Critérium du Dauphiné stage CANCELLED following huge crash; Cyclist’s stolen penny-farthing returned after help from Jeremy Vine; Tour of Britain Women starts; Dogma-gate continues; “Leaked” kit rumours (+ Wout’s blue Cervélo) + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Cyclist's stolen penny-farthing returned following help from Jeremy Vine
Maybe Jeremy Vine was right about that red rear tyre being the distinguishing factor here…
Well, this morning the BBC and Channel 5 broadcaster broke the good news: “The thief realised there was too much heat. He got in touch with Robert and the bike is now back with its owner.”
Vine joked it’s “yet another argument for the mass adoption of penny-farthings — they’re virtually impossible to steal, and it takes three months to learn to ride one”.
Oh, and when you do, you’re still unseen by some…
Oh, and you can still cause yourself an injury by falling off it…
> “I’ve been in the wars”: Jeremy Vine suffers nasty penny-farthing crash
And whether you wear a helmet while wearing one or not can still spark a pointless debate. It’s just like riding a (normal sized) bike… just without discs vs rim brakes… sold?
Wout van Aert spotted on BLUE Cervélo amid Visma-Lease a Bike "leaked" Tour kit rumours
Wout van Aert, Jonas Vingegaard and Christophe Laporte are training in the Alps as the weeks tick down and the race against time to be fit for the Tour de France continues. A video of the trio emerged, Van Aert launching a sprint on what appears to be a blue Cervélo. Now, maybe it’s just what’s available to him, it’s just a training bike after all… should anyone care?
Well, naturally it’s sparked the internet gossip section into full swing, with people predicting Visma-Lease a Bike might be about to have a radical kit colour change ahead of the Tour.
Look at that new bike of Wout van Aert 👀 Does it hint to the new Visma – Lease a Bike Tour de France jersey? 💙
Do you know what peloton misses the most? Yes, another blue jersey 😂 pic.twitter.com/zwk3FDTVqc
— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) June 5, 2024
Then, this image appeared on French site Cyclism A’ctu…
A major change from the yellow bee theme (which needs altering due to the race leader’s maillot jaune), but also complete rubbish, according to Wielerflits. While the team has not officially commented, the Dutch cycling news site says this isn’t it… to everyone’s relief.
The leaked Tour de France road bikes — new bikes from Trek, Pinarello, Canyon, Dare & Wilier
Cycling UK writes to political candidates asking for commitment to manifesto supporting active travel
Cycling UK has written to all the main party candidates standing at the general election, asking for support to be pledged to a manifesto that asks to enable people to live happier, healthier and greener lives through cycling, BikeBiz reports. Using independent research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), one of Cycling UK’s six manifesto points asks for at least 10 per cent of the total transport budget to be used for active travel within five years. The points include:
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Deliver long-term investment in cycling, walking and wheeling
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Provide better transport choices to reduce traffic
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Build truly sustainable new homes and developments
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Make our streets safer
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Help everyone to access nature
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Fix our failing road traffic laws
“Cycling is a great transport option for millions of people across the UK and can save the NHS billions,” Sarah McMonagle, Cycling UK’s director of external affairs, said. “With firm commitments from candidates during the general election campaign, we can improve public health, address the climate crisis head-on, help boost the economy, and ease the cost-of-living crisis for everyone.
“This isn’t just an investment in transport, but an investment in a better and more prosperous future. Studies show for every £1 spent, we gain nearly £6 in benefits, one of the highest returns on investment from spending on transport. The public support is there, we have the blueprint to build better communities, and we’re urging all candidates to back them.”
(Lloyds Bank) Tour of Britain begins today
Trumping the Dauphiné today, there’s the pretty exciting matter of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain getting underway today. If you haven’t heard, Lloyds Bank have taken some cash out and get naming rights as part of the newly announced “powerful new partnership” with British Cycling.
It’s here! Race day 1⃣ and we’re heading straight into the mountains ⛰️
📍 Welshpool – Llandudno
⏰ 11:15
📏 142.5km
⬆️ 2,276m
📺 From 13:00 on @discoveryplusUK & YouTube
🚴 Highlights from 20:00 on @itvcycling #TourOfBritain pic.twitter.com/ohv539MOTi— Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) June 6, 2024
Stages one and two are in Wales, before the race crosses the border into England for this weekend’s visits to Warrington and Manchester. What’s more, the stages will be free to watch on YouTube from 1pm (or Discovery+ if you’ve paid your subscription and want to get your money’s worth).
