One of the biggest events to have hit the British news cycle this week has been the weather. Spring is here (kind of), and that first burst of blue sky after 40 days of persistent rain felt good.<\/p>\n
In the same vein, much of my Instagram newsfeed has been filled with posts highlighting moments of unexpected whimsy at the Winter Olympics, embodied most notably by the figure skater, Alysa Liu. The 20-year-old took gold in a performance dominated by joyful movement and musicality, after retiring from the sport aged 16 to prioritise her mental and physical health. Her triumphant return to the sport has captivated the internet, and kick-started a conversation about the role play and joy have in performance – and success.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n This week\u2019s social media offerings show a dose of this newfound interest in the softer side of sport, as riders train under blue skies before a weekend of Belgian races. Enjoy!<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n 1. Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> made a surprise appearance on Greg James<\/a>\u2019 Radio 1 Breakfast Show this week when Formula 1 driver Ollie Bearman called the Tour de France winner<\/a> live on air. His advice for the show\u2019s host set to ride 1000km in eight days? “Have fun, eat carbs.” <\/p>\n Tadej<\/a><\/p>\n A photo posted by on <\/p>\n 2. Sweaty bib-shorts<\/a> and the post-ride couch-collapse: a cyclist’s paradise? Can’t say I’m 100% on board…<\/p>\n 3. Sam Watson<\/a> attempts to describe his teammates in one word. <\/p>\n 4. Lotto Intermarch\u00e9’s women’s<\/a> team enjoy an early-spring bluebird day on this team ride on the Belgian cobbles. <\/p>\n Lotto<\/a><\/p>\n A photo posted by on <\/p>\n 5. Lotto Intermarch\u00e9 aren\u2019t the only ones enjoying our recent burst of spring sun over in Belgium. Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek)<\/a> is in full training mode ahead of Opening Weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n 6. Cat Ferguson<\/a> (Movistar<\/a>), Imogen Wolff <\/a>(Visma-Lease a Bike<\/a>), Imogen Francis (Team Farto – Kiroot) and Alberte Greve (Uno-X<\/a> Mobility) took a training ride turned trip to France on the hunt for pastries. <\/p>\n 7. In a flashback to muddier times, cross-country rider Evie Richards <\/a>shares a month in her life, full of snowy training rides and cosy home renovations: “I\u2019m just out here wearing every waterproof and base layer I own.”<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n 8. Go Daisy! The seven-year-old hill-climber tackled one of Bristol\u2019s steepest climbs<\/a> last weekend, with a 13.2% average incline. Legend.<\/p>\n Daisy<\/a><\/p>\n A photo posted by on <\/p>\n 9. From a near-vertical Bristol incline to Mathieu van der Poel<\/a> sprinting uphill – all to the sound of a Poga\u010dar<\/a> team radio transmission. “I am happy(scared) I motivate you for your trainings,” Poga\u010dar wrote in the comments.<\/p>\n 10. Other Poga\u010dar fans have been caught in the wilds of Calpe.<\/p>\n 10. Ahead of Omloop Nieuwsblad<\/a> this weekend, help Laboral Kutxa find the perfect tune to open their team presentation. ‘The Final Countdown’ is currently a commenter favourite. And ‘Baby Shark’. What are you choosing?<\/p>\n Explore More<\/p>\n
\nTadej Poga\u010dar
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\nOmloop Het Nieuwsblad
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