Live blog: NYC mayor to commit $58m to cycle safety after fifth death this month; Brailsford talks as Rowe and Martin appeals fail; Who will win the TdF poll; Biizarre Santander Cycle rider vs bus driver stand-off; Cool Spengle wheels+ more

Team INEOS and Team Jumbo-Visma have tonight released a joint statement, following the disqualification of Luke Rowe and Tony Martin

— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) July 24, 2019

Martin and Rowe were expelled from the race yesterday after a disagreement over positioning, with Ineos and Jumbo-Visma now releasing a joint statement saying they are appealing the decision. Here it is in full: “We believe this is a very harsh decision by the race commissaries and against the spirit of what has been such a fantastic race to date. It was the sort of incident that merits a fine and a warning but certainly not expulsion from the race – a ‘yellow card’ but not a ‘red’. Luke and Tony recognised it for what it was – a minor spat on the road at the end of a sweltering day in the saddle. It didn’t affect any other rider and it didn’t disadvantage any other team. They rode to the end of the stage together where they both shook hands. There was no ill will and they clearly still have a lot of respect for one another. We believe it is unjust that their Tour could come to an end over something like this at this point in the race.”

Ex-pro Benoît Drujon hired by Groupama-FDJ to dismantle and disinfect hotel aircon every day during the Tour, copying Ineos and Jumbo-Visma https://t.co/FHkCZHG5q4

— the Inner Ring (@inrng) July 25, 2019

The French publication 20 minutes report that Groupama-FDJ have a secret weapon that they hope will ensure Thibaut Pinot remains in good health throughout his Tour de France – in the form of former professional cyclist Benoît Drujon who now cuts his teeth as a professional cleaner. 

Drujon, who last rode pro in 2013, was employed specifically by the team to “minimise the risk of contact with microbes and bacteria” for the riders, by deep -cleaning the hotel rooms and team bus every day. His first job at the hotel is to clean the air conditioners, which he says are often dusty, even going as far as to disassemble them to make sure they’re gleaming. He’ll also disinfect all handles, door knobs and the toilet and spray an aerosol to create a closed circuit of micro fog, thus disinfecting the interior. Each room takes up to an hour to clean. 

The team bus gets the same anti-bacterial and disinfecting treatment, creating ‘a very healthy environment’. On the prospect of Pinot possibly becoming the first Frenchman to win the Tour since 1985, Drujon says: “I think about it every day when I’m cleaning my air conditioners”.

Could Drujon yet prove to be a tour-winning marginal gain?

Is Groupama’s cleaning regime even more evidence to convince you their man will triumph? Will G still succeed even without his wingman Luke Rowe? Have a vote in our poll – you win nothing other than bragging rights if you end up being correct when the Tour rolls into the Champs-Élysées on Sunday…

Luke Rowe is on the INEOS bus.

Two minutes ago Dave Brailsford still didn’t know whether he could start the stage.

Brailsford replied ‘Maybe’ to question of whether Rowe had kit on.

— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) July 25, 2019

Neither Rowe nor Martin has rolled out with the peloton so we think that’s the decision confirmed.

Correct call from the commissaires? Let us know in the comments!

Steven Kruijswijk, George Bennett en Laurens De Plus werden gecontroleerd in de bus. Ging om bloedcontrole, De Plus draagt de sporen nog op z’n arm #belga ‘is vervelend zo vlak voor de start, maar hoort bij de Koers’, aldus george bennett pic.twitter.com/z43Rpir8AT

— Ann Braeckman (@BraeckmanAnn) July 25, 2019

Laurens De Plus, domestique for Jumbo Visma’s Steven Kruijswijk revealed that they’d had surprise blood tests this morning prior to the stage start. 

Other key riders for the general classification race, including Thomas, Bernal, and Alaphilippe were also subject to testing. 

De Plus seemed pretty calm about it, saying that it’s “just part of the race”.

