As a type this I’m listening to Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. That’s right, I’m subjecting myself to an album that’s not really my kind of thing for journalism. Brat summer is over, but Brat and it’s completely different autumn is here, or something.
For the uninitiated, the album is a remixed version of British pop star Charli XCX’s summer-defining Brat, which I didn’t love to begin with. Still, it was “zeitgeist-defining” according to The Guardian, and spoofed a whole load of memes across the summer, as well as being a hit. The remix album was trailed on billboards around the world in ‘brat green’ with the names of the guest stars written backwards.
Why does this matter? Well, Lidl-Trek announced their men’s development squad on Friday via social media, with the team using helpful journalists to post pictures of the names of the lucky riders in the brat billboard format. It’s fun! And on the way, you learned about Charli XCX. What a day for everyone. Although, Lidl-Trek will be hoping its junior riders aren’t bumpin’ that.
Elsewhere in the world of cycling social media this week, we had some very muddy riders after an apocalyptic version of Paris-Tours, and Matt Holmes reveals that he owns the very latest in prison-tech. It’s all very straightforward. Dive in.
1. The name’s Cavendish, Sir Mark Cavendish. To be fair, he will need to fill his time somehow from next year, and why couldn’t the Manx Missile be 007? The fastest secret agent MI6 have to offer…
2. What do you think actually happens to this ham? Do Tadej Pogačar and Elisa Longo Borghini take it home with them, and live off it for a few weeks? Does it get re-gifted to a relative? Is it thrown into the crowd? What if you’re a veggie?
3. This was before my time in cycling, and I know that there’s a billion of shady things about this era, but the caps and the lack of too much aero tech are cool, aren’t they. This is just cool.
4. What has happened to Marianne Vos’ bike computer here? Is it the gravel? Is it the power of her sprint?
5. Poor Simon Warren. He shouldn’t have to put up with this!
6. Matt Brennan’s first race with the Visma-Lease a Bike WorldTour team went well then. How long do you think his post-race shower was?
7. Jasper Philipsen, meanwhile, finished third. He doesn’t look delighted about it here
8. Valtteri Bottas once talked to me about my shoes, and that’s all I have to say on the matter. Nice man.
9. The Gravel World Championships is great and all, but I want more racing along canals. Imagine the Kennet and Avon Classic, with the threat of Weil’s disease added into the mix. Let’s get the Canal and River Trust on the phone!
10. It’s just some guys having fun with their phone torches. That’s it.
11. He’s a great bike rider, but also an adorable man – look at Richard Carapaz with his cows (vacas)
12. There are so many Lidls around that it isn’t hard for Lidl-Trek to nail marketing, but it’s always pleasing anyway
13. Matt Holmes just with the kind of phone that you only ever here about being smuggled into prison. Simple.
14. Luke Rowe here, with quite a droll tweet. Ineos Grenadiers will miss him.
15. Wholesome Alison Jackson content! It’s off-season!
16. And finally, the replies are the real gold here, but Lidl-Trek decided to go all Charli XCX on Friday just because, I guess. It’s good stuff. Well done.
