Honorary degrees and the great pee debate: the Giro d'Italia through social media
This week's social media round-up, direct from the Giro
It's mid-May and we are, truly, in the thick of it. With the Giro d'Italia in full swing, and the Donnes warming up for their Cesenatico-start in just over a week, the spring has flown by in a flurry of cauliflower cars, dominant youngsters and crash-marred races.
But the grind don't stop; and the internet never sleeps. Where the Giro has, at times, been less than thrilling, the internet has made up for in spades. Jonas Vingegaard weighing in on the 'pee-gate'? Filippo Ganna heading into next week bolstered by another stage win and an honorary degree? This is a week in cycling's social media.
1. Would you pee in a bottle mid-bike ride? Or rather - could you? The Visma-Lease a Bike team break down the latest peloton drama, and tip their hats at those talented enough to multitask.
2. What to eat before a stage at the Giro d’Italia? First things first: coffee, followed by a hearty spread of smoked salmon and avocado. Jack Haig (Netcompany-Ineos) is living the good life.
3. Madis Mihkels (EF Education-EasyPost) knows Stage 12 inside out. The 177km stage ripples into big climbs just towards the finish after a coastline kick off.
4. You’ve heard of polo (maybe?) but have you heard of bike polo? Or whatever this seems to be? If you can’t bare to be separated from your bike, then this game of two-wheeled hockey could be for you. Shins, beware.
5. 50 wins - and Jonas Vingegaard can remember every one. Before bagging a potential 51st, the Visma Lease a Bike rider counts down every win, from a stage at the Tour de Pologne to the Giro d’Italia’s ninth.
6. Time trial winner Filippo Ganna has been awarded an honorary degree in the 'Theory and Methodology of Training' from the ISFOA Unitelematica International Swiss University in recognition of his Olympic team pursuit gold medal in Tokyo. Simone Consonni and Jonathan Milan also received honorary degrees ahead of stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia.
7. Custom Giro d’Italia pink work shoe, anyone?
8. ‘Full sail towards the unknown’ reads the caption on this video of Jensen Plowright spicing up this climb. ‘Don’t let the UCI see this,’ one comment reads. ‘Straight to jail.’
9. In a big week for bottle related drama (see: the first video in this list), this belated video from In Flanders Field was released this week, showing riders testing out their aim.
10. Meanwhile, away from the Giro, Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney has been on a lovely bike-packing trip – we're quite jealous
