“Sad we can’t afford to watch you anymore”: Tom Pidcock unveils classics schedule… prompting fan complaints about TNT’s cycling price hike; “Give children the choice and they will cycle to school”; French race fine plans slammed + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“Clearly you actually need to be physically injured for more serious action to be taken!”
Some classic NMotD action – and even more classic police inaction – to kick off your Wednesday:
> Near Miss of the Day 921: Cyclist suffers “aggressive” close pass by BMW driver, but left “very disappointed” by police response which suggests “you need to be physically injured for more serious action”
Valentin’s Day comes early as Paret-Peintre soars to first Soudal-Quick Step win on Green Mountain – but Adam Yates clinches back-to-back Tour of Oman victories after finally cracking David Gaudu on summit showdown
Soudal-Quick Step may have to come up with something better than a flimsy card, a teddy bear, and dinner at Frankie & Benny’s for their latest star this week, as new recruit Valentin Paret-Peintre fulfilled the wishes of pun-loving headline writers everywhere by soaring to his first victory for the Belgian squad on the steep slopes of Green Mountain at the Tour of Oman this morning.
But it was Adam Yates, two seconds behind the fast-finishing Frenchman at the line, who secured his second consecutive overall title at the five-day race, after piling the pressure on, and ultimately cracking, race leader David Gaudu on the Green Mountain’s steep and decisive final slopes.
The always reserved and calm Yates – who I imagine is not prone to the teenage, commercialised excesses of Valentines (and I say that as a massive compliment) – started the stage six seconds down on mercurial Groupama-FDJ climber Gaudu, after their thrilling head-to-head on Eastern Mountain on Monday.
As defending champion and previous winner atop Green Mountain, the 32-year-old set his UAE Team Emirates’ colleagues to work on the 6km climb, as Jay Vine hunted down the chasers and ripped apart the lead group, from which Q36.5’s Damien Howson crashed, leading to a desperate chase to eventually finish seventh on the day and fourth overall.
And as the lead group entered the extremely steep final two kilometres, red jersey Gaudu finally began to wilt under the UAE pressure, setting the scene for Yates’ first big move. Paret-Peintre, in only his second race in Soudal-Quick Step colours since his move from Decathlon-AG2R over the winter, was alert and sharp, however, latching onto the British rider’s wheel before attacking over the top.
Yates soon clawed his way back, and a brief slowing enabled the battling Gaudu to regain contact. But with the race up in the air in the closing kilometre, Yates took his chance and piled on the pressure, cracking Gaudu for good, putting 37 seconds into him by the finish.
Paret-Peintre, while also appearing to struggle to match Yates’ pace, had enough left in the tank to surge past the 32-year-old in the closing few metres, nabbing a debut win for his team, and only the second victory of his career, after his breakthrough ride to Bocca della Selva at last year’s Giro d’Italia.
And while Valentin’s day came earlier than expected for the spindly 24-year-old French climber, Yates easily kept him within reach to secure another Tour of Oman and yet another stage race win, continuing his recent run of sensational early season results. I reckon that deserves at least a card.
Is your old rim brake climbing bike – and a nice aero position – actually faster than the new breed of superfast superbikes in the real world? Jamie decided to find out…
“Manchester – former European capital of cycling”
And now for the other side of the school run in Greater Manchester, as BlueSky user Stevie pointed out some of the lorry-shaped issues which impacted his child’s ride to school in Levenshulme over the years:
‘Oi kids, get off the footpath on your bikes!’
“Some pictures of the only route to school,” Stevie wrote, noting that one of the images was taken directly outside a low traffic neighbourhood.
Some pictures of the only route to school. I cycled here with my son for quite a few years but I’m sure you’ll see why most don’t. Manchester – former European capital of cycling 🚴
— Stevie Zero (@stevie-zero.bsky.social) February 12, 2025 at 12:13 PM
“I cycled here with my son for quite a few years but I’m sure you’ll see why most don’t. Manchester – former European capital of cycling.”
Indeed.
“Give children the choice and they will cycle to school. The only thing stopping them are adults who make our cities dangerous to be a kid!”
Trafford Council’s school streets scheme was featured on BBC Breakfast this morning, with young Salford-based cyclist Kofi extolling the virtues on national televison of “having the fresh air around me, instead of being in a car” every morning, as well as the environmental benefits of riding a bike.