SD Worx are predictably the headline act, Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes probably eyeing up every single stage between them. But with Pfeiffer Georgi and Lizzie Deignan flying the British flag and Charlotte Kool adding some competition for the sprints, things might not be so straightforward…
Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast discusses Jamie's Ineos-irritating public filming
You’ve probably seen it by now, but Jamie won’t be getting a Christmas card from anyone at Ineos Grenadiers this year (not that any of us would have anyway)…
It got the seal of approval from the Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast, Patrick Broe and Benji Naesen saying “this was funny” and enjoying Jamie’s amusing efforts like the rest of us.
“You’re coming to a public event with a new bicycle, a new Pinarello. It was already spotted a few weeks ago, it is likely that a journalist will come and will try and report on your new bike.
“Like you telling that journalist to basically go away, this filming a new bike that you bring to a public event. To me, that sounds stupid. What is the next step?
You’re going to tell Eurosport to stop putting the Ineos riders on screen because they’re riding a new Pinarello Dogma? Like what’s the point here?”
Anyway, here’s the full story on the bike they were so desperate to avoid being filmed.
Mayor fined €100 for riding on street where cycling is banned by the council, while shooting ‘cycle to work’ video to encourage cycling in Barcelona
Ferrari Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz goes training with Tadej Pogačar
Former pro cyclists showering between car doors arrested for "indecent" and "gay" behaviour while training for Unbound Gravel in Oklahoma
Critérium du Dauphiné stage CANCELLED following huge crash
Terrible scenes at the Critérium du Dauphiné, wet roads and a huge crash bringing down a large chunk of the peloton, including race leader Remco Evenepoel, Primož Roglič, Juan Ayuso and numerous others.
The organisers communicated via social media: “The stage will be neutralised due to the lack of medical assistance still available. No time will be taken on this stage, and there will be no stage winner.”
With so many riders affected it will take some time to get word on everyone involved, but Visma-Lease a Bike’s wretched luck certainly continued, Dylan van Baarle and Steven Kruijswijk being taken to hospital in an ambulance, Van Baarle appearing to have his arm in a sling.
The logistical challenge which has seen the stage cancelled is that all the ambulances are required to attend to the injured from the crash, meaning if the stage were to continue there would not be sufficient medical coverage if something else were then to happen. The riders will continue to the finish, but the racing is done. No time gaps will be taken and it’s purely processional.
The TV pictures just picked out Ayuso, the Spaniard’s knee bloodied and with a large hole in his shorts, a road rash-covered hip on show too. He leaned against his team car and did not looking particularly happy with life, but the fact he was on the bike is a small positive at least. Lidl-Trek’s Alex Kirsch also sported some nasty looking road rash…
Without knowing the full extent of any injuries, both Van Baarle and Kruijswijk were expected to be part of Visma-Lease a Bike’s Tour squad so, when you add in Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert’s fitness question marks, plus Christophe Laporte and Jan Tratnik’s disrupted seasons, it leaves just Sepp Kuss (who doesn’t want to be GC leader), Matteo Jorgenson and Tiesj Benoot as having had a clear run in the first half of 2024. They all must be cursing their luck.
The Dutch duo appeared to be the worst injured, and thankfully both of them were up, conscious and talking. DNFs and medical reports of potential fractures, bruises, road rash and other injuries will presumably continue to roll in throughout the evening and into the pre-stage morning tomorrow. This was the incident in full, very nasty indeed:
🛑NEUTRALIZADA LA #Dauphiné por una durísima caída masiva
🚴♂️Algo en el asfalto ha podido provocar la caída de Evenepoel, Landa o Juan Ayuso entre otros…
🔴EN DIRECTO: https://t.co/nsw3Bzit0L pic.twitter.com/D6xTKzzmsH
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) June 6, 2024
More to follow…
Remco Evenepoel: "The helmet saved me today"
The race leader was one of many riders to hit the deck in that massive pile-up that saw the end of the fifth stage at the Dauphiné, Remco Evenepoel giving his helmet a shout-out in the post-stage interview.
