“If they can’t build cycle lanes, devolve bloody powers to us and we’ll do it”: Council slams government’s “joke” approach to cycling infrastructure; Mads Pedersen calls Jasper Philipsen “a real a**hole”; Bike stand horseplay + more on the live blog

> Entries open on Tuesday for 2024’s Ford RideLondon-Essex – and will be first-come, first-served rather than ballot

And, judging by the current speed of the website, it seems like those spaces will fill up fast… (I feel like I’m trying to buy tickets for a Bruce Springsteen gig this morning).

This Friday, Beryl is adding 150 new bikes to its cycle hire scheme in Brighton – relaunched in April and already clocking up more than 44,000 journeys – which means that almost 800 bikes and e-bikes will be available to use in the seaside town by the end of the year.

However, judging by the following photo of one of the bike hire stands this morning, Beryl appear to be in the midst of expanding the scheme from two wheels (and an electric motor) to… four legs and a tail:

Weird Brighton pic.twitter.com/Vopw58Golp

— Bonita Holland (Bonny) (@snowdropbooks) August 15, 2023

I’ve heard they’re hoping to add a few e-horses to the range in the autumn…

Canyon has introduced new Endurace CFR and CF SLX endurance bikes that offer space for tyres up to 35mm wide, internal storage, adjustable handlebar width, and improved aerodynamic efficiency.

Canyon says the new bikes offer both comfort and speed, even describing the CFR as “arguably the fastest endurance road bike ever made”.

For everything you need to know, along with our initial ride impressions of the CFR Di2, read more here: > First look: Canyon launches all-new Endurace CFR as “arguably the fastest endurance road bike ever made”

When your mate buys one of these, at the cafe stop, shove it full of mackerel paste when he goes to the toilet. pic.twitter.com/kgH6vPszRO

— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) August 15, 2023

Fair. 

After the success of last week’s Super Worlds, is the Grande Boucle set for a wee visit to Scotland in 2026?

Read more: > Scotland could soon host Tour de France stages after “successful” World Championships 

In short, she thought it was amazing. Though you should also read the rest, of course: > How was it having the Cycling World Championships in my hometown?

And, speaking of music (see below for more on that), who now has Bruce Springsteen in their head after reading that headline?

‘Foreman says the world champs are gone, and they ain’t coming back (but the Tour might) to your hometown, your hometown, your hometown…’

Alright, that’s enough of that, I promise.

In what may prove a landmark decision for British Cycling, Team Sky, and their legacies and reputation within the sport, Richard Freeman – the former doctor for both organisations during the 2010s – has been banned from sport for four years after being found to have ordered testosterone for an unnamed rider and then lying to cover it up.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) today confirmed that the independent National Anti-Doping Panel found Freeman had committed the Anti-Doping Rule Violations of ‘Possession of a Prohibited Substance’ and (on two distinct occasions) ‘Tampering’.

UKAD’s investigation, which began in 2016 after it received information about a jiffy bag delivered to Freeman at the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné, later uncovered that the Team Sky and British Cycling doctor had ordered 30 Testogel sachets to British Cycling’s Headquarters in Manchester in May 2011.

Freeman lost a High Court appeal in January against a tribunal’s decision to strike him from the medical register in 2021, when it was ruled that his ability to practise medicine had been impaired by misconduct, having been found to have ordered the banned testosterone in 2011 “knowing or believing” it was to help dope an unnamed professional cyclist.

> Former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman facing doping ban after declining to defend himself against charges

Following the 2021 tribunal, UKAD charged the former Team Sky doctor with two anti-doping violations, namely possession of prohibited substances and tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control (this involved lying about returning the gels to the supplier and that the Testogel was for a non-rider member of staff).

That case was paused as Freeman appealed his ban, but following the High Court’s ruling, a National Anti-Doping Panel hearing was held last month, which he declined to attend.

According to UKAD, the hearing was “comfortably satisfied that Dr Freeman had intended to make available to one or more of his athletes the Prohibited Substance delivered to the Manchester Velodrome” and that UKAD had also proved the second Tampering violation.

The independent tribunal has now sanctioned Dr Freeman with a four-year ban, effective from 22 December 2020 (the date of his provisional suspension), making him ineligible to participate in any World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport until 21 December 2024.

> Freeman fallout continues as Wiggins doubts a rider would have used Testogel for doping

Jane Rumble, UKAD’s Chief Executive, said in a statement: “The decision of the independent tribunal of the National Anti-Doping Panel confirms that Richard Freeman broke the UK Anti-Doping Rules. The rules are in place to make sure everyone plays their part in keeping sport clean and to ensure a level playing field.

