Welcome to Friday’s live blog with Simon MacMichael, Jack Sexty and the rest off the team.
Scientists urge WADA to ban spinach due to steroid-like effects; Coast To Coast In A Day sportive tomorrow (and 2020 entries open Monday); Dutch gov’t tells cyclists to leave phone in pocket as ban comes in + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond in the road.cc Live Blog
Fri, Jun 28, 2019 21:33
SUMMARY
28 June 2019, 21:33
Alex Dowsett wins national time trial championship for the sixth time
Alex Dowsett, who has been named in Katusha team for the Tour de France, will be riding the time trial stages in the colours of British national champion after winning the event for the sixth time in Norfolk yesterday.
Afterwards he said: “There were a few years where getting this jersey came quite easy and I guess I took it for granted. I think I will enjoy wearing it this time more than the other times I’ve had them. Today was a fight.
“I think I was down after one-third of the distance and this was a bit of a worry because I’d given a lot in this part of the course.
“Then at two-thirds it was touch and go, but then I brought it home well. We have some real fast guys in the Uk and the calibre of riders coming through is huge, so I don’t know when the last time in the national stripes will be so I’m going to enjoy every moment of this.”
28 June 2019, 21:33
Dowsett's new moniker recognised by the UCI...
May as well head to the registry/deed poll and get it properly changed now it’s been acknowledged at the highest level. Need all helps at the tdf I can get. https://t.co/iOtxJzhHPX
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) June 28, 2019
The new self-proclaimed ‘Alex van der Dowsaerttpoel’ (we presume the name is in tribute to a certain very talented Dutchman) has pretty much been knighted with the esteemed title…
28 June 2019, 21:33
Oregon cyclist sues city after workman places cable across cycle path
A cyclist is suing the city a Portland, Oregon, after a workman stretched a metal cable across a cycle path while it was closed for repairs.
James Thorne says the city was negligent in connection with the May 2018 incident, which happened in Kelley Point Park.
His lawsuit alleges that the cable was not clearly visible to riders, and that the city had failed to notify park users that the path was closed,
He sustained injuries to his back, neck and elbows and also had to undergo surgery on his left shoulder and right wrist.
Thorne is seeking $1 million in noneconomic damages for “pain, discomfort and interference with ordinary activities,” plus $86,000 in medical expenses, almost $85,000 in lost wages and $12,000 for damage to his bike.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Bloody cyclists, holding up traffic, rescuing ducks...
Rescued some ducklings this morning. First time I’ve been cheered for holding up traffic on me bike. from r/bicycling
This Redditer described his heroic act as the “first time I’ve been cheered for holding up traffic on me bike”.
*We’ve been told on certain browsers Reddit vids don’t appear to work, so here’s the link JIC
28 June 2019, 21:33
Glaston-bike
Lovely day for a bike ride! DH pic.twitter.com/zGJhpI3zbv
— Glastonbury Live (@GlastoLive) June 28, 2019
28 June 2019, 21:33
Dutch government tells cyclists to leave their phone in their pocket as ban comes in
The Dutch government has launched a publicity campaign urging cyclists to “Leave your phone in your pocket and save yourself a €95 fine” ahead of a new law banning people from using a mobile phone while riding a bike coming into force on Monday, reports dutchnews.nl.
The country’s transport minister, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, said: ‘In the traffic, an accident is just around the corner and this is why it’s important for all road users – including cyclists – to keep their eyes and minds on the road and not on their telephone screen.
“We often think that we can multi-task in traffic, but we really can’t, so please drive in ‘mono’ mode. I have a clear message for all cyclists: keep your phone, and your €95 in your pocket.”
28 June 2019, 21:33
Four-year doping bans for Denifl and Preidler
Professional cyclists Stefan Denifl and Georg Preidler have both been banned for four years for blood doping.
The two riders were provisionally suspended by the UCI in March after admitting being part of the Operation Aderlass blood doping investigation in their native Austria.
