Lidl-Trek pro grabs bottle and breaks finger in bizarre Giro d’Italia incident (and riders dodge soigneur standing in road); Mark Cavendish relegated in Tour de France sprint; Fred Wright’s “worst day of my life”; Bad Roglič crash + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“Another painful loss for Ukrainian sports”: Track sprinter and multiple national champion Andriy Kutsenko killed in combat in Ukraine
In news that puts the trials and tribulations of the Tour de France into stark perspective, Ukrainian track sprinter Andriy Kutsenko was killed earlier this month while fighting for his country against Russia, the Lviv Regional Military Administration has reported.
34-year-old Kutsenko was a multiple national champion on the track, and set a national record for the kilo time trial at the 2017 European Championships in Berlin, with a time of 1:02.935. He was also part of the Ukrainian team who broke the national record for the team sprint at the same event, recording a time of 44.487 seconds.
Representing Ukraine between 2006 and 2016, he also took part at the 2013 world track championships.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he returned home from Italy, where he had lived with his family, to volunteer with his country’s armed forces, serving in its 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade for two years. He was killed in fighting on 3 July, and was buried in Zhovkva on Tuesday.
Mark Cavendish’s key lead-out man Michael Mørkøv out of Tour de France after contracting Covid
In a blow for Mark Cavendish’s hopes of taking his record-breaking stage win tally at the Tour to 36 (just to prevent Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar from even trying), the Manx Missile’s lead-out chief Michael Mørkøv has been forced to leave his final ever Tour de France this morning after contracting Covid.
Astana Qazaqstan announced that the 39-year-old Dane, who revealed on the rest day that he will retire at the end of 2024, tested positive for the virus yesterday evening and this morning, and despite feeling well, will not continue.
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
“Yesterday evening and this morning Michael Mørkøv was tested positive for Covid-19,” Astana said in a statement.
“Despite the rider [feeling] good and doesn’t have essential symptoms, the medical staff of Astana Qazaqstan Team took a decision to stop the rider, first of all, to protect his health from long-term effects the virus could provoke in the future.”
A shame for Cavendish’s chances in the Tour’s remaining two or three sprint stages (the Dane has piloted the British star to five of his 35 stage wins at the race), but especially for Mørkøv himself, whose last ever Tour de France has ended prematurely and due to circumstances of his control.
But hey, they’ll always have Saint-Vulbas…
“If you stick a body part through there, something’s going to happen when you’re going like 40 miles an hour. It’s just not safe”
Cycling’s great barrier safety question has reignited, this time over in the US, following a shockingly nasty incident at a crit in Salt Lake City at the weekend:
> Cyclist undergoes surgery to reattach arm after gruesome criterium crash when limb caught barrier
Ouch…
Fred Wright says “there’s a bit of sickness going around the peloton” after days of suffering in the Massif Central
Following his brutally tough day in the Massif Central, which saw him finish outside the time limit after spending the bulk of 200km riding on his own, Fred Wright has elaborated on the reasons behind his Tour jours sans, which he believes could be down to the bug sweeping the peloton at the moment (and which saw Astana’s Michael Mørkøv withdraw this morning with Covid).
🇫🇷 #TDF2024 | ST 11
Candid words from @fred_wright0 reflecting on his hardest day in his cycling career.
Fred battled for 200km on his own trying to make the time cut, but unfortunately missed out and will not start stage 12 @LeTour #RideAsOne pic.twitter.com/8M5J5IHKix
— Team Bahrain Victorious (@BHRVictorious) July 10, 2024
“I fought as much as I could, as much as my body allowed, but I really wasn’t feeling myself today,” Wright said in a video for Bahrain-Victorious’ social media channels.
“I’m not quite sure yet what the reason was. Bu there’s a bit of sickness going around the peloton, and I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen victim to that on the worst day it could have come.
“I really had a bit of a rev limiter on today. It’s a bitter pill to swallow to not make the time cut and be out of the Tour. But that’s the way things go.
“I’m gutted I can’t finish this journey with the boys and fight for stage wins, but I’m sure I’ll be back.”
