Giro Tweets of the Week: Climbing, sprinting, barging … and a cherubic smile

The first full week of the Giro 2018 certainly got the Twittersphere frisky. But it wasn’t all about Italy – we had Dunkirk AND California as well! There were so many good tweets, I’m letting them speak for themselves, quite frankly. Enjoy!

Climbs and then some

Today's @giroditalia stage finish was one of the most beautiful I have seen. I'm going to do it again….. on a motorbike Next time 😀 soon I hope.

— Adam Hansen (@HansenAdam) May 13, 2018

Me: What?! How many km's is the final climb?!

Person: 45.

Me: (silence) pic.twitter.com/ZdR3RupjZU

— Ryan Mullen (@ryanmullen9) May 14, 2018

Amazing. Haig on @Eurosport_UK 'who actually won, Chaves or Yates?'

— John Fenning (@berniefenning) May 13, 2018

Chavez Attack! #LosEscarabajos lighting up Mt Etna! #giro #Colombia 🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/fGXig3zlBw

— Grimpeur Bros (@GrimpeurBros) May 10, 2018

I’m quite sure Chaves smile could stop wars and bring peace to the world #Giro101

— Ginevra (@ginevragarga) May 12, 2018

How I imagine Chaves joining the breakaway #Giro101 pic.twitter.com/5Y5EJo31MA

— Ginevra (@ginevragarga) May 10, 2018

Exclusive image with Jack Haig sneaking Chavito in today's breakaway. #Giro101 pic.twitter.com/YfZMsTE86l

— Mihai Cazacu (@faustocoppi60) May 10, 2018

Ah, the sweet smell of woodsmoke in the mountains

Les étapes de montagne de @ThibautPinot en 2018 ⤵#Giro101 – Gran Sasso ➡ 2e#Giro101 – Montevergine ➡ 3e#Giro101 – Etna ➡ 3e
TOTA – Lienz ➡ 4e
TOTA – Merano ➡ 2e
TOTA – Pampeago ➡ 2e
TOTA – Folgaria ➡ 4e
Catalunya – La Molina ➡ 5e
Catalunya – Campodron ➡ 3e pic.twitter.com/Lny2Tu2bMm

— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) May 13, 2018

Depending on the weather and race situation:
'Every teardrop is a Waterfall'
'Shiver'
'Trouble'

— Felix Schönbach (@Felixschoenbach) May 12, 2018

Today I learned that 1km uphill takes a liiiiiiittle bit longer then 1km on the flat 🤔 pic.twitter.com/pwWlmnX4oi

— Sam Bennett (@Sammmy_Be) May 8, 2018

Crash Froome

Isolated. Riding like a man who’s been at the pub too long. Losing time by the truckloads. And having a contretemp with George Bennett. Just the first week of the Giro for Chris ‘£1m appearance fee’ Froome

George Bennett and Chris Froome clash during frantic finish to Giro d'Italia stage https://t.co/1pGolXKRtu pic.twitter.com/2s6IaJJkPW

— Stuffed Up (@stuff_diff) May 13, 2018

reckon he bumped Bennett deliberately, perhaps blamed him for original crash, or revenge for comments in press or during the race. Froome often isolated in peloton today, doesn't look good, as if no one wants to ride alongside. Poels having lots of friendly chats tho….

— Samuel Lanterne Verte Gamester (@SamuelGamester) May 12, 2018

Haig. Dropped. Froome.

— Abby Mickey (@abimickey) May 13, 2018

So Froome blames his crash in West Jerusalem for his lack of form at the #Giro. So what's to blame for his lack of form since January? The idea of a crash in May?

— fabrizio🇪🇺🇮🇹🇬🇧 (@fabrizioviani) May 14, 2018

Froome looks like he’s suffering. Whether hampered by injury or lack of form his problem if he can’t turn it around is that in future races his aura of invincibility will be gone. Which is kinda important. #Giro101

— John Galloway (@VelocastJohn) May 13, 2018

If I was Froome I’d pull out citing injury and regroup for July. I’m not though and champions can be stubborn buggers.

