“The UCI will probably make it illegal by overnight”: Can Luke Plapp make white bib shorts work?; 130 riders abandon Spanish race after news of doping test at finish line; “I can’t catch a break”: Chris Froome fractures wrist + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Brazen bike thieves foiled in dramatic pursuit after nicking Bromptons from front of store and threatening to knife chasing shop manager
“I said if he threatened me with a knife again, I’d bash him over the head with a Brompton,” one of the shop’s staff said, after managing to nab the bikes back within 60 seconds of them being stolen
Chris Froome says he "can't catch a break" after fracturing wrist at Tirreno-Adriatico
Chris Froome’s list of misfortunes has compounded once again, with the veteran rider being forced to abandon after fracturing his wrist at Tirreno-Adriatico.
The four-time Tour de France winner suffered a nasty crash of day two of the Italian stage-race. However, initial medical reports and scans didn’t show any broken bones, and he continued to race for two more days in the peloton.
This morning, Froome shared the unfortunate update on Twitter that he would be returning home for surgery after further scans revealed that he did indeed fracture his scaphoid in that crash, adding: “I can’t catch a break”.
Confirmed last night that I fractured my scaphoid on stage 2 so I won’t continue today 🥴 Heading home for surgery. I can’t catch a break 😖 #tirrenoadriatico pic.twitter.com/18d1nhZvWj
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) March 8, 2024
> Chris Froome “let down” by Tour de France snub, blames “frustrating” equipment issues
This news won’t do much good for the 38-year-old’s Tour de France ambitions. Just before starting the second stage, he had revealed that he was aiming to fight for a place on the Tour de France line-up, after missing out on selection last year.
He had already expressed his feelings of being “let down” by his team after the selection snub in 2023, and the rift between him and Israel-Premier Tech only seemed to grow after the team’s co-owner claimed that Froome has not represented “value for money” since joining the team in 2021.
“We all know who is and who is not doping”: Cyclists inflamed as 130 riders abandon Spanish amateur race after news of doping test at the finish line spread through the peloton
I remember talking about how “back in the day” all the fuss in cycling would be around doping instead of the long-drawn saga of oddly-shaped helmets that we have now, in yesterday’s blog…
Well, that’s surely come to bite me back as a shocking report by Spanish news website Circlo21 reveals the potential extent of doping in the amateur circuit in the country, with 130 riders not finishing a race in Valencia last weekend after rumours of anti-doping tests at the finish line spread through the peloton.
At the Interclub Vinalopó race in Alicante, Valencia last Saturday, 182 riders left the start line. However, only 52 made it to the finish, with reports of riders who were at the front of the peloton suddenly disappearing once it became known that there would be authorities would be testing the riders for doping.
Ciclo21 reports that many riders in the peloton suspect several of their rivals who “allegedly do not respect the rules”. While punctures and abandons were cited as the main reason for the drastically low finishing percentage, but the riders said that it was impossible for so many people to not reach the finish line.
One rider, Álvaro Marzà, who is a usual rider in the regional races and finished eighth himself, called the mass drop-out a “f****** joke” in an Instagram post.
“Anti-doping control in Villena = punctures and withdrawals. It is not a mathematical formula, it is pure reality. Let’s see if measures are taken because this is a f****** joke. By the way, I have passed control!,” he wrote.
Another rider who chose to stay anonymous told Ciclo21: “We all know who is and who is not [doping].
“We are fed up with these exhibitions and that when there are controls, curiously the same as always, they do not finish the races to avoid the control. Of course without evidence we cannot accuse, but everything is very evident.
He pointed fingers at one of the riders who was in the leading bunch with three other riders in the race, but then suddenly disappeared. He added that last year, one of the racers went so far as to “go off the road and through the forested mountains” to avoid entering the finish line and not be caught by the anti-doping personnel. “It’s that sad,” he said.
