Cycling is unique in the access it grants fans to the stars of the sport. For those who attend big races, the world’s best are within touching distance as they whizz past. At race start and finish areas, fans are able to mingle with riders and staff or seek autographs around team buses. Since it hit the mainstream in around 2010, social media has extended that access, providing a further point of connection between fans, riders and teams.
Among the various platforms, Instagram offers arguably the best insight into the lives of the riders, but with limited scope for interaction. By contrast, on the platform formerly known as Twitter a cycling community has flourished. The rise of ‘Cycling Twitter’ saw the blossoming of the collective viewing experience, with split-second reactions to race situations and news giving rise to conversations with like-minded tweeters and sparking new friendships.
