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“Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this”: Cyclocross rider who stamped on rival’s bike has beer chucked on him by spectator; Bus driver calls LBC and says “cyclists don’t belong on roads”; Cav and Roglič in kimonos + more on the live blog

Another week almost done and dusted, Adwitiya’s your live blog host this Friday to get you over the line with the latest cycling news and views

SUMMARY

01 November 2024, 15:24
“Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this”: Cyclocross rider who stamped on rival’s bike has beer chucked on him by furious spectator

The X²O Badkamers Trophy kicked off today with the Koppenbergcross today, and the sparks are already flying — with none other than Eli Iserbyt in the midst of it all.

Last month, the 27-year-old Belgian CX champion had grabbed all the headlines after he rather aggressively and animatedly stamped on Fenix rider and former teammate Ryan Kamp’s rear mech as the two came together at a corner on a muddy downhill section.

> “It was in the heat of battle, something had been simmering for a while”: Disqualified Eli Iserbyt claims he stamped on cyclocross rival’s rear mech in response to “dirty” insults – but admits reaction was “not necessary”

And now at the Koppenbergcross, which marks the first race for the Belgian cyclocross racing series, he’s once again become the attention magnet — although this time, due to no act of his own.

As Iserbyt was making his way around the course on the second lap and looking to chase down the front of the pack with  Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal teammate Michael Vanthourenhout, a spectator chucked a can of beer at him from over the barriers.

The incident follows a bizarre phenomenon of racegoers throwing their drinkables — and sometimes, edibles too — at the riders, making one question, “Why even attend the race?” (and perhaps also, “Why waste beer?”).

> Drunk Tour de France spectator who threw bag of crisps at Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard arrested for aggravated assault, with riders’ union set to take legal action “with pleasure”

That’s the question that mountains jersey winner at the 1984 Tour de France Pippa York also seemed to ask, sharing a clip of the incident on Twitter with the caption: “Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this…”

Thankfully, the TV cameras soon cut to security personnel taking away the person responsible for throwing the beer.

The race was eventually won by Lars van der Haar, who marked another victory this season after his win at the Exact Cross in Beringen (the same race where Iserbyt was disqualified), with Iserbyt himself finishing second.

01 November 2024, 17:04
“This is not going to be his best day”: Spectator who threw beer at Eli Iserbyt at Belgian cyclocross race gets arrested and charged with assault and battery

After the bizarre moment where Belgian cyclocross champion Eli Iserbyt was thrown beer at by a spectator at the Koppenbergcross earlier, it’s now reported that the person was swiftly escorted away from the course by security and has now been arrested, with police drawing up a report for assault and battery.

Jurgen Mettepenningen, team manager for Iserbyt’s team Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, did not mince his words for the spectator, saying: “It’s very simple. This is crappy and marginal. People like that should stay at home. This has no place in cyclocross… cyclocross is a beautiful sport. I also think the people who react at home behind their keyboards are stupid. Support someone, but not against someone.”

Belgian news website Het Nieuwsblad also reported that Bingoal and Golazo are planning to file a joint complaint with the police. Christoph Impens from Golazo said: “This is not going to be his best day. We immediately rewound the images in the control room and sent them to our event manager downstairs. He immediately walked outside and identified the beer thrower and led him to the police. This does not belong at a cross.”

01 November 2024, 17:08
What is an all-road bike? A guide to this emerging road bike category plus a selection of the best
01 November 2024, 16:30
🚨 road.cc Podcast: We chat with Ned Boulting, who laments the loss of Tour de France, “the only race that matters”, from ITV’s free-to-air broadcast
road.cc Podcast episode 90

From 2026, the familiar sights of the Tour de France – the epic mountain ranges, fields of sunflowers, Tadej Pogačar riding off into the distance – will remain the same. But for many cycling fans in the UK, the sounds will be very different.

Next year’s Tour, the 25th edition of the race to be shown live on ITV, will be the final one to be broadcast on free-to-air television in the UK (for the foreseeable future at least), after it was announced last week that Warner Bros. Discovery and Eurosport have agreed a new exclusive TV rights deal for cycling’s biggest race from 2026 onwards.

“The Tour is going to go into a place where, in the UK media landscape, you normally find biathlon and hockey,” ITV’s lead cycling commentator Ned Boulting tells the road.cc Podcast...

