In 1986, Shelley Verses became the first woman to work as a soigneur at the Tour de France, when she was part of the American 7-Eleven team's support staff.
Shelley had been at the Giro d'Italia with 7-Eleven the previous year but the attitudes towards women being involved in professional cycling were such that she was confined to duties at the team hotel. That changed at the 1986 Tour when she was able to work in the feed zone.
A month ago, Shelley contacted Lionel Birnie keen to share her stories from life on the road and so this is the first part of a series called Chapter & Verses. The first three parts focus on her early days as a soigneur in cycling and the 1986 Tour.
Of the ten 7-Eleven riders, only Doug Shapiro had experienced the Tour before, and so the whole team – on and off the bike – were going into the unknown. This is Shelley's story.
This episode of KM0 is available for everyone to listen to for free, thanks to you the support of our Friends of the Podcast. To sign up to listen to all our KM0 episodes go to thecyclingpodcast.com. An annual subscription works out at a few pounds (or dollars) a month and plays a huge part in keeping the show on the road.
The episode artwork is a photo from Shelley's archive. It features the 7-Eleven team's three soigneurs for the 1986 Tour – Etienne Illegems, Shelley, and Marc Verroeye.
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S13 Ep82: Massif Attack | Stage 10 | Tour de France 2025
Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss as they recap the 2025 Tour de France.
We’re back on the road for the 13th time with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes feature race analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.
To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app.
VAN RYSEL, OUR TOUR DE FRANCE SPONSORS
We are very pleased to welcome Van Rysel as our sponsors for the first half of our Tour de France coverage. The Tour gets underway in Lille, the city where the company was founded and has its headquarters. The city is steeped in French cycling history and heritage, not least because the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix are on the doorstep.
Van Rysel supplies bikes and kit for the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale World Tour team, who feature Felix Gall, Bruno Armirail and Aurélien Paret-Peintre in their line-up for the Tour.
If you are going to Lille for the opening weekend make sure to drop in at Van Rysel House, a pop-up venue and hub for cycling fans. It’s located at Hein Estaminet in Place Saint-Hubert a short walk from the Euralille train station. It’s a place to have a drink or something to eat and watch the race on TV and there’ll be lots going on over the weekend with a quiz night to test your cycling knowledge each night at 8pm. There’s also some group rides setting out from there. A chance to see the Van Rysel bikes and the innovation that goes into their design.
Visit www.vanryselcycling.com to find out more.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.
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46:11
S13 Ep81: Take Me Down to Cavendish City | Stage 9 | Tour de France 2025
Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss as they recap the 2025 Tour de France.
We’re back on the road for the 13th time with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes feature race analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.
To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app.
VAN RYSEL, OUR TOUR DE FRANCE SPONSORS
We are very pleased to welcome Van Rysel as our sponsors for the first half of our Tour de France coverage. The Tour gets underway in Lille, the city where the company was founded and has its headquarters. The city is steeped in French cycling history and heritage, not least because the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix are on the doorstep.
Van Rysel supplies bikes and kit for the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale World Tour team, who feature Felix Gall, Bruno Armirail and Aurélien Paret-Peintre in their line-up for the Tour.
If you are going to Lille for the opening weekend make sure to drop in at Van Rysel House, a pop-up venue and hub for cycling fans. It’s located at Hein Estaminet in Place Saint-Hubert a short walk from the Euralille train station. It’s a place to have a drink or something to eat and watch the race on TV and there’ll be lots going on over the weekend with a quiz night to test your cycling knowledge each night at 8pm. There’s also some group rides setting out from there. A chance to see the Van Rysel bikes and the innovation that goes into their design.
Visit www.vanryselcycling.com to find out more.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.
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42:37
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42:37
S13 Ep80: Putting the Cheval in Laval | Stage 8 | Tour de France 2025
Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss as they recap the 2025 Tour de France.
We’re back on the road for the 13th time with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes feature race analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.
To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app.
VAN RYSEL, OUR TOUR DE FRANCE SPONSORS
We are very pleased to welcome Van Rysel as our sponsors for the first half of our Tour de France coverage. The Tour gets underway in Lille, the city where the company was founded and has its headquarters. The city is steeped in French cycling history and heritage, not least because the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix are on the doorstep.
Van Rysel supplies bikes and kit for the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale World Tour team, who feature Felix Gall, Bruno Armirail and Aurélien Paret-Peintre in their line-up for the Tour.
If you are going to Lille for the opening weekend make sure to drop in at Van Rysel House, a pop-up venue and hub for cycling fans. It’s located at Hein Estaminet in Place Saint-Hubert a short walk from the Euralille train station. It’s a place to have a drink or something to eat and watch the race on TV and there’ll be lots going on over the weekend with a quiz night to test your cycling knowledge each night at 8pm. There’s also some group rides setting out from there. A chance to see the Van Rysel bikes and the innovation that goes into their design.
Visit www.vanryselcycling.com to find out more.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.
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41:37
S13 Ep79: Mûr-de-On the Dance Floor | Stage 7 | Tour de France 2025
Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss as they recap the 2025 Tour de France.
We’re back on the road for the 13th time with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes feature race analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.
To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app.
VAN RYSEL, OUR TOUR DE FRANCE SPONSORS
We are very pleased to welcome Van Rysel as our sponsors for the first half of our Tour de France coverage. The Tour gets underway in Lille, the city where the company was founded and has its headquarters. The city is steeped in French cycling history and heritage, not least because the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix are on the doorstep.
Van Rysel supplies bikes and kit for the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale World Tour team, who feature Felix Gall, Bruno Armirail and Aurélien Paret-Peintre in their line-up for the Tour.
If you are going to Lille for the opening weekend make sure to drop in at Van Rysel House, a pop-up venue and hub for cycling fans. It’s located at Hein Estaminet in Place Saint-Hubert a short walk from the Euralille train station. It’s a place to have a drink or something to eat and watch the race on TV and there’ll be lots going on over the weekend with a quiz night to test your cycling knowledge each night at 8pm. There’s also some group rides setting out from there. A chance to see the Van Rysel bikes and the innovation that goes into their design.
Visit www.vanryselcycling.com to find out more.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast
Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.
The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.
The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).
The Cycling Podcast is on Strava
The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.
The Cycling Podcast takes listeners to the heart of professional cycling with weekly episodes and daily coverage of the Grand Tours.
Join journalists Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie – and a few special guests along the way – as they podcast about the latest cycling news and the world of professional cycling.
Founded by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie in 2013, The Cycling Podcast is one of the longest-running independent sports podcasts.
To support The Cycling Podcast, subscribe as a Friend of the Podcast to join our community, listen to special episodes released throughout the year and access our archive stretching back to 2015. Subscribe at thecyclingpodcast.com
UK