“Overall, it’s okay, I crashed on the right side, on my head… the helmet saved me today,” he said. “There are guys in a worse situation than I am now so I hope and wish everybody a good recovery. I fell on my shoulder again, I think it’s bleeding, we’ll have to see tonight and tomorrow.
“No idea [what happened], everybody was fighting for position for the descent like always. It was the last tricky point of the course and then some guys started to slide in front of me. There was a bike that came under my bike and I just went over. A bit unlucky but yeah, I’m not the only one today.”
Ineos Grenadiers’ Michal Kwiatkowski said it was a “good decision” by the organisers to neutralise the stage.
“I was also down, but feel fine, no injuries,” he reported, the Pole one of many in the same boat.
Lotte Kopecky wins opening stage of Tour of Britain... JUST...
I’ve got Ian Smith’s “barest of margins” commentary from England’s win at the 2019 Cricket World Cup back in my head having watched this finish between Lotte Kopecky and Letizia Paternoster on the opening stage of the Tour of Britain today. Kopecky got the win, despite the Italian raising her arm in celebration thinking she’d nabbed it.
Paternoster was certainly finishing faster, and another few metres would have made the victory hers, but alas the world champion has another victory on her incredibly impressive palmares. Credit to British Cycling, putting together a race, and a cracking stage (in just a matter of weeks).
Pfeiffer Georgi and Lizzie Deignan were third and fourth, while Anna Henderson also represented the Brits well in the front group. Tomorrow’s stage starts and ends in Wrexham, the climb of Horseshoe Pass with 30km to go the main challenge for the peloton.
👋 Letizia Paternoster, giving the fans love and then racing to victory in the sprint segment.
Iconic.@LetyPaternoster | @GreenEDGEWCT | #TourOfBritain pic.twitter.com/9k2f16e047
— Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) June 6, 2024
Frightening roadside footage shows high-speed Dauphiné crash that saw stage cancelled
It looked even worse from the roadside and gives a sense of just how fast they were going…
Le pauvre chien qui a eu la peur de sa vie 😵🐶 #Dauphiné pic.twitter.com/ehQDhVNljf
— 𝕌𝕣𝕓𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕖𝕣 (@keyshawn__bava) June 6, 2024
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Yep. From the point of view of the cyclist or pedestrian about to be run over from behind, as well as that of the one about to be hit head on.
@jackcycles "So it sounds like drivers might genuinely not know where they are meant to be going and simply see the path alongside and assume that’s the diversion." Only if you are despately clutching at straws and have no idea about road markings or signage. "By the way, that photo in the article exemplifies why segregated shared use paths are an absolutely crap idea. Imagine I’m riding there, doing 20mph. Am I meant to use the path with people spewed haphazardly all over it? Or the road where drivers get upset by cyclists ignoring the expensive new infrastructure they’ve paid for? Lose lose." You exercise your judgement/rights, as you would in any other situation. " Sure it’s nice for people to have a jolly with their kids at the weekend, but let’s be honest it would make far more sense just to widen the existing road for pedestrians and cyclists as an integrated solution, and families can go to the upgraded local park with the money saved." Why do you think that this would be safer and/or cheaper (never mind pleasant)?
@mitsky because the cycle symbols and the blue cycle route signs are just too subtle...
I took the rocker plate plunge a few years ago and must confess that I'm very pleased with the lack of 'nether region fatigue'. I have Turborocks 'mini' 'cos, outrageously, I have to share the garage. My one criticism was that the unit needed a pre-cut carry handle for those of us who can't leave a turbo trainer set up all the time; feedback was duly given and lo! one's been added. A good product from a business that listens to it's customers; all in all a fabulous investment.
Looks like what was a 2 mile drive is now minimum 15 miles, around half an hour. So no doubt "frustrating" - because it *used to be* just there. OTOH cycling that trip instead is now highly competitive! Even walking is not too far behind albeit a stretch for some at over 30 mins. For neighbouring places in the countryside the usual mantra is "don't bother making active travel provision, nobody walks / cycles". But that is self-fulfilling. If there is good provision - and particularly if that is more direct than the motor route, a significant fraction of people will. (IIRC there's some data about people's acceptance of journey times - 15 minutes or less is ideal, which is the case here). Maybe it could stay that way? 😉 Given "humans" I'm going to go with at best "wilful ignorance" when people say "but the diversion isn't clear..."
