A Teun up for the books and all other Teun-related puns...
Pog went pop, Valverde was distanced moments later and Alpahilippe too far back either to make a challenge. This was the outcome:
Dylan Teuns wint een klassieker! 😍 pic.twitter.com/xhHzhGqTv3
— sporza (@sporza) April 20, 2022
Something of an upset with the Bahrain Victorious rider soloing away up the Mur de Huy. On a side note...
I love to give my bottles to supporters.
But don’t ‘pssshhhpsshhhh’ me on a disrespectful way while pointing your finger to my bottle, when I just finished my race on top of the Mur de Huy.
I should have given him that bottle though. On his head.
It was a grown-up man btw.
— Mieke Docx (@MiekeDocx) April 20, 2022
We came across Alec's monster ride earlier today, and shortly after road.cc Simon pointed out he has made headlines before...
In 2016, Alec made local paper headlines for inspiring a GP to ride Land's End to John O'Groats to raise money for the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society. Alec was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis two years before then, and described it being like "a burning volcano in his joints" but refuses to let it get in the way of doing what he loves – riding a bike.
Then, during those surreal sunny lockdown days of summer 2020, Alec was back in the papers having become a "local legend" for racking up the miles without that pesky school day getting in the way.
Alec hit the 6,500-mile mark five months after the schools shut, clocking 400 miles a week on average.
"Oxford, a cycling city"
says the sign
As a car drives down the bike lane. pic.twitter.com/f1vGK95ndu— Oxfordshire Wild (@OxfordWildFood) April 18, 2022
It's come to this then. pic.twitter.com/8xsIiXVyY1
— Jon (@Jontafkasi) April 20, 2022
Prior to this morning, 12 of the past 15 winners of the women's Flèche Wallonne were from the Netherlands, the last seven (all Anna van der Breggen) were all Dutch winners too.
But, Annemiek van Vleuten could not quite make that 13 from 16, as Marta Cavalli rounded the Movistar rider as the steepest ramps of the infamous Mur de Huy softened, meaning the Italian is on for the Amstel Gold, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège hat-trick.
Just look at those gradients...
🥇 Amstel Gold Race
🥇 𝐋𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞🇮🇹 Marta Cavalli ends the Dutch domination at Fleche Wallonne 🙌#FWwomen | @marta_cavalli98 | @FDJ_NAqui_Futpic.twitter.com/rOFZfn8f9e
— Eurosport (@eurosport) April 20, 2022
Mur de Huy is one of the hardest climbs on the calendar and makes the pros look like us lot blowing our way up the local rise. The men's race is underway, with three-time champ Julian Alaphilippe back to defend his crown against: five-time winner Alejandro Valverde, Michael Woods, Tadej Pogačar and Tom Pidcock. The only big-name missing is Alec Perry...
Tadej's tuft is out, can anyone beat him?
The greatest piece of parallel parking you’ll ever see!#WorldBollardAssociationpic.twitter.com/c53yr3HZVe
— World Bollard Association™ (@WorldBollard) December 31, 2021
Schwalbe UK is now carbon neutral, the company has announced. Bikebiz reports the tyre brand has calculated its operational carbon footprint to 70.46tCO2e and has bought verified carbon credits to rebalance its operational greenhouse gas emissions for 2021/2022.
The carbon credits project will ensure 28,752 hectares of forest is protected for conservation purposes, and by working alongside Plannet Zero, Schwalbe says it has achieved carbon neutrality in accordance with PAS 2060.
"At Schwalbe, we strive to be the most sustainable bicycle tyre manufacturer in the world. This is why Schwalbe UK began working with Plannet Zero in 2021 to help measure our operational carbon footprint," a statement said.
What could ever go wrong with a yes/no vote?
When does the milk go in the tea? (At the end, obviously) Tea, dinner or supper? (Tea) Disc brakes or rim brakes? (Honestly, whatever you want, I don't care) Coca-Cola or Pepsi? (Either) Was that dress blue or gold? (Blue) WD-40 as chain lube? (No comment)...
It's a community-splitting question as old as blue cans of multi-purpose lubricant... should you use WD-40 to lube your bike chain?
Neighbour knocked earlier with his rusty chained bicycle. He'd "run out of WD40 to put on it" and asked if I had any. I explained that it's not the right stuff to put onto chains and it can damage them. I gave him some proper wet lube. Friends don't let friends WD40 their chains!
— Elisabeth Anderson 🚲🐺 (@velobetty) April 19, 2022
WD-40 quite literally say that “WD-40 should not be used on bike chains” is a “myth”. pic.twitter.com/rbywkShQDw
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) April 20, 2022
What do we reckon? Yay or nay? Play nicely, let's try not to fall out in the comments...
I've fitted some aero bars. pic.twitter.com/GuxY1U6XUO
— Real Gaz on a proper bike #fbpe (@gazza_d) April 19, 2022
What were you doing at 15? Actually, probably best you don't answer that one... Whatever the answer, it's almost certainly not: "Yeah, I was just casually knocking out 340km rides with 2,800m of elevation in under 12 and a half hours. Average speed? Think that was 27.3km/h, but I'd have to check, pal..."
We're pretty baffled/impressed/stunned by this monster day out by 15-year-old Alec Perry. I'll say that again...15 years old...
Twitter, do your thing… my 15 year old has spent the day on his bike. He can’t be the only bike obsessed teenager out there! 211 miles in one ride, he is desperate to be in #TdF. Please RT - see if we can pair them up! #cycling@UKCycleChat@GarminUK@steve_abraham74@SirWiggopic.twitter.com/OV7KchBBWt
— Leah Hunting (@whoopydeedoo) April 19, 2022
Alec's Strava is private, so you'll have to request a follow to leave some well-earned kudos, but Leah shared her son's ride, saying he is desperate to be in the Tour de France. Going like that the 2027 peloton better watch out...(cc: Dave Brailsford).
Tom Pidcock, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Jeremy Vine were just three of the names getting the ride forwarded to them. I suspect this won't be the last we hear of this one...
Amazing to see the next generation of cyclists coming through! Chapeau 👏
— Garmin (@GarminUK) April 20, 2022
Now, allow us all a second to retrieve our jaws from the floor, and we'll get stuck into some of the amazed reaction to Alec's epic...
Looks more like the next Christoph Strasser, ultra cycling legend, to me. The origin of Le Tour is from long distance racing with 400km stages.
— steve abraham 💙 (@steve_abraham74) April 19, 2022
I made him a very large plate of chill pasta with salmon and veg and he looked at it and said ‘I won’t eat all of that’ and proceeded to demolish it! He then had some flapjack he had made in preparation for todays ride. #coeliac
— Leah Hunting (@whoopydeedoo) April 19, 2022
Yep, he has experience of a velodrome and regularly rides with a club, so used to pack riding and working on the front! He is interested in racing but finds a half hour race a ‘bit boring’! But that’s where he will be spotted! 🤷🏻♀️ It will be better when he can race with adults!
— Leah Hunting (@whoopydeedoo) April 20, 2022
Get that man a beer! Sorry, no...not beer...I mean...age-appropriate drink of choice...