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Ineos Grenadiers slammed for relentless 4x4 promotion; Chris Boardman clip on lockdown cycling descends into helmet row; West Mercia Police say Close Pass Op WILL go ahead; Tino Asprilla shares strange Rigo Uran pic + more on the live blog

Welcome to Tuesday's live blog, with Jack Sexty at the controls and Simon MacMichael taking over later this evening. ...
Tue, Sep 15, 2020 09:41
22
Ineos Grenadiers slammed for relentless 4x4 promotion; Chris Boardman clip on lockdown cycling descends into helmet row; West Mercia Police say Close Pass Op WILL go ahead; Tino Asprilla shares strange Rigo Uran pic + more on the live blogineos grenadiers interview screenshot 2- september 2020.PNG
15 September 2020, 16:13
"It's just not a great look really": Debate over heavy promotion of Ineos Grenadier 4x4 continues

The Ineos Grenadiers have taken to featuring the vehicle in the background whenever they interview their riders, and some are uncomfortable with such heavy promotion of a 4x4 that isn't exactly environmentally-friendly and could be considered more dangerous than your regular runaround. 

Others have defended Ineos, saying it's drivers who are dangerous rather than the car they drive, and that the Grenadier is more intended for off-road use. Do you think the whole Ineos Grenadier thing is a wise PR move? It certainly doesn't seem to have brought the team any luck at the Tour so far...  

15 September 2020, 15:39
Tour de France: Ambulance driver who knocked over Bob Jungels on stage 15 has been removed

After appearing to take out Sergio Higuita, who was forced to abandon, Jungels was then hit by an ambulance driver further up the road. The UCI's communications department replied to the tweet above, saying: "Race officials have taken action. The driver of the ambulance who hit Bob Jungels has been sent off the Tour de France and fined."

15 September 2020, 15:35
Lennard Kämna wins Tour de France stage 16

The 24-year-old Bora-Hansgrohe man demolished the field today, with Richard Carapaz coming in over a minute behind - full stage report here.  

15 September 2020, 15:45
15 September 2020, 15:32
Things we didn't expect to see at the 2020 Tour de France: Egan Bernal dropped from the GC group with Greipel and Sam Bennett

It looks like Bernal is fully committed to going into the break tomorrow, as he chills behind the GC group with the sprinters. 

15 September 2020, 15:25
Chris Boardman helmet row rolls on

Some continue to say that Boardman should have been wearing a helmet while presenting the ITV segment, while others have defended him for choosing not to. We doubt Mr Boardman cares very much, and will continue doing excellent work as Manchester's Cycling and Walking Commissioner. 

15 September 2020, 13:57
Rennes steps in to host first ever French Naked Bike Ride following bans in Paris and Lyon

Rennes hosted the landmark clothes-less occasion on Sunday where Paris and Lyon couldn't, and some are hoping it could become an annual event to highlight environmental issues. Michèle Charles-Dominé from the French Naturist Federation (FFN) told RFI: “We’re delighted, we laughed a lot, had a great time.

“When you care about nature, it’s better to be naked, you show your fragility."

Riders had to wear masks for the 15km ride, with about 70 cyclists taking part. Charles-Dominé expressed his disappointment at Paris banning the ride suddenly, adding: "Didier Lallement (Paris' Police Chief) is simply playing for time. He waited until the last minute so we wouldn’t be able to contest the decision.” 

15 September 2020, 13:23
Aldi caught up in row over where to re-erect a popular bicycle mural, that stands where they will build a new store
milton keynes biycle mural - credit Derek Harper via geograph.PNG

Although heritage campaigners welcome the new supermarket, concerns have been raised about where Aldi have proposed the mural's 'forever site' should be, report MK Citizen.

The popular 'bicycle wall' in the Stantonbury district of Milton Keynes was created in 1978 by John Watson with the help of school pupils from the local area, and features 1,200 tiles. The building it is on was earmarked for demolition when Aldi moved in; but after a public outcry, the German grocery giants said they would place it in its original form off the supermarket site next to a redway (part of Milton Keynes' extensive cycling and walking network). 

This could be problematic according to local campaigners, with Tim Skelton of the Milton Keynes Forum saying: “The site they are proposing is only about one metre from the footpath, putting it at risk of damage and vandalism. You will be able to reach out and touch it.