— John Galloway (@VelocastJohn) May 13, 2018

Fantastically cold blooded riding from. @SimonYatess there but that is his hallmark. And Froome will struggle to come back now

— William Fotheringham (@willfoth) May 13, 2018

When it rains, it pours

"Froome & his teammates had to pile into the cabin… amid throngs of merry tifosi for the 7-minute journey to the valley below. As if the lonely road to the summit hadn't told already told him, the Giro is not like any other bike race." B. Ryan #giro101
https://t.co/g55sELFgPm pic.twitter.com/YpbC9YvfkR

— Cyclingnews.com (@Cyclingnewsfeed) May 13, 2018

It may be my perception only, but I feel like #TeamSKY has lost a lot of #respect in the peloton. Other teams won't let them call the shots, and it shapes the races.

— Laurens van Rooijen (@bikejourno) May 13, 2018

A menagerie of sprinters

Cycling’s bottomless pit of power strikes again taking the opening stage of the Tour of California. We met with Gaviria to find out how he does it https://t.co/l13qlhzdTF pic.twitter.com/U4tijpuiDU

— Rouleur (@rouleurmagazine) May 14, 2018

Nice beard, @MaxRicheze 😛#AmgenTOC pic.twitter.com/0HKgv7Avf0

— Quick-Step Cycling (@quickstepteam) May 12, 2018

Is he a tiger? A wolf? How many animals will be used to describe Fernando Gaviria this season?

🐯 THE TIGER IS BACK 🐯 un pequeño tigre en medio de 🐺una manada de lobos #thewolfpack que siempre están a la altura y dan el máximo. Gracias chicos por hacerme volver a sentir esta hermosa sensación 🐺 @quickstepteam

📸 @AmgenTOC pic.twitter.com/4VjEJ3VM8h

— Fernando Gaviria (@FndoGaviria) May 14, 2018

A Wolfpack's strength is unity! Win number 30 couldn't have been pulled off without the amazing work of this fantastic team!#WayToRide #AmgenTOC pic.twitter.com/tlCa7in8KT

— Quick-Step Cycling (@quickstepteam) May 13, 2018

The #AmgenTOC yellow jersey for @FndoGaviria, first Colombian stage winner in four years at the US race.#WayToRide pic.twitter.com/PtaO8UPtEX

— Quick-Step Cycling (@quickstepteam) May 13, 2018

But Fernando wasn’t the only sprinter who was making some noise. Andre Greipel took a solo win at the Four Days of Dunkerque. So great to have him back after his injury …

🇩🇪@AndreGreipel of 🇧🇪@Lotto_Soudal wins stage 5 of 🇫🇷@4JDDunkerque #4JDD pic.twitter.com/btr8t4oEzH

— World Cycling Stats (@wcstats) May 12, 2018

Ireland went crazy for Sam Bennett‘s Giro stage win last week – front page news!

What a great day, very well done @IrishTimesSport , @Sammmy_Be makes front page fantastic. pic.twitter.com/oEVT2ppWOM

— conorbea (@conorbea) May 12, 2018

Ireland, your 31 year wait is over!

Thank you to everyone involved 👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/b31zy3JiEi

— Sam Bennett (@Sammmy_Be) May 11, 2018

I say, I say

Cyclists – and fans and pundits – say the darndest things!

Professional cyclists have a super super vocabulary

— Cillian Kelly (@irishpeloton) May 14, 2018

Montevergine di Mercogliano has to be one of the most pleasing Grand Tour stage destinations to say #Giro101

— Daniel Ostanek (@LVCKV) May 12, 2018

Hearing Sean Kelly's comment that The Peloton were 3.33 behind the breakaway was unquestionably the moment of the day.

— The Northern Line (@shop_TNL) May 13, 2018

#Giro101 🇮🇹 Thanks @robhatchtv for the daily shout outs you're giving to our Maglia Nera lion hero @fonzig91:
"Have you ever tried to finish last Sean?"
"No."
Classic commentary yesterday. 😂#homeofcycling 📸 @pocispix pic.twitter.com/D0aJynXbFu

— Lion of Roubaix (@lionofroubaix) May 12, 2018

Quotes after Giro Stage 9:

Yates: “It was a tough stage, I’m happy to win wearing the leaders jersey”

Pinot: “The wind was strong, I tried my best but couldn’t get the stage, I will fight another day”

Froome: “I’m here for the cash”

🤙🏻😝💰

— Hoggus Maximus (@maximus_hoggus) May 13, 2018

Carlton… Are Sky and Chris Froome playing a blinder here?
SeanK: Bit early to say, they're just following Astana at the minute, the test comes later..

