GCN+

7-Eleven: A team that defined American Cycling for a decade. In this film, Alex Stieda reunites with his teammates to tell the story of how an unlikely group of bike racers reinvented North American cycling, and created a legacy which endures today. In the early 1980s, sport in the USA was dominated by the LA Olympics. The company behind the convenience store 7-Eleven wanted in on the action, and funded a bike racing team. This band of brothers won seven gold medals at the LA Games before turning pro and tackling Europe’s biggest races - much to the irritation of established European riders. In 1986, they were invited to the Tour de France where Canadian, Alex Stieda, became the first North American to wear the coveted Yellow Jersey. The 7-Eleven story was unorthodox, pioneering, and full of friendship and camaraderie.

It created one of the most memorable days in grand tour history. Riders such as Andy Hampsten and Franco Chioccioli share their extraordinary experience of a day they'll never forget.

Andy Schleck & Alberto Contador. A pro cycling rivalry that ignited the Tour de France in 2009 and 2010. The fiery Spaniard and the level headed Luxembourger only went toe to toe at the Tour on a few occasions; but their rivalry has gone down in history as one of the most explosive, entertaining, and controversial the sport has ever seen. Dan Lloyd is joined in the studio by Nicolas Roche and William Fotheringham to dig into what made this rivalry so compelling. They’ll re-live epic battles, and debate who is the greatest.

Bordeaux-Paris was the best bike race you’ve never heard of: a midnight start, 550km-long, and ridden behind motorised ‘dernys’, with winners including Jacques Anquetil and Tom Simpson. More than thirty years since Bordeaux-Paris was last raced, pro cyclists Mitch Docker and Sam Bewley are aiming to recreate the infamous 1965 edition. How will they fare at the ‘Derby of the Road’?

Biniam Girmay’s recent successes have shown that African cycling is on the up, ready at last to follow athletics and football into the big time. But why has it taken so long, and what’s needed to take it all the way? Set against the beauty and battles of the Tour du Rwanda, we explore the past, present and future of riders from Eritrea, South Africa, Rwanda and more, meeting Girmay and the rising stars hot on his heels, as well as the people passionate about giving these riders the opportunities they deserve. This is the story of the next great continent in cycling - Africa.

Ex-pro cyclist, Ted King has a lot of love for his home state of Vermont. With its rolling landscapes, rugged gravel roads and its fantastic craft beer scene, he was never unhappy to return home after his time spent in pelotons around the world. As beer and bike enthusiasts, Ted and elite road and CX racer Regina Legge, are taking their gravel bikes down the road less travelled, touring brewery to brewery and learning what puts Vermont’s craft beer ahead of the bunch. As they head north to south, we'll take in some of Vermont's challenging climbs and learn a thing or two about beer along the way.

A mountain so legendary it’s known simply as “The Alpe”, with its unmistakable 21 hairpins it’s cycling’s most famous climb. Not the steepest, or the hardest, but when the Tour de France hits Alpe d’Huez, drama is guaranteed. It’s featured more than thirty times and is eagerly awaited by hordes of fans lining the route. Crowds are estimated to have swelled to over a million and on one of the sport’s most recognisable bends all of Holland seems to camp out; the iconic Dutch Corner. Conor is joined by ex-pro Fränk Schleck who won on the mountain in 2006. His victory cemented his place at cycling’s top table, and Fränk’s name is now immortalised on hairpin eighteen, alongside double stage winner, Hennie Kuiper, who also shares his memories of the mythical mountain.

1969. July the 15th. Stage 17 of the Tour de France. A brutal stage from Luchon to Mourenx covering four of the toughest mountains in the Pyrenees. On this fateful day, Eddy Merckx catapulted himself into the history books with one of the greatest solo breakaways the sport has ever seen. Fast forward over half a century, and GCN’s Simon Richardson is in the Pyrenees to pay tribute to The Cannibal by recreating his ride. To make the 220km epic even more challenging, Si will do it aboard his 1969 spec Faema team bike and wearing their iconic red and white jersey. Eddy Merckx made this ride look easy, but will Si even make it to the finish line?

GCN's James Lowsley-Williams and GMBN's Blake Samson are trading in their usual bikes for ones with much smaller wheels, as they try their hand at two variations of the incredibly varied sport of bicycle motocross. We'll explore the history of BMX to learn about the rise, fall and rebirth of one of cycling's most explosive forms. From racing on the track to landing tricks in skate bowls, what does it take to make it to the top level of BMX?

GCN presenter and ex-professional cyclist Conor Dunne heads to Midwest America to take on the infamous UNBOUND 200. Alongside 100 pro riders and more than 1000 amateurs, this is the biggest gravel race in the world. Across 330 km of unforgiving Kansas landscape, Conor must battle tyre-slashing flint, thick mud, and crippling heat exhaustion in a fight to make it to the finish. Conor is joined by former World Tour road pros Nathan Haas and Larry Warbasse, up-and coming gravel racer Anna Yamauchi, and 2022 Unbound champion Ivar Slik in this up close and personal, no-holds barred look at what it takes to survive this brutal event.

The Rainbow Jersey is the crowning achievement of any cyclist’s career, proof that they are the very best in the world. GCN stats guru Cillian Kelly heads to Belgium in a lighthearted jaunt to chat to ex pros, pros and journalists about how the Rainbow Jersey undoubtedly brings with it greatness, but also the pressure to live up to the win. In 'Legend of the Rainbow Jersey’, Cillian uses his statistical nouse as he crunches the numbers and speaks with a selection of former world champions including Michal Kwiatkowski, Rui Costa, Philippe Gilbert and Johan Museeuw about riders wins and losses after winning this famous jersey. Finally, Cillian watches from the roadside as current world champions Remco Evenepoel and Annemiek van Vleuten take on the Ardennes hills in Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Will they crown their season as world champions by winning in rainbows? Or will the jersey weigh heavy on their shoulders?

