“Miracles do happen”: Cyclists react to speeding ban despite exceptional hardship plea; Thousands of cycling protesters take over German motorway; More angry emails: Driver blasts “self-important” cyclist for riding primary + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“A talented cyclist, a mentor and a friend”: Cycling world pays tribute to leading Kenyan cyclist who died after “high speed” crash at US gravel race
The cycling world was in mourning over the weekend after the news broke that leading Kenyan professional cyclist Suleiman ‘Sule’ Kangangi died after a heavy crash during a gravel race in the United States on Saturday.
33-year-old Kangangi, a pioneering figure in Kenyan gravel racing after a decade of success on the road, was racing the Vermont Overland race as part of the newly formed Team Amani, a squad of off-road racers from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Kagangi was one of the driving forces behind both the Team Amani project and the growth of gravel racing in Kenya, spearheading the Migration Gravel Series, which has attracted the likes of Laurens ten Dam and Ian Boswell to the country’s off-road events, as well as mentoring and developing the talents of Kenya’s new generation of aspiring racers.
He was really something else. And he was just getting started. He inspired many on that bike. #SuleKangangi pic.twitter.com/60EWumywSF
— Mbithi Masya (@mbithi) August 28, 2022
Before turning his attention to the dirt, Kangangi raced for UCI Continental squad Bike Aid on the road and finished on the podium of the 2017 Tour of Rwanda.
“I’ve always had a dream of going to the Tour de France,” he told VeloNews last year. “When I started cycling, that was the dream. But now I’m 32, that dream is fading quickly.
“But I realized, I’m used to these gravel roads, this is part of me. I don’t have to go find them. If I want to go training, I just take my gravel bike and I’m already there. It shows, you can always change your dreams. You start imagining yourself winning. Why not change my dream and go for something which is realistic for me?”
Our heartfelt condolences to the family and #Kenya for Suleiman Kangangi who died in crash in USA.
Sule raced Tour du Rwanda for the 1st time in 2011, the last was 2020.
He is the 5th all time with most starts.
He finished on the podium of 2017, 3rd GC.#RIPKANGANGI pic.twitter.com/cTNN535kWs
— 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝘂 𝗥𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 🇷🇼🚴🏾 (@tour_du_Rwanda) August 29, 2022
Team Amani yesterday paid tribute to their “giant” Kangangi following his tragic death.
“Sule is our captain, friend, brother. He is also a father, husband and son. Gaping holes are left when giants fall. Sule was a giant.
“Instead of leading us at the front of the pack, he will now lead us as our guiding pole star as we press forward in the realisation of his dream.”
It is with shock that I have received the sad news that @sulekangangi passed away after a tragic crash in the United States. My heartfelt condolences to his family, and the entire cycling community, that has lost a talented cyclist, a mentor and a friend. pic.twitter.com/hZTtetdINR
— Mama Rachel Ruto, EGH (@MamaRachelRuto) August 28, 2022
Rachel Ruto, wife of Kenya’s president-elect William Ruto, tweeted: “My heartfelt condolences to his family, and the entire cycling community, that has lost a talented cyclist, a mentor and a friend. We will all miss him as an individual. Kenya has lost a champion. Rest in peace Sule.”
Leading pros, such as Kenyan-born Chris Froome and off-road star Lachlan Morton, who raced with Kangangi in multiple gravel and mountain bike events, also paid tribute:
Heartbreaking. My thoughts are with Sule’s friends and family. RIP Sule Kangangi https://t.co/yw4uq1ygaC
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) August 28, 2022
Ethan Hayter out of Vuelta after Covid positive
In line with team and UCI protocols @ethan_hayter has this morning withdrawn from the Vuelta a España after returning a positive lateral flow test. pic.twitter.com/srSTtiX4K1
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) August 30, 2022
The British stripes will be missing from today’s time trial at the Vuelta a España, as national TT champion Ethan Hayter has been forced to abandon the Spanish grand tour after testing positive for Covid.
The 23-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider, who secured the overall win at the Tour of Poland earlier this month after a strong performance against the clock, had enjoyed a decent start to his debut grand tour, taking a top ten on the uphill sprint to Laguardia on stage four, as well as wearing the white young rider’s jersey for four days.
Hayter is one of four riders, all from different teams, who won’t start today’s 30.9km time trial from Elche to Alicante, a test the promising young British rider would have certainly marked on his calendar before the race.
Movistar’s Danish TT champion Mathias Norsgaard, Jumbo-Visma’s Edoardo Affini (another time trial aficionado), and Jarrad Drizners (Lotto-Soudal) all returned positive Covid tests over the rest day and will be making their way home as the Vuelta’s second week gets under way.