“That was the worst day of my life”: Fred Wright says “I don’t think I’m going to suffer like that again” after British rider misses time cut at Tour de France
Yesterday afternoon, Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar captivated the cycling world as they battled side-by-side on the drag to the finish in Le Lioran, the defending champion pipping his great rival for a redemptive, iconic, narrative-shifting win, at the end of a thrillingly epic stage in the Massif Central which has blown this year’s Tour de France wide open.
An hour further back down the road, and a million miles away from the fight for yellow, Fred Wright was in a world of pain.
Wright battles on the gravel on stage nine (A.S.O./Charly Lopez)
The former British champion, as we noted on the live blog, was dropped from the bunch early on yesterday’s 211km stage, as a constant flurry of attacks streamed off the front, the breakaway and peloton refusing to settle.
While Cofidis riders Ion Izagirre, a double Tour de France stage winner, and Alexis Renard, called it quits and headed to their hotel for a much-needed break from the constant pain, Wright continued on, plugging away into the Cantal Mountains as the broom wagon loomed ominously behind.
It wasn’t enough, unfortunately. The relentless pace of the UAE-driven peloton saw Vingegaard and Pogačar cover the 211km, featuring four proper climbs at the finish and 4,177m in elevation, in 42.5kph – the fastest stage covering over 4,000m of elevation this century.
Wright, who finished second on a stage at the 2022 Tour and eighth in the uphill sprint on Saturday’s eighth stage, won by Biniam Girmay, crossed the line one hour, one minute, and 50 seconds behind the leading duo – and eight minutes outside the Tour’s time limit.
Speaking to ITV after he finished – which was very decent of him, given the circumstances – the Bahrain-Victorious rider said he had never suffered as much in his life, as he leaves this year’s Tour with his head held high.
👏 BRAVO @fred_wright0
Out of time today but he finished the stage bravely.
Hors délais aujourd’hui mais il finit l’étape au courage.#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/wZqK45DNYY— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 10, 2024
“That was the worst day of my life,” Wright said. “I really had to suffer then, and I wasn’t much fun. I’m not sure what happened to be honest. It was an easy day yesterday, but in the finish I felt terrible, I couldn’t help the boys.
“So I kind of was like, okay, I’ll go into today with a fresh mind. I’m always going to be up for it, and I’m always going to stay positive.
“At the start, for the first one or two kilometres I was involved. But I just suddenly had a bit of a moment, where I was like I feel terrible. I just didn’t have any power left. I was on my own from very early on. And I’ve always been good at TTing, working out what I’ve got, this is where I need to push.
“I’ve got no regrets, because that was all I had. It’s just a shame it was me alone. I wouldn’t have wished this on my worst enemy – not that I’ve got any enemies! I don’t think I’m going to suffer like that again, which is hopefully a good thing!”
Fair play Fred. You’ll be back.
And we have a new entry in the Furious Former Ferndown Fish Fryer alliteration contest…
Top work.
Five points deducted for the double use of ‘potential’, but still, impressive stuff.
Tadej Pogačar caught up in crash and forced into bike change, as Fabio Jakobsen abandons Tour after being dropped early
After questions over his tactics and team’s fuelling strategy yesterday, in the wake of the ‘mini-bonk’ that allowed Jonas Vingegaard to regain ground and outsprint him in Le Lioran, Tadej Pogačar’s stage 12 didn’t get off to the best start, as a touch of wheels in the bunch brought down the yellow jersey.
While appearing unhurt in the immediate aftermath of the crash, the spill did force the race leader into a bike change and a tetchy, frustrated ride back through the cars to the peloton, complete with a Cavendish-esque remonstration with the commissaires:
There’s been a pile-up in the peloton and GC leader Tadej Pogacar is among them! 😨
He seems unharmed, but the same can’t be said for a few other riders caught in the crash.
TDF 2024 | @SBS & @SBSOnDemand | June 29 – July 21#SBSTDF | #couchpeloton | #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/dkbBw9zXGi
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) July 11, 2024
Alpecin–Deceuninck’s Jonas Rickaert looked to have suffered the most in the pile-up, after a lengthy spell on the ground, but is now back on his bike.
Fabio Jakobsen, meanwhile, after two weeks of suffering at the back of the bunch anytime the road veered skywards, finally pulled the plug on his Tour during today’s stage.
