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Active travel campaigner leaves Twitter after abuse & threats; Cav content; TDF behind the scenes; But cyclists; New pro kit: Movistar go dark; Virtual Everesting; Pog to ride Flanders; Dashboard gunsight; Hairpin porn; Bye Bailey + more on the live blog

It's Wednesday and Dan Alexander will be providing the updates for your middle of the week live blog...
Wed, Dec 15, 2021 09:05
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SUMMARY

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Active travel campaigner leaves Twitter after abuse & threats; Cav content; TDF behind the scenes; But cyclists; New pro kit: Movistar go dark; Virtual Everesting; Pog to ride Flanders; Dashboard gunsight; Hairpin porn; Bye Bailey + more on the live blogoxon travel cycle lane picture 2 - via twitter.PNG
15 December 2021, 17:14
Get your wallet out
15 December 2021, 16:32
Have you tried?
15 December 2021, 16:11
15 December 2021, 15:55
EF Education - Nippo announce major transfer coup with deal for breakthrough climbing sensation Mark Padun

It's safe to say Ukranian pro Mark Padun shocked the world at the Critérium du Dauphiné, winning consecutive stages in the mountains against some of the best riders in the world. An extraordinary achievement made more impressive by the fact that before the race Padun's biggest win was a stage of the Tour of the Alps back in 2018.

Retrospective analysis ranked Padun's watts per kilo climbing performance up there with the best rides of the season. And while the rest of 2021 didn't work out for the Bahrain Victorious rider, where he would be riding in 2022 was one of the big off-season transfer questions.

Ineos were unsurprisingly mentioned, and at one point were assumed to be the destination by many. But refreshingly it's EF Education — who have secured his signature.

Jonathan Vaughters talked up his new big-name signing: "I fully expect him to win his first stage of a Grand Tour in the next couple of years. I have no doubt that he’ll do that. I know he can find the right breakaway in a mountain stage and climb away from everyone else and win stages. I know he can do that in Grand Tours.

"Whether he can expand on that to win mountain jerseys or contend in general classification, that part we have to find out. But for this year, let’s focus on a couple of stage wins. I’m 100% confident he can do it."

15 December 2021, 09:40
"I don't want to be on it anymore because I don't want to be anywhere near these men": Pro-active travel councillor leaves Twitter over abuse

Cllr Jo Rigby is a live blog regular with her thoughts, pics and videos of active travel infra (or more often the lack of it) from Wandsworth, south London. As recently as last Tuesday she headlined the live blog after sharing a clip of six drivers cutting across a painted bike lane in just 25 seconds. The video sparked a discussion about whether paint is infrastructure and if the lanes really are better than nothing.

However, this morning, a friend has shared a statement saying the councillor is leaving Twitter due to abuse and threats. 

The full statement is above but includes, "I was reading posts from a group of men in Enfield who [...] had gathered to discuss how I needed a smack to shut me up along with indulging themselves in a fantasy where I get crushed to death by a tipper truck.

"There are some wonderful people on here [...] but it's essentially riddled with hate and anger. And I don't want to be on it anymore because I don't want to be anywhere near these men."

Rigby said she's also had a threatening email sent to her place of work, including calling on her employer to take action against her. Something "which didn't get the response he wanted. I got a lovely supportive note from my new boss."

15 December 2021, 15:05
The air horn has still got some juice left after yesterday...
15 December 2021, 14:33
15 December 2021, 14:19
Tadej Pogačar adds Tour of Flanders debut to 2022 programme — will ride four of five Monuments
Tadej Pogacar in yellow - picture credit A.S.O., Charly Lopez

What does Tadej Pogačar do when he's already won two Tour de France titles and two Monuments before the age of 24? Try and win just about everything else...

The Slovenian has added the Tour of Flanders to his 2022 calendar, and will ride three other Monuments — Milan San Remo, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Il Lombardia — on top of defending the Tour de France and returning to the Vuelta a España.

