TNT lead cycling presenter, Orla Chennaoui joins Georgie Ainslie for a conversation about anxiety, sobriety, cycling and life inside the Tour de France.
As this year’s Tour unfolds, Orla gives a brilliant insider’s view on what makes the race so brutal, beautiful and tactically complex. She explains why Tadej Pogačar is surrounded by riders who could lead other teams, how domestiques sacrifice their own ambitions to protect a leader, and why the Tour is not just 21 days of racing, it is a relentless machine of recovery, logistics, pressure and performance.
Orla also reflects on how she fell in love with cycling, from covering Team GB after Beijing to being drawn into the atmosphere, access and human stories of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.
Away from the road, she opens up about the anxiety that has shaped much of her life, the online abuse that nearly pushed her away from television, and the decision to stop drinking 11 years ago, which she describes as the best decision she has ever made.
In this episode, Orla shares the story behind Ten Times Braver, the question that changed her life, and the tools she uses to manage fear, from box breathing to her “one song reset”.
This is a conversation about the hidden realities of elite sport, the pressure behind live broadcasting, and learning how to stop chasing happiness and start living it.
FAQs
Who is Orla Chennaoui?
Orla Chennaoui is a sports broadcaster best known for her cycling coverage, including the Tour de France. She is also the founder of Ten Times Braver.
What does Orla say about Tadej Pogačar and the Tour de France?
Orla explains how a rider like Pogačar is supported by an entire team, with riders around him sacrificing their own ambitions to protect and help him win.
Why does Orla say cycling is really a team sport?
Although one rider often gets the glory, Orla explains that Tour success depends on domestiques, tactics, protection, pacing, fuelling and constant sacrifice from the whole team.
Why does Orla think the Tour de France is so hard?
She describes it as 21 days of racing inside a 23-day event, with constant travel, recovery, hotel moves, logistics and pressure — like a Formula One weekend that never ends.
What personal struggles does Orla discuss?
Orla opens up about lifelong anxiety, imposter syndrome, online abuse, feeling like an outsider and the emotional crash that can come after live broadcasting.
Why did Orla stop drinking?
Orla says alcohol had become a way to escape anxiety. After becoming a mother, she realised she wanted her career, family and home life to thrive — and alcohol was the thing that had to go.
The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.
__
ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.
We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com
___
Connect with Performance People
Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music
http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
___
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Connect with Performance People
Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music
http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
________________________________
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