Crash in the peloton, bike change for Pogačar. Jonas Rickaert on the ground but he’s back riding now. Meanwhile Fabio Jakobsen stops. pic.twitter.com/H57KTtEeYJ
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) July 11, 2024
The lanterne rouge heading into stage 12, the DSM-firmenich PostNL sprinter – who sportingly, if slightly forlornly, waved to the cameras as he headed to his team car at the side of the road – quits the race eight days after his fifth-placed finish behind Mark Cavendish in Saint-Vulbas, his best showing at this year’s Tour.
Bike theft spree hits the Tour de France, as 11 TotalEnergies bikes and tools stolen in overnight raid at team hotel
TotalEnergies were targeted by thieves at the Tour de France overnight, as 11 team bikes and tools were stolen, including the main bike of stage nine winner Anthony Turgis, as team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau described the raid as “part of the game”.
> TotalEnergies bikes stolen overnight at the Tour de France
Boom! SD Worx pull off devastating, inch-perfect lead-out as Lotte Kopecky takes first victory of 2024 Giro d’Italia
She may have narrowly missed out to Chiara Consonni on the race’s first sprint in Volta Mantovana on Monday, and was forced to watch her teammate Niamh Fisher-Black take the spoils on the following day’s summit finish to Toano – but there was no stopping Lotte Kopecky this afternoon in Foligno, as the world champion converted those second places into her first victory of the 2024 Giro with a devastatingly dominant, stunning sprint.
Placed to perfection by a textbook lead-out by her SD Worx team – which was polished off by a superb burst of speed from Barbara Guarischi, who still finished fifth despite spending the last 100m celebrating her teammate’s victory – Kopecky was in a league of her own once she accelerated, finishing bike lengths ahead of Consonni and Arlenis Sierra.
This time, the sprint was not close: @LotteKopecky turns on the jets and flies to victory 🏆
Stavolta la volata non è stata al photofinish: Lotte Kopecky ha premuto sull’acceleratore e si è involata verso la vittoria 🏆
⏮️ Ultimo Kilometro#GirodItaliaWomen #WonderfulWomen pic.twitter.com/SZsGJZkgEd
— Giro d’Italia Women (@girowomen) July 11, 2024
Aided by the bonus seconds for winning the sprint, Kopecky now sits just three seconds behind pink jersey Elisa Longo Borghini as the Giro prepares for a decisive, and brutal, three days in the mountains – where the world champion will hope to turn one more second place into overall victory.
Bahrain-Victorious dealt second blow in two days, as Pello Bilbao abandons Tour with illness
The illness – whether it’s Covid or something else – that led to Fred Wright’s miserable day in the Massif Central yesterday seems to have spread around other corners of the Bahrain-Victorious hotel, as the British rider’s teammate, Basque climber Pello Bilbao, climbed off his bike this afternoon after struggling all day off the back of the bunch:
😥¡LA PEOR IMAGEN DEL DÍA! #TDF2024
Pello Bilbao no puede seguir tras los problemas físicos que viene sufriendo y echa el pie a tierra. #TourRTVE11jhttps://t.co/lAImyrNqr4 pic.twitter.com/Dx9poA0R0A
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) July 11, 2024
The 34-year-old, who won a stage at last year’s Tour, had been sitting in the top 20 on GC until yesterday, when he finished 142nd, 38 minutes down on Jonas Vingegaard, clearly suffering from the effects of the illness that prematurely brought a halt to his Tour this afternoon.
New Garmin data shows nine per cent increase in cycling activities for women around the world
According to data gathered by Garmin and published today, female cyclists are the fastest growing demographic within the tech company’s Connect online fitness community, with a nine per cent increase in activities logged by women over the past year.
Cycling activities in general increased by seven per cent, Garmin says, while indoor cycling experienced an even bigger jump, rising by 12 per cent.
Garmin users who cycle an average of at least 70 miles a week possess normalised power output of more than 180 watts, which the company says is indicative of the age-old maxim ‘the more you ride, the better you ride’, with Garmin also noting that cyclists who ride 90 miles per week are achieving an average VO2 max figure in the mid-50s, which, depending on your age, will likely land you in the ‘superior’ athlete category.