“Although it would be visible from the road, there will be no visibility from the store, and we are concerned that it could be a case of out of sight, out of mind.”

Aldi rejected building the store around the mural because it wouldn't be "in keeping" with the design, and the council have demanded that they can't start building until the mural is safely erected elsewhere. Their planning expert Dan Templeton commented: "The overall strategy has been to ensure the mural is re-erected in a location that ensures it would be appreciated by the greatest number of local residents, and with an appropriate level of natural surveillance."

The council's website currently has the application for a discharge of the planning condition, and is allowing comments/suggestions on how the issue could be resolved. 

 

15 September 2020, 13:15
In which Cav also reveals his love for Lego...
15 September 2020, 12:42
Coventry suspends e-scooter trial because of concerns about users riding them on the pavement
voi e-scooters 2020.PNG

Just five days after it launched, an e-scooter trial in Coventry has been suspended due to concerns about users riding on the pavement - full story over on eBikeTips. 

15 September 2020, 10:55
Chris Boardman's ITV segment on cycling during lockdown leads to complaints over his lack of helmet

It's time to dig out that archive pic again, and on this occasion it's because Chris Boardman dared not to wear a helmet while he was steadily pootling along in a short clip that featured during yesterday's Tour de France highlights coverage on ITV4. 

As we outlined further down the page, Boardman was explaining how cycling during lockdown boomed, and how councils quickly moved to reallocate space to cyclists and pedestrians in an era of social distancing. Wise as his words were, as you can see from some of the comments above some believe that Boardman's lack of helmet is a sin that can't be atoned for. 

Others disagree, and Boardman himself has addressed the negative comments by linking to Cycling UK's policy on helmets, which suggests that he is strongly opposed to their mandatory use. In the headline message, the policy says: 

"Cycling UK is opposed to both cycle helmet laws and to helmet promotion campaigns because these are almost certainly detrimental to public health. Evidence shows that the health benefits of cycling are so much greater than the relatively low risks involved, that even if these measures caused only a very small reduction in cycle use, this would still almost certainly mean far more lives being lost through physical inactivity than helmets could possibly save, however effective.

"In any case, there are serious doubts about the effectiveness of helmets. They are, and can only be, designed to withstand minor knocks and falls, not serious traffic collisions. Some evidence suggests they may in fact increase the risk of cyclists having falls or collisions in the first place, or suffering neck injuries"

In 2014, Boardman also claimed that helmets were "not even in top 10 of things that keep cycling safe."

15 September 2020, 10:01
"Breakdown in communications": Superintendent Steph Brighton apologises for saying close pass operation was called off in South Worcestershire, and West Mercia Police issue statement

Further to the update from West Mercia Police to say that they would be taking part in Operation Close Pass, Supt Brighton added: "I have removed an earlier Tweet that incorrectly stated that South Worcestershire officers would not be taking part in Op Close Pass. This was simply a breakdown in communications and I’m sorry."

Supt Brighton said a start date would be announced by West Mercia Police. The force also responded to a request for a statement from road.cc, with Deputy Chief Constable Julian Moss saying: “We’d like to apologise for any confusion around our participation in Operation Close Pass; whilst we always take into consideration health and safety matters we can confirm that we will be taking part. We will keep our communities up to date with our Operation Close Pass activities.

“There was was a breakdown in internal communication around the decision-making process for our participation but this has now been resolved – and we have apologised for the confusion.”

15 September 2020, 09:50
"No regrets": Egan Bernal on his unravelling yellow jersey defence so far, in totally on-brand interview

With his Dogma F12 rested against an Ineos Grenadier 4x4 in the background, the 23-year-old has reflected on his Tour so far, saying that he has given everything but can't change what happened on stage 15, where he lost over seven minutes to race leader Primoz Roglic. 

"Firstly I would like to recover a little bit", said Bernal.

"Try to help the guys. Maybe take some bidons to them, try to do this kind of work that I have never done.

"It's something that I want to do. Just try to help the guys, enjoy the race... and then, I don't know, maybe try to go in some breakaways."

The fact that Ineos appear to be shoehorning their massive off-road vehicle into everything they can hasn't gone unnoticed on social media...

15 September 2020, 09:25
Breking: Tour de France confirm all latest coronavirus tests came back negative

Of all the 785 riders, staff and organisers who remain involved in the Tour, none of the tests came back positive according to the statement. 

