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Live blog: Bristol teen completes gap year round-the-world ride, Zwift L'Etape du Tour Training Club, lorry tailgate near-dooring, Brailsford smashes Strade Bianche Gran Fondo, tributes to Kelly Catlin + more

All today's news from the site and beyond as we start a new week.....
Mon, Mar 11, 2019 16:44
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Live blog: Bristol teen completes gap year round-the-world ride, Zwift L'Etape du Tour Training Club, lorry tailgate near-dooring, Brailsford smashes Strade Bianche Gran Fondo, tributes to Kelly Catlin + more
11 March 2019, 18:40
Zwift introduces Etape du Tour Training Club
Zwift launches L'Etape du Tour Training Club

Virtual cycling platform Zwift has launched L'Etape du Tour training club aimed at preparing riders for this year's edition of the cyclosportive - although with places capped at 30,000 compared to 15,000 entries for the event itself, they're expecting people not riding in France to use it for their own summer goals.

Head here to sign up. Here's what Zwift says:

16 weeks. 4 distinct training phases. Limited to 30,000 riders, this exclusive training club specifically targets the demands of the 2019 L’Etape du Tour. World Tour coach, Kevin Poulton, is the mastermind behind the plan’s many workouts and rides. 

Finish individual workouts between March and July 21st—the date of the 2019 L’Etape du Tour—to unlock items based on your progress. Get to 100% completion for five unique items. Your avatar’s style is about to skyrocket.

11 March 2019, 15:32
Paris-Nice: Dylan Groenewegen wins stage 2

The Dutch Team Jumbo–Visma rider maintained his overall lead and made it back-to-back stage wins on the second day of Paris-Nice. 

11 March 2019, 13:21
How many bottom bracket standards?

S**t loads, that's how many! Although in amongst them all I'm still unable to source a 103mm square taper Shimano BB-UN55 Bottom Bracket for my trusty Trek 1.2, anyone got any pointers?? 

11 March 2019, 13:04
Charlie Condell
Bristol teen who had bike stolen in Australia set to complete record-breaking round-the-world ride

A Bristol teenager whose bike was stolen when he was in Australia is reportedly on course new record for being the youngest person to cycle around the world solo and unassisted.

Charlie Condell, aged 18, decided to use his gap year to circumnavigate the globe on two wheels, setting off on 6 July last year.

The Guardian reports that he was due to return to his starting point – Bristol’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge – today after visiting 20 countries on his 18,000-mile journey.

“I’ve loved so many different aspects of this trip,” the Guardian reports him as saying. “From the beautiful mountains to the pristine beaches, the people, the culture and the food. I’ve loved growing as a person.”

He was 103 days into his journey when he discovered that his bike, camping equipment, passport and other kit had been stolen in Townsville, Queensland, but vowed to carry on and with the theft making headlines around the world was able to source a new bike and other gear.

Reflecting on his ride, he said: “I think that there are a few reasons why people cycle, There are certain special things that everyone can share in common. That ranges from reaching a summit, to simply just pushing a big gear down a piece of perfect road.

“When you can find one of these moments, with the perfect scenery, and bliss everywhere, that’s when one feels truly special. It reminds us why we first rode – not for the KOMs or any of that stuff, just simply for the pleasure of riding your bike.”

11 March 2019, 13:04
A different kind of near-dooring - cyclist almost hit as lorry driver opens trailer

We've featured near-doorings in our Near Miss of the Day series before, but here's an unusual one, involving a lorry driver opening his trailer.

The footage was recorded by road.cc reader Bob, who said: "This looks quite innocent until you think what would have happened had I not given that lorry a wide berth, luckily nothing was coming the other way or I might not be here to tell the tale.

"Also the lorry is parked on double yellow lines and the pavement. No wonder our pavements are a mess."

11 March 2019, 12:27
rideout
Come join us for road.cc's Bath rideout, 22nd March

We've still got some FREE places left for the road.cc rideout on Friday 22nd March... join us for a chat, cake, beer, pizza... oh and a lovely scenic ride too. We've also got Stans NoTubes visiting to convert a lucky few volunteers to tubeless, tasty giveaways from Namedsport and the routes are provided by Komoot. See you there!

