“Hope stealing it will make you feel a lot better”: Cyclist leaves “emotional manipulation” note on bike to dissuade thieves; 21-year-old Alpecin-Deceuninck rider quits pro cycling citing safety concerns amidst fatal crashes + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“The unanswered questions and lack of responsibility from those in charge is deeply troubling”
> Cyclist injured in crash caused by rope tied across cycle lane during roadworks secures settlement with council
Dough-minating the peloton? Cyclist bakes Pogačar focaccia
Loaf him or hate him, this is further proof that Pogi always rises to the occasion…
“In a split second, everything I’d been working towards was gone”: Jasper Philipsen speaks about “physical and mental” toll of Tour de France, as Belgian prepares to lead Alpecin-Deceuninck in Denmark
Jasper Philipsen will make his comeback at the Tour of Denmark today, just over a month after a high-speed crash ended his Tour de France on stage 3 with a fractured collarbone and ribs.
The Belgian’s Grand Boucle had begun in perfect fashion — a Mathieu van der Poel and Kaden Groves leadout setting him up to sprint to victory in Lille on stage 1 and pull on the yellow jersey. The next day, van der Poel won in Boulogne-sur-Mer, the leader’s jersey changing hands but staying in the Alpecin-Deceuninck camp.
That momentum came to an abrupt halt in the intermediate sprint on day three. “Just over a month ago, I crashed out in stage 3 of the Tour, in a split second, everything I’d been working towards was gone. My biggest goal of the year, months of preparation… all over,” Philipsen wrote on Instagram.
“It was tough, both physically and mentally. But thanks to the laughter, support, and motivation from friends, I was able to train well these past few weeks and find my way back. Now I’m just grateful to be on the start line again, race-ready for Postnord Danmark Rundt this Tuesday.”
Philipsen will lead the Belgian squad in search of a sprint victory, with Mads Pedersen and Søren Wærenskjold among the main rivals.
“My weight loss was controlled and intelligent”: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot hits back at fuss over Tour preparation, says she’s now eating “all sorts of things” — including pizza
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has spoken for the first time since her Tour de France Femmes victory, responding to the discussion over the weight loss she undertook in preparation for the race.
Greeted with yellow smoke and celebrations at the Visma-Lease a Bike base in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the French rider told Sporza: “I lost weight purely for this race. I did it with a lot of help from the team.”
She explained that she had a nutritionist, chef and nutrition coach so “everything could be analysed,” adding: “My weight loss was controlled and intelligent. It wasn’t an illness. There was a lot of fuss about it, but I don’t take that personally.”
Ferrand-Prévot said it was about maximising performance for the Tour’s decisive final days: “We’re professional athletes. I simply prepared as best I could for the biggest race in the world. The last days of the Tour were very tough, so watts per kilogram were very important. It’s just a process. I had to find a balance between losing weight and maintaining my strength. But I achieved my goal and now I’m moving on with my normal life.
That “normal life” now includes a slightly looser approach to food. “I didn’t do anything crazy. I didn’t want to have stomach problems either; I just ate what I wanted. I think I’ve gained a bit of weight since then, because I didn’t really pay attention to my diet. I had pizza once. But I eat all sorts of things and I enjoy it. That’s the most important thing.”
Her head coach Jacco Verhaeren said: “She’s being guided very professionally… Everything is monitored, everything is considered, and everything is transparent. Weight is just one aspect; it’s also about fitness, strength, and teamwork. It wasn’t too much or too little; it was just right.”
The topic isn’t going away, though. Tour runner-up Demi Vollering said that in her final press conference after the race “around 80 per cent of the questions I received… were about my weight. Whether that was the key to performance in the future.” She was clear: “I make, and will continue to make, every decision in my career by putting my health first. Always… I don’t want to force my body to become something it’s not.”
And then there’s Chris Horner, looking at it through the lens of pure performance: “You’re a professional cyclist. Weight is always going to be a factor. If you’re not going to have watts per kilo better than the rider next to you, then you better have tactics better than the rider next to you. Otherwise, you have zero chance of winning.”
