Are “box-ticking” painted bike lanes “more trouble than they’re worth”? Cyclists slam “useless white lines sprayed onto road”; Pogi-Roubaix? Tadej Pogačar teases Hell of the North debut with Arenberg training clip; Bernal’s back + more on the live blog

Dodgy WhatsApp message alert…

> Sacked health minister hoped cyclist asking for more cycle lanes would be “mown down by an HGV” in “disgraceful” WhatsApp messages

It’s the 2075 UCI Senior Esports world championships, and Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert are battling it out once again for the rainbow jersey, the Dutchman aiming for his 86th career world title, his eternal Belgian rival hoping to spoil the fun… once he gets his afternoon nap and dinner out of the way, of course:

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Casa Santa Maria (@rsa_casasantamaria)

Where do I sign up?

It was a busy weekend of racing around the world (or as proved the case for many teams at the crisis-stricken Étoile de Bessèges, not racing), as Arkea-B&B’s Kevin Vauquelin took advantage of the mass exodus from the beleaguered French stage race to win the final two stages, the shortened summit finish at Mont Bouquet and the race-ending time trial, to take the overall victory.

Meanwhile, Bahrain Victorious’ Colombian climber Santiago Buitrago secured the first GC victory of his career after dominating at the Volta Valenciana with two stage wins.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Eurosport (@eurosport)

And at the UAE Tour, Elisa Longo Borghini once again dominated on Jebel Hafeet to nab her second overall success at her team’s home race, as SD Worx’s Lorena Wiebes crept ever closer to that landmark 100th career victory with three sprint demolitions on the flat.

Over at the cyclocross, meanwhile, Lucinda Brand was determined to end her stunning winter on a high, beating in-form Inge van der Heijden at the Krawatencross, while Laurens Sweeck outduelled Toon Aerts and Eli Iserbyt.

After all that, there’s no rest for the wicked, however, as the Tour of Oman continued this morning, with its first summit finish on Eastern Mountain.

BOOM! David Gaudu wins the third stage of Tour of Oman! #TourofOmanhttps://t.co/AohgvtL5DU pic.twitter.com/A5PlDpMBDy

— Eemeli (@LosBrolin) February 10, 2025

And it was Groupama-FDJ’s David Gaudu who put down the first emphatic GC marker, before the race’s decisive final day on Green Mountain, with victory at the end of a pulsating battle with UAE Team Emirates’ Adam Yates.

After attacking constantly on the 4.8km climb, Gaudu was forced to fend off a late, seemingly perfectly timed charge by the British climber, kicking ahead of Yates in the sprint to the line to win by one second, taking the race lead in the process.

Damien Howson continued Q36.5’s encouraging start to the season with third, five seconds behind, while Valentin Paret-Peintre finished fourth, 13 seconds down, as his Soudal Quick-Step teammate Luis Vervaeke ceded the leader’s jersey after being dropped in the final 3km.

But with the Gaudu-Yates show getting off to an enthralling start, the second act on Wednesday will be very interesting…

Yesterday at the Krawatenscross in the Belgian town of Lille, 16 seconds down on race winner Lucinda Brand, Belgian cyclocross legend Sanne Cant crossed the line in fourth place, bringing an end to one of the sport’s most illustrious careers.

With 127 elite cyclocross victories under her belt during her 17-year career, the 34-year-old won three consecutive world titles between 2017 and 2019, as well as three overall World Cup classifications and three European championships.

Cant also, amazingly, won 15 straight Belgian elite titles between 2010 and 2024, a run that only ended this year when she decided to skip the championships, enabling her Creen teammate Marion Norbert Riberolle to take the black, yellow, and red jersey.

(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

The Belgian star was also instrumental in pushing for gender equality within the world of cyclocross, and during her period at the top of the sport saw the women’s races moved to primetime slots just before the men’s or, in the case of the world championships weekend, as main events in their own right, while races also became longer and prize money increased.

