The Domestiques

Black Sheep

Presented by Australia’s premier cycling apparel brand, Black Sheep. The Domestiques delivers up rolling commentary and behind-the-peloton coverage from the world of cycling. Hosted by Matilda Reynolds, Lee "Hollywood" Turner, and Mark O'Brien.

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20 episodes
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Avg 49 min
English

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Yesterday · 34 min
The 2027 Giro turns up the heat
From a double Mortirolo to the Zoncolan, the 2027 Giro is giving the hosts plenty to argue about. Matilda Raynolds, Mark O’Brien and Lee ‘Hollywood’ Turner unpack the men’s and women’s routes and ask whether harder courses always make better racing. Closer to home, the trio compare Tour of Bright preparations, discuss recovery and the limits of an AI coach you can talk into agreeing with you, and look ahead to Peaks Challenge and the Great Vic. Plus the European cyclocross controversy, virtual riding and the transfer questions keeping the off-season interesting.
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October 26 · 43 min
2027 Tour de France routes leave questions
Can the 2027 Tour routes deliver the racing we want? Tils, Marko and Lee debate the men's time-trial-heavy course and the women's British opening, London team time trial and Puy de Dôme finale. Closer to home, Marko takes us inside his Gravelista race, Lee celebrates surviving the Hell Ride, and the crew compare their very different preparations for Tour of Bright. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling.
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October 19 · 25 min
Local Racing, Summer Plans, and Around the Bay
Matilda takes a well-earned breather, leaving Mark O'Brien and Lee with the keys to the zoo. Lee recounts Around the Bay and a puncture saga, while Mark tells the story of Harry Leask putting the bunch under pressure at Glenvale. The pair look ahead to the Tour of Bright and Gravelista, debate why big participation rides don't always translate into race entries, and weigh up Mark's next World Championships adventure. There's also a wrap of the international season and a little speculation about who might turn up for the Australian summer.
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October 12 · 44 min
Gravel Worlds: Marko’s Shot, the Crash and the Comeback.
Fresh from the Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Marko O'Brien joins Tils to unpack the race from inside the front group: relentless climbs, huge efforts, a crash into the bush and the long fight to the finish. Tils brings the view from the commentary box as they discuss Marianne Vos's victory, Tiffany Cromwell's attacking ride and Magnus Bak Klaris's surprise men's title. Hollywood Lee Turner arrives late with his own version of events, before the conversation turns to Paul Seixas at Il Lombardia, a big weekend of endurance sport and the latest Australian cycling news. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling.
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October 5 · 48 min
Where Gravel Worlds Will Be Won and Lost
Powered by Black Sheep. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off. Gravel Worlds is coming to Nannup, and Tasman Nankervis joins Matilda Reynolds and Mark O'Brien to break down the course from a racer's perspective. From the fight onto the first gravel sector to Brockman's climb, slippery descents and the punishing final loop, the crew explain where the race could be won, and where it could unravel. Tasman shares the lost-bike adventure behind his SEVEN victory and his return from a kangaroo crash. Marko talks taper nerves, tyre choices and taking on the world's best, while Tils reports from Western Australia. Plus, the contenders, trade teams versus national teams, practical race-week advice and a quick European road championships debrief.
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September 28 · 47 min
Montreal Delivers: Two World Champions and One Big Apology
Brandon McNulty lands the rainbow jersey, Demi Vollering wins a thriller and Michael “Bling” Matthews makes Hollywood eat his words. Matilda Reynolds, Mark O’Brien and Lee “Hollywood” Turner unpack a gripping Road Worlds in Montréal: the USA’s teamwork, the chase that stalled, the women’s tactical battle and the questions that remain over Australia’s team selection. Plus, the next generation makes its mark, race radios divide opinion, and Marko reveals how his Gravel Worlds preparation is tracking ahead of Nannup. Tils shares a moving roadside encounter with a listener, and the team looks ahead to Black Sheep’s tenth-anniversary Man Ride. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep Cycling.
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September 14 · 37 min
Australia’s Worlds Team: The Picks, the Omissions and the Questions
Australia’s Worlds team has given The Domestiques plenty to debate. Matilda Reynolds, Mark O’Brien and Lee Turner unpack the selections, question the omissions of Luke Plapp and Ruby Roseman-Gannon, and look at the opportunities for Australia’s younger riders. Then it’s time to pick the rainbow jerseys. The crew weigh up the women’s favourites, debate the tactics that could decide the men’s race in Montréal and make their podium predictions. Plus, a Vuelta debrief, Marko’s Gravel Worlds training, Lee’s Around the Bay preparation and a salute to everyone who rode Amy’s Gran Fondo. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep Cycling.
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September 9 · 47 min
Preparing for Gravel Worlds
What does it take to get ready for Gravel Worlds? Mark O’Brien takes Matilda Reynolds inside his preparation: long climbing days, repeated efforts, technical descents and the challenge of fuelling when the course barely gives you a break. They compare indoor training with riding outdoors, discuss the value of changing your training stimulus, and debate what AI can offer a training plan—and where a human coach still matters. Plus, their take on the Vuelta, racing in the heat, professional cycling’s reliance on sponsors and why cycling’s coaches receive so little public scrutiny. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep Cycling.
