Is this the Team Ineos – sorry, Ineos Grenadiers – Tour de France line-up? Drivers filmed using cycle lane to get around roadworks; Driver who left-hooked Schachmann fined; Jakobsen thanks medics who saved his life; Liverpool FC on reluctant ride + more
SUMMARY
How to deal with kids riding on your drive? Build them a race track
That’s what this Youtuber decided to do anyway, which certainly makes for a more positive outcome than getting bothered by a child riding on your driveway.
The Liverpool squad was spotted out on a bike ride, and there's a lot going on...
Naby lad and Minamino makes the breakaway with the peloton working hard to chase them down.
James Milner gets put out the back as the pace increases. https://t.co/GwzIhA6AR7
— 🅰🅽🅳🆈 (@SpinarelloDogma) August 17, 2020
Showing that finesse on the football pitch doesn’t necessarily cross over to riding a bicycle, it’s Liverpool’s first team squad out on a ride. It looks like not many of them seem to be enjoying it at all, with numerous players snaking up the road on their mountain bikes while giving rather apathetic looks at the camera. There’s also some curious mobile phone-using and helmet-wearing going on, with a number of players including James Milner deciding not to bother doing their lids up. Of course Virgil van Dijk isn’t wearing one, he’s Dutch…
Scott launch new Centric Plus helmet
Billed as their most versatile lid to date, the Centric Plus is recommended for road and mountain biking, and is optimised for ventilation and lightness: “one helmet to suit all riders”, so say Scott.
It’s also got MIPS inside, and the claimed weight is 220g. Scott say the Centric Plus will be available from September, priced at £149.99.
Bob Jungels signs for AG2R La Mondiale
The 27-year-old Luxembourger will move over from Deceuninck Quick-Step for the 2021 season on a two year deal, by which time AG2R La Mondiale will be known as AG2R Citroën Team.
Jungels commented: “I definitely want to achieve great things, initially in the one week races, but then also in the Grand Tours, even if I am already well versed in what it takes to perform over three weeks.”
Sneak peek: new road bike on the way from Vitus?
There’s a new road bike coming from Vitus, judging by this photo posted on Instagram.
The only road bike with dropped seatstays in the current Vitus range is the Zenium, but this logo-less model clearly isn’t one of those; for a start, the seatpost of the bike pictured is held in place by an internal system rather than an external collar.
The fact that it is being raced by the Vitus Pro Cycling Team means that this bike is probably a new version of either the ZX1 Disc or the Vitesse Evo Disc. It doesn’t look like an aero model, so our money is on the latter.
Read our Vitus Vitesse Evo Team eTap 2020 review
The current Vitesse Evo Disc was added to the UCI’s List of Approved Frames and Forks in mid-2017, so it’s about due a redesign. It’s a disc brake-only bike with a semi-compact geometry, which fits with the model pictured.
We don’t know any more details than that although we’ll be keeping our eyes on the Vitus website and Vitus Pro Cycling Team social media for more clues.
More news when we have it!
Fabio Jakobsen thanks medics and well-wishers, two weeks after horror crash that nearly cost him his life
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the 23-year-old, but thankfully he’s alive and able to give thanks to those who saved him after the crash at the Tour of Poland that nearly cost him his life.
Jakobsen was placed in a medically-induced coma, having surgery on numerous serious injuries before he was allowed to return home to continue his recovery in the Netherlands last week.
Here is Jakobsen’s statement in full:
It is now two weeks after my crash in Poland. The trauma doctors and nurses at the finish line in Katowice saved my life, for which I am extremely grateful to them. I spent a week in the intensive care unit at St. Barbara hospital in Sosnowiec. Here they immediately operated on me for five hours and gave me the chance to live. I am very grateful to all employees of this hospital.
It was a difficult, dark period for me in the ICU, where I was afraid of not surviving. Thanks in part to the organization behind the Tour de Pologne and my team Deceuninck – Quick-Step, my family was able to be close to me, which gave me a lot of strength.