Meanwhile, Italian Garmin users are racking up the most time on their bikes, with each ride lasting an average of just over two hours (I wonder if that includes the coffee stop?) and 29 miles, while cyclists in Denmark are the most powerful (averaging 196 watts) and those in the pan-flat UAE the fastest (16mph).
As someone whose 2008-era CatEye bike computer has been dead for about seven years, this all means nothing to me…
Alright, hands up – who’s brave enough to use that four-lane advance stop box?
This design for the Hogarth Roundabout in Chiswick, West London, looks… ahem… fun for anyone not in a car:
Why even bother adding advance stop lines on a 4 lane dual carriageway? pic.twitter.com/vjT9OBB3OL
— jamesdoestrains (@jamesdoestrains) July 11, 2024
And cyclists on social media aren’t impressed, anyway, with one describing that drawing as an “absolute abomination”, asking: “Has somebody dragged an early 1990s design out from the basement?”
Meanwhile, Luke reckons he knows why they’d even bother including some spots of cycling-themed paint: “Because there’s no usable alternative for cyclists and they feel a tad guilty about it?”
That’s maybe assuming too much, if we’re honest…
Ah yes, exactly what the cycling world needs – more high-end, extremely pricey shoes
They do look cool, to be fair…
> Canyon steps into the cycling footwear market with new Tempr CFR racing shoes
Shocking mass crash with 11km to go as Alexey Lutsenko clips road furniture, Primož Roglič forced to chase after being held up
💥Crash in the peloton. Those worst affected are being seen to by the medical team.
💥 Chute dans le peloton. Les plus affectés sont gérés par les équipes médicales.#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/R4mjrhXCAz
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2024
Today’s inevitable sprint at the Tour has thrown up another potential GC twist, as a mass crash with 11km to go – after Astana’s Alexey Lutsenko clipped the central reservation at speed, causing a pile-up on both sides of the road and a number of riders, including one Lotto-Dstny rider, appearing badly hurt – has forced Primož Roglič and Red Bull-Bora to chase, after being caught behind the spill and losing over a minute.
And who’s putting the boot down at the front of the peloton? Only Roglič’s old mates at Visma-Lease a Bike…
That’s going to be a fun debate tonight.
What is going on at the Giro’s feed zones? Riders forced to duck and dive either side of EF Education soigneur handing out bottles in the middle of the road
First, Lucinda Brand breaks her finger grabbing a bottle, then this EF Education-Cannondale swanny gets stuck in the middle of a charging peloton during a feed zone with 25km remaining during today’s stage to Foligno:
Jeepers.
Madness stepping so far into the road (a few other swannies were closer to the side), but fair play for keeping so calm, allowing the bunch to navigate their way past safely.
Ah, the fun, carefree life of a soigneur…
Shimano hit by delivery problems across Europe as brand admits “serious” logistical challenges, longer lead times and “lower service quality”
Shimano has reported “serious logistical challenges” and a “lower service quality of deliveries” with longer lead times as a result, the company’s warehousing and distribution operations suffering ongoing problems since it was outsourced to logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel last year.
Read more: > Shimano hit by delivery problems across Europe as brand admits “serious” logistical challenges, longer lead times and “lower service quality”
Mark Cavendish and Arnaud Démare relegated for irregular sprinting by Tour de France jury
After one of the Tour de France’s strangest, most chaotic bunch sprints in recent memory, Mark Cavendish and Arnaud Démare have both been relegated by the race jury for ‘irregular sprinting’.
Former world champion Cavendish, who crossed the line in fifth, could be seen flicking across from wheel to wheel before making a dramatic move from right to left just as the sprint opened up, forcing Cofidis sprinter Bryan Coquard to veer off himself to avoid a collision.
Van Aert ?
Démare ?
No! BINIIII 🏆#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/8M5Yxlkal1— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2024
At the same time, third-placed finisher Démare jumped off the wheel of his Arkéa lead-out rider, before drifting over to the barriers, a move that prompted Wout van Aert to stop pedalling for a brief moment and which the Belgian has blamed on his failure to win today’s sprint in Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
Both riders have been stripped of their top five placings and relegated to 67th and 68th on the stage.