Bank holiday weekend roundup
While everyone was out enjoying the fading remnants of summer, before autumn’s golden glow forces us to dig out the mudguards, there was plenty going on news-wise here at road.cc over the bank holiday weekend.
Everyone’s favourite confused Transport Secretary Grant Shapps popped up on the homepage again, insisting that cyclists won’t need number plates (again, for the talkers at the back… cyclists WON’T need them), and that he’s a very keen and enthusiastic cyclist himself, thank you very much. Just don’t call him a MAMIL…
> Near Miss of the Day 816: Driver surrenders licence after sideswiping cyclist at 50mph
In Italy, the CEO of confectionary company and former Giro d’Italia sponsor Balocco, Albert Balocco, was tragically killed after being struck by lightning while out mountain biking.
Thanks to the help of the brilliant cycling community, Katie Archibald was able to track down the photographer who took a series of photos at the Berlin Six Day in 2020 of her and partner Rab Wardell, who sadly died last week after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest in bed, just 48 hours after winning the Scottish MTB XC Championship.
We had more from Surrey Police’s law-breaking driver-catching Brompton bike, while Liz Truss followed Tory leadership rival Rishi Sunak’s lead by claiming that she was “looking forward to working with the cycling community” to build new infrastructure.
On the pro scene, former Sky and Movistar, and current Israel Premier Tech rider Alex Dowsett decided to call time on his 12-year-long elite cycling career, which has included (among other things) an hour record, two Giro stage wins and six British TT champs. Not too shabby. GB’s current star, Tom Pidcock, however, was unable to add to his rapidly growing collection of baubles at the world mountain bike championships, where he finished fourth after crashing.
Seven months after her own potentially career-threatening crash – which saw her break her radius and patella after being struck head-on by an overtaking motorist – former Irish champion Imogen Cotter made her comeback to the peloton at a kermesse in Belgium. Onwards and upwards, Imogen.
Finally, it didn’t turn out the most pleasant bank holiday Monday for some unlucky riders, who fell victim to a nefarious motorist’s attempt to ruin everyone’s day off by scattering hundreds of drawing pins along an Essex cycle lane – the scene of another tack-related attack earlier this year. One poor tubeless cyclist was even forced to take a taxi home after coming unstuck thanks to the downright dangerous anti-cycling sabotage.
But cyclists, eh?
Vuelta rest day antics
It’s safe to say that Louis Meintjes thoroughly deserved a day of rest and recuperation – and this rather unusual recovery method – after his storming solo win on Les Praeres on Sunday…
🥵 Hay métodos que no fallan: así se refrescó y alivió el dolor de piernas Louis Meintjes después de ganar en Les Praeres #LaVuelta22 pic.twitter.com/EeHTHPKHrF
— Cicloestadio (@cicloestadio) August 29, 2022
It was an altogether more stressful rest day for Astana’s Alexey Lutsenko, who missed out on his scheduled massage to be there for the birth of his son:
🇪🇸 @lavuelta
What a beautiful rest day. Congrats Elena and @AlexeyLutsenko3 with the birth of Alexey! So happy for you both. #LaVuelta22 #AstanaQazaqstanTeam pic.twitter.com/4YPI5QhvSJ
— Astana Qazaqstan Team (@AstanaQazTeam) August 29, 2022
Now that’s the kind of timing that can only be honed by years in the breakaway…
Thousands of cycling protesters take over German motorway
Fair Fuel UK’s ‘go-slowers’, take note – this is how you do a motorway protest:
Auf der A66 bei Höchst pic.twitter.com/t0hFfNn9tV
— ADFC BadHomburg (@ADFC_BadHomburg) August 28, 2022
On Sunday, on the autobahn between the German cities of Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, there were bikes as far as the eyes could see, as thousands of two-wheeled protesters took to the motorway to call for improved cycling infrastructure.
According to local police, who authorised the event, 8,500 cyclists, wheelchair users, inline skaters and penny-farthing enthusiasts rode for 36 kilometres on the A648 and A66.
The mass protest was organised by Verkehrswende Hessen, a group which aims to improve road safety and protect the climate through an expanded active travel and public transport network in the German state of Hesse.
Along with the autobahn protest, prompted by the recent planned expansion of the A3, A5, A66 and A661 motorways, the group has submitted a petition containing 70,232 signatures to the state parliament calling for new legislation to combat climate change and create more space for cycling and walking.
The proposals include the creation of a Hesse-wide cycle network, expanded and widened bike and footpaths, quicker and safer crossings on wide streets, safe school routes and an expanded public transport service.