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August 31 · 46 min
Connor Wright’s Breakthrough and the Vuelta Turns Upside Down
Lee “Hollywood” Turner is back from five weeks in Europe, and instantly back in the thick of it with Matilda Reynolds and Mark O’Brien. The crew unpack Connor Wright’s junior XCO rainbow jersey, the elite mountain-bike showdown, Australian success at the Gran Fondo World Championships in Niseko, and a Vuelta already turned upside down. Plus: the transfer market, Jayco’s next move, Tour Bright challenges, Chamonix crop tops, Hollywood’s ten-kilo shred and a dating app for cyclists built around Strava.
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August 24 · 54 min
Pogačar, the Next Gen and Australia's WorldTour Future
From Tadej Pogačar taking red in Monaco to Matthew Brennan winning his first Grand Tour sprint, La Vuelta has started at full speed. Matilda Reynolds and Mark O’Brien unpack the opening stages, the next generation of Australian talent, what Team Jayco AlUla needs to do next, and the best fit for Sarah Gigante if a move eventuates. They also reflect on Julian Alaphilippe’s retirement, Gravel Worlds preparation, indoor training and the local events worth supporting this spring. Powered by Black Sheep. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep Cycling.
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August 17 · 1 hr 4 min
Inside the Tour Team Car with EF’s Tom Southam
The episode opens with a difficult but important conversation about rider safety and the loss of Finlay Tarling at the Volta a Portugal. EF Education-EasyPost sports director Tom Southam then joins Matilda Reynolds and Mark O’Brien for a look inside the Tour de France team car: how breakaways are planned, tactics change on the road, riders manage extreme heat and fueling, and the enormous staff effort behind a Grand Tour. Tom also reflects on his journey from racing in Australia to directing at WorldTour level, before looking ahead to EF’s Vuelta ambitions. Backed by Black Sheep Cycling.
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August 14 · 1 hr 26 min
The Best and Worst of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes
Tils and Marko are joined by Sarah Gigante for the final Tour de France Femmes debrief. They unpack Demi Vollering’s overall victory, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney’s challenge, the teams that raced boldly, those that missed their moment, and the domestiques who shaped the race. Plus: breakaway tactics, heat preparation, Sarah’s road back and what the 2026 Tour revealed about women’s cycling. The Domestiques is proudly supported by Black Sheep Cycling and JOIN Cycling.
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August 9 · 52 min
Stage 9: Demi Vollering Seals Yellow in Nice
Demi Vollering finishes the job in Nice, winning the brutal 99.2 km Stage 9 and sealing the 2026 Tour de France Femmes. Matilda “Tils” Reynolds and Verita Stewart are joined by Sarah Gigante to unpack the final GC battle with Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, revisit the Stage 8 controversy involving Celia Gery, and explain how the course, team tactics and Vollering's all-round strength decided the race. Tils also reports from the road after riding the Nice circuit before the team reflects on nine extraordinary stages and the riders who shaped the Tour. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling and JOIN Cycling. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep Cycling. Train smarter with JOIN: https://join.cc/domestiques
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August 8 · 48 min
Stage 8: Vollering Strikes, Kasia Fires Back
Stage 8 has blown the Tour wide open. Demi Vollering delivers a decisive victory and takes yellow by just eight seconds—then joins us for an immediate post-race interview. Verita, Sarah and Tils unpack the move that changed the race, Kasia’s fiery post-race comments and what that tiny GC margin means before the final showdown in Nice. Note: Apologies - Matilda's video cut out halfway through.
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August 7 · 1 hr 2 min
Stage 7: A New Queen on Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux delivered the queen-stage showdown the Tour had been building towards. Matilda Reynolds and Sarah Gigante unpack Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney’s decisive Stage 7 attack, the headwind and GC tactics that shaped the final climb, and what her victory and yellow jersey mean heading into the Nice finale. Plus, roadside colour from Verita Stewart, a Stage 8 preview, and two bonus interviews: Zwift women’s strategy director Kate Veronneau on the growth of the Tour de France Femmes, followed by former professional and rider agent Loren Rowney on talent development, team budgets and the future of women’s cycling. Powered by Black Sheep Cycling and JOIN Cycling. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep Cycling. Train smarter with JOIN: https://join.cc/domestiques
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August 6 · 41 min
Stage 6: Chaos, Comebacks and a Stunning Sprint
Kim Le Court refuses to let her Tour de France Femmes slip away, producing an extraordinary comeback to win Stage 6 after a day where almost everything seemed to go against her. After being dropped, suffering a mechanical, burning matches to return to the peloton and then bridging across to the decisive break with Riejanne Markus, Le Court still had enough left to attack, chase again and somehow find one final gear in the sprint to beat Puck Pieterse and Cédrine Kerbaol. Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante break down the countless sliding-door moments that made the victory possible, AG Insurance’s complete commitment to Le Court, the sprint decisions that shaped the finish and Elisa Longo Borghini’s puzzling tactics from the break. Then attention turns to the Queen Stage and the Tour de France Femmes debut of Mont Ventoux. With Marlen Reusser holding just 12 seconds over Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma lurking, brutal heat and crosswinds in the forecast, the race is perfectly poised for the Giant of Provence. Plus, Verita reports back after conquering L’Étape du Tour de France Femmes, riding much of the same course the professionals will face on Ventoux. The Domestiques Daily Tour de France Femmes is powered by Black Sheep and Join Cycling. Build your personalised cycling or running plan free for 30 days at join.cc/domestiques. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep.