“I feel like I’ve achieved something, because I’ve cycled all the way to school,” Kofi told the BBC reporter, while Khadijah said that cycling to school “brightens up my mood”.
“I don’t know how, but it feels so nice to me,” she said.
There’s a lot of talk about growth but rarely any discussion on how we enable our children to live prosperous, happy and productive lives. It will have benefits both now and in the future. The school run is the epitome of inefficiency. These kids know there’s a much better way.
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter.bsky.social) February 12, 2025 at 10:14 AM
The segment – a rare bike-friendly one on BBC Breakfast (where’s the “vigilante” remarks?) – has been praised by cycling campaigners, who argue it demonstrated that if you “give children the choice, they will cycle to school”.
“There’s a lot of talk about growth but rarely any discussion on how we enable our children to live prosperous, happy, and productive lives,” former West Midlands walking and cycling commissioner Adam Tranter said in response to the clip on BlueSky.
“It will have benefits both now and in the future. The school run is the epitome of inefficiency. These kids know there’s a much better way.”
“100 per cent,” replied Alice Ferguson. “And what will enable this is safer, less car dominated streets.”
“I really would recommend to everyone the experience of setting off every morning as a convoy of bikes on the way to school, then work, shouting greetings to neighbours and school mates as we pass them on the street. A few miles on a bike is nothing,” added Adam Brown.
While Trafford Council’s local active travel campaign group, Walk Ride GM, wrote: “Give children the choice, and they will cycle to school.
“The only thing stopping them are adults who make our cities dangerous to be a kid!”
“If you’re buying a piece of art or furniture, you’re not going to cart it home on a train or a bike”: Some classic ‘don’t take our parking spaces’ anti-cycle lane rhetoric from West Yorkshire
> Local backlash sees plans to swap car parking for cycle lane scrapped, but council insists “longstanding concerns about road safety and congestion” will still be addressed
Route for 70th edition of iconic Rás Tailteann announced, as organiser says revamped race continues to grow from “strength to strength”
Alright everyone, get your calendars ready, because the route for one of the best, most historic bike races on these rainy, windswept islands was unveiled this morning.
The 2025 Rás Tailteann – the 70th edition of the fabled Irish stage race – will get underway in the cycling stronghold of Drogheda on Wednesday 21 May, before the riders take on five varied and testing stages over 760km.
After a relatively gentle opening stage to Boyle, things toughen up almost immediately on day two in Co. Galway, where the GC battle will almost certainly explode into life over five categorised climbs, including the infamous Windy Gap, before an exposed final 40km on wide open roads.
Another famous climb, the Corkscrew, awaits on the third stage, which will finish along the Wild Atlantic Way in Miltown Malbay after a hilly finale.
But it’s the final 20km of the fourth stage – which crests the category one Wolftrap Climb in the Sliabh Blooms Mountains with just 14km to go – that could prove crucial in deciding the fate of the yellow jersey, with just a sprinter-friendly ride to Bective to go on the Sunday.
The Rás, arguably the symbol of bike racing in Ireland, was revived in 2022 in a shorter five-day, non-UCI-ranked format after an absence of four years due to financial troubles, and was won last year by Foran CT rider and Box Hill Strava conqueror Dom Jackson.
“We are really excited to release the route for the 70th edition of Rás Tailteann,” organiser Ger Campbell said today in a statement.
“I am super proud of the event we managed to get back on the road in 2022 and have grown from strength to strength each year since. Being able to start the 70th edition of the race in my hometown is very special to me. It is also great to return to some traditional cycling strongholds along the way.
“Each stage has its own twist which some suiting climbers, sprinters or punchers. I think stage four into Mountrath is going to be very telling with a very difficult category one climb just 15km out from the finish – that very well could decide the race.
“Again, I just want to thank all our sponsors, supporters, and volunteers who help to make this possible. Planning is at a very advanced stage, and we will be releasing entry details in the very near future.
“This is a very special event, and we hope that 2025, recognising the 70th edition, is a chance for everyone who has any connection with the event to come out and see the 2025 ‘Men of the Rás’.
“We can’t wait to see you all on the start line in Drogheda on May 21st – just over three months to go!”