It’s a conversation that’s been rumbling all summer — and if you were here on last month, you’ll remember Emma Pooley telling the BBC: “At the elite level, the idea that thinner is faster is wrong… enjoyment is a really big part of healthiness.”
"I never want anyone else to go through the same thing": Former pro cyclist details "psychological torture" of challenging positive doping test, as ban upheld despite UK Anti-Doping ruling "no fault or negligence"
“Some endure more and others less”: Five-time Tour de France winner Indurain says burnout, not bad legs, could stop Pogačar matching yellow jersey record
First, Sean Kelly said he doubts Tadej Pogačar will ever match Eddy Merckx’s record, despite calling the Slovenian a greater outright talent. Now Miguel Indurain — five-time Tour de France champion and part of cycling’s most exclusive club — has weighed in, and his verdict is similar: it’s the mental toll, not the physical challenge, that could end Pogačar’s dominance sooner than expected.
“Finishing the race sooner or later depends on how much you want to finish,” Indurain told Spanish news agency EFE. “But if he’s fit and eager, he’ll be the one who pushes himself to the limit.”
The Olympic time trial champion says the grind runs deeper than watts and w/kg numbers. “In our sport, you have to make a great effort, train hard, and take care of yourself… But many suffer mental problems due to that tension, stress, and responsibility, as they play tricks on them.
“The travel, the stress of competition, and the constant risk of falls — these are things you have to keep overcoming, until you tire. Some endure more and others less.”
For Indurain, the key is keeping the spark alive. “A cyclist must be convinced of what he’s doing with enthusiasm and desire. He will determine what his sporting career will be like.”
He also pointed to how the sport has changed since his 1990s heyday. “Sports are changing, becoming faster, more intense, lighter… Everything is improving, from the speed to the roads, the wheels, and the equipment.
“It’s about trying to push everything to the limit, but it doesn’t just happen in cycling, it happens in all sports. We switched to automatic pedals, time trial bottles, and helmets. Today, we have aerodynamics and electronics… It’s a continuous improvement, each one in its own sport.”
With Kelly warning yesterday that Pogačar might only race at the very top for “another three years” before deciding “that’s enough”, Indurain’s comments make it two cycling greats sounding the same alarm — that for all his physical gifts, the four-time Tour winner’s greatest challenge might be staying hungry enough to keep going.
Roundabout with “history of collisions” set for redesign after over half of crashes injure cyclists
A notorious junction on the edge of Bristol could soon be reworked after a string of cyclist crashes. South Gloucestershire Council says the A38/Northville Road/Braemar Avenue roundabout in Filton has a “history of collisions” — with more than half involving cyclists.
In the past five years, 11 crashes have been recorded at the location. Six involved cyclists, and one a motorcyclist, with all resulting in slight injuries. The council says the pattern has remained “consistent” over time, with most incidents happening when drivers entered the roundabout without giving way, sometimes emerging from between slow or stationary traffic straight into the path of a rider.
A council report notes: “They are being struck by vehicles entering the circulatory carriageway at the roundabout… The crashes mostly involved vehicles failing to give way (or that they thought it was safe to proceed). Traffic may emerge into the path of cyclists from between slow or stationary vehicles which are queuing.”
Bristol Live reports that under the proposals, the roundabout’s central island would be reshaped and resized to “better define the path vehicles should take.” Overrun areas — slightly raised sections designed for very large vehicles to use when turning — would be added to allow U-turns and access to nearby roads. Approach lanes for smaller vehicles would be subtly altered to slow entry speeds.
Pedestrian crossings and bus stops in the area would remain in place. The council says the aim is to balance the needs of all road users while reducing the risk to cyclists, who have been disproportionately represented in crash data at the site.
If approved, work could be carried out in 2026. An online consultation is open until 18 August.
"It's disappointing the PB is worth more than stopping": Cyclist broke arm when Parkrunner cut into cycle lane and caused crash, two weeks after organisers apologised for runners' "abusive language" at cyclists and pedestrians
“The more chaotic a race became, the more brutally I broke down mentally”: 21-year-old Alpecin-Deceuninck rider quits pro cycling after string of fatal crashes leaves him fearing for his safety
At just 21, German rider Louis Kitzki is walking away from the sport he spent years working towards — saying he has “completely lost the fun of racing” after a series of fatal incidents shook his confidence and left him feeling unsafe in the peloton.
