Police arrest man riding stolen motorbike in Richmond Park area as patrols increase due to bike-jackings; Lycrist infiltrator: the new MAMIL?; Point to camera...driver waits; UCI helps Afghan cyclists; Roubaix behind the scenes + more on the live blog

The bike Lachlan Morton rode around France for 16 days is being raffled off to raise money for World Bicycle Relief. Morton's EF Education-Nippo team-issue Cannondale SuperSix Evo covered 5,510km over the full Tour de France route, including transfers, in a little over two weeks. You might want to give it some TLC first if you plan on taking it out on the roads...

Four EF Education-Nippo Pro Cycling jerseys signed by the Aussie are up for grabs in the prize draw too. Tickets cost £25, and a winner will be selected once entries close on Monday 1 November. If you want to enter follow the link here...

"During The Alt Tour, in my deepest holes, I wasn’t alone," Morton explained, apparently not doing an impression of a horror movie trailer. "I could draw on the idea that with each pedal stroke I was sharing that freedom and joy with someone who hadn’t yet had the opportunity to experience riding. I could smile at the endless possibilities that a bike could bring them.

"In many ways, World Bicycle Relief helped me achieve my goals as much as they helped bring the beauty of the bicycle to so many. For both those reasons I’m forever grateful."

I would wear a t shirt that said 'lycrist infiltrator' on it 👍

— Furcoat (@FurcoatNaeNicks) October 12, 2021

Lycrist infiltrator is a new one...Jo Rigby earned that tremendous title from the charming One Tower Hamlets anti-LTN group's Twitter account holder. The rest of the message was pretty distasteful, as you've probably already seen, but plenty of people are getting on board with the marketing potential...it's got a ring to it.

Tempted to make one for my own amusement. Anyone know the copyright holder of the drawing? Google image search doesn't bring anything up. pic.twitter.com/tgfGxhh62H

— David (@FranticTeacup) October 13, 2021

I'm a firestarter,
lycrist infiltrator! pic.twitter.com/YMYIHrBe9k

— Elisabeth Anderson (@velobetty) October 13, 2021

Thanks everyone for sharing the 'did he really write that tweet' moment. Humour will see us through.

Hopefully a cult t-shirt will land from @philipnormal

I got a follow from @hanleyPa out of this - which is as good as it gets for this forever Fall fan. #lyrcistinfiltrator

— Jo Rigby (@Jo_Earlsfield) October 13, 2021

Of course there was some more serious reaction too. Over on our Facebook, Kevin Blackburn replied to the story saying: "Threatening extermination! I think that is a hate crime."

You lot under the blog have been on fine form too...Philh68 wrote: "So these One Tower Hamlet folk are so opposed to liveable streets that they've forgotten what the opposite of liveable is?"

TriTaxMan did some digging, "I just had a look at the One Tower Hamlets Twitter feed and they claim to be a majority group of residents and business owners in Tower Hamlets.... all of these anti-LTN groups have about 1,000 followers, largely made up of other anti-LTN groups or cabbies/cab companies. I would have thought that if they were so popular with the residents in their areas they would have lots of unique followers..... not all the same people.... just saying."

SimoninSpalding added: "I like term lycrist, it seems much more positive than MAMIL which involves facing my mortality and the reality that I will never win a race or be paid to ride my bike(s).😁👍"

AlsoSomniloquism pointed out it's also more inclusive of age and gender than MAMIL. A nice touch. But what about the other ranks? Nnif reckons lycrist infiltrator/agitator/berserker could be the hierarchy...

Ineos Grenadiers have released their video round-up from Paris-Roubaix, including some behind the scenes footage of Gianni Moscon in tears on the team bus after his puncture and crash. We're only disappointed there isn't any new raging Luke Rowe content...

Israel Start-Up Nation co-owner Sylvan Adams has encouraged Israel to bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Adams offered his services during an interview with the Jerusalem Post, saying he's willing to help "as I did with the Giro d'Italia race, but we need the government's help".

Adams also discussed his role in helping 41 Afghan female cyclists flee Taliban rule. The businessman and philanthropist was contacted by IsraAid and worked with the organisation to help the women escape. The UCI, Asian Cycling Confederation, FIFA and governments were also involved in the project which saw 165 people safely evacuated, including female cyclists and members of the Afghan Cycling Federation.

38 have now reportedly been welcomed to Switzerland where the UCI hopes the riders will join the UCI World Cycling Centre, an international accommodation and training facility. It is believed the rest of the refugees will be welcomed to the US, Canada, France and Israel.

"It is very important for the UCI to make a commitment to the members of the cycling family who are suffering due to the current situation in Afghanistan," UCI president David Lappartient said. "I am delighted that our efforts in this respect are providing opportunities for the people concerned in decent living conditions."

The Old Shoreham Road bike train is open for business...but parents wish they could just use the bike lane. The cycle lane was removed last month after councillors voted to scrap it. To help their kids continue to ride safely to school, about 20 parents and pupils turned up to the first train outing on Friday. It's initially running once a week but parents told Brighton and Hove News they hope it will pick up in popularity and can be expanded.

"I’d never dreamed of cycling along the road before due to the volume and speed of the traffic," one dad, Ben Kelly, said. "The arrival of safe, dedicated lanes coincided with my son mastering his bike and we were devastated when they were removed.

"As well as providing a fun, safe, healthy and environmentally friendly service to the local community, we are shining a light on the growing need for a high-quality, permanent cycle lane that support parents, pupils, delivery riders and commuters."

329 people have signed a petition on Brighton and Hove Council's website asking for "permanent well-planned and high-quality cycle lanes for the Old Shoreham Road".

Completely normal fantasy of exterminating people who use a bike to get around London. pic.twitter.com/42ui1j30Ej

— Jo Rigby (@Jo_Earlsfield) October 12, 2021

One Tower Hamlets, a group "fighting for Liveable Streets to be halted", has since deleted this grim reply to Jo Rigby's announcement that she is passing on the active travel lead at Wandsworth Council. The account holder felt the need to mark the moment by calling her a "lycrist infiltrator", before saying "your type are worse than vermin. We definitely need Rentokil to deal with you lot"...

Even ardent anti-cycling critic and TalkRadio presenter Cristo Foufas briefly called a ceasefire to address the hateful message...

Really don’t think tweets like this are helpful or kind @SaveColumbiaRd . Rats? Vermin? I don’t agree with much of what Jo has to say but resorting to this isn’t cool. Critique opinions. Critique policy. I don’t support you saying this and I suggest you rethink.

— Cristo (@cristo_radio) October 12, 2021

What is it about these “One” groups that makes them so godawful? The people on them do flower arranging and voluntary litter collecting in their spare time, then they join their local “One” group and become completely bilious https://t.co/OM1YkX7VgK

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) October 13, 2021

For a rundown on the Liveable Streets that One Tower Hamlets is so against, let's take a look at Tower Hamlets Council's website: 

The Liveable Streets programme aims to improve the look and feel of public spaces in neighbourhoods across the borough and make it easier, safer and more convenient to get around by foot, bike and public transport.

We also want to reduce people making ‘rat runs’ and shortcuts through residential streets to encourage more sustainable journeys and to improve air quality and road safety.

Terrible, I know.

The good people of cycling Twitter tried not to take the hatred to heart...

That rat is stylish as hell though, look at him go

— Hannah 🚲 (@theeyecollector) October 13, 2021

I would wear a t shirt that said 'lycrist infiltrator' on it 👍

— Furcoat (@FurcoatNaeNicks) October 12, 2021