Live blog: Callum Skinner will lead new Global Athlete organisation to "give athletes a voice", Brailsford "met Colombia's president to discuss Sky backing", Tour legend Yates becomes e-bike ambassador, Boulting hits bum note as saddle is stolen + more

Delighted to have launch @GlobalAthleteHQ today. A first in Olympic and Paralympic Sport. For too long athletes haven’t had an independent voice

Athletes and supporters. Sign up here: https://t.co/dNVCncvgjb pic.twitter.com/JcpITcc5IJ

— Callum Skinner (@CallumSkinner) February 13, 2019

Skinner announced his pride at his involvement in launching the organisation on his Twitter page earlier, with Global Athlete promising to give athletes an independent voice. It comes after the Russian Doping scandal and US gymnastics sexual abuse case, both of which led to calls for heightened rights and protection for athletes. The former WADA deputy director general Rob Koehler has also been named the new director general of Global Athlete. On the Global Athlete website, they've stated that their vision is to create positive change in world sport, balance the power that exists between athletes and sporting leaders and secure a more meaningful and representative athlete voice for all decisions in sport. Do you think this new independent body will lead to fairer treatment of pro cyclists, and athletes in general? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

WE ARE ATHLETE
Today, a new Athlete Start-Up Movement launched aiming to inspire athletes and drive change across world sport. Its name? Global Athlete. Welcome to a new beginning. #WeAreAthlete #GlobalAthlete pic.twitter.com/Aelb7wjx51

— Global Athlete (@GlobalAthleteHQ) February 13, 2019

This image is "who kills whom" on our roads. https://t.co/jMGyR7ULF6

Note how dangerous cycling **isn't** versus every other mode except walking. I think this is Dutch data, so would be fascinating to do this for the UK. pic.twitter.com/qI3nLroByR

— Tim Lennon (@lucullus) February 12, 2019

This is actually from the Netherlands, and even though the bike is a hugely popular mode of transport it's shown to be pretty un-deadly in this graph. A version for the UK would be particularly interesting. 

TfL have just sent out a press release stating that £43m of public money was spent on the Garden Bridge, £24m from TfL and £19m from the DfT. Construction of the bridge never began. Meanwhile, this walking and cycling bridge, opened in 2017 in Utrecht, cost €7m pic.twitter.com/CzkKNhIbvz

— Hackney Cyclist (@Hackneycyclist) February 13, 2019

Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford has reportedly held talks with the Colombian government as he seeks to secure the UCI WorldTour outfit’s future for next season and beyond.

He is in the Latin American country for the Tour of Colombia where Chris Froome is starting his 2019 season, and according to El Espectador met with Colombia’s president Iván Duque, former Team Sky rider Rigoberto Urán, and Ernesto Lucena, the director of government agency Coldeportes, to discuss the project.

The newspaper, whose article is paywalled, speculates that Team Sky could, in effect, become Colombia’s first UCI WorldTour team.

Dave Brailsford, principal cabeza del @TeamSky, se reunió con el presidente Iván Duque, Ernesto Lucena, director de Coldeportes, y Rigoberto Urán para darle forma al proyecto. Parece utopía, pero es una opción real. https://t.co/AhLBNdYArB

— Thomas Blanco (@thomblalin) February 12, 2019

I've been getting quite frustrated about the emergence of @cyclesafetech on Twitter this week.

Rightly, a lot of cyclists (and others) are pointing out that this kind of tech-based 'solution' to safety for vulnerable road users is both dangerous and, ultimately, unworkable.

— Joe Soap (@JoeSoap76) February 12, 2019

We're going to guess the Cycle Safety Technologies app developer has had a 'busy' week but perhaps not for the right reasons (more here) and this Twitter thread delves a bit deeper into the company's history and how the app works. It doesn't make for very promising reading...

Nothstein, a former US congressman and a three-time track world champion, was accused of sexual harassment in an incident that took places over 20 years ago, and wfmz.com reports that his attorney filed a writ of summons on Friday notifying USA Cycling that a lawsuit is coming.

The Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist was suspended without pay from his position as executive director of the Lehigh Valley velodrome in Pennsylvania following the allegation from an 'anonymous tipster' back in August, and an investigation was opened 11 days after he announced his candidacy for US Congress as a Republican. An investigation was conducted by SafeSport who closed it with no action taken based on the available information and evidence, and in a further investigation by Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin, the woman named as the tipster even denied anything had happened. Nothstein plans to sue USA Cycling for defamation, libel and slander. 

Looks a piece of cake... the spinner in question appears to have answered some questions in the comments section, explaining that the average person shouldn't try this at home/in the gym and these are skills she's built up over 13 years as a gymnast and fitness instructor.