Esteban Chaves and Orica-Scott DS Matt White at the Tour de France press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

In the latest episode of the Cyclingnews Podcast, we take an in-depth look at the development of a Grand Tour contender and the difficult road he's taken to his Tour de France debut.

It's been a challenging year for Esteban Chaves, whose preparation for the upcoming Tour was derailed by a nagging knee problem, but the 27-year-old Colombian climber and his Orica-Scott team have learned the value of patience, especially considering the way their relationship began.

Featuring interviews with Chaves and Orica sports director Matt White, the podcast gets the story on how rider and team have dealt with a frustrating 2017 season, why it's only a small hurdle compared to the injuries Chaves battled back from earlier in his career and, most importantly, whether he ever stops smiling.