"The start will be similar to this year, I will open the season with the UAE Tour, which is very important for the team," Pogačar told Slovenian media. "I will almost certainly compete in four Monuments - all but Paris-Roubaix - two Grand Tours, and probably also the World Championships, where the route will not be so flat and it will be difficult to control. The season will be quite strenuous, and the Tour of Slovenia is also planned."

Can Pogačar win Flanders? His win at Liège showed he packs a sprint at the end of a demanding day...and it's hard to see him getting dropped on the climbs...anyone feel strongly either way?

15 December 2021, 13:02
15 December 2021, 12:33
Episode 2 of The Wolfpack Insider: Tour de France

Need some lunchtime viewing? Deceuninck-Quick-Step have delivered the goods with the second episode of their behind the scenes series from the Tour de France. It's got all the Cav content you could possibly need as the Manx Missile's stage-winning run continued into the second week.

Times have certainly improved for Cav since this was taken...

15 December 2021, 12:16
Anyone remember what happened to Shaun Bailey?

It's funny how things work out sometimes...at the back end of last year Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey was spouting about restoring the roads of the capital to motorists.

His campaign included verbal attacks on LTNs, including a bizarre video comparing the schemes to the Tour de France. Aye, because we all remember the time Tadej Pogačar dropped Richard Carapaz with a sneaky attack around a planter.

Bailey lost the campaign, but was back in the papers yesterday after he was pictured at one of the Tories' definitely not a party last December...he has since quit as chair of City Hall's police and crime committee...

15 December 2021, 12:04
It's those bloody cyclists jumping red lights again...
15 December 2021, 12:01
15 December 2021, 11:33
New pro kit: Movistar go dark

Trek-Segafredo went white, Movistar have joined the dark side with their first La Passione kit. Alejandro Valverde and Annemiek van Vleuten get a splash of extra colour with their world champ's stripes on the sleeve, but otherwise it looks like an homage to Manchester City's dreadful no logo third kit...okay, fair enough, it's better than Puma's effort...

15 December 2021, 10:35
Complete an Everesting without leaving home...RGT Cycling announces 2022 Everesting Challenge with World Bicycle Relief
RGT x WBR x Everesting Challenge 2022

Free to use virtual cycling platform RGT has announced its 2022 Everesting Challenge — a 31-day window to climb the cumulative altitude of Mount Everest (8,448m). Okay, okay, I hear you...that's technically not an Everesting if it's not all climbed in one ride, but hey, it's in January with all the excess Christmas weight, be my guest if you want to do it all in one ride. The rest of us will just be happy to rack it up by February 1...

The challenge is in partnership with Hells 500, the creators of Everesting.CC, as well as World Bicycle Relief, the non-profit organisation dedicated to mobilising people through the power of bicycles. It's a fundraising challenge, so you can start the year getting fit for a good cause.

RGT Cycling’s Head of Brand and Marketing James Vickers said: "Now that we’re firmly back into indoor riding season in the Northern Hemisphere we hope riders see this challenge as a fun way to maintain motivation through the winter months, whilst also raising funds to support the incredible work that World Bicycle Relief does around the globe."

Fancy it?

15 December 2021, 10:24
Hairpin porn

All the switchbacks you could ever wish to see...and not a Box Hill in sight...of course you've got to have the big dogs...the Stelvio...

Stelvio hairpins

Alpe d'Huez...

Alpe d'Huez

 But what about some lesser-known hidden gems for hairpin lovers...

I'll give all the kudos in the world to any of you lot who have ridden any of those...the bucket list is now a couple of climbs longer...

15 December 2021, 10:24
15 December 2021, 08:50
"Now I can better target cyclists": Motorist shares photo of dashboard gunsight

This thread makes pretty grim reading for your Wednesday morning...

Some amateur reg plate detective work means we reckon this is from Finland, where one motorist bragged about their new gunsight set-up on their dashboard meaning they can "better target cyclists".

The replies sadly got worse, with a couple saying that's what the Mercedes star on the bonnet is designed for...while the sight driver justified their actions by arguing, "We have good routes for cycling and still some idiots cycle on the road."

