French Cycling Jargon: Pedaler avec les oreilles

As I was watching the Tour de Romandie early this evening I heard the commentator say that the rider in the back of the screen capture below “pedale avec les oreilles”. I understood immediately because Thibau Nys was bobbing his head back and forth – a sure sign that he was ready to crack.

Well, we both got him wrong because, even though he was “pedaling with his ears”, he won the stage.