“Probably not the kind of career end I had imagined,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram. “After participating in my last race, the Giro Ciclistico Valle d’Aosta, and the death of Samuele Privitera, I decided to end my career as a professional cyclist.”
Privitera, 19, died last month after crashing during the first stage of the under-23 race in northwest Italy. Kitzki said it was “ultimately just confirmation of my decision” to stop — a decision he had been edging towards for more than a year.
“After last year’s Tour of Austria, where another rider (André Drege) died, I already had serious doubts about racing and was on the verge of quitting,” he said. “Nevertheless, I continued and largely suppressed what had happened. Unfortunately, after the Tour of Austria, I never became the racer I once was again.
“I became increasingly concerned about my safety and felt increasingly uncomfortable in races, which in the medium term meant that I was never able to reproduce in races what I had worked so hard to achieve in training,” Kitzki explained.
“Races were unfortunately just an annoying side effect that you had to accept if you wanted to earn money from cycling. I had completely lost the fun of racing, and the more chaotic a race became, the more brutally I broke down mentally. Unfortunately, without the mind, the body only functions poorly.”
The young German said the events in Aosta “confirmed” his decision, adding: “I can see how well I’ve been doing since I quit. I regret that I was unable to live up to some expectations as a professional cyclist and that my collaboration with Alpecin is now coming to an end. Nevertheless, I am certain that it was the right decision to stop.”
> Swiss pro cyclist Gino Mäder dies after horrific Tour de Suisse crash
The tragedies that influenced Kitzki’s choice have marked a grim period for the sport. In June 2023, Swiss rider Gino Mäder died after crashing into a ravine on a descent at the Tour de Suisse. At the 2024 world championships in Zurich, 18-year-old Muriel Furrer suffered a fatal head injury during the junior women’s race after lying undiscovered for over an hour before being airlifted to hospital.
Despite leaving professional racing behind, Kitzki expressed gratitude to those who helped him. “I am very grateful for the opportunity I was given by my team Alpecin-Deceuninck and Zwift. I was able to learn from the best cyclists in the world and got to know many nice people on the team,” he said.
“In addition, I was able to significantly improve my physical condition thanks to my trainer Philipp Walsleben, even though I was never really able to show it in the races. I felt that this team is very aware of its responsibility towards young athletes and I never felt pressured in any way.
“I always enjoyed the training and the improvement process very much and hopefully I will find the time to cycle again occasionally in the future. Thanks to all my teammates, the entire staff, Philipp, Sander, Bart, Jens, Luuc, and Ahto! I wish you all the best and stay safe!”
Bornholm erupts as home favourite Mads Pedersen storms to stage 1 victory at Tour of Denmark after late attack and dominant sprint
If you wrote the script for the Tour of Denmark’s opening day in Rønne, it’d probably look a lot like reality: local hero Mads Pedersen launching a late move, holding off the chasers, and blasting past the line with the roar of a home crowd in his ears.
Home turf dominance! 😎
Mads Pedersen takes the opening stage of the Tour of Denmark after a strong team showing from Lidl-Trek 💪 pic.twitter.com/y6rAMjFCAr
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) August 12, 2025
After Lidl-Trek teammate Søren Kragh Andersen’s attack was reeled in, Pedersen countered with Mattias Skjelmose in tow, chasing down the remnants of the day’s break. The final run-in whittled the front down to nine riders, but when the sprint came, there was only one winner — Pedersen surging clear to take the stage, the leader’s jersey, and a deafening reception in Bornholm.
Meanwhile in Poland, Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto’s Chiara Consonni took her first road win of the season on stage 1 of the Tour de Pologne Women, outsprinting Clara Copponi and Kathrin Schweinberger in Zamość to claim the leader’s jersey.