Well, I think it’s fair to say that winning No. 35 hasn’t dulled Cavendish’s tendency to take risks during a sprint – or the commissaires’ ability to clamp down on some of the Tour record-breaker’s more, ahem, chaotic moments…
Primož Roglič’s yellow jersey hopes up in smoke after Red Bull-Bora leader crashes hard and loses time, as Biniam Girmay secures Tour stage hat-trick in strange sprint
Primož Roglič’s career-long run of horrible luck at the Tour de France continued this afternoon 11km from the finish of another tense and fast stage to Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
The Red Bull-Bora rider, whose history of excruciating near misses and untimely crashes has seemingly migrated from Visma to his new team, hit the deck hard in the mass crash that shaped the remainder of the stage (and potentially the battle for the overall podium), after an Astana rider clipped a low, barely visible traffic island at speed with 11km to go, causing a serious pile-up.
“Jarrad Drizners has not moved.” 😨🇦🇺
The Aussie was caught in a HUGE crash with 12 kilometres to go and is receiving medical attention. Primoz Roglic was also affected but was able to finish the stage.
TDF 2024 | @SBS & @SBSOnDemand | June 29 – July 21#SBSTDF | #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/yNkvCOLz6q
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) July 11, 2024
While it was initially unclear whether Roglič had gone down in the crash, the forlorn, defeated demeanour of his team’s ride – it could barely be described as a chase – to the finish appeared ominous, and his second spill in as many days was soon confirmed by images of the Slovenian’s ripped jersey, damaged helmet, and bloodied shoulder.
Primoz Roglic, grand perdant du jour ! Une chute à 12 kilomètres de l’arrivée et le Slovène, touché à l’épaule droite, a perdu 2’27” sur les favoris du Tour… #TDF2024 #LesRP pic.twitter.com/MLC4pYKS7t
— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) July 11, 2024
Visma-Lease a Bike’s sudden and determined appearance at the front of the bunch in the wake of the crash has already provoked some consternation on social media, with many criticising the Dutch outfit for seemingly kicking their former rider when he was down.
But in the end – as Roglič rolled across the line in a manner he’s become all too accustomed to during his crash-strewn Tour career, two and a half minutes down, and with a 4.42 deficit on GC – it didn’t matter. His yellow jersey hopes, once again, were gone.
Van Aert ?
Démare ?
No! BINIIII 🏆#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/8M5Yxlkal1— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2024
Up ahead, in a strange, stop-start bunch gallop that almost resembled something more akin to an intermediate sprint, green jersey Biniam Girmay once again navigated the chaos perfectly to bag his third win of the race, seeing off the resurgent Wout van Aert, whose sprint was briefly thwarted at the barriers by third-place Arnaud Démare.
After a few years spent battling expectations in the wake of his stunning breakthrough 2022 season, the Eritrean (or should that be Eri-trio?) hero has firmly established his place not only as the dominant sprinter of this Tour, but right at the top of the cycling world.
VENI, VIDI, BINI 🇪🇷 💚
VICTORY FOR BINIAM GIRMAY 🥇🥇🥇#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/RFwSKoGbum
— Intermarché-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) July 11, 2024
Veni, Vidi, Bini, indeed.
“Bit less fun today”: Lidl-Trek’s Lucinda Brand breaks her finger at Giro d’Italia… while trying to grab a bottle during bizarre and “unfortunate feed”
Ah, the feed zone. A chaotic, nervous place where stray musette handles, anxious soigneurs, and hungry, weaving riders can wreak havoc on the bunch, creating a recipe for embarrassing crashes.
Or, if you’re Sean Kelly and PDM, a handy spot to attack and thoroughly annoy all your rivals (that’s one for the old-timers).
For Lidl-Trek’s multidisciplinary star Lucinda Brand, however, the feed zone during yesterday’s Giro d’Italia stage resulted in one of the more bizarre injuries of her long, distinguished career.
On the mountainous, hot stage to Urbino, won in sensational fashion by solo escapee Clara Emond, Brand attempted to grab a much-needed bottle from a roadside swanny – only to break her finger in the process.