Race organisers issued a statement saying they were “committed to the fight against doping and believe it is essential to maintain the integrity of the sport and protect the health of cyclists”, adding that they follow the UCI rules allowing for all participants to be subject to random drug testing.
They said: “Doping is a trap that gives cyclists who use it an unfair advantage over those who compete fairly. Not only is it disrespectful to the sport and its values, but it can also have serious consequences for the health of cyclists who dope.
“We want to send a clear message to all cycling participants and fans: doping has no place in our sport. We support cyclists who compete fairly and honestly and are determined to protect the integrity of cycling.”
“I’ve seen children hit by a bus and they’ve bounced up and asked for a milkshake”: Active travel campaigners blast councillor’s “reckless, flippant” road safety comments during 20mph debate
A councillor who supported the controversial reopening of a rat-run bridge to motor traffic has come under fire and faced calls to apologise from active travel and road safety campaigners after claiming that children who are struck by motorists travelling at 30mph “don’t” die, and that she’s “seen children hit by a bus and they’ve bounced up and asked for a milkshake”.
Conservative councillor Bobbie Dove’s comments – described as “reckless and flippant” by RoadPeace – were made during a recent debate at Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council concerning the proposed implementation of widespread 20mph speed limits in built-up areas throughout the conurbation.
40th anniversary of one of cycling's great moments today
Il y a 40 ans un barrage de manifestants bloquait la route de la 5ème étape de Paris-Nice (1984)…
40 years ago a barrage of demonstrators blocked the road to the stage 5 of Paris-Nice (1984)…
📺 https://t.co/dKFMCGV9Up / 🎤 Lionel Chamoulaud#BernardHinault #Hinault… pic.twitter.com/dTwTPen16s
— Miroir du Cyclisme (@Miroir2Cyclisme) March 8, 2024
The TT helmet saga, in a nutshell
A rational and balanced response from the so-called “jokers on the internet”, who’d have thought?!
I don’t follow any bike racing stuff and I am a huge star wars fan. So I may not be best placed to judge an exaggerated & contorted helmet shape. But this seems bad press for bike sport when everyone is discussing who looks the silliest instead of who rides the fastest. https://t.co/fLulT0ONpM
— Roo (2 inch trials) Rider (@commuteroo) March 7, 2024
Near Miss of the Day 894: Police take action after confused motorist drives onto bike lane and narrowly misses cyclists and pedestrians in city centre square
"On this International Women's Day, let's take a moment to appreciate the historical significance of bicycles in the fight for women's rights"
Happy International Women’s Day everyone!
In 1896, American civil rights leader, Susan B Anthony, wrote:
“I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood.”
The significance of bicycle on human history may seem frivolous to some, but the impact of this revolutionary, joyful, and profound tool has not only been on transport and commerce, but also emancipatory, considering the role it played in the suffragette movement in the 19th and 20th century.
In fact, Alice Hawkins, founder of the Leicester Women’s Suffrage and Political Union, broadened the political cause outside the upper echelons of society, bringing it to the working class women in Northern or Midland towns and rural areas. And she, and her fellow suffragettes found their icon in the bicycle.
A hundred years ago, she cycled around Leicester promoting the women’s rights movement, and caused outrage by being one of the first ladies to wear pantaloons in the city.
It’s safe to say, the bicycle has played not just a major, but also wholly vital and unforgettable role in the fight for the women’s suffrage.
To celebrate this day, London Cycling Club wrote on Twitter: “Bicycles provided women with newfound mobility, independence, and a platform to challenge societal norms. Riding bicycles became a symbol of liberation, breaking barriers and empowering women to push boundaries in a male-dominated world.
“From the suffragettes to modern-day trailblazers, women have pedaled their way to progress, one revolution at a time.”
Happy International Women’s Day!
Did you know that the bicycle paved the way for women’s rights at the turn of the 20th century?