Cant also spent the past few years racing on the road for the Fenix-Deceuninck team, racing the first edition of the revamped Tour de France Femmes in 2022, before suffering a horrendous facial injury after crashing heavily at the 2023 Paris-Roubaix.

Her 2024/25 campaign was, rightly so, one long farewell tour, with Cant often giving the crowds one last emotional wave as she crossed the line. But she was still phenomenal consistent throughout the season, almost always finishing in the top ten from late December on (including taking ninth at the worlds in Liévin) and nabbing her 127th and last career win at Otegem last month.

To celebrate the end of one of cycling’s finest careers, her Crelan team assembled a who’s who of cyclocross – including Marianne Vos, Mathieu van der Poel, Puck Pieterse, her Belgian successor Marion Norbert Riberolle, Laurens Sweeck, and Emiel Verstrynge, as well as a host of family and friends – to record this absolutely brilliant musical tribute:

‘Sanne! Zoals jij kan niemand trappen, fietsen, sturen, Sanne!’ (For anyone whose Dutch isn’t up to scratch, that means: ‘Sanne, no one can pedal, cycle, or steer like you’, essentially.)

Now, good luck getting that out of your head…

Static bike maker Wattbike is seeking investment from new backers, the business having been utilising short-term loans amid slumping turnover and significant losses since the pandemic.

However, the brand has told us it is optimistic about its future, with “sales up more than 35 per cent year-on-year since September”.

Read more: > Wattbike seeks investment following years of losses and falling sales, but static bike brand insists “significant improvements in financial performance” recently

While Tadej Pogačar is busy winding us all up with viral Arenberg videos, his big classics rival Mathieu van der Poel has been hitting the slopes, as he winds down from another rainbow jersey-snatching cyclocross season:

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by MVDP (@mathieuvanderpoel)

He just has to be good at everything, doesn’t he?

Also, someone check – is Van der Poel contractually obliged to be near a Lamborghini at all times, even up a snowy mountain?

We are waiting!!!

[image or embed]

— jbarry881.bsky.social (@jbarry881.bsky.social) February 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM

As predicted, social media is nonstop Pogi-Roubaix chat this afternoon – he’s such a tease, that lad.

Nottinghamshire Police have launched an appeal after a penny-farthing was stolen from a garage in Nottingham just before Christmas.

Police say the ordinary was last seen inside a garage on Lenton Road, The Park, on 15 December, with the victim realising it was missing on 21 December, before reporting it stolen just after Christmas. According to officers, there is a “strong chance” that green and gold coloured bike was stolen on 18 December.

After over a month investigating the burglary, the force has appealed for anyone who saw anything unusual on Lenton Road on 18 December to come forward. They also shared an image of the bike, which they say has “high sentimental value” to the victim as it belonged to her late husband.

“For obvious reasons, the owner is desperate for this distinctive bike to be returned to her,” PC Charlotte Flynn said.

“We really want to make this happen, so would appeal to anyone who has seen the penny-farthing pictured and knows where it might be, to call us so that we can track it down.

“Our understanding is it was taken during a break-in at a garage belonging to the victim, so we’re of course also very keen to identify whoever was responsible for this offence.

“The public can help us on both fronts by sharing any information they have with the police by calling 101, quoting incident 398 of 6 January 2025, or by reporting it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

> Patent suggests new electronic MTB drivetrain from Shimano is imminent

Alright everyone, here’s a fun afternoon game for you all to play. And yes, it’s Monday afternoon – this is what passes for fun around here.

Our editor Jack spotted this, ahem, interesting item of clothing, made by Madison, at today’s IceBike North show at the Manchester velodrome:

Five road.cc points for any reader in the comments who can correctly identify the item of clothing and what it’s supposed to be used for.

Oh, and 10 points for any amusing wrong answers, too.

It’s got be UAE Team Emirates’ new special Terminator-style Roubaix kit for Pogačar, surely?

