Twitter abuzz as Namibia's Dan Craven 'live tweets' Olympic road race - while riding it

If you follow pro cyclists on Twitter, you’ll be used to seeing tweets on the morning of a big race, then nothing for a few hours, then more posts afterwards reflecting on how the day went. So Namibia’s Dan Craven caused a bit of a stir yesterday by apparently live-tweeting the Olympic road race – while riding in it.

The first tweets on the 33-year-old’s Twitter feed came not long after the 237.5-kilometre race started.

Hola amigos. I'm in the breakaway. Or trying to be, at least.

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

That hill + @tonymartin85 = no breakaway.

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

Some assumed, quite naturally, that Craven was tweeting from inside the race (though using a phone in competition would be against the rules).

Was @DanFromNam really tweeting from the road race while riding? God love him

— James Curry (@tingtongcurry) August 6, 2016

@DanFromNam how are you live tweeting this?!

— Matthew Bond (@mbond_esq) August 6, 2016

The reply provided a plausible enough explanation.

I have magical powers. Front of the peloton. You forget my beard can tweet for itself.  #Namibia #powers #rio2016

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

The tweets carried on, including ones as the race passed over the cobbled section on the first of the two circuits that made up the route - and with a nod to strict Olympic rules regarding mentions of sponsors.

The problem with all the beautiful new bikes on the circuit is some of them haven't been broken in. Loose saddles, cages etc.

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

I'm on my normal team bike from the wonderful brand that starts with a cannon and rhymes with kale. #Rule40 #legit

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

A couple of hours in, and the race was starting to take its toll, though spirits remained high – and the ‘likes’ and the retweets kept coming.

Oh my legs. Mid peloton now over the climb. Is it beer o'clock yet?

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

We're having a little singsong in the bunch we're at the COPA copacabana do do dooo  (obviously not)

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

And then, a clue that all was not as it seemed.

Dan is gonna kill me.

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

The tweets continued, though.

Cross wind. Bugger that.

Drinks anyone? How about a caipirinha. #gutter

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

Including one that revealed a Craven craving for a specific Namibian snack food.

Now I'm craving a rusk. I'll give a pair of my socks to anyone who brings me a rusk at the finish.

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

The tweets, in fact, were Craven’s idea, but executed by his girlfriend, Collyn Ahart.

He got his rusks though.

#result pic.twitter.com/8yz2KHeouA

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 6, 2016

The former Rapha-Condor-Sharp rider, by the way, was racing in a rather striking national kit created by the British clothing firm.

Today was another level of brutal.@DanFromNam left it all out there(&on the net)What a start 2 #RioOlympics2016 pic.twitter.com/GmvanaW0Xt

— Nam Cycle Federation (@NamCycleFed) August 6, 2016

One final thought.

I apologize in advance - to all men! https://t.co/Fn2V4b1w1K

— dan craven (@DanFromNam) August 7, 2016