Check out this film to see how the power of bicycles has become a tool for women over the years: https://t.co/iHctYNXnb9
Credit: Corbis Historical pic.twitter.com/nebnZwqwwJ
— Dutch Cycling Embassy (@Cycling_Embassy) March 8, 2024
However, despite times having moved forward, cycling, both as a means for transport and a sport, is predominantly more populated with men, and quite significantly underrepresented when it comes to not just women, but women from ethnic minorities too.
> Cycling Twitter account criticised for sexist meme posted on International Women’s Day
In January, a shocking report from London Cycling Campaign revealed the extent of abuse women still to this day face when cycling — from verbal and physical abuse, to sexual harassment and intimidation from motorists and other road users.
The report, based on a survey of 1,000 women who cycle in London, found that nine out of ten women who ride their bikes in the capital have experienced abuse, with over one in five claiming that such experiences forced them, at least temporarily, to give up cycling. And 77 per cent of said that they experience harassment and intimidation at least once a month.
“Get off the road”, taunts of “bitch, “slut”, unsolicited photos and sexual comments, groping or slapping when stopped at traffic lights, and even accusations of poor parenting when cycling with children were also appallingly prevalent! It’s bizarre how centuries have passed and we are still continuing to fail an entire gender.
This International women’s day, it’s time to not only recognise the bicycle as a tool for women liberation, but also to continue forwarding and championing women cyclists’ safety. So, keep riding, and keep making this world a better place, one pedal stroke at a time!
Ladies and gentlemen, another pothole monster has just been spotted
I’m usually quite content with Cardiff roads, but these last few weeks have laid bare the city’s shortcomings and the gradually deteriorating conditions of the tarmac, first the “minor lake” on the castle cycleway last week, and now this massive hunk of a pothole, ready to wreck havoc on cyclists.
#Potholes are a big topic of conversation 💬 right now- look 👀 at the size of this one we spotted in #Cardiff on our morning 🌅 #cycling commute. If you can do better than that, share your examples of monster 👹 potholes in the comments! pic.twitter.com/rRLDffYEn9
— Cardiff Cycle City | Dinas Feicio Caerdydd (@CdffCycleCity) March 8, 2024
Did we end up cursing Luke Plapp?
For all the talk about white shorts and Plapp dialling the clock back and pulling it off like a champ (in the yellow jersey nonetheless), the punchy Aussie lost almost a minute today to UAE Team Emirates’ Brandon McNulty, who now takes charge of the lead of the general classification once again after finishing second behind Mattias Skjelmose, the fiery Dane from Lidl-Trek.
🇩🇰 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐇 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 🇩🇰
Mattias Skjelmose with a mammoth effort to win Stage 6 at Paris-Nice, while Brandon McNulty steals the yellow jersey ahead of the weekend 💛#ParisNice | @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/UwWo9Q78L4
— Eurosport (@eurosport) March 8, 2024
To be honest, I’m sure he’d be overjoyed anyway, having worn the yellow jersey for two stages at the best race in the world, according to some people (okay, it’s Ryan). Although I do look forward to seeing Luke Plapp in the thick of action and leading more breakaways in 2024!
Government tried to bury report which found that Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are effective and popular
An official report into the success of Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTNs) schemes throughout England – ordered by Rishi Sunak last year as part of his “pro-car” plan to stop local councils from installing them – which concluded that they are effective in reducing traffic and generally popular among residents was buried by Downing Street, government sources have claimed.
The duality of Jonas Vingegaard: Can’t zip his jacket without help on Thursday, then proceeds to blow the field to pieces on Friday
Jonas Vingegaard might be one of the best cyclists on the planet, but it’s well-known that the two-time Tour de France winner has somewhat of a skill issue when it comes to doing what most ten year-old cyclists wouldn’t have much difficulty in: riding without hands.
So at yesterday’s stage at the Tirreno-Adriatico, what would usually be a simple, straightforward thing for any rider in the peloton, it became a hurdle for Vingegaard to cross when he went to zip up his jacket.
