Welcome to Tuesday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty , Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Live blog: “Don’t buy into the anti-cycling thing” – James May tells drivers to stop worrying about cyclists; Rich Energy changesWhyte Bikes ‘inpired’ logo after row; Fiona Kolbinger wins TCR + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Tue, Aug 06, 2019 18:11
SUMMARY
6 August 2019, 18:11
Tributes continue to pour in for Bjorg Lambrecht, who tragically passed away aged 22
The biggest tragedy possible that could happen to the family, friends and teammates of Bjorg has happened… Rest in peace Bjorg… pic.twitter.com/9u9LZkp2Rt
— Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) August 5, 2019
The Lotto-Soudal rider crashed at the Tour of Poland, and died in hospital yesterday. The race director Czeslaw Lang has now said: “It wasn’t a high-speed descent. It was a straight and wide road.
“He had a moment of hesitation, he left the asphalt and the tragedy occurred.
“The injuries were so serious that we called for a helicopter and an ambulance. He was transported to hospital. His heart started beating again but he sadly died during the operation.”
The cycling world has been sharing condolences since the terrible news broke.
Just so incredibly sad. Such a young talent doing something he loved. This sport can be so cruel at time. RIP Bjorg thoughts with all your friends and family
— Ben Swift (@swiftybswift) August 5, 2019
My deepest sympathy to his family, friends and teammates. RIP Bjorg
— Michael Rogers (@mickrogers) August 5, 2019
RIP Bjorg, My thoughts are with all of you close to this young star at these sad times.
— Magnus Backstedt (@Maggy_PR) August 5, 2019
No words, just shocked. Strength to his family, friends and his team. R.I.P Bjorg
— Paul Martens (@PMartens83) August 5, 2019
6 August 2019, 18:11
Fiona Kolbinger WINS the Transcontinental Race in 10 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes
Fiona Kolbinger has won #TCRNo7 in a time of 10 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes. pic.twitter.com/w82QnWvi9e
— The Transcontinental (@transconrace) August 6, 2019
We’ve said it in our soon-to-be-updated feature and we’ll say it again today, but Kolbinger’s victory must surely go down as one of the most remarkable sporting stories of the year. The reason for that not being her gender, but the fact that she has claimed the 2019 Transcontinental Race is her first actual race, of any kind, and her victory was comfortable against many experienced ultra-cyclists. Transcontinental have summed it up as this:
— The Transcontinental (@transconrace) August 6, 2019
6 August 2019, 18:11
Praise for Transcontinental Race winner Fiona Koldinger including from some top ultracyclists
Well done Fiona Kolbinger.
Winner of this year's @transconrace She had a 120-130km advantage over 2nd place for several days, but extended it to around 200km by riding through the last night while others slept. I expect that was a very tough night to get through. https://t.co/7PGgO3ywhu— steve abraham (@steve_abraham74) August 6, 2019
Well done Fiona Kolbinger.
Winner of this year's @transconrace She had a 120-130km advantage over 2nd place for several days, but extended it to around 200km by riding through the last night while others slept. I expect that was a very tough night to get through. https://t.co/7PGgO3ywhu— steve abraham (@steve_abraham74) August 6, 2019
6 August 2019, 18:11
Shifting six bikes? No problem
Now this is how you do deliveries. 6 bikes on a bike.
Go on @rapha / @CanyonUK / @pedalmeapp. pic.twitter.com/xdrBcb4yWv— Imandeep Kaur (@ImmyKaur) August 4, 2019
6 August 2019, 18:11
Christina Mackenzie "gutted" as she is set to miss out on LEJOG record
The support team of Christina Mackenzie, the Scottish endurance athlete who on Sunday morning set out to beat Lynne Biddulph’s 17-year-old record for being the fastest woman to ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats say she is “gutteed” at the prospect of just missing out on it.
