Live blog: Boris Johnson launches London cycle hire scheme (did we just wake from a weird three-year dream?), Team Ineos set to be confirmed, Man exposes himself as he cycles after 18 cans of super strength lager, Wiggins on spectator danger + more

Wait, what’s this just landed in the road.cc inbox? Boris Johnson launching a cycle hire scheme in London? So the last three years didn’t happen, and the political stalemate that leaves the United Kingdom’s population with no clue what our future holds just 11 days before we are due to leave the European Union was just some kind of dystopian nightmare?

Well, not quite. The former Mayor of London and ex-Foreign Secretary was acting in his capacity as Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip as he unveiled Brunel University’s bike hire scheme, made possible after students there emerged as joint winners, with Swansea University, of the Santander Cycles University Challenge.

The scheme, operated by Nextbike, will link the university with Uxbridge town centre and Hillingdon Hospital, with Brunel students, helped by ccontributions from alumni and local businesses, smashing a crowdfunding target of £48,650 to meet operating costs by £36,000 and Santander then chipping in a further £100,000 in capital expenditure.

Johnson said: “It’s wonderful, I think Brunel have been pioneering. It’s also a great thing for Uxbridge and the local community because what they are creating is not just a cycle scheme for the university but for the whole of the town centre. I’ve no doubt that it’ll expand and this is the start of something really beautiful.”

The capital's Santander Cycles - previously the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme (pictured above and named after the bank, not the Telegraph-owning twins from whom Johnson trousers three times his MP's salary for his weekly column) was launched while he was Mayor, although it was originally proposed by Liberal Democrat assembly member Caroline Pidgeon, with the green light given by his predecessor, Labour's Ken Livingstone.

"When you're in a team time trial all you're focussing on is the wheel in front of you, they're not aware of what's happening up ahead. So it could have been devastating for the whole team", said Wiggins of Bora-Hansgrohe's nasty crash caused by a pedestrian last week.  

Wiggins and Blythe also discuss disorderly fans at the grand tours, with Wiggins making the comparison between the uproar over the assault on Aston Villa footballer Jack Grealish and the comparative indifference to when similar incidents happen in bike races.  

Congratulations Egan Bernal! @ParisNice winner 2019 #ParisNice pic.twitter.com/ei5LSjpoJy

— pro cycling trumps (@procycletrumps) 17 March 2019

Egan Bernal won Team Sky's sixth Paris-Nice in eight years yesterday, and has been immortalised in a Pro Cycling Trump for his efforts. Read our round-up of stage 8 here. 

In honor of #StPatricksDay Igive you @TrekTravel’s very talented Madeline Irish dancing in cycling shoes. pic.twitter.com/wivFJP6d6Y

— Eric Bjorling (@EBjorling) 17 March 2019

Turns out cycling shoes and cleats are the ideal footwear to perform an St Patrick's Day Irish jig! Madline's pal who shot the video is Eric Bjorling, Trek's US Brand Manager. 

Lord Winston will this week urge the government to make it compulsory for cyclists to be licensed and insured when riding in the centres of towns and cities. The Labour peer has regularly blamed London’s Cycle Superhighways for causing congestion and pollution, without citing evidence. Article here. 

Dave Arthur rounds up six of the most slippery road bikes around - watch the video here.