It ended up being quite a comical segment from the race, with Jonas pulling up to the side of the team car and holding on to it for dear life, as a soigneur struggled to chain up his jacket — Vingegaard himself wobbling dangerously throughout the act, faced against the strong headwinds and the wet roads of southern Italy.
I’m not going to lie, it did make me feel a little better about myself. At least there’s one thing on the bike that I’m better at than the great Jonas Vingegaard.
But your live blogger’s hubris was to be quickly crushed — along with the dreams of every other cyclist in the peloton of winning the stage race — when the Dane launched one of his mighty, ferocious attacks with almost 30 kilometres to go in stage five today.
O ataque de Vingegaard hoje na #TirrenoAdriatico pic.twitter.com/LObHhGhoLe
— O País Do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) March 8, 2024
Putting all the woes and drama of opening day’s time trial helmets behind, Vingegaard, who was 26 seconds behind former leader and yesterday’s race winner Jonathan Milan, has now opened up a massive lead of 54 seconds against the rest of the competition after soaring to a solo win in today’s stage, with Juan Ayuso finishing 72 seconds behind him.
The duality of Jonas Vingegaard, truly on display here…
“The UCI will probably make it illegal by overnight”: Luke Plapp somehow pulls off white bib shorts with bravado and makes it work… or does he?
Gather round, it’s the return of the white shorts in the peloton. Only the brave and the bold will survive, and Luke Plapp surely has that chutzpah in spades.
The Aussie, riding in yellow at the Paris-Nice (best race on the planet, some will say) and in control of proceedings, after an incredible showing on the summit finish of the fourth stage that left not just Remco Evenepoel, but Plapp, also shocked.
So a surprise lead in the general classification, what do you do the next day? Well of course, go full noughties, conjure the spirit of Cadel Evans, and turn up to defend your yellow jersey with white shorts!
Now, we all know how cycling fans feel about white shorts. Some will welcome it wholeheartedly, others might try to dispel it with the fervour and urgency of Father Merrin in the Exorcist. But is Plappy the chosen one, who’ll negotiate peace between the two factions and make them a believer, in the auspiciousness of white shorts?
Ah, sadly no. We did get quite close though, because the general consensus seems that the 23-year-old Australian who’s lit up the cycling scene, winning the National Championships three times in a row, has more or less managed to make the dreaded white shorts work.
Plapp asked Filippo Ganna in the Instagram comments if he’d succeeded in making the white shorts classy, and he gave him a big thumbs up, although he also shared his own rules for jersey and bib shorts combo, which goes something like: “black shorts with leader jersey, white shorts with national or worlds jersey”. Well, now that’s a logical take!
So did Adam Blythe, the former GreenEDGE rider commenting: “100% yes! YES YES YES!!”
> Mathieu van der Poel’s THOSE white bib shorts at Milan-San Remo
Quite a handful seemed to agree with Ganna and Blythe in giving Plapp their online mark of approval. “Baller – UCI probably make it illegal by midnight,” wrote one fan. Another person said: “In most cases I’d say no. But it looks alright in this case,” and a third added: “Not everyone can pull that look off… but he’s nailed it! Well done!”
But as usual, where there’s approval, there’s also condemnation, and some weren’t holding back on expressing it: “Where is the UCI when we need them?”, wrote one person, while another added: “White shorts are a crime”.
Hey, if it works! As one commenter wrote: “The only reason to hate white shorts is beacuse only a few are the chosen ones to pull them off nicely.” Maybe Luke Plapp is one of the chosen ones…
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Latest Comments
The cyclist here needs to look into Section 142 of the Magistrates' Court Act 1980, firstly because there was no offence, and secondly because it appears that the police mislead the Court. "A magistrates’ court may vary or rescind a sentence or other order imposed or made by it when dealing with an offender if it appears to the court to be in the interests of justice to do so;] and it is hereby declared that this power extends to replacing a sentence or order which for any reason appears to be invalid by another which the court has power to impose or make." https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/section/142
I wonder how well advised the cyclist was in Court? And in this case would cycling legal insurance cover the cost of a specialist solicitor?