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Egan Arley Bernal Gomez (@eganbernal)

It’s been a long three years for Egan Bernal.

On 24 January 2022, the former Tour de France winner – who, in July 2019 on the Col d’Iseran, appeared for all the world to represent cycling’s future – narrowly escaped death following a horrific, high-speed crash into the back of a parked bus during a training ride.

Since then, the Colombian climber has desperately attempted to regain the spark that enabled him to dazzle on the sport’s biggest climbs and win the 2019 Tour and 2021 Giro d’Italia. Much of that period has been a slow, painful slog, Bernal’s former effervescence flattened – especially in his old stomping ground of the grand tours – as a new generation of sparkling talent emerged.

However, with stepping away from the sport a distinct possibility throughout 2022 and even beyond, Bernal – ever the fighter on the bike – has battled his way back to something at least approaching his old self.

A 2023 focused on re-finding his legs gave way to a much more encouraging 2024, which included top tens overall at Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie, a podium spot at the Volta a Catalunya, and a sharp, spirited display at the front of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. At the Tour de France, lingering back problems, however, only served to reinforce the belief that the 28-year-old’s best days were behind him.

But after a long period of rest, and amid whisperings that 2025 would see him back to his best, it’s fair to say Bernal’s started the year in roaring form.

A maiden Colombian national time trial win on Thursday – his first victory since standing on the top step in Milan at the end of the 2021 Giro d’Italia – was followed on Sunday by a stunning solo attack to win the road title, cueing emotional scenes in Bucaramanga.

El sueño de un hermano, la victoria del otro. Egan Bernal es el nuevo campeón nacional de ruta, y su hermano Ronald lo recibe entre lágrimas. Más que un título, es el reflejo de años de lucha juntos. ¡Esto es ciclismo, esto es familia! pic.twitter.com/3tdJ9MN6wd

— Camilo Uribe (@Uribecycling) February 9, 2025

Can those home wins open the floodgates? According to Ineos, Bernal is set to target the Giro d’Italia this year and, his team reckon, could well challenge for the podium.

If Bernal were to battle for pink in May, and even win, it would surely complete a comeback to rival Greg LeMond’s post-hunting accident return to the top at the 1989 Tour de France. And, with the Colombian champion’s jersey on his back, and after the three years he’s battled through to get to this point, you wouldn’t bet against him.

Not sure Tadej’s old mate Jasper Philipsen – teammate, of course, of reigning Roubaix emperor Mathieu van der Poel – is too enthused about the possibility of taking on the world champion at the Hell of the North in April:

Even UAE Team Emirates are getting in on the act:

Ah well, Roubaix or no Roubaix, at least Pogačar’s livened up a grey February Monday, anyway…

 

 

 

 

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In case you hadn’t guessed already, the new bit of Madison kit spotted by road.cc editor Jack at IceBike North is in fact, apparently, part of the brand’s new mechanics clothing line.

According to Jack, the jacket-dress combo is actually “sort of like a dry robe for people who get cold messing with their bike in the garage” and appears to be mostly aimed at bike shop staff in workshops.

Jack also told us that you pull it over your head, “so it is essentially a thermal dress with a jacket on top”.

I for one can’t wait to rock mine in the shed… Madison, you know my address.

Quick everyone, it’s happening, it’s happening! Maybe…

It turns out Tadej Pogačar isn’t just one of the best bike racers who’s ever lived. He’s also a social media phenom, adept at whipping up speculation and anticipation with the simple click of the ‘post’ button.

Because this morning, the world champion fiendishly shared a video on Instagram – filmed by his UAE Team Emirates colleague and training mate Tim Wellens – of himself tearing over the brutal, jagged cobbles of the Arenberg Forest, the focal point of Paris-Roubaix, the one monument he’s yet to race.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tadej Pogačar (@tadejpogacar)

Now if that isn’t the single most exciting cycling video of 2025 so far, I’ll eat one of the Arenberg’s cobbles.

