- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Live blog: Team Sky (and outgoing sponsor) get misty-eyed as videos mark end of an era; Cycling among 6 most middle-class fitness fads (says Daily Mash), Unicycle basketball; Is eRacing is a proper sport + more
SUMMARY
Geraint Thomas flies the British flag in the capital (copyright Simon MacMichael)29 April 2019, 17:06
29 April 2019, 17:03
Team Sky become Team Ineos tomorrow - and they (and outgoing sponsor) are getting misty-eyed
Love them or hate them - and they are a team that divides opinion as no other since US Postal - today marks the end of an era in professional cycling that has seen Team Sky dominate the Tour de France, with six wins in the past seven editions.
While Team Sky will essentially continue in its current form - albeit with a new owner and sponsor, with Ineos officially taking over from Wednesday but its logo appearing on the jersey from tomorrow at the Tour de Romandie - both the team and the outgoing sponsor (which previously also sponsored British Cycling) have been getting a bit misty-eyed about it all, as these videos show.
Six Tour de France wins and millions of people inspired to cycle over ten years. It’s been an amazing journey @TeamINEOS #RideOn #LifeAtSky pic.twitter.com/V8KwG9pklf
— Sky (@SkyUK) April 29, 2019
An incredible journey, 10 seasons in the making. We couldn’t be more proud to have raced as @TeamSky. Thank you pic.twitter.com/n3qEwSaBkT
— Team Sky (@TeamINEOS) April 29, 2019
29 April 2019, 16:49
That Telegraph article blaming cyclists for polluting the countryside is never going to get old, is it?
Tricky to get all of this into jersey pockets when cycling but thankfully they’re pretty stretchy @Telegraph pic.twitter.com/MLJGUox1Bg
— FlatStanley (@flat__stanley) April 29, 2019
29 April 2019, 13:37
So that's a No then, Conor?
— Conor Dunne (@conordunnealot) April 29, 2019
The super-tall Irishman used to race for now-defunct Team Aqua Blue, who suffered their fair share of mechanicals that were largely blamed on racing with 1x setups. While there's more to riding a bike than pro racing, it appears the facepalm emoji would suggest the front mech certainly ain't dead according to Conor...
29 April 2019, 13:09
Team Sky has ridden last race - but 2017 kit (or near enough) back for one more
Team Sky may have ridden their last race at Liege-Bastogne-Liege yesterday - but their kit (the 2017 version, at least, or something very close to it) will be worn by the riders at the Tour de Romandie which starts tomorrow.
Officially, Ineos doesn't take over the team - and its sponsorship - until Wednesday 1 May, which is when the new kit will be launched (minus, we're guessing, the signature blue line).
With all but the opening day of the Swiss race taking place under the new sponsor, Ineos is the name Geraint Thomas and co will be wearing at Romandie ... and provide a last glimpse of the colours that have dominated the Tour de France in recent years.
29 April 2019, 12:28
29 April 2019, 12:27
Basketball ... on unicycles
⠀
Cycle-basket
⠀ pic.twitter.com/carcoQoP4e— ⓑιcιcletⓞ (@Bicicleto_ZGZ) April 27, 2019
29 April 2019, 12:17
Middlesborough artist demonstrates the power of the penis for pothole prevention
God bless you, Middlesbrough https://t.co/kxQtahw3hZ
— Pete Mitchell (@peter_nhs) April 26, 2019
The anonymous urban artiste decided to doodle dongs around some particularly bad potholes in the Middlesborough area and... hey presto, the council quickly filled them in! Speaking to the BBC, resident Resident Brad Nicholson praised "the power of the willy" to give the council visual reminders that Britain's roads need some serious TLC.
29 April 2019, 11:25
There's celebrating, and then there's...
Andresen Tobias Lund winner of E3 for juniors @E3BinckClassic @StadHarelbeke pic.twitter.com/TALRMVJwqJ
— Alex Vandevyver (@VandevyverAlex) April 27, 2019
This rather odd victory celebration at the Junior BinckBank Classic one-day race was performed by 16-year-old Tobias Lund Andresen, who found that he had time to get off his bike, sink to the ground and then walk across the line with his bike held aloft. Some have accused the youngster of arrogance and over-exuberance in victory, while others have put it down to a young lad who's just proper excited to win a race.
29 April 2019, 11:12
Britain's Kye Whyte takes maiden BMX World Cup win in Manchester (and there was a spectacular crash in the heats)
Great Britain's @kye969 produced a stunning display in Manchester to win round two of the @UCI_BMX_SX World Cup 2019!
Read the full report from a fantastic second day https://t.co/zWySNzmNI4#UCIBMXWC pic.twitter.com/TnrwdYcdpP
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) April 28, 2019
19-year-old Whyte won in round two of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup yesterday, and said of his victory: “This is the best day of my life, I reckon! I thought that – without being cocky – if I could get amongst the top three, with the track speed I’ve got, I thought I could win. I’ve made world cup finals before, but I’ve only ever finished last! It’s been a great day.”
