Tweets of the week: A Sepp Kuss and Tour de Tietema special
It might be hot as hell in the UK this week, but that does not mean the social media content stops
In all honesty, this year's Tour of Britain has not been the most electrifying so far: five stages, four sprints, five Jumbo-Visma wins. That's no criticism of the organisers, who have a very hard job, just a reflection on a repetitive week from Manchester to Essex.
Forget about the racing, though. Maybe it's not about the racing. If it is about the social media game, then the stage race around England and Wales is providing the goods.
The biggest providers of social media gold this week have been Tour de Tietema, the online phenomenon which started out around Bas Tieteman, grew into a YouTube channel, and now a whole cycling team - TDT–Unibet Cycling Team. They are known for their quirky clips, like trying to get riders to do wheelies or dunk basketballs at the Tour de France, but are also a serious cycling team.
The Dutch squad are using their travels around this fair isle to to just post though, it seems, and I think we can all respect that. If you're not going to win a stage or come close, why not make sure you're taking home combativity awards and tweeting the hell out of your week?
From Simon Cowell jokes to an instructive video on how to make a proper cup of tea, the TDT lads know how to make a splash - including, by making an actual splash.
Away from heatwave central, AKA the UK, to a more traditionally hot place, Spain, where Sepp Kuss has been in the red jersey at the Vuelta a España for a week, and has been the subject of much excitement online. He is the first American to lead a Grand Tour in ten years, so we get the craze, especially as he isn't Chris Horner. How he works alongside Jumbo-Visma's two other leaders, both of whom are defending Grand Tour champions, in Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard, is a whole other question.
Elsewhere, there's Ellen van Dijk continuing to get mileage out of being pregnant for posts, Jesús Herrada's Jesus-like collapse, Thomas De Gendt's jersey offer, and Demi Vollering meets the King (of the Netherlands).
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
1. We start with the crazy guys at Tour de Tietema, with Harry Tanfield showing their audience how to make a cup of tea. One can't help but wonder why, if Yorkshire Tea is so important to the Yorkshireman, he doesn't take the tea around with him? Maybe he ran out
A post shared by Tour de Tietema-Unibet (@tourdetietema)
A photo posted by on
2. Harry Tanfield, not only a content machine for Tour de Tietema, but a very good bike handler too
😳 😳 😳Nice save, @Harrytanfield94! #TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/Mv7JLFFyvGSeptember 3, 2023
3. This is the meme of the week as far as I'm aware, and it comes with so much self awareness too. Well done TDT
Everytime we win a Combativity Award: pic.twitter.com/Qs2QXHuHzBSeptember 5, 2023
4. Tour de Tietema have been the entertainers at the Tour of Britain, even if Jumbo-Visma/Simon Cowell do not approve
The #TourofBritain so far: pic.twitter.com/Vi2XkLl92zSeptember 8, 2023
5. Harry Tanfield cannot stop having fun, and who can blame him?
Post-race cool down, the old-school way 🌊#TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/uB2OqZnY5ASeptember 7, 2023
6. Talking of having fun at the Tour of Britain, it's good to see people getting stuck into our cuisine like this. The good old fashioned English dish of a Frankfurter in a baguette
Hotdog at the ready 🌭Our motorcyclist is a bit peckish at @TourofBritain 😅 pic.twitter.com/llfB6YOjMxSeptember 7, 2023
7. If anyone deserves to meet the King of the Netherlands, it's probably Demi Vollering. I have struggled but I can't name anyone else in the photo, and to that end, I would like to apologise both to the Netherlands and the Dutch royal family. Damn my ignorance.
A post shared by Demi Vollering (@demivollering)
A photo posted by on
8. I know Ineos want us to make it seem like Ben Turner is doing karaoke here, but to me, it seems like he's halfway through a stand up routine.
"These days, you can't say you're English without being arrested and thrown in jail"
A post shared by INEOS Grenadiers (@ineosgrenadiers)
A photo posted by on
9. Jake Scott, that guy on a club ride who always has to be extravagant for no reason
Mondays be like… @Jakerscott14 sending it 🏄♂️📸 Alan Napier#TourofBritain 🔴🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/jQuGtpiKzWSeptember 4, 2023
10. Poor Remco has been through a lot in his short life and the Vuelta to date
A post shared by Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstepteam)
A photo posted by on
11. This photo just screams cycling across the USA to me. Who's giving out free hugs that late at night, though? Hmm
A post shared by EF Education–EasyPost (@efprocycling)
A photo posted by on
12. One of these Lidl-Trek women is not like the other. Yes you're right, it's Brodie Chapman, cos she's in the Aussie champs kit
I think I had a few beers too much lately🤔 pic.twitter.com/j6xuPabVAASeptember 5, 2023
13. Are we still doing Barbie memes? Really?
We’re ready to do it all over again on stage 2 of the @TCFIA 🚀 #TCFIA pic.twitter.com/dkJi0u5bWuSeptember 6, 2023
14. How far do you think you would get up the 40% climb? I'm thinking absolutely nowhere
A post shared by Phil Gaimon (@philgaimon)
A photo posted by on
15. Magnus Sheffield is absolutely thrilled by the idea of the Crucible Theatre, the Winter Gardens, Park Hill, the Super Tram, errrr Jarvis Cocker
That feeling when you realise you’re the closest to Sheffield you’ve ever been!😀#TourOfBritain 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/MewpWjjXCmSeptember 6, 2023
16. A really good tweet. No further comments.
I was just reading about the rise in bike thefts this morning. This is blatant.#Lavuelta23 https://t.co/mjwMxbmWh0September 6, 2023
17. Onto the Sepp Kuss section of TOTW! The man from Colorado looks like he has just realised what is happening to him here. Good luck, Sepp
When you’re going to your third GT of the year to have a chill ride with your team leaders and then you accidentally have to win this thing pic.twitter.com/cJeQkmGZf0September 5, 2023
18. Sepp Kuss, of course, is hampered by not having Sepp Kuss as a domestique
Sepp Kuss' biggest weakness is he doesn't have Sepp Kuss to pace him up AngliruSeptember 6, 2023
19. Good luck to anyone who wants to get in the way of the Jumbo triumvirate
Like this. pic.twitter.com/ZnVt8p1tyoSeptember 7, 2023
20. Thomas De Gendt has a very attractive offer here
On stage 13 you can win my signed jersey. All you have to do is write your name and phonenumber down on a paper and put it in my backpocket while you push me up Tourmalet.September 7, 2023
21. The Cofidis soigneur just wanted to celebrate his charge's win, but instead faced the full force of the famously soft Spanish police
La Guardia taking down the soigneur is a new one for me. Probably Remco's fault. pic.twitter.com/PQWVd7Y3WASeptember 6, 2023
22. Finally, we end with some art history from the Low Countries
The Pietà, by Anthony van Dyck, 1629, 📸 by @TDWsport pic.twitter.com/lLvQJ02h38September 6, 2023
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1