Live blog: Team Ineos to debut at Tour de Romandie in one-off kit; Wiggo does classy; Women’s Paris Roubaix – World champ Anna van der Breggen makes the case, Near miss* – the pro race edition; Happy hour – the drinks are on Victor + more

At the launch of its latest Roubaix model last week, US bike brand Specialized also unveiled a women’s version of the bike – and in a video (see above) enlisted the help of world champion Anna van der Breggen and her Boels-Dolmans team mates Christian Majures and Chantal Blaak to make a compelling case for why there should be a women’s version of the race, showing the trio riding through the Arenberg sector of pavé.  

As Specialized says at the end of the video, “The Roubaix is no longer just for men. The race shouldn’t be either.”

There are already under-23 and junior versions of the race for male riders – so why not one for elite women too? What do you think?

Victor Campenaerts has gone to great lengths to not be remembered as “that bloke who asked a girl out with a chest message in a time-trial.” pic.twitter.com/8qi8aPXpGg

— Andy McGrath (@Andymcgra) April 16, 2019

Campenaerts’ heroics in the velodrome yesterday may have almost banished the memories of when he asked a girl out on a date at the end of a Giro d’Italia time trial by displaying the request on his chest, for which he was fined 100 euros… but fear not, here’s the story from 2017 just in case you’d forgotten!

Skip to 1:26:45-ish in the live stream, and Victor appears to offer a free night’s drinking at his local bar back in Antwerp, Cafe Mombasa in the district of Borgerhout. He says: “In Borgerhout, at my fan cafe (Cafe Mombasa) all my fans can drink free beer all night. And if you’re not a fan, you an still become a fan! All night, free beer. Enjoy.” 

We might have to make a pilgrimage. If you want to read the full report of how Campenaerts smashed the record click here, to see his history-making bike in more detail head here. 

David has just got back from Belgium where he’s been riding the brand new 2020 Specialized S-Works Roubaix on the cobbled roads it was designed to tame and conquer, check out his first ride impressions in the video below. If you missed the launch fanfare, here’s everything you need to know about the new Roubaix. 

We hot cross buns! So here’s a tasty fact of the day: One hot cross bun will give you fuel for 22 minutes of cycling. Yum! pic.twitter.com/0A2ehihWS8

— Sustrans (@sustrans) April 17, 2019

How much to burn off a couple of easter eggs as well?

Giovanni Battaglin, winner of the Giro and Vuelta in 1981, turned his attention to building bikes the following year, and is still going strong today. In a new video series the Italian company is allowing you to go behind-the-scenes to see how a frame is made from start to finish. See more here.

Chapeau Victor my man

— Brad Wiggins (@SirWiggo) April 16, 2019

Many are asking the question of how much advantage was gained by Campenaerts breaking the Hour Record at 1,800m of altitude – but Bradley Wiggins has suggested in his podcast (and in this tweet) that he has nothing but praise for his successor. What would Campenaerts have done at sea level? We might never know, but will try to investigate with some expert help over the next few days. 

Team Ineos will make their debut at the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland on 30 April – and will be wearing a one-off jersey, according to organisers of the Swiss race.

The takeover of Team Sky’s management company, and sponsorship, by the petrochemicals group is due to take effect from 1 May and it had been announced that the new kit would be unveiled at the Tour de Yorkshire, where Chris Froome is racing.

In a tweet, however, organisers of the Tour de Romandie confirmed that Geraint Thomas and co will race for the first time as Team Ineos in the race, which runs from 30 April to 5 May.

The tweet reads: “Breaking news. Team Sky will take to tthe start of the #TDR2019 in the colours of Ineos. A unique jersey that you will only see on the #TDR2019!”

They also tweeted an image of the jersey as part of the provisional start list, as shown in the image above.

@TeamSky prendra le départ du #TDR2019 sous les couleurs d’ @INEOS. Un maillot unique que l’on ne verra que sur le #TDR2019!

— Tour de Romandie (@TourDeRomandie) April 17, 2019

#TUR2019

Double trouble!
@Sammmy_Be takes another amazing stage win while teammate @gro_felix finishes second!! #teamworkmakesthedreamwork amazing teamwork! pic.twitter.com/vSBU2HEGDL

— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) April 17, 2019

The Irishman has taken both of the opening stages at the Presidential Tour of Turkey, winning an uphill sprint finish on day two. The comeback from illness for Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) isn’t going to plan at the moment, finishing 22nd on stage 1 and 94th today. 

It’s hard enough to get in a breakaway as it is. It’s even harder when the race motorbikes get involved.

Luckily Liane Lippert has good bike handling skills.

When you’re trying to escape from the peleton but the motor driver doesn’t like you #BPwomen #BP #BP19 pic.twitter.com/aGkfUIkUY2

— Jesse Abeloos (@JesseAbeloos) April 17, 2019

*interestingly since we posted this earlier today the tweet and accompanying video off the moto veering in to Liane Lippert’s path has been taken down.

At the launch of its latest Roubaix model last week, US bike brand Specialized also unveiled a women’s version of the bike – and in a video (see above) enlisted the help of world champion Anna van der Breggen and her Boels-Dolmans team mates Christian Majures and Chantal Blaak to make a compelling case for why there should be a women’s version of the race, showing the trio riding through the Arenberg sector of pavé.  

As Specialized says at the end of the video, “The Roubaix is no longer just for men. The race shouldn’t be either.”

There are already under-23 and junior versions of the race for male riders – so why not one for elite women too? What do you think?