Denifl has been stripped of results including a stage win at the 2017 Vuelta.
28 June 2019, 21:33
First Look: Cannondale SuperSix Evo 2020
Cannondale has totally redesigned its flagship carbon road race bike with an all-new frame that is more aerodynamic, stiffer and comfortable than the bike first introduced in 2011 and last updated in 2015, with wider tyre clearance and revised geometry with choice of rim or disc brakes.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Froome is fed up...
Working on my patience #recovery #cycling pic.twitter.com/wFMDRcyIfN
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 28, 2019
…and dreaming of getting back on the bike again. Let’s hope the doctor’s predictions were correct.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Scientists call for spinach ban for athletes due to steroid-like effects
Scientists have called for spinach to be banned for athletes after discovering steroid-like effects.
Vice reports that researchers at the Freie Universität Berlin have recommended that a chemical called ecdysterone that is found in spinach should be added to WADA’s prohibited list due to potentially steroid-like effects.
They said: “Our hypothesis was that we would see an increase in performance, but we didn’t expect it to be that big. We recommended to WADA in our report that the substance be added to the doping list. We think that if it increases performance, then that unfair advantage should be eliminated.”
You’d have to be eating Popeye-esque quantities of the green stuff to feel the benefits, though – 4 kilograms a day, in fact, or 40 of the 100 gram bags it often comes in at the supermarket.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to jointly lead Team Ineos at Tour de France
Team Ineos will go into the Tour de france, which starts in Brussels a week tomorrow, with Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal as joint leaders – and they have a very strong supporting cast to back them up. Find out all about it here.
28 June 2019, 21:33
The eighth Coast To Coast In A Day sportive is tomorrow - and entries for 2020 open on Monday
With midsummer upon us, we’re coming into the height of the sportive season and tomorrow sees the eighth edition of one that combines one of the country’s bucket list cycle routes with some of its toughest climbs – the Coast To Coast In A Day.
1,000 riders will enjoy what is forecast to be glorious weather as they ride 150 miles from Seascale on the Cumbrian coast across to Whitby on the North Sea with 4,500 metres of climbing in between, including the Hardknott and Wrynose Passes before tackling the North Yorkshire Moors.
Organised by Open Cycling, the event sells out each year – the 2020 edition takes place on 20th June and if you want to get ride it, entries open next Monday 1 July. Find out more on Open Cycling’s Facebook page.
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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Latest Comments
Rendel Harris 7 minutes ago
@chrisonabike I was just reading that myself, it seems a bizarre kneejerk reaction before poor Finlay's cause of death has even been fully investigated. What does Mr.Hansen think has been going on, have the manufacturers had the means to make safer, more robust helmets that are just as light and well ventilated but haven't bothered releasing them? Or does he want the peleton racing in motorcycle helmets, because that's the only way there's going to be a chance of meaningful protection in 100 kmh crashes?
chrisonabike 17 minutes ago
I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work: AFAICS anti-social consequences are inherent in the business model. Models which seem to work better: advertising (Santander cycles), using bikes to make using another service which is more profitable (or less unprofitable) easier (Dutch OV Fiets). After that it's "local authority subsidises it" and then you're down to "flogging customer data"...
Destroyer666 19 minutes ago
Back in the day square taper bb's rolled on bearings that were considerably larger than inside these Maxhit ones. The ball bearings in these fully serviceable models cost a couple of euros. Don't get me wrong, they had their issues, like poor sealing. But those days, servicing bearings was the norm. The current state seems to be something of an attempt at non-serviceability, where efforts made at making products that you DO NOT have to service are accompanied with products that you CANNOT service. And those two things are mixed in different ways. For example with this Maxhit bearing you pay a crazy amount of money for supposed durability - that you are nonetheless expected to service once a year. And once these bearings wear enough, there is no way to service them anymore - no cups, cones, ball bearings to replace, unlike with the old bb's (sure, it was not THAT easy even with them to e.g. find just cups in bike shop). I guess my point is that while I applaud e.g. Enduro for making "bike specific" bearings, I nonetheless long for products that are just easy to service - that is the key to durability. And that does not have to mean it costs a lot. To prove my point: There is absolutely no reason why Shimano could not manufacture it's ubiquitous 20eur BB-MT501 with easily replaceable industrial standard 6805 bearings (where SKF quality bearings cost about 20eur), for the same cost they manufacture the BB in it's current form. They just chose not to. And I would choose that over crazy expensive bb's with marketing schpiel and small print regarding warranty any day.
