Welcome to Monday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Live blog: Sheffield lifestyle magazine jokes about using razor wire on pavement cyclists, Herrada wins Ventoux Challenge, bonkers Chris Froome crash conspiracy theories on the internet, weekend catch-up + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Mon, Jun 17, 2019 18:48
17 June 2019, 18:48
Jesus Herrada takes the win on Mont Ventoux
Today was the inaugiural Mont Ventoux Denivele Challenge one-day race – and the victory went to Cofidid rider Jesus Herrada who raced away from AG2R-La Mondiale’s Romain Bardet to take the win on one of cycling’s most famous finish lines. Watch how he did it here.
Not a particular strong field but the way Herrada won on Ventoux was simply spectacular! More of a puncheur and than a climber but yet, he followed every attack from Bardet with ease before leaving him for dead with 400 meters to go. Tour stage win awaits. pic.twitter.com/0A1yRkmxHI
— Mikkel Condé v2.0 (@mrconde) June 17, 2019
17 June 2019, 18:48
Sheffield lifestyle magazine jokes about using razor wire on pavement cyclists
The editor of a Sheffield lifestyle magazine has penned an editorial in which razor wire is suggested as a way of dealing with pavement cyclists.
The editorial takes the shape of a – we hope – fictional conversation between Grapevine editor Ian MacGill and a friend going by the name of Mr Smith who demands razor wire “because I’m sick and tired of nearly being killed by cyclists speeding along the pavement here. They need to be taught a lesson.”
The editor expresses the reservation that cyclists may be decapitated,” receiving the response, “Exactly! Word will soon get around that there’s a high price to pay for anti-social behaviour.”
The reservation, however, turns out to be that “our pavements will become covered in red slime and gore, which raises all kinds of health and safety issues” – such as the magazine’s staff slipping on it.
In the final paragraph, the editor actually gets to the point of the column. “Eventually Smith calmed down,” he wrote, “and agreed that his plan was a bit too radical (and messy). Yes he is right to be concerned about a dangerous problem that will not be solved until bicycles are given licence plates that can be photographed by CCTV, and riders fined whenever they misbehave.”
Of course, it’s well-documented that bike licensing schemes don’t work – whenever they are introduced, they tend to be quietly dropped afterwards, but obviously it’s the razor wire references that are attracting attention on social media.
He’s not the first journalist to suggest something of that nature – Matthew Parris did that in The Times a few years back – but such comments, even if made in an attempt at satire are ill judged and inflammatory, and miss the point that some individuals do actually go out and set traps for cyclists, as has happened in Fife, Scotland in recent days.
Help us to bring you the best cycling content
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
10 Comments
Read more...
-1024x680.jpg "“Clear anti-cyclist bias”: Lawsuit filed against Toronto police after cop doored cyclist… before ticketing rider over incident")
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
swagman 2 hours ago
Oh sir! sir! Johnnys riding his bike without a helmet, he’s going to die when he falls off!, Yes what a silly boy he is ! Anyway jump in the car we’re going to be late for school and I hope no one gets in my way especially bleeding cyclists!! I wonder if AI will see what fools we are..
ktache 3 hours ago
It's more about the nomex suit, car helmet and five point harnesses (with HANS), but "reply" ain't what it used to be...
Miller 3 hours ago
'Gotten' ? The word is 'become', as in, I have become sick of seeing 'gotten'.
Rendel Harris 3 hours ago
OK, all the stuff I said elsewhere on this thread in defence of helmets, I take it all back. I'd sooner be seen as an anti-lidder than be associated with that heap of steaming ordure.
ceppm 3 hours ago
Exactly my thoughts. A real shame, they're amazing bikes, same as Islabikes. Really sad to hear the news. Having said that, we probably didn't do enough to help them. My son had one Islabike and two Frogs, all second hand that we resold for about the same amount.
