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Novak Djokovic banned from cycling around Wimbledon grounds

World number 1 tennis player uses bike as part of his training

World number-one men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic has been banned from cycling on the grounds of the Wimbledon Championships by the site’s owners – for safety reasons.

According to Mail Online, an official at the All England Club told the Serb not to ride his bike around the grounds after he was nearly involved in a collision with a supply vehicle last week while training for the event, which starts today.

The newspaper said that Djokovic uses bike rides around the complex as part of his training “because of its steep slopes,” although we’re guessing he’s not attempting to ‘Everest’ Henman Hill.

He was reportedly told not to ride around the grounds for his own safety, with the official also concerned that as well as potentially putting him out of the tournament, a crash could also lead to legal proceedings.

The 29-year-old was said to be unhappy with the ban, since he was not breaking any regulations, although a spokesman said that while the AELTC was in favour of cycling, that it did not encourage it during Wimbledon Fortnight itself or in the build-up to the Championships.

Djokovic, winner of three Wimbledon men’s singles titles, has started his title defence today against unseeded Briton James Ward, and with the Serb taking the first set 6-0 it seems a more familiar type of Brexit is on the cards this afternoon.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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6 comments

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Leviathan | 7 years ago
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Do you think he looks more like Paul Ryan or Bashar al-Assad?

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tritecommentbot replied to Leviathan | 7 years ago
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Leviathan wrote:

Do you think he looks more like Paul Ryan or Bashar al-Assad?

 

Oho, what's this, a cunning ploy to have a snipe at an incredible athlete.

 

Does have a touch of the Assad and Ryan about him. 

 

Unlike those two, Djokovic is full on boss mode. 

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EK Spinner | 7 years ago
2 likes

but he can't "legitimately ride" his bike, this isn't a public road, it is a busy workplace with service vehicles etc manouevering, including reversing. There are probably retrictions on pedestrian movements in the same parts of the site.

He can however go and ride wherever he wants to in most of London, as for security it normally sounds like cyclists are invisible in most of London anyway  1

 

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bikebot | 7 years ago
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Do a lap outside the grounds instead, the perimeter roads are both nice little climbs. I assume he's doing this training in the morning, the crowds outside aren't that bad in the first week until after 11:00.

Or...  for a better training hill a little distance away from the public eye, take a five minute ride south and ride back and forth between Ridgeway and Worple Rd.

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arfa | 7 years ago
3 likes

My Mrs saw him riding around Wimbledon.....
Without a helmet ! End of days !
In all seriousness at the age of 29, he's old enough to make his own decisions don't you think?

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Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
0 likes

If only all tennis players were banned from 'cycling'.

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