Earlier I wrote a blog with the top 5 books you should read for a better mindset as a cyclist; this time it’s the turn of the top 5 podcast episodes for a better mindset as a cyclist.
Podcasts are the perfect way to train your mental muscles. You’ll hear stories from elite athletes, sports psychologists, and coaches about handling pressure, building confidence, sharpening focus, and developing resilience. Ideal to listen to on the way to a race or during an easy endurance ride.
5: Joe Rogan Experience: David Goggins
I talk about David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me as one of my favourite books, but hearing him talk makes his magic really come to life.
Joe Rogan traces Goggins’ arc from a violent, chaotic childhood and early failures to becoming a Navy SEAL and world-class ultra-endurance athlete. He explains how obesity, fear, and learned helplessness shaped his early life—and how taking radical ownership began the turnaround. The conversation sets the backdrop for his later philosophy: discipline as a daily practice, not a mood.
They dig into Goggins’ core ideas: the “40% rule” (most people quit when they’re only at ~40% of capacity), “callousing the mind” through repeated, deliberate discomfort, and the “accountability mirror”—brutal self-honesty that translates into small, non-negotiable actions. Goggins links these to stories from SEAL training and ultra events (e.g., early 100-mile efforts and multi-day races), emphasizing how reframing pain and controlling self-talk let him push far past perceived limits.
Throughout, Rogan presses for practical takeaways: how to start when you feel soft, how to use adversity without drifting into self-abuse, and why authenticity (not performative “motivation”) matters. The episode lands on a simple prescription—stack honest, uncomfortable reps, track them, and let results reshape identity—illustrated with Goggins’ own feats (ultras, 4,000+ pull-ups) as proof of concept.
4: Huberman Lab: DJ Shipley on How to make yourself unbreakable
Cyclists can learn so so much from other athletes, but maybe even more from elite militaries units like Navy SEAL’s Lik Shipley & Goggins. It’s not a coincedence that there are two of them in this list. The biggest difference between elite athletes and elite military units is that they don’t have the fame & flowers, they only have themselves and each other. Egos are therefor buried or thrown out the window which creates very real people without the bullshit. I would cheer for elite athletes to undergo a one year military training to make them see how lucky they are! because sometimes they can seem a bit bratty and spoiled if you compare it to these guys!
This conversation is about how to become “unbreakable”—practically, not just philosophically. DJ Shipley (retired Tier-1 Navy SEAL) and Andrew Huberman dig into routines, micro-wins, and structure as levers for mental health and elite performance. Shipley walks through the habits that keep him steady (training blocks, mobility/rehab, deliberate discomfort), while Huberman maps those practices onto brain-body mechanisms for resilience and focus.
They also cover stress and trauma in high-stakes environments—BUD/S selection, combat losses, and the transition out of service—and how to process it without becoming numb or avoidant. Along the way they discuss tools anyone can use (daily accountability, posture/“mental posture,” small controllable actions) and touch on emerging treatments for addiction, PTSD, and depression. An absolute must listen for ambitious cyclists!
3: Drive: Nils van der Poel
Nils van der Poel is a Swedish former 10km & 5km speed skater with an insane training regime that was rewarded with 2 gold medals at the winter Olympics of 2022. The suggestion I made of elite athletes taking up a military training, well this guy did it! Probably the most remarkable part of his journey is right before he broke he World Record on the 10K he micdropped his training regime and journey in the form of a manifesto that you can download here!
An unbelievable holy bible like document with so many true statements about training, mindset & exploring and resetting boundaries as an athlete! ‘How to skate a 10km and also half a 10km’. Please note, he released the document BEFORE breaking the world record. The Dutch have ruled the ice skating ring for years, decades. When Nils showed up they thought he was arrogant, crazy, but it was them instead who were these things.
If you were to ask me a top 5 athletes of all time, Nils would definitely be up there. One of the reasons for this is that this Olympic final would be his Last Dance being halfway his 20’s. Veni, Vidi, Vici in optima forma! He dropped the mic so hard, Dutch commentators didn’t believe him when he said he would leave the sport and actually do something important with his life!
He donated his gold medals to raise awareness for human rights causes in China where he won his titles. The man in my opinion is an absolute legend and is a bigger person than anyone ever in the sport of speed skating! So listen to his conversation with fellow Olympic Gold Medalist Mark Tuitert
2: Rich Roll: Mark Cavendish
This list won’t be complete with a proper world class cyclist. Mark Cavendish’ story is one in a million. I have to admit, at one point I just gave up on watching sprint finales in the Tour because you just knew the Manx’ Missile would be celebrating at the end. But seeing him go from absolute world class to absolute nobody in a short period of time with the absolute lowest point of him emotionally announcing his retirement before getting signed almost out of pity by Patrick Lefevre.
His comeback the years after was like nothing I’ve ever seen and perhaps the best comeback in the world of sports. Winning 4 stages the year after that iconic interview. Making him an equal with Merckx with 34 victories. And then the last two years at Astana where he would get his 35th victory in the Tour de France and becoming the most succesful cyclist in the biggest race in the world. Writing this down makes me almost shed a tear, imagine his journey!
That’s what he is talking about on the Rich Roll podcast. From hero to zero and back, mental struggles, dealing with pressure, finding joy in what you do, loneliness, depression. No holding back!
1: Watts occuring: Geraint Thomas
The last one is not so much an episode but more an inside look into the life of cyclists. Watts occuring is a show by Geraint “G” Thomas (GT) and long-time teammate Luke Rowe. It started as their own show and now lives on the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club.. Expect insider chat on everything from grand tour storylines and race tactics to the realities of life inside a WorldTour team.
The vibe is equal parts banter and brutally honest debriefs. You’ll get behind-the-scenes nuggets—team dynamics, logistics, selection calls, training blocks, kit gossip—and frequent guest cameos (riders, coaches, and commentators). They also spin off specials (e.g., Watts Occurring Femmes) and occasional live shows.
I think it is an interesting behind the scenes look of a professional cyclist. What do they care about, what do they value and where do they put their energy if they are not on the bike.
Want to become stronger mentally?
These were my top 5 podcasts for cyclists on mindset. Podcasts are a great way to learn from others, but in the end, mental growth is about you. As a sports psychologist, I help cyclists translate those insights into their own training, races, and life off the bike.
Want to know what you need to improve mentally to unlock your potential?
Book a free call and let’s do a Mindset Scan together and let me give you a free tool to use to optimise your midnset.
