Emma Pooley on competitiveness, privilege and roast potatoes
Matt Stephens chats to Emma Pooley about her incredibly varied career, which spans from professional cycling through long distance running and triathlon, to a victory on University Challenge and some Geotech Engineering thrown in for good measure. The very definition of a multi-disciplinary champion, Emma talks candidly about her struggle to retire from pro sports and how her love for the mountains is undying. The former UCI Individual Time Trial world champion and Olympic Silver medalist shares the origin story of her competitive nature, which to Matt’s surprise, involves roast potatoes.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
1:11:54
--------
1:11:54
Amy Hudson on World Mental Health Day 2025
Matt Stephens chats to Amy Hudson, known as amy.cycling.adventures on social media channels, about her struggles with mental health and the role cycling has had in her recovery. While working as a Mental Health Nurse for the NHS, Amy began suffering with anxiety and eating disorders, with thoughts of suicide. Her husband bought her a road bike, and it slowly changed her life. Now, with the goal of raising funds for mental health charities, she has completed the entire men’s Tour de France route as well as the transfers, and is setting her sights on a huge challenge in 2026.
www.sigmasports.com
Amy’s Fundraising page for Shout and The Mix Mental Health charities - https://www.justgiving.com/page/a-c-a
Read more about this episode on the Sigma Sports Blog:
https://www.sigmasports.com/hub/stories/world-mental-health-day-matt-stephens-in-conversation-with-amy-hudson
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/unplugged
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
1:09:21
--------
1:09:21
Filippo Conca on how winning the Maglia Tricolore changed his life.
Filippo Conca races in the Maglia Tricolore with UCI WorldTeam Jayco–AlUla - but just three months ago, that seemed like a distant dream. Out of contract at the end of 2024, he found salvation in SWATT club, an Italian amateur team known for offering cyclists a fresh start with a mix of road and gravel racing. In this podcast, Filippo explains how it feels to win an Italian national road race championship as what he calls ‘a normal rider’, how his engine was suited to gravel racing, what he has planned for the end of this season and his goals in 2026. His is a story of resilience, redemption, and victory - it’s a bit like a movie.
www.sigmasports.com
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/unplugged
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
1:02:13
--------
1:02:13
Vuelta a España Rest Day Reflections 2025 - 3 Vingegaard looks good in red (Stages 16 - 21)
With his unique mix of mayhem, tangents and honest analysis, Matt Stephens looks back on the final week of the 2025 Vuelta Ciclista a España drawing this season’s Rest Day Reflections mini series to a close. There was redemption for Egan Bernal, Pidcock on the Podium, a birthday Kuss, and of course the great Dane dominating the race with Vingegaard looking good in red on the top step. But this is a Matt Stephens podcast, so you can expect clips from inside a revolving door, an origin story about his fondness for waterfowl, and an honest admission from Adam Blythe on his struggles with resisting off-air Monster Munch.
www.sigmasports.com
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/unplugged
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
49:51
--------
49:51
Vuelta a España Rest Day Reflections 2025 - 2 Ayuso’s contract, Chennaoui’s theme song, Pedersen’s anatomy (Stages 10 - 15)
From Juan Ayuso’s contract to Mads Pedersen’s anatomy, Matt Stephens leaves no stone unturned in his analysis of stages 10 to 15 of the 2025 Vuelta Ciclista a España. With the race in the balance, this informal look back at the previous week of racing is the perfect rest day listening. Expect the usual from Matt however, as he gets distracted by Orla Chennaoui’s theme song, carp (again), and an eerily silent room!
www.sigmasports.com
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/unplugged
Make a donation & join Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de Four movement here➼ www.tourde4.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
About Sigma Sports presents Matt Stephens Unplugged
Sigma Sports is proud to present Matt Stephens Unplugged, a regular catch-up with cycling’s favourite character, Matt Stephens, as he chats with special guests and explores the bowels of his own fruity mind. With lots of surprises along the way, the route-map has been torn up; so who knows what direction we’re going in, or where we’ll end up!
www.sigmasports.com/podcast
Listen to Sigma Sports presents Matt Stephens Unplugged, Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
South Africa