Last Wednesday I was transferred to the Leiden University Medical Center. I was admitted to the ENT department and treated further. Step by step I can start to live more independently. Currently I am at home, where the wounds in my face and my injuries can continue to recover. In addition, I have to rest a lot in the coming months because of a severe concussion. In the coming weeks and months, I will undergo multiple surgeries and treatments to fix facial injuries.
Hereby, I want to let everyone know that I am very grateful that I am still alive. All the messages and words of support have given me tremendous strength. Step by step I can slowly look to the future, and I will fight to recover.
In particular I would like to thank Dr. Rafael, who was my surgeon in Poland, Dr. Vanmol, who was present as a team doctor in Poland, Patrick Lefevere who brought my family close to me and Agata Lang and family who, on behalf of the Tour of Poland, did very well in taking care of my family.
Fabio
Pro cyclists' discontent with the UCI continues, as Michael Mørkøv aims sarcastic dig at organisation
And for sure @UCI_cycling have no responsability to this, like with other safty issues and crashes 👏 #greatfederationwehave 🥇 https://t.co/leDeTXIfT8
— Michael Mørkøv (@MichaelMorkov) August 17, 2020
As his teammate recovers in hospital, the Dane commented on the rather unwelcoming road surface that riders had to face at yesterday’s Tour de Wallonie stage, appearing to blame the UCI.
@LukeRowe1990 Guys, apologies for the today’s roads. My mistake No excuse
— brandt christophe (@brandtremi) August 17, 2020
An official replied to apologise for the state of the roads, to which AG2R La Mondiale rider Oliver Naesen replied: “Thank you Christophe! We realise that it is not always easy (especially now with cities that do not give permission to pass through because of the Covid). We realise that without you we couldn’t even race now.”
The Carlyle Group tells staff not to use public transport if they return to the office, recommending cycling and walking instead
The private equity giants Carlyle are bringing staff back to their offices on a voluntary basis, but have told those that do they must not use public transport at all. This also extends to weekends, and Carlyle say if any employees do use buses, trains or tubes they have to stay away from the office for two weeks.
Presumably this means employees are allowed to drive or take private cabs; but according to the Financial Times, Carlyle are recommending they cycle or walk to the office. With 1,800 staff worldwide, the firm’s UK headquarters are located in St. James’s, London.
Ritchey releases Outback TandM Break-Away frameset, with 'bike suitcases' included
Ritchey’s Outback TandM Break-Away isn’t the first ever tandem that you can dismantle and pack into airline-friendly bags; but it is still a very unusual frame, and we really like unusual frames.
Ritchey uses its Break-Away couplings on other framesets including the Break-Away carbon road frame and Outback gravel/adventure frameset and Ritchey has now used them on a tandem so that you can take your tandem (and travel buddy) with you when jetting off to foreign lands.
The name “TandM” is derived from the names of Ritchey’s founder, Tom (T) and his wife Martha (M). The Outback TandM frame is road-oriented according to Ritchey, but with 40mm tyre clearance, you should be able to handle gravel roads too. There are mounts for mudguards and space for five water bottles along with multi-purpose mounts on the fork.
Oh, and it comes with its own suitcases for flying. Sound like your thing? It’s €3,099, one-size-fits-all and available now.
Car Free Cities Campaigner job roles come with free 'company Bromptons'
A company car might be nothing new, but we think this could possibly be the first example we’ve spotted of a ‘complimentary Brompton’ offered with an employment package. Possible, a charity focussed on climate action that is campaigning to ban SUV advertising amongst other initiatives, is recruiting for four Car Free Cities Campaigners, with the jobs located in Birmingham, Bristol, Camden Town and Leeds. The role includes “creating initiatives and practical projects to improve the public realm to help tackle climate change, air pollution, congestion and road danger”, and Possible are looking for candidates “with a drive to make your city a fairer, safer, healthier and greener place to live”.
The charity say they have secured funding for a major new campaign to reduce “private car dominance” in cities, and their new Car Free Campaigners will help to drive (or not drive) this change of course… not to mention setting a good example by turning up to meetings on shiny new Bromptons. If you want to find out more, the Possible website is here and the job roles are advertised here.