(Also, fair to Wellens who, despite his cries of “not too fast!” at the beginning of the clip, demonstrated an impeccably steady filming hand while riding alongside Pogi on the Arenberg’s tarmac path.)

“Guess the place,” the 26-year-old captioned the video, with what was almost certainly a mischievous grin.

> Paris-Roubaix organisers drop controversial ‘chicane’ at Arenberg Forest entrance for 2025 race – replacing it with “small detour” to “slow down the riders in a more fluid manner”

But what does all this frolicking through cycling’s most intimidating forest mean? Is the three-time Tour de France winner finally set to make his debut at Paris-Roubaix, the race fans have been clamouring for him to ride for years?

Will we see a Van der Poel versus Pogačar duel at both Flanders and Roubaix this year? And could we see the first Tour winner emerge triumphant in the Roubaix velodrome since Bernard Hinault in 1981?

Or maybe, just maybe, Wellens and Pogačar simply crossed the border into France after a recce of the Tour of Flanders course – where the Slovenian will definitely be aiming for his second Ronde title in April – and thought posting a clip of the world champion on the Arenberg would be a right laugh.

Well, it’s got the cycling world talking anyway – and we’ll probably not shut up about it for the next two months, either…

‘Paint is not protection, paint is not protection…’

Here on the live blog, we’re well used to muttering that popular cycle lane mantra under our breaths, as we dodge parked cars and close passing motorists along (what’s supposed to be in theory) a dedicated cycling route – but which, in reality, constitutes nothing more than a lick of green paint on the road, ready to be ignored by drivers everywhere.

As we’ve seen over the years, nowhere is that mantra more prescient than in Belfast, where just two miles of properly protected and separated cycling infrastructure, last updated six years ago, exist – and where, according to recent government research, only a third of the locals believe that cycling in their area is safe, and 60 per cent reckon there is a lack of safe cycle paths.

Last month, the two-wheeled backlash against the apparent government apathy towards improving the city’s cycling network reached fever pitch, after Northern Ireland’s infrastructure minister John O’Dowd announced that £580,000 was set to be spent on upgrading one of Belfast’s only existing protected cycle paths… instead of, you know, building new ones.

> “You can’t make this stuff up”: Cyclists furious at government’s “easy, non-car disruptive” decision to upgrade “the one bike path we already have”… in city with only two miles of safe cycle lanes – as diversion forces riders onto busy road and footpath

“There are just two miles of protected cycle lanes in all of Belfast,” the Northern Ireland branch of Sustrans said at the time.

“Why spend more than half a million pounds in ‘improving’ this well-used foot and cycle path, when there is nothing of this standard in North and West Belfast? Please build the network!”

“It’s an easy and non-car disruptive thing to do. Gives the impression of investment in sustainable infrastructure without being in any way effective,” agreed cyclist Phil.

That mind-boggling decision came just a month after O’Dowd’s Department for Infrastructure produced a series of videos encouraging commuters to cycle to work instead of driving, in a bid to ease the city’s infamous congestion problems.

These videos extolled the “stress-free” virtues of the city’s painted bike lanes… one of which was captured on tape completely blocked by parked cars (though the DfI refrained from pointing that particular drawback out in their promo, surprisingly).

> “At least that part of the campaign was realistic”: Government video encouraging people to cycle to avoid “traffic chaos” shows cyclist riding past bike lane blocked by parked cars

And now, disgruntled cyclists have once again taken to the local press to criticise Belfast’s stop-start, leisure-focused approach to cycle lane design, branded a mere “box-ticking exercise” that makes cycling in the city “intimidating” and “frustrating”.

“A cycle lane here is basically a white line sprayed onto a busy road which is completely useless,” Colin O’Carroll, a National Standards cycling instructor, told the Irish News at the weekend.