Die Kolleg*innen der @VerkehrswendeHE haben am Sonntag 70.232 Unterschriften überreicht! Wir gratulieren und übernehmen als Radentscheid Bayern symbolisch den Staffelstab für den #RadentscheidBY pic.twitter.com/gu7fSh4o8Z
— Radentscheid Bayern (@radentscheid_by) August 29, 2022
According to Hessenschau, if Verkehrswende Hessen’s proposals are deemed feasible by the state’s returning officer and a further petition attracts over 200,000 signatures, Hesse’s parliament must consider the draft law.
Now, that’s a protest. Though I’m sure we won’t have to wait too long for someone to point out that they weren’t using the available cycle lanes…
Cooking with Sam and Ryan
A fresh contender for ‘weirdest things sponsors make pro cyclists do’ here, though I doubt anything will ever beat the time Tom Boonen was forced to sit in a bath full of baked beans (don’t look it up, it’ll put you off your lunch):
A dreamteam on & off the bike!
We asked @Sammmy_Be and @ryanmullen9 of our team @BORAhansgrohe to cook a typical Irish dish on our new BORA S Pure system… well, what could possibly go wrong? 🍀😅🙈
Check out the recipe:
▶️ https://t.co/6Tk3CMezr2#cooking #teamwork pic.twitter.com/6iEZ2ZMxO4— BORA cooking systems (@BORAGmbH) August 29, 2022
Classic sprinter, Bennett, popping up at the end when all the hard work is done…
“This decision has not been taken lightly”: No Irish teams for road world championships in Australia
Cycling Ireland has taken the difficult decision to forgo attendance at the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Australia.
Read the rationale behind the decision here 👇https://t.co/6iG8fQ3MNA
— Cycling Ireland (@CyclingIreland) August 29, 2022
While Sam Bennett and Ryan Mullen are busy in the kitchen (and winning stages of the Vuelta of course), Cycling Ireland confirmed last night that there will be no Irish representation, in any category, at next month’s UCI road world championships in Wollongong, Australia.
Explaining the decision to end Ireland’s 46-year-streak competing for the rainbow jersey – as Sticky Bottle has noted, 1976 was the last year the green jersey was absent at a road worlds – the governing body’s High Performance director Iain Dyer said in a statement: “In the face of hugely increased costs for targeted High-Performance events already completed and planned for the remainder of 2022, competing in Australia will stretch our resources far beyond what has been anticipated this year.
“The UCI Road World Championships is also an event where success is far from assured. For the road riders, attending the European Championships in all categories this year was a significant commitment and one we felt we could manage effectively. The World Championships in Australia is a different proposition altogether.”
Possibly referring to British Cycling’s decision to not send a road team to the recent European Championships, Dyer continued: “We have already seen this year several nations make strategic decisions on attending events based on available resources and budgets, so clearly, we are not alone in this respect, and are managing it in a similar manner.
“It’s important we don’t turn the taps off in other areas of the high-performance activity and focus solely on the senior elites. It has been an essential part of our year to support Junior and U23 riders in events such as the Tour L’Avenir, the Rás and upcoming Rás na mBan or the Junior Track World Championships, where Irish athlete have shown great promise. That is where our next champions might come from.
“Equally, there may be other times where we dial up our activity in other disciplines or categories because strategy dictates it is a more appropriate use of resources.”
Archie Ryan left it all out there today at @tourdelavenir
What a performance to finish 2nd on todays stage 💪
📸 @tourdelavenir pic.twitter.com/ZD7R3ch3qq
— Cycling Ireland (@CyclingIreland) August 27, 2022
Cycling Ireland’s chief executive Matt McKerrow echoed Dyer’s aim to prioritise the organisation’s expenditure, adding that “This decision has not been taken lightly – and reflects the need to be certain we can stand over the value and benefit of expenditure right across the sport.
“With the exponential cost increases in attending events post Covid, including some we’ve experienced already this year where flights and accommodation have escalated by some 70-80 percent on previous editions, we’ve taken the decision to prioritise resources to other high-performance event and development activities at this time.”
The announcement comes hot on the heels of Ireland’s best ever showing at the Tour de l’Avenir, the prestigious U23 stage race traditionally viewed as a glimpse into the future of pro cycling, where Archie Ryan took fourth place overall after securing three top ten stage placings in the high mountains.
It’s safe to say that the decision hasn’t gone down too well with Irish cycling fans:
Terrible news. Costs are no doubt huge but surely there are good arguments for sending a small number of young riders?
— Full Gas! (@Full_Gassss) August 29, 2022
Did ye not know it was in Australia and I dunno, maybe budget accordingly? If cost is a factor surely there are ways to mitigate like sharing costs/support staff with other countries in a similar position. Was that even explored? What is CI even for anymore?