In the last few years bike technology has gone to the next level. Carbon engineering and massive leaps forward in aerodynamic understanding in particular have created a new class of bike that was unknown 10 or 20 years ago. This is the new realm of superbikes - prestige models ridden in the Tour de France - that sit at the apex of the bike market and offer a different level of riding performance and enjoyment… Or do they? Dan Lloyd & Si Richardson want to find out just how far removed a Tour de France winning superbike, the Pinarello F12, is from a much more humble Decathlon Triban RC120 - which cost less than the superbike’s electronic derailleur.

Ex-pro cyclist Simon Richardson is on a quest to find out how performance has changed over the decades by comparing a modern racing machine with a classic bike of yesteryear. Simon will be recreating Eddy Merckx’s legendary 1969 Faema Team bike from scratch, travelling the country to source new-old stock which has laid dormant for years. This includes a period correct bike fit from Terry Dolan, and input from retro legends; Sid Barras and Philippa York, to discuss how the bikes they raced on compare against today's carbon beasts. But how will a retro 60s replica really compare when pitted against a modern carbon road bike?

Ultra endurance athlete Mark Beaumont and former pro road cyclist James Lowsley-Williams attempt to break the world record attempt to ride from Lands End to John O’Groats however this time they’ll swap their regular bikes for something a little bit different: a tandem! The duo will ride the length of the Britain non stop in an attempt to take home the coveted male tandem record. But having only been broken twice since the Sixties, will this be one challenge too far?

On the 19th of July 1903 60 cyclists left Paris for the maiden stage of the very first Tour de France, racing 467km through the night to the line in Lyon. 116 years later, two modern-day riders attempted to recreate the feat of endurance using bikes and equipment from the early 20th century to fully experience the highs and lows of the early Tour pioneers. Endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont and GCN presenter James Lowsley-Williams are pushed to the limits of their physical and mental ability, struggling with the midsummer heat, bikes borrowed from museums and a lack of sleep. How did they compare to the Tour’s first heroes?

Simon Richardson and James Lowsley-Williams head to the Himalayas on a quest to discover Nepal’s mysterious ‘Forbidden Kingdom’, the remote mountaintop city of Lo Manthang. Breath-taking views, lung-busting climbs, and incredible encounters with locals; Si and James are in for an unmissable gravel bike adventure! Their once-in-a-lifetime expedition begins in the chaotic streets of Kathmandu before embarking on a gruelling five-day ride up the ancient trade route that forges a path between Nepal and Tibet. Their epic ride sees them dicing with kamikaze trucks, enduring freezing rainstorms, taking a 228m bungee jump, and even a heroic attempt to beat a Himalayan KOM.

This film tells the inspirational story of British Transplant Cyclist Ottilie Quince. In 2006, this talented amateur football player had her life turned on its head when her kidney shut down, ending her sporting career. After a successful kidney transplant from her Mother, Ottilie discovered cycling, and found a new and exciting focus which allowed her natural talent to shine. She went on to win the British Transplant Games in 2010 and, a year later, a gold medal for Team GB at the World Transplant Games. In this film, Ottilie takes us on her favourite ride across her home in the island of Mallorca, and talks about her inspirational journey. We meet Ottilie’s parents, and her Team GB coach who all reveal her superhuman determination that has brought her 11 World, 6 European, and 18 British transplant cycling titles.

More known for his cornering and descending skills, pro crit racer Alec Briggs is on a journey to learn the art and craft of climbing. To find out how to master this underrated skill he’ll take key lessons from some of the best climbers in the business; World Tour stars past and present Dan Martin and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and three time British Hill Climbing Champion Andrew Feather. Through their help, can speed merchant Alec transform his technique and learn to love riding uphill? In the climbers paradise of Andorra he meets climbing specialist and winner of stages in all three Grand Tours, Dan Martin, to learn the secret to choosing the perfect line. Over the Spanish border in Girona, the climbing playground of the pros, Alec joins up with UCI women’s rider Ashleigh Moolman Pasio for a crash course in pacing. Back in the UK, holder of more KOMs than anyone in the world, Andrew Feather shows Alec how to master the art of climbing out of the saddle.

Chris Boardman, distinguished Olympian and road racer, embarks on a tour of Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire to discover how, in the last 20 years, this area has become a hub for UK cycling. Along the way he meets up with former Paralympic and World Champion Sarah Storey, track and road legend Rob Hayles and retired UCI president Brian Cookson. But the North West has more to it than just a velodrome. From humble cafe stops, legendary frame builders, Iconic bikes and Gold medal winners of the past and, hopefully the future. It's not just coincidence that has turned the north west into a cycling heartland.

How does your diet improve your cycling performance? Michelin starred chef Alan Murchison has over 25 years experience working in some of the world's best restaurants. He also happens to be a seriously talented time-trialist, triathlete, and world champion duathlete! After stepping away from the restaurant trade in 2013, Alan now combines his experience as a top flight chef with his passion for elite sport to help cyclists of all abilities fuel their ambitions with food that tastes amazing. In an attempt to cut through the jargon, Alan takes us behind the scenes of one of the most dominant teams in the women's peloton, Canyon/Sram, & puts three amateur riders through an 8 week nutrition plan. Can he prove that you can get more out of your bodies if you simply improve what you put into them?