Chiara Consonni powers to the opening stage of the Tour de Pologne Women after a masterful sprint 🙌 pic.twitter.com/10N2plF1Yk
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) August 12, 2025
“Nobody asked for it and nobody will use it. It’s a North Korean-style capital project”
Near Miss of the Day 932: Experienced cyclist says this near-collision "was by far the scariest I've had while cycling"... but police take no further action
“13-year-olds are doing 200km training rides and high-altitude camps”: Tadej Pogačar’s retirement thoughts “understandable” due to “tough” life of a pro cyclist “tied to power meters and scales”, says ex-Movistar rider
The very mention of the words ‘Tadej Pogačar’ and ‘retirement’ has certainly sent the cycling world into a bit of tailspin lately.
The very notion that the world champion is even contemplating his life after cycling was first uttered towards the end of last month’s Tour de France, where Pogačar cut a jaded figure as he eased, freewheeling and mouth closed, to his fourth yellow jersey, telling reporters “I don’t see myself going on for much longer”.
And, speaking for the first time since the Tour at home in Komenda, Slovenia, where he took part in a crit organised in his honour at the weekend, Pogačar elaborated on his thoughts about retirement, and his reaction to the panic they generated across cycling.
“It may seem funny to most people that I’m already counting down to retirement, but the fact is that a sports career isn’t very long,” he said. “I started winning quite early and everything has been going strong ever since. Every year we train harder and faster, so I look forward to my future with pleasure.
“On the one hand, I know that my sports career will not be long, but on the other hand, I am aware that I can enjoy the level I am at now for a few more years. However, I expect that this level will drop at some point and that there will be no more victories in the season than now and that there will be a bad year at some point.
“I am prepared for everything that is coming, so I am all the more aware that I have to enjoy the moment. I have to be prepared to stop, say thank you and say goodbye to racing at the highest level.”
Zac Williams/SWpix.com
Pogačar’s reference to the burden of training and racing at the highest level from such a young age – he burst on to the scene as a 20-year-old back in 2019, podiuming at the Vuelta – has been echoed by former Movistar pro Luis Pasamontes, who reckons the Slovenian’s retirement daydreams are “logical and understandable”.
Pasamontes raced as a pro for nine seasons in the 2000s and early 2010s, winning a stage of the Tour de Wallonie in 2007, before joining Caisse d’Epargne (which later became Movistar), racing the Tour de France, Giro, and Vuelta for the Spanish squad.
And the 45-year-old believes that this new generation of riders who have been successful from an extremely young age, such as Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel, and Juan Ayuso, and the increasing professionalisation of aspiring teenage cyclists, could lead to quicker than expected burnout.
Zac Williams/SWpix.com
“Pogačar is thinking about his retirement. For me, it’s normal, logical, and understandable,” Pasamontes said on X this week.
“They live tied to the numbers of power meters and scales. They live between training camps and competitions, rarely at home. That’s how it is, it’s the moment they’ve been given to live as professionals. It’s tough.
“13-year-old cyclists training 200km and doing high-altitude camps, promoted by the team. Of course, also by the parents. Being the best in junior categories is not synonymous with doing things right.
“I don’t understand anything about cycling.”
Same Luis, same.
“Hope stealing it will make you feel a lot better”: Cyclist leaves “emotional manipulation” note on bike to dissuade thieves… but internet jokes about “comical” lock that could be “cut through with a house key” or even “snapped with hands”
Over on the ukbike subreddit, someone spotted this Dolan commuter locked up in… let’s say a fairly optimistic manner, complete with a note inside the helmet that reads: “Hope stealing it will make you feel a lot better.”
It turns out the note might be the only real deterrent here. As one commenter put it: “Looking at how thin that cable is I’d say the note is the first layer.”
Second layer of bike security: Emotional manipulation
byu/HaveYuHeardAboutCunt inukbike
Others were less charitable about the lock’s actual effectiveness. “That cord you are using to ‘secure’ your bike is no more effective than a zip tie… the bike could be stolen with a pair of pliers in under a second,” one wrote, advising the mystery owner to invest in a D-lock.
Not that pliers would even be needed: “What the f***, I could probably get through that cable with my house keys,” said another.
“I had to get one of those locks off a bike once (with permission),” someone else chimed in. “Took about 60 seconds, and I’d never done it before.”