— @edenglish (@edenglish_) August 30, 2022
@jackfchambers how is this allowed to happen? From beginner cyclists to the elite level, cycling is chronically underfunded yet a key way to address our climate targets. My kids can’t even cycle 2km to school in Dublin due to underinvestment @EamonRyan
— Stephen (@mcgeebers) August 30, 2022
It’s only the world champs. Disgraceful and disrespectful to all Irish riders and supporters. Was looking forward to cheering on the team In Wollongong as were a huge number of diasporas. 😞 😠 shortsighted
— Siobhan Ni Bhriain (@lifeNcraicNhr) August 30, 2022
The curse of the salmon and champ: Bennett the latest rider to abandon Vuelta
Sam Bennett the latest Vuelta DNS today. Should have been out on the course right now.
— Hola Chennaoui 🇪🇸 🚲 (@SportsOrla) August 30, 2022
What exactly did Mullen put in that parsley sauce?
UPDATE: It turns out it was Covid, of course, that’s prematurely ended Bennett’s green jersey campaign at the Vuelta, with what must have been a very last-minute lateral flow test.
“Unfortunately, Covid has caught up to him,” lead-out man and chef Ryan Mullen said after finishing his TT effort in provisional second place.
“It’s a massive shame. Sam is going to be disappointed. He deserves to be here, he’s put the work in and he’s showed he’s back to his best. I’m sure he would have won the green jersey.”
Swooping magpie recons worlds course
While there won’t be any Irish riders in Wollongong at the end of September, every Australian cyclist’s worst nightmare – an aggressive magpie during nesting season – has been spotted swooping on riders on the upcoming world championships road race circuit:
Just a typical bike ride in Australia this time of year. 🚲🦅🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/hxsaBUf5TP
— Shane Miller 🦙 (@gplama) August 29, 2022
Was laughing about this yesterday. Got swooped 9 times by the same bird, on the actual Worlds course.
TV coverage might be interesting 😆😆— D R (@imdonncha) August 30, 2022
Unfortunately for the riders aiming for the rainbow jersey, springtime in Australia coincides with the magpies’ nesting season, though thankfully for cyclists only nine percent of the birds, which generally populate urban and suburban areas, become aggressive.
Almost all attacking birds (around 99 percent) are male, and they are generally known to attack pedestrians at around 50m from their nest, and cyclists at around 100m.
Attacks – which tend to happen from behind, so many cyclists only become aware of them when they hear the bird’s wings or the sharp ‘clack’ of a beak near their ear – begin as the eggs hatch, increase in frequency and severity as the chicks grow, and tail off as the chicks leave the nest.
> Has an Aussie cyclist finally found the way to stop magpies attacking riders?
Long-time road.cc contributor John Stevenson, who lived in Sydney for a number of years, said last year: “From the Northern hemisphere being swooped by a magpie sounds faintly comical, but the Australian magpie Gymnorhina tibicen is quite a bit bigger than the Eurasian magpie Pica pica — the two are only very distantly related — and has a considerably beefier beak.
“The first you know of being swooped is when you hear a loud cracking noise by your ear. It’s startling as all hell, and it’s not unusual for the strike to draw blood. I had to change my route to work one year because it felt likely that the magpie that kept swooping me was sooner or later going to make me swerve under a truck.”
Well, that’s one theory as to why some riders and organisations are giving the worlds a miss this year…
Warning for cyclists going to #Wollongong2022:
Magpie on the course, and a pretty swoopy one at that. Is this the reason so many riders are opting to stay in Europe? 🤔 https://t.co/1ItS594cIy— Jens Dekker (@jens_dekker) August 30, 2022
Perilous cliff edge or city commute?
The feeling that cyclists have in most cities around the world.pic.twitter.com/llRtNvp2hR
— Cycling Professor 🚲 (@fietsprofessor) August 29, 2022
More angry emails: Driver criticises ‘self-important, militant, strange beast’ cyclist riding in primary position… and praises himself for not hitting her
Following Dan’s rummage through the big road.cc bag of letters earlier, I thought I’d share another piece of fan mail we received recently.
This one’s from a motorist who described to us, in great detail, an encounter with a so-called “militant cyclist”.
From what I gather, the driver has taken umbrage to a cyclist adopting the primary position on the road, rather than allowing him to squeeze between her and an oncoming lorry at 60mph.
Have I got that right? To be honest, the whole email makes my head hurt.
Anyway, you can make your own minds up…
I have had an encounter with a militant cyclist and as a result I have some understanding of what goes on in the minds of these strange beasts.
I was on my way to Findhorn, a new age community on the Moray Firth (North of Scotland).
