I often reflect on how unlike most other sports, in cycling, you can really feel like the best riders in the world sometimes. Obviously, you're going at a fraction of the speed, and there's no way you could keep it up for longer than two minutes, but when you're feeling good, and you're racing a mate for a sign or an imaginary finish line, you really feel like a pro.
If this was football, tennis, or football, most simply don't have the skill or the finesse to feel particularly good, but anyone in their right moment can feel fast on the bike. For me, it's on hills with a very gentle incline, the kind you can climb in the big ring. For just a second, I close my eyes and I'm riding the Tour of Flanders. Of course, as soon as I open them again I'm back to being Adam Becket, but there we go. The dream was there.
There's a couple of posts this week to that kind of end, and also some pros having fun on their bikes, which always makes me smile. Everyone is just having a good time on two wheels - do try to do so this weekend, I promise it'll help everything feel better.
Your usual social media guide, Tom Davidson, is giving himself a well-earned rest this week, so in his place you get me, with a real sense of world weariness this week. Cynicism at the ready, let's go!
1. Look, I know it's Elliot's job to make content like this, but it could at least mildly divert me. Instead I'm left going 'why?'
2. Chris Froome - in what could be his final season - broke his collarbone in the UAE, which means he is apparently now a fall risk. He's only 39!
3. Oscar Onley might be one of the great hopes of British cycling, but he is also a young man who needs to eat better food than rice, eggs, and siracha. That said, perhaps he struggled for different meals in the Middle East
4. Gustav Klimt's The Kiss, one of the greatest paintings of all time, can only be improved by a pulley wheel, right?
5. Kasia Niewiadoma there, with the thought we have all had. It would be nice to be Tadej Pogačar for a day, but then it would also be nice to be Kasia Niewiadoma for a day. Imagine how fast you could be
Me too! https://t.co/CRaTQyvxUUFebruary 26, 2025
6. This is probably old now, but I love the idea of a poor delivery rider accidentally having to do a whole CX race
7. Good news! The Arenberg Trench is in rude health, so there might not be that much need for goats this year...
La trouée d'Arenberg a plutôt bien encaissé l'hiver, moins d'herbe et de terre...un petit nettoyage devrait suffire. ,#ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/yoWx2SsRV6February 26, 2025
8. Fred is ready for cobbles! We are ready for cobbles! Every start shouting PAVÉ PAVÉ PAVÉ. Honestly, it's the best bit of the year
9. I'll be honest, I had to Google what a speler was. It turns out it's just a player, which makes sense. Cheers to Tao for broadening my language. Shout out to Lotte Wubben-Moy too
10. This is basically what riding in the UK has been like for seemingly half a year. One day I'll go out and not get mucky.
11. Rather than grabbing beers, Lachlan casually takes (surely it's not theft) two bottles of water
12. This is not a drill! Remco is back outside cycling, and I swear he's more gold than ever?
13. There's nothing like being late for making you feel like you're the best cyclist in the world for five minutes. It all ends as soon as you hit an incline, of course
14. I can't really judge, I could do no better, but Adam Blythe is not having fun here. And unlike other Zwifters, it's not just in his spare room, but on television.
15. All I want is for this confusing mismatch of colours to be in the peloton. More colours! Not less! Put someone in a jester's costume!
16. This is honestly what I feel like every time I race a mate up a tiny hill. Imagine how good it must feel if you're actually one of the fastest cyclists in the world
17. And finally, a simple message to leave everyone on - go for a bike ride! It'll help!