“The outcomes of both UKAD and the GMC’s respective investigations were vital to outing the truth in this matter. This case sends a strong message to all athlete support personnel that the rules apply equally to them, just as they do to athletes, and that they have a clear responsibility to uphold the values of integrity in sport. When they fail to do so, every effort will be taken to ensure that the rules are enforced.”

Mario Theophanous, Head of UKAD’s Intelligence and Investigations Team, who led UKAD’s investigation into Dr Freeman, described the case as a “complex and comprehensive investigation to ascertain whether any wrongdoing had been committed, working with individuals who bravely came forward to give information to protect the values of their sport”.

Responding to the decision, British Cycling chair Frank Slevin said: “We note today’s verdict from the National Anti-Doping Panel and thank them for the time and consideration put into reaching their decision. Throughout this case we have reiterated our belief that it is in public interest that all matters are heard and thoroughly examined, and have made every effort to support both UK Anti-Doping and the General Medical Council in their respective investigations.

“As we have stated previously, Richard Freeman’s conduct during his employment by British Cycling bore no resemblance to the high ethical and professional standards which we, our members and our partners rightly expect.”

He continued: “We also acknowledge that many will be understandably frustrated, as we are ourselves, that some matters arising from this case and others remain uncertain. We once again want to take this opportunity to urge individuals with relevant information to share that with UK Anti-Doping.

“In the years since Freeman was suspended from his employment by British Cycling, we have made great progress in strengthening our provision of medical services to riders competing for the Great Britain Cycling Team. Being granted Care Quality Commission status in October 2020 – making us one of the first professional sport medical facilities to achieve the status – is testament to the progress we have made.

“Ensuring that British Cycling remains at the forefront of our sector in this area will continue to be a key priority for us, and under the leadership of our Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nigel Jones, I am incredibly proud of the support we are providing both to our funded riders and wider sport.”

More to follow.

While world time trial champion Remco Evenepoel was busy doing a recce of stage three of this year’s Vuelta a España in Andorra, a certain former monument winner and panda escapee wasn’t too far behind him on the Coll d’Ordino… just 15 seconds behind him in fact: 

Still got it. Maybe. Kind of. Could definitely have ridden 15s faster anyway 🤣 @EvenepoelRemco pic.twitter.com/uAYKBiWcOJ

— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) August 15, 2023

Careful Dan, or Patrick Lefevere will be on the phone begging you to come out of retirement and join Soudal-Quick Step as a mountain domestique at the Vuelta…

In case you’re having post-worlds withdrawal symptoms – and stories about jiffy bags and testosterone deliveries from 12 years ago just won’t cut it – never fear, because there are five (yes, five!) stage races on across Europe this week, as we all gear up for the Vuelta.

At the one race I’ve been able to keep up with (I’m good, but I’m not that good), the Vuelta a Burgos, another popular and not at all contentious sprinter Juan Sebastián Molano stormed away on the slight drag to the line to take his third win of the season for UAE Team Emirates:

Juan Sebastian Molano wins Stage 1 of the Tour of Burgos!

A 22nd career victory for the Colombian! 👏 pic.twitter.com/zSBkNzhTNb

— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 15, 2023

Well done Victor, your fluffy coo will be shipped in November along with all the other pre-orders.

Probably my favourite teammate celebrating of the season so far! Campanaerts being a cow, I’m guessing?!
😂 pic.twitter.com/tofUhAkRtq

— Katy M, Worlds Edition (@writebikerepeat) August 15, 2023

Ah, so apparently Campenaerts wasn’t trying to win a cuddly world champs memento (although judging by the rate at which they were selling in Glasgow, they’re probably more coveted than the Giro’s never-ending trophy right now), he was actually just celebrating another win by Lotto Dstny teammate Arnaud De Lie – the ‘Bull of Lescheret’, of course – at this afternoon’s Tour of Leuven.

An overtake timed to 𝙥𝒆𝙧𝒇𝙚𝒄𝙩𝒊𝙤𝒏 gives Arnaud de Lie the top spot at the Tour of Leuven! ✨⏱️ pic.twitter.com/WAcgS7K5Er

— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 15, 2023

That makes more sense, I suppose…

With four stage wins and the green jersey under his belt, it’s fair to say that Jasper Philipsen cemented his status as the fastest sprinter in the world at last month’s Tour de France.

However, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider – immortalised as ‘Jasper Disaster’ in this year’s Netflix series on the Tour – has also been busy earning a somewhat more dubious reputation as one of the peloton’s more divisive fast men.

First, there were the alleged – and unpunished – sprint line deviations on stages three and seven of this year’s Tour, which appeared to thwart Wout van Aert and Biniam Girmay, respectively.