I was travelling in my car on a fast A road, and making good progress. In the distance I see a bright yellow workman’s jacket – it’s a cyclist! I believe a vulnerable young lady making slow but steady progress. Good luck to her on this fast road. I am doing about 70 mph. I am not quite sure what the speed limit is.
The next thing I notice coming down the hill is a bright blue lorry, which totally takes up the lane going in the opposite direction.
The young lady anticipates a problem. If I continue past her, I will have to navigate the gap between her and the lorry, while going around 60 mph for the sake of argument.
On reflection, she is not happy with this scenario.
What does she do?
She moves into the ‘primary position’.
If I am to avoid hitting her, I have to brake from 60 mph to 10 or 20 mph.
Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily.
Anyway, I did, and I passed her safely. I also gave her a long blast of my horn.
Why?
She could have been so easily killed.
Like a lot of traffic situations, there are no easy answers.
Regardless of how self-important she might be and how certain of her rights, she remains a vulnerable road user.
This is the first time I have come across this particular situation. Fortunately I saw her from some way off and I was able to anticipate a dangerous situation.
The road conditions were excellent, my car was roadworthy, I was awake and not distracted, and everything was as it should be.
She lived!
“Miracles do happen”: Cyclists react to ban for speeding driver despite ‘exceptional hardship’ claim
Ah, ‘exceptional hardship’, the loophole exploited by more than 8,000 law-breaking motorists a year to escape a driving ban.
According to figures made public by the DVLA at the end of last year, more than one in five motorists guilty of ‘totting up’ 12-plus penalty points in a three-year period were allowed to continue to drive by the courts after pleading mitigating circumstances.
Unfortunately for Benjamin Brown, who according to the Daily Echo hit the 12-point mark after driving at 44mph in a 30mph zone (sure, what’s an extra 50 percent between friends?) in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, last August, the magistrates in Aldershot weren’t as willing as many of their colleagues to accept his plea that a driving ban would cause “exceptional hardship”.
Instead, they banned him from driving for six months and imposed a £660 fine.
The rather surprising news that actions can have consequences was welcomed by cyclists on Twitter, who called for “more of this please” from the courts:
More of this pleasehttps://t.co/f96BcnATsJ
— Berkshire Cyclist (@BerkshireCyc) August 30, 2022
I’ve never really got my head around the get-out-clause of “12 points and you’re banned…unless it’s going to make your life a little difficult, in which case you’ll be let off.” 🤔
— 🏴 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬 🌱 (@adjenkins) August 30, 2022
Charity work has been used in the past, a football chairman said he couldn’t use a chauffeur, as he held confidential talks with players in his car – license granted!
— Richard Peake (@CJrpeake) August 30, 2022
I sat on the licensing committee in council and was regularly asked to consider the hardship if speeding taxi drivers lost their licenses for driving over 40 in a 30 limit like this. For some reason I was expected to have greater responsibility for their income than them… harsh? https://t.co/EMot2kbLBe
— Paula (@PaulaCoyscot) August 30, 2022
Very much more of this, please.
If losing your driving license is going to cause you exceptional hardship, you should drive exceptionally carefully, to make sure you don’t lose it.
This driver lost his for hitting 12 points, ie multiple offences. I have no sympathy for him.
— Ken Murray (@Ken_J_Murray) August 30, 2022
If you can afford to speed you can afford an electric bike. https://t.co/5o2z60YraW
— Richard, the one who knows the pandemic isn’t over (@masqueRichard) August 30, 2022
You’d think getting close to 12 points from previous recent offences would concentrate the mind a bit.
— MarkFitz90 (@Fitz90MARK) August 30, 2022
Miracles do happen after all.
— Gary James Ⓥ (@Tradescant) August 30, 2022
Ahh consequences, love it.
— lovelysofa🇺🇦 (@LovelysofaHuw) August 30, 2022
Of course, some motorists were quick to weigh in… ‘But look, number plates!’:
Exactly the reason why plates for cycles are a great idea. Then dangerous cyclists could also be identified and removed from the road . 👏👏👏
(I’m a cyclist by the way)
— SureshMChadda (@SureshChadda2_0) August 30, 2022
You give cyclists a bad name, most of them aren’t pathetic conniving little rats like you celebrating when someone gets banned… He did nothing to you. he’s just unlucky where he lives I blast 30s at crazy speed all the time with cyclists eating my dust and have never been fined
— Xavier 🇬🇧 (@MrSuggaLand) August 30, 2022
Last year, Cycling UK published a report highlighting cases in which vulnerable road users were killed by motorists who had earlier managed to avoid being disqualified from driving after claiming that they would face “exceptional hardship” if they were banned.
One was that of 48-year-old father of two Lee Martin, who was killed in August 2015 by van driver Christopher Gard while riding his bike on the A31 in Hampshire in August 2015.
