After the rather news-heavy time that we had on social media, thanks to Cian Uijtdebroeks, it was a much quieter time on cycling social media this week, as I suppose you would expect in the run up to Christmas.
Still, there's enough content for a not really festive edition of Tweets of the week, with highlights including the fun time Soudal Quick-Step and SD Worx seem to be having on their respective training camps - I want to go to the football with Julian Alaphilippe and attempt a backflip on a beach with Lorena Wiebes. What a day out that would be.
What I want to focus on, however, is Tom Pidcock and Puck Pieterse's differing approaches to drinking beer. They were both presented with a delicious glass of Kwaremont after making the podium at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Namur last weekend, a just reward (Pidcock won, and Pieterse came second, by the way).
However, it was what they did with their beers that gave me pause. Pieterse downed hers in one, while Pidcock took a sip and grimaced. Now, the former world champion doesn't really drink, so I assume that beer isn't his thing, but it seems a shame that he can't enjoy the delights of a nice Belgian blonde. If he has any going spare, do send it my way.
1. Certatizit-WNT's Franziska Brauße looks about as happy as I would be if I'd just won an omnium, then been given a stetson and a fancy throne to sit in
2. Mathieu van der Poel is a world champion cyclist, but his parking could do with some work
Geparkeerd en ingeschreven, het crossseizoen kan beginnen pic.twitter.com/7z6OGPgtWoDecember 16, 2023
3. Soudal Quick-Step visited the football and Julian Alaphilippe got to be the best version of himself. You'd be annoyed if he was sat in front of you, though. Valencia drew 1-1 with Barcelona, incidentally
Party time at the Mestalla 😁 pic.twitter.com/wCZbWtKKRZDecember 16, 2023
4. Puck Pieterse, multi-discipline star, and also excellent at downing beer. What a way to get through a glass of the 6.6% Kwaremont
Cheers Puck! 🍻 #ICYMI pic.twitter.com/7dQ1eK4MKDDecember 17, 2023
5. Meanwhile, Tom Pidcock needs to take some lessons from Puck. I know you don't drink, Tom, and that's one of the many reason why you're a world-class bike rider and I'm just some guy, but that is good beer you're wasting
6. Josh Tarling might be one of the best time trialists in the world, what with being European champion and everything, but he also looks like a little boy. That is my observation.
7. Happy birthday to Lizzie Deignan. It's a shame that this clip wasn't constantly on our screens at the Vuelta, I want to see the camera's view
Happy Birthday, @lizziedeignan ! 🥳¡Muchas Felicidades @lizziedeignan ! 🎂Enjoy you day 🤪 pic.twitter.com/Lx3Hdj4duKDecember 18, 2023
8. You won't see anything more pure than Emma Finucane's reaction to winning BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
9. Congrats to Philippe Gilbert on what might be the most boring tweet of all time. Thanks to the police for stopping me? Sure.
En conduisant ma voiture hier,je me suis fait contrôler par la gendarmerie nationale,un simple contrôle de routine à la sortie d’un rond point.Les gendarmes étaient polis, courtois et mes papiers en ordre.Tout s’est très bien passé.Merci à eux de veiller à la sécurité routièreDecember 18, 2023
10. Wilfried Peeters and Davide Bramati look like mean goalkeepers, but it's a shame that the players aren't allowed to join in the football - although for obvious reasons. Not sure I can see Patrick Lefevere being particularly happy with all his riders suffering from knocks come January
Another edition of the now famous Calpe Cup ⚽️ came to a conclusion Sunday evening 🙌Can you guess who won? pic.twitter.com/cTnVUqxsEiDecember 17, 2023
11. What better way to show off the new SD Worx kit, Lorena, than for you to jump seemingly quite high in the air? It's quite the pose
12. After we discussed SD Worx's ski training camp and its dangers last week, it's Lorena Wiebes turn to do something terrifying for social media. Yes you're a great athlete, yes it's on a beach, but I'm scared just watching it
SD Worx team boss be like 🫣📸 Demi Vollering Instagram pic.twitter.com/FGEWgv6n33December 19, 2023
13. After a record-breaking dominant year, all SD Worx riders are going to have to tow Niamh Fisher-Black around with them as a handicap
SD Worx giving other teams ideas on how to stop them winning in 2024... https://t.co/7RIIvTB4NWDecember 19, 2023
14. Cycling downhill is fun, right
15. Quick photo please, Primož! Smile! No? Ok, well at least we've got a story
16. The off season content we didn't know we needed. Ben Turner needs some practice
17. We end where we began, with Ceratizit-WNT. I hope that everyone involved agreed to this... Merry Christmas!