> “The Tour is the only race that matters. And that’s gone now”: Ned Boulting on the end of free-to-air Tour de France coverage in the UK and his “deep sense of loss”

01 November 2024, 15:37
Mark Cavendish and Primož Roglič swap bike bibs for kimonos, pedalling for martial arts, and chapeaus for ojigis at Saitama Criterium

Has anyone looked more uncomfortable than Primož Roglič for being asked to put on a kimono and do some rudimentary martial arts moves for, let’s say a decent sum of money?

Cav on the other hand, couldn’t look happier! It really feels that the Manx Missile has rediscovered his love for the sport and truly wants to stay in it now that the chip of that 35th win is off his shoulder… 

01 November 2024, 09:35
“Is poor behaviour by some people cycling a reason to make children ride round buses unprotected on main roads?”: Leader of Green Party in London Assembly backs Sadiq Khan after mayor goes against Labour's request of halting floating bus stops rollout

Earlier this week, floating bus stops — the controversial schemes which makes the bike lanes go around a bus stop, segregating cyclists from motor traffic — made headlines as London Mayor Sadiq Khan decided to go against his own party member’s request to order a halt to the ‘bus stop bypasses’.

The request was made amidst continued pleas from many disabled charities and activities, as well as pointing out the issues this design can cause to the older populace, as pedestrians are required to make their way through a mini-crossing to go over from the pavement to the footpath.

However, Sadiq Khan has now found himself an ally in Green Party’s leader in the London Assembly, Caroline Russell, who praised the incumbent mayor for his decision to not buckle under pressure from party members, but at the same time called for more thorough research, thought and discussion — and ultimately, implementation of improved infrastructure that serves the needs for both cyclists as well as the elderly and the disabled.

Floating bus stop (CC0 1.0 DEED/RawPixel public domain)

> Leaked documents suggest "low risk" of cyclist collisions at "floating bus stops", as blindness campaigners urge safety action on design

Russell wrote that she had meeting with Londoners to talk about street designs in particular bus stop bypasses, including a number of organisations such as Inclusion London, Wheels for Wellbeing, Action Vision Zero, Transport for All and Guide Dog Campaigners.

“Bus stop bypasses are relatively new to London’s streets. They are being installed to protect children and less confident people on bikes from traffic danger. Some have been squeezed in without enough space and designs vary from place to place,” the Islington Borough councillor said.

“I’ve heard that unfamiliar and inconsistent street designs are confusing and can lead to disabled people fearing making everyday journeys and that’s not okay.

“Some people riding bikes are inconsiderate and that needs tackling. And so are some drivers. Is poor behaviour, by some people cycling, a reason to make children ride round buses unprotected on main roads?

“TfL were right to collect evidence about the good safety record and low risk posed by bus stop bypasses. But that’s not the whole picture. If new street layouts cause anxiety to disabled, blind and vision-impaired people that needs urgent action too.

“TfL should be able to create inclusive streets where everyone can feel confident getting on and off buses independently at bus stop bypasses AND children and unconfident Londoners on bikes are protected from traffic”

“This needs:

  • early engagement and co-design with disabled and vision-impaired Londoners
  • consistent designs
  • clear expectations about who gives way to whom
  • ​clarity for people on bikes about the need to pause at a bus stop bypass to let people cross the bike lane

“It also means:

  • agreeing the safety purpose of vision zero projects and
  • extensive communication with all Londoners so everyone is clear about how bus stop bypasses work and the need to keep each other safe as we make our daily journeys.

She concluded her Twitter thread saying: “I’m glad to see the Mayor has not given up on bus stop bypasses. I hope TfL will work to keep all Londoners safe and show that it understands the impact of unfamiliar street designs on the journeys of older, disabled, blind and vision-impaired people.”

> Cyclists to be banned from Oxford Street as part of Sadiq Khan’s pedestrianisation plans, but could be allowed to cycle at night

The thread from Russell seems to have been well-received by many cyclists and cycling campaigners. London Cycling Campaign’s Head of Communications, Simon Munk, perhaps put it best: “Thoughtful, nuanced thread from an ace politician! We need more of this and not just on ‘floating’ bus stops.

“So, can floating bus stops be improved? Absolutely. Is it vital we listen to concerns/act? Yes. Does that mean ban/ moratorium/ veto/ end to inclusive cycling routes? No.”