There was also a mega crash in the heats of the men's elite event, with no one escaping apart from France's Joris Daudet who rode away for an easy win. Watch it here on the BBC's website.
29 April 2019, 11:03
Campaginers are placing red cups between car and bike lanes to show how there needs to be more protection
From Beacon St going east before HPP an area in need of protection. Today, advocates around the world are placing red cups along bike lanes where protection is needed. The #RedCupProject is in honor of Dave Salovesh, a D.C. advocate killed while riding his bike. We #DemandMore. pic.twitter.com/zj5ZsjGCqi
— Bike Newton #mobilitylanes #2019Goals (@BikeNewton) April 26, 2019
Bike Newton, a cycle safety campaign group based near Boston in the US, laid out red cups to demonstrate how motor vehicles shouldn't encroach on bike lanes. Unfortunately this was the scene a few hours later...
Sadly the scene at 7:30 am. There is no reason cups should have been knocked over. No vehicle should have been driving in the buffer. This is the most direct route for people biking into downtown. It needs protection. (Yes we have picked up all the cups and will recycle) pic.twitter.com/dhj97cad7g
— Bike Newton #mobilitylanes #2019Goals (@BikeNewton) April 26, 2019
"No vehicle should have been driving in the buffer", say Bike Newton. The hashtag #redcupproject is doing the rounds mostly in the US, but the call for action is global, say campaigners.
29 April 2019, 10:57
29 April 2019, 10:29
70's Pissei style
Unfortunately-named Italian cycling apparel brand Pissei have unveiled their latest collection, paying homage to the 1970's. With the jersey and shorts available in two different colours, Pissei say the kit "has an influence of disco dancing", with a regular fit, breathable mesh at the rear on the jersey and flat straps on the bibs for extra comfort.
The kit is available now on Pissei's website.
29 April 2019, 07:56
Cycling has made the list!
We've made it!
Cycling is in the top 6 ways that you can exercise in the most middle-class way possible according to the tongue-in-cheek website The Daily Mash!
"Practical, A-to-B cycling is for poor people. Instead, ride a £10,000 bike around country lanes in a large group, holding up traffic for miles until you reach a village tea shop where you loudly say you’d buy the local vicarage if it wasn’t for your ‘bloody commute’."
Other ways include boot camp in the park, wild swimming, underwater weightlifting, outdoor spin class and finally, a 5k run with your children.
We'll stick to our 10-grand bikes, thanks!
29 April 2019, 07:30
Is e-racing a proper sport? Pro cyclists have their say
To any haters on this, it’s a lifetime closer in reality than fifa is to football & there’s some serious money invested into fifa e-sports.
Crucially this is gamifying exercise which can never be a bad thing & may also provide a small stepping stone into people racing outdoors. https://t.co/dhnl12Cnu4
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) April 26, 2019
Alex Dowsett says the Fifa (the football game) comparison is wholly unfair on bike e-racing, as it's "a lifetime closer in reality"; the idea being that a very very good indoor cyclist could actually have a chance at turning pro in real life, whereas that would never be the case for someone who is really good at Fifa.
Nikki Brammeier, however (who ran the London Marathon this weekend), isn't so keen...
Is this for real? Seriously this is not what professional cycling is about. I was inspired to race after watching my hero’s push themselves to their limits outdoors on the road, in the woods, in a field. I don’t think I would have felt the same sat watching a screen of avatars https://t.co/FABulxfzYq
— Nikki Brammeier (@NikkiBrammeier) April 26, 2019
Her reply was met with plenty of opinions for and against, with some even saying the British Championships was great to watch...
I didn't think it'd make for a great spectacle but actually, the British National Championships Final races were great to watch - it definitely has potential as a spectator sport - unlike standing on the roadside for 2 hours to see the peleton for 5 seconds!
— vonobox (@vonobox) April 26, 2019
What do you think, should we accept static bike racing as equal to road and track racing?
29 April 2019, 07:09
How three pro and ex pro-cyclists did at the London Marathon
40,000 runners took to the streets of London for one of the world's biggest 26.2 mile foot races yesterday, and in amongst them were some cyclists whose names you may well recognise. Husband and wife Matt and Nikki Bramameier (the former last rode for Aqua Blue and is now a coach, and Nikki is still a professional road racer) crossed the line together in a time of 3:53:28. We will give an extra tip our hat to former Olympic track cyclist Chris Newton, though, who finished in a mighty impressive time of 2:45:24!
29 April 2019, 07:20
No, definitely not...
Would you trust someone to jump over you?pic.twitter.com/u4C8dQu6nN
— Awesome Cycling (@AwesomeCycling) April 28, 2019
29 April 2019, 07:04
In case you missed it: some top stories from the weekend
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.
Latest Comments
- Phillman 18 min 11 sec ago
I desperately need a new tyre but cannot find one anywhere. The tyre says 20inch but the wheel is 22inch. Other tyres just don't fit. Can anyone...
- LordSandwich 24 min 8 sec ago
Your setup is a lot tidier than mine, for sure! 😅
- open_roads 54 min 30 sec ago
This looks like a potentially useful innovation - particularly for kids helmets....