Gard, who was driving at 65mph and texting at the wheel, had escaped a driving ban just six weeks beforehand after amassing 12 penalty points in the space of 12 months, all related to using a mobile phone at the wheel.
The driver, who had other convictions for mobile phone use but had repeatedly been allowed to keep his licence, was jailed for nine years for causing the death of Mr Martin by dangerous driving.
Oops! João Almeida takes wrong turn in final kilometre of Vuelta time trial
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) August 30, 2022
Joao Almeida took the wrong turn at the finish and lost another 20 seconds at least. Incredible. #LaVuelta22 pic.twitter.com/30AJSTemIZ
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) August 30, 2022
That’s what they call in the business a Longo Borghini…
“We’re going to fight to win this Vuelta”: Red-co Evenepoel destroys rivals on stage ten time trial
REMCO EVENEPOEL GRANDIOSE ! Le Belge remporte ce chrono en assumant son statut de grandissime favori, en 55,7 km/h. Il conserve sa tunique de leader en mettant 48″ à Primoz Roglic. #LaVuelta22 pic.twitter.com/d3ofuvx4Ae
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) August 30, 2022
I know there’s a long way to go in this Vuelta, and that he’s not proven over three weeks, that an undercooked Primož Roglič may come good in the final week, bla, bla, bla…
But, boy, is Remco Evenepoel making winning a grand tour look easy.
The 22-year-old Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl star seemed impossibly cool in the sweltering Alicante heat this afternoon, storming his way around the only individual time trial of this Vuelta a España, a 31km pan-flat specialist’s course, to win the stage and put a further 48 seconds into closest rival Roglič and over a minute into everyone else.
That was extremely impressive from Remco Evenepoel. He’s the first Belgium to win a time trial at the Vuelta since Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke in 1987
And that was a prologue. The last Belgium to win a full-length TT at the Vuelta was Fons de Wolf in 1979#LaVuelta22
— Cillian Kelly (@irishpeloton) August 30, 2022
Your occasional reminder that if Remco completes this Vuelta, he’ll be the first Belgian to win a Grand Tour for 44 years. Which makes NO sense, but happens to be true.
— Ned 🚲 Boulting (@nedboulting) August 30, 2022
Ineos Grenadiers’ Carlos Rodríguez – over a year younger than Evenepoel – also proved that the Belgian isn’t the only staggeringly talented kid on the block, finishing fourth to cement his hold on the same place on GC.
Solid performances against the clock by Simon Yates (who now sits fifth overall) and Tao Geoghegen Hart will prove a timely confidence boost ahead of another tough week (though the less said about João Almeida’s confidence, after the UAE Team Emirates rider’s wrong turn down the team car deviation, the better…).
💪 ¡Otra celebración más de @EvenepoelRemco!
Another celebration for Remco! @qst_alphavinyl #LaVuelta22 pic.twitter.com/XF1FkmDRgI
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 30, 2022
All eyes, however, remain fixed on the former footballer from Aalst.
While the Vingegaard- Pogačar duel at last month’s Tour de France was reminiscent of the swashbuckling, all-out attacking racing of the 1980s, Evenepoel’s dominance (so far) of this year’s Vuelta evokes the all-conquering rider of the following decade: Miguel Induráin.
Just like Big Mig, Evenepoel deals with his opponents on the climbs with a steady but asphyxiating pace, before blowing them away in the time trials.
Whether he can emulate the Spanish star on Spanish roads for a whole three weeks, however, remains to be seen.
But, judging by today’s TT, I wouldn’t bet against it…
30 August 2022, 08:41
30 August 2022, 08:41
Grab the popcorn and enjoy a deep dive into the road.cc inbox...
Why isn't that cyclist in the cycle lane? Angry drivers of the internet fume about NMoTD 815
Take a deep breath, brace yourselves and proceed with caution as we take a look at how motorists reacted to Near Miss of the Day 815
30 August 2022, 08:41
More Cav transfer goss...
"It's 50/50": Team boss hopeful of Mark Cavendish signing
Is this where Cav will be racing in 2023?
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I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
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...
@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.
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.
54 thoughts on ““Miracles do happen”: Cyclists react to speeding ban despite exceptional hardship plea; Thousands of cycling protesters take over German motorway; More angry emails: Driver blasts “self-important” cyclist for riding primary + more on the live blog”
Spat at, abused and run off
Spat at, abused and run off the road: why do some people hate cyclists so much? (Grauniad)
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/aug/30/why-do-some-people-hate-cyclists-so-much
I had a quick read of that
I had a quick read of that but it didn;t seem to come up with anything that hasn’t already been said. I was expecting more analysis.
