QueenStage Women's Cycling Podcast
Hosted by QueenStage Women's Cycling
A panel of veteran cycling journalists delivers sharp race analysis and critical commentary on the world of professional women's cycling.
This is a panel podcast where expert hosts function as both analysts and advocates. Episodes alternate between long-form interviews with top-tier athletes and insiders, and roundtable recaps of major women's races. A signature element is their critical commentary, or 'rants,' on systemic issues within the sport, such as subpar media coverage and superficial attempts at equality, which they've termed 'equity cosplay.'
“QueenStage stands out due to its collective of established female journalists who are deeply embedded in the sport. Unlike neutral race commentary, they blend analysis with pointed advocacy, unafraid to call out race organizers or media outlets for failing the women's peloton.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by a supergroup of four respected cycling journalists—Anne-Marije Rook, Betsy Welch, Molly Hurford, and Rosael Torres-Davis—QueenStage offers smart, personality-driven insights into women's pro cycling. The show combines deep-dive athlete interviews with fiery roundtable recaps of the sport's biggest races, consistently advocating for better media coverage and equity in the sport. The name refers to the most challenging stage of a race, a metaphor for their venture to give women's cycling the coverage it deserves.
Credentials & credits
- Anne-Marije Rook: North American Editor at Cycling Weekly.
- Betsy Welch: Veteran cycling journalist, senior editor at Velo, and registered nurse.
- Molly Hurford: Cycling journalist for publications like Bicycling Magazine, author of several cycling books, and podcaster.
- Rosael Torres-Davis: Racing News Editor at Bicycling Magazine and contributor to Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews.
- Shawn Small: Creator/Producer, founder of Ruckus Composites with a degree in mechanical engineering.
Other ventures
- Molly Hurford: The Consummate Athlete podcast, Strong Girl Publishing, Shred Girls book series.
- Anne-Marije Rook: Cycling Weekly (North American Editor).
- Betsy Welch: Velo (Senior Editor).
- Rosael Torres-Davis: Bicycling Magazine (Racing News Editor).
- Shawn Small: Ruckus Composites (Founder and Chief Engineer).
When new episodes drop
- 01The Toughest Rival: Yourself, with Olympic Champion Grace BrownJun 25, 2026 · 50 min
- 02The Toughest Rival: Yourself, with Olympic Champion Grace BrownJun 25, 2026 · 50 min
- 03
- 04
- 05Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige StuartJun 10, 2026 · 58 min
- 06Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige StuartJun 10, 2026 · 58 min
- 07“When you don’t have legs, you race with heart.”: Giro Stages 6-9 RecapJun 7, 2026 · 1h 07m
- 08“When you don’t have legs, you race with heart.”: Giro Stages 6-9 RecapJun 7, 2026 · 1h 07m
Notable episodes
- 01The Toughest Rival: Yourself, with Olympic Champion Grace Brown
A deep-dive interview with a reigning Olympic and World Champion about her decision to retire at her absolute peak, focusing on the mental battle against oneself.
- 02Tour de Suisse Women Recap...
Exemplifies the show's critical voice, featuring a signature 'rant' about media coverage and coining the term 'equity cosplay' to critique race organization.
- 03Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige Stuart
Showcases the hosts' on-the-ground presence and influence, bringing together key industry figures for a live discussion on the state of women's gravel cycling.
What you'll be asked on this show
Interviews are conversational, multi-host discussions rather than rigid Q&As. The hosts often frame an episode around a central theme, like 'internal rivalry,' and use it as a lens to explore a guest's career and mindset. They typically open with a broad, personal question about a pivotal career moment (like retirement) before drilling down into specifics about craft, process, and mentality. Questions are passed between the hosts, who build on each other's inquiries to create a rich, flowing narrative.
The show operates in two main formats: multi-host interviews and roundtable race recaps, often with a guest host. The tone is conversational, informed, and frequently fiery, especially during opening 'rants' about issues in the sport. The hosts' deep familiarity with each other and the subject matter creates a dynamic, fast-paced discussion.