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August 5 · 47 min
Stage 5: The Stage That Shattered the GC
The Tour de France Femmes delivers a pure spring classic, with eight categorised climbs, relentless attacking and a brutal battle that tears the general classification apart. Demi Vollering finishes off a complete FDJ team performance to win the stage, while Marlen Reusser remains ice-cold under pressure and retains the yellow jersey by just 12 seconds. Kasia Niewiadoma reminds everyone why she can never be overlooked, taking third and moving onto the provisional podium. Behind them, the damage is enormous. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Anna van der Breggen, Kim Le Court and Elisa Longo Borghini all lose ground as the race becomes a zombie march toward the finish. Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante unpack FDJ’s tactics, the decisive breakaway and the descending skills that separated the best riders in the race. The team also examines the shifting UAE leadership battle, Antonia Niedermaier and Isabella Holmgren’s fight for white, the strange disappearance of neutral service bottles in extreme heat, and whether the GC contenders can recover before Mont Ventoux. Plus, Sarah explains exactly what she wants to hear through the radio during a time trial, and why too much encouragement can sometimes make things worse. The Domestiques Daily Tour de France Femmes is powered by Black Sheep and Join Cycling. Build your personalised cycling or running plan free for 30 days at join.cc/domestiques. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep.
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August 4 · 48 min
Stage 4: A Time Trial That Changed Everything
The Domestiques is brought to you by Black Sheep and JOIN Cycling. Shop Black Sheep and use the code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off. Shop now at blacksheep.cc Marlen Reusser delivers a masterclass against the clock, winning the stage four time trial in Dijon and taking control of the yellow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Sarah Gigante, Matilda Reynolds and Verita Stewart break down Reusser’s extraordinary comeback story, Demi Vollering’s ominously strong ride and the damage suffered by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and several other GC contenders. The team also examines Kasia Niewiadoma’s improving time trial, Elisa Longo Borghini’s costly mechanical, the growing leadership battle inside UAE Team ADQ and why the Tour remains wide open ahead of a brutal, classics-style stage five. Can Reusser defend yellow through the mountains? Will Vollering strike before Mont Ventoux? And could Puck Pieterse, Kim Le Court or Trek turn the next stage into an all-out raid? Explore personalised training with JOIN Cycling at join.cc/domestiques.
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August 3 · 54 min
Stage 3: The Breakaway Nobody Saw Coming
Sigrid Haugset delivers the ride of her life, completing an extraordinary 89-kilometre breakaway to win Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes and claim the yellow jersey for Uno-X. Tils, Verita and Sarah Gigante unpack how the peloton allowed the race to escape, why the GC favourites could not bring her back, and the mental resilience required to keep fighting with Lotte Kopecky closing fast behind. The team also takes aim at the limited television coverage that meant fans missed the opening kilometres and much of the day’s decisive racing. Sarah explains how the lack of live pictures can change the incentives for riders and smaller teams trying to deliver sponsor exposure. Elsewhere, the Free Blasi movement continues to grow, the UCI turns its attention to alleged “bra maxing” in time trials, and all eyes turn toward the pivotal Stage 4 individual time trial. Who has done the specific work, who could lose serious time, and can Marlen Reusser take control of the race? The Domestiques Daily Tour de France Femmes is powered by Black Sheep and Join Cycling. Build your personalised cycling or running plan free for 30 days at join.cc/domestiques. Use code DOMESTIQUES for 20% off Black Sheep.
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August 2 · 43 min
Stage 2: The Peloton Played a Dangerous Game
What looked like the most straightforward sprint stage of the Tour de France Femmes nearly became anything but. Matilda Reynolds is joined by Sarah Gigante and Verita Stewart to unpack a daring late attack that forced SD Worx-Protime to empty the tank, the peloton’s attempts to call their bluff and another masterclass in positioning, patience and raw speed. The team also examines the growing pressure inside UAE Team ADQ following Brodie Chapman’s withdrawal, the riders changing their entire approach to avoid going head-to-head with the fastest sprinters, and why the smaller teams must seize every opportunity for exposure. Plus, Sarah continues to dominate the Black Sheep fantasy competition, the team previews a brutal and unpredictable Stage 3, and they discuss the possibility of early attacks, crosswinds and a breakaway finally making it to the line. The Domestiques is powered by Black Sheep and supported by JOIN Cycling. Access more than 800 adaptive workouts and training plans at join.cc/domestiques.
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