EF Education First, the US-based World Tour team has banned its riders from using mobile phones at the dinner table.
"It was the team directors' idea, but the riders bought into it," Jonathan Vaughters, the team's CEO, told Business Insider.
"They were, like, 'Yeah, you know, we shouldn't be on our phones at the table. We should be talking.'
“So they agreed to make it a rule. It was communal rulemaking — true democracy."
"It's not a true ban — more of an unwritten rule," Michael Woods, EF's Canadian climber, who will have his eyes set on at least one stage victory in this year’s Tour said. "Like, if you show someone pictures, that's fine, but don't be scrolling mindlessly, as in any social scenario.
“It's like when you go to a restaurant and you see two people and they're just staring at their phones. Ugh."
Charly Wegelius, one of EF’s Sports Directors, and author of one of the most unromantic yet brilliant books about being a domestique in the pro-peloton said: "Everything goes through your telephone: private life, social life, but also work-related.
https://road.cc/content/news/95690-two-cycling-titles-make-william-hill-sports-book-year-longlist
Everything's just coming through there. The noise is super loud. We just felt the need to eek out a little corner of quiet."
"People have gotten used to looking at their phones — it's like a tic or a reflex. My wife calls me out on that when I'm at home. It's almost mindless, like having a fear of a moment of boredom. Here at the Tour de France, it's just about looking at each other and being there, instead of being somewhere else."
This is not the only way EF Education First are trying to create a bit of simplicity and enjoyment for their riders in the intensely pressurised and claustrophobic world of pro-cycling.
They are sponsored by cycling clothing manufacturer Rapha this season and they have embarked on an alternative racing calendar which has included the Dirty Kanza and the GBDURO which an EF rider, Lachlan Morton, won with a staggering effort.
https://road.cc/content/news/263035-world-tour-pro-lachlan-morton-wins-unimaginably-hard-gbduro-bike-packing-event
The GBDURO is a 1,960km four-stage self-supported bike-packing race from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
The Australian EF Education First pro, who has also raced World Tour events such as Strade Bianche and the Tour of California this season, completed the route in 111 hours and 44 minutes.
He described the experience as “unimaginably hard.”
Police prioritising that which risks most harm to the public. Cyclists endangering pedestrians with minor injuries will get £50 fines. Drivers...
???
You can see the effect of a 'way too late' opening of this comp, with my dismal results! Wrecked a good start to my season.
It was off my list of helmets worth buying as soon as I saw someone had named it "Game Changer".
Looks valid to me although on a black Mercedes C Class. Last V5 issued 25th April (2 days ago) so maybe plate was being transferred.
Asked for comment, a representative of the biker community said: "We are realigning our expenditure better reflect our strategic priorities and...
So highly overpriced items such as "premium bike clothing" and overpriced "premium" bikes that no one NEEDS....suffer a disproportionate...
Well good for Yate! Looking on Street view the 2021 pictures suggest nothing less than a genuinely "massive" amount of cash * will help. That...
Well Paddy Murray seems to have been nicely rewarded for his efforts to drive Stages into the ground.