Mackenzie is inside the final 40 miles as she heads up the Caithness coast, but after suffering from cold and fatigue overnight as she headed through the Highlands, she has been struggling on the hills today and would have to arrive at John O’Groats by 1245pm to beat the record of 52 hours and 45 minutes, which is now out of reach.
Michael Broadwith, who last year broke the men’s record, which had also stood for 17 years, and a maths teacher by profession, has been charting Mackenzie’s progress against Biddulph’s – they are the yellow and red lines here, respectively.
Mike the team couldn’t put it into words any better! @christina_mack is gutted but knows in her own mind this opportunity has passed. She is however continuing on to complete the full #LeJog2019 What a brave effort from a remarkable individual. https://t.co/Rxap8bZqeh
— Lejogmack (@Lejogmack) August 6, 2019
Helmsdale proving a real struggle for @Lejogmack it's a brutal climb to have so late in the ride, with a scarcely believable 787 miles in the legs. One should recall images of most of the early RRA pioneers, including Eileen Sheriden, who pushed their bikes up these final climbs pic.twitter.com/J102ky4bhd
— Mr Broadwith (@24HourMaths) August 6, 2019
Schedule had @Lejogmack at Helmsdale 0854, arrived there at 0929 = 35 mins behind schedule that breaks the record by 15 mins. So she is 20 minutes behind the record with 52 miles to go. Finish by 1245 to break record by 11 sec (!) – 52 miles in 3 hrs 16 min =15.9 mph required pic.twitter.com/YSrkaUymT4
— Mr Broadwith (@24HourMaths) August 6, 2019
6 August 2019, 18:11
The champion speaks: Fiona Kolbinger's first interview since winning the Transcontinental Race
Fiona Kolbinger said: “I am so, so, surprised to win. Even now. When I was coming into the race I thought that maybe I could go for the women’s podium, but I never thought I could win the whole race… I think I could have gone harder. I could have slept less.”
A Transcon press release has confirmed this was indeed her first ever ultra-distance race, ending in victory at the tender age of just 24.
Image: AngusSung.co.uk for Transcontinental.cc
6 August 2019, 18:11
Stage 4 of Tour de Pologne neutralised following Bjorg Lambrecht's death yesterday
Organisers of the Tour de Pologne have neutralised today’s Stage 4 of the race following the death yesterday of Lotto-Soudal’s Bjorg Lamprecht following a crash earlier in the day. The stage has also been shortened to 133.7 kilometres, with the 22-year-old Belgian’s team mates leading the peloton away from the start.
6 August 2019, 18:11
CALM advocate Marcus Chapman discusses the link between keeping fit through cycling and mental health
Chapman lost a friend to suicide eight years ago, and in this video discusses how fitness has benefits that reach much further than just the physical benefits.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK according to national statistics.
6 August 2019, 18:11
Are you listening Mr. Clarkson? James May delivers lovely speech telling drivers to "live in peace" and "not to buy into the anti-cycling thing"
Why worry about cyclists..?
Click and have a look at what James May has to say about cyclists…
HINT: It’s good! pic.twitter.com/ltFxMK6biQ— Stayin’ Alive at 1.5 (@SafeCyclingEire) August 5, 2019
A rousing pro-cycling speech, from an unlikely source… James May, who presented Top Gear alongside the not-so-pro-cycling Jeremy Clarkson between 2003-2015 and now co-presents The Grand Tour, has called on drivers to “live in peace” with fellow road users, and not to “buy into the anti-cycling thing”. Answering a question put to him about whether there are “any decent driving roads in the South East of England that are not full of cyclists”, May replied: “Why worry about cyclists? There are never that many of them. Bicycles are very narrow, it’s quite easy to get past them. Wait until it’s clear, you can give them a wide berth and just go for it.”
“Please let’s not have any of this road sectarianism, we have enough common enemies like potholes, legislators, bad drivers, bad riders, dogs, goats, donkeys walking around in the road, ice, mud… all of those affect all of us, don’t worry about cyclists.