The entire "race bubble" was tested between 13th-14th to coincide with yesterday's rest day. The statement concluded: "The organisers of the Tour de France and the UCI would like to thank all of the teams for their collaboration and for the vigilance that they have shown and will continue to show up until the finish in Paris." 

15 September 2020, 08:55
Just Rigoberto Urán taking a ribbing from Tino Asprilla on Twitter

When legendary 90's footballers and embarrassing old photos of professional cyclists collide... somehow ex-Newcastle and Colombian national team footballer Faustino Asprilla has come into the possession of this pic, which shows a very young Rigo appearing to get blanked by a 'podium girl' as he moves in for a kiss. 

Luckily cycling's archaic tradition of placing female hostesses on the podium looks like it will soon be consigned to history, so there's less chance of eccentric footballers from 2020 posting compromising old photos of cyclists on social media by 2040...  

15 September 2020, 09:13
Chris Boardman on cycling during and after lockdown

With his Cycling and Walking Commissioner hat on, Boardman looks at how cycling boomed during the pandemic, and what needs to happen to ensure it continues - well worth four minutes of your time. 

15 September 2020, 08:27
Hasty backtracking, or a genuine misunderstanding? West Mercia Police say they will be running a Close Pass Operation, despite a superintendent saying "risk is too great" for her officers

A few hundred comments from angry social media users and celebrities plus numerous FOI requests later, the official Twitter account for West Mercia Police stepped in last night to say they will be taking part in Operation Close Pass after all. 

The problem arose when Supt Steph Brighton said her force wouldn't be taking part in a close pass operation, suggesting that it couldn't be allowed after carrying out a health and safety assessment. Naturally people took this to mean that Supt Brighton thought sending police officers out on bikes to catch close-passing drivers was too dangerous, but she says her words were taken out of context. 

Some have doubted West Mercia's intentions, accusing them of backtracking after the hugely negative reaction. Cycling campaign group Bike Worcester appear to be suggesting that the force are yet to set a date to actually start their close pass operation.

road.cc have asked West Mercia Police for a statement. 

Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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22 comments

Avatar
PaulHerneBay | 4 years ago
2 likes

I am so fed up up of the helmet debate, it's nowhere near the most important factor in keeping cyclists safe and should remain a personal choice, unless you are involved in a sport which raises the risk. Statistically it would be of more benefit for pedestrians and drivers to wear crash helmets. If you want to raise issues that really relate to cycling safety ask why so little importance is given to the provision of safe cycling infrastructure, effective policing of bad, bullying driving or why the number of deaths and injuries caused by motor vehicles daily are seen as "acceptable" if the numbers involved occurred in any other aspect of life health and safety would be investigating, but, apparently, if cars etc are involved it's acceptable.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to PaulHerneBay | 4 years ago
2 likes

Paul Barrow wrote:

I am so fed up up of the helmet debate, it's nowhere near the most important factor in keeping cyclists safe and should remain a personal choice, unless you are involved in a sport which raises the risk. Statistically it would be of more benefit for pedestrians and drivers to wear crash helmets. If you want to raise issues that really relate to cycling safety ask why so little importance is given to the provision of safe cycling infrastructure, effective policing of bad, bullying driving or why the number of deaths and injuries caused by motor vehicles daily are seen as "acceptable" if the numbers involved occurred in any other aspect of life health and safety would be investigating, but, apparently, if cars etc are involved it's acceptable.

Helmets are just used to distract the conversation away from the benefits of cycling and instead concentrate on the dangers and to victim blame and insult anyone not wearing one.

Avatar
Nick T | 4 years ago
3 likes

This Grenadier car thing has done a fantastic job of taking the focus away from all the far more disgusting things the Ineos company does to the planet, bravo to their PR firm

Avatar
Awavey | 4 years ago
2 likes

they re-named the team after this vehicle, literally every time you say Ineos Grenadiers you are "relentlessly promoting" it, so what on earth did people think was going to happen with this link up ?

and how do the likes of Skoda get a free pass for this environmental concern of automobiles mixed with relentess promotion during cycling races, Skoda proudly deliver 250 cars for use just at the Tour de France, many of which are just there to drive Skoda invited guests around a tour stage so they can experience being driven around a tour stage, and who knows what happens to those vehicles after weeks of being thrashed around France,end up as hire cars ?