Then, on stage 18, the 25-year-old Belgian was accused of “bullying” tactics when he accelerated after prospective escapee Pascal Eenkhoorn – taking advantage of Alpecin-Deceuninck’s odd decision to allow the morning break very little rope, thereby encouraging attempts to bridge across to the front from the peloton – before veering across the Lotto-Dstny rider’s path, blocking the road in another bizarre and controversial incident for which the green jersey escaped punishment.

> Fans unimpressed as Jasper Philipsen accused of “bullying” rival in bizarre Tour de France incident

All these dodgy sprints and mind games have ensured that ol’ Jasper Disaster isn’t exactly popular in the peloton – at least according to sprint rival Mads Pedersen.

Appearing on Danish comedian and TV host Christian Fühlendorff’s podcast ‘Hva so?!’ (or, as Google Translate tells me, ‘What then?!’), the former world champion was pretty scathing in his assessment of cycling’s latest hotshot sprinter.

“He’s a real asshole who’s good at putting people in the barrier,” Pedersen, who beat Philipsen on the draggy finish in Limoges on stage eight, said.

The Lidl-Trek rider, fourth at the world road race championships in Glasgow last Sunday, also said he takes precautions when sprinting against the Belgian, and claims he avoids sprinting up his inside, for fear of being blocked up against the barriers.

“If he crashes there… I couldn’t care less. That’s his problem.”

Tell us what you really think, Mads…

Over on Facebook, Austen wasn’t too happy with the, ahem, eclectic music tastes of his fellow cyclists, at least according to Go Outdoors’ latest Spotify study…

Can’t say I disagree with that sentiment.

Yep, the world championships may have kept silly season at bay for a few weeks, but it’s that time of the year again, folks, when random emails pop into our inbox promising golden content to help us get through the long slog of the summer holidays.

And the latest one, from retailer Go Outdoors, is bound to get some of you talking…

Go Outdoors enlisted a team of outdoor “experts” to analyse hundreds of cycling-related playlists on Spotify (also known to most real music fans as the devil, but I digress) to identify the top ten songs to listen to while riding your bike.

And, according to the study (yep, they’re calling these things studies now), here’s the ‘Ultimate Cycling Playlist’:

Hmm… I suppose we should be glad that the overtly obvious choices like Queen’s Bicycle Race (written as Freddie watched the Tour de France pass his house, don’t you know? Oh you did? Okay…) missed out, though I reckon Kraftwerk’s electronic banger ‘Tour de France’ should have been in there somewhere.

Anyway, back to the actual list. road.cc favourite Simon MacMichael, always in tune with the latest music fads, was at least happy with the number one spot.

“Blinding Lights immediately took me to an evening ride along the wide (but at that time of night, deserted) Thames Path between Wandsworth and Putney as I happily threw my bike round the corners. Bliss,” he says, evoking the nostalgia and sense of transportation music can provide for cyclists, like the madeleine offers to the narrator of Marcel Proust’s epic À la recherche du temps perdu.

Though Simon – who still subscribes to the erroneously titled Spotify playlist ‘On The Bus with Team Sky: Constantly Updated’ (but not updated enough to change the team name, apparently) – also made the rather less artful case for the Kaiser Chiefs’ noughties classic I Predict a Riot to be included.

That’s mostly thanks to hearing it blaring out from the British team’s bus outside the Castello Sforzesco at the start of Milan-San Remo in 2012, before a proper cycling riot ensued on the climb of La Manie in a successful bid to ditch world champion Mark Cavendish before the finale of La Primavera.

> Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap: Bike manufacturer Scott loses trademark case against late AC/DC singer’s estate

The person in charge of the playlist at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, meanwhile, will be pleased to learn that Aussie/Scot hard rockers AC/DC make not one but two appearances in the top five of the playlist (to account for both the Bon and Brian eras, presumably), courtesy of Highway to Hell and that perennial roadside race favourite Thunderstruck.

Any excuse to use this image again…

Though, to be fair to the trackside DJ at the world championships, he wasn’t afraid to throw in a few obscure Acca Dacca album tracks to keep the crowd on their toes. Who needs Back in Black and Whole Lotta Rosie when you’ve got Fire Your Guns and If You Dare? (I must admit, even as a lifelong AC/DC fan, I initially struggled to place that closer off 1990’s The Razor’s Edge when it boomed across the track during the men’s Madison race).

As for the rest of the tracks in Go Outdoors’ Top Ten, I’ll let you make your own mind up… (Like if you’re going to pick Eminem, who’s picking that one? Never heard of it.)

> Chair of Cycling UK in Scotland examines whether it is safe to wear headphones while riding a bike

Besides cycling, the ‘study’ also identified the most popular songs on playlists for other outdoor activities, including fishing – where the track When It Rains It Pours by country and western star Luke Combs came out top, followed by the perhaps optimistic Buy Me a Boat by Chris Janson.