chrisonabike 27 minutes ago
He's wildly over the top / backwards about what is a risk to the hard-pressed motorist and local places: those are "other motorists" and "mass motoring" respectively. He's almost right though in that many places - even in the UK - are gradually realising that a great way to save themselves money, improve their places and aid their chances of hitting targets on health, obesity, climate etc. is indeed to slow down motorists, restrict parking and deter (not prevent...) much *private motor* travel.
chrisonabike 39 minutes ago
RIP. According to the president of the Cyclistes Professionnels Associes the first thing they need to look at is ... helmets? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/czxqqlpnx98o Of course this could make perfect sense for a professional sport, perhaps standards haven't kept pace etc. It's certainly a rarefied extremely fast and hazard-rich environment, compared with my experience of normally <20mph utility-and-leisure cycling. But since the main factor seems to have been an uninvolved vehicle on the course this does sound like a convergence with the standard "cycling safety" narrative? ("Can't fix anything else, so what we *can* do is...")
Matt Page 57 minutes ago
@jaymack Praxis bottom brackets have Enduro steel bearings fitted through most of the range.
60somethingcyclist 4 hours ago
Re. Pro-car campaigner slams “hidden agenda” to “slow down motorists, restrict parking, and deter travel” this is just another right-wing conspiracy loon spouting off their usual rubbish. Why give him publicity? Like the sad people who walk through our town centres ranting on about anything and anyone they're best ignored.
60somethingcyclist 4 hours ago
Been a cyclist since I was 5 (63 soon), but I can't support this kind of behaviour. Just dumping bikes like this isn't on. Lime should have been made to provide enough designated pick up points before they were allowed to operate the scheme.
AlanMyles 5 hours ago
It is easier to trace fatalities and match them with the news story. In 2018 for instance, the only reported death where a "cyclist" was the other party, was the death of Sakhine Cikan, who was killed by someone riding an illegally modified machine. I have done a bit of research for other years and found similar. Injuries are going to be harder.
IanMK 5 hours ago
It's quite important if it's an illegal motorbike, you could claim against the MIB for damages etc. How will you (or the MIB) know if it's not recorded properly.
25 thoughts on “Scientists urge WADA to ban spinach due to steroid-like effects; Coast To Coast In A Day sportive tomorrow (and 2020 entries open Monday); Dutch gov’t tells cyclists to leave phone in pocket as ban comes in + more”
With the Portland thing
With the Portland thing (America’s big cycling city) it would appear that the cable was the closure, no hanging signs or tape, no cones, no standing signs. A bit like doing a temporary road closure by sinking solid black metal posts in a road, hoping that was enough and wondering why it was destroying cars and injuring the occupants. And then being sued.
$12000 damages for his bike?
$12000 damages for his bike?
Rick_Rude wrote:
10k bike plus accessories and the frame snapped.
Then again America, so they start high with their claims.
Holding up traffic like that?
Holding up traffic like that? He should have got a bill.
hawkinspeter wrote:
What do the Inland Revenue and a duck have in common?
They can both stick their bills up their ass.
Dowsett has been observing
Dowsett has been observing for a few weeks/months on Twitter that having ‘van’, ‘aert’ or ‘poel’ in your name is an unfair advantage this season (e.g. Lampaert, van Aert, van der Poel, Poels, Evenepoel).