Fesshole does cycling (and it’s surprisingly wholesome)
I think we’ve heard this one before…
Love cycling. When out on my bike and I hear a helicopter overhead I immediately start an internal Tour de France race commentary inside my head and pretend I’m on the telly.
— fesshole 🧻 (@fesshole.bsky.social) February 11, 2025 at 8:25 AM
“UCI sheriff taxing the poor again”: Plans to fine French race over cars on course chaos slammed as “total BS” and “way of boosting UCI’s coffers”, as cycling fans “wonder why small races are disappearing”
Reports this week that the UCI could be set to impose hefty fines and sanctions on the Étoile de Bessèges, over the safety chaos that marred the French stage race and saw most teams leave early, have been met with derision by cycling fans and pundits, who have accused the governing body of hypocrisy and of simply attempting to “boost their own coffers”.
Last week, the Étoile de Bessèges – the annual early season stage race in the Gard department of southern France – descended into chaos following a series of safety incidents involving members of the public driving on the race route, one of which caused a crash, and which led to over half of the teams quitting the race in protest.
During Wednesday’s opening stage, riders were forced to avoid a lorry and several cars that were lined along the road in the final 10km.
And the following day, another motorist strayed onto the route and drove towards the bunch – after reportedly being told twice to leave the course by race officials – before rapidly reversing off the road.
The driver’s actions led to a crash in the peloton as the riders slowed to avoid the motorist, resulting in Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Maxim van Gils abandoning the race with injury.
That incident appears to have sparked a ‘make the race safer or we’ll go home’ narrative from the teams towards the organisers, one that was unfortunately enacted almost immediately the next day, when another seemingly unsuspecting motorist made their way onto the circuit just 12km into the third stage, driving in the opposite direction to the race at a roundabout and almost colliding with the bunch.
The peloton immediately stopped for over an hour as union representative discussed the seemingly never-ending safety issues with the organisers, eventually leading to a number of teams – including the Ineos Grenadiers, Lidl-Trek, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and EF Education-EasyPost – to head back to their buses and quit the race.
“The safety of our riders is paramount and we felt not enough was being done,” Lidl-Trek said announcing their withdrawal.
The Étoile de Bessèges stuttered on to Sunday’s cold and rainy finish at L’Hermitage, with only 52 of the original 146 riders completing the race, won by Arkéa-B&B’s Kévin Vauquelin.
And now, it appears that the UCI could be set to impose a heavy fine and sanctions on the longstanding French stage race, which is largely run by volunteers.
According to the governing body’s rules, 2.1-level races like the Étoile de Bessèges are not required to have full road closures, but should at least have rolling closures for when the race passes (a situation not helped in this case by the relatively low number of marshals on hand to stop drivers from entering the course), while also preventing any vehicles from being parked on the route.
“Measures are being taken to prevent a recurrence of the problems that occurred during these stages, even though some teams have chosen to withdraw from the race,” the UCI said in a statement confirming that it is investigating the issues at Bessèges.
“The UCI will thoroughly investigate the problems with the road closures and take the necessary action. We will do this bearing in mind the sanctions set out in article 2.12.011.”
Het Nieuwsblad reports that the governing body – which has taken a stronger public stance on race safety with its new SafeR organisation introducing a number of initiatives over the past year – is aiming to make it clear that it “will no longer tolerate races that cannot guarantee the safety of the cyclists” and does not want to let the incidents at the Étoile de Bessèges “go unpunished”.
According to the Belgian paper, that means almost certainly a fine (probably between €4,000 and €10,000, as stipulated in the UCI’s rules). It also means that the race could be placed under “supervision” by external technical experts, who will oversee its running next year – at the event’s expense, of course.
This apparent desire to clamp down on one of the sport’s smaller, family-run races has attracted criticism from cycling fans and pundits who – despite agreeing that ensuring the safety of the peloton is key – believe any sanctions would simply be a money-making exercise for the UCI.
“This is total BS. This race has lots of goodwill, volunteers, and enthusiasm. What it doesn’t have are pots of money. This just reads like a way of boosting the UCI’s coffers,” cycling writer Peter Cossins said on BlueSky.
“As if losing half of the teams and a good bit of reputation wasn’t punishment enough for a small race like that,” added Luerikerin.
