Obstructing lorries, careless driving and heavy traffic captured on single journey along major London Cycleway; Tour de France route presentation + more on the live blog

Thursday Gary

“Thursday’s Gary has far to go” https://t.co/Duoc2voTKu

— Gary Imlach’s Peloton of Joy (@ImlachHair) August 27, 2026

I have a small affection for the corners of the internet solely dedicated to documenting a niche. There’s Gary Imlach’s Peloton of Joy tracking his sartorial choices, there’s the website dedicated to asking IsMilanSanremoExcitingYet, and there’s Cycleway, my arse!, an account solely dedicated to recording the infrastructure failings of one of London’s biggest pieces of active travel infrastructure.

At 21km long, Cycleway 1 is one of the longest cycle routes through the capital, and runs north-south between Waltham Cross and the City of London. You would think therefore that as a marquee piece of infrastructure it would be in pretty good nick. But, having already told you the name of the social media account we’ll be looking at today, you can probably see where this is going…

Some highlights from my ride into the office this morning on “Cycleway” 1! https://t.co/qyOEIrxhM7

— Cycleway, my arse! @issaddlethereis.bsky.social (@IsSaddleThereIs) October 20, 2026

In this edited clip of a single commute, we see a lorry blocking a protected cycle lane, pulled over vehicles on narrow streets forcing our cyclist to ride in the middle of the lane into oncoming traffic, and drivers repeatedly pulling out into the path of oncoming cyclists.

None of it is very dignified nor particularly safe-looking. Admittedly at a couple of points, our rider could have chosen not to move in front of the cars into oncoming traffic, but when the Cycleway itself is not made safe for our rider, the lack of protected infrastructure does make these close calls more likely.

It’s not exactly a commute we’ll be recommending anytime soon…

“Why don’t cyclists use the bike lane?”
by
u/SpyChinchilla in
ukbike

“Lovely protected cycle lane in Bradford filled with tens of cars, many rentals for a wedding. Selfish”, our poster writes

Who would’ve guessed?

> “Our pavements are not racetracks for young foreign men,” declares Rupert Lowe as Restore Britain leader vows to “take back our streets” in bizarre new e-bike policy… that doesn’t make any sense and targets legal electric bikes

There’s something sensational about the way Christian Prudhomme pronounces Carlisle and Keswick that I can’t quite reflect in these typed words.

Anyway, the race will return to France with a loop around Cherbourg that from distance looks ripe for echelons if the sea breeze is strong.

The race then heads south to the Atlantic coast before heading east in a near straight line, featuring a 38km time trial to the stunning chateau at Chambord, before the race reaches the Alps with a summit finish up Grand Colombier on stage 9.

The following day starts from Annecy and features a brutal double ascent of the Cote de Domancy as part of a brutal mountain loop featuring four climbs, though the stage then descends into Sallanches.

Stage 11, despite being only 150km, stakes a claim for being among the race’s hardest. Climbing the Col de la Colombiere from the flag drop on the first of five brutal climbs, before a steep uphill finish to Les Saises.

The race then exits the Alps the following day via Chambery, and begins heading south west towards the Pyrenees via Montpellier.

After two likely breakaway days on the race’s third weekend, the race’s final week begins with a 33km time trial in and around Toulouse, albeit one with a short, steep climb in the middle.

After a day for the sprinters, the race enters the Pyrenees, predictably, via Pau. Stage 18 ascends both the Tourmalet and the Portet and will award both the Souvenir Henri Desgrange and the the Souvenir Jacques Godet, it’s surely the race’s queen stage.

Stage 19 is no slouch either with four tough climbs, but a long valley finish into Laruns might deter attacks, whilst stage 20 is disappointingly a sprint stage on the race’s penultimate day as the race begins its schlep back north.

Then comes, Paris, with once again three laps of the Montmartre circuit set to create a real spectacle of racing before the race finishes on the Champs-Elysses.

Well there we have it. My first thought is that, with more than 70km of time trialling for the first time in more than a decade, this might be Remco Evenepoel’s best chance to win the race., up against a still young Paul Seixas, and a Tadej Pogacar also targeting the Vuelta and World Championships. If not now, you might have to wonder when…

After halting speeches from Welsh, Scottish and UK Government ministers, as well as the big Grand Depart boss, we have the women’s route.

Stage 3 is finally confirmed and will be a Team Time Trial round all the London landmarks, finishing on Pall Mall, whilst stage four’s Calais finish might attract a few British fans across the Channel Tunnel tempted to keep the festival of cycling going that bit longer.

Stage 5 has a hilly finale, whilst stage 7 will have a summit finish atop La Loge des Gardes, a recent favourite of Paris-Nice organsiers. Stage 8 is a mountainous day before a steep descent into Clermont-Ferrand, preceding a blockbuster final day to the top of Puy de Dome.

A stunningly beautiful mountain in a nature reserve, it caps off a climactic, dramatic mountainous final stage of 170km, longer than many men’s mountain stages in recent years.

How’s that for a route? Big mountains, a first TTT and of course three British stages. I like it…

If you speak French and have a penchant for professional cyclists looking uncomfortable on a stage in normal clothes, you can watch the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes route presentation yourself…

Or you can wait for the big map I suppose.

In the meantime, it’s worth saying we already know what the first three stages of the men’s and women’s races will be, because it’s here! Three nations, six stages, and all the profiles are available here…

> “Historic day for British sport”: Leeds, Liverpool, London, and Cardiff confirmed as 2027 Tour de France host cities – as talks over free-to-air TV coverage of UK Grand Départ “ongoing”

Hell of a story this…

> “Get on the floor now!” Violent e-bike thieves stopped and tasered by police in dramatic chase after threatening cyclist with angle grinder