"Gen Z and their phones": Tadej Pogačar still replying to Twitter memes... 15 minutes before Tour of Flanders starts

Tadej Pogačar sent 'cycling Twitter' into something of a meltdown this morning by replying to memes just moments before the riders were due to roll out of Brugge for the start of the Tour of Flanders.

One fan described the Slovenian's reply to retired pro and GCN pundit Adam Blythe's tweet 15 minutes before the off as like "me watching a video on the toilet, just before heading out for my nine to five job".

Motivation for today

— Tadej Pogačar (@TamauPogi) April 2, 2023

The reply to Blythe was about a video showing all the riders who have won a one-day race in which Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel have both started, something Pogačar is aiming to do for the first time in his career today.

Among them were Remco Evenepoel, Matej Mohorič, Sonny Colbrelli, Julian Alaphilippe, Kasper Asgreen, Jasper Stuyven, Mads Pedersen, Alberto Bettiol, Alexander Kristoff, Matteo Trentin and... perhaps somewhat surprisingly — Blythe.

Reminding Pogačar that his 2018 Elfstedenronde success shows anything is possible, Blythe received a reply from the two-time Tour de France winner at 9.43am Belgian time... just 17 minutes before the roll out for the start of the second Monument of the season. 

"Motivation for today"

Of course the big question is was it actually Pogačar responding to memes before the biggest race of his season so far or was it the doing a PR figure? The 24-year-old, who has already won three Monuments during his insanely successful career, is a regular on Twitter, replying to posts about such important issues of the day as his hair tufting through UAE Team Emirates' Met helmets or bantering Dan Martin.

First… there will be second? How many pages? 20? Or just al lot of pictures

— Tadej Pogačar (@TamauPogi) August 23, 2022

In short, taking a scroll minutes before Flanders is very on-brand...

 Pogačar's pre-Monument post was described as "truly historic" by one fan impressed by his dedication to the memes. "What are you doing here?" another asked.

Someone else suggested, if allowed, Pogačar would probably live tweet from the peloton for the full 270km...

THE RACE IS IN 10 mins Tadej get on your bike 😂

— Fredderik majbrink (@majbrink) April 2, 2023

pic.twitter.com/rcdUxkwTuL

— Katie (@medicinexthings) April 2, 2023

Be serious

— Katie (@medicinexthings) April 2, 2023

Just like me watching a vid on the toillet, just before heading out for my 9 to 5 job 🤣🤷‍♂️

— FloissJan (@JFloiss) April 2, 2023