True, but I guess that
True, but I guess that putting these stories out there might do something to mitigate the bile coming out of the more right wing end of the meeja…
You think that the Mail would
You think that the Mail would see this as anything other than a success??
I said “might”
I said “might”
Had a quick read too. Like
Had a quick read too. Like hirsute felt it was a rehash of what we already knew. Though I think it was more deliberately a subjective piece to highlight what goes on. Especially from a woman’s perspective. It also popped up on my FB feed. The comments were unreal. Pretty much like the DM readership had taken over the feed. All the usual rantings.
I dont think our perspective
I dont think our perspective is radically that different, maybe its more of a shock that women get treated that badly as cyclists as well, especially as the oft quoted (and flawed imo) survey Dr Walker published trys to paint a different picture.
but Ive had all those things happen to me on rides, and I bailed out of riding this weekend after far too many punishment passes and deliberate intimidation by drivers in the run up last week, made me feel far too vulnerable to feel it was safe with an influx of staycationers. I didnt have anyone shove a copy of the DM at me, or the Telegraph (again it gets the free pass in another article) for that matter but its hard not to think where did this sudden influx of hostility towards me just riding a bicycle come from ?
Awavey wrote:
Gotta be CyclingMikey. Ashley Neal and a couple of posters here can’t be wrong!
This is something I’ve been
This is something I’ve been trying to get my head around for a while now. I don’t think I’ve seen as much anger and intolerance towards cyclists as I have in the last 10/15 years. It has always been challenging but that was mainly down to individuals ineptness when driving. Now motorists seem to have an axe to grind and many seem to drive in such a manner in order to bully you off the roads. I originally put it down to articles in the press years ago that possibly were written tongue in cheek without the realisation of the Pandora’s Box they were opening. Now I don’t know.
A bit of schadenfreude
A bit of schadenfreude especially for wtjs.
Cycle lane, double yellows, double yellow dashes on kerb
It is quite satisfying…
It is quite satisfying…
That being said, I’m not sure that many people realise what those yellow dashes on the kerb even mean.
Would illegal parking (and
Would illegal parking (and apparently not taxed) void any insurance claims? (Assuming insured).
Not double yellows (right on
Not double yellows (right on the cusp) and even though a solid cycling lane, it seems they allow parking on Sundays AND loading at certain parts of the day. Of course if taken today, still no parking.
However look at the bit where the photographer is standing. Talk about risking cyclists lives……
Going by your streeet view,
Going by your streeet view, the back end of the car is past the lampost so over half the car is on double yellows.
Ah but it’s it an established
Ah but it’s it an established double yellow? 😉
Benefit of the doubt that he
Benefit of the doubt that he was shunted forward. However even the controlled section would have been restricted if the time / date of tweet was withing 2 hours of photo being taken.
Ah, yes good thinking.
Ah, yes good thinking.
hirsute wrote:
How did that happen – surely cycling infrastructure is designed to be safe?
Must of have been the lack of high-Vis!
How did the Merc hit it at
How did the Merc hit it at 20mph?
20 mph – you are an optimist
20 mph – you are an optimist !
On the phone, fiddling with the sat nav, drunk, on drugs etc etc !
The compliance with 20mph by
The compliance with 20mph by motorists is around the 20% mark I believe, yet I’ve seen plenty of examples where non-compliance is the problem.
Still, let’s enjoy the moment.
Not even that high. 86%
Not even that high. 86% speed on 20 zones
which is a low estimate ime
which is a low estimate ime
Living in a London borough
Living in a London borough with a blanket 20mph speed limit, and with 20mph being my standard commuting/errand running flat speed, I probably have as many as two drivers a month who stay behind when I’m at the speed limit and it’s safe to overtake (or at least, an overtake is available). It genuinely feels disconcerting when they do, one starts to wonder what they can be up to.
Goes up to 90% at the
Goes up to 90% at the weekends.
On Knowle High Street it goes
On Knowle High Street it goes near zero compliance in the evenings when it is quiet – and the locals and ex-pats from the NEC are staggering from pub to pub. During the day compliance is high because of the 3 zebra crossings and doddery old ladies pottering around as if it is 1927 again.
Guardian – The age of the
Guardian – The age of the ‘car is king’ is over. The sooner we accept that, the better
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/30/car-is-king-accidents-pollution-road-vehicles-public-transport
Although “peak car” has been declared at least as far back as 2015 – https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/30/have-we-really-reached-peak-car
You can’t do that on a bike
You can’t do that on a bike
https://twitter.com/kim_harding/status/1564540505609863168
Some people have strange
Some people have strange hobbies. What on earth do you do with a dog and a cement mixer???
Or maybe the dog is a trained brick layer?