And the final word? “Honestly, this is great security, for the person who parks next to you. Because yours is so easy to steal, if they have any kind of lock on it they’d never bother with the other bike. Seriously, that lock is comical. I could snap it with my hands. Get a D-lock minimum.”
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Latest Comments
Agree: some things are just blockers, no matter "but I do so you can" or "look at the stats, it's really safe!" But the devil is in "can we get there from here?" (sometimes literally). Much of what supports mass cycling elsewhere is in the bigger picture. Like decisions about what traffic goes where made at the network level. Or getting decent public transport in so that it's easier to make that motor traffic evaporate.
@Kadinkski Interesting in a way off base sort of way.
@Surreyrider Agree. You see this a lot with people who only ride race bikes when they review endurance bikes.
@OnYerBike The two he lists are not endurance geometry. The Defy used to be but now it's almost a TCR. The Scott Addict never had endurance geometry.
Another one who rides race bikes all the time shocked that an endurance bike rides like...an endurance bike. The Giant Defy used to be endurance geometry but now is very close to a TCR geometry. The Scott never had endurance geometry. Learn your audience not your personal interests.
This isn't a cycle lane - it's a shared use path (a service track with permitted shared use).
@the little onion Absolutely, we must get out of the mindset of just gratefully accepting whatever scraps we're offered which then end up underutilised because they're unsatisfactory and so used as arguments not to build more.
I’m in agreement with the Greens here. We need to actively push back against cycle infrastructure that doesn’t consider personal safety. In West Yorkshire, millions have been ploughed into resurfacing canal towpaths as shared pedestrian/cyclist infrastructure, yet plenty of men, and masses more men, feel distinctly unsafe when commuting at peak hours in winter, when it is dark. Plenty of bits are dodgy in daylight!
@stonechat Why not? Isn't that a bit like drivers moaning about 20mph limits? Sure, if you're a racer in training that could be limiting, but then you shouldn't be using cycle tracks for that anyway. Most commuters, shoppers and leisure cyclists ride around 15 mph anyway and rarely exceed 20 mph on the flat; the path is 16 miles long, so the difference between 15 mph and 20 mph even if you're riding the whole length (which most people won't be, of course) is 64 minutes versus 48 minutes, not enough to make a big difference in anyone's day. My most regular ride of around 16 miles is to my mother's house on heavy-traffic roads across southwest London; due to congestion, traffic lights et cetera it usually takes me about 50-55 minutes. If someone offered me a completely motor-traffic-free path for the whole distance on condition that I took an extra 10 minutes for the ride I'd bite their hand off!
20 thoughts on ““Hope stealing it will make you feel a lot better”: Cyclist leaves “emotional manipulation” note on bike to dissuade thieves; 21-year-old Alpecin-Deceuninck rider quits pro cycling citing safety concerns amidst fatal crashes + more on the live blog”
Very good. Next up – some
Very good. Next up – some Jonas Vinegarbread
Maybe also some Bjarne Ryes, Fausto Cobi, a Louison Baguette, or a Lucien Petit-Baton
Turns out, they could have
Turns out, they could have just made this…
mdavidford wrote:
Oloaf Kooij? Magnus Sheffield Barm Cake?
The main road near me is
The main road near me is closed due to utility works. It was almost like 2020 lockdown on a nsl with hardly any traffic! Bliss!
I swear BBC Verify is just
I swear BBC Verify is just making stuff up now to justify its own existence.
Well there has been a
Well there has been a population explosion in northern France, and they are pretty good swimmers…
When the government says it’s going to “smash the gangs”, does it mean it’s going to make paté?
I like it that they’re
I like it that they’re already adopting our traditions before they’ve even arrived! I propose adding that to the list of reasons for consideration for granting right to stay, along with “cycled here”!
Of course, it’s perfectly
Of course, it’s perfectly fine to come here via big boasts – in fact you can get multiple state visits!
Police appeal after cyclist
Police appeal after cyclist assaulted:
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/thames-valley/news/2025/august/11-08-25/e-fit-image-released-in-connection-with-an-assault-with-injury–milton-keynes/
Bottom one is JD vance !