Ouch…
The 35-year-old, a previous three-time stage winner at the Giro, is no stranger to suffering hand injuries in strange circumstances, sustaining a fracture in a metacarpal bone on her right hand while warming up before the Tabor round of the Cyclocross World Cup in October 2022.
So the Dutch star was well-used to the protocol after yesterday’s stage, which she described a “bit less fun”, thanks to her botched bottle grab:
However, Brand confirmed last night that she will be able to continue the race and help support her Lidl-Trek leader, the current pink jersey Elisa Longo Borghini.
“The good news, it isn’t as bad as the one they already fixed. Let’s see how I feel tomorrow morning but the doctors have [given] the green light,” she wrote on Instagram.
And speaking ahead of today’s fifth stage of the Giro, a rolling 110km affair from Frontone to Foligno, Brand – with her heavily bandaged hand – appeared upbeat about her chances of finishing the race, even with a broken finger.
Something went wrong yesterday for @lucinda_brand grabbing a bottle at the feed zone… 🤔
She has started today’s stage and hopefully we’ll see her finishing it 👊#GirodItaliawomen pic.twitter.com/K3JY1lsA7X
— Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) July 11, 2024
“An unfortunate feed yesterday, right?” the Lidl-Trek staff member asked her in a video for the team’s social media.
“Yes, it went a bit wrong!” Brand laughed.
“A broken bone, but luckily it’s all in place and we’ll see how it goes today. Hopefully it’ll be fine. I can brake, so as long as it’s safe, we keep continuing.”
Well, at least she’s been relieved of water-carrying duties for a day or two…
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@slownomad From the DVSA/DoT Guidance Notes that your link refers to: "To be classified as an EAPC under the EAPC regulations[footnote 1], the cycle must:" etc. . It then goes on to say: "If an EAPC does not comply with the regulations, it is treated as a motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Road Traffic Act 1988" So no, it does not say that the only EAPC is a legal EAPC. As you say bike may refer to pedal cycles or motorbikes. E-bike logically follows the same usage and includes EAPCs. "Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle" is a technical description. The EAPC Regulations 1983 allow for some EAPCs to be treated in law as pedal cycles. The Guidance Notes finish with a disclaimer: "This guidance is a summary of DfT’s understanding of what the law requires." etc.. & finishes with "You are therefore advised to consult the relevant legislation and, if necessary, seek independent advice." So even the DVSA & DoT don't actually know what it all means.
Not noted in the review but the old Crux was a CX - gravel racer whereas this new one seems to be pure gravel, taking inspiration from road race bikes more than anything. What’s happening with specialized and CX? Is it just being left behind or is this the bike still for CX?
@RayG In my experience many of the people who attend overpriced events like these aren't genuine fans but people with high disposable incomes who like to go "for the experience" and to say that they were there. In any case, even if every ticket was sold to a dyed-in-the-wool cycling fan who was prepared to pay silly money because it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Depart in their home town/country, why would that make charging exploitative prices excusable?
The title of the review sounds almost as if it was the "tier number" you pay for, not the actual performance. I thought bikes were about riding, not bragging about them? If the bike is so great, what is the problem really?
@Rendel Harris I see the average cycling fan protested by snapping up the available tickets immediately.
@RayG Even if the ticket revenues for this event were all going straight into rider safety, which I'll wager they're not, there would still be perfectly relevant questions to be asked as to why the ordinary cycling fan was being stung for the cost rather than it coming out of ASO's €30M profit from the Tour alone and the €130M it makes annually from its race portfolio.
@Daclu Trelub I'm also wondering if they're putting matting down over the setts leading up to the esplanade - imagine the number of potential pre-race retirements if they try to ride slowly over them uphill if it's bucketing down that night! 🫣
@HoarseMann I considered that probability - Just expecting the prime 'mid-priced' seats to have already gone. Not to mention there'll likely be an even bigger strain on the terrible ticketing platform...
@wtjs I went to Clitheroe to watch them freezing their tits off in the rain after weeks of glorious weather. The crash on the lower slopes of Pendle was actually one of the police motorcycle marshals who slid out on the cattle grid on the bend at the foot of the straight climb to the Well Springs.