Two accounts, both with cartoon avatars, one claiming to be German, the other from Ukraine took it further...maybe it's our mistake for paying attention to anonymous trolls, but anyway...

One commented: "It should be the goal of every driver to hit at least one cyclist while driving."

The other said: "You just run them over that's what you do."

Closer to home, last week the owner of a van in Greater Manchester, pictured with spiked wing mirrors, denied the modification was designed to harm cyclists. Jonathan Tomney said it was to deter vandals from stealing parts of his car..."I just hope that if one of the little b******s tries to take my wing mirror again they’ll sever their hand."

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and has spent the past four years writing stories and features, as well as (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. Having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for the Non-League Paper, Dan joined road.cc in 2020. Come the weekend you'll find him labouring up a hill, probably with a mouth full of jelly babies, or making a bonk-induced trip to a south of England petrol station... in search of more jelly babies.

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72 comments

Avatar
Organon replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
0 likes

That is clearly just a training t-shirt, not an actual football shirt.

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wycombewheeler replied to Organon | 2 years ago
0 likes

Organon wrote:

That is clearly just a training t-shirt, not an actual football shirt.

you'd think so but

https://shop.mancity.com/gb/en/manchester-city-3rd-shirt-21-22/701219466...

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captain_slog | 2 years ago
0 likes

I think Movistar's kit has never been as good as when the M was green.

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Awavey replied to captain_slog | 2 years ago
0 likes

I like this one more fwiw shades of blue always work well together and it's kind of a combo from their cyan kit last year and the older navy one.

It does remind me of another kit from somewhere, but it certainly wasnt the Man City thing.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
0 likes

Be interesting if the bikes still have the two tone blue shade or go for this darker colour all over. 

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Awavey replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 2 years ago
0 likes

They could do a colour fade between the two, that would look very swish imo 1

La Passione have more details on their design process for the kit.
https://uk.lapassione.cc/pages/la-passione-for-movistar-team

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IanMK | 2 years ago
7 likes

With regard to the idea of cyclist registration, I think Nick our new moral leader is too soft and just going for the low hanging fruit. I would go much further. A national database of all people in the UK containing personal information, including DNA samples, and a network of CCTV cameras with advanced facial recognition software. Eventually, I hope we can find a cunning ruse to trick everyone into having computer chips implanted, an idea that I've secretly code named "jabs in arms".

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chrisonabike replied to IanMK | 2 years ago
5 likes

IanMK wrote:

[ ... ] Eventually, I hope we can find a cunning ruse to trick everyone into having computer chips implanted, an idea that I've secretly code named "jabs in arms".

Too little ambition! "The bourgoisie will pay for the mobile devices and install the apps we will use to spy on them" - Lenin Mark Zuckerberg

(Actually it looks like Lenin never said anything so snappy - unsubstatiated as many good stories)

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
8 likes

Today's local story - that hi viz is certainly effective in the daytime with that background...um

//www.gazette-news.co.uk/resources/images/13298921.jpg?htype=0&type=mc3)

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Tinbob49 | 2 years ago
4 likes

That Maggie Dodge in Jo's comment appears to have form, and has been forced to apologise publically for defamation in the past. What a lovely person.

https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/karen-liebreich-defamation-proceedings-se...

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eburtthebike replied to Tinbob49 | 2 years ago
1 like

Tinbob49 wrote:

That Maggie Dodge in Jo's comment appears to have form, and has been forced to apologise publically for defamation in the past. What a lovely person.

https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/karen-liebreich-defamation-proceedings-se...

Not only a vicious liar, but too stupid to learn after paying out £1,300 last time.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
4 likes

If you do want a laugh and literally see how rabid anti cyclist she is, MortonPeas is her twitter handle. She was in the debate on a video of a Richmond park stating parks are their to be driven in and not to be cycled in. When someone stated we want to remove the cars from the park she piped up, so you want to make them inaccessible to everyone but cyclists and walkers. I think she actually lives in her car and just teleports from it to anywhere else. 

