done,

524

no problem.

525

And, you see that with the top guys,

you know, like,

526

yes, they probably are better

than everyone else, but

527

maybe not.

528

Maybe not as much as we think,

but they just consistently win.

529

And so they have that confidence.

530

yeah.

531

If I need to be in front at that point,

I will be in front.

532

They don't question themselves

and they just get it done.

533

And yeah, I think that's

534

I mean, you can't put a number

on that metric, right?

535

It's

536

it's just something you

537

have or you don't day to day

it comes and goes, which is interesting.

538

And that's why.

539

Yeah, you need you need momentum.

540

but it is interesting

with all these numbers,

541

the weighing of the food, the power, the

542

whatever.

543

everyone

I think the, the playing field, like,

544

there's not that much room for error

if everyone's doing the,

545

the perfect nutrition,

if everyone has the perfect race suit,

546

perfect bike,

everything, it's going to come down to

547

whoever is the most talented

and whoever is the most mentally strong

548

or like the best,

the most skilled cyclist.

549

because there's

going to be less room for error.

550

So I don't know if that makes it more

boring

551

or more interesting, but.

552

Well, I must say,

as I'm commentating for Eurosport.

553

Cycling, I would say

we live in a golden era of cycling.

554

Cycling is so thrilling and exciting,

you know,

555

with team Sky,

like, let's say, ten years ago.

556

They would, just drill it on a front

and nobody could even attack.

557

Nowadays, people have 50-60 kilometer

solo rider attacks and they pull it off.

558

So it's it's pretty interesting.

559

Erm, talking of confidence.

560

I always used to tell myself,

okay, I'm a very good rider.

561

If I suffer, gotta suffer twice as much.

562

You know, I just talked myself into it,

you know that.

563

Okay. They’re only human.

564

They’re must suffer as well.

565

Just, you know, not showing it.

566

And I believe once or twice I won a race

567

just because I wanted it

more than the others.

568

Not really, because I was,

but I had races of that as well.

569

But sometimes I just wanted it more.

570

But I'm for, you know, you about the age

571

range of Vingegaard, Pogacar, Evenepoel

572

How is it to race with them?

573

I mean, you know, I guess we must say

574

the, superstars of our sport.

575

How is it to have to race against them?

576

Because,

you know, let's not fool ourselves.

577

Something like an easy race

doesn't exist anymore, right?

578

In modern cycling?

579

Easy races, small races

don't exist anymore.

580

Everything's important.

Everything is full gas.

581

So how do you approach your day

when you know you got whatever, Evenepoel,

582

Vingegaard or Pogacar at the start

you go, I race for second or you go.

583

Now I don't think like that.

584

I go for the win.

585

Yeah, I would say it depends on the race.

586

depends on like the course.

587

Sometimes you probably should reframe

your objectives.

588

You know, I'm sure a lot of guys

who lined up at the Giro,

589

if they were telling themselves,

590

yeah, I'm going to win this Giro,

like 100%.

591

by day five, when they were

592

ten minutes down to pick after,

they probably, you know,

593

mentally folded, whereas other guys

who were like, yeah, all right.

594

Well, we're racing for a second.

595

Maybe they were just consistent

the whole time.

596

And, did well.

597

But I think,

598

yeah, a lot of days

you have to believe that

599

upsets do happen and you see it sometimes.

600

I mean, a guy like Pogacar has,

almost not lost this season.

601

And that's pretty incredible. But,

602

you know, on any given day, any

anyone can win.

603

And I think most, most pro cyclists

604

have that mentality

that, you know, I'm going to do my best.

605

And on the day when everything falls

my way, I will take that chance.

606

Because those chances don't come around

too often in this sport because,

607

you know, it's not one team wins,

one team loses.

608

It's one guy wins 150 guys lose.

609

yeah. Yeah.

610

Well, you said before we started recording

that you're based out of Nice.

611

What brought you to the Cote d'Azur?

612

Because so many other riders

from EF Education Easy Post.

613

Live in Girona. What?

614

What was it that drew you to the south

of France, which, you know, I loved?

615

I was based out of there.

616

I couldn't have

lived anywhere else either.

617

Yeah.

618

I mean,

I lived in Girona for a little bit,

619

and that was nice

because the team was kind of based there.

620

and I had quite a few friends there.

621

I lived there as well

when I was on a development team, and,

622

then when I turned pro,

a lot of my friends

623

left, went back to the States,

stopped cycling, stuff like that.

624

And so I started to feel like,

all right, I've, I've already done Girona

625

a couple of years.

626

Might as well change it up.

627

And my friend

628

bought an apartment here actually,

he had lived here for a couple of years.

629

Matteo Jorgensen and,

he was like, yeah, my roommates

630

moving out, so want to come pay

my mortgage, basically.