@saffronsimian dumbest comment of the century.
21 thoughts on “Lidl-Trek pro grabs bottle and breaks finger in bizarre Giro d’Italia incident (and riders dodge soigneur standing in road); Mark Cavendish relegated in Tour de France sprint; Fred Wright’s “worst day of my life”; Bad Roglič crash + more on the live blog”
I’ll spam today’s live blog
I’ll spam today’s live blog with the Clifton Suspension Bridge closure as there’s going to be some cyclists wanting to know before rocking up to it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czq6g01lggno
I loved how they’d not
I loved how they’d not bothered to put any ‘road closed’ signs (as far as I could see, anyway) anywhere ahead of the police tape closing off the very last bend
I had to ride back up Bridge Road and go down into town through Ashton Court.
(edit) Commuting, not recreational riding.
Commuting, not recreational
Commuting, not recreational riding
Just as well, or they’d have marked you down as a troublemaking terror-cyclist
do we need to wear “I’m a
do we need to wear “I’m a Commuter” gilets as well now?
Oh – didn’t see those – they
Oh – didn’t see those – they only had “Bike Nonce” and “Cycling Fascist” when i looked.
chrisonabike wrote:
I’ll look into getting a bunch made up with “On a meaningful A to B journey”.
Apparently, the grusome
Apparently, the grusome reason behind the bridge closure is that human remains have been found in two suitcases
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/live-clifton-suspension-bridge-closed-9402944
How come no-one held back
How come no-one held back from Fred Wright’s team to help him?
That would just have meant
That would just have meant losing two (or more) riders from the team, instead of one.
But if they were so sure he
But if they were so sure he wasn’t going to make the cut, why not save himself from riding the whole stage…I just thought sending one rider back could have boosted morale, set him a pace etc. based on today’s stage latest and hindsight, Bilbao should have gone back for him. There’s obviously some bug going around their team.
or none…he missed by 8
or none…he missed by 8 minutes – a bit of support might have given him the 12% improvement needed….maybe he’s ill so would have been out anyway.
If he’d already told them the
If he’d already told them the day before, and then again near the start of the stage, that he was suffering, the team wouldn’t have had reason to expect that he would get even as close as 8 minutes to the cut-off, and given that he said he was doing as much as his body would allow as it was, I doubt having a teammate with him would have made that much of a difference. And meanwhile, that teammate’s not available to do duties for the rest of the team in the bunch.
If he’d ridden himself into it a bit and told them he was starting to feel better, maybe they would have considered dropping someone back to help, but why do that if you’re fully epecting the rider not to complete the stage in the first place?
Because professional riders can be a cussed lot sometimes. I’m sure the team would have had no objections to him climbing off, but sometimes it just becomes a point of pride to finish.
Global Nomad wrote:
But BV have Buitrago at p14 in the GC just a couple of minutes off a top ten, with Fred already over an hour and a half down before yesterday it simply wouldn’t make sense to burn any matches trying to keep him in the race, especially, as seems likely, he might well have had to pull out today with illness anyway even if he had made the cut. BV will have wanted to save as much as they could in the tank of their domestiques to focus on Buitrago in the last week and Fred had become just so much dead wood for them.
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How much of that is down to an increase in women cycling, and how much is down to more women having Garmins is a different question.
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For the motorbikes, obvs.
Is covid the only illness
Is covid the only illness people suffer from now?
I think the problem is that
I think the problem is that Covid, like diabetes and the menopause, has so many symptoms that you can have pretty much any sympton other than a broken leg and be able to say, “Probably Covid”.
(That being said, I’d presume that the professionals actually test for it).
What are those white pouches
What are those white pouches strapped to Lucinda Brand’s chest?
brooksby wrote:
Ice to cool off.
Any news on the Lotto Dstny
Any news on the Lotto Dstny rider who went down in the crash that scuppered Roglic? He looked in a proper bad way with two teammates obviously very concerned and several medics rushing in, though at least he did seem to be moving in a later shot. Can’t find any info online.
Update: it was Jarrad
Update: it was Jarrad Drizners, pulled from the race and taken to hospital but initial scans show no fractures. A relief, it looked a lot worse.