We’ve gone from Australia to Argentina – and it’s still really really hot. But we have some faces in the peloton that we’ve not seen for a while – Petr Vakoc, back from a broken back (!) and Mark Cavendish, hopefully recovered from the Epstein-Barr virus that kept him out of 2018 season. We, of course, have the usual irreverent tweets and observations from the best of procycling Twitter …
Don’t cry for me, Argentina
Young pups, recovered pups, cheeky pups … it’s QuickStep at the Vuelta San Juan.
C'est bientôt la rentrée ! Here we are
@vueltasanjuanok #thewolfpack pic.twitter.com/9VHhSGZMtn
— Julian Alaphilippe (@alafpolak) January 22, 2019
It is hot hot hot for this race …
Great to see Petr Vakoc back in the peloton after his year of recovery from a broken back.
Feel like before my first ever Pro race. Bit nervous and very excited
Starting my 5th pro season and 6th year with @deceuninck_qst #backtothepack @vueltasanjuanok pic.twitter.com/WhVSZ9e5qk
— Petr Vakoč (@PetrVakoc) January 27, 2019
Starting my 5th pro season and 6th year with It must have been so emotional to be back in the peloton after so long.
"I needed fun and I found fun on the bike."
We talked football, riding styles and dream wins with rising Belgian sensation @EvenepoelRemco, of @deceuninck_qst, before his pro debut at the @vueltasanjuanok this week
pic.twitter.com/ItIMr0LMd9
— Velon CC (@VelonCC) January 28, 2019
Changing the course of the race
Let’s look ahead to the Ardennes Classics – Liege-Bastogne-Liege to be precise. It got a new parcours in the hopes that it’ll be a Monument that gives more than just 20min of excitement.
The new LBL route hasn’t won favour with the current LBL champion, though
Speaking of Monument winners – ‘I thought the cuffs looked a bit wrinkled … ‘
Fernando Gaviria might be in a new kit on a new team, but he’s got the same speed and will to win.
And here is what his jersey means …
There was also a familiar face in San Juan – Cav is back after a terrible 2018 season and feeling the heat.
He's back!
Sweltering heat on the opening stage of @vueltasanjuanok but great to see @MarkCavendish racing again.#BicyclesChangesLives pic.twitter.com/WuRKpvz1a3
— Team Dimension Data (@TeamDiData) January 27, 2019
Thanks to Fabrizio for putting all the jerseys in one handy tweet. We will have this printed out on A2 for, well, most of the season so we can figure out who the hell these teams are during our live race tweetfests!
2019 World Tour teams with the new kit. Not as red as we thought (only 3). Some have basically not changed (you know who you are), others have because of sponsor change. My fav is @TrekSegafredo, classy, vintage yet fresh.#cycling #WorldTour pic.twitter.com/ELRgPpHtIh
— Fabrizio
(@fabrizioviani) January 23, 2019
(@fabrizioviani) It was a special day in the cycling calendar this past week. It was our own @pariswheels‘ birthday – hope you had a great day, Midge! Oh, and it was Peter Sagan‘s birthday. Have to say, that’s a great picture … (those ski goggles are going to be around for a very long time, aren’t they …)
Hij won in 2018 de wielerwedstrijd Parijs-Roubaix. We hebben het over de jarige van vandaag: @petosagan. (29)
Congratulations!
Gerlinde Schrijver pic.twitter.com/2KqDN5lDbo
— Helden (@HeldenMagazine) January 26, 2019
Congratulations!
Gerlinde Schrijver Well, Thomas Dekker has it right. But as we see on Twitter, there are people who forgive as well. But more importantly, is it just me or does he look like he should be Mick Jagger‘s younger brother????
And while we’re sort of on the subject …
The Gruppetto
Well, we did have that strange and unsatisfying Grand Prix-like start …
This absolutely should be a required part of at least one stage at every Grand Tour #pitstop
https://t.co/ATDHZiJejv
—
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Evil Scootus
(@evilscootus) January 24, 2019
Evil Scootus
(@evilscootus) What would the band be called, I wonder?
January isn’t January without a picture of a hot croc
I wonder what it’s like to be a ‘project’. The Rohan Dennis Project sounds like a 1980s John Hughes movie.
You just have to wonder what the hell Nairo Quintana got himself into …
You could use these same principles when packing for your gap year
Pack your swimwear. Avoid plane food. Wear headphones.
We spend over 200+ days on the road, exploring the world. Our professional cycling team could also be considered a professional traveling team
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Our best travel tips and tricks: https://t.co/lNnVMJm7D2 pic.twitter.com/B6x96ER0MP
— EF Education First Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) January 23, 2019
Weather doesn’t get some people down …
The last word
Do a little dance …