And Ninoukovitch said: “Did the UCI sanction the Tour of Lombardy in 2020 when there were cars going the wrong way in the final? Hypocrisy.”
“Sheriff of the UCI taxing the poor again. And we wonder why small races are disappearing,” wrote Sean.
“The driver who was at fault was twice warned to get off the course, but ignored the organisers who didn’t have the legal authority to force him off,” Win pointed out.
“This has been a problem for ages,” noted journalist Owen Rogers. “Remember the huge speed bump in the final of a Spanish sprint stage three years back?
“The UCI can’t sanction offending races because it needs organisers to organise races, but if it doesn’t sanction organisers they can break regulations and riders are at risk.”
And Raoul concluded: “We all want races to be safe… The issue is how to let small races thrive without pricing them out of existence?
“Losing events like the Étoile de Bessèges can’t be a thing that anyone can condone.”
“Another reason to provide long term, regular funding for walking, wheeling, and cycling – so councils aren’t tempted to do this to our streets”
The case for proper active travel policies, example 632: They would help stop this horrible recent trend of pavement-blocking electronic advertisement signs…
Disgraceful surrender of public realm to commercial purpose that makes walking and wheeling harder and leaves streets less accessible. Another reason to provide long term, regular funding for walking, wheeling and cycling so councils aren’t tempted to do this to our streets. 👇
— Caroline Russell (@carolinerussell.bsky.social) February 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM
“I’m not actually in top shape right now,” says Adam Yates, after securing back-to-back overall victories at Tour of Oman
He may be used to starting the season in flying form – in fact, he’s either won or finished on the podium of a February stage race for the past six years – but Adam Yates reckons he hasn’t quite reached peak form just yet, after securing his second consecutive Tour of Oman victory with a typically consistent, powerful performance on the race’s decisive climbs.
“I’m just happy to win,” the 32-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider said after usurping David Gaudu to take the overall win on Green Mountain this morning.
“I’m not actually in top shape right now. I need to be good for a long time later in the year. I’m happy to be at this level and fight for the win. It’s a good sign for the future.”
(A.S.O./Oman Cycling Association/Thomas Maheux)
Though he managed to clinch back-to-back overall titles, the British climber couldn’t repeat last year’s victory on Green Mountain, with Valentin Paret-Peintre outsprinting him at the end, while he was also beat by Gaudu on the race’s first, shorter summit finish to Eastern Mountain.
But Yates says his eyes were always on the GC.
“We knew from the start of the week that this would be the key stage,” he said today. “There was a hard climb on stage three but it was shorter and more explosive. We waited for today and it turned out to be a good day.
“Throughout the stage we rode a really good race. We pulled from the beginning because we knew the best thing was to control the break and take the time bonus at the end.
(A.S.O./Oman Cycling Association/Pauline Ballet)
“Jay [Vine] and Rafa [Majka] did a really good job. We need the pace to be high from the beginning of the climb, it’s 18 or 19 minutes long, so it’s a hard climb.
“I knew the climb went steeper, so I just went all in. I don’t really have the acceleration anymore. I have more of a slower burn but it’s still effective. I did it until about 150 metres to go and then then we sprinted to the line. He’s a little faster and won the stage, but I won the GC.”
While that acceleration may be slightly dulled as he creeps further into his 30s, if that was Adam Yates far from top form, Tadej Pogačar’s rivals will be quaking in their cycling shoes at the world champion’s UAE firepower come July.
Latest update from Shimano crankgate, as company reveals ‘recall’ cost £70m in 2024
> Shimano crank ‘recall’ cost £70m in 2024, as bicycle components giant’s sales drop again amid “weak” cycling market
“Fans shouldn’t be exploited”: Cycling fan sets up ‘Boycott TNT’ group and lodges complaint with Ofcom over Discovery’s “drastic” price hike for cycling coverage, arguing it will “undermine sport’s growth” in the UK
Of course, Tom Pidcock isn’t the only one who’s been receiving complaints about Eurosport’s closure in the UK and cycling’s impending move to £31-a-month TNT Sports.
Last month, we reported that a number of disgruntled fans had lodged complaints with the Competition and Markets Authority, arguing that the decision – which equates to a 343 per cent price hike to watch bike racing – is an abuse of the Warner Bros. Discovery’s monopoly position and constitutes price gouging.
