Like an intra-articular injection to the knee, Tweets of the Week is here to ease the pain, cycling fans. This week, we have some muddy but happy riders, some muddy but decidedly unhappy riders, some Dreamchasers and Lord Hoy as a bottle blond. Remember, Tweets is just good, muddy fun …
Sunshine on a rainy day
Yes, it was Strade Bianche weekend and even though it rained, the race is just one big ray of sunshine in the eyes of cycling fans. We even had three-time champion and cake-eating retiree Fabian Cancellara in the coffee shop! (Why did I cancel my trip to Siena this year? Why! WHY!!)
Of course, Spartacus was in town for the unveiling of his marker on one of the sectors of the parcours. Sector 8, Monte Sante Marie, ‘a beast’ of a sector.
He also took part in the Gran Fondo on Sunday and, just like a mere mortal, he got muddied up. He needed to have me at the finish with that loofah mitt to wash his face for him … [slight fetish]
But on to the actual race. It was rainy, it was muddy, it was cold. It was FABULOUS. First up, the women, who had an utterly exhilarating finish. There is not a more exciting or more gorgeous final kilometre anywhere in the racing calendar and the women went hell for leather.
@ElisaLongoB of
@WiggleHigh5 wins #UCIWWT
@StradeBianche #stradebianche #womenscycling pic.twitter.com/rhrGUcp61x
— World Cycling Stats (@wcstats) March 4, 2017
While the men’s finish wasn’t down to the wire – what with KwiatKrush catching the others snoozing a bit and they never saw him again – it was beautiful none the less.
Now we will have all those fun pictures of muddied cyclists, looking like all’s they want to do is barf in a ditch (but most of them didn’t).
(I never need an excuse to talk about this Giro stage – or show a picture of this Giro stage.)
GVA might not have reached the top step in this year’s Strade, but damn, he’s looking pretty strong for Flanders. I’m really starting to warm to Greg – his Olympic win was much like Cadel’s World Championship win. It just feels like he’s gotten more aggressive and more patient for the right moment all at the same time.
Strade is always a tough race, but this year seemed particularly brutal for the riders. Yet there were so many tweets from the guys, once they dried off and thawed out, giving the race a whole lotta love. Just goes to show the prestige this race has earned over the years from the peloton. They want to suffer there. They want to win there.
The Gruppetto
Before …
And after… The start of Paris-Nice was hellish with wind and driving rain and crashes and echelons. Tony Martin looks like he aged about 50 years in one day – he looks as old as Kristoff!
When we hear the ring of a bonification, we know … King Kelly is in the booth! (I also like the way he says it Paris-Nice, not Paree-Nice.)
Arnaud Demare looks a damn sight happier than Tony Martin after the first stage. From this picture, I have decided that I want some FDJ gloves. You know, just to wear around the office.
This ‘tache … no. Just no.
Mick Jagger smiles for the selfie.
I’m rather jealous that Lord Hoy got his hair all the way to white blond. I’ve been trying for years. Just can’t quite get there.
What a Mod wears to meet the press.
Nathan Haas looks almost as shocked as his cat. Cats exact revenge. Just saying.
So, here’s a thing. Megan Fox (a ‘Hollywood siren’ supposedly) named her son Bodhi. Bodhi Fox. Is that why the Talanskys named their son that? Enquiring minds want to know! And that quite simply is the biggest headboard I have ever seen.
One of the biggest reasons why we love Team Dimension Data. They ride for glory, sure, but they ride for something bigger and more lasting as well.
And finally …
