Vuelta Tweets of the Week: The Victors and the Vanquished

It’s the final Vuelta Tweets of the Week for 2015 and it’s a doozy. Tears of joy, tears of anguish – from both riders *and* tweeters! We have Aru, Dumoulin, Degs, Greipel, Flecha&House, and much much much more.

Aru the Victor

By riding the TT of his life, keeping the time gap between himself and Tom Dumoulin to a scant 3 seconds, Fabio Aru won the Vuelta – it was only a matter of time on stage 20 for him to claim the red jersey.

You don’t often hear Mikel Landa say ‘we’ when it comes to him and Aru.

Do you see His Nibs in this picture? (Brilliant, utterly brilliant)

You say Ed Milliband, I say Marge Simpson.

My, but that Kirsten picked the podium – and the hero of the race. (Yes, I’m sure a lot of you picked the podium but she had proof and she tweeted it… She wins.)

That said, Daniel Friebe picked Aru for the win. Then he didn’t. Then he did. I don’t think it counts if you doubt your choice and then tweet about it. He loses.

Celebrating in Madrid.

Even when he doesn’t have those hideous nasal strips on, it looks like he has those hideous nasal strips on.

Dumoulin the vanquished

The TT brought Tom Dumoulin the red jersey, taking it from Purito. It was just a few more stages, if he could hold on. Unlike Aru and his Astana team, Dumoulin’s Giant team brought guys for the sprints, not the mountains, but they all rode their hearts out for Dumoulin.

This picture says it all. Heartbreaking.

Laurens Ten Dam had a few words about the team and the budget differences. Giant did a hell of a job punching above their weight for as long as they did.

Degs the Victor

It’s the way of sport to find yourself heartbroken one day and elated the next. In the final stage in Madrid, the Mighty Degs finally hit his sprint stride and gave the Giants something to celebrate.

It was Degs’s 10th Vuelta stage win. And I doubt any have been more bittersweet.

The podium

Well, it’s not against UCI rules to take advantage of a rival’s untimely puncture to nab the extra sprint points on the final day to steal the green jersey, as Valverde did to Purito on Sunday. But it certainly is #unclass. (Aru wisely stands between the two… and hey, they’re both riding for Spain in the World Championships again! Fireworks …)

Lucky 13

While Adam Hansen continues his ride, another of the most popular riders in the peloton hung up his wheels in Canada. You will be missed, Ted King. You’re a good man and a great advertising for what cycling can be.

Greipel the Victor and Vanquished

It was Tour of Britain this week and it seemed to be the start of a major rivalry between Andre Greipel and Elia Viviani.

Photofinish between the two – but the actual photograph showed a clear win for Greipel.

However, the final stage, it looked as thought Greipel deviated from his line, with Viviani between a gorilla and some barriers. Greipel went over the line first, thought he’d won, but the commissars relegated him. He apologised on Twitter, which teammate Greg Henderson responded to.

Mark my words, Greipel for the rainbow stripes.

The gruppetto

The best news of the week.

I think Chava has noticed how much fun it is to be Juan Antonio Flecha. Will we see Sylvain commentating for a French channel when he retires? That would not be a bad idea.

The only thing I’m posting up that has anything to do with the new Armstrong biopic and only because the exchange is very very funny. Anyway, it was revealed this week that the actor who plays LA in the film took EPO for research. And apparently this upset Emma O’Reilly, although I’m with Podium Cafe on this. I’m sure this is not the first time an actor has doped in some form or other.

King Kelly delivers the goods. Or the sausage. Oh no! That sounds dirty and wrong! Arrrrggghhhh!

Young Jack’s haiku to the man Midge calls LePetit. (That would be Kenny Elissonde for those who didn’t know.)

Ant. You are brilliant. Ah-haaaaa!

C’est un vrai deluge …

Oleg may or may not have said something stupid/controversial/unrealistic about riding all 3 GTs in the same year. I couldn’t be bothered to read the interview myself. I was dazzled by the thought of swan-diving into a room full of money.

I’ve not seen much of Dan Wuori on my timeline of late and I miss him. (The fact that we’re in two very different timezones doesn’t help.) But I did notice this little gem from him this week. I love a man who uses the word ‘sassy’.

A hot and salty day.

During the Tour, I asked Juan Antonio Flecha what his superpower would be if he could pick one. He said teleportation. Looks like he got his wish! (I’m going to really miss seeing him and Ashley every day, enthusing about the stage …)