Headshots or hollow headlines? The truth behind rider portraits
Year after year, teams roll out a batch of rider photos to showcase their latest kit and lineup. But how real are these images in the end?
Most of us have seen them during online browsing: rider headshots that sit on club websites, stats databases, and sometimes trading cards. They typically follow a familiar recipe: at a pre-season training camp, a rider stands before a neutral backdrop, donning the new team kit. They generally face the camera straight on, arms either crossed or loosely placed behind the back. Depending on the rider’s mood, the expression ranges from a warm smile to a cool, neutral gaze. Yet this single shot is treated as the definitive formal record of that rider’s season with the team.
The photographer snaps the moment—click—and everyone moves on, rarely, if ever, questioning the image again.
But a bold twist lurks beneath the surface: the iconic headshot might not be a genuine capture at all. In fact, some riders on a team’s roster may not have even attended the training camp.
The curious case of “good heads, good hair”
The first hints of potential fakery started to emerge while examining the Alpecin-Deceuninck website during research for another piece. A lingering question loomed: does Alpecin—sponsored by a hair-care brand famous for anti-balding formulas and caffeine—only recruit riders with impeccable hair? What I found were patterns: a surprising number of matches in body types and, more tellingly, signs of manipulation.
Tobias Bayer, Sylvain Dillier, and Luca Vergallito stood out as early examples, showing clear signs of photoshopping. Bayer exhibited a striking skin-tone mismatch, while in the others, a suspicious vein on the right arm looked artificially inserted. Dillier’s case was complicated by Swiss national champion armbands, yet a closer look at his left arm suggested additional edits as well.
The deeper the dive went, the more questions multiplied. Why does Jimmy Janssens look so unusual? Could Edward Planckaert’s head truly appear that oversized? If Alpecin doesn’t hire riders for their hair, how does one rider named Simon Dehairs fit the roster?! How deep does this rabbit hole go?
A reflection on impact
These questions don’t just spark curiosity; they invite scrutiny about authenticity in sports imagery and what teams project to fans and sponsors. If a single image can be misleading, what else in team communications might blur the line between reality and fabrication?
Would this use of altered imagery influence how fans, sponsors, or even riders themselves are perceived? And where should the line be drawn between polished branding and truthful representation?
If this topic intrigues you, share your thoughts in the comments: Do you think teams should prioritize unedited authenticity in headshots, or is a flawless, produced look a legitimate part of modern marketing? And what standards would you propose to ensure transparency without sacrificing branding impact?
Categories: Culture, News & Racing, Alpecin-Deceuninck
