Orla Chennaoui | The Online Abuse That Nearly Made Her Quit Television

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?