Driver who left-hooked Max Schachmann after entering Lombardy course is fined and given two points
Una señora en un Volvo ha tirado a Maximiliano Schachmann. Esto es acojonante. ¿En qué pensaba la señora? pic.twitter.com/ukt5Xt6Hrw
— Diego Vos ~ Ciclismo (@diegovos_) August 15, 2020
A woman who strayed onto the Tour of Lombardy course in her car, which resulted in a broken collarbone for Bora–Hansgrohe’s Max Schachmann, has been fined 129 euros and given two points on her licence, according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport. As you will see in the clip above, the driver turned across the path of the German as he was trying to ride straight on, and he couldn’t avoid the vehicle.
The driver told Gazzetta Dello Sport that she didn’t know there was a race on, but even so she was charged with driving on a stretch of road in violation of a police order. She could face further sanctions including a suspension of her licence, because the fact that the driver’s actions caused injury “has criminal relevance”, according to the local police commander.
The Earley Panda is cycling around Berkshire "to spread joy and raise awareness for safe cycling and men's mental health"
If you live in Reading, Wokingham, Earley or Sonning then be sure to keep an eye out for the Earley Panda, who is on a mission to help local causes while spreading panda cheer around the local area.
The bear told Wokingham Today: “As I became more confident on my bike, I signed up for bikeathons including those which were raising money for charity.
“My first one was part of the Wokingham Ride Your Own Bikeathon which took place on July 25, and was a 15-mile ride from Wokingham town to Hurst village and back. It took me about an hour to cycle and was a great way to encourage those who saw, honked and waved at me to keep active during this time.
“On August 1 I rode from Royal Berkshire Hospital to Maharajah’s Well in Henley-on-Thames. I rode as part of a team who cycled all the way to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, but I finished after 2 hours as all my fur meant I got very hot.”
The Earley Panda has also signed up to ride 500km throughout the month of August in support of Mary’s Cancer Research, which he says will be another big challenge because of the hot weather. Check out the Facebook page here.
The comments on our latest World Naked Bike Ride article are business as usual
What a bummer
— Jem Jones (@JemJones7) August 18, 2020
Settle down at the back there!
Fledgling British pro Jake Stewart in celebration gaffe, after thinking he'd won Tour du Limousin stage
🇮🇹@LucaWackermann of 🇮🇹@ViniZabuKTM wins stage 1 of 🇫🇷@tourdulimousin #TDLNA2020 (📺@lachainelequipe) pic.twitter.com/zvr2pgOUfR
— World Cycling Stats (@wcsbike) August 18, 2020
This would have been the 20-year-old’s first win for his Groupama–FDJ Continental Team… but unbeknown to him when he raised his arms in the air to celebrate ‘victory’, Luca Wackermann had already won the stage at the Tour du Limousin a few seconds earlier.
On the positive side, Stewart was clearly working so hard he was focussed purely on beating those around him rather than getting distracted by what was up the road, so hopefully a bright future beckons. It’s also nothing on the unfortunate Eloy Teruel, who thought he had seen off the likes of Peter Sagan and Mark Cavendish to bag his first professional stage win at the Tour of California… only to find out that there was still another lap of the closing circuit to go. Teruel ended up finishing the stage in 56th place.
Police Superintendent intervenes after London resident films drivers using cycle lane to get around road closure
Hugely frustrating to see this. Firstly; I encourage whoever recorded the footage to report it via https://t.co/jXcKFSNx7h we will review and take action as necessary. Secondly; I’ll influence resource coverage to the area. #Cycling #RoadSafety #London https://t.co/gUnCyFx3DN
— Andy Cox (@SuptAndyCox) August 18, 2020
The cycle safety team have recently attended today and there are now bollards in place. We will return this week to make sure motor cycles do not use it pic.twitter.com/GxItIqmltT
— Cycle Safety Team (@MetCycleCops) August 18, 2020
The footage, filmed from a resident’s window in Tower Hamlets, was first shared on Twitter yesterday morning; and now the Met’s Cycle Safety Team have intervened by installing bollards in the middle of the cycle lane on London’s CS3 to stop drivers from using it to get around the roadworks.