Avatar
brooksby | 2 years ago
7 likes

Our Nige wrote:

... that lawyer extraordinaire, road safety expert, and all-round good egg Nick Freeman

Is it me, or is their use of language growing more and more over the top?

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
20 likes

It's such a shame that Jo Rigby, an exemplary hard-working public servant dedicated to cycling and active travel, has been hounded off social media by the foul abuse she's received, having already decided that she wouldn't stand for re-election as a local councillor partly for the same reason. I've seen a fair bit of the abuse she's received, nearly all from men from "One" anti-LTN groups and it's been astoundingly vile.

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
0 likes

Rendel Harris wrote:

It's such a shame that Jo Rigby, an exemplary hard-working public servant dedicated to cycling and active travel, has been hounded off social media by the foul abuse she's received, having already decided that she wouldn't stand for re-election as a local councillor partly for the same reason. I've seen a fair bit of the abuse she's received, nearly all from men from "One" anti-LTN groups and it's been astoundingly vile.

Has the abuse been reported to twitter, fb and any other platforms it appears on?  These people should be named and shamed and banned from the media.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
0 likes

One of the replies in the threads stated it has been reported. 

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Sniffer replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
18 likes

There isn't a lot of interest.  Only Nigel stirring it up and everybody else telling him Nick Freeman is an arse.

Can we just take that as read and ignore him?

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Sniffer | 2 years ago
7 likes

I still don't get why no one who ever lets Poophole spout his bile in the context of road safety never asks the questions.

"If you are so adamant on road safety, why have you supposedly made millions defending drivers who do actually speed and drive dangerously, but get away with it because you argue on  technicalities rather then they didn't actually do the offence?"

"How many times have you had to defend the same offender for the same driving offences being committed again and again and don't you feel that you publicising it all means drivers feel that they can get away with these more and more?"

Those should always be the first questions asked for balance before they allow him to justify his other claims. 

Avatar
brooksby replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
5 likes

Garage at Large wrote:

<stuff about Nick Freeman.  again.>

I think we've got you all wrong - I name you, 'Uriah Heep'.

Avatar
jaymack replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
3 likes

But not nearly so 'umble...

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Rendel Harris replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
2 likes

brooksby wrote:

Garage at Large wrote:

<stuff about Nick Freeman.  again.>

I think we've got you all wrong - I name you, 'Uriah Heep'.

Oh that's really good, spot on!

Avatar
sean1 replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
11 likes

Go away Nigel.

Thank you.

 

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AidanR replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
8 likes

I love how you've become such parody of a troll that I find myself silently nodding along to your biting sarcasm.

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Clem Fandango replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
7 likes

Does good old "road safety Nick" drown out the other voices?

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EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
26 likes

Do we really need to know about cyclist hate from a random Twitter troll from Finland? It's a fine balance but sometimes, quite often in fact there's no need to report this sort of thing....don't let road.cc turn into a social media hate fest!!

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Zjtm231 replied to EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
3 likes

Quite

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Captain Badger replied to EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
6 likes

EddyBerckx wrote:

Do we really need to know about cyclist hate from a random Twitter troll from Finland? It's a fine balance but sometimes, quite often in fact there's no need to report this sort of thing....don't let road.cc turn into a social media hate fest!!

My thoughts exactly

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
8 likes

As an antidote here's a video about winter cycling in Oulu in Finland - 22% modal journey share for cycles (and 38% of people cycle at least occasionally year-round)!

Avatar
Secret_squirrel replied to EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
9 likes

I think its particularly ironic given the post from Jo Rigby about Twitter in the next news item.  Since Twitter is so full of toxic trash - should Road.CC being thinking a bit harder about whether they increase its reach?

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
7 likes

Secret_squirrel wrote:

I think its particularly ironic given the post from Jo Rigby about Twitter in the next news item.  Since Twitter is so full of toxic trash - should Road.CC being thinking a bit harder about whether they increase its reach?

Yes, it seems needless to satisfy random trolls in Finland with the response they want ("hey look I've riled some road lice in UK!) when we have the likes of Peter Hargreaves enabling the criminal harassment of elected representatives. 

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