It has been a hectic first week of racing at the Tour de France, a week that has seemed to be endless for the riders, with action from the gun in Bilbao to the final metres of the Puy de Dôme on Sunday evening.
For the 170 riders left in the race, Monday is a time to pause and relax, to reset, and to answer some more questions from pesky journalists. It also means no action on television for all you poor souls back home, so it is the perfect time to take a look at some of the most interesting social media posts of the last week.
One, quick sidebar: it is very hot in Clermont-Ferrand right now, so sorry if the quality of your usual tweets of the week suffers a slight bit - normal service will be resumed once it gets cooler*.
*I am led to believe it might never get cooler, thanks climate change.
So while the riders work on their sensations and keep their legs good, just keep scrolling to see some of the best tweets and Instagram posts from the last week and a bit of professional cycling. Simple.
We have multiple riders in small bodies of water (is a pool a body of water?) as they keep the heat down or do some advertising. There are also a billion Lidl jokes, predictably, and Movistar making a pitch to be a synchronised swimming team rather than one of the best cycling outfits.
1. At least Elynor Backstedt has the grace to warn us that the Lidl puns aren't going to stop any time soon. The Welsh rider had the misfortune of riding in some of the worst weather seen at a bike race in a while, before the Giro Donne opening stage was eventually called off. Can't wait to cycle in the rain again.
2. Ellen van Dijk, meanwhile, might be having the first Lidl baby sometime soon
Yep, there's Lidl one inside#TdF2023 @Laura_Meseguer pic.twitter.com/1OWrxBXdDZJuly 1, 2023
3. Louis Meintjes being at the back of the peloton is DEFINITELY A PLAN don't worry everybody
Louis Meintjes is strategically placed at the back of peloton so our sponsors are always visible 👍 #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/HtXijTXcnXJuly 1, 2023
4. The Basque fans got a bit too close for some of the fans, but you have to say, they were special. Never before has a motorbike been cheered so much
Para que os hagáis una idea del ambiente en Pike Bidea. Aquí se anima hasta al de la grúa que carga una moto averiada de la organización 😂Espectacular la fiesta que les espera a los corredores. @Eurosport_ES #TDF2023 #TourEurosport pic.twitter.com/phzKoO8xojJuly 1, 2023
5. The Yates twins. Inseparable at the Tour de France, just like childhood. Incidentally, I'm a twin called Adam, but I have not worn the yellow jersey. Yet.
6. Absolutely fantastic tweet until you realise that the Elon Musk account is a parody. Didn't Intermarché have better things to be doing at the Tour de France than tweeting about Twitter?
Bro it's Twitter not Onlyfans we ain't paying your Twitter Blue mate 😂😂😂 https://t.co/an9Ntsp5bbJuly 2, 2023
7. Poor Enric Mas, whose Tour de France didn't even last two days. He looks OK, though.
8. Mark Cavendish will have mixed memories of his last Tour de France, but he definitely gave himself some room to be sentimental...
9. Rigoberto Urán has never heard of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. And yet, he looks more like Frank Spencer than Michael Crawford himself.
10. The first pool post, don't say I didn't warn you. The UAE Team Emirates plunge pool is very popular in the searing heat of France. Pogačar looks like a very cool customer indeed
A pool recovery session for the guys.🫧🌊😌#UAETeamEmirates #WeAreUAE #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/8Z5sM932jOJuly 3, 2023
11. Lorena Wiebes: not just the fastest woman in the peloton, but also an entertainer. I wish I could be so cool.
12. For those of us watching the Giro d'Italia Donne, it has been difficult to watch anything other than Annemiek van Vleuten surging to victory
#GiroDonne23 pic.twitter.com/k1Dc69b7n5July 4, 2023
13. Speaking of Movistar, this is a wonderful synchronised dance routine. All credit to Floortje Mackaij
💖💃🙌🏼 Queens of the 🇮🇹 #GiroDonne23 🎩🙏🏼 Credits to @floortjemackaij for the art direction!Ⓜ️ @LianeLippert | @audebiannic | Floortje | @AvVleuten | @sheyarcoiris | @paulapb291 | @SamartinmartinA pic.twitter.com/RT9WJuqD6FJuly 7, 2023
14. Aren't people who are good at everything annoying
MV(D)P! 👑 @mathieuvdpoel #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/d0b6JnyVZJJuly 4, 2023
15. When Jonas Vingegaard spoke to Emmanuel Macron, he just exchanged pleasantries. Alberto Bettiol tried some cultural negotiations, so props to the EF rider.
Monsieur le Président, please give us back the Monnalisa 🇮🇹, and thanks for coming to @LeTour 🇫🇷#bettiolife @EFprocycling #TDFF2023📸 @jeredgruber pic.twitter.com/J2Lp7vnCRLJuly 7, 2023
16. Another pool! And a Lidl brand opportunity! Mads looks at home in his crazy towel and trunks, I think I want them?
17. Not sure you could get two more different riders than Filippo Ganna and Ben Tulett. Sometimes you are reminded that it's a sport for all different sizes. My answer, by the way, is that you can get two Tuletts in a Ganna.
Little and large 🤣 @bentulett01 @GannaFilippo #howmanytulettscanyougetinaganna pic.twitter.com/2l4bWlwBsXJuly 9, 2023
18. Victor Campenaerts, GC prospect... start the rumour now
19. Finally, while Pogačar looked at peace in the pool, Florian Vermeersch looks... scared? It actually looks like some kind of baptism.
When there's no @LeTour on TV today 😞 Who can relate? 😅#TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/3QAZNF9JLoJuly 10, 2023
