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Geraint Thomas raises £300k for NHS in 3 days; Shockjock engineer returns to Twitter; Brompton call for temporary cycling infra; Froome's crash injuries; Alé manufacturing medical coats; Nudist’s 70th birthday birthday suit ride+ more on the live blog

It's Friday! Jack Sexty is here to provide your lead live blog coverage today with Alex Bowden chipping in with the rhythm section intermittently.....
Fri, Apr 17, 2020 09:08
11
17 April 2020, 20:17
Geraint Thomas raises £300k+ for NHS on Zwift Shift rides

Geraint Thomas has finished his three 12-hour shifts on Zwift now, the 2018 Tour de France champion looking to raise money for NHS workers.

So far, he's raised more than £300,000.

We reckon the Cardiff boy deserves that bottle of Brain's right now.

17 April 2020, 16:08
Brompton write open letter to Minister of State for Transport calling for temporary cycling and walking infrastructure
Brompton NHS Staff

The letter - led by Brompton's CEO Will Butler-Adams and backed by Barts Health NHS Trust, Cycling UK, British Cycling and Sustrans amongst others - calls on Chris Heaton-Harris MP to improve street layouts for the increased number of people cycling and walking to get exercise during the pandemic, and for Key Workers. While thanking the government for their support of Brompton's Wheels For Heroes Campaign, the letter continues: 

"We have vast amounts of currently underused road space which can be temporarily reallocated at low cost. This is becoming increasingly essential as key workers choose cycling or walking to get to work, avoiding potential transmission via public transport. You will have also noticed a surge in people cycling and walking for exercise in line with the government’s public health recommendations; such measures improve conditions for these groups too.

"We welcome your Department’s statement made yesterday, clarifying that local authorities have powers to take initiatives of this kind using Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders and similar procedures. Our organisations would, however, urge you to go further and provide a clear positive ministerial statement encouraging local highway authorities to consider implementing temporary initiatives of this kind.

"Finally, post the current lockdown restrictions, a large proportion of the UK population will again be moving around towns and cities, but hesitant to use public transport where there is a greater risk of transmission. In order to mitigate against a second wave influx of Coronavirus cases, we feel it prudent to plan ahead and implement these temporary measures now for key workers but also to allow the wider population to travel by bicycle or by foot in the short term as lockdown restrictions lift."

17 April 2020, 10:34
Sweary engineer Hambini deletes Twitter
hambini twitter.PNG

 

YouTuber Hambini - who featured on yesterday's live blog after using a metaphor about ISO tolerances to urge his viewers to make comments about a Cycling Weekly presenter's genitals on one of his videos - has deleted his Twitter account. On his YouTube community board he claims he has received "a load of death threats and racist abuse"; although when asked to provide screenshots in the comments, he said: "It's not like the authorities do anything." 

YouTube have also banned the offending video. He's since continued to interact with followers on his YouTube community board, liking a number of the comments: 

hambini comment 1.PNG
hambini comment 2.PNG

He also commented back to a follower who took issue with coverage of the debacle on road.cc, claiming that road.cc will "have gone bust in 2 months." 

Update: His Twitter account's back.

17 April 2020, 16:04
£1,000 reward to find Somerset shover who broke cyclist’s shoulder with push from passenger seat of Land Rover

The regular at Bad Ass Bikes was reportedly pushed off by a passenger in a Land Rover Freelander near the hamlet of Charterhouse in Somerset, and the bike shop are offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. 

The cyclist suffered a broken collar bone and dislocated shoulder and was unable to get the numberplate, also warning cyclists to be extra vigilant of angry drivers. 

17 April 2020, 14:20
Cycling apparel brand Alé now manufacturing medical coats, and calls for "industry to get back on track" in Italy
ale medical coats manufacturing.PNG

Alé have joined other cycling brands such as Muc-Off, Santini and Scicon in helping in the fight against COVID-19, making their Veronese factories available for manufacturing medical coats. 

The coat will be donated to hospitals and doctors in Italy's time of need, and Alé's CEO Alessia Piccolo called in the country to use their industry power to help fight the disease: 

"95% of our production of cycling garments takes place in Italy, in our factories in Bonferraro near Verona. We have a state-of-the-art facility that, and during times like these it is our duty to make it available to the community. These medical coats are a small step, but they make us infinitely proud.

"The pandemic highlighted how, from the medical supply point of view, the Italian supply chain represented the real weak link in the chain. Today, I’m ready to make our factories available, from cutting, sewing, packaging and printing, to meet the most urgent needs, as we have done for these suits.

"Alé, though, can do much more but the industry needs to get back on track. Indeed, our economy must restart immediately. Our factory and our facilities are already equipped with all the necessary features to be able to do it. Only in this way will we be able to work to get out of this emergency quickly".

17 April 2020, 14:14
Ineos won't be taking any chances, says the boss...
17 April 2020, 14:08
That once a day thing? It's not always the case so we're now told...
17 April 2020, 12:35
G's Zwift Shifts hit £250,00

Over a quarter of a million has now been raised for the NHS on GoFundMe, with a few hours left to go of the third 12 hour shift. Cycling commentator Rebecca Charlton joined in for an hour, and received perhaps the most uncomplimentary compliment there ever was... 

17 April 2020, 11:56
Chris Froome also helping with France's coronavirus efforts

What with living in Monaco, Froome is also helping Ineos deliver disinfectant and sanitiser to hospitals in France. 

17 April 2020, 13:24
The Re-Cycle range uses recycled plastic and can be recycled into new helmets once at the end of its product life
17 April 2020, 10:46
Man heads out for a nude bike ride after original 70th birthday plans were cancelled

Moving swiftly on from Froome to Frome, a resident of the Somerset town has decided to mark his 70th birthday by going on a ride in his birthday suit - and despite the streets being mostly deserted, savvy spotter Nicky Birchall managed to 'nip' out and grab a quick photo for the Spotted About Frome Facebook page. 