Feel free to share your experiences with floating bus stops and what do you think about them in the comments…

01 November 2024, 14:52
The duck's out of the bag!

Ladies and gentlemen, it's duck-watching season. And no, I don't mean to say those ducks

01 November 2024, 13:20
“We need to scrap cycling… you’re putting your life at risk!”: Bus driver who believes bikes “don’t belong on the road” squares off with cyclist on LBC

LBC oft-times gets a handful of wild callers, but this time there’s one which has truly confounded us…

While on the topic of cycle lanes in London with reporter Henry Riley, cyclist Stuart had the (mis?)fortune of squaring off with Abraham, a bus driver who believed that “bikes don’t belong on the road”.

“We need to scrap cycling,” begins the caller. “We shouldn’t have cyclists on the road. They should be track-only. Honestly, look, I’m a bus driver, that’s my background. This 20mph stuff is ridiculous. Cyclists have been crossing 20mph, right?”

Riles says: “Well a lot of drivers are also crossing 20mph… but you don’t seriously think we should rip up cycle lanes?”

“No I think we should… we don’t need them on the road,” Abraham replies, before responding directly to Stuart, who cycles to work every day. “Look Stuart, you’re putting your life at risk every day by cycling. You are, believe me!”

Stuart then says: “I’m not. I’ve never been involved in one accident in 35 years, so I’m not putting my life at risk… and what I wouldn’t do is put somebody else’s life at risk, which some cyclists do — the people who’re on their mobile phones — completely agree, we’re not a perfect race right? However, I’ve also seen bus drivers, taxi drivers, white van drivers who drift into cycle lanes.

“I’ve also seen some of the cycle lanes in London that how they’ve been designed [is] completely wrong. You have tourists who have to cross the cycle lanes to get to their coaches. In the last two years, I’ve probably seen six accidents where cyclists have careered into people who have to cross cycle lanes to get to their coach. So that’s a thing of planning that’s not to do with cyclists, but ill-conceived planning of cycle lanes.”

01 November 2024, 12:40
"Who needs a Haribo anyway?": Halloween treats for the young'uns
01 November 2024, 11:52
🎩 Brand new, erm, cycling helmets alert...

After the whole Visma-Giro time trial helmet debacle from earlier this year, I don't think I can handle one more pro cycling helmet situation... unless the new helmets are these?

The image is from the pre-race conference at the Saitama Criterium in Japan, supposed to take place tomorrow, with names like Romain Bardet, Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome, Biniam Girmay and Primož Roglič taking part. If you didn't remember, this was the race in which Tadej Pogačar won his most coveted trophy last year — a white raddish wrapped in plastic...

01 November 2024, 11:27
Cyclists caught looking at phones in Japan could face up to six months in jail, as new stricter cycling laws take effect
Cyclist in London on the phone - copyright Simon MacMichael

According to the new law, cyclists could also be sentenced to three years in prison and fined £2,500 for riding under the influence of alcohol...

> Cyclists caught looking at phones in Japan could face up to six months in jail, as new stricter cycling laws take effect

01 November 2024, 10:46
Ineo Grenadiers sign Lucas Hamilton
Ineos add Australian climber Lucas Hamilton to roster — taking team's total riders tally up to 30

Ineos Grenadiers has announced the signing of 28-year-old Australian climber Lucas Hamilton from Team Jayco-AlUla for the 2025 season, and with that, the team’s tally of total riders has gone up to 30.

Hamilton, who’s been riding at the pro level for the seven years, and even tasted victories at Coppi e Bartal along with stage wins at Tirreno-Adriatico and Czech Cycling Tour, as well as finishing fourth overall at Paris-Nice in 2021, said: “I’m incredibly excited to join the INEOS Grenadiers. For many years I have watched the team’s success from the outside, and I’ve always held a deep respect for their achievements.

> “Ineos seem to love a review”: Ineos Grenadiers announce new staff and performance structure changes after turbulent season – but fans say latest overhaul “like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic”

“Being a part of such a prestigious organisation is a great opportunity for me and I look forward to contributing to the team’s ongoing success. I can’t wait to get started and work alongside my new teammates!”

Ineos’ Performance Director, Scott Drawer, said: “Lucas has shown what he can do in the past and we believe in his talent and potential as a bike rider. He will fit in well with fellow riders and we are confident he will respond to the support we put around him with our new coaching and performance set up.”

