The peloton has been very vowel orientated in their racing this past week – Andalucian Ruta del Sol, Volta ao Algarve and Tour of Oman – and we have the tweets to prove it. Big news of the week was the #Bala100 (sounds like what they would race in Breaking Away), a Schleck wedding, Belgium starts putting out Classics decorations and our gruppetto is filled with the joys and hard graft of cycling.
#BALA100
Alejandro Valverde took his 100th career win at the Ruta del Sol. Love him or hate him, it’s a pretty impressive stat.
Spanish sports site Marca put together a gallery from his first win to his most recent – have a look here.
When Valverde was a pup …
A brief rundown of his wins:
And this is just one of the reasons he’s been so successful. I think we can safely say he had that attitude through all the (ahem) ups and downs in his career.
Love is in the air
We all get a kiss from the Mighty Degs™
It was Andy Schleck‘s wedding day on the 18th – we hope it was a wonderful day.
Sadly, His Nibs gets his attentions spurned …
The Classics are coming!
You have to love Belgian fans – they go all out in their devotion to their favourite riders and their favourite races. Here, Sep Formica fans have been out and about, proclaiming their love through caricature.
Oh and while we’re on the subject of Belgian races, Omloop is Saturday (hurrah!!!!!). It will be bittersweet as it is this man’s last Omloop … Let’s hope Tom ends his career in a Classics blaze of glory.
The Gruppetto
Riding, come rain or shine
'Ticket to Ride' @TeamDiData ✌
pic.twitter.com/WJc7MD2FtO
— Scott Mitchell (@modcyclingphoto) February 14, 2017
The perils of getting older – this time for Ian Boswell.
Nothin’ but love for this picture. Maybe it’s a French thing, riding with your tongue out, a la Voeckler.
I’m hoping Sylvain Chavanel will show us feats of derring-do in the Classics. That way I can say his name a lot during our podcasts.
When you’ve given it your all …
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tony Martin finish an ITT without throwing himself to the ground. And wow, does that white skinsuit gets more and more transparent with effort.
What happens when the roads are kinda crap and you run into a patch of wet in the Oman. They all fall down …
Almost looks like a little fox tail coming out of the Oss helmet
Always worth another read.
Let’s check in with the Maple Syrup King, Ted … he’s still riding, still blogging, still having adventures. Yeah baby!
And finally …
hedgehogs swimming pic.twitter.com/rARHfmhwjG
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Animals Galore
(@AnimalsGalore) February 15, 2017
Animals Galore 
(@AnimalsGalore) Header image: Andy Schleck and Jil Delvaux; photo Serge Waldbillig
