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Bike lane cyclo-cross training or proof active travel is stuck in the mud?; Jeremy Vine & MGIF taxi driver; Going for a run? Remember you helmet; 10/10 new cycle lane; Vuelta route; Bollard brilliance; Pro rider retirement + more on the live blog

It's Friday and Dan Alexander will be taking you through to the weekend with the final live blog of the week...
17 December 2021, 15:16
"Eddy Merckx was unique and only Tadej Pogačar can perhaps equal his success": Ernesto Colnago talks up Tour champ's chances of becoming GOAT
2021 Tour de France ITT Tadej Pogacar Colnago - 1

Ernesto Colnago had some very nice things to say about Tadej Pogačar, notably that the double Tour champ is the only rider to have a shot at matching Eddy Merckx's legacy. Call me cynical, but it probably helps that Pogačar promotes Colnago bikes in the best way possible — dominating the Tour de France on one.

> Tadej Pogacar’s Tour de France-winning bike: a closer look at the Campagnolo parts that propelled him to victory

But we reckon Tadej's talent has more to do with the praise than just the fact he rides Ernesto's bikes. "Eddy Merckx was unique and only Tadej Pogačar can perhaps equal his success," Colnago told Gazzetta. "That’s because we don’t yet know  real limits and his real ability. He’s talented but also humble, with his feet on the ground and a good guy. I love him like a son and he wins on a Colnago too!"

17 December 2021, 14:52
"I don’t want to have to wait for an accident before measures are taken to make it safer": Dad calls for change over speeding drivers
Gloucester Road Bath (Google Street View)

A father warned Somerset Live about drivers clocking "terrifying" speeds on roads close to a school in Bath. Jim Edmunds told the news website his sons use the Gloucester Road to cycle to school, and despite the 40mph limit, some drivers exceed it.

"It used to be the old main road into Bath so lots of people use it as a rat run and the pavements are quite narrow. You've got around 60 people, including parents and children, cycling or walking up there every day and coming back down again.

"When I take my own boys up there, I have to ride in the middle of the lane so everyone can see us. There are always a few wobbles when they're going up the hill and it terrifies me that I keep seeing all these cars whizzing past."

Jim said a cycle lane would help and wishes the area had been selected under the liveable neighbourhood scheme.

"It’s an ideal road to turn into a cycle lane as it’s very wide with plenty of space for pavement as well. If you had a 20mph limit and a cycle lane on the uphill stretch, it would improve a lot. This is one of the best ways out of the north of Bath because it’s not as steep as the others, so it could help leisure cyclists access the countryside."

17 December 2021, 14:28
Returning sons Vincenzo Nibali and Miguel Ángel López to ride Giro-Tour double for Astana
Vincenzo Nibali after winning 2016 Giro d'Italia (PHOTO CREDIT ANSA - PERI - DI MEO - ZENNARO).jpg

Both Vincenzo Nibali and Miguel Ángel López will ride the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France next season on their return to the team where both arguably achieved their greatest success.

Nibali won two Giro crowns and the Tour de France while with Astana between 2013 and 2016, while Lopez raced with the team for six years before his year at Movistar ended in tears.

The Shark of Messina will begin his campaign in Spain before returning to his homeland for Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo. López will lead the team at the Italian Grand Tour, but will also be on the start line for the Tour de France in an undefined role.

Alexey Lutsenko is set to be the team leader in France, aiming for a podium place having achieved a career-best seventh place this year.

17 December 2021, 13:32
Cycling past a traffic jam
17 December 2021, 11:07
Coroner rules injuries sustained in a bicycle crash 30 years ago contributed to Pennsylvania man's death

A coroner in Pennsylvania has ruled injuries sustained in a cycling crash in 1986 contributed to the death of a man decades later.

WFMZ reports Leath Hixon Jr, 71, died on Thursday morning at Lehigh Valley Hospice from complications to a traumatic brain injury suffered more than 30 years ago.

Hixon was riding a bike when he was hit by a driver, his death was ruled an accident.

17 December 2021, 10:09
Jeremy Vine and a MGIF taxi driver
17 December 2021, 10:02
Cross-city protected cycleways

What do the people of Bolton have to do to get one of these on Chorley New Road? 

