We have entered that funny bit of the cycling season, where some riders have jetted off on their off-seasons, while others are still ploughing on the track or in China. It is very, very close to all being over for 2025, and so there are many who are just out there, having fun.
That said, I'm not really sure you can afford to have a proper time off, what with the bar set so high these days. So while many of you will be having a couple of pints on a Friday, pour one out for those pro riders who are either still riding, or those who are not even having that much fun on their off-seasons.
Anyway, off-season or those close to it is a bit of a theme of this week's social media round-up, with all sorts of going on. There are also appearances from Jeremy Vine and Lance Armstrong, possibly in the same article for the first time ever. Do enjoy.
1. What an outfit this is, congratulations to Victor Campenaerts. He once told me he liked my hair, so here I am paying him back with another compliment. You look great, Victor. Enjoy your off-season
Just when I thought I couldn't love Victor Campenaerts any more..... pic.twitter.com/W8NVzH37vuOctober 16, 2024
2. It's the reunion we didn't know we wanted? Who would have thought that Jan Ullrich and Lance Armstrong could be buddies, 20 years after they were considered the best cyclists in the world. It feels weird
Now vs then.⁰Honored to host my brother @JanUllrich5 in Austin this week.(📸: @LizKreutz) pic.twitter.com/e7UBXZ2lMoOctober 16, 2024
3. Well, at least we know someone who definitely is riding for Ineos Grenadiers next season: Michał Kwiatowski
pic.twitter.com/zHTghOYqNLOctober 12, 2024
4. Oscar Onley here, showing the world how British schoolchildren dress. That's right, a horrible polyester jumper (my primary school one was also blue, fun) over a polo shirt, grey trousers/shorts and the most pointless shoes in the world. What a world.
Decked out in Scottish blue 🏴Join us in wishing @OscarOnley a very happy 22nd birthday. We hope you have a great day, Oscar! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/wHKCFnSacrOctober 13, 2024
5. I always really like these videos of the peloton paying tribute to retiring riders, but I always worry for the riders walking through them will accidentally get a spinning wheel to the head
🚴♀️Een prachtige erehaag van hun collega’s voor de afscheidnemende @CordonRagot @BarnesAlice en @C_Majerus.#SLT2024 pic.twitter.com/R3Y6rcAqZZOctober 13, 2024
6. Congratulations to Puck Pieterse, one of the best riders in the world, and now a graduate. I love it when cyclists have hinterlands, and it appears Puck's is " Human Movement Sciences" which feels like physio? I don't know
7. Grace Brown has had one of the all-time years and is walking out on a high, what a way to do it. Cycling will miss the Aussie!
8. Absolutely no idea what this is about, maybe it's a meme that I'm unfamiliar with, but Mathilde Gros now has an enormous head, for some reason
9. I've attempted to cycle up the Koppenberg in the rain, and it wasn't fun, but these are professional cyclists struggling in the dry. Come on now.
10. I'm sure the Tour of Guangxi is taken very seriously by the riders in it, but I'm not sure you'd see this at the Tour de France...
Running into stage 2 of @TourofGuangxi Motivation + + 🤣 pic.twitter.com/6itFLDqe3HOctober 16, 2024
11. Free champagne for everyone! what's the problem?
FAO: the pelotonIf you happen to share a podium with @martusialach she WILL share her champagne... whether you like it or not 😅🍾#TOCI2024 pic.twitter.com/jXtJtBSRS2October 17, 2024
12. Lotte Kopecky said in an interview this week that she wanted to try bungee jumping sometime... Sure, maybe post-cycling, though. In the meantime, she has to content herself with milder peril. Although, considering this is on a bridge, I'm not sure her coaches would be delighted with this either
13. Work is over, it's time for play!
Off season starts today, time for some playtime ▶️😁📸 @GettySport pic.twitter.com/eKLhAcJ2YxOctober 18, 2024
14. And finally, imagine you're just minding your own business as a tourist in London, accidentally in a cycle lane, and then you end up on Jeremy Vine's Twitter. What a day. Really, though, this is infuriating, and I'm glad in a way that I no longer have to cycle around London. What a mess.
I have had it up to here with the Westminster Bridge Cycle Lane. The daily circus on this defies description. This was a single visit on Tuesday at random. WARNING: Includes rude American. PS. The friend of mine who appears with such impeccable timing is @crisortunity pic.twitter.com/c6NGpi1echOctober 17, 2024