The right turn is closed. Perhaps there should be better signage earlier that the road is closed. But it doesn’t mean that people can drive on the cycle path, ignoring the road closed sign there, or turn left on to a one way road.
— Charlotte (@cvfdavies) August 18, 2020
I recorded this.
I reported it without video twice on the 10th Aug, but nothing happened until I put the video on twitter.
The number of cars going down there was mad. It would be unfair to only report the ones in my video.— Rob N (@Admiral_Rob) August 18, 2020
Rob, thank you. Please share with me the reference numbers and I’ll dig into this.
— Andy Cox (@SuptAndyCox) August 18, 2020
Some have suggested the signage wasn’t adequate to warn drivers that the road ahead was closed, and that the ‘turn right’ markings on the road were causing confusion. There is no left turning allowed, which meant drivers who had unwittingly ended up at the junction should have performed a U-turn. As you can see in the clip plenty had other ideas, with a cyclist being forced to swerve out of the lane to avoid the first driver, and subsequent drivers manoeuvred around surprised cyclists as they used the lane to get past.
After claiming the problem is only being dealt with after the footage went on social media, Superintendent Andy Cox replied to say he will follow up and “take action as neccessary.”
Is this the Ineos Grenadiers Tour de France line-up?
We learnt long ago that you cannot believe everything you see on Twitter … but could this be the Team Ineos, or rather Ineos Grenadiers as it will be known, line-up for the Tour de France when it starts in Nice a week on Saturday?
Spotted on a ride in what may well be the new kit (their usual training jerseys are orange), we have 2018 winner Geraint Thomas minus his trademark white Oakleys, four-time victor Chris Froome, Jonathan Castroviejo, ex-world champion Michal Kwiatkowski, Dylan van Baarle and Pavel Sivakov … plus, who is that lurking at the back, face hidden?
None other than last year’s winner of the yellow jersey, Egan Bernal, it turns out … on a day when it was widely rumoured that he mighty miss the Tour with his place taken by Richard Carapaz, the Colombian has posted pictures from this same ride to his personal Instagram account.
So, that’s seven riders out of eight, which leaves one missing … and that is almost certainly Luke Rowe, with the Welshman, currently riding the Tour de Wallonie, set to reprise his role as road captain when the Tour begins in Nice.
If I am not mistaken, I see Thomas, Froome, Castro, Kwiato, Van Baarle, Sivakov and Bernal (7). Plus Rowe that would make the 8-man line-up, but Amador has been very strong. The original plan was to help Carapaz at the Giro, though.
— Daniel Caballero (@DCG1996) August 18, 2020
18 August 2020, 09:09
18 August 2020, 09:09
Safety issues laid bare by the WNBR organisers in this road.cc exclusive
No socially distanced World Naked Bike Ride for London this year
Organisers were confident of safety of riders, but had concerns over that of spectators
18 August 2020, 09:09
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I use this cycle path regularly. It is used by commuters during the week but it is used more and more by families with young children evenings and weekends when the weather is fine. The car boot takes place on a Sunday which conflicts with this leisure use. One problem is with cars stopping on the cycle path to wait for a gap in traffic (as in the picture). Even if the car is stopped and there is space behind it, as in the picture, you can't be sure that the driver won't reverse or the driver behind won't close the gap so you have to slow down to almost a stop to get through safely. You would have to dismount as well as you would be using the footway part of the path. This isn't a huge problem going up the hill into Cheltenham, (coming towards you in the picture) as it is relatively steep and usually against the prevailing wind if there is any, so you are going slowly anyway. Going down the hill however it is easy to reach 30mph and this is where cyclists are going to be seriously inconvenienced by having to slow down and dismount. I don't think it's a huge safety issue but it will be annoying. Obviously the driver should not be blocking the cycle path at all and should wait in the entrance, which has good visibility, until there is a gap in both the road and the cycle path traffic. This is obviously beyond the skill set of the majority of motorists who would not dream of blocking the road but can't see any problem with blocking the cycle path. The main problem, however, is with drivers from Cheltenham crossing the oncoming traffic to enter the car boot sale. There may be nothing blocking the cycle path and the drivers will be looking for gaps in the (usually continuous) oncoming traffic. When a gap appears they will go but will they have checked that there are no cyclists on the track who will expect the driver to give them priority as instructed in the highway code. A cyclist coming from Cheltenham down the hill will be travelling at speed from behind the driver and the driver will cut across them from their left if they are not seen. Experienced cyclists will be watching out for this but that is not who the cycle path is intended for, it is intended to encourage new cyclists to get on their bikes. Another concern is when a driver is turning into the site and does notice a cyclist and does give way. The driver behind may not be expecting the car in front to stop and there is potential for a rear ending incident. The speed limit is 40mph but it is only adhered to in heavy traffic. I rarely drive but I did drive the road recently and I was doing exactly 40mph when I was overtaken. None of these would be a problem if drivers could be relied upon to obey the highway code but it seems to me that it is asking too much in today's "drivers come first" and "must drive as fast as possible" mentality. Finally one time I cycled when the car boot was on there was a person in a hi vis jacket directing the traffic. If the individual has received training then it should be safer but it will still inconvenience cyclists unless we are given priority.
