Boardman polices Transport Secretary’s emojis; Jeremy Vine says he’s found the worst driver in London; Cav needs some big wins; Video: Cross-country cyclists slide down icy hill in 1955; Plans for cycle lanes on every single Paris street

Earlier in the week we reported how Nairo Quintana had put out an appeal on Facebook after his black Schnauzer, Rocky, went missing in the city of Tunja, Colombia, on Tuesday.

The Arkéa–Samsic rider and 2014 Giro champion has now proclaimed himself “super happy” after Rocky turned up.

Forbes reports that Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has announced plans for every street in the city to have a cycle path, and for all of the city’s bridges to have protected cycleways by 2024.

🚲 Prendre un vélo c’est :
👉vivre Paris avec un nouveau rythme
👉le moyen le ➕ rapide pour traverser la capitale
👉s’accorder un temps d’activité physique
👉promouvoir la nécessité absolue de mieux partager la rue
👉c’est agréable, pratique, économique et écologique #Thread👇 pic.twitter.com/A1xSy11Syg

— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) January 28, 2020

The bold vision is part of her re-election campaign.

She says cycling infrastructure would be built mostly at the expense of motor vehicles. The plans would see the removal of 72 per cent of the French capital’s on-street car parking.

Speaking in 2018, Hidalgo said that cycle lanes had helped slash the number of motor vehicles driven on the streets of the French capital.

February of that year saw 705 vehicles recorded per kilometre per hour, down 11.4 per cent on the same month in 2017.

De @Telenet_Baloise plooien niet voor ciara. @TrekBikes @aadrink #teamtraining #goodvibes pic.twitter.com/zBpJR1Em5m

— Sven Nys (@sven_nys) February 12, 2020

#OnThisDay 1955: Cross-country cyclists took turns slipping down an icy hill. pic.twitter.com/ak0Uz0m9Ee

— BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) February 13, 2020

Manager Rod Ellingworth says there is “potentially” room for a sprinter in Bahrain McLarens’ team for the Tour de France, even though the route is “excellent” for Mikel Landa, who will battle for the overall.

“We’ve got a long way to go yet but it could be part of the plan,” Ellingworth told Cycling News. “I think it can be done, definitely.”

Of Cavendish’s chances, he said: “For Mark, if he’s winning and performing well, why would we not think about going on that journey and trying to be the greatest stage winner in Tour de France history? That dream is still there. He knows it’ll be a hard challenge. If he’s winning at WorldTour level, why wouldn’t we take him?”

Cavendish recent raced the Saudi Tour, at which he helped fellow sprinter Phil Bauhaus to two stage wins and the overall title after crashing twice on stage two.

“I certainly think that last stage, Cav could have won that himself,” said Ellingworth. “I have no doubt at all that his condition is good enough. It was the way the race played out.

“For Mark individually, physically he’s in the right place. He’s got some work to do still, but he’s certainly on track. Then there’s also the confidence around going for that sprint and putting yourself on the line. That’s not easy.”

He did however say that Cavendish was showing no signs of the Epstein-Barr virus that has blighted recent seasons.

“The game we’re playing with him is step-by-step,” he said.

“In terms of his health, we’ve now ticked that box. He had really struggled on and off – that’s what that virus does, it limits you, you can’t go deep, you can’t back up day after day – but he’s been training well for four months so that’s good. Then you have the race condition, which has not been there for a while, but we’ve ticked that box now.

“He still wants to win for himself. 100 per cent we want to see Mark Cavendish with his arms in the air again. Where that will be and how it will happen, that’s the question.”

(via Facebook)

We’ve found the worst driver in London, everyone https://t.co/q0LB6m1srl

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) February 13, 2020

 

 

 

 

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We’re eliminating all plastics at our events, with aim to be the most sustainable event in the World. We won’t have any plastics, including single-use plastics bottles at our events. We’re also working with our exhibitors, catering companies, sponsors and partners to ensure we’re recycling everything we can and eliminating any unnecessary waste. Posted @withregram • @big_plastic_pledge • MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE • . . How many more plastic bottles do we have to see littered across our beautiful beaches before something serious is done? . . Here at BIG PLASTIC PLEDGE we are doing our best to educate and inform people about how much help is required to eradicate single use plastic in sport. . . The problem is we can’t do this on our own. We need help! We need people like you who are reading this message and thinking yes I need to PLEDGE and yes I need to share the #bigplasticpledge message to your friends and family. . . Together a ripple effect will happen and more and more amazing people like you will help us promote the big plastic pledge story. After all we would LOVE to keep our beaches clean and free from single use plastic. . . #saynotosingleuseplastic #plasticfreeocean #sport #innovators #endplasticpollution #sustainability #beach #ocean #sailing #blueplanet #olympics #tokyo2020 #plasticpolutes #liveplasticfree #pledgestory #team #bethechange #stadiums #zerowaste #2020goals #zerowaste

