It’s Holy Innocents’ Day today and in Spain, Hispanic America, and the Philippines, it’s a day for pranks, similar to April Fool’s Day. Pranks (bromas) are also known as inocentadas and their victims are called inocentes. Newspapers, radio, and TV often give fake content or distort news as well.
The cycling media and race organisers in Spain have also been publishing some fake content and judging by the responses on Twitter, it seems that some people have been falling for them.
The Vuelta a Espana organisers tweeted the profile of what they were claiming would be the fifteenth stage of next year’s race. The profile included an incredible two Category H climbs, seven Category One climbs and two Category Two climbs.
The Spanish magazine Ciclismo a Fondo also published a story today whereby they stated that Team Sky would be taking part in the sportives Mallorca 312 and Quebrantahuesos to help prepare for next year’s Tour de France.
The article stated that the technical team of Team Sky had been behind the idea and that Dave Brailsford felt that taking part in these sportives with thousands of riders would help to improve the movement of the team’s riders in the peloton.
The magazine also said that they had been in contact with the team for their reactions. Mikel Landa’s supposed reaction was of disappointment as he said: “I cannot relate to this new way of training, informed to us by Sir Dave Brailsford, take several energy bars in our jerseys for us to share with cyclotourists.”
