In case you'd missed it, Tadej Pogačar is having a pretty good 2024 so far. He has only raced six times, but has won thrice, and finished on the podium twice more. At the Volta a Catalunya this week, the UAE Team Emirates rider won back-to-back mountain top finishes, just underlining how much better he is than the rest of the field.
It leaves the rest of the field with pretty slim pickings. Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) said the quiet bit out loud this week: "Unfortunately, Pogačar is here, and that means victory will be really difficult."
However, Landa appears to be having fun at his new Belgian team anyway, and we salute the content-looking rider. Pogačar, meanwhile, now has an army of adoring schoolchildren who are eager for his signature, because apparently that's still a thing in 2024.
Elsewhere on cycling's social media this week, there is some top child-of-cyclist content, we see how much a pork pie motivates a rider, and Mathieu van der Poel has lost his mullet.
It appears the Dutchman is following in my stead, because I had a mullet first, and got rid of it first. Sadly, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider has actually won the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, two things I'm yet to do. At least I'm ahead of him sometimes.
1. It's a hard life, being a professional cyclist
💥 Small incident at the back, with @carloscanal01 crashing into a rider relieving himself. Welcome to #MilanoSanremo.March 16, 2024
2. Jasper Philipsen has the accessory that the whole of the fashion world can't stop talking about
👜 Forget Dior or Chanel, 🇧🇪 @jasperphilipsen is wearing #MilanoSanremo pic.twitter.com/cN3OvCzX8xMarch 16, 2024
3. Michael Matthews could not have come closer to winning Milan-San Remo. If only he hadn't lost his sunglasses...
🇮🇹 #MilanoSanremo How close?! 🤏 pic.twitter.com/gnqL57mFGxMarch 16, 2024
4. Not only did Eluned King win the biggest race of her career so far, the CiCLE Classic, but she won a giant pork pie. Good stuff.
Thinking about the Pork Pie 👉🏼 Winning the Pork Pie pic.twitter.com/OhuTF9ucTxMarch 18, 2024
5. GC Sepp Kuss has resurfaced, with Matteo Jorgenson getting aboard the hype train
Matteo Jorgenson is officially my second most favorite rider. Don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more patriotic than this 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/2tQJCmZaL9March 18, 2024
6. Mathieu van der Poel has always had an air of style
Do you recognize this handsome guy? pic.twitter.com/tEnNR7ftDnMarch 19, 2024
7. The world champion has even copied me - again - by getting rid of his mullet before Flanders. Shock.
Mathieu van der Poel got a haircut, no more mullet 😭 pic.twitter.com/jAwDm6HfC4March 21, 2024
8. I wish anyone was as big a fan of me as Dylan Groenewegen's son is of him. So sweet.
🇧🇪 #BruggeDePanneMini Groenewegen cheering on daddy before the start. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/ufFpepvwcEMarch 20, 2024
9. Has anyone ever been as content as Mikel Landa is here? Perfect.
Happiness is enjoying the little things in life 😃#VoltaCatalunya103 pic.twitter.com/FcJjiwIIXEMarch 20, 2024
10. Tadej Pogačar is a popular man. How many of those children actually know who he is, I wonder.
Ça fait plaisir de voir autant de fans autour de 🇸🇮 Tadej Pogacar (UAD). pic.twitter.com/2rlvQkg91mMarch 20, 2024
11. The next superstar in the making, Alex Dowsett's daughter, Juliette. She can sing and cycle at the same time!
12. At least Robbie McEwen's always got the 'GroundPog Day' millions
I coined a phrase yesterday when talking about @TamauPogi winning back to back stages @VoltaCatalunya - “ It’s GroundPog Day “ #youhearditherefirstMarch 21, 2024
13. I have a cold at the moment, so any kind of mild exertion results in me being as exhausted as Chris Froome is here. That looks hard.
14. I can barely take my hands of my handlebars, let alone change shoes while riding along. Impressive stuff from Lotta Henttala
Don’t try this at home 😂@LottaHenttala @EFprocycling @bruggedepanne Photos © Getty Images pic.twitter.com/Xzvc9qQFmHMarch 21, 2024
15. Being an Olympic gold medallist and former Hour Record holder has its perks...
On the train, and I think this means these seats are for me right? 😀 pic.twitter.com/3xYtK0VGwbMarch 21, 2024
16. And finally, the GOATS ARE BACK, I repeat, THE GOATS ARE BACK
ARENBERG GOATS, season 2 🐐 pic.twitter.com/ydM9rwIj66March 21, 2024
