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Have you been saying 'Tao Geoghegan Hart' wrong?; Friday funny: Watt saving aero winter gloves; Pantani's Tour de France bike auctions for €66k; Kids riding bikes to school fill the cycle lane; Dangerous pass on the school run + more on the live blog

It's Friday and Dan Alexander will be taking you through to the weekend on the live blog...
Fri, Dec 11, 2020 09:09
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Have you been saying 'Tao Geoghegan Hart' wrong?; Friday funny: Watt saving aero winter gloves; Pantani's Tour de France bike auctions for €66k; Kids riding bikes to school fill the cycle lane; Dangerous pass on the school run + more on the live blogTao Geoghegan Hart ineos 2020
11 December 2020, 17:10
11 December 2020, 10:14
Tao Geoghegan Hart features on list of most mispronounced words

The Telegraph suggests 'TIE-oh GAY-gen haart' is the perfect pronunciation. Tao's not so sure... Barnard Castle topped the list due to the north-south divide on 'KASS-ul' or 'CAR-suul' but cycling got a mention too. Tao posted the story on his Twitter and said The Telegraph's effort was not as perfect as it claimed...It seems someone at the paper needs to go to Barnard Castle.

11 December 2020, 16:21
UCI to introduce barrier standards for finish straights
Fabio Jakobsen crash at 2020 Tour de Pologne (picture credit ilario Biondi/LB/RB/CorVos/SWpix.com).JPG

The UCI have announced they are to introduce a requirement for safer finish line barriers at bike races from 2021. In the aftermath of the Fabio Jakobsen crash at the Tour of Poland, some critics argued the barriers used at the event weren't strong enough. At the Giro d'Italia, Luca Wackermann sustained a broken back in a crash when barriers were moved by the downdraft of a helicopter.

Cyclingnews reports the UCI have worked with a number of representatives from the teams as well as the CPA riders' association to draw up 14 key new measures to protect rider safety. One of these measures will be the introduction of better barrier standards at races, particularly for bunch sprints.

Riders, teams and organisers will also have more responsibility for their conduct such as when discarding of waste or using equipment such as disc brakes.

Senior pro Philippe Gilbert was part of the CPA riders' association that were consulted, and commented on the measures: "As professional rider directly impacted by these new measures, I am extremely pleased to have been involved and listened to throughout the consultation process led by the UCI.

"This allowed me to directly express our concerns on important topics such as barrier design and ensuring race convoy vehicles are operated safely around riders. I am pleased with the outcome and glad to see that my input will provide greater safety for us, and for the next generation of riders that will follow."

11 December 2020, 16:13
11 December 2020, 14:52
Friday funny: Watt saving aero winter gloves

Coming in Tour de France yellow or Giro d'Italia pink, these watt saving aero winter gloves are a steal at £90... Guaranteed to keep your hands dry, the seller says they're 'designed for speed and to be bold'... What's more, when you've finished your ride and need to clean your bike, you can keep the gloves on. Genius.

If you actually do need a new pair of winter gloves then check out our buyer's guide with 25 of the best winter cycling gloves to keep your hands warm and dry.

11 December 2020, 14:30
A new way to buy and sell used bikes
Curated Cranks

Curated Cranks wants to take the guess work out of buying a used bike by launching the first dedicated marketplace to buy and sell premium used bikes. The virtual showroom is designed to give buyers standardised high quality photographs, video and description of every bike so you don't have to deal with blurry pictures, bad lighting and missing details. 

The listing service is free for sellers and means your bike gets a bespoke listing written by Curated Cranks. Once a bike has been listed, auctions will be run on a timed basis of 7-14 days and promoted by their social media team. Selling your bike is free, with buyers paying a buyer's premium instead.

11 December 2020, 14:21
11 December 2020, 14:14
Feeling festive?
11 December 2020, 13:53
More Bianchi news...

Bianchi will supply GreenEDGE Cycling with bikes next season after an off season of bike manufacturer musical chairs. Bianchi left Jumbo-Visma to join GreenEDGE, Scott left Greenedge to join Sunweb (or Team DMS as they'll be known in 2021) and Cervélo left Sunweb to join Jumbo-Visma...The short of it is you'll see Simon Yates on this beauty next year which may give you a clue about what colours we might see on GreenEDGE's kits too.

However, some people are disappointed at the lack of Bianchi's signature celeste colour on the frame...What do you think?

11 December 2020, 12:48
Marco Pantani's 2000 Tour de France bike fetches €66k at auction

Marco Pantani's 2000 Tour de France bike fetched €66,000 at auction yesterday. The winning bid came from a group who knew Pantani well, headed by Italian national cycling team manager Davide Cassani and an entrepreneur who supported the cause. It will be displayed at a museum remembering the cyclist, in Marco's home town of Cesenatico. The Bianchi carried Pantani to two stage wins including the famous stage to Mont Ventoux when the Italian and Lance Armstrong reached the summit side by side.