A post shared by The Tour Of Cambridgeshire (@thetourofcambs) on Feb 13, 2020 at 3:23am PST

 

 

 

 

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Unfortunately I had to abandon Valencia last week. I would’ve flown to altitude camp this Thursday to prepare the next races, but we have to postpone until I feel 100% again. We will change my racing schedule by skipping Tirreno and MSR to allow me the time I need to get back on full strength again. It’s such a shame because I was feeling amazing and I couldn’t wait for the season to start. Too bad I need to wait a little longer now. To quote the famous philosopher RUN DMC: 🎼 ‘It’s like that, and that’s the way it is’ 🎼

A post shared by Tom Dumoulin (@t.dumoulin) on Feb 11, 2020 at 12:27pm PST

The only thing “unrealistic” is the fact that there are two people in the car! 😀

By far the best sketch from annual Icelandic Lampoon show of 2019, thank you @ruvsjonvarp 🙏#modacity #mobility #aðförin#cycling #sustainabletransport pic.twitter.com/VF8NrLryk7

— Björn Teitsson (@bjornteits) February 12, 2020

Leck mich am Arsch. from r/de

Nukeproof launches the Cub-Scout kids’ bike with 20″, 24″ or 26″ wheels, off-road.cc have all the details here. 

Destroyed my rear wheel at Highland Bike Park, to expensive to just throw away so I gave it a new purpose in life. from r/bicycling

HAVE YOUR SAY: @TamesideCouncil has plans to change walking & cycling across the borough and you can input into the plans.

You can find out more online or attend an event near you, including a Family Event on Tuesday 18 Feb – more here: https://t.co/lTBzVkmLmH #BeeNetwork 🐝 pic.twitter.com/IdpNezoywN

— TfGM (@OfficialTfGM) February 13, 2020

A driver who jumped a red light and hit a cyclist in Camden in January 2018 has been convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

My London reports that Angelo Kaminski also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after he and his family concocted a story about his car being stolen. His father, younger brother and cousin were found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

All four will be sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court tomorrow.

The cyclist, Abdul Hadi, was taken to hospital with a number of serious injuries, including a skull fracture, a bleed on the brain and a fractured pelvis.

He remained in a coma for the next 18 months but died in hospital in July 2019 having not regained consciousness.

Kaminski drove away, running another red light in the process, before abandoning his car 1km from the scene of the collision.

Detective Inspector Cheryl Frost of the Metropolitan Police said: “Angelo Kaminski drove through a red light and struck Abdul Hadi, leaving him with catastrophic injuries.

“Instead of stopping and trying to help Mr Hadi, he thought only about himself, fleeing the scene and then, along with his family members, instigating attempts to cover his tracks.

“I would like to thank the Hadi family for all their support throughout the investigation into this tragic incident which has left them deprived of a loving husband and father.”

Couple of emojis short there Mr Secretary 🚶‍♀️ 🚲 especially as communities mean everything 👍 https://t.co/096BPRPzyP

— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) February 13, 2020

Great that construction is underway at Brunswick Square:
🚲Removing a roundabout
🚶‍♂️Removing through traffic on Lansdowne Terrace
🌳new public space with new trees, planting & seating
🚶5 new/upgraded crossings
🚲two-way cycle track
👍👍@CamdenCouncil @AdamDKHarrison pic.twitter.com/oe7CCNtH1U

— Will Norman (@willnorman) February 13, 2020

“We’d love to organise a Gravel World Championships,” Giancarlo Brocci told Cycling News.

“I can’t think of a better place for it than here in Tuscany on our strade bianche gravel roads that inspired the original Eroica event.”

Swapping four wheels for two 🚲

Great to see @MrJamesMay in our West End store today, collecting his new steed.#EnjoyTheRide pic.twitter.com/fDdScZsnww

— Evans Cycles (@EvansCycles) February 13, 2020

Not an enormous surprise as May has often spoken positively about cycling.

In 2017, he professed a lifelong love of cycling and more recently he’s delivered an impassioned speech urging drivers to “live in peace” and “not to buy into the anti-cycling thing.”

May’s colleagues are not necessarily as anti-cycling as they often pretend either. Jeremy Clarkson was pictured leaving his house aboard a bicycle after being sacked by the BBC, while Richard Hammond has also expressed that he likes cycling, even going as far as admitting to the BBC that he prefers cycling around town to driving.