No prizes whatsoever for guessing that the Beach Boys and their 1963 hit Surfin’ USA topped the playlist for, that’s right, surfing (Brian May will be even more fuming about the cycling picks now).

Go Outdoors also revealed that of the seven activities for which it researched playlists, cycling proved to be the most energetic, with songs coming in at an average of 128 beats per minute, ahead of surfing at 125 beats per minute, and even ahead of the notoriously adrenaline-pumping sport of fishing, at 124 beats.

Of course, creating cycling playlists also raises the divisive topic of listening to music while riding your bike, which ranks up there in the contentious stakes with wearing a helmet.

A survey in 2020 found that two thirds of road users in the UK wanted people riding bikes to be banned from wearing headphones, with road safety charity IAM RoadSmart describing listening to music as “the ultimate distraction.”

> Two thirds of road users say cyclists should be banned from using headphones, claims survey

In 2018, a study from the Netherlands found that wearing headphones while riding “negatively affects perception of sounds crucial for safe cycling.”

Meanwhile, in November 2013, the government rejected a call from then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to ban people from listening to music through headphones while riding bikes, which he made after six cyclists were killed on the city’s roads that month – even though there was no suggestion that using headphones had been a factor in any of those fatal crashes.

However, despite the debate over what is of course a matter of personal preference, some cyclists have pointed out over the years that there have been no similar calls to ban music being played in motor vehicles.

After studying Go Outdoors’ attempt to distil the musical essence of cyclists in the UK (although if that’s the case, I’m slightly worried for us all), do you have your own cycling playlist?

If so, feel free to share it in the comments below. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Okay, maybe I will…

Councillors in Belfast – a city often ridiculed by its cyclists for its poor or non-existent implementation of active travel initiatives in recent years – have launched a scathing criticism of Northern Ireland’s Stormont government and what they describe as its “joke” approach to cycling infrastructure.

As regular live blog readers will know, Northern Ireland – not helped by the lack of a sitting, functioning executive in recent years – has lagged behind the rest of the UK when it comes to protecting vulnerable road users with proper infrastructure (while even those protected cycle lanes that have been installed, such as on Belfast’s Hardcastle Street, tend to be blocked by parked cars and bins).

> No change in cycling casualties over 10 years in Northern Ireland called “shameful” by Cycling UK and should be “wake-up call” for decision makers

This glaring disparity has prompted an increasing number of cyclists and campaign groups to criticise the inaction of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and Belfast City Council when it comes to dealing with the problems faced by people on bikes on a seemingly daily basis.

However, this week it has been the turn of the council to point the finger at the Stormont government for its “frustrating” attitude towards active travel, as councillors in Belfast called on more powers to be devolved locally to ensure bike lanes can be, you know, built sometime soon.

Speaking at Belfast City Council’s Growth and Regeneration Committee, Alliance Party councillors Mickey Murray said: “There is quite a lot going to DfI but not a lot coming back from DfI, especially with cycling network plans.

“As a major stakeholder/deliverer of cycling infrastructure, we are doing our bit in terms of cycling enabling infrastructure. But the information DfI is coming back with on their plan is a bit of a joke. The information just isn’t adequate.”

Murray then called, with cross-party support, for a workshop on cycling at City Hall to present the need for the urgent delivery of cycling infrastructure to the department.

> Sinn Féin minister “neglecting Northern Ireland’s future” and “locking us all into a fossil-fuelled dark age”, says Cycling UK

Green councillor Anthony Flynn was equally scathing about the lack of delivery stemming from the government’s grand cycle network plans, which he described as “incredibly frustrating” and “ridiculous”.

“With £700,000 they have delivered 2.8 kilometres in the last two years. And on another project £245,000 on an active travel funding upgrade.

“I am exasperated with that, to be honest. We had the Belfast Cycling Network Delivery Plan two years ago – there was an £11 million budget, and again we are left with little to no delivery, which is incredibly frustrating.

“When we have that round table with DfI I will want more information on the lack of delivery. They say in the letter response there are various reasons – but I want to know what the various reasons are.

“We are talking about a landowner here – they cannot come back and tell us there are issues of ownership.

“Where are the roadblocks? What are the roadblocks? And if they cannot do it, devolve bloody powers to us and we will do it.”

> “This is the reality of cycling in Belfast”: Cyclists blast ‘protected’ bike lane packed with parked cars and bins

The Green politician continued: “We are talking about an active travel spend per capita in Northern Ireland of £7.20, while in Scotland it is £20 per head. We are a significant outlier in the United Kingdom.

“DfI is the department that should be coming up with results when it comes to active travel spend per head, and they are not doing it. 2.8 kilometres in the last two years – ridiculous.

“We need answers from them because there is an underspend here also. And most of the budget was spent on the signalling upgrade. So, where are the cycling lanes?”

Where are the cycle lanes, indeed…