Ultimate car in bike lane pic? (no, that's not it); CUK urges MPs to support cycling & walking; The Ras is back; Driver who killed pro cyclist gets community order; Steve Cummings' finest hour; Freeman researched testosterone online+more in the Live blog

We see a lot of close passes, but the sheer, mind-blowing pointlessness of most of them still gets us every time.

Proving it's not just a UK thing...

One of these days I'm going to have to start taking the lane... from r/bikecommuting

There was no Rás Tailteann in 2019 for the first time since 1953. The Irish race had been looking for a title sponsor since An Post in 2017.

It’s now been announced that the race will be back in 2020 under a new promotions group comprising volunteer figures who’ve been involved with the race over the last decade.

RTE reports that the 2020 edition is likely to be over fewer days, possibly five, but the new organisers hope to rebuilt its status in the coming years and eventually get back to eight days.

The date of the event will not be confirmed for a number of weeks.

"We are thrilled to see this legendary race continue," said race director Eimear Dignam.

"It has a special place in the hearts of not only the cycling community in Ireland, but also now in the hearts of those who've competed in it from around the world.

"We know the new organisers extremely well, having worked with them on the race for many years, and we’re delighted to have them take up the mantle."

Ask your local candidates to stand up for #cycling and walking

There's an urgent need for more investment in greener travel.

Take action now and help make sure your future MP steps up for safer streets and a healthier future. #GE2019

 https://t.co/Kh5TpjTG1U pic.twitter.com/9AE0a297Nn

— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) November 21, 2019

The charity is calling for at least 5% of transport spending to go on cycling and walking in 2020, and to rise to at least 10% within five years.

They’ve got a thing on their website so that you can very easily write to your local candidates to let them know active travel is important to you.

The Age reports that Billie Rodda has been sentenced to a three-year community corrections order after she pleaded guilty to causing the death of Australian pro cyclist Jason Lowndes by dangerous driving.

She also pleaded guilty to a summary charge of using a mobile phone while driving.

As well as the community order, she was fined and banned from driving for three years.

We’d already reported that Rodda was going to be spared jail, in large part because the prosecution and defence accepted she had not been using her phone in the moments immediately before the crash – even though she’d sent and received a whole series of texts leading up to it.

It was also agreed that she would have had between 2.2 and four seconds to see him. Reading the reports, this seems to have been considered a small amount of time.

We’d consider two seconds to be quite a long time to spot something on the road while driving. Four seconds is an age.

The defence said she’d been looking at her speedometer.

"You said you had no time to react and indeed you did not brake or steer away before the collision," said Judge Wendy Wilmoth. "There were no warning signs as to the likely presence of cyclists and there was no dedicated bike lane nor any opportunity for either Mr Lowndes or you to veer left."

Wilmoth said Rodda's moral culpability was low as she was not speeding, on drugs or alcohol, or fatigued at the time.

Expert parking in Wimslow, Manchester. This should be illegal, especially not to be forgotten as pavement parking jurisdiction evolves. pic.twitter.com/3tnXPYQz8z

— Prof Chris Oliver (@CyclingSurgeon) November 21, 2019

The 23-year-old is the current Pan American time trial champion.

"It’s a dream come true to be part of an incredible team with the best cyclists in the world."

Team INEOS are happy to welcome Brandon Rivera to the team after the Colombian penned a two-year contract.

 https://t.co/Z3Zt5j9bpx pic.twitter.com/4eb45se33I

— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) November 21, 2019

He knows Egan Bernal pretty well. “Egan and I are very good friends. We have known each other since the age of 10 when we started on the mountain bike in Zipaquirá.

"We were both full of dreams, and so to now be riding together again is incredible. I have to thank him very much for riding with me all these years and for always believing in me. In Colombia Egan is an example that dreams do come true and he’s an idol for children and adults.”

Cummings' retirement is a good excuse to revisit one of the finer stage victories.

Steve Cummings retired yesterday, having been unable to find a team for next season.

This means his pro career drew to a close with a crash on the Wirral during the Tour of Britain.

Speaking to the Wirral Globe, he said: "In one way it was good to finish my career one kilometre from home. But not with a broken back - that's not ideal."

Welcome to Thursday's live blog, which will hopefully have some actual news on it shortly and not just this perfunctory introductory sentence.