Bottom one is JD vance !
Yes. Pictured on his holiday
Yes. Pictured on his holiday in the Cotswolds. His first visit to an Islamic nuclear weapon state.
But he does seem to have changed to a lighter eyeliner.
Come on Ryan and Adwitiya…
Come on Ryan and Adwitiya…
“Roundabout with “history of collisions” set for redesign after over half of crashes injure cyclists“
This headline implies it is the roundabout that is involved in the crashes…
Should it not be “Roundabout with history of driver collisions…”?
“In the past five years, 11 crashes have been recorded at the location. Six involved cyclists, and one a motorcyclist, with all resulting in slight injuries.”
No DRIVERS involved??
Oh yes: “… with most incidents happening when drivers entered the roundabout without giving way…”
And you can make this amendment to avoid the usual language errors by others:
“A council report notes: “They are being struck by (drivers of) vehicles entering the circulatory carriageway at the roundabout… The crashes mostly involved (drivers of) vehicles failing to give way (or that they thought it was safe to proceed).”
Unless the council has confirmed all the incidents involved self-driving vehicles?
mitsky wrote:
But surely the point is that the roundabout is being redesigned because of the disproportionate number of cyclists being injured – the prominence of cyclists in the collision figures is the story. It’s not attributing blame.
I appreciate the reason for
I appreciate the reason for the re-design.
It is the language in the reporting I have an issue with.
mitsky wrote:
The roundabout is colliding with drivers?
Perhaps it just has a Roll of
Perhaps it just has a Roll of (dis)Honour – of folks who’ve parked in walls or had a moving encounter with another road user? “At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, they’ll say ‘and that’s why I didn’t see the cyclist’ “
See. Even I’m confused and
See. Even I’m confused and got it wrong.
I blame the hot weather. 😀
Maybe something like “Roundabout to be redesigned due to numerous collisions between drivers and other road users.”
A bit wordy I know, but at least it doesn’t imply the roundabout itself was involved.
Other suggested wordings are welcome.
The analogy I would use is with news reports stating things
“Person X, with a history of criminality,…”
If PFP were too light, she
If PFP were too light, she wouldn’t have won the TdF Femmes anf crushed her competition. When she resumed her road racing career with Visma, she made her ambitions known and clear – winning the TdF. It took her months of training to achieve this goal, including nutrition, recovery and mental preparation, supported by qualified and dedicated professionals. Why is there a controversy?
The “emotional blackmail”
The “emotional blackmail” note to potential thieves reminded me of a couple of stories I’ve heard from friends in Liverpool, one of a person who left a note on their windscreen saying “there is no stereo system in this car” who woke up the next morning to find the car gone and their note left on the kerb with “Don’t worry, we’ll put one in” written on the bottom of it; another who left their van with the usual note saying “No tools are left in this vehicle overnight” and came back to it to find the window smashed and written on the bottom of the note, “Sorry la, just had to check.”
So, trains a bit screwed on
So, trains a bit screwed on my bike-train-bike commute home, two cancellations with the chance, after an hour wait, of not getting on the next, especially if they use the 2 carriage rather than the normal 3, though North Camp is a rather nice place when it’s warm, desolate come the cold, wet and dark. Gave the 2 trains with a change at ascot a go. Shouldn’t really be doing the Ascot to Reading bit, but long trains, mid summer hols, (though a TWaT day). SWT trains are luxurious compared to my normal GWR DMUs, but for the 2nd leg we got a a named train, an Arterio, new(ish), powerful, full train length open carriage. I had gotten on the “bike” door, and when the family sitting in it got off at Martins Heron I got to use the bicycle area, unusual, but there was a pedal spindle holder, which worked and the bike did not move, and it fully accommodated my weird 27.5+ rohloffed surly ogre, with Jones bars. Didn’t need to use the straps, but had to because they were retractable with snap lock buckle loop. Best bike train area I’ve used for a long time, maybe only beaten by the Sheffields in the guards van (which I was encouraged to lock to…) on the HSTish from Liverpool Street to Ipswich with the borrowed rock lobster to make visiting the cancer treatment girlfriend in hospital.