And now, Toby Draper – an administrator of the ‘Boycott TNT’ Facebook group, which calls for cycling fans to “stand together” against the “unreasonable” price hike and cancel their Discovery+ subscription – has submitted a complaint to Ofcom, the regulatory authority for the UK’s broadcasting industry, claiming that the move is “unfair and anti-competitive”.
Here’s Toby’s complaint:
I am writing to formally complain about the excessive 343 per cent subscription price increase imposed by Warner Bros. Discovery for cycling coverage in the UK. This drastic hike is exploitative and damaging to the sport’s accessibility.
British cycling’s recent successes have inspired a nation. However, Warner Bros. Discovery’s pricing now excludes many fans, especially those on lower incomes. This undermines the sport’s growth and accessibility, making it a privilege, not a sport for all.
It also appears that cycling fans are being forced to subsidise other sports within the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio. Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly pays £323 million annually for Premier League football rights. It’s unacceptable that cycling fans must fund coverage of a sport they may not even be interested in to access cycling content.
This practice is unfair and potentially anti-competitive. I urge Ofcom to investigate this matter and ensure cycling remains accessible to all UK viewers. Fans shouldn’t be exploited, and British cycling’s growth shouldn’t be hampered by these unreasonable fees.
I request Ofcom investigate: The justification for this 343 per cent increase; Its impact on cycling coverage accessibility for UK viewers; Whether it aligns with Ofcom’s regulations on fair pricing and access to sports broadcasting.
Now, what’s the best way of sending this to every pro cyclist on Instagram?
Confirm your upcoming race schedule, be told by British fans that they can’t watch you anymore: The harsh reality of life as a professional cyclist on Instagram
It must be tough being a pro cyclist – especially a British one – these days. You hit ‘send’ on an inoffensive post detailing your upcoming race schedule, only to be bombarded with complaints about Eurosport’s closure and cycling’s move to TNT Sports, complete with 400 per cent price hike.
(Alright, maybe ‘bombarded’ is too strong – check the comments under every Eurosport cycling post at the minute. That’s what I call a bombardment.)
In any case, some fans took advantage of Tom Pidcock’s classics calendar update to remind the double Olympic champion of the £30.99-a-month paywall set to be imposed in front of the likes of Strade Bianche and Milan-Sanremo.
“Go Tom. Sad we can’t afford to watch you anymore,” wrote Alan.
“Good luck Tom. Gutted me and my two young cycling fan sons can no longer afford to watch you from here in the UK. Thanks, Eurosport/TNT Sports,” added South Wales Rouleurs.
> How to watch cycling for less now it’s moving to £30.99-a-month TNT Sports
Of course, as ever with these things, someone was on hand to offer some timely viewing advice, before the big move to TNT, just in time for Opening Weekend at the start of March.
“VPN has the answer,” replied Axel.
Maybe every post by a pro cyclist over the next month should feature their favourite VPN tips? Just a thought…
Tom Pidcock confirms packed classics schedule, including Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo, Amstel Gold, and Ardennes (but no Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix)
After getting his Q36.5 career off to a dominantly victorious start at the AlUla Tour a few weeks ago, Tom Pidcock has finally confirmed his schedule for the classics season – and, despite the drop down to ProTour level, it’s a packed one.
The 25-year-old is set to return to racing next week at the Ruta del Sol, his final stage racing tune-up before Opening Weekend of the classics and his first stint on the cobbles at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
A week later, the double Olympic mountain champion will head to Tuscany, where he’ll be aiming to secure his second career triumph at Strade Bianche. Pidcock will stay in Itay for Tirreno-Adriatico, the traditional preparation race for the first monument of the season, Milan-Sanremo.
There will be no Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix this year for Pidcock, however, in a programe that skews towards the hillier side of his skillsket.
While Van der Poel and Van Aert will be rampaging over the cobbles and Flemish bergs, the British star will have almost a month off, as he builds towards two races he’s won in the past: Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold, at which he’ll be the defending champion.
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Finally, he’ll round off his classics campaign in the Ardennes with Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the relentlessly hilly monument he finished second at, behind Remco Evenepoel, in 2023.