631

And so I'm living with him now. no.

632

And that's been fun.

633

Wow. That is that is totally awesome.

634

I was going to say, hey,

do you see Pogacar around?

635

But damn, you're roommates with Mateo.

636

That's a pretty damn good person

to look up to.

637

That was kind of leading

into my next question is, you know, like

638

you're an American

living in the south of France.

639

obviously a very, very difficult sport.

640

A very challenging sport.

641

who do you look up to?

642

Who do you lean on to ask those questions

that you don't know the answer to

643

in the in the peloton is there

644

is there some guy that is just like

your buddy, your your your Jedi master?

645

For I think I tend to not,

646

not just like ask people

for a ton of advice and maybe it's not.

647

Maybe it's not a good trait,

but I like to see

648

most most guys

as my rivals in the peloton.

649

So I don't want to be like, asking them

questions and looking up to them.

650

I want to be racing against them.

651

but yeah,

652

there are a few guys I'd say I look up to.

653

I mean, Matteo, to me, it's obviously he's

doing a lot better than I am right

654

now, but, we've always been kind of,

you know, we've grown up together.

655

We were competitors

then. We were teammates.

656

And so he's not really, like, necessarily

a role model.

657

He's just like a friend.

658

So I feel totally comfortable

asking him questions.

659

And he and he has helped me a lot.

660

guys I look up to,

661

to be honest, it's more I,

I like the guys who carry themselves

662

super well and are, you know,

not just machines on the bike.

663

Like, those guys can be cool, but

664

sometimes the, the human side isn't there.

665

So like a guy like Tao or Geraint

Thomas, like,

666

yeah, I would, I would love

to go get a beer with those guys.

667

whereas some of the guys

who are winning right now,

668

they don't seem super interesting to me

necessarily.

669

And maybe that's

670

maybe that's just me.

671

not seeing past the surface, but,

672

Yeah, if if your whole personality

is weighing your tomatoes on the scale

673

and then talking about all the races

you've won, then no,

674

I don't really need to hang out with you.

675

So that is a very good approach to it.

676

And if you want to win the Tour de France,

677

remember these words

and then you don't become one of them.

678

You go now I never forget my roots.

679

I never forget where they came from.

680

And, my friends,

that's a very good approach.

681

you had, last year

682

after the Vuelta Some interesting words.

683

I can just quickly read it.

684

you told the team I was humbled

with the level of the guys here.

685

I know that I was on the stage

against the best of the world,

686

but I really thought

I didn't have the physical form this year.

687

so it was a, good learning tool,

a good experience.

688

And,

it's a necessary step for my development.

689

Your first Grand Tour experience.

690

What did you learn?

691

What did you change over last?

692

over the last winter

to learn from that painful experience

693

at your first grand tour?

694

How do you change

your training after that?

695

Yeah, well, the difficult thing is,

696

sometimes you can't make drastic changes,

697

and you kind of just have to let the, like

698

try and set everything up to do it

as well as you can.

699

But then you sometimes just have to let

the system run for a while to catch up.

700

You know, I've I've always tried

to think of the way you can.

701

I don't know,

702

make massive leaps overnight from like,

703

yeah,

if I lose five kilos I'll be 10% better.

704

But sometimes it doesn't work like that.

705

And yeah, I've had to,

706

kind of be patient sometimes when,

707

you know, I,

708

I didn't want to, you know, of course

I'd love to be competitive tomorrow,

709

but maybe it's going to be two years from

now, and I have to accept that

710

and kind of take my time.

711

I think this winter.

712

Yeah.

713

I tried to dial in the nutrition more and,

714

yeah, maybe train,

715

train more, but small changes, you know,

716

at the end of the day,

it's it's more about getting older,

717

getting getting those big races and,

and then hopefully

718

I can grow from there.

719

That that's great.

720

I totally back that up.

721

You know, when, when you see guys

722

jumping from rock to rock

before something actually has time to,

723

you know, you lay the roots

and then you cut,

724

cut the plant before the leaves grow,

you know, and then jump to something else.

725

So I suggest you stick with that,

you know, come up with a plan, plan

726

your work, work your plan

and see it to fruition,

727

instead of

just jumping from rock to rock.

728

But, you know, we're at that time of year

right now.

729

and talking about Grand Tours,

730

do you have the possibility,

are you on the tour de France long team?

731

Are you sweating it out?

732

There are knees waiting for that phone

call to pack your suitcase

733

and head to Florence

here in a couple weeks.

734

So I, I'm actually.

735

Can I just turn a light on real quick

because that's getting done.

736

Yeah. Yeah, we noticed that.

737

yeah. everything

is about the color of your shirt now.

738

It's turning more and more painted black

as the Rolling Stones would sing.

