SIMON GESCHKE

This year’s Tour de France will tell many great stories; Biniam Girmay becoming the first black African stage winner, Mark Cavendish’s 35th record-breaking stage win, and it’s looking likely that Tadej Pogacar will complete an epic back-to-back Giro-Tour double. But, behind all those headlines is another milestone; it will be Simon Geschke’s last Tour de France as he decides to call time on his 16-year career.

Back in 2009, I arrived in a small town called Deurningen in Holland. I lived in a massive house organised by my first pro team, Skil-Shimano and, from time to time, my new teammate Simon Geschke would stop in for a night or two on his way from his home in Berlin to races in Belgium. We had some great memories living in that big team house together, but couldn’t help but feel like the team were keeping too close an eye on us and breathing down our necks. So, the following season, me and Simon moved in together into an apartment in Kelmis, Belgium.

Kelmis was a great base for me and Simon. We were close to most of the team’s races, had some great training roads right on the doorstep, and felt a lot more relaxed away from the watchful eye of our team managers. We were like two students living together at university as we started our journey as professional cyclists in that tiny apartment in the south of Belgium.

I left Skil Shimano in 2011, but Simon and I have remained great mates ever since. Those bonds you make earlier in your career really stick with you, and I always found time to chew Geshcke’s ear off when I found him in the bunch over the rest of my career. Simon’s always made time for me, and since retiring and giving this journo lark a go, he’s been really helpful giving me some great interviews here and there - so I was chuffed to catch up with him at the start of the year and share a cheeky beer in his hotel room at the Tour Down Under.

Simon’s career is reflective of the type of professional he is. He’s always been one of the hardest working guys in the pelo, and has ridden 19 Grand Tours - including 12 Tours de France! In 2015 he cemented his place in history by winning stage 17 of the Tour with an epic 50km solo ride on a mountainous stage to Pra-Loup, and in 2022 he was cruelly denied winning the polka dot KOM jersey on the final mountain stage by Jonas Vingegaard. What a legend.

His career started in 2009 with me at Skil Shimano and he rode for that team - as it changed to Argos Shimano, Giant Shimano, and eventually Sunweb - for 10 years! He moved over to CCC for 2 years before signing for Cofidis in 2021, and he’ll wrap up his career riding for the French squad at the end of the 2024 season.

I loved catching up with my old mate at the start of the year, and I’ve loved following him as he rides his final Tour de France this July. He’s known for his amazing work ethic, calm demeanour and, of course, that luscious beard. So give this pod a listen, guys, and find out more about one of the nicest guys in the bunch. Simon; congrats on a great career mate - I can’t wait to share a couple of cold ones with you on the other side of the barriers next season!