“A big part of what we’re working towards is not only strengthening our rider roster but also entrenching a new approach within the team. Lucas’ experience across a wide variety of races means that he slots into an important area for us where he will also be able to support our impressive crop of young and emerging talent.”

> “They’re in bits”: Bradley Wiggins says Ineos Grenadiers’ “slow decline” is “sad to see” – and believes Tom Pidcock’s days at British squad are “numbered”

Ineos Grenadiers, 2024 Tour of Britain (Elliot Keen/British Cycling/via SWpix.com)

Ineos Grenadiers, 2024 Tour of Britain (Elliot Keen/British Cycling/via SWpix.com)

The British outfit struggling to return to the glory days of 2010s has been mired in controversy, with a host of its biggest riders including Tom Pidcock, Luke Rowe, Geraint Thomas and even parting rider Ethan Hayter and former Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins peeling back the layers of the troubles and tribulations rapt within the team.

The team recently announced new staff and performance structure changes after its turbulent 2024 season – but fans were quick to remark that the latest overhaul seemed more “like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic”.

Commenting on Hamilton’s signing, one person on social media said: “Not great work in the transfer market is it,” while another replied: “Pretty poor, Ratcliffe definitely winding it down.”

One can only hope that Ratcliffe’s miseries aren’t compounded with his other team, you know, the one about to hire a young, tactical mastermind from Sporting CP and lead the team back to the top…

Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.

Add new comment

25 comments

Avatar
Cycloid | 1 month ago
3 likes

"Cyclists should not be allowed on the roads" 

If cars (Motor vehicles) were invented tomorrow and it was known that they would cause about 30,000 KSIs per year they would definitely not be allowed on the roads. Fortunately we invented motornormativity shortly after the motor vehicle.

Avatar
Bungle_52 replied to Cycloid | 1 month ago
2 likes

Cycloid wrote:

"Cyclists should not be allowed on the roads" 

If cars (Motor vehicles) were invented tomorrow and it was known that they would cause about 30,000 KSIs per year they would definitely not be allowed on the roads. Fortunately we invented motornormativity shortly after the motor vehicle.

I think we've moved on a bit now and we should be saying that drivers cause 30,000 KSI's a year. Also I suspect an additional number of deaths can be attributed to pollution caused by cars being driven.

Having said that the fact that cars are potentially dangerous has been known since they were invented but the motoring lobby has persuaded successive governements that casualties are an acceptable price for the economic benefits of manufacturing and selling automobiles. Not to mention the perceived feeling of "freedom" they give to the driver. I doubt that if cars were invented tomorrow that anything would be different.

A link to an interesting read below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsafe_at_Any_Speed:_The_Designed-In_Dange...

Avatar
Cycloid replied to Bungle_52 | 1 month ago
0 likes

 

"I think we've moved on a bit now and we should be saying that drivers cause 30,000 KSI's a year. Also I suspect an additional number of deaths can be attributed to pollution caused by cars being driven.

Having said that the fact that cars are potentially dangerous has been known since they were invented but the motoring lobby has persuaded successive governements that casualties are an acceptable price for the economic benefits of manufacturing and selling automobiles. Not to mention the perceived feeling of "freedom" they give to the driver. I doubt that if cars were invented tomorrow that anything would be different."

You've pinched those arguments from the American Gun Lobby

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to Cycloid | 1 month ago
0 likes

That would be trying to push back against the depersonalising language of motornormativity I think ("car crashes into building"...).

Times have changed perhaps but I'm pretty sure that the presence of - or potential of - large sums of money is still warping reality, attracting people and bending - if not breaking - rules and laws. We're still all about "growth" apparently?

However the "PR" of the development of motoring is a sobering study. (Still ongoing - witness the VW emissions scandal, "plan for drivers"...). It shows more than the usual lies, distortions, political corruption or "state capture", disregard for environmental or human consequences etc.

Too many examples to list but the invention of jaywalking and the leaded petrol saga stand out.

Avatar
kingleo | 1 month ago
8 likes

Cyclists have the right to use the roads— they are public roads, not bus, car, or HGV roads.

Avatar
GMBasix | 1 month ago
2 likes

"...we're not a perfect race..."