“Don’t worry about cyclists, don’t buy into the anti-cycling thing. It’s not worth it. Live free. Live in peace. Live with your brothers and sisters in love.”
Chapeau Mr. May – and do have a word with your colleague when you get the chance!
6 August 2019, 18:11
Richie Porte 'everests' the Madone to mark Cam Wurf's birthday
The two Aussies ‘celebrated’ cyclist-turn-triathlete Cam Wurf’s 36th birthday by climbing over 9,000 metres on a monster 270km ride up and down the Madone. You can head over to Porte’s Strava to see the details in full – Wurf is also worth a follow too if you want to be inspired by some seriously epic training days.
6 August 2019, 18:11
The most famous drug-fuelled bike ride in history is now a graphic novel
No, it’s not Floyd Landis on the way to Morzine in the 2006 Tour de France, but Albert Hoffmann’s 1943 ‘Bicycle Day’ in Basel, Switzerland, when he rode home while taking the world’s first ever acid trip. Find out more about Brian Blomerth’s graphic novel about the LSD researchers landmark ride on the Guardian website.
6 August 2019, 18:11
Fiona Kolbinger's TCR win - brief bike and kit check
We’re waiting to hear back from Canyon and various other sources on the exact ins and outs of Kolbinger’s bike and equipment she used, but this info she posted on Strava along with two photos before the Transcon began gives us a good idea.
Her bike appears to be a stock Canyon Endurace WMN CF SL Disc 8.0 Di2, with some minor alterations made to make it TCR-ready. Kolbinger ran additional Di2 shifters on the end of her aerobars at the front, and it looks like the wheels are also modified with DT Swiss R 500 rims and a dynamo hub.
Her kit bags are from Apidura, and she’s running Continental GP5000 tyres. A Rapha merino jersey and cheap and cheerful Giro Foray helmet completes her simple ensemble, and unusally she also started the race with two packs of chewing gum alongisde some Wiggle energy gels…
6 August 2019, 18:11
Rich Energy changes Whyte Bikes style logo ...
Remember the row between Rich Energy and Whyte Bikes over use of the latter’s logo? Well, it seems that the sports nutrition brand has quietly altered its previous logo … they’re still antlers, just less like the ones the bike firm has been using for years.
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Jack is group editor across road.cc, off.road.cc and ebiketips, overseeing all three sites in the F-At Digital group to make sure everything’s up to scratch. He’s 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 road.cc 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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Latest Comments
Astralstroll 2 hours ago
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
Mr Anderson 3 hours ago
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
MaxiMinimalist 3 hours ago
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
Paul J 3 hours ago
Obree had some actual talent in his legs though, in addition to his bike/aero engineering talent.
Maruis Kalchev 4 hours ago
Малко като опит за доказване е излязло... Никой няма нужда от толкова голям въртящ момент и мощност на шосеен велосипед с тънки гуми, които дори трудно ще предават тази мощност върху пътя. А ако има и ограничение от 25 км/час е още по-безмислено.
mdavidford 4 hours ago
Not sure how informative that is. I imagine for all most of us know it could be Europe's only 'volumetric modular building'. 🤷♂️
chrisonabike 4 hours ago
Yes, but they're copying the adults of today...
chrisonabike 4 hours ago
Indeed - but alas I think this is an effective argument for very few folks indeed. As for push-back, what else could we expect *? I think there are ways of selling this but we're far more likely to see headlines about the problems, while the successes are relegated to footnotes, because at that point it just works and there's nothing to see... * Given that this time there aren't politicians being persuaded to overlook thousands of deaths and the demolition of property by the billions from the motoring trades (and the excitement of being able to drive out with the bright things for a party at a roadhouse). Nor are we as tolerant of "accidents". (And noting that publicity about the cases of a handful of people killed by cyclists continues to reach the media; deaths related to motor vehicles not so much).
mdavidford 4 hours ago
That rather ignores that the children of today are the adults of tomorrow.
fwhite181 4 hours ago
@belugabob Arguably it's easier this way - we don't actually need to do anything to the streets except stop drivers driving down every scrap of tarmac. Where I live, a few well-placed bollards would make walking/cycling/scooting the quicker option and safer, while maintaining 100% vehicular access - just not allowing through routes in every direction.
