Welcome to a new week on the road.cc live blog with Simon MacMichael, Jack Sexty and the rest of the team.
Live blog: Ex-Sky and British Cycling medic Dr Richard Freeman allegedly ordered testosterone for athlete’s use, Campagnolo EPS Super Record 12-spd IS a thing – Insta gallery, Govt ‘action’ on air pollution, Astana ‘rap’, Robbed bike shop crowdfunder+more
All today’s news from the site and beyond as we start a new week
Mon, Jan 14, 2019 19:19
SUMMARY
14 January 2019, 19:19
Here's our Monday morning catch-up of some stories you may have missed over the weekend
Registration open for the North Cape 4000 ultracycling event (+ video)
Manchester’s Beelines renamed the Bee Network after copyright issue with London firm
Scarborough hotel to become first Bike and Boot Inn geared towards cyclists and walkers
Gangs of lads on bikes in Liverpool are … just out for a bike ride
Peter Sagan to race an aluminium bike! See his Allez Sprint Disc in detail
14 January 2019, 19:19
Video: Late crash at Down Under Classic leaves way clear for Ewan to win
The Santos Tour Down Under, the opening race of the 2019 UCI WorldTour season, doesn’t start until tomorrow, but some of the biggest names in the peloton fought it out for the win at the Down Under Classic criterium in Adelaide on Saturday which acts as an annual curtain raiser to the event.
A late crash took out a number of riders including Italian champion Elia Viviani of Deceuninck-Quick-Step, with Caleb Ewan of Lotto-Soudal avoiding the crash and taking the win from Bora-Hansgrohe’s Peter Sagan.
14 January 2019, 19:19
#ICYMI BoTY 2018/19 Sportive and Endurance bikes
On Saturday we counted down out top 10 mile munching bikes of the last year… you might have missed it if you were out mile munching yourself. So here it is again just in case.
road.cc Sportive and Endurance Bike of the Year 2018/19
14 January 2019, 19:19
Strava down... what did you do instead?
Thoughts and prayers to all those affected as Strava was failing to upload activities yesterday (full story here). With thousands of rides technically having not happened, we just skipped straight to the cake instead…
14 January 2019, 19:19
Fair point?
If you think cycling is athletic and can’t be reliable transport as the body ages, spend some time watching people trying to climb out of their cars.
— kylie (@inter_stitial) January 12, 2019
14 January 2019, 19:19
Peak Copenhagen
A #Copenhagen moment …
Congratulations to the Newlyweds!
MT @Pedamdam | #Cycling | #JustMarried pic.twitter.com/bORsqYpGbF
— Anders Adamsen (@anderspreben) January 12, 2019
The bike rules in the Danish capital!
14 January 2019, 19:19
Crowdfunder for Bad Ass Bikes of Burrington after burglary
The bike shop Bad Ass Bikes, located right on Burrington Combe hill in Somerset, is trying to recover from a burglary in which bikes and most of their tools were stolen. A crowdfunder has been set up to help the popular bike shop which reads: “Bad Ass Bikes suffered a break in the early hours, taking not only the bikes but his tooling too. Being a workshop first, the stealing of tools will have a devastating effect on this shop. Knowing how hard he and his family work, knowing that anyone can always pop in for a coffee and a chat, they are so so much more than the shop that they work in. Like with many great community shops, any issues you have they are always there.
“I feel it’s time we all gave something back and help get BAD ASS BIKES back open and keeping our bikes turning like new again. We all know the payment will repaid through the shops humour, great coffee and an honest opinion cycling or non-cycling related.”
If you want to donate, the link is here.
14 January 2019, 19:19
Campagnolo 12 Speed Super Record EPS - detailed shots on Movistar bikes
We’ve heard rumours, seen some of the parts from a distance and now this Instagram post from Movistar confirms that Campag’s new Super Record 12 speed electronic groupset is now adornding their 2019 bikes. On Canyon’s Ultimate with a matching power crank, we reckon it’s looking pretty fine.
14 January 2019, 19:19
Police criticised for calling out red light jumping cyclists day after Manchester hit-and-run tragedy
Can you see this Police Motorcycle
6 pedal cyclists, at 6 junctions clearly couldn’t, they all decided they didn’t need to stop at ATS in @GMPCityCentre with #GMPSRTT Motorcycle waiting for the lights to change. ATS are relevant to all road users, not just vehicles. TOR’s issued. pic.twitter.com/GY24Y1HS9e— GMP Traffic (@gmptraffic) January 13, 2019
Referencing the death of an 11-year-old boy in Manchester yesterday, one Twitter user replied: “So a child is killed on the lawless roads of Manchester, the day after you think tweeting about a few cyclists being given tickets makes our roads a safer place? Not many people killed on the roads by pushbikes, plenty killed by cars though #priorities”
Although some mentioned that the law still needs to be upheld regardless of other events…
Still an offence though isn’t it.