“Take the Crumlin Road where the cycle lane is lined with parked cars and that’s dangerous because it’s pushing cyclists into the traffic. The DfI need to implement a protected cycle lane along these routes so there is a physical barrier that vehicles cannot cross. The ones we do have start and stop mid-route so that’s pointless as your having to exit and enter heavy traffic along the road.

> Allowing taxis in bus lanes over Christmas a “huge step backwards” that will “put cyclists at risk”, say cycling campaigners

He continued: “Motorists are supposed to give cyclists a two-metre gap when overtaking, but on every journey I’ll have at least one close pass where a motorist is not respecting that space, be it to try and avoid some traffic congestion or simply road rage from the mentality cyclists shouldn’t be on the road.

“It’s especially intimidating for those with little experience who try to implement cycling into their daily commute.

“I was in Melbourne recently and they had lined the inside lane with a raised kerb to separate it from the traffic. It was normal to see parents with two young children all on their bikes cycling in this busy city, whereas it’s rare to see it off a greenway here due to safety concerns.

“Here there seems to be more of a focus on providing greenways for those wishing to cycle for leisure instead of improving the cycling infrastructure along our arterial routes.

“The DFI does not fundamentally understand what is needed. Cycling lanes are treated as little more than a box-ticking exercise. It’s frustrating for the cycling community.”

> “I get more abuse on my bike than in my work”: Cyclist death sparks MP to highlight “dire situation of underinvestment” in cycling, urges some drivers to change “irrational attitudes”

Meanwhile, Belfast cyclist Kerry Lynn, who rides a cargo bike with her three children, says the wait for safe cycling infrastructure has made the school run a “nightmare”, and called for the changes to the Highway Code implemented in the rest of the UK three years ago to protect vulnerable road users to also be introduced in Northern Ireland.

“As a mum of three young kids, we’re out and about in the neighbourhood every day, either as pedestrians or on the cargo bike and safety is my biggest concern,” Kerry said.

“We live just a few hundred metres from the school, but navigating that residential area can be a nightmare. Just last week we were cycling to the library which includes a couple of hundred metres on the main road and as I was entering one motorist came flying past and cut us off and all we had were helmets to protect us.

“I find the cycle lanes on my route more trouble than they are worth. They feel like little more than a box-ticking exercise.

“Updates to our road rules, like the ‘Hierarchy of Road Users’, make so much sense to me because it highlights our individual responsibilities relative to what we’re using to get around.

“A heavier vehicle with higher speeds should carry the most responsibility and care to help protect the most vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists. It’s all about mutual respect and kindness.”

> “If they can’t build cycle lanes, devolve bloody powers to us and we’ll do it”: Belfast Council slams Northern Ireland government’s “joke” delivery of cycling infrastructure – as just 2.8km of bike lanes installed in two years

Meanwhile, Andrew McClean, Cycling UK’s Northern Ireland lead, noted that people have expressed a “desire to cycle” in Belfast – but that desire is not translating to more cycling trips, simply because safe infrastructure is not there.

According to the DfI Roads Eastern Transport Plan Engagement Survey, cycling was the preferred mode of transport for future trips to work or education, with 64 per cent of respondents saying they wanted to cycle to work, education, or other activities, more than any other mode.

However, the report also showed that 60 per cent of respondents believe that there is a lack of safe cycle paths in the country, hindering their ability to ride a bike safely and confidently.

“We know that nearly half the people in Belfast want to cycle more. We also know from the government’s own survey data, that cycling is the number one preferred way to get around for commuters in the city and the surrounding areas,” he said.

“However, the majority of people agree there aren’t enough safe cycle paths, and only a third of people in Belfast think it’s safe to cycle in their area. That’s because there are only a couple of miles of dedicated cycle paths in the whole of Belfast.

“There’s still a complete lack of urgency around building safe, dedicated cycle paths, despite warm words from the government. Rolling out 20mph as a default speed limit, and updating the Highway Code to include some of the changes implemented three years ago in Great Britain, would help.”