The already pretty out-there Spengle tri-spoke wheels are now available in an array of eccentric colourways, including iridescent and ‘lava’. Their range of all-carbon monocoque wheelset currently consists of a 27.5” MTB wheel plus 650B gravel and urban rims, but a 700c prototype will be shown at the Eurobike show in Germany this September.

The coloured wheels are limited to just 10 sets apiece, more info on Spengle’s website. 

Six off-duty gendarmes from the elite Garde Republicaine motorcycle unit that provides the escort to the Tour de France were assaulted while on an evening out in Montpellier on Tuesday evening, reports Le Parisien.

Earlier in the day, the officers had accompanied the peloton on Stage 16 which started and finished in Nimes and afterwards headed in civilian clothes to Montpellier.

At around 11.10pm, the encountered five youths, reportedly from the traveller community, who were breaking car wing mirrors, and the officers – reportedly without revealing their identity –  detained them while waiting for the arrival of local police.

Before they could arrive, however, three cars appeared at the scene with a dozen men getting out and setting about the gendarmes, one of whom had to be taken to hospital to have his injuries treated.

The aggression ceased when the police patrol despatched in response to the gendarmes’ initial request arrived, and an investigation is now underway.

Subject to Guinness verification, Richard Thoday claims to have completed the route in 4 days, 11hrs and 52 mins – full story here.  

The bikes that the pros ride are constantly evolving as a result of the latest technological innovations and team preferences, and here are the biggest trends that we’ve noticed this year.

“Sometimes a little bit of context wouldn’t go amiss.”

Sir Dave Brailsford reflects upon Luke Rowe’s expulsion from @LeTour pic.twitter.com/GXVYl1c3EH

— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 25, 2019

His ire seems to be directed at the lack of consistency with which the highly nuanced rules of cycling are applied… that inconsistency is, at least, rather consistent!   

Brailsford reiterated that he thought it was the wrong decision: “there’s the spirit of the law and the actual application of the law, sometimes a little bit of context wouldn’t go amiss really.”

Brailsford said he was fully prepared for the team to race no matter if they had seven or eight riders – it’s since been confirmed that they are indeed down to seven, as neither Rowe or Martin started stage 18. 

…because Nairo Quintana is off on one again, up over seven minutes on the peloton with a breakaway group. A valiant attempt, but this would have to go down as possibly the biggest shock in the race’s history if he puts himself in yellow from here.  

The clip shows a man on a London hire bike involved in a stand/sit-off with a London bus driver after he allegedly wasn’t allowed to board with the bike. 

London Economic report that onlookers said the man began to shout at the driver of the 149 bus, and before the footage was taken he had already hit it with his bike and accused the driver of racism for refusing to let him on.  

Full-sized bikes are not allowed on TfL buses, however folded bikes are accepted ‘at the driver’s discretion’.

Smarter more aero and more comfortable: read all about it here. 

If you’re riding in the hot weather later, be sure to check out our guide to protecting your skin and also our round-up of the best lightweight jerseys so you don’t melt too much next time… 

Quintana’s now got over six minutes on the peloton, and if he doesn’t put a pedal stroke wrong on the descent to the finish he’ll have seriously put himself back into GC contention. Bernal and Thomas has now also gapped the GC group, with Alaphilippe falling off the back. 

“It’s a reflection of all the work we have done. I have worked a lot since the beginning of the Tour to get here.”@NairoQuinCo on his stage win #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/8qW8Vc2ct5

— Tour de France (@LeTour) July 25, 2019

Never write off the Columbian pocket rocket – full report to follow here. 

Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio is reportedly set to announce funding of $58.4 million for cycle safety initiatives including adding 30 miles of segregated bike lanes, with a focus on 10 “bike priority districts” and early start traffic lights, after five cyclists lost their lives in the city this month, bringing the total this year to 17.

Earlier this year, the mayor came under intense criticism from cycling advocates due to the New York Police Department’s policy of responding to cyclist fatalities – often in hit-and-run incidents – by fining cyclists in streets near the scenes of fatal crashes in the days that followed.

That policy was reversed earlier this month, and the NYPD has said that from now on, such operations following the death of a cyclist will focus on motorists.

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