News editor Simon tells me the video starts at the bit of C9 opened a year ago and finishes outside the Lyric Theatre, where the route opened from today. It means excluding Kensington High Street there is a protected cycleway from Turnham Green in the west to Tower Hill in the east, 8 miles away according to Strava.

17 December 2021, 08:45
Welsh rider Scott Davies retires from professional cycling at 26

After a year hindered by a hip injury, Scott Davies has not been offered a contract extension by Bahrain Victorious. Instead, the 26-year-old has decided to retire from professional cycling. 

"After a challenging 18 months with injury, surgery, and rehab, I've had to come to the difficult decision to retire early from professional cycling," Davies said in a statement shared on social media. "A decision I'd hoped wouldn't come so soon, but one that comes at the end of a journey I'll be forever grateful for."

Davies came through the British domestic scene with Madison Genesis and Team Wiggins before earning a WorldTour contract at Dimension Data in 2018. At the start of 2020 he moved to Bahrain Victorious, riding the Vuelta at the end of his first season, however the Welsh rider was only able to compete twice this year due to his injury problems.

17 December 2021, 08:42
Bollard brilliance + but cyclists rolled into one...

Clearly what happened here is that nasty bike jumped a red light, forcing the car to hit a bollard instead...

17 December 2021, 08:23
2022 Vuelta a España route: summit finish at 2,500m + lots of TT kilometres

An interesting, intriguing Vuelta a España route has been announced for 2022. As we already knew, the race will begin in Utrecht in the Netherlands, and the team time trial is back on the menu. The teams will face a pan flat 23km test against the clock to get things underway before two easy looking sprint stages.

An early rest day after stage three will allow the race back into Spain ahead of a series of hilly stages, culminating with the first summit finish of the race on stage six. Back-to-back summit finishes follow on stages eight and nine.

After the rest day we have the second TT of the race, a long and very flat 31km individual effort. The second week alternates between summit finishes and some flatter days for either a breakaway or any of the fast men brave enough to rack up the demanding late season miles.

Stage 16 is the most eye-catching day on paper — a summit finish at Sierra Nevada, 2,500m above sea level. For context, that's only 100m below the Galibier, or 200m off the Stelvio.

The final week features a series of hilly and medium mountain days, likely designed to set up a late ambush for position by anyone willing to risk it all. The race returns to Madrid for the stage 21 finale, where we should see a sprint between whoever's left by this point in the season.

17 December 2021, 08:16
Going for a run? Remember your helmet

If you don't go for a run you never have this problem... 

17 December 2021, 07:49
Stuck in the mud cyclo-cross bike lane (+ a quick history lesson about Chorley New Road)

Back in March the orcas creating a somewhat segregated cycle lane on the Chorley New Road near Bolton were removed. Then, in September, it was confirmed they would not be reinstated, with councillors claiming people disliked the look of them (it's a conservation area don't you know) "but also because of the congestion they caused."

One of the reported benefits, according to Mr Happy Cyclist (his name, not mine) above, was apparently the council claiming it would mean the cycle lane could be better cleaned. Or maybe they're being considerate and giving the commuters of Bolton a chance to practice their cyclo-cross skills en route to the office...

In July, the council decided not to reinstate the wand orcas, which were removed ahead of an IRONMAN event, until the end of its Active Travel Consultation. The council said, "This is to avoid any unnecessary expenditure should the council decide not to make them a permanent fixture."

This all followed information from Transport for Greater Manchester's on-street sensor technology showing that cycle journeys on Chorley New Road increased by 167 per cent during lockdown. You could say some councils are stuck in the mud when it comes to active travel...

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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51 comments

Avatar
giff77 | 2 years ago
3 likes

Re: traffic jam. While the cycling lane lends itself to aiding sailing by unimpeded. It becomes even sweeter when one filters between unmoving vehicles in both directions smug in the knowledge that there is absolutely no cycling infra within 5 miles. And that the frustrated motorists cannot accuse you (or infra) for causing the dilemma that they have driven into except for themselves and all the other solo motorists that have chosen to saturate the area to drive the half mile to the corner shop. 