Are you suggesting that everything should stop when there has been such a serious incident?— Retired PC (@pc_retired) January 14, 2019
What do you think?
14 January 2019, 19:19
Sustrans "disappointed" over government's lack of action on air pollution
Whilst it is important that the Government has a strategy for tackling all forms of #airpollution, we are disappointed by its failure to tackle solutions to reduce emissions from motor vehicles, – our comment on Clean Air Strategy https://t.co/pfGVPtLGqR #walking #cycling pic.twitter.com/yuTfoZ8pRh
— Sustrans (@sustrans) January 14, 2019
The CEO of the cycling and walking charity Xavier Brice has commented on the government’s Clean Air Strategy, saying the government have failed to tackle issues caused by emissions from motor vehicles: “Whilst it is important that the Government has a strategy for tackling all forms of air pollution, we are disappointed by the Government’s failure to tackle solutions to reduce emissions from motor vehicles. The Strategy is overly reliant on reactive measures and technological solutions to address poor quality air, leaving other, currently ineffective, pre-existing plans to tackle roadside emissions.
It is clear we need fewer, not just cleaner, vehicles on our roads to truly tackle poor air quality, and while the Strategy acknowledges this it does not provide any new funding or measures aimed at achieving a meaningful shift towards walking and cycling.
We call again on the UK Government to take meaningful action on road transport emissions by investing more into high-quality cycling and walking infrastructure which allows families to cycle and walk to school and amenities with confidence so that it is the most obvious choice for shorter journeys.”
14 January 2019, 19:19
“Why cycle on the road when there’s a perfectly good cycle lane?”
OMG, this is unbelievable @CadenceMag #cycling #cyclinglife #cyclisme #scotwhitlock #cyclepaths pic.twitter.com/cX4soyGSz3
— Simple Saddle (@SaddleScot) January 13, 2019
14 January 2019, 19:19
Astana Pro Team guilty of 'dope' violation
The Astana Pro Team have just dropped a dope rap, are the kids still calling it that? It’s quite special…
The first ever Pro Cycling Rap, by Astana Pro Team! Talented riders, but even more talented rappers? #AstanaProTeam #AstanaRap #AstanaRappers pic.twitter.com/zL24wAqPNo
— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) January 14, 2019
Although they’re not the first to try, as Pro CXer Kevin Pauwels showed us back in 2015, neither of them come anywhere near the great John Barnes when it comes to the sport/rap crossover though, in our opinion.
Before you watch either it’s worth bearing in mind they contain things you can never unsee or unhear again. Just saying.
14 January 2019, 19:19
It has been alleged that Dr Richard Freeman, who formerly worked for Team Sky and British Cycling and was at the centre of the ‘Jiffy Bag’ investigation, ordered testosterone patches “to administer to an athlete to improve their athletic performance.”
The allegation is contained in pre-hearing information published today by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.
Dr Freeman is due to face a tribunal in Manchester on 6 February and could potentially be suspended from practising or even struck off if any of a number of allegations against him are upheld.
While most of the allegations will be familiar to anyone who has followed the story over the past couple of years, the one that Testogel patches were ordered for an athlete’s use is new – and one that could potentially see UK Anti-doping re-open its investigation, closed last year, into allegations of wrongdoing at British Cycling and Team Sky.
British Cycling’s former head of medicine, Dr Steve Peters, has claimed that the patches were delivered to the National Cycling Centre in Manchester in error, although it has been alleged that they were ordered specifically from an Oldham-based supplier.
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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Latest Comments
choddo 18 minutes ago
And I don’t know when you wrote this but I think it was published 9 days after Onley was confirmed out of the Tour.
choddo 21 minutes ago
Paul Seixas’ team is Decathlon CMA CGM
GravelIsNothingNew 1 hour ago
The best thing about the TTT as Stage 1 is that it emphasises the fact that cycling grand tours incl the TDF are a team sport.
mdavidford 2 hours ago
If you click through and read the story you'll see that the first motorist hit the cyclist, and the second, following, motorist then also hit them while they were lying in the road - both were convicted of causing the cyclist's death.
Rendel Harris 3 hours ago
I may be reading far too much into it, but I felt as though Pogacar and UAE weren't actually that bothered about winning today. Not having yellow to defend and all the extra press etc to do this early in the race is an indisputable advantage; I just got the impression that they were out to lose no more than a handful of seconds but not to bury themselves for the win. With about 2.5kms to go I thought that if Pogacar really wanted it he would have gone from there, but he stayed with Del Toro for nearly another kilometre even though the body language was saying that no way was Del Toro in as good shape as Pogacar. Even after the finish he didn't seem as wiped out as Ganna (whom I don't think I've ever seen quite so shattered) or Jonas. As I say, might be reading too much into it but I would not be surprised if UAE had played a very clever hand not to lose any meaningful time but to avoid the burden of yellow from the get go.