Committed naturist Mike Grenville told Frome Nub News that he wanted to commemorate his landmark birthday "in another memorable way"... so headed out for an early morning ride in the buff, apart from his helmet (insert joke here). 

He said: "I've been a naturist since I was about nine, although my parents weren't.

"I've been on naturist holidays and taken part in the Bristol World Naked Bike Ride - although I've never taken to the saddle naked in Frome before.

"I thought as it was my birthday it would be good to start the day in my birthday suit. There were a few cars on the road at that time, but hardly any pedestrians.

"It was freezing cold though and my fingers suffered."

Just your fingers, sure thing Mr Grenville... 

17 April 2020, 07:53
Chris Froome reveals extent of his injuries from horror crash last June

*Refrain from scrolling down if you don't want to see the nastiness*

As you will all know, Froome sustained multiple fractures while doing a recce of the Critérium du Dauphiné TT course last year, crashing into a wall at speeds reported to be as high as 70km/h... and now he claims his remarkable recovery is almost complete, while also revealing some of the gruesome injuries he suffered. Some may also recall some rather bizarre conspiracy theories that cropped up during the time that suggested Froome could have feigned the injuries to skip doping tests. They'll most likely find another angle, but for the rest of the developed world these images will now well and truly put those doubts to bed... 

There's also a small plug for Ineos' hand sanitiser operation during the pandemic at the end of Froome's post, with the firm aiming to deliver 1 million free bottles of hand sanitiser a month to NHS hospitals - more info here. 

17 April 2020, 08:57
Bloody cyclists, stopping at imaginary red lights...
17 April 2020, 08:36
G starts his final 12 hour Zwift Shift

The 2018 Tour de France champ began his final 'shift' about an hour ago, and has received plenty of encouragement from the public... 

The GoFundMe has raised £221,500 and counting for the NHS so far, donate here. 

17 April 2020, 07:46
'Veldrijden' (or cyclocross to you and me) explained

Belgium's finest(?) sporting export is performed on the wrong bikes that are way too expensive, and nobody's watching because the crowd are all too drunk. Sign me up... 

17 April 2020, 08:08

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Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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11 comments

Avatar
Compact Corned Beef | 4 years ago
1 like

I enjoyed Hambini's earlier videos, where the emphasis was squarely on education and debunking some of the cycling world's sillier myths and practices. But like a fair few others, I've found his persona of late has been ever-more bombastic and antagonistic, and he crossed a line with the latest video. I hope he reconsiders his approach.

Also, playing the 'that's racist' card when CW blocked him? Come off it, that's ridiculous. He got blocked 'cos he's a sweary troll with an audience, not because he's brown. 

Avatar
NZ Vegan Rider replied to Compact Corned Beef | 4 years ago
1 like

Agreed.

He should stick to the tech, which he does well 3

Avatar
Dangerous Dan | 4 years ago
2 likes

The world needs people like Hambini.  I just wish he was more like "The Lock Picking Lawyer" or "Bosnian Bill".

When Hambini says something is OK, it probably is.  Just like when LPL and BB rated a lock as "trickey to pick" I believe it will make my chain the weak link (sorry for that pun) in my bike security.  When any bike web site says "this is a great lock" I go to LPL and BB to see how long it took either of those gentlemen to get through it.

Also, Hambini has given me an enhanced vocaublary for dealing with the, all too common here in the US, white SUV that cuts you off so they can stop at the stop sign 0.5 seconds before you.

Avatar
ktache replied to Dangerous Dan | 4 years ago
0 likes

I have yet to watch many Bosnian Bill videos, I know that he might have made a few picks.

Avatar
mdavidford | 4 years ago
1 like

Quote:

Hambini deletes Twitter

He's not all bad then.

 

Quote:

warning cyclists to stay extra vigilante of angry drivers

I know we'd all like to at times, but I'm not sure it's the best response.

 

Quote:

headed out for an early morning ride in the buff

Wouldn't have thought his neck would be the first thing he'd be worried about getting cold.

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
11 likes

Re: Committed naturist Mike Grenville

Does he take advanced bookings for appearances? There's plenty of Nimby strongholds at the moment, complaining about "The lycra clad menace of cyclists". It's only fair to show them an alternative.

Avatar
Captain Badger | 4 years ago
0 likes

Ouch, should send that to MBR for Old Boys and Girls Who Should Know Better

 

 

Avatar
srchar | 4 years ago
4 likes

road.cc wrote:

Some may also recall some rather bizarre conspiracy theories that cropped up during the time that suggested Froome could have feigned the injuries to skip doping tests. They'll most likely find another angle, but for the rest of the developed world these images will now well and truly put those doubts to bed...

Nope, those losers will point to the lack of a face in the photo.

Avatar
dave atkinson replied to srchar | 4 years ago
4 likes

4

Avatar
captain_slog replied to dave atkinson | 4 years ago
0 likes

Wasn't the conspiracy theory that rather than feigning the injuries he crashed deliberately? Which is even dafter: if you find yourself suddenly needing to evade close medical scrutiny, what better place to end up than ... intensive care?

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to captain_slog | 4 years ago
0 likes

captain_slog wrote:

Wasn't the conspiracy theory that rather than feigning the injuries he crashed deliberately? Which is even dafter: if you find yourself suddenly needing to evade close medical scrutiny, what better place to end up than ... intensive care?

There was that as well, but the main one I remember seeing was questioning whether he was even picked up by an ambulance, and that the French authorities and Dan Martin and everyone else who allegedly wasn't there were in on it. All perfectly feasible of course. 

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