@KiwiMike Respectfully, I don't think "oh well people can afford it" is a valid excuse for blatantly overcharging for a product. Yes of course it's people's choice whether they want to pay for it or not, just as it's my choice to point out that in my opinion, as with so many cycling products, it's a rip-off.
I guess you’ve never been for a ride in the countryside, and wanted to stop somewhere there isn’t a perfectly-positioned tree, fence or wall? Or have always had the good fortune to have a bike rack or wall positioned perfectly where you need it, and been happy to balance your bike and trust no-one will nudge it. I accept that’s a valid use case.
If you can afford a £3000 ebike you can almost certainly afford this. Especially as it’s the last one you’ll ever need to buy. Of course people will value the utility in their own way, there’s no definitive right / wrong, there’s just choice.
@jackcycles "The idea that you need a dedicated cycleway in order to ride a bike is ludicrous and false" You might not need one because you're a brave cyclist. There are many people in this country who aren't brave, who don't like mixing with traffic, and who won't cycle if they have to. So they need a dedicated cycleway, despite your protestations. "Just be more assertive" will never, ever work as a tool to enable more cycling.
@neilmck Other studies have shown different results, however, e.g. a 2025 study in Barcelona showed injury rates on uni-directional cycle paths were slightly higher than on bi-directional ones - I'll post the link below as otherwise might end up in the black hole of link approval quarantine. The study you cite is from 1990 when in many areas cycle provision was very much in its infancy and drivers were much less accustomed to watching for cyclists in separate infrastructure than they are now. As ever, in my experience at least, the issue is not the cycle lane per se but junction design, with proper mitigating measures e.g. raised tables at junctions, different surface colours, warning signage, set back give ways etc there's no reason bidirectional lanes should be more dangerous.
Bi-directional cycle paths are very dangerous and councils should use extreme caution when deciding to install them. The problem is the complexity they provide motorists who have to cross them. There was a study made in Berlin that shows you are 12 times more likely to be killed at a crossing on a bi-directional cycle path than if you cycled on the road. https://www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/sidepath/adfc173.htm
That - if it is like the photo - seems to be an inadequate and very poor entrance design. Where are the physical features to enforce behaviour? There will be a queue of cars sitting on the mobility track. The LHA could have CPOd a small slice of land to make it adequate and given a one or two car standing area by the carriageway with a bent-in mobility track. I'd say the designers have looked the other way.
I’m not sure this is a problem really. How often does the car boot sale take place?once a week at most, and not every week either? And not all day. I’m sure all users can manage and it would mean everyone taking car at the entrance / exit.
Many years since lived in Cheltenham but if the coach park is where I think it is there is another car park on the opposite side of Evesham rd also part of the race course and has an entrance off the main road and off a side road unlike the coach park it has no hard standing though ...
23 thoughts on “Is this the Team Ineos – sorry, Ineos Grenadiers – Tour de France line-up? Drivers filmed using cycle lane to get around roadworks; Driver who left-hooked Schachmann fined; Jakobsen thanks medics who saved his life; Liverpool FC on reluctant ride + more”
LOVE the driveway racetrack
LOVE the driveway racetrack thing! So wholesome!
video of the month.
video of the month.