I think it's important to see this from both sides. According to one local resident (per Facebook): "A real shame that there are no proper diversion signs or any advised diversion routes. The locations of warning signs and the few diversion signs are appalling and misleading." So it sounds like drivers might genuinely not know where they are meant to be going and simply see the path alongside and assume that's the diversion. By the way, that photo in the article exemplifies why segregated shared use paths are an absolutely crap idea. Imagine I'm riding there, doing 20mph. Am I meant to use the path with people spewed haphazardly all over it? Or the road where drivers get upset by cyclists ignoring the expensive new infrastructure they've paid for? Lose lose. Sure it's nice for people to have a jolly with their kids at the weekend, but let's be honest it would make far more sense just to widen the existing road for pedestrians and cyclists as an integrated solution, and families can go to the upgraded local park with the money saved.
@Rome73 "He knows not what he is saying and he is a liar." Whilst I entirely agree with your sentiment, I'm not sure that you can both not know what you're saying and lie at the same time. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's saying, which is anything that he thinks will get him votes, but he knows that it isn't true.
@Malv173 the cynic might say there isn't a bollard because it *wouldn't* be a PITA for vulnerable road users, just for motor access. Meanwhile much narrower spots seem to be favourites for making completely inaccessible on dubious grounds ("keep out yoof on motorbikes" - only many clearly don't). The "gold standard" is not to have obstructions that people can crash into on cycle paths, but that can only happen when motoring has been reduced and people have been retrained.
@Fursty Ferret good, but that may not be good general advice. It's possible you're just dealing with dozy drivers, but them being there could be evidence they don't give a stuff about more than just road law. There are a number of cases of motorists exiting their vehicles and battering people in public for less. All the usual advisories apply eg. get off bike, get it between you and any threat, be prepared to sacrifice it. Plus the response from the police and especially the courts may be less than rapid or vigorous.
@theslowcyclistxx It depends on what you consider technical and what you compare it to. For example, compared to the Gralloch, it is smoother and wider, but the pea gravel makes the biggest difference, even after recent rain makes it easier. There were a few downhills with some rough sections, where line choice was key, and the ability to hop over ruts, and lots of hairpins. I don't think any good mountain biker would class it as technical, but lots of people I spoke to during and after thought it was.
25 thoughts on “Critérium du Dauphiné stage CANCELLED following huge crash; Cyclist’s stolen penny-farthing returned after help from Jeremy Vine; Tour of Britain Women starts; Dogma-gate continues; “Leaked” kit rumours (+ Wout’s blue Cervélo) + more on the live blog”
Glad its been returned! now
Glad its been returned! now lets make getting bikes back to their owners the norm!
alexuk wrote:
Yes, it should be a perfectly ordinary thing.
I think the Cycling UK
I think the Cycling UK manifesto is great, and we need to get in now to have a voice in policy being defined rather than trying to redirect once the train has left.
Now – lobby those new PCCs and Regional Mayors !
Absolutely. But that’s been
Absolutely. But that’s been a hard nut to crack! I think because policity often seems to be reactive – first something is happening, and then you either mandate “more of it” or try to ban it. That runs up against:
a) motornormativity and the immediate uphill battle (for years) if you propose anything that can be spun as “war on the motorist” / “anti-business (as we know it)” *.
b) … so much of the potential energy / effort goes on merely “keeping the ship afloat” e.g. fighting against the negative / trying to get the small practical gains implemented and then keep that on track. Bigger picture – perhaps it’s easier to motivate people to fight *against* something?
c) A kind of “not invented here” – because all the feedback keeping it at “trial” level** somehow cycling continually seems to be at best at “but we don’t know if it works here / now?” status. (Plenty of “history repeating” on this).
Thoughts on getting round those? (I think Sustrans have been trying, with the “work our way into the councils” – at least in Edinburgh).
* Of course things which negatively affect motorists / local businesses occur all the time. Works – often not directly for motorists’ benefit e.g. utilities works, private developments etc. Those are of course driven by the cash flowing to companies (which can then back politicians – and “employment” and “tax”). They’re also sellable as “potential benefits in the future” which people understand / believe in. In general people don’t know how or even believe that mass cycling could be a benefit!