10 thoughts on “Live blog: “Don’t buy into the anti-cycling thing” – James May tells drivers to stop worrying about cyclists; Rich Energy changesWhyte Bikes ‘inpired’ logo after row; Fiona Kolbinger wins TCR + more”
Fiona Kolbinger, if she ever
Fiona Kolbinger, if she ever wanted to change her career to sport, has options I’d say!
What a truly amazing endeavour.
Sympathies with Bjorg
Sympathies with Bjorg Lambrecht ‘s family, such a tragedy.
Well done to Fiona!
Well done to Fiona!
Can someone please explain
Can someone please explain why Laura Scott is a ‘top ulracyclist’ – just because she has a few thousand Twitter followers?
Fiona, with very litle online presence, has shown us that actions speak far louder than words. Phenomenal ride, executed in an admiral manner.
Supersam wrote:
I assume you’re aiming for a kind of rhetorical approach here, if not – GIYF. Failing that, don’t sweat it…
When did James May turn into
When did James May turn into Viv Reeves’ dad?
What, I wonder, was the
What, I wonder, was the purpose of the question posed to James (on line one, it’s Jeremy from Sevenoaks. Jeremy, what’s on you mind?). A “decent driving road”? Answers could have included the M23, M2, M20, M25, or M27. Or does that miss the questioner’s point? One pleasing comment, there aren’t that many cyclists – it’s alway made to sound like “getting stuck behind ” is some sort of daily occurrence – always challenge that: how many times this year – twice?
What other unnecessary evils are being perpetrated by legislators on hard-pressed drivers, I also wonder. They should pass a law against all those donkeys, clearly.
Nice try, but no cigar here.
You could write a movie on
You could write a movie on the whole Rich Energy saga and people would say it was unbelievable.
Interesting pre-demise piece on jalopnik about how the numbers didn’t add up and how you couldn’t actually buy the drink anywhere. Whole thing stinks of money washing to me. Assets in 2016 £100. Assets in 2017 £500. Assets in 2018…..trying to buy Force India level. Very odd. Still didn’t pay Whyte bikes and ousted CEO storey is being sued by literally everyone.
Rick_Rude wrote:
I’d have thought that a 60-second twitter video would be adequate to give an idea of the immense arsholery on displayed by Rich-tw@t Energy. You could then spend more time doing / watching / reading / listening to something more edifying.
Fiona Kolbinger wins TCR. Truly fantastic! Coming soon after Mavis Paterson’s LEJOG ride and the InternationElles riding the Tour de France route – unfortunately not covered by road.cc but with regular reports by the Comic and featured on BBC Breakfast – it’s great to see women getting positive coverage in the media.
Disappointing for Christina Mackenzie on her LEJOG but each failed attempt shows just how good Lynne Biddulph’s record is. I hope she’ll have another go in due course. I don’t like to use the word ‘fail’ since any serious attempt at such a record is worthy of respect in my eyes. Likewise everyone who even starts the TCR.
CW publised a very touching tribute from the team about Lambrecht.
The attempt at breaking the
The attempt at breaking the ladies LEJOG puts into perspective the incredible mark set by Eileen Sheridan, to think that 65 years ago she did 870 miles (they now do 840) in 59hours and 7 minutes, on the bike she had with the type of back up her time is utterly beyond compare, it’s up there with Burton’s ’12.
Reckon the Mighty Atom would have got close to 50hrs with modern kit, nutrition and physio/massage along the way.
Oh and her 12/24 weren’t too shabby either
1954: 250.5 miles
24-hour record in 446.5 miles
1954: London-Edinburgh 20h 11m 35s
Great attempt though from Christina, got another planned already it seems.