Tweets of the week : Beards, back and bonnets

I have escaped the polar vortex and Tweets of the Week is back on Tuesdays where it belongs! Over the weekend, we finished up the Tour Down Under, where Jens got kissed a lot and Adam Hansen got spots, we’ve finished up the Tour de San Luis where we were aghast over Garmin’s new time trial helmets, and we were in Switzerland where Fabs became part of Ewan McGregor’s circus act. Yes, really.

Aerodynamic beards

Last week, Sir Bradley Wiggins gave an interview to Sky Sports, detailing his race schedule for this year. He’s targeting the Tour of California and then said he was willing to do anything asked of him so he can be part of the Tour de France Sky team that starts in Yorkshire in July. Oh, and he’s kept his beard.

UK Cycling Expert has something rather interesting to say about that beard. I think his last tweet could have been written by just about anyone on Twitter.

Baby got back

There was a spate of photographs lately of the back of cyclists (and no, I’m not talking about #arsephotography). Let’s start with one massive marginal setback …

We were all horrified by the mesh Sky jerseys this year and there had been a question as to whether it was a good idea, what with the sun and everything. We see here that if you forget your Factor 510 on a morning ride, like Mr Froome here, you’re in big trouble. Ouch!

I don’t think there’s any bare skin on the back of Pippo so he’s okay with a mesh jersey. Let’s just for a moment consider what those tattoos are going to look like when Pip is 75.

Totally loving these IAM Cat kits – especially the name so big and bold on the back. Of course, as someone pointed out on Twitter a few weeks ago, if Fabs had signed for IAM, the words IAM Spartacus could be on the back of that jersey. #IfOnly

And, um, here’s Tom and his magnificent Boonens taking the back way around the podium.

Buckethead

From the bottom to the top, from back to front – we move onto Garmin’s quite atrocious TT helmet, which we saw in action in the San Luis ITT last week. Honestly, I thought those hideous Kask helmets were bad. This looks like an upturned bucket. I think this is one of the very few times I have ever seen what was a unanimous opinion about something cycling related on Twitter.

Speaking of the San Luis ITT, here is That Boy Phinney warming up prior to his start time. You can just glimpse his snazzy shoes!

BTW, in case you hadn’t heard, That Boy Phinney lost the ITT by three seconds to Movistar’s Adriano Malori. From all accounts, his shoes were not gold.

Always the fashion trendsetter, Taylor is looking cool in #CapsNotHats in Argentina. Boy, those knees have taken a beating!

Kiss me quick!

That wonderful Adam Hansen had a good Tour Down Under, winning the race’s polka dot jersey. It’s always great to see one of the peloton’s true workhorses get some glory of his own! In fact, the Lotto boys didn’t do too badly in the TDU this year, with Andre Greipel, resplendent in his snowy white national jersey, taking two stages, including the final day’s sprint. Methinks they’ll be a lot of fun to watch this year!

Speaking of a peloton workhorse, they don’t get any tougher – or more popular – than Jens Voigt. This was his last Tour Down Under and he was getting the love. He also picked up a few Most Aggressive Rider jerseys along the way.

Cycling News has an intriguing theory – Adam Hansen is Jens’ heir apparent. I can get on board with that.

The circus is in town!

First, we had Dan Martin and a panda double-act in Dublin last week.

Then we had The Sacred Haunches™ himself as part of the Cirque Soleil show for IWC for their new Aquatimer watch. Looking into my crystal ball, I believe I can see a Fab Strictly Come Dancing in the years to come.