Rendel Harris 3 hours ago
@tomlew It's not his youth so much as his inexperience. He's never ridden a race longer than eight days before. Pogacar won his first Tour, it's true, but he'd already finished a Vuelta. There's simply to much for him to learn and become accustomed to in my opinion for him to have a realistic chance of victory, particularly as he's up against probably the greatest of all time and a double Tour winner, both of whom seem to be at the peak of their powers. It's not entirely beyond the bounds of possibility but he'd need a hatful of luck and something fairly catastrophic to happen to both of those guys before he'd realistically be in with a shout. Don't forget nobody has won their first Grand Tour since Hinault in 1978, forty-eight years is a hell of a lot of precedent.
tomlew 5 hours ago
There is no rational reason for a rider this young not to dominate the race, other than some of us believing this is "not right" based purely on opinion. Younger athletes recover much, much faster. They adapt more easily. They are typically more eager to take risks, which is... well, risky, but could pay off big time if the stars align. Burnout? Yes, that is a risk. But it's not a given. See how long Leo Messi has been absolutely top-notch. The risks are high, but the potential is even more so. And even if Seixas does burn out early, it may just be his choice despite the awareness of the risk. If I were a prodigy cyclist youngster with a realistic shot at winning, I might take it even if I knew it might be the end of my career. After all, it's winning the TdF we're talking about!
tomlew 5 hours ago
@Rendel Harris Let's turn this around. One can hack their electronic shifting and nobody will believe them!
Davidb67 6 hours ago
I’m confused: “ A driver who took a selfie, watched videos and sent messages at the wheel before killing a cyclist was jailed for five years, whilst a hit-and-run motorist who subsequently struck the same rider….” How does that work? Resurrection? Did the poor unfortunate cyclist recover from his/her case of death, only to be hit by a motorist again? Please, I don’t mean to make light of either case, merely to point out the poor/lazy journalism….
Mr Blackbird 6 hours ago
It was certainly an exciting watch today. Surprised that INEOS selected Ganna and Tarling. It felt like win at all costs and they didn't quite manage it. Personally I would rather see more riders having to stay together till the finish. It will reduce opportunities for teams to "rest" climbing domestiques and it preserves the spectacle and identity of the TTT discipline. Great start to the tour. Vingegaard is obviously in outstanding shape, but will he pay for today's effort later on.
7 thoughts on “Live blog: Ex-Sky and British Cycling medic Dr Richard Freeman allegedly ordered testosterone for athlete’s use, Campagnolo EPS Super Record 12-spd IS a thing – Insta gallery, Govt ‘action’ on air pollution, Astana ‘rap’, Robbed bike shop crowdfunder+more”
I heard about the government
I heard about the government’s plan to tackle air pollution (if such a spectacular failure to address the problem can be dignified with the word “plan”) on the news today, and all they talked about was wood-burning stoves, as if motor vehicles just don’t exist. Yet another catastrophuck to join all the others this ultra-shambles has inflicted on us.
I know we shouldn’t really get political on a cycling website, but this shower of utter incompetents has to go. And I’m being polite.
I thought the current plan
I thought the current plan was to not worry about air pollution. It’s only the poor people that will be affected as the more well-to-do people can live somewhere nice and green. The only problem is that dastardly NHS that will spend more money trying to prolong the proles’ lives – a quick bout of privitisation will fix that. Right comrades?
“Handlebars” by Flobots:
“Handlebars” by Flobots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUX0y4EptA
“C’mon Let Me Ride” by Skylar X featuring Eminem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhxPBrxxaqc
“My Bike” by Y.N.RichKids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rSH5K5LlE8
“Biking” by Frank Ocean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYGPcfUqzL0
That cycle lane (?) reminded
That cycle lane (?) reminded me that I hadn’t looked at Warrington Cycle Campaign’s Cycling Facility of the Month site for a year or so. Nothing has changed, and I’m eternally surprised at the incompetence of our planners. It’s a pretty close race between them and this government.
http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/
What was the reasoning behind
What was the reasoning behind the soc-called cycle lane? Did they have a tin of paint left over out of the painted lines budget?
brooksby wrote:
they often get put in when the council road planners are treating cyclists as best way to describe it is “pedestrians with a bike”.
and their reasoning is they believe its safer for cyclists if you want to turn right on a bicycle at that kind of junction rather than waiting in the middle of the road and no doubt holding up the important motor traffic whilst waiting for a suitable gap 🙂 for you to turn left first on that little loop, which swings you round facing the way you want to go,and handily gets you out of the way of the vehicles, then you just cross over the road you were on, as if you were a pedestrian…just with a bike…and then you join up with no doubt some shared cycle path theyve put in on the right hand side we cant see in that picture, which may go some distance or may stop within a few metres.
they are quite common with councils who dont really understand cycling infrastructure or cyclists needs, and yes they laughably do always claim its infrastructure that promotes cycling
brooksby wrote:
It’s another 3 metres to add to their total bike lanes created, six if you count using it in both directions, every little (apparently) helps…