Richmond Park close pass shocker a day after new code of conduct; Shopkeepers remove parked bike...with an axe; No Lycra in sight; Anti-cycling councillor; Pro speaks up for road safety; Ewan wins after big crash; MP ditches car + more on the live blog

What do we reckon? 30cm? pic.twitter.com/HTGPUZNa6U

— rdekanter (@rjdekanter) May 11, 2021

This video sums up much of the frustration at the new code of conduct for cyclists drawn up by Richmond Park Cyclists with input from Royal Parks Police, The Royal Parks and the Friends of Richmond Park. Dangerous driving remains a serious problem for riders using the park as demonstrated by this close pass, this video of a series of near misses and the shocking February crash which left a cyclist in hospital.

On Twitter, Elisabeth Anderson questioned how the new guidance to try and ride single file would have helped here. rdekanter, who is the cyclist in the clip, explained that the 30cm reference is the gap to the gutter as the driver brushed the vehicle against their right arm. They also went back to check their speed and found they were travelling at 19mph, keeping up with traffic.

Richmond Police invited the cyclist to report the clip as a road traffic incident...

Cyclist not allowed to shout warning at the driver because he has to keep the noise down and must be courtious to drivers at all times. 😂😂😂

— Jimmy Linnell (@jimmyteach10) May 11, 2021

Mikel Landa leaves the race in ambulance. His team crossed the finish line.

Can't the man ever have some luck in his career? Is it too much to ask? pic.twitter.com/ASrvjgvprO

— José Been (@TourDeJose) May 12, 2021

After the finish, Lotto-Soudal rider Stefano Oldani told Rai he felt the finish was unsafe, with too many narrow roads, dangerous turns and traffic islands. The Italian said he narrowly avoided the crash involving Mikel Landa. On a second look, it seems it was Joe Dombrowski who swerved into the Bahrain Victorious rider, taking him out. The American ended up losing eight minutes, while Ineos Grenadiers' Pavel Sivakov, who fell in an earlier incident, came home 13 minutes behind stage winner Caleb Ewan.

Bahrain Victorious sports director has been quoted saying he does not know if it is Landa's wrist or shoulder that is injured but thankfully it sounds as though there are no serious head or spinal injuries.

Congratulations to Cllrs Mike Prendergast & Sinclair D’Albuquerque, winning in Dukes and Cambridge Wards. Conservatives won the largest share of the vote across Southport, we will continue to fight for Southport, champion local businesses and support residents.

— S'port Conservatives (@ConservativesSP) May 7, 2021

Mike Prendergast was elected as a councillor up in Southport with 42 per cent of the vote in his ward. One of our readers David pointed us in the direction of some of his campaigning ahead of the election where he went as far to say he is "very disturbed" by plans for new cycle lanes in Birkdale...

Prendergast went on to say there was no demand from the local community for cycle lanes and that rather than making the roads safer, they would "introduce a new level of danger for both pedestrians and car users."

"I took the opportunity to view the last Full Sefton Council Meeting and I was very disturbed by the fact that the Labour Leadership have refused to rule out the introduction of cycle lanes in Birkdale village," he wrote on Southport Conservatives' website.

"There is no doubt that such a move would be very detrimental to the traders to whom we should be seeking to give the maximum degree of support in these difficult times [...] would exacerbate significantly what is already a significant problem with car parking.

"The possibility of cycle lanes in these areas is already causing distress to those who live off these roads and they in turn will simply be turned into what might be described as a car park for Smedley Hydro. There is no demand from local people for cycle lanes on these roads."

Energy-saving mode very much activated by @Lotto_Soudal's @CalebEwan in the first 15km of #Giro Stage 5 😎

Follow live rider data with our Race Centre 👇

— Velon CC (@VelonCC) May 12, 2021

80w? These pros have it easy, don't they? Lovely day for it over in Italy...two riders up the road and a gentle few hours before another big sprint in Cattolica. We will check back in when something happens... 

These pictures from a video posted in the London Cycling Facebook group show two men cutting through a locked bike's frame to dump it on the other side of the street. One of the men uses an axe to cut through the frame, while another appears to deliver groceries to the shop. The third man then shiftily wheels the bike away.

Cola Nuke, who filmed the incident, said: "Careful where you leave your bike. This guy had left his outside the shop on Lea Bridge Road overnight, because he couldn’t carry all the groceries he’d bought inside. He’d locked it to the post. They thanked him by cutting it in half with an axe, and dumping it across the street."

Forrest is a new running and cycling app coming to iPhone and Apple Watch later this month. Bad luck fellow android users, Forrest has been designed exclusively for iPhone. It is a ride-tracking app that adds the element of competition seen in other GPS devices through Strava live segments. The key point being it adds a competitive element to your run or ride by giving you a virtual opponent or time to beat, such as your previous personal best or recent race results.

The app is designed to give you audio prompts if your phone is in your jersey pocket, which may not be ideal for people who avoid using headphones while riding. 

Meanwhile on the Mont Ventoux where the roadworks get more delayed everyday

They hope to complete the resurfacing end of May. pic.twitter.com/W9uhC4htMP

— José Been (@TourDeJose) May 12, 2021

Stage 11 of the Tour de France is due to take in the double ascent of Mont Ventoux on July 7...that looks a very long way away at the moment. The snow-covered mountain is being resurfaced ahead of the biggest bike race in the world's visit...or rather, the mountain is not being resurfaced because of the snow. 

The works were due to be completed by the end of the month before the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge on June 8. Let's hope we see some movement soon...

Rapid antigen tests completed before stage four of the Giro d'Italia found that all 650 people in the race bubble, including all riders and staff of the 23 teams, tested negative for COVID. This means the race continues as planned ahead of the next round of testing due on Saturday and Sunday. Gazzetta dello Sport reports the race organisation plans to reach 2,600 tests by the time the riders reach Milan in two and a half weeks' time.

Last year's event was overshadowed by positive tests. Simon Yates' then Mitchelton-Scott team, Jumbo-Visma, Michael Matthews and Fernando Gaviria pulled out of the race following a series of positives.