Only 30 of these 250 vehicles are hybrid/full electric and the lead vehicle will only be the full electric SUV (and why even bother creating an electric SUV at all) on 3 stages.

do you think Skoda do all this because they really really like cycling alot, or  to ensure they keep on delivering 1million plus vehicles to the worlds roads every year, 75,000 alone of which end up on the UK roads.

the car that is most likely to cause me or any cyclist the most harm on our roads will be a bog standard family saloon,hatchback or compact, the likes of which companies like Skoda excel at producing and convince the public to buy in ever greater numbers, it wont be an Ineos Grenadier however it looks.

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pavlo replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
0 likes

I hurriedly logged on to make set the world straight but you've already done it

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eburtthebike | 4 years ago
4 likes

While using bikes to sell cars is hardly new, times have changed.  Using bicycles to sell planet destroying, dangerous, utterly inappropriate for most people vehicles is crass.

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Gimpl | 4 years ago
2 likes

Having walked past that mural in Stantonbury many times - I must admit I thought it was just graffiti!

The whole area needs updating, it's really very tired. I can't see that moving it close to the Redway will actually make any difference at all. 

Avatar
HoarseMann replied to Gimpl | 4 years ago
1 like

Gimpl wrote:

Having walked past that mural in Stantonbury many times - I must admit I thought it was just graffiti!

The whole area needs updating, it's really very tired. I can't see that moving it close to the Redway will actually make any difference at all. 

It would be nice to find somewhere not obscured by parked 4x4's or overgrown bushes, and that doesn't have the feeling there's a mugger round every corner.

Avatar
roadrunner23 | 4 years ago
6 likes

We can only hope that once West Mercia have carried out a close pass op that they do a review and realise the scale of the problem this is. We all know that most rides we do we are passed by vehicles within 1m multiple times. This needs to be taken much more seriously by all forces and best practice in this area needs to be shared and cyclists encouraged to report incidents with the results shared with the cyclist. Not difficult and there is a ready army of us willing to help.

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ratherbeintobago | 4 years ago
1 like

https://twitter.com/jamie_and_bikes/status/1305607319934439427?s=20

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to ratherbeintobago | 4 years ago
0 likes

That is already in the main article about Ineos interviews (at the bottom. )

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ratherbeintobago replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 4 years ago
1 like

D'oh

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brooksby | 4 years ago
4 likes

Quote:

... people took this to mean that Supt Brighton thought sending police officers out on bikes to catch close-passing drivers was too dangerous, but she says her words were taken out of context. 

Surely all she had to do, then, was to explain the context?

Maybe the context actually made her case cast-iron?

Or maybe saying the words were "taken out of contaxt" was a load of defensive rubbish...

Avatar
EK Spinner replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
7 likes

How can the full quote of her tweet be taken out of context, it wasn't misquoted it wasn't edited down to misrepresent its meaning. It is 100% of what she released in a public statement, so no context issues at all.

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brooksby replied to EK Spinner | 4 years ago
4 likes

Maybe she meant that the tweet was itself only a part of some larger guidance?  I don't know; just trying to play devil's advocate.

TBH I think she 's making the whole "out of context" thing up.

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MattieKempy replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
0 likes

Does the motivation  matter? They're doing it. That's the important bit!

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Captain Badger replied to MattieKempy | 4 years ago
2 likes

I find when doing something, motivation is of primary importance....

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Secret_squirrel replied to MattieKempy | 4 years ago
2 likes

Motivation matters as they have only said they are doing.   Carrying that over to actually doing it is where the motivation bit comes in....

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Fursty Ferret replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
3 likes

You do realise that they won't actually run a close-pass campaign? She's said this solely to stop the Twitter anger and FOI requests.

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brooksby replied to Fursty Ferret | 4 years ago
0 likes

I know...

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wtjs replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like

Surely all she had to do, then, was to explain the context?

She has made herself look even more of an idiot by tryng to explain it away. 'Taken out of context'! Miscommunication?!! B******s!!!

Avatar
brooksby replied to wtjs | 4 years ago
2 likes

wtjs wrote:

Surely all she had to do, then, was to explain the context?

She has made herself look even more of an idiot by tryng to explain it away. 'Taken out of context'! Miscommunication?!! B******s!!!

Exactly.  Isn't there some aphorism about 'if you're at the bottom of a hole, stop digging'?

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