As is customary for a second-tier squad reliant on wildcard invites to the sport’s biggest races, the rest of Pidcock’s season currently remains up in the air. The Tour de France is off the table for this year, but invites to the other grand tours, the Giro and the Vuelta, remain a possibility, with an Italian debut (and therefore a very busy first half of the season) looking most likely at the moment.
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Latest Comments
But it's a 'game changer'. Use of this phrase means automatic disqualification from any further consideration, even if I can check that my helmet is at a suitably jaunty angle.
I don't know why the writer inaccurately describes the light output selection on this light. Three different things are conflated without properly first differentiating between them: The light mode (constant vs flash or "pulse"), power output (lumen rating), and the method of choosing these. Exposure combines the first two into three programs where each program has an individual output for the modes. So the copy-pasted text refers only to selecting the programs. Selecting between modes is as simple as in the Knog: "To cycle between the Constant and pulse options in each program press the function button once." Granted this might seem confusing at first but after that it is dead simple. The benefit of Exposure's choice is keeping things simple - once you've turned on the light you click either between constant and flash. In most cases FOR A COMMUTER LIGHT, this is just fine - when you ride a relatively short distance in most likely illuminated surroundings what the actual lumen output is is secondary. Connected to the above, marking as negative that the light puts out "only" 400 lumens in constant mode, is illogical. As the reviewer states, that amount is "a truly useful amount of light". There is ablosutely no challenge for Exposure in getting the light to put out 600 or more lumens in constant. But a) that would be more than "purposeful" and b) drain out the battery in an instant. The light has been designed as an ultra compact commuter light - where does it fail in that? Conversely, if you ride in "unlit rural voids" blame yourself and not the light if you chose this as your illuminating device. Furthermore claiming that the new alum. anti dazzle shield "makes zero difference" and is no upgrade is baffling - which do you think protects the lens better in an impact? Finally, moaning about the cost of the light without even mentioning what obviously plays a major role - the fact that it is manufactured in the UK, is appalling. So yeah if you "value" buying a light by Knog, Cateye and the likes that manufacture their lights in an undemocratic country where the list of ongoing human, labour, international law and environmental violations is nearly endless, and wish to support manufacturing processes where products are shipped across the world to endulge your "needs", then feel free to ignore all the above, and just focus on "user-friendliness".
Once again the CPS and Police are at fault There may be occasions in which the police and the CPS are independent entities, but in most of the cases on here, the CPS is just an excuse deployed by the police to excuse inaction over really blatant offences. What police officers are violently opposed to is people reporting offences, particularly when they send indisputable video, because the reports could take matters out of the hands of the police. They like to prosecute people they don't like, such as cyclists, and to have the option of forgiving people they do like, such as drivers in big cars or people they know. Whataboutery is getting a Bad Press on here, but it's a perfectly reasonable objection when, for instance, video is provided of drivers committing MUST NOT offences such as RLJs and they're forgiven by the police 'because everybody does it', yet a big thing is made of the offence when cyclists are involved. The assertion may not be palatable, but there are a lot of lying, crooked b******s in the Police.
I have both a Scott Spark RC and the Scale Gravel RC and find the Dangerholm builds really interesting by exploring what different directions can be achieved with a mix of imagination, DIY and professional resources. Probably not for the staid British mindset as shown by previous comments.
Once again the CPS and Police are at fault. They don't really worry about the law as they can usually find one to fit around their needs. And once again it's only when they are stood up to that they are forced to run away.
Lol. I’ve been saying the same to my watch. It keeps prompting me I need to do more calories on certain days and I tell it - but I did some gardening in the afternoon which included digging but u don’t let me record that. And then I have another biscuit with my tea.
"~15% of the riding time that I’m forced to use the road(because the infrastructure for cycling is insufficient or nonexistent) " Amsterdam?
Same here. I have a helmet with built in front and rear lights and have a red light clipped onto my bag plus lights attached to my bike front and rear but still have drivers putting me in danger. My commute is about two miles and I normally have around four incidents a week where I have to brake hard or take other evasive action to avoid being hit by distracted drivers. A big percentage of these are drivers coming on to roundabouts when I am already on them.