The only spanner in the works is when a solo cyclist  is approaching from the opposite direction on the same line. I suppose you could just stop for a chat as no one is going anywhere anyway. 

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HoarseMann | 2 years ago
0 likes

Re: Bath school run. Even one of the least steep routes in Bath has something called an 'Anchor Post' hidden in the bushes!

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
1 like

Here is where I think it is for JV

He could have been in front of the cab but over to the left as he was waiting for the peds.

Doesn't seem the sort of place to do an undertake, but it can't be ruled out.

 

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
5 likes

Today's MGIF.

Camera is a bit misty but it's at a mini roundabout where cars have not cleared turning right and there is a wankpanzer waiting to turn.

Driver actually bailed out in the hatched area instead of knocking me off.

 

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Seagull2 | 2 years ago
3 likes

I don't live in London, but next time I drive there i shall behave impeccably, as JV and Cycling Mikey seem to be everywhere with their pesky cameras and their  oh so superior cyclist ways  3     !!   

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fenix replied to Seagull2 | 2 years ago
5 likes

Good. Although you do know there are pesky cameras all over the place now ? Amazingly lots of cars have them too. 

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brooksby | 2 years ago
16 likes

JV clearly had it all wrong.  He should have stopped, dismounted, and prostrated himself before his Great Motoring Overlord... 

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Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
10 likes

brooksby wrote:

JV clearly had it all wrong.  He should have stopped, dismounted, and prostrated himself before his Great Motoring Overlord... 

I can't believe how disrespectful he was. Insubordinate wretch.....

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ktache replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
4 likes

Absolutely no "consideration"

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Captain Badger replied to ktache | 2 years ago
4 likes

ktache wrote:

Absolutely no "consideration"

#share-the-road

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Awavey replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
1 like

Curious exchange they have based on the video weve seen, why does the driver trigger so quickly into to thinking JV is "in the wrong" for that ?

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Hirsute replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
3 likes

He's got a fare !

I note that many of the twitter comments show lack of awarness of the door zone and that JV should have know their route so he could give way in advance of whether they might go left, right or straight on !

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Captain Badger replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
8 likes

hirsute wrote:

He's got a fare !

It's not fair!

TFTFY

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Simon E replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
3 likes

hirsute wrote:

He's got a fare !

If I was in the back I'd have told him to stop the cab. I'd have got out and walked. He can stick the fare up his arrogant ar5e.

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IanMK replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
9 likes

Regardless as to whether he thinks JV is the wrong the 'professional' driver confesses on film to a punishment pass. I trust that he will find out that vigilantism is not mitigation.

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wycombewheeler replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
4 likes

Only possible reason is that JV filters up the left while the driver is waiting at the crossing, then gets the jump on him at the crossing while the taxi is still impeded by pedestrians. (check video 4-6 seconds)

He could just as easily have followed the taxi through the crossing and drafted him up the road.

However once in front there is no safe space fo the taxi to pass, and beeping the horn does not change this.

and right at the end the BOLAs on the second parked van probably cause him to be further to the right than he would have otherwise

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Captain Badger replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
3 likes

wycombewheeler wrote:

Only possible reason is that JV filters up the left while the driver is waiting at the crossing, then gets the jump on him at the crossing while the taxi is still impeded by pedestrians. (check video 4-6 seconds)

He could just as easily have followed the taxi through the crossing and drafted him up the road.

I don't think he filtered (happy to be proved wrong). I think he came from the the opposing lane.  It looks like the taxi driver came from the left (looking from teh crossing) where the road is one way with a right and a straight on filter. 

JV I think came from the right which (I think) is 2 way. So the cabbie and JV occupied adjacent lanes. JV moved off after giving way to the ped (rightly natch). At this point the ped is still in front of the cabbie. 

JV didn't so much get the jump on London's Finest, he was naturally in front and so had priority.

wycombewheeler wrote:

......

and right at the end the BOLAs on the second parked van .....

Woohoo!

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Awavey replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
0 likes

My assumption is it was like Wycombewheeler says, there was some JV filtering we didnt see in the vidx which the cabbie didnt like as it's that while queue etiquette thing us Brits like to fume about alot, even though its perfectly valid move to ride, so not criticism of JV.