Given that he specified his name in the morning before doing the race, should we regard this ‘name-doping’ as unfair preparation?
jollygoodvelo wrote:
Well if all the other top riders are on it…
Anyone know the specifics on
Anyone know the specifics on the Dutch thing?
[Edit] France24 have it that you have to be moving.
[Extra Edit] Holland-Cycling has a bit more-
https://www.holland-cycling.com/blog/300-mobile-phone-use-on-bike-illegal
The last bit: The new law applies to holding or operating your device. So if you want to use your navigation, take pictures or make a video while you are riding, make sure you use a holder on your handle bars or helmet. Just don’t press any buttons while you’re riding!
About that new Dutch law: it
About that new Dutch law: it applies to all mobile electronic devices. So you’re also not allowed to take your GPS out of its holder (which makes sense).
Presumably that would also
Presumably that would also make it illegal to operate the compouter functions (speed etc) of a GPS-equipped bike computer while moving.
Depends on what they mean by
Depends on what they mean by “mobile electronic devices”. If that’s meant literally, then it could apply to turning on/off bike lights which I doubt they would want. I think they mean “mobile” as in “mobile telecommunications” which could exclude GPS devices.
I think it’d be clearer if they specified not staring at a screen (e.g. more than a second or two) whilst moving.
We’d need to consult the
We’d need to consult the original Dutch to see whether it includes eg Bluetooth-equipped devices. In any case, we can hope that the law will be applied pragmatically.
Bmblbzzz wrote:
If it follows the usual pattern, it’ll be applied pragmatically if you are old and white, mostly ok if you are young and white and incredibly aggressively if you are none of the above.
So how many people are being
So how many people are being killed/injured by people on bikes using phones, just so we know the data and risk factor? Are they going to apply the same law for pedestrians, if not, why not, surely the risk is pretty much the same isn’t it if not more so? oh wait, peds using phones utterly ignoring their environment and hurting people doesn’t count!
The fine for 20% over a 50km/h limit in an urban(other) area is €48, doing 60km/h in a 50km/h zone is €75,
The equivalent fine of €95 is for doing 42km/h in a 30 zone or 64km/h in a 50 zone, so in the lower speed limit (residential), one were there’s greater danger posed by motorists, if you’re 40% over the posted speed limit that gets you the same penalty as a person using a mobile phone whilst cycling, seems legit!
Oh do shut up.
Oh do shut up.
fukawitribe wrote:
if you’re responding to my post then no I won’t. This is a forum to discuss the subject maters at hand. Instead of dribbling like you’ve lost your marbles why not enter into a normal conversation/discussion, is it too hard for you?
Seems that the squirrels are
Seems that the squirrels are further up the food chain than ducklings in some places. At least the DfT seem to think so.
Grey squirrels are vermin!
Grey squirrels are vermin!
I really want to know why the
I really want to know why the squirrel did cross the road.
Was it because it was nuts or to show that it wasn’t chicken?
hawkinspeter wrote:
maybe an initiation ritual?
giff77 wrote:
Not as tough as the pheasant initiation.
Froomy is finally catching up
Froomy is finally catching up with GoT; hence the expression.
Ha, I’d always thought that
Ha, I’d always thought that gangs of cats waited by the side of the road, telling one of them “wait, wait, wait.. go, go go” whenever a car was close enough.
An official overview of the
An official overview of the new dutch law is here: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2019/06/28/%E2%80%98laat-je-telefoon-lekker-zitten-en-hou-95-euro-in-je-zak%E2%80%99
The term used is “vasthouden”, i.e. holding the device, so using it should be fine, as long as you’re not holding it. And the article explicitly states that /operating/ a device that is in a holder is OK:
“Als een mobiel apparaat in een houder zit mag het wel worden gebruikt, bijvoorbeeld voor navigatie of handsfree bellen.”
I.e.: “If a mobile device is in a holder, then it may be used. For example for navigation or hands-free calls”.
So… seems pretty sensible.
Just how much did the spinach
Just how much did the spinach growers pay for that research?