@quiff I would expect the police had not been trained with the change, perhaps.
@courteousdriver The Highway Code does not differentiate between cars and bikes in this instance, it says that when overtaking parked cars you must give way to oncoming traffic. It's not for you to decide whether or not they have sufficient space in your opinion, you should not drive in the oncoming traffic lane if there is any oncoming traffic, full stop. Not a difficult rule to understand and one that one would have thought a self-named courteousdriver would have no trouble obeying.
@mctrials23 It seems to me that the car moved closer to the kerb on his side of the road, and the cyclist was able to proceed entirely within his own lane - both at very slow speed. So there is no ground for an offence. The concerning point is that the copper thinks that the same "gap" should apply to the different types of vehicle. That's peak carbrain.
Peripheral to your point, but parking facing oncoming traffic is advised against at all times, but only an offence at night, I think?
@mac f 1896 If you look closely at the video you will see that the cyclist remains entirely in his own lane on his side of the white lines as he passes the oncoming vehicle, which also stays entirely within its lane. There is therefore no need for either road user to give way to the other and as they are both travelling at low speeds there is no danger to themselves or to any other road users. I would love to see a transcript of the magistrates' court proceedings as prima facie there is no justification in law for the guilty finding or for the penalty imposed.
@perce pedantry but I think Séamus Ennis would be scunnered with that ... had he not been Irish... (Uilleann pipes are bagpipes of course, though personally I'd much rather those - or small pipes - than the GHB)
@quiff I think you are probably right here - but - is that _really_ being inconsiderate to the oncoming driver? Looking again at the video, the oncoming driver appears to be over the centre line when approaching the parked vehicle and just seems to be straightening the bend a little, so you would expect them to be moving towards the kerb anyway. As driving interactions go, it's about as benign as it gets. I expect the magistrate has never ridden a bicycle, but I also wonder if they've ever driven a car?!
Thanks - I only had a quick peek on Streetview and I'm glad it works for locals, but it looked like "you say 'shared used facility', I say 'same old not-over-generous footway now with the odd blue sign". We don't need cycle paths absolutely everywhere, but looking at the size of the road, where it goes and runs though I would be thinking more like this (minus parked cars): https://maps.app.goo.gl/gswbQefKzc47nEJm8 Or... declare it an urban freeway and get rid of the junctions and houses next to it! Maximum flow...
24 thoughts on ““The UCI will probably make it illegal by overnight”: Can Luke Plapp make white bib shorts work?; 130 riders abandon Spanish race after news of doping test at finish line; “I can’t catch a break”: Chris Froome fractures wrist + more on the live blog”
Health gains of low-traffic
Health gains of low-traffic schemes up to 100 times greater than costs, study finds
The cumulative public health benefit of people being more active was estimated at as much as £4,800 per local adult over a 20-year period, the authors found, as against a cost per person to build LTNs of about £28-£35, or £112, depending on the type of scheme built.
The Grauniad wrote:
I don’t think politicians – national or local – can think that far ahead.
So that’s it then the
So that’s it then the evidence is in and it’s going to save a huge amount of money that could eventually lead to improvement in NHS care (or if you want to stick with the Tories another tax cut).
Don’t come back to me unless you have alternative research. I certainly don’t want to hear some secondhand story that you heard from a bloke you know down the boozer or other bollox like “seen children hit by a bus and they’ve bounced up and asked for a milkshake”.
I admire your optimism. I’m
I admire your optimism. I’m pretty sure the evidence has been “in” for decades. (Look at NL / parts of Scandinavia etc.)
Of course, that was irrelevant, because it wasn’t proved here.
However – I think there has been evidence from the UK for some time also. But it turns out that is irrelevant too! Because it’s in a different place in the UK / clearly not applicable to our streets.
In fact evidence is irrelevant. It’s simply about political decisions. And for those “sentiment” is probably more important than “evidence” *.
