Jonas Vingegaard and doping accusations; feud at INEOS between Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodríguez - New details emerge over 2023 Tour de France Netflix series
Cycling
Tour de France: Unchained is coming out this weekend and the tension builds up towards the second season of the Netflix show that shows the behind-the-scenes of several 2023 Tour de France teams. New details have emerged regarding what to expect from the eight-episode series.
From what we know already, the series through it's two released trailers (on the 17th and 28th of May) is set to show the preparation of these teams including UAE Team Emirates and Team Visma | Lease a Bike and recovery of Tadej Pogacar following his scaphoid fracture suffered in a crash at Liège-Bastogne-Liège; but also drama within the team buses, most notably Wout van Aert who missed out on a win throughout the race and had a few lost opportunities. However, this will not be the only bus drama present in the series.
Le Parisien has had early access to the series that will come out in the 8th of June, and in a review it reveals news details of what will be present on the screens. The element of tragedy will very much be present, with the Tour taking place only a few weeks after the death of Gino Mäder, of which a few riders talk about. Ben O'Connor specifically being one of them, and the series also show a lot of tension and heated arguments between him and the AG2R team.
The most notable argument however perhaps is one that did not seem to come through the big screens at last year's race: Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodríguez of INEOS Grenadiers. The British team, entering the race without an absolute leader, saw Pidcock grow into form and test himself as a possible GC contender - climbing as high as eighth after stage 10, but ultimately ending the race in 13th spot. Carlos Rodríguez finished fifth, but won stage 14 and on that day he was in the podium together with Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar. Pidcock was very irritated with the decision of INEOS to protect Rodríguez as the absolute priority and at the Grand Colombier he attacked against team orders.
The famous feud between Visma and Groupama-FDJ managers Richard Plugge and Marc Madiot was also tackled, regarding the comments of Plugge on the FDJ riders having beer during the race. The CEO of the Dutch team admits this was created to get the media to stop asking questions regarding Jonas Vingegaard and doping speculation following the stage 16 time-trial in which he put on an unbelievable performance. This came also because Madiot himself seems to insinuate that the Danish rider was not clean - to which Vingegaard himself also responds in this series.
Read also
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 22visitors 20
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
Loading
🤩 Reminder: Tour de France Unchained S2, available on @NetflixFR on June 11. 🤩 N’oubliez pas ! La saison 2 de Tour de France Au coeur du peloton sera disponible le 11 juin sur @NetflixFR !
7 Comments