It's probably not top of the list of things we didn't expect to read this morning, but it's up there. Yep, this is the 'news' that disgraced retired pro cyclist Lance Armstrong appears to have nibbled a little too hard at what we're assuming was a light-hearted social media post from controversial (and easily hateable) influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Yes, you all have permission to skip straight to the next live blog item...
For those who can bear to read on, Jake Paul is... the former Disney Channel actor who now fights opponents of a questionable ability in the boxing ring, most recently beating 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Let's not spend too long here, but for further reading Paul has a quite lengthy 'Controversies and legal issues' section on Wikipedia.
Anyway, we've mentioned him before on road.cc because his girlfriend, Jutta Leerdam, has been part of Team Visma-Lease a Bike's speed skating set-up so, when she trains on the bike, she has occasionally taken Paul with her. Cue much-ridiculed photos emerging on Instagram...
"Can get in the ring with Tyson, but can't clip in?" the top comment on one Facebook re-sharing of that. To be perfectly honest, we're happy to see anyone cycling, especially a major celebrity with an enormous following.
Paul went a little further and shared a video of him pedalling away on Instagram, taking the opportunity to tag a certain Lance Armstrong... "Lance Armstrong, I am coming," he yelled. "@lancearmstrong 1 v1 me," he wrote on the post. Now, as attention-seeking a figure as Paul is, that reads more like a joke, does it not? Obviously Paul would lose to Armstrong in any cycling event (a boxing bout is up for debate...), but the retired cyclist couldn't help himself but aggressively snap back...
"Child, please. You've been looking for an a** whoopin'. You found your place."
To which Paul responded, "Somebody tell him how many old guys I beat". Looks like our fantasy hill climb is off the table and we're moving towards something more combative. As sad/depressing/grim/*insert other horrified adjectives here* as it is, an Armstrong vs Paul boxing match would probably be the most publicity cycling (or more accurately, a disgraced former cyclist) has ever had.
Right, on with the readable stuff...
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11 comments
It would also be very weird for Zakarin do you have been blowing himself up trying to get Kittel a win on stage 17 as that year he (Zakarin) was in contention for a top-10 finish, ultimately taking ninth place. Oh and stage 17 that year was a mountain stage, albeit a bizarrely truncated 65 km one - it was the thankfully never repeated grid start experiment.
"Lives lost due to lack of rural cycle paths, MP says"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1elnwn09vno
Pretty much the only people cycling around our way are the recreational riders, usually in groups. Almost no recognition of cycling as transport, and vast amounts of road space given over to parked cars.
"For those who can bear to read on, Jake Paul is... ", in the age of social media viral reach, nothing less than a phenomenon and one of the canniest marketers out there - from not much to multi-millionaire at less than 30 years old?
An unpopular opinion - he's a genius in his area, it's not like there's low competition for viral growth via attention-seeking.
In a sprint, after some training (which he'd get media value from) I wouldn't be too sure Armstrong would win. He probably could but it's the uncertainty that creates the value and Jake Paul knows it.
*Tyson pulled his punches, that fight was a sham and only won on points
Jake Paul is exceptionally hateable but as the photo shows him using Campagnolo group and wheels, he can't be all bad. So there's that.
Is Jake Paul the one who launched a range of 'energy drinks' marketed at teenagers with dangerously high caffeine levels?
Aren't most of them at it? Perhaps though you are confusing Jake Paul with Logan Paul (easy done if not invested in the soshal meejas, I'm not 100% sure what each does and that they are indeed distinct). Or KSI?
Or if they're equally a-paul-ling?
I must admit I couldn't bare to read on. Is he wanting to have a race or a fight with Lance for clicks?
Ignore them, they are both just desperate for any attention.
"Yee-haw!"
(Sorry - I read this article and this was the first thing that came to mind…).
I went to see Stewart Lee's new show the other night. All I can hear in my head when I see that photo of the influencer is - "I know what you're thinking. Bradley Wiggins has let himself go"