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'Oscar Onley shouldn’t have gone to Ineos’: Brian Smith on Britain’s Tour de France TV paywall (and why it’s a shame), calendar congestion, and how pro teams “use and abuse” riders
The road.cc Podcast
The road.cc Podcast
'Oscar Onley shouldn’t have gone to Ineos’: Brian Smith on Britain’s Tour de France TV paywall (and why it’s a shame), calendar congestion, and how pro teams “use and abuse” riders
Jan 30, 2026
road.cc
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by one of the most recognisable voices in cycling: former two-time British champion and TNT Sports pundit Brian Smith.
Brian chats about the struggles involved in promoting smaller races from outside cycling’s heartlands, while battling for position in a congested calendar.
We also discuss the biggest bike race of them all, the Tour de France, and its visit to the UK (and Scotland) next summer, Oscar Onley’s move to Ineos (and why it might be a mistake), why Brian believes pro cycling teams “use and abuse” their riders, and why it’s a “shame” the Tour has gone behind a televisual paywall… even if Brian’s the one commentating behind it.