In fact, we're not a separate 'race' at all. We're not even a separate people. We ride bikes, we walk and, by and large, we drive motor vehicles too. Just like you, Abraham. 

But statistically better.

And even if we do get it wrong on a bike, we don't weigh 10t with all the risking of others' lives that that entails.

Meanwhile, Abraham manages in one puff of steam from his ears to complain simultaneously that cyclists are going faster than 20mph and that 20mph limits are medieval.

Avatar
quiff replied to GMBasix | 1 month ago
1 like

To be fair, it was the cyclist who said "we're not a perfect race", not the bus driver othering us.

Avatar
mitsky | 1 month ago
1 like

Lets not forget the bus driver who said cyclists have to stop just before a bus stop and look around...

https://youtu.be/SF4u42-lx84

Avatar
james-o | 1 month ago
0 likes

Beer? Did he taste it? It might look like beer... 

Avatar
andystow | 1 month ago
4 likes

Those aren't kimonos. They're wearing hakama pants and keikogi tops.

Avatar
rct | 1 month ago
2 likes

Apparently speeding cyclists are the major problem in the Royal Parks, in London!
https://x.com/baoigheallain/status/1852267677948997717?s=46&t=qoU8Nofl6k...

Avatar
Mr Hoopdriver replied to rct | 1 month ago
2 likes

rct wrote:

Apparently speeding cyclists are the major problem in the Royal Parks, in London! https://x.com/baoigheallain/status/1852267677948997717?s=46&t=qoU8Nofl6k...

Definitely the cyclist's fault - they fled the scene but left their bike there.

Avatar
momove replied to rct | 1 month ago
1 like

Bloody hell.

Always amazes me how hard some people must be trying to have "accidents".

Avatar
Steve K | 1 month ago
7 likes

From my observations, the standard of driving by bus drivers in London is getting worse and worse.  

Avatar
alexuk replied to Steve K | 1 month ago
1 like

100% agree.

Avatar
mitsky replied to Steve K | 1 month ago
0 likes

Indeed.

As seen here:
https://youtu.be/SF4u42-lx84

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to Steve K | 1 month ago
0 likes

Steve K wrote:

From my observations, the standard of driving by bus drivers in London is getting worse and worse.  

The operators may have found it harder to recruit and retain drivers in recent years though but - in the interests of balance, and in support of people who do a hard job for little money - I can't say I noticed the standard of bus driving in London deteriorating throughout the 2010s.

Avatar
brooksby | 1 month ago
19 likes

Bus driver : "I am professional motorist but I don't understand how to properly drive where there are cyclists.  So I think we should ban the cyclists".

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Hirsute | 1 month ago
3 likes

I think this rhetorical

What do you say wtjs ?!

Avatar
quiff replied to Hirsute | 1 month ago
3 likes

Are they loading on the zig-zags, or driving with the tail-lift down?! 

Avatar
wtjs replied to Hirsute | 1 month ago
4 likes

What do you say wtjs ?!

Of course it's rhetorical! OpSnap Lancs is the most efficient way yet devised of getting videos of driving offences into the bin, although they try it on with the gullible when they think the complainant isn't the type to follow it up- they claim to be taking action where their devious form of words includes 'doing nothing' under 'taking action'. No photo or video tonight - I'm cycle camping in the Lakes 

Avatar
Hirsute replied to wtjs | 1 month ago
1 like

Hope it's at least a 3 season bag.

Avatar
wtjs replied to Hirsute | 1 month ago
1 like

It's warmer up here than it was on the Whitehaven to Sunderland C2C a month ago!

Avatar
FionaJJ | 1 month ago
11 likes

I'm glad to see some push back against the idea that floating bus stops are inherently bad, or that scrapping them would be without consequence.

But also pleased that there is to be an effort to consider the design, and to differentiate between the ones that have been badly installed and the better ones, and hopefully political will not just to ensure future ones are good, but existing ones are improved where required.. 

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to FionaJJ | 1 month ago
4 likes

Indeed.

I think it's yet another case where knowledge is not the problem *, space is not the problem, money is not even the problem.  Because this is "change" it's all about feelings.  So "politics" and "messaging" and "feeling listened to" are vastly more important than any stats or facts.

* Although I'm sure there are plenty folks who could usefully view e.g. this article and video on the best floating bus stop infra (or this informed UK perspective) or even spend some time using this infra in NL...

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