11 March 2019, 12:01
Who else would love a month in Calpe?

Madison Genesis held their annual team training camp in Calpe this year and it's easy to see why. The wall-to-wall sunshine beats the weather that we've been having here!

Anyone for a holiday?

11 March 2019, 11:30
What's this... decent London infra??

More of the same please!

11 March 2019, 11:29
Kelly Catlin heads USA team pursuit squad at Rio 2016 (licensed CC BY SA 4.0 by Colin333)
Kelly Catlin dies aged 23

Full story here. 

11 March 2019, 09:06
Capture.PNG
Dave Brailsford smashes the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche, averaging almost 21mph over the bumpy 138km ride

While most of his top pro riders are in the thick of Paris-Nice, Team Sky's head honcho took to the white gravel in Tuscany, competing in the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche that took place the day after Julian Alaphilippe of Quick-Step won the pro race. It was another mightily impressive ride from Brailsford, who posted the evidence to Strava - according to Strava's power estimates (make of that what you will) he put out an average of 280 watts and rode at just under 21mph to complete the course in a little over four hours... that's with a puncture 9km out from the finish. He'll have no option but to sign himself up on the team at this rate!

11 March 2019, 09:28

Even after winning the race he still had enough energy to attempt some front wheel stoppies on his way back to the team bus, whilst being chased by fans wanting a selfie!

11 March 2019, 09:25
Julian Alaphilippe's Strada Bianche winning S-Works Tarmac Disc

Here's Julian Alaphilippe's Strada Bianche winning S-Works Tarmac Disc, covered in dust and in need of a good wash! 

He was riding the Tarmac, the all-round model in Specialized's range, with disc brakes and 50mm carbon fibre rims shod with 26mm wide tyres. 

11 March 2019, 09:21
La Dusty Vita

Quickly becoming one of our favourite races to watch is Strade Bianche.
The race uses the gravel roads of Tuscany, winding their way through the hills and taking the riders to the finish in Sienna. 
It is a truly stunning race to watch, although riding it might be a bit different...

11 March 2019, 09:06
11 March 2019, 08:53
yaiza lanzarote
Popular climb in Lanzarote closed to cyclists... because of too many cyclists

Tourists who visit the Canarian island for the epic cycling rather than the Irish bars and discount cigarettes have recently been disappointed to find that one of the most famous climbs has been closed to cyclists for the forseeable... because of too many cyclists. According to Spanish news website Lancelot Digital the narrow climb up Femés mountain meant that tailbacks of cars were being formed due to high numbers of cyclists ascending and descending it. The report says some locals have complained the road is particularly dangerous, although according to our sources on the island many are still riding the climb anyway. Translating the comments in the Lancelot Digital article reveals some familiar anti-cyclist sentiment, although refreshingly a majority call for widening of the roads and better cycle tracks "because the islanders should be thinking more carefully about the kind of clientele they want to attract to Lanzarote" says one...

11 March 2019, 08:46
Cycling pays tributes to World Champion cyclist Kelly Catlin, who died aged 23

Catlin's father Mark told VeloNews that the cause of her death on Friday night was suicide. We'll have a full story and obituary on the site later this morning.

11 March 2019, 08:39
Pope Francis (licensed CC BY 3.0.br by Tânia Rêgo-ABr)
ICYMI - Pope Francis says road cycling shows value of teamwork – but warns about sport’s dark side

Pope Francis says that road cycling  provides an example of the value of teamwork – but has warned that the pursuit of “prestige and profit” can lead riders astray. More here. 

11 March 2019, 08:37
Kristina Vogel (licvensed CC BY 2.0 on Flickr by Flowizm, iimage cropped).JPG
ICYMI: Mattel releases Kristina Vogel Barbie doll to mark International Women's Day

Olympic champion track cyclist Kristina Vogel, who was left paralysed from the chest down after a training crash last June, has been honoured with a Barbie doll in her likeness for International Women’s Day. More here. 

11 March 2019, 08:34
Bird e-scooters at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (copyright Simon MacMichael).JPEG
In case you missed it: Ban on electric scooters on UK roads could end, says minister

Transport minister Jesse Norman says that an effective ban on using electric  scooters on UK roads could end – potentially opening the way for scooter-sharing firms to enter the British market. More here. 

Jack Sexty

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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