As even for a cabbie its fairly crazy on London roads to get that het up just because a cyclist is in front of you.

We shall wait and see what the Met do with it

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mdavidford replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
5 likes

I think the Cap'n has it right - it looked something like this. It's just the weird effect of the 3D camera perspective and the fisheying that initially makes it look like they've been travelling alongside each other.

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Captain Badger replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
5 likes

mdavidford wrote:

I think the Cap'n has it right - it looked something like this. It's just the weird effect of the 3D camera perspective and the fisheying that initially makes it look like they've been travelling alongside each other.

Fantastic infographic - you work for the BBC and I claim my £5

yes, that's exactly my conclusion

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wycombewheeler replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
2 likes

mdavidford wrote:

I think the Cap'n has it right - it looked something like this. It's just the weird effect of the 3D camera perspective and the fisheying that initially makes it look like they've been travelling alongside each other.

so is he doing a wheelie while crossing up his front wheel here

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mdavidford replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
1 like

That division line isn't very helpful, because it isn't straight down the centre - it's part of the wibbly-wobbly (technical term) lines leading to the crossing, and they split either side of the island. I think a better guide is the angle of his helmet in relation to the island kerb.

It looks to me like he's come round on the far right hand side of what becomes the left lane (and is possibly just moving away after stopping by the island for the people on the crossing).

The angle of his front wheel may just be because he hasn't yet straightened up after moving off, or he may have intentionally swung away from the taxi, having been able to see, from it's angle of approach, that it was about to try to crash his lane.

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wycombewheeler replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
2 likes

mdavidford wrote:

That division line isn't very helpful, because it isn't straight down the centre -

Actually the left of the two lines is pretty straight down the centre, aligned with the point of the triangle, as we see here.

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wycombewheeler replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
2 likes

mdavidford wrote:

.. it's part of the wibbly-wobbly ..

Also 

zig zags, not wibbly wobblies

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Captain Badger replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
3 likes

wycombewheeler wrote:

.....so is he doing a wheelie while crossing up his front wheel here

Or has he endoed his rear wheel to the other side of the island?

sarc in teh off position, it's really hard to see which, we would need to see more footage. 

However, what follows is that JV is progressing across teh zebra before the taxi start to move - the ped is still in front. No matter what has happened before, at this point the cabbie is behind, and has no reason to expect to force past.

 

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Awavey replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
1 like

I just think if he'd ridden in from the bottom on your picture, the natural line youd take is a left turn arc that puts you near the pavement on the left and your bike pointing towards the centre line right side pavement, because that's roughly where you are going next.

But in the video when the jazzy 90s graphics peel away regardless of fish eye distortion of the surroundings, his bike is positioned within the centre line markings of the road already, and pointing towards the left pavement.

Which is exactly where youd be if youd ridden a natural right hand arc from the top of your picture.

And I think that extra lane of this T style junction lane merge,is a cycle lane which runs down the side of the street from top to bottom.

But it only really matters in so far as trying to work out why the cabbie got so irate over completely nothing.

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mdavidford replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
0 likes

Possible that he moved right on the approach due to people on the crossing on that arm, and then the right side kerb was the most convenient place to stop until the second crossing cleared.

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GMBasix replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
5 likes

By astonishing coincidence, that's exactly the same diagram that was used to explain my prostate to me (different labels).

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hawkinspeter replied to GMBasix | 2 years ago
4 likes

GMBasix wrote:

By astonishing coincidence, that's exactly the same diagram that was used to explain my prostate to me (different labels).

Reminds me of my last exam -

Doctor: "Now it's perfectly normal to get an erection Mr Jones"

Mr: "My name's not Mr Jones"

Doctor: "That's me - talking to myself again"

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

GMBasix wrote:

By astonishing coincidence, that's exactly the same diagram that was used to explain my prostate to me (different labels).

Reminds me of my last exam -

Doctor: "Now it's perfectly normal to get an erection Mr Jones"

Mr: "My name's not Mr Jones"

Doctor: "That's me - talking to myself again"

you had you exam from doctor jones?

did he have a fedora and a whip?

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