So if there’s a change that lots of people don’t like – however wrong-headed / to their own disadvantage – AND it’s not providing other compensations to those in charge (in the shape of a big bung / future seat on the board / or more power) – they’re not going to do it. (Other examples would be drugs policy etc.)
* Also at least sometimes – even in democracies – it’s not about “the will of the people” but rather some small group who are key to your political success at that point.
chrisonabike wrote:
There have been studies that show that the popularity of a policy has zero impact on whether it will be implemented in the USA.
So we have active travel initiatives which provide benefits, but
So it’s no surprise they are not implemented as fully and quickley as they might be. Thne fact that any happen at all is almost a miracle.
Sure, but if a policy takes
Sure, but if a policy takes from Peter to give to Paul, you can get whichever democratic answer you want – just choose your constituency according to your desired outcome. Those who live within an LTN tend to see the benefits, those who would drive through them not so much.
Yeah but people are idiots
Yeah but people are idiots and when the NHS collapses in the next 20 years because the majority of the population is morbidly obese with a raft of expensive health issues they will all be complaining that they paid their pittance in tax and deserve the best care money can get, as they still rave about fucking cyclists.
mctrials23 wrote:
Sadly, if the NHS collapses any time soon, it won’t be an obesity epidemic at fault. It’s the 1-2 of chronic underfunding and the backlog of elderly patients filling the wards that’s currently crippling the NHS.
It is true, hadn’t there been
It is true, hadn’t there been a few basic routes with segregated cycling routes, I probably wouldn’t cycle now.
Since I am lazy and have not enough time to work out, by commuting I have gained a much better fitness level, that makes me more productive at work and home, let alone fuel costs. This is pure money for me, all due to the cycling infra.
Always worth repeating the
Always worth repeating the old adage, cars burn money and make you fat, bicycles burn fat and save you money.
Surely the problem for Froome
Surely the problem for Froome is that he /does/ catch breaks?
¡ at the Spanish!
¡
at the Spanish!
Garmin have decided I’m a
Garmin have decided I’m a woman as they gave me a women’s badge today.
Could do with some female orientated content in the blog today.
But is Mr. Plapp sponsored by
But is Mr. Plapp sponsored by the vatican?
GB News proving why there are
GB News proving why they are so full of shit.
“Police encouraging the public to snitch on drivers using their phones at the wheel and breaking the law”
Just as well misogyny isn’t a hate crime.
This cyclist was very
This cyclist was very fortunate. The driver was going slowly.
(time added)
“An official study of low
“An official study of low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) ordered by Rishi Sunak amid efforts to stop them being built has instead concluded they are generally popular and effective, with the report initially buried, the Guardian has learned.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/08/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-generally-popular-report-ordered-by-sunak-finds
I am convinced at this point
I am convinced at this point that if this government tried to organise a piss up in a brewery they would somehow turn all the beer into actual piss and claim it was Jeremy Corbyn’s fault.
A recent one was perfectly
A recent one – featuring many of the same cast – was perfectly capable of organising several piss-ups in Downing Street though?
Call that a pothole, this
Call that a pothole ?, this (not my photo but posted on local Facebook group) is a pothole
Do you think they’d like some
Do you think they’d like some cut up inner tube?
Newsthump
Newsthump
The British people have demonstrated a surprising degree of solidarity after academics proved that they collectively will every smug tosser of a cyclist who pedals whilst rolling a fag or generally making a big show of keeping their hands off the handlebars to fall off and get a right bastard of a grazed knee.
This is the worst video of
This is the worst video of close passes I have ever seen. Only had to submit the same video multiple times.
Sorry but only on xtwitter
Absolutely shocking.
Absolutely shocking. Stupidest comment (of many on offer): “Aren’t you too slow to be impacted? At these speeds even a close pass will not have any effect!” So a lorry hitting you at 30 mph won’t hurt provided you’re riding slowly?