Alex Dowsett was diagnosed with severe haemophilia at 18 months and told to sit out rugby and football at school. He went on to win two Giro d'Italia stages, six British time trial titles and the UCI Hour Record.

This episode, Alex talks to Steph about growing up being told no, racing in the pro peloton with an invisible condition, raising thousands for haemophilia charities with a "failed" Hour Record, and why doing your best is decided long before race day. Plus: the cycling mistake he sees most age-groupers make.

Winter's arrived, the Kona blues are real, and it's time to set some goals. We chat about picking a big scary goal for 2027, testing it before you hit enter, and why Steph reckons motivation is a total myth. Plus our Watt the Buck moment of the week, and a chance for you to feature in our next series. Grab a brew and get your goals ready.

*WARNING* this episode contains voice notes/memos and therefore the audio is not necessarily perfect. Please persevere, the stories are incredible, raw and immediately following their finish lines in Kona!

Eight athletes. One brutal Kona. All in their own words.

In the final episode of our Stories Behind the Start Line series, the eight athletes we followed to the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona send us voice notes about how race day really went. Choppy swims, crosswinds up to Hawi, the heat of the Energy Lab – and the moments that kept them moving.

You'll hear a podium decided in the final mile, a finish seven minutes inside the cut-off, a pro battling imposter syndrome, a near-DNF that turned out to be a too-tight shoe, and plenty of Coke at the aid stations. Whether you're dreaming of Kona or just your first finish line, there's something here for you.