AFL Captain Reacts to Pro-Cycling.. with Max Gawn

We sit down with AFL superstar and Melbourne Demons captain Max Gawn — one of the most dominant figures in Australian sport — to talk all things footy, cycling, and high performance. Gawn has built a legacy at the highest level of the game. But what might surprise you is his deep passion for cycling. We break down the biggest races of the 2026 cycling season so far before previewing what could be an all-time Giro d’Italia. Expect insights, banter, and a crossover between two sporting worlds that don’t usually collide. This episode brought to you by TriVelo Coaching, we help triathlete and endurance athletes train smarter to race faster. Your hosts are Australian Ironman Champion Gerard Donnelly and his son, Endurance Coach Jordan Donnelly. Timestamps:0:00 – Meet Max Gawn2:02 – Phil Liggett, SBS, and Cadel's era4:04 – Saudi mountain biking & climbing Europe5:51 – The brutal reality of watching cycling from Oz10:00 – Roubaix vs Sanremo: which monument wins?12:04 – What Makes Flanders/Belgium So Special19:06 – Van Aert vs Van der Poel: has the gap closed?25:00 – Is Pogačar actually beatable?30:38 – The tactic that could finally crack him34:33 – Seixas, Vingegaard & cycling's next era39:33 – Demi Vollering's quiet domination43:42 – Cross-training with AFL46:46 – Is cycling an injury risk?49:18 – Will cycling take off at the AFL level?51:32 – Max’s Intervals vs Hill training54:43 –Melbourne’s FTP era55:54 – Fueling lessons for games56:58 – Max’s longevity goals59:39 – Giro 2026 picks & wrap-up If you want to learn how to TRAIN SMARTER and RACE FASTER, go to trivelocoaching.com.au Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trivelocoaching Disclaimer: The Content in this podcast is in no way intended to be medical advice, treatment or diagnoses. None of our Content is intended to imply that any products mentioned, remedies or information provided are intended to prevent, diagnose, cure or alleviate a disease, ailment, defect or injury or should be used for therapeutic purposes. The Content is intended to assist you with running, cycling, swimming or triathlon and should not be substituted for medical advice by your healthcare professional. We do not accept any liability for any injury, loss, or damage incurred by the use or reliance on our Content.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.