Michael Storer: 'UAE held Pogacar back from Tour stage win to keep the French fans happy' - The Domestique Hotseat
Michael Storer jumps into the Domestique Hotseat with Aidan Burgess after one of the most active and talked-about performances of the 2025 Tour de France.In this episode, Storer opens up about what it’s like to be the guy Julian Alaphilippe rides for, and how he navigated leadership status at Tudor Pro Cycling. He talks about his decision to leave Groupama-FDJ, the difference real support makes, and the role of Fabian Cancellara inside the team - “more ambassador than manager.”There’s also plenty of Tour talk: his view on Tudor’s aggressive race strategy (he didn’t always agree), the moment he realised UAE had ridden all day only to decide not to win, and his information that Pogačar backed off winning stages to avoid upsetting French fans.We also get into some of the quirks of pro cycling, like being asked to race with a Tudor watch on your wrist, and what it’s like sharing breakaways with Quinn Simmons. Spoiler: no beef there - they actually got on well.It’s an honest, sharp and surprisingly funny look inside the mindset of one of the most combative riders in the bunch.
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'Every rider was cooked' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 21
Well, that wasn’t your average Champs-Élysées parade.Wout van Aert rode Pogacar off his wheel—yes, really—to win solo in soaking wet conditions, with Matteo Jorgenson playing the perfect decoy. The sprinters got stitched, the GC was neutralised, and Pog lit it up just because he could. Cyrus and Aidan break down what made this year’s Paris finale actually worth watching.They dig into UAE’s tactics, the team dynamics behind Wout’s win, and why Pogacar’s final attack didn’t land. There’s also plenty of wrap-up talk: who impressed most, what disappointed, who the real Domestique of the Tour was (and wasn’t), and why Simmons, Healy, and Sweeney each left a real mark.Also: where Roglic goes next, under-25 breakout stars, Uno-X praise, and a big thank you to the listeners who joined every day of this wild, wonderful Tour.
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'Netflix pulled out of the Tour. Cofidis should’ve done the same' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 20
Stage 20 was chaos—wet roads, a furious breakaway, and an emotional first Tour de France win for Kaden Groves.Cyrus and Aidan relive the sprint-finish that Groves earned the hard way, battling through a sketchy crash, disloyal team dynamics, and low expectations. They unpack Jegat’s wild ride into the GC top 10, Jayco’s tactical failures, and Mauro Schmid’s heroic comeback after a 70km/h crash. Also up for debate: where’s the line between moto advantage and media necessity? And has this Pogacar doping chat completely jumped the shark?Plenty to unpack on the eve of Stage 21—and yes, they even defend the champagne procession.
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1:13:54
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'For a moment, you thought Roglic might podium. But then...' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 19
Arensman wins solo after UAE spends half the day chasing Roglic. Pogacar looked like he wanted the win… until he didn’t. Vingegaard finally outkicked him. And Roglic? Full tilt, full fade. Cyrus and Aidan dive into how Ineos found form just in time, how Lipowitz quietly locked down the podium, and whether Pogacar’s “let them win” energy is the real deal or just the legs catching up.Also inside: – Sticky bottles, shoulder checks, and why Martinez still has KOM – Whether UAE’s loyalty to Wellens is blinding them tactically – How Red Bull’s GC experiment ended with Roglic off the podium – And a short Tour de France Femmes preview to close it out
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'It’s not that Visma did nothing. It’s that nothing worked' - The Cooldown - Tour de France Stage 18
Ben O’Connor wins solo on the Queen Stage after chaos in the valley, Lipowitz overcooks it, and Pogacar just shrugs off another Vingegaard attack.Aiden and Cyrus dive into:– Why Red Bull-Bora’s “double leader” strategy is failing– What Pogacar's restraint is doing for the race– The sticky bottle that’s making headlines– UAE’s and Visma's team depth– How O’Connor may have just kept his team alive– And the GC podium fight: is Onley about to snatch third?Also featuring: tactical rants, SBS stealing their segment ideas, Aussie time zone survival tips, and a little love for fans toughing it out in the hail.
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