Glasgow's South City Way sounds great, does it not? As a user from before and after I wholeheartedly welcome the construction of the segregated route, but so much of the detailed construction is poor, if not unsafe. I provide a link to a presentation I made when construction was half complete (a personal view) and the construction errors remain outstanding to this day: crossed by high speed flared road junctions, poor colour differentiation, car door zone risks and so on. And yet cyclists come because they feel safe. It's a complex subject but IMHO the feeling of safety (or lack of) is a critical component. https://drive.proton.me/urls/B67AK44G90#CFueBGjscoWr
I can only conclude that you haven't been into a city in the last few years. Food delivery riders in particular are riding overpowered "eBikes" that are basically mopeds ... powered only via the throttle without pedalling at significantly more than 15mph. Problem is they look like normal bikes/ebikes and not like mopeds so that is what people describe them as. My reading of the article is that it is those vehicles that are being talked about here.
15 thoughts on ““Sad we can’t afford to watch you anymore”: Tom Pidcock unveils classics schedule… prompting fan complaints about TNT’s cycling price hike; “Give children the choice and they will cycle to school”; French race fine plans slammed + more on the live blog”
Pretty stupid criticisms. The
Pretty stupid criticisms. The UCI are using the tools they have to regulate the races. Ignoring it won’t make races safer. And comparing with earlier races held before the new approach is just silly.
And… If the race cannot be done safely, because the organizers doesn’t have the authority themselves, and cannot get the police to support them, maybe it’s actually better if the race dissappears? Yeah, it sucks, but still better than having dangerous races.
The UCI and FFC could try
The UCI and FFC could try supporting the organisor by helping to train up marshals, sharing best practice, helping to liase with local civil and police authorities etc.
Re cycling to school.
Re cycling to school.
“The only thing stopping them are adults who make our cities dangerous to be a kid!”
Perfect timing.
https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/boy-bike-hit-pick-up-9936767
Gloucestershire Police said:
Gloucestershire Police said: “Officers are appealing for witnesses after a child cyclist was injured in a collision in Cheltenham last week
But was the 11 year old inconvenienced by this broken leg?- that is the question that must loom large in the minds of the police!
So the driver was told twice
So the driver was told twice that the road was closed for an event? How is their failure to comprehend simple instructions the fault of the race organiser? This is partly what’s killed road cycling in the UK. That, and drivers who think they own the road, because, you know, “Road Tax!”
Not really fair to be
Not really fair to be complaining to professional cyclists about the cost of TV coverage, in my opinion. If it was association football, where the obscene salary demands of the players are one of the main drivers of the obscene costs of watching, either at home or in person, with a very substantial part of the TV revenue going to the clubs, fair enough, but given the fact that (as far as I know) cycling teams get no share of the TV income then complaining to the personnel of those teams is pretty pointless, particularly when several of them have already made clear that they don’t approve of the price rises either.
Ref TNT Sports, the way I see
Ref TNT Sports, the way I see it is that VPN is only part of the answer since it then means watching some great cycling but in a foreign language. Yes, understandable given the broadcast is in that foreign country but glibly saying that I need to brush up on my French or Flemmish won’t help. I can order beer and bread in several European languages and have reached my limit!
On the plus side, there might
On the plus side, there might be new opportunities to sponsor a Flemish donkey sanctuary, or take out life insurance and funeral plans in a variety of European countries.
Dutch/Flemish for a stairlift
Dutch/Flemish for a stairlift is een traplift, if that helps.
At least for the GTs
At least for the GTs hopefully some North American or Antipodean free to air might be available with a suitable VPN?
Thanks, yes Max sports from
Thanks, yes Max sports from the US looks a possible and they will be doing some free content, but the paid stuff is only available on a 12 month sub although there is a special deal ATM. Hard to take a punt though as I am not sure what it will be like or work as hoped, so that bargain may not be a bargain after all.
Rendel Harris wrote:
SBS in Australia. They have the Tour, Vuelta, Giro, and a bunch of other races – all free and live. I think they do catch-up as well
As a result of watching the
As a result of watching the cyclocross over Christmas on Sporza, I now know how to say “bathroom” and “bedroom” in Dutch – never know when that might come in handy
I’m sorry I clsoe passed you
I’m sorry I close passed you but my vehicle is too wide
I’m sorry I close passed you
I’m sorry I close passed you but my vehicle is too wide
This is Montgomery Distribution Mercedes 44 tonner KU71 CUK today- true enough, the section about ‘values’ doesn’t say anything about trying to avoid killing cyclists