Pantani abandoned the 2000 Tour before stage 17 but not before he'd won his second stage, at Courcheval. It was his first return to the sport's biggest race after being expelled from the 1999 Giro d'Italia before the final mountain stage, with a second Maglia Rosa all but secured, for returning an adverse hematocrit reading.

Pantani's bike from the Sydney Olympics was also auctioned for €46,000 and despite other items from famous sportsmen such as Michael Jordan, Pelé and Diego Maradona being auctioned, Pantani's Tour de France bike received the highest bid of the day.

11 December 2020, 11:38
Jon Dibben retires

Jon Dibben has retired from professional cycling. At WorldTour level, the 26-year-old rode for Cannondale-Drapac, Team Sky and most recently Lotto-Soudal. As an U23 he finished ninth in the World Championship Road Race, sixth in the time trial and second at the U23 Tour of Flanders. In 2016, Dibben also became a world champion on the track in the points race, as well as winning silver as part of the team pursuit squad.

Speaking about his final race, the Giro d'Italia, Dibben Said: "On the last road stage we finished up at Sestriere. We had bluebird skies, it was the end of October so by the time we'd done a six-hour day the sun's almost setting in the background, we were up at 2,000 metres so there was snow at the side of the road. I knew we'd made the time cut so I dropped off the back of the gruppetto to just be by myself. I was riding in the last few minutes in a sunset, snowy mountains thinking 'this is probably my last race'. It's probably one of the very few moments in a race, or on a bike, that I've savoured."

11 December 2020, 11:35
11 December 2020, 10:40
'Segregation works': Cycle lane packed with children riding bikes to school

This is a great advert for cycling infrastructure attracting more young people to active travel, while also keeping them safe. As the post says, the thought of this many children cycling around an HGV would be at least stressful and probably quite dangerous without any segregated cycle lanes. Here, it isn't a problem. The Limerick School Bus is a group of children and adults who cycle to school every day and has continued to attract big groups even with the weather getting darker and colder.

One parent said: "My son cycles to school most mornings with my dad. At the beginning they found this roundabout difficult to manage safely by themselves. Since joining the School Cycle Bus it's made cycling to school so much safer as well as being really enjoyable. It's such a fantastic group."

11 December 2020, 09:45
Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France jersey is up for auction
2020 Tour de France Pogacar Hill Climb

Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France jersey and helmet are up for auction to help raise money for a hemato-oncology department in Slovenia which supports the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of blood diseases and cancer. The 22-year-old's signed King of the Mountain's jersey and polka dot helmet have been listed on Siol.net at a starting price of 300 euros, with the auction running until December 21. 

11 December 2020, 08:47
Dad films dangerous close pass on kids as they cycle to school just two weeks after identical incident on the same road

The worst part of this attempted close pass in Dublin is that just two weeks ago Dan Dunne filmed an almost identical incident on the same stretch of road... In both cases, the driver of the car overtakes the dad and his two kids on a blind bend, while they cycle to school. Both times a van comes the other way and the car has to stop...

Andrew Newman, a retired cop, commented: "Would be an interesting conversation at the school gate if that driver was another parent. I’m glad everyone is ok but I agree that this needs to be reported. I’m a retired cop, this would be an easy Sect 3 due care. Fixed penalty, 3-6 points and a driver who will think next time."

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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7 comments

Avatar
portec | 3 years ago
7 likes

I doubt the driver would even "save a matter of seconds" if he'd managed to get past. He'd have just got to the next red light a few seconds earlier.

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to portec | 3 years ago
5 likes

portec wrote:

I doubt the driver would even "save a matter of seconds" if he'd managed to get past. He'd have just got to the next red light a few seconds earlier.

"I'm so important I must get to the end of the next queue, and if kids have to die that's not my problem"

Avatar
Hirsute | 3 years ago
8 likes

I would have been banging on that rear window.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
10 likes

First reply on the latest incident "it is your fault for being so far out in the road".

FFS

At least the girls haven't been scared off and the look she gave the vehicle as well. 

Avatar
bobbinogs replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
3 likes

Yes, it is a bit sad that we have to get cyclists to develop a thick skin and a bullish attitude just to feel safe enough to ride on the road.  Unfortunately my wife likes cycling but lacks the confidence needed when faced with a few tonnes of aluminium driven by a senseless idiot.  Not a lot I can do to change that 

Avatar
nniff replied to bobbinogs | 3 years ago
14 likes

bobbinogs wrote:

Unfortunately my wife likes cycling but lacks the confidence needed when faced with a few tonnes of aluminium driven by a senseless idiot.  Not a lot I can do to change that 

Indeed - my wife has started cycling, armed with an electric bike.  I trundle along behind and get a shooing on the hills.  However, if you want to see someone riding a long way out from the kerb,  it's me, trying to provide a feeble barrier between her and the clown-cars.  I shouldn't have to do that, she she shouldn't need to feel scared.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to nniff | 3 years ago
1 like

Snap, same here. When we ride i'm mostly behind just to be the "protection" and alert her if vehicles are coming on turns etc. I normally go down the hills alot faster though so if long enough I will overtake just so I don't need to sit on the brakes constantly. 

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