** Often setting actual projects up to fail because of compromises built in from the start. We agree to try it but only if it doesn’t make life harder for motorists or otherwise lead to angry shouting!
Noticed the blue Cervelo the
Noticed the blue Cervelo the other day. WVA has a picture of Laperte on one on his 3rd June ‘Entre copains’ ride, although the Cervelo logo is white not yellow.
“So cyclists should not
“So cyclists should not undertake or filter either, when there is less than 1.5m space?”
“Do you also wonder: “How come it’s OK for a baby to sleep on ?? chest but it’s not OK for me to sleep on ????? chest?‽!‽!””
CyclingMikey’s clip showing
CyclingMikey’s clip showing the difference between the two using trains as an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikWFQquoZto
and Jeremy Vine’s clip using a hand and a hammer:
https://twitter.com/thejeremyvine/status/1492768026965463040?s=61&t=wlq_RPAZ5AFe3jBf_Xl1Jw
It was good of you to
It was good of you to pixelate Steve Cummings’s face in that Pinarello video, so that nobody would know he’s the one being so strict about your filming, what with his accent, demeanour, and head shape being so lacking in distinctiveness.
“Stages one and two are in
“Stages one and two are in Wales, before the race crosses the border into England for this weekend’s visits to Warrington and Manchester.“
Stage two starts and finishes in Wales tomorrow, but about half of it is in England.
ReluctantPotHoler wrote:
— ReluctantPotHolerAh, but the far nicer half is in Wales – especially the road from Ruabon on the north side of the Dee valley / Dyffryn Dyfrdwy and of course the wonderful Horseshoe Pass.
Hope there are no serious
Hope there are no serious injuries in the Dauphine; what’s with the capitalisation of “cancelled” there, isn’t that sort of thing reserved for the Daily Mail?
No, if it had been the Mail
No, if it had been the Mail it would have been “Blow for Woke cyclists as race is CANCELLED”
Should it not be:
Should it not be:
(Lloyds Bank) Tour of a tiny wee bit of Britain begins today, because they are too lazy to go further north.
Wait til you see the Tour de
Wait til you see the Tour de France route map.
It’s not going very far south
It’s not going very far south either. Almost like you can’t cover much of the country in four stages with a very limited budget, and I’m glad that they’re not wasting emissions on long transfers to Scotland/the south-west/London/etc for this edition.
You do realise that Britain
You do realise that Britain is not a country?
dubwise wrote:
I think he meant ‘Britain is
I think he meant ‘Britain is not a country’
wtjs wrote:
Yes, but Britain is a country when it is used as per definition above as an informal way of referring to the United Kingdom.
Britain is a country when it
Britain is a country when it is used as per definition above as an informal way of referring to the United Kingdom
I suppose one question would be whether any ‘Tour of Britain’ has visited Northern Ireland
Would that not be the Tour of
Would that not be the Tour of the UK?
[Edit – sorry, think that’s the point you were making]
With regards to Cycling UK’s
With regards to Cycling UK’s message to political parties, can I add:
– fund the police, courts and prisons sufficiently to take dangerous drivers off the roads, at the first instance, not wait for people to die at the hands of dangerous drivers before removing them from society
Given people have said in numerous surveys that they feel it it too dangerous to cycle on roads, then authorities should deal with the source of the problem: DANGEROUS DRIVERS.
Driving is a priviledge. Not a right.
“Car crash casualties in
“Car crash casualties in Wales fall after 20mph limit brought in…
The number of casualties on roads with these speed limits fell from 681 in the final quarter of 2022 to 463 in the fourth quarter of 2023.”
Is it worth suggesting that anyone who disagrees with the 20mph limit should be the ones required to pay the police/NHS/etc costs for all the casualties if the limit is increased back to 30mph…?
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/car-crash-casualties-wales-fall-29302817.amp
mitsky wrote:
Also, the benefit in reducing road casualties isn’t just monetary. That’s over 200 people who didn’t have a bad day.
Try telling that to people
Agreed.
Though try telling that to people who value convenience and imaginary/minscule reductions in journey times above all else.