Questions QueenStage Women's Cycling keeps coming back to
8 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when QueenStage Women's Cycling reaches for it.
personal
1- Q.01
“How did you know it was time to retire, especially after such a successful year?”
This is a go-to opening for retired champions, used to explore the complex decision-making at a career peak.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Who was your biggest rival: another rider, the clock, or yourself?”
This question is used to introduce and explore an episode's central theme, often focusing on the mental aspect of competition.
future
1- Q.01
“What does rivalry look like for you now that you're retired?”
A follow-up that probes how an elite athlete's competitive drive evolves after their professional career ends.
craft
2- Q.01
“Can you briefly explain what [a specific cycling discipline] is and what makes it unique?”
Asked to provide foundational context for the audience before a deeper, more technical discussion.
- Q.02
“Do you have a mantra or anything you tell yourself during a race?”
Elicits the specific, in-the-moment mental strategies that elite athletes use during competition.
origin
1- Q.01
“What drew you to the discipline of [e.g., time trialing]?”
This question seeks the guest's origin story and initial connection with their area of expertise.
process
2- Q.01
“How do you get into race mode, especially on days you're not feeling your best?”
Probes the mental preparation techniques and resilience required to perform under pressure.
- Q.02
“Did you meditate or do anything specific to become so mentally strong?”
Inquires about specific, off-the-bike training methods for developing mental fortitude.
Signature segments
- · Opening 'rants' about frustrations with race coverage or organization.
- · The introductory phrase: "Welcome to Queen Stage, where we are all in on the women's race."
- · Live episodes recorded on-site at major events like UNBOUND Gravel.
- · The term 'equity cosplay' to critique superficial equality efforts.
- · Multi-host introductions where each journalist states their name and location.
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically current or recently retired elite professional cyclists, such as Olympic champion Grace Brown, or industry insiders like fellow media members and brand managers who can offer a behind-the-scenes perspective on the sport.
- Grace Brownon The Toughest Rival: Yourself, with Olympic Champion Grace Brown
- Shawn Smallon Tour de Suisse Women Recap, Lael Wilcox's Race Against the Heat, and a Surprise at US Road Nationals
- Ludi Scholzon Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige Stuart
- Peta Mullenson Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige Stuart
- Melisa Rollinson Live at UNBOUND Gravel: Ludi Scholz, Peta Mullens, Melisa Rollins, and Paige Stuart
- Aidan Burgesson “When you don’t have legs, you race with heart.”: Giro Stages 6-9 Recap
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is sponsored by major cycling-native brands like Rapha, Zwift, SRAM, and Liv Cycling. These sponsors are seamlessly integrated, often presenting specific episodes or segments, indicating an audience of highly engaged, enthusiast cyclists.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch QueenStage Women's Cycling
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of QueenStage?
- The podcast is hosted by four veteran cycling journalists: Anne-Marije Rook (Cycling Weekly), Betsy Welch (Velo), Molly Hurford (Bicycling Magazine, author), and Rosael Torres-Davis (Bicycling Magazine).
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a panel discussion show that alternates between long-form interviews with athletes and insiders, and roundtable recaps of major women's cycling races.
- What makes this podcast different from other cycling shows?
- It focuses exclusively on women's cycling and combines expert race analysis with sharp, critical advocacy for the sport, often calling out systemic issues like poor media coverage.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, based on the recent episode dates from June 2026, the podcast is actively releasing new content.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and its official website, queenstage.cc, and likely on all major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]QueenStage Official Websitequeenstage.cc
- [02]Introducing the QueenStage Women's Cycling Podcast - Endurance Sportswireendurancesportswire.com
- [03]Anne-Marije Rook's Profile | Cycling Weeklycyclingweekly.com
- [04]Betsy Welch's Profile | Velovelo.outsideonline.com
- [05]Molly Hurford's Profile | Bicycling Magazinebicycling.com
- [06]Rosael Torres-Davis's Profile | Bicycling Magazinebicycling.com
- [07]Molly Hurford Personal Websitemollyhurford.com
- [08]Shawn Small / Ruckus Compositesruckuscomp.com
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