Today is a very important day. I bet you’ve had it marked on your calendar all year – a big, red circle around 8 November. Yes, Thanksgiving is approaching, and Christmas is starting to feel close, but there’s one day you’ve been looking forward to, and it’s finally here.
Go fetch the party hats, it’s World Ventilation Day.
You’ve waited with bated breath since March, haven’t you? Well, it turns out you’re not alone in your excitement. With eager smiles to mark the occasion, five of Soudal Quick-Step’s finest posed for photos with their favourite ventilation units: Remco Evenepoel, Julian Alaphilippe, Tim Merlier, Yves Lampaert and Ilan Van Wilder, ambassadors of great airflow.
“Join us in raising awareness about the importance of ventilation louvres in every home,” wrote Renson on social media. You remember Renson, right? Their name is plastered across the backsides of Soudal Quick-Step’s riders. An outdoor brand, they create furniture and home instalments, including, of course, ventilation units.
“Experience optimal airflow with the made-to-measure louvres, powered by Renson,” the team's sponsor wrote. Evenepoel’s cheery smile suggests he’s a proud owner of many.
World Ventilation Day, as you know, is not only a commercial opportunity. It’s a day of celebration, of recognition for the importance of clean air on an increasingly polluted planet.
Renson knows this, of course, and I would never slander them for their dedication to the cause. I have actually been to the company’s showroom – Soudal Quick-Step held their pre-Paris-Roubaix press conference there last year – and the hospitality was wonderful. There were canapés, comfy seats, and they even let us hang around to type up articles afterwards.
Am I Renson-washed? Maybe. Would I dress in full cycling kit, alongside Alaphilippe, for a ventilation louvre marketing stunt? Almost certainly. I just feel bad that the Frenchman might not get this sort of glamour when he rides for Tudor – a team sponsored by a luxury watch brand – next season.
Elsewhere on social media, the King meets Olympic and Paralympic royalty at Buckingham Palace, and Ineos Grenadiers let their hair down after a rough season.
1. Our awareness has been raised
Today is #WorldVentil8Day! Let's raise awareness about the importance of #ventilation louvres in every home. Experience optimal airflow with #Renson’s made-to-measure #louvres. Proud partner of @soudalquickstep #TheWolfPack #wayToRide #SoudalQuickStep pic.twitter.com/60dD60M3LJNovember 8, 2024
2. That sure looks like a crowded club, I hope there's good ventilation
3. Ben Wiggins is four months early for World Tiramisu Day – that's 21 March
4. SD Worx-Protime's new kit for next season will really make their riders stand out
5. The King's aide five minutes before: "Ok Charles, when you meet Dame Sarah Storey, you must remember to bow. There's no need to be nervous."
6. If you're wondering who the best footballer at Ineos Grenadiers is, apparently it's Geraint Thomas (that's what he told us)
7. Jayco AlUla's Letizia Paternoster follows Adriano, Ronaldo, and Dennis Bergkamp in wearing Inter Milan's iconic number 10
8. I hope they play Hot to Go!
9. Here's how one X user reacted to the US election result
I’m turning my phone off & heading out on my bike now for 4 years.November 6, 2024
10. Don't worry, Americans. There's plenty of room for you all in Girona
might I suggest moving to europe #joinusNovember 8, 2024
11. When I asked Honor Elliott how many times bigger her papier-mâché Visma-Lease a Bike helmet is than the original, she said: "I think it's smaller, no?" (true story)
12. And finally, here's a slideshow of the best costumes from Rapha's Muddy Hell cyclocross event. My favourite's the wine bottle