I say again, Thank goodness for King Kelly

— midge (@pariswheels) May 13, 2018

Big licks for Thibaut Pinot in today's Corriere della Sera. He's apparently 'as crunchy as a baguette fresh out of the oven & richer than the recipe for foie gras.'

Can a rider be crunchy? Does foie gras even have a recipe?

It's their story & they're sticking by it.

— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) May 12, 2018

No matter how much Lionel wants it to happen, can anyone see the Italians adopting this nickname for Bury-born Simon Yates? Sanguinaccio Volante. The Flying Black Pudding https://t.co/tdQUUdDQbp

— The Cycling Podcast (@cycling_podcast) May 13, 2018

there's jour sans and fringale but what do italian and french commentators shout when a rider cracks on a climb?

— Samuel Lanterne Verte Gamester (@SamuelGamester) May 12, 2018

Fringale is a 'crisi di fame'. For a guy cracking on a climb, you usually just say 'è andato in crisi' or ''è crollato'.

— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) May 12, 2018

"We are looking at the island of Dino. He was the pet dinosaur of Fred Flintstone. Let's see today who is gonna be a rock."

Carlton Kirby.

What the fuck is he on about @Eurosport_UK ???

— Nick G (@bignickguff) May 11, 2018

I love Grand Tours – where naps are measured in kilometres instead of minutes. #giro101

— Dan from Nam (@DanFromNam) May 10, 2018

Taylor Phinney at #ATOC pre-race presser:

"We spend the whole year in Europe being fish out of water. It's nice to be the fish IN the water for once… Yeah, terrible quote." pic.twitter.com/q85EtJcxDh

— Dane Cash (@danecash) May 11, 2018

“It’s a mouthful — get used to it.” – Cyclist and epic entertainer @taylorphinney on extra long @Ride_Argyle name.

— Sophie Smith (@SophieSmith86) May 11, 2018

The Gruppetto

The Juan and only …

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiuODfrhPbs/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share

Juan's in pink and talking on my TV… All is well in my Giro world pic.twitter.com/VhIgpzMLjG

— midge (@pariswheels) May 9, 2018

We did, we did… #SmilesForMiles 😁😁 @kittyfondue 😍😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/yLd4E2XYID

— midge (@pariswheels) May 10, 2018

Quando parte il Giro D'Italia dentro di me succede sempre qualcosa di particolare. (Eddy Merckx)
8 Tappa Giro D'Italia 2018#giroditalia2018 #italia #pioggia #sfortuna #avantitutta #processoallatappa #raisport #rairadio2 #magliabianca @RichardCarapazM @alepeta74 @destefanoaless pic.twitter.com/ZlCQlqgeU9

— Mattia Cattaneo (@cattamat) May 12, 2018

📹 Fantastic support from the fans to @FabioAru1 🇮🇹 at the start in Pesco Sannita this morning.

Grazie a tutti ! #Giro101 #UAETeamEmirates pic.twitter.com/wQcXgSrAhA

— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamUAEAbuDhabi) May 13, 2018

Riders @ryanmullen9 & @Mads__Pedersen share what it's like to be roommates at the @giroditalia! #Roomies #Giro101 #Cycling pic.twitter.com/Obl4aEHNks

— inCycle (@inCycleTV) May 14, 2018

If only they had lined Peter Sagan‘s head in the centre of that neon – it would be like he had a spikey halo

the new velonews detective show looks promising pic.twitter.com/iuceLcEutn

— Jason Gay (@jasongay) May 11, 2018

Cheeky chappy who conquers mountains

#Giro101
Second place for @davideformolo #yess pic.twitter.com/tXHlp5FjcS

— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) May 12, 2018

#TheWolfpack: The "King of Cool" Iljo Keisse about life as professional … https://t.co/K5UNyDcFs9 pic.twitter.com/lBGQWrgtIM

— Iljo Keisse (@IljoKeisse) May 12, 2018

La sélection #Blackandwhite du matin pour bien rentrer dans cette journée 👊#Giro101 pic.twitter.com/Geuoy57GkQ

— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) May 12, 2018