SimoninSpalding wrote:
If the dog was an Old English Sheepdog it would be a painter and decorator……
I suspect that the dog is
I suspect that the dog is more likely an anti theft incentive than a means of cleaning out the bowl after a mix.
In the interests of weight saving AND aerodynamics, I would have gone with a Jack Russell.
Re: More Anti Cycling Emails
Re: More Anti Cycling Emails
Driver also admits to speeding and not knowing speed limits on single carriageway roads. Driver admits to not slowing to assess if it is safe to pass road user ahead as they can’t see further ahead then cyclist. Surprised driver saw cyclist as head is very far up own arse.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
I can only imagine the email is trolling. No one would actually think like that. Would they?
PRSboy wrote:
You beat me too it. I cannot bring myself to believe that any motorist is so utterly lacking in self awareness, as not to be able to see that it is their driving that is the problem in that situation…
…And yet we meet them every
…And yet we meet them every day. Had one today, who rounded a corner about a metre over the centre line to be faced with our group. He swung back onto his side and glared as he drove past, a face that clearly said, how dare you stop me driving on the wrong side of the road on your stupid bicycles.
“Generally speaking, and the
“Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily.”
Good job there were no tractors around.
did you not read the story
did you not read the story about penalty points and driving bans?
TBF, it did seem to be the
TBF, it did seem to be the stories Boo/Nige/other alteregos have used in the past. Surprised he didn’t throw in a disability or age comment as well.
Not sure that driver is going
Not sure that driver is going to fit in all that well at Findhorn.
I think that’s perhaps the
I think that’s perhaps the first clue to its tongue in cheekness.
Could only have been trolling
Could only have been trolling harder if he said he was driving to Scoraig.
It makes no sense. The driver
It makes no sense. The driver admits that he either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about speed limits whilst believing that the cyclist is self-important. Sometines I wonder if I ‘m on the other side of the looking glass.
” I am doing about 70 mph. I
” I am doing about 70 mph. I am not quite sure what the speed limit is.”
Oh dear. Hand back your licence mate.
That ‘Perilous cliff edge or
That ‘Perilous cliff edge or city commute?’ clip made my sphincter go funny and also made me want to
.
I mean wow our speeding
I mean wow our speeding motorist’s correspondence is amazing just from a quick skim:
1. Doesn’t know the speed limit of a single carriageway road.
2. Very happy to reference the general idea not to make others slam on their brakes (I don’t think that’s a principle except when joining a carriageway/ changing lanes – or should I avoid an emergency stop if there’s something in front of me to make sure someone behind me doesn’t have to brake) – but apparently ignored the bit where you shouldn’t be travelling so fast that you aren’t able to safely stop given the hazards, conditions etc.
3. Was speeding (because the speed limit ain’t 70).
4. Appears to be Schrodingers motorist – he both saw and anticipated (and mitigated) the issue but still had to slam on his brakes – which one is it because you didn’t do a very good job of anticipating it if you had to slam the brakes on now did you sunshine?
5. Apparently repeatedly recognises the road user is vulnerable but seems not to join the dots with the suggestion then that he should do anything other than barrel down the road as if she wasn’t there!
What a plank!
Yeah, the bit about
Yeah, the bit about “Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily.” Driver seems confused – what the highway code actually says (167) is:
[I][b]DO NOT[/b] overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example … when you would force another road user to swerve or slow down.[/i]
The bit about not causing others to slow down is categorically not saying slower road users in front of you must get out of your way immediately. It’s scary that he thinks the highway code gives him that licence!
Ref the swooping magpies in
Ref the swooping magpies in Aus, I guess their zero-corvid policy hasn’t worked out then.
mark1a wrote:
Boo-boom-tish! Mark1a will be here all week, folks!
😉
One for eburt
One for eburt 😉
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/aug/30/jeremy-vine-breached-impartiality-rules-over-safe-cycling-remarks-says-bbc
I just saw that and thought,
I just saw that and thought, well thats tomorrows live blog topic sorted then 😀
how are LTNS politically contentious !?! its government policy ffs
And does that mean that in
And does that mean that in the BBC’s mind at least, there is a valid counter argument that cyclists should be put at risk wherever possible?
I think we may already know the answer to that one….
I know.
I know.
So are the BBC now prohibited from expressing an opinion on anything at all?
I thought that “impartiality
I thought that “impartiality rules” at the BBC had evolved into “must function as clickbait”? Which thus suggest no case to answer here because JV. I mean, I know the rules *began* as “for every set of victims we need a perpetrator for balance”…
Thanks for that, I hadn’t
Thanks for that, I hadn’t seen it. I wonder if a complaint about Top Gear would get the same result?