First thoughts are – It’s the
First thoughts are – It’s the US what is he going to do – does it involve guns or violence ! The outcome is great.
Quote:
But, hey, remember, people – Boris said it’ll all blow over by Xmas so we can go down the Winchester…
‘Driver who left-hooked Max
‘Driver who left-hooked Max Schachmann after entering Lombardy course is fine by Italian authorities.’
That is a truly wonderful typo. Thanks for the laugh..!
The tandem thing…do you
The tandem thing…do you have to literally dismantle the whole bike inc. cables for it to be packable?! Slight faff if so…
Cable splitters. We have them
Cable splitters. We have them on our take-apart tandem.
If there’s no legitimate way
If there’s no legitimate way to exit that road, why aren’t vehicles prevented from entering it in the first place? Or if it’s still in use for local access, why isn’t it clearly marked ‘closed to through traffic’ and barriered off at the end where they’re exiting?
I’m assuming it is right turn
I’m assuming it is right turn only as it is one way, so the car who turned left was as much as danger as the other arses.
I suspect Satnav worshippers who ignore any reason if the Satnav tells them that is the way to go but then signs don’t mean a damn. But it would be interesting the type of signage further down.
I’m sure it has a “Road
I’m sure it has a “Road Closed Ahead, Access only” sign, but since when do drivers take any notice of those?
Well, exactly. Mind you, I
Well, exactly. Mind you, I can imagine a lot arguing the ‘Access Only’ gives them permission to drive down that road…… it doesn’t.
Velophaart_95 wrote:
I suspect there are a lot of people out there who think that the get out clause for “access only” is that they really want to go down there…
So I’m having this discussion
So I’m having this discussion with a motorist on Twitter who thinks it’s the most normal thing in the world to drive a car down cycle superhighway #3
That person must be thinking
That person must be thinking that they’re being humorous, surely?
Invoking ‘share the road’ principles that cyclists ride on the ‘normal’ road so they can drive on the cycle lane…
a1white wrote:
Since when do cyclists take notice of “Road Closed” signs? I know I don’t, I just assume they apply to motor vehicles only, and usually I’m right. Of course if you made that assumption when they closed Box Hill recently you’d have been wrong. We all interpret what we are told based on experience.
Since when do cyclists take
Since when do cyclists take notice of “Road Closed” signs? I know I don’t
Neither do I. It’s one of our privileges, just as motorists can go through lights at red, in practice
I suspect because in 99% of
I suspect because in 99% of the cases, a cyclist can legally getaround road closed areas legally by dismounting and walking along the ped path*. Or in this case the cycle lane is open.
*obviously most would just ride along it but you know what i mean.
Well the barriering was the
Well the barriering was the main point – the ‘access only’ signage would just mean that if people ignored it they couldn’t have much complaint when they then had to turn round at the barriers.
Car Free Cities Campaigners
Car Free Cities Campaigners and the complimentary Brompton reminds me of when I was tempted to apply for the position of South Gloucestershire Cycling Officer so I downloaded the job description, to find that I wasn’t qualified; I could drive but I didn’t own a car.
On another point, not for the
On another point, not for the first time, this doesn’t really live up to the ‘shocking footage’ headline – more like depressingly commonplace.
Shane cyclingmikey wasn’t
Shame cyclingmikey wasn’t around – ‘you shall not pass’.
No doubt booboo(thebear) will be along to decry the ‘snitch’ who reported this and explain to us why Supt Andy Cox should be relieved of his position.
Um, isn’t that just the Ineos
Um, isn’t that just the Ineos squad from the Dauphiné? Presumably still just in their ‘bubble’ following the conclusion of that? Not sure why that should tell us anything about the make-up of the Tour squad.
good grief – that vid of the
good grief – that vid of the Liverpool players. Reminds me of when i used to do some occasional work in Pupil Referal Units (expelled kids) and we would take them on bike rides. They were bored, on their phones, couldn’t give a shit. The only difference is the millions and millions of pounds each group was worth.