There was a surreal moment during the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year ceremony this week that I need to discuss with you all.
It came late in the evening’s proceedings, when Mark Cavendish received his Lifetime Achievement award. If you’ve missed this story, or you’re from across the pond, let me bring you up to speed.
The ceremony, hosted by Britain’s public service broadcaster, recognises the top British athletes of the past year. Cavendish was snubbed for the main prize, which he previously won in 2011, but was lauded for his career contribution to sport. It made for a fitting tribute.
When the sprinter made his way up to the stage, he was greeted by a who’s who of British cycling. There, dressed in their most dapper attire, stood Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy, Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny. Four legends with 21 gold medals between them.
They applauded and congratulated the Manxman, and watched on as a highlight reel of his career was broadcast into the room. Cavendish did his speech, a particularly endearing one. Then it was time to look back at the big screen for a special message.
A special message? I wondered. But from who? All the legends are there, I thought. Maybe it’s Mark Renshaw, or Michael Mørkøv, one of Cavendish’s trusty lead-out men? No – that would be too niche for the British general public.
What about his family, his wife, Peta, who has supported him throughout his career? Probably not, she was standing on the stage, wedged between Wiggins and Hoy. Could it be Geraint Thomas? I was stumped.
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The camera panned up to the big screen, and the special message began. The video cut away. A Liverpool Football Club training shirt flashed up on the television. It’s Virgil van Dijk. What on earth is Virgil van Dijk doing here?
Well, it turns out, the Dutchman’s a cycling fan, and a big admirer of the Manx missile. “Yes Cav,” he began, “it’s Virgil here.” So surprised was I to see the Liverpool captain, that I scarcely paid attention to the next words out of his mouth, but I’m sure at one point he called Cavendish “a true GOAT of cycling”.
I Googled ‘Virgil van Dijk cycling’ after the show, and there’s little to suggest the pair are close friends. In fact, Google was so sure I’d searched the wrong thing, that it started giving me results for Ellen van Dijk, the three-time world time trial champion. Was it all a fever dream? The mystery continues.
Elsewhere on social media this week, Olympic champion Emma Finucane holds a koala, Demi Vollering learns some useful French, and we find out how aero-optimised a reindeer is.
1. Come to think of it, Virgil van Dijk would make a decent rouleur. I could see him towing the bunch into a cobbled section at Paris-Roubaix, or tearing through the sunflower fields at the Tour de France
A very special message to Lifetime Achievement award winner @MarkCavendish ❤@VirgilvDijk | @LFC | #SPOTY pic.twitter.com/QfDzwMStQhDecember 17, 2024
2. Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish reunited. It makes you nostalgic for that Champs-Elysées finish in 2012, doesn’t it?
3. Emma Finucane’s been busy meeting the locals on her trip to Australia
4. MAAP’s new partnership with Jayco AlUla promises to be one of the coolest collaborations on the WorldTour. The cap’s a bit boy scout-y, though
5. Demi, you’d be surprised how far you can get with une grande bière, s’il vous plaît
6. You don’t need to be able to speak French to know what Lilian Calmejane thinks of the new Jayco AlUla jersey. Perhaps he could give Demi Vollering some lessons?
6. ‘Harrie, the taxi’s here. No, I told you the bike won’t fit. Just put it down, mate.’
7. Tom Dumoulin’s back racing. I hope there’s a bathroom in that shopping centre behind him
8. Ever wanted to see some of the best track cyclists in the world test their reaction times? Your prayers have been answered
9. I have a lot of questions about this Monopoly board, in particular: why is the trophy the top prize? I could’ve sworn that race was all about the jersey
10. Tuck your elbows in, Rudolph
11. It appears the man destined to unseat Tadej Pogačar is… Uncle Bryn. Who knew?
guys. rob brydon is wearing a world championship cycling jersey in the new gavin & stacey trailer pic.twitter.com/EpckDBtdvuDecember 17, 2024
12. And finally, I’ll leave you with something Christmassy to take you into next week. Here’s how blind Paralympic champion Lizzi Jordan wraps and keeps track of the presents she’s giving. It’s brilliant