739

All right. Hey, you're good looking

young man.

740

I never noticed

it was so dark all the time, too.

741

Awesome. Yeah.

742

Cheers for that fantastic.

743

yeah. Literally sweating it out.

744

Actually, it's it's quite hot here

now, but,

745

I am waiting for selection.

746

they still haven't told us yet.

747

but of course, since.

748

Yeah, like I said,

I was supposed to do the Giro, but

749

basically the day I crashed, it was like,

all right, I want to go to the tour.

750

How do I get there?

751

yeah,

752

I don't know.

753

I think going to nationals

and winning really helped me, but,

754

I was yeah, I got sick at the dolphin and

755

I had a bit of a rough week there,

so I'm not for sure not a shoo

756

in, but I'm hoping hoping I can go

because, you know, it's my dream race.

757

Of course.

758

So what would be, the team goal

759

or team strategy going into the tour?

760

For example, with you,

you would have a designated leader,

761

you would go for stage

hunting in breakaways, or you have roughly

762

an idea of what,

what the team would try to,

763

to do.

764

I really don't know.

765

I think a lot of it hinges on how Richard

766

Carapaz

after his crash in the Tour de Suisse.

767

because I think, realistically, he's

the only guy who would go for GC.

768

Whether he wants to or can.

769

That's probably up to.

770

Yeah.

771

Him and the team in the next,

in the next week to decide,

772

but yeah,

773

I figure

my role would either be helping him

774

in the mountains or, going for stages

775

out of breakaways.

776

Yeah.

777

We need to see the US national champion

jersey in the tour de France this year.

778

That's always, always something special.

779

It'll give you wings.

780

how about, Olympic, selection?

781

I mean, not only this year,

782

but the Olympics

783

And you're from Los Angeles.

784

are the Olympics on your horizon?

785

They are not in Paris.

786

I, spoke with the director.

787

Of course I wanted to go, but,

788

yeah, I, I shouldn't be there.

789

I didn't have the

the season I wanted to, and,

790

and, yeah,

I think the team they're sending will be

791

the best team. The best team they can.

792

So, of course

793

LA that's that's a big goal for me.

794

but it's so far down the line.

795

I have to find some stuff

to look forward to in between, but, Yeah.

796

born and raised in LA so, for sure.

797

I want to be there.

798

So, how easy or difficult

is it to start cycling in LA?

799

Because if I remember LA traffic

jams on all six lanes,

800

standing still even at midnight,

everything standing still.

801

How is it to be a cyclist, dear?

802

And has it improved, too,

to have more bike lanes or little parks

803

where kids can go on mountain

bikes on a protected little trail?

804

Or, how how is it it stays?

805

I would say it hasn't changed.

806

Probably.

807

I mean, I was basically,

808

I think, the only kid

my age in the whole city.

809

You rode a bike like there.

810

There were kids outside of LA

in the suburbs, kind of.

811

But, yeah, I really felt a bit alone

812

in that sense sometimes.

813

I'm lucky I grew up on the,

814

sort of northwest side of the city,

815

so I was pretty close

to, some good riding.

816

Like,

I can ride to Malibu from where I grew up

817

in, I don't know, an hour

and a half or something.

818

And once you get out there,

the riding is honestly amazing.

819

But yeah, in the city, I just got used

820

to running red lights and dealing with.

821

Yeah, massive traffic jams, just swerving

in and out of cars and stuff.

822

Maybe that helped me in the peloton

eventually, but

823

yeah,

it is an interesting place to grow up.

824

I mean,

825

yeah, I, I can't even describe it,

you know?

826

Well.

827

Hey, Sean, thank you for your time today.

828

It was great talking to you. Great

getting to know you.

829

We wish you all the best

830

with not only the tour de

France selection, but as a successful

831

Tour de France and successful,

832

and hope to have you back on the podcast

in the future.

833

Yeah. Thank you guys much.

834

Appreciate it.

835

Good to share with both of you.

836

So that's everything for this week now.

837

Remember to follow us at Odd Tandem

O D D T A N D E

838

M on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook or wherever

you get your favorite podcasts.

839

Thanks for Sean Quinn for being our guest.

840

And remember,

if you want to see the video version

841

of this podcast,

it's up on our YouTube channel right now.

842

YouTube.com/@OddTandem.

843

And if

844

you want a full,

uninterrupted version of this podcast

845

and your name in the titles,

just head to our Patreon

846

where you can sign up for $5 a month

and keep this podcast going.

847

That's patreon.com/oddtandem.

848

Our first mailbag

episode will be out on Tuesday.

849

So make sure you don't miss out.

850

And please keep sending us your questions

851

to oddtandem@shockedgiraffe.com

852

or any of our Odd

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