Rendel Harris 4 hours ago
I couldn't agree more, and when we have all that everywhere I might think about leaving off the helmet, but until then if I have to share the road with huge fast-moving chunks of metal, many of them piloted by persons of limited intelligence and even less self control, I'm going to keep the lid, which even Burt agrees can "probably" offer some protection from injury.
eburtthebike 4 hours ago
And the irony is that helmet promotion and mandation kills lots of people and they don't reduce the death rate of cyclists. The benefits of cycling vastly outweigh the risks, and helmet promotion and mandation deter cycling (the only proven effect) so those deterred lose those benefits and die earlier.
Justblewbyyou 4 hours ago
I see Mont Pythons upper class twits have been replaced by male anti helmet twits who probably ride under 10000 km/year while wearing bike gloves, ladies bib capris, power meters to register the watts they dont produce ,gps because they are easily lost on a tiny island, a mobile phone to call the wifey in case the ride gets too hilly or wet or fast or windy, all while complaining their tushy hurts. They always ask for proof..you could crash a few times on purpose without and with a helmet and send us the pictures. Do pros complain about helmets?..if you rode in a country with sun you would know that styrofoam actually keeps your head cool.. Ps ice hockey players say they dont need mouthguards..ask them to smile
ktache 4 hours ago
If it saves one life...
Hirsute 4 hours ago
Pro cyclists wear helmets as it is mandated. Before it was mandated, very few wore them. Infrastructure, separation, 20 mph, traffic calming are far more important.
10 thoughts on “Live blog: Sheffield lifestyle magazine jokes about using razor wire on pavement cyclists, Herrada wins Ventoux Challenge, bonkers Chris Froome crash conspiracy theories on the internet, weekend catch-up + more”
Something a bit like that
Something a bit like that happened to me some years ago. A screw went through my rear tyre and punched a hole in the bed of my Mavic Ksyrium rim. With the screw firmly locked in place the wheel did a couple of revolutions before I could stop and the screw head had put some horrible scratches along the seat tube. I think I was swearing to myself for the remaining six miles home.
About 15years ago, commuting
About 15years ago, commuting home through East London, near City Airport, there’s a big bang and back wheel locks solid. In rush hour traffic. Bit hairy. Screw through sidewall of tyre, out through top of tyre, right through mudguard (how the hell?) immediately screwing the tyre solidly to the mudguard. Took a while to sort that out. Needed a new tube, new tyre and new mudguard before we were finished.
Wondering – and clearly not
Wondering – and clearly not important with Froome because he’s out for a while – is there an immediate exemption granted for traces of drugs given in emergency medical treatment? Blood transfusions, adrenaline, steroids, opiods etc all widely used. Clearly you’re not gaining an advantage but are you allowed to ride on a big dose of painkillers following a crash like Roglic’s road rash in the Giro, or Dan Martin hitting the wall in the TdF?
kil0ran wrote:
I don’t think you’d be in any fit state to race if you’d legitimately needed a blood transfusion.
Think the rules on painkillers are pretty strict. Tramadol being a recent example of stricter policy.
That said, Froome’s biological passport will be all over the place now, conspiracy theorists will have a field day if he does make a comeback.
Ach, tubeless would have
Ach, tubeless would have dealt with that screw easily.
Miller wrote:
Depends how big the screw was.
Miller wrote:
I detect sarcasm. This happened to me exactly. Sent sealant mist spraying in all directions.
Let’s hope he’s filled in his
Let’s hope he’s filled in his ADAMS whereabouts correctly or when the testers come knocking at Froome Towers, Monaco there’ll be hell to pay.
Riding Vale lanes: PING, BANG
Riding Vale lanes: PING, BANG, PING, PING.
Rear flat.
I followed my usual routine of finding the hole in the tube and checking for a cause in the tyre. Nothing there, but for some reason, I plugged that hole in the tube with a finger, and blew it up again. And found another hole. And another. And another…
Inner tube looked more like a colander.
Eventually, I find a thin, rusty, bent nail in the sidewall of the tyre, caught under the rim. It must have been trapped between the tyre and frame, bouncing back and forth. Just glad I checked for more holes before I put a new tube in. Didn’t fancy the walk home. Rim was scratched to **** and a bit dented, but I rode it for a while longer.
Is it irony that the address
Is it irony that the address of this rag in Sheffield is London Road? The road which gave it’s name to the Planet X much lauded commuter/all-rounder?
Fuckwits.