Explore returns for a mini series this month and in this opening episode we cover the pavé and gravel experiencing the old and new of road racing. The day before the women's Paris-Roubaix, Richard Moore and Lionel Birnie, joined by Simon Gill, sampled some of the sectors. Lionel once rode the full 260-kilometre Paris-Roubaix cyclo-sportive but Richard had never ridden on the cobblestones of north-eastern France and was in for a shock. Then Richard headed to Veneto in northern Italy for a week of racing and riding put together by former Milan-Sanremo winner and Italian champion Filippo Pozzato. As well as a series of one-day races, there was a Granfondo, which Richard rode, and the first edition of the Serenissima gravel race, which was won by Alexey Lutsenko. The Cycling Podcast is supported by Supersapiens and Science in Sport. Supersapiens is a continuous glucose monitoring system that helps you make the right fuelling choices. See supersapiens.com

For 25% off all your SiS products, go to scienceinsport.com and enter the code SISCP25 at the checkout. This episode is sponsored by the Hammerhead Karoo 2. For a limited time, our listeners can get a free Hammerhead Heart Rate Monitor with the purchase of a Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io right now and use promo code CYCLE at checkout to get yours today.