It was the start of Holy Week on Sunday, the week that Classics fans wait anxiously for every season. It begins with the Ronde van Vlaanderen and finishes next Sunday with Paris-Roubaix. So let us ride over the cobbles and hellingen in the Twitterstream and bring you the best of the bunch.
Look at me!
It wasn’t the winner anyone expected – but it was the result of a bold move and a chasing group whose touchpaper was never really lit. But that shouldn’t take away from Alberto Bettiol‘s win – anyone who can finish off a Monument with a solo win after 270km of hard racing deserves his lifetime supply of Belgian beer.
The King and Queen of Flanders
@AlbertoBettiol & @martabasti
pic.twitter.com/SSuEJvLczX
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) April 7, 2019
This is what it means to a team …
“Behind this success is the work of thousands of people.” – @AlbertoBettiol
Read alllll about our big day out in Belgium in our @RondeVlaanderen report
https://t.co/dBiNbMMYJ4
— EF Education First Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) April 7, 2019
It was Quickstep … but not as we know it
There’s a young pup on the scene – and he just bagged himself the second step of the Ronde podium.
The surprise podium
It really wasn’t the podium anyone expected – and where the top two steps were for the young pups, the third step was for Alexander Kristoff who may be only 31, he’s got the worn-in face of a much older man. Others, however, were less than complementary … being compared to a Zeppelin and a boulder
He gets knocked down but he gets up again
There was much talk in the run-up to the race about Mathieu Van der Poel and he was one of the favourites in his first time. But he didn’t have the best of luck, not that that stopped him from impressing everyone who watched the race.
He’s bored. https://t.co/G63usGepQ1
— Spencer
(@spencerhaugh) April 7, 2019
(@spencerhaugh) The chasing group blues
Meanwhile, there were some DQs for unsafe riding …
However, Bling didn’t have a grumble
Nor did Matej Mohoric
Meanwhile, on the Twitter sidelines
There really isn’t anything better than watching cycling with Twitter fans across the world – the observations, the irreverent comments, the TRACTORS!
We all love @nyvelocity
When you're riding the Ronde and you're…..heeey a baby
#RVV #RVV19 pic.twitter.com/C1tfgV3XFo
— Ronde Van Vlaanderen (@RondeVlaanderen) April 7, 2019
One of the best Twitter threads EVER
And a couple of retired champions …
Wish he was still racing. Miss him! pic.twitter.com/gMrD0L7yKx
— lesley
(@9lives2) April 7, 2019
(@9lives2) Wishing them the best
Nothing but good wishes for Peter Kennaugh
NEWS:
Peter Kennaugh to take an indefinite break from professional cycling.
We wish Peter all the best and we look forward to him making a full return to professional cycling in the future.
Release here: https://t.co/JeFlUk0mP2 pic.twitter.com/ZtHdGOEZT1
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) April 5, 2019
NEWS: 
Release here: And Niki Terpstra