Our final three awards categories are all new ones. Today we’re offering you our nominees for the Best Social Media User in cycling. Which rider, team or person associated with the sport – yes, even Oleg Tinkov – is the most entertaining and engaging user of social media?
Previous winners: None.
Jack: It’s got to be Peter Sagan for me. Simply because you can never have too many photos of everyone’s favourite Slovak looking awkward.
Kathi: Taylor Phinney. Taylor is brilliant, spending the first half of the season keeping us amused with his irreverent tweets and fabulous Instagrams. Then, after his horrific accident in June, he kept us up to date with his recovery progress – almost unbelievably with a smile on his face. I say ‘almost’ unbelievably because the one thing you can count on with That Boy Phinney is a sunny disposition and sense of fun, no matter what.
Midge: Chris Juul Jensen. If you haven’t read his blog posts for Rouleur, please take a moment to do so before you vote. (You can find them here). From tales of echelons in the food queue at Qatar to the agony and ecstasy of riding a team time trial, he captures life as a professional cyclist with an irrepressible wit and often bittersweet style.
Panache: Oleg Tinkov. Is he drunk, sober, crazy or all of the above? Oleg Tinkov’s Twitter feed keeps you guessing and makes you explore the depths of humanity or criminality. Actually, it makes you laugh or want to throw your iPad through the window.
Sheree: Ted King is always amusing, witty and relevant on Twitter and his various blogs where he does a great job of promoting his team, himself and his many charitable and business interests. He’s media savvy and an asset to any team and its PR officer.
Tim: He’s one of the highest profile riders in the peloton but Mark Cavendish still calls a spade a spade. He thanks his teammates whenever he wins, he blames himself whenever he loses and always quick to recognise the achievements of others, whether teammate or rival. He still occasionally posts angry tweets in haste that he repents at leisure, but it’s those honest emotions that make him so entertaining (as well as a PR’s nightmare).
Ant: Who else could it possibly be? It’s always going to be Mister Grand Tour himself, Adam Hansen. Always.
Let us know your choice and the reasons for it – or if we have missed out your personal favourite – in the comments below.
Polls will close at 1200 GMT (UK time) on Friday 12th December.
Next: Most Surprising Transfer.
@MatthewLCooke is the only guy in the pro peloton who regularly calls a spade a doper, omerta be damned! His voice of reason and desire for a clean sport should be awarded!