- David9694 1 hour 31 min ago
Drivers : cyclists should pay Road Tax etc...
- ReflecToes 1 hour 34 min ago
A friend of mine created a rear light called tailgator technologies that has an accelorometer in it to get brighter when you are slowing down. My...
- ErnieC 1 hour 45 min ago
when does armed resistance become genocide?
- stonojnr 1 hour 57 min ago
well keep in mind the county council leading and proposing these active travel changes is Tory. so work that one out.
- Sredlums 2 hours 41 min ago
What I don't understand is what is so hard to understand about the fact that higher/steeper stems bring the handlebars closer to you. If you only...
- IanMSpencer 5 hours 24 min ago
I don't think you need have any concern about cycling safety improving with #toxicadi Ashley Neal advocating for us on protected cycle lanes....
Add new comment
21 comments
'e racing' is nothing new. They've been doing it in Yorkshire for years.
Whether e racing is a "proper sport" is entirely subjective and irrelevant - it's just that no one other than the participants is remotely interested in it...
... a bit like what ravishing Rick_Rude gets up to in his garage.
Whether you like it or not, that's evidently not true.
Really? Well, it ain't evident to me pal...
the second pic with the squashed red cups confirms that the space to the right is parking and the cycle lane is in the door zone ... parking priority over cyclists living everytime
I’m all for anything that gets people doing something active, as long as no one is deluding themselves that e racing is representative of real racing that’s fine. It’s not my thing, I haven’t got time to waste on it, I’m too busy riding my real bike (s) on real roads, but it’s got to better than doing nothing.
Please stop complaining about everything - bigbiker101
When I comment here, I'm never quite sure if I'm right - until bigbiker101 pops up to disagree with me...then I can relax.
I always appreciate the power of the artistic "Wanksy(s)" I believe it's because the "cock and balls" is so much easier to draw, and everyone knows what it represents.
Surely painting a vagina around potholes would be more appropriate?
I did the virtual Alp d'Huez last night in my garage and it was horrible so I ferkin well hope e-racing is something like the real thing!
In all seriousness, it's one of those is but isn't things. The is elements are laser scanned and gps accurate routes needing the same power and effort to get the same results as real life.
The isn't elements include no risk, no bike handling skills required, no falling off or pileups.
It certainly is an odd one as other e-sports such as driving are way more accurate than FIFA with a proper forcefeedback wheel setup and VR but once again, they have no risk and the element of fear is what you can't take away from real motorsport and pretend it's the same thing. Nobody is going to die at a virtual circuit. I'm pretty quick at driving in the virtual and real world but I know that a lot of those people in the virtual world would probably crap themselves doing it for real so I have no respect for them really. I guess with applies to Zwift in a way.
Whereas if you have a look at the results from the qualifiers and finals of the British Cycling e-racing, you'll see that most of the riders there in male and female races are already established domestic pros.
Rowing has indoor (ie on static rowing machines) and outdoor (real boat on real wet water) championships. Climbing has indoor and outdoor competitions.
Cycling already has indoor and outdoor racing, so e-racing really isn't that big a leap. Especially when you consider that "cycling" as a sport encompasses BMX, track, DH, XC, CX, road, circuit, trials.... Sure there's some crossover. BMX and track cycling, especially at the sprinty end are actually very similar - Shanaze Reade for example. XC and CX, CX and road. So yes, I'd say that e-racing is absolutely valid. And also a great way to reach out to new participants. Zwift and Canyon/SRAM have now recruited two women into domestic pro ranks through e-racing.
But how many people would watch an Oxford v Cambridge rowing machine race compared to the one on the Thames? As a spectacle, is e-racing or even Rollapaluza as good as being at a Team Pursuit final in a velodrome or roadside at a stage of the Tour (or even just watching it on TV)? Or is it just a competitive version of a fitness class with its lights and noise?
I think the disparaging remarks may be because so many people associate riding a bike with being in the countryside, fresh air, great scenery and so on. For people like Nikki it can't possibly match the experience of what she does for a job. I'll be glad when the hype abates.
But that's simply their chosen method and done partly for publicity.
Those two riders might have the watts but Zwift won't give them the bike skills, the experience of riding in the peloton, knowledge of the parcours etc that riders gain (and need) coming up through the ranks.
It's not an either-or though, is it ?.. or even which is "best" - it's just another thing. Ignore the hype, not that there's a huge amount of it, it's the same for anything - sports related or not... really not sure why folk get quite so worked up about stuff like this one way or another.
Have a watch of the Jakob Fuglsang save in his victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, it's worth a quick look.
Skills!
Please stop banging on about e racing.
I'm not interested in e-racing or ordinary cycle racing, so I just don't bother reading those articles (unless there's a good argument happening in the comments).
Please stop complaining about everything
How about outdoor bike racing, but on electric bikes?
https://www.iomttraces.com/racing/classes/tt-zero
Proper racing.
HYPE TRAIN COMING THROUGH