Orla Chennaoui didn’t just rise through the ranks of sports media — she cut her own path. From reading traffic reports and covering sports for Sky News to anchoring coverage of cycling’s biggest races, she’s now the voice of cycling on TNT Sports and a defining presence in the sport.

While TNT Sports airs in the UK and Ireland, cycling fans in the United States who subscribe to MAX (formerly HBO) can watch her pre- and post-race coverage of some of cycling’s biggest races.

Today, Chennaoui is more than a journalist — she’s a global brand.

She frequently engages with her audience on social media — she has more than 125,000 followers alone on Instagram — where she chronicles her life as mother, journalist, and health, fitness, and wellness advocate. She’s an advocate for people, especially women, battling depression, anxiety, and addiction.

Our conversation focuses on her career in journalism, why she loves covering cycling, and her predictions for who will win the 2025 Tour de France.

You can follow Chennaoui on Instagram | YouTube | Ten Times Braver.

The New York Times shuttered its sports section in 2023 and it had stopped covering professional cycling and the Tour de France years earlier.

That did not mean the Times would stop covering sports. In 2022, it had purchased The Athletic for $550 million. Now, if you subscribe to the Times, you can read The Athletic.

Cycling fans are lucky to have an enterprising young journalist, Jacob Whitehead, who normally covers football—or what Americans call soccer.

Fortunately, he’s expanded his beat to include cycling.

Whitehead’s first story examined how Remco Evenopeol would be starting for Belgium's national soccer team if he had not started racing a bike.

Last summer, Whitehead gave voice to Muriel Furrer, who was killed following a crash at the Women’s Junior Road Race World Championships in Zurich. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that nobody—neither her team nor race officials—knew where she was for 90 minutes. Hopefully, in time, his story will lead to improvements in rider safety.

Whitehead and I talk about his path to The Athletic, his love of sports, and predictions about who will win the Tour de France.

You can connect with Jacob on BlueSky and X.

“Go F— Yourself.”

That’s the last thing Lance Armstrong ever said to investigative journalist and author Reed Albergotti.

Albergotti, a longtime investigative reporter, spent several years uncovering the vast doping conspiracy in professional cycling. Wheelmen is one of the best books about cycling – and sport – ever written. It’s not just about cycling, but about business, the law, and ethics.

Albergotti and I talk about the process of reporting out stories, writing the book, and what the doping scandals have meant for cycling, especially in the United States.

Follow Reed on X or go to his website and Semafor to learn more about his work.

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RIDING WITH is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

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How would we experience the tour without the perfect shot? Jerome Delay, the chief photographer in Africa for the Associated Press, joins Jonathan Kaplan to discuss the art and logistics of photographing the Tour de France. From the gear he relies on to the meticulous process of filing photos, Jerome shares a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his world.

Hear about Jerome’s journey into cycling and how it intertwines with his photography career, the bikes he rides, and the role cycling plays in maintaining his health and creativity.

This is an insider's perspective you don't want to miss. Be sure to view his stunning Tour de France photos on the Associated Press website.

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From NBC’s international broadcasting studio in Stamford, Conn., Paul Burmeister leads the pre- and post-race coverage of the 111th Tour de France for the eighth consecutive year. Joining him this year are former American professional cyclists Brent Bookwalter and Teejay VanGarderen.

Paul Burmeister, accustomed to the spotlight from his days as quarterback for the University of Iowa and later as a free agent for the Minnesota Vikings, now shines in the broadcast booth at NBC Sports. With over three decades in sports broadcasting, from the NFL Network to NBC Sports, Burmeister brings a seasoned perspective to the Tour.

Following the Tour de France, Burmeister heads to Paris for play-by-play coverage of rowing and flatwater canoeing before returning to the U.S. for pre-season NFL games. In this episode, we discuss the intricacies of Tour de France play-by-play, mentoring rookie analysts, wardrobe choices, advice for aspiring TV professionals, and much more.

Whether you’re a Tour fan or curious about television, don’t miss this conversation with Paul Burmeister.

NBC Sports will broadcast the 2024 Tour de France in the U.S., streaming all stages on Peacock and fuboTV, with select stages (8, 14, and 20) airing on NBC. Note: This discussion occurred in early June before final Tour de France team rosters were selected.

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The 111th Tour de France begins this Saturday in northern Italy. It will end three weeks later in Nice, France.

To preview the race, I’m joined by Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal. He and Jason Gay, his colleague at the Wall Street Journal, are the last two journalists at a major American newspaper who cover professional cycling.

Joshua and I talk about his background and how he got into journalism, what he’s looking to write about at this year’s Tour, and we talk a bit about Netflix’s second season of “Unchained”—what works and what doesn’t.

I’m also joined by Mark Malloch-Brown, former diplomat and strategist, to discuss the political backdrop of the Tour de France. This July, sport and politics collide in France because there will be parliamentary elections on June 30 and July 7.

Here at the RIDING WITH newsletter and podcast we are exploring stories about how professional cycling explains the world.

Please subscribe to the newsletter at RIDINGWITHKAPLAN.SUBSTACK.COM

Thanks for listening and see you on the roads.

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Louis Hatchwell joins host Jonathan Kaplan to discuss a range of topics related to cycling and Hatchwell’s ability to tell punchy stories on the screen.

It’s a fun conversation that pulls back the curtain on what it takes to become a creator and shows how hard Hatchwell works on and off the bike. Telling stories is hard work, no matter the medium.

If you haven’t already please make sure to follow Louis Hatchwell on Instagram and TikTok.

This episode is brought to you by RedWhite Apparel.

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Welcome to Riding With, hosted by Jonathan Kaplan.

This podcast uses cycling to tell stories about the world around us and the human condition.

Whether it's a professional cyclist, a gifted journalist, or a dedicated fan, each episode brings you closer to the heart of the sport and closer to the heart of who we are as people.

Riding With isn't about the races and results. Join us as we explore the media landscape, from the days of print to the digital age, and uncover the stories that deserve to be told.

It's really important that we hear each other's voices. And if you're interested in reading more, the full narrative is on my Substack. Head to RidingWithKaplan.Substack.com to subscribe.

This is Riding With. See you out there on the road. Now, let's get to it.

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RIDING WITH is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.