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"Didn’t even have space to open my suitcase": Tour de France pro says French teams are favoured for better hotels; Arsène Wenger says footballers don’t suffer like cyclists; Not a good Look? Coquard’s bike handlebar snaps in half + more on the live blog

A well-deserved rest day at Tour de France, but only the beginning of the week for Adwitiya as he kicks off the road.cc live blog
Mon, Jul 17, 2023 10:16
15
"Didn’t even have space to open my suitcase": Tour de France pro says French teams are favoured for better hotels; Arsène Wenger says footballers don’t suffer like cyclists; Not a good Look? Coquard’s bike handlebar snaps in half + more on the live blogMike Teunissen during Intermarché team presentation for Tour de France (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
17 July 2023, 08:27
Tour de France pro accuses organisers of favouring French teams... for hotels, says there was "no AC" and "didn't even have space to open my suitcase"

There aren't many people who would say no to hopping on a plane and camping in a quaint French alpine village to revel in the celebrations of the biggest cycling event of the year. You'd imagine that the facilities, at least for the world's best male cyclists and some of the most elite athletes would be top-notch, right?

Unfortunately, Belgian team's Intermarché–Circus–Wanty's Dutch rider Mike Teunissen has not had the best of times at this Tour de France, and I don't mean on the bike — off his bike.

Mike Teunissen (Charlie Forgham-Bailey/SWpix.com)

Mike Teunissen (Charlie Forgham-Bailey/SWpix.com)

First, he was prey to one of my worst nightmares, ie. losing my baggage on a flight. Riding in a Tour de France would be stressful enough, imagine doing it with your suitcase going missing and getting stuck in Amsterdam, while you dig yourself to new levels of pain riding on the bike, in sweltering conditions with temperatures around 40 degrees, surface temperatures hitting 65 to 70 degrees.

After all that, you'd at least expect to come to a nice hotel room, get in a bath to relieve those battered calf muscles. But maybe not, unless you're in a French team.

> Tour de France pro slams "ridiculous" airline as suitcase still in Amsterdam

Before yesterday's cruel Mont-Blanc summit finish stage, Teunissen, who wore the yellow jersey in 2019 riding for Jumbo Visma, has spoken out against the organisers for favouring French teams in the peloton when it came to offering good hotels and rooms.

Speaking to Dutch media NOS, the rider from the Belgian team's squad said: "I am fine, but the biggest crunch I got in the evening after a two-hour bus ride in some three-star, two-by-two room. I didn't even have space to open my suitcase. It was 40 degrees, no air conditioning. That's when it got a little hard."

"I certainly don't want to start comparing myself to Champions League soccer players, but it's incredible. This is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Look at what places they send us. Tennis players at Wimbledon or soccer players in the Champions League: if they ever end up in these places, they'll turn around immediately."

"Our team got a very bad draw and French teams never get a bad draw."

Not the most favourable look, huh? But are we even surprised that cycling races don't have the best amenities for its riders? What would you expect if a small French village was to host 176 athletes and then the entire entourage — mechanics, physicians, strategy team, that's like hosting an entire sporting event, for which the towns just don't have enough funds for.

I mean, remember two months ago when Geraint Thomas showed us off his decadent and glamorous washroom at Giro d'Italia?

If not, go ahead and click the link below, but PLEASE don't if you're in the middle of eating or plan to in the next few hours. Or just if you're pukish or squeamish in general. As we have already warned, road.cc will not accept liability for you throwing up at your desk...

> G shows off super glamorous pro cycling hotels... hideously grim toilets and all

17 July 2023, 16:28
17 July 2023, 15:34
Absolutely calm, chill, sane, normal scenes at Tour de France

Tour de France — the most normal sporting event out there. Long live more iconic scenes like this!

The rider in question, AG2R Citroën's Benoit Cosnefroy has just extended his contract with the French team for two more seasons till 2025. I'm sure the account Cycling out of context will be happy.

17 July 2023, 14:46
"Underpaid" Remco Evenepoel rumoured to leave Soudal Quick-Step, doubts if the team can "support his ambitions"
Remco Evenepoel (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Remco Evenepoel (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

World champion Remco Evenepoel is reportedly unhappy with his team Soudal Quick-Step's ambitions, and there are rumours that he could very well be on his way out, amidst reports that the Belgian is "underpaid" under the current contract.

RadioCycling tweeted about the latest developments from the Belgian star's camp, who is set for a season-defining next two months, as he prepares to defend his world champion as well as Vuelta a España title in August and September.

He has already been successful in defending his Liège-Bastogne-Liège title in April, and was looking strong in Giro d'Italia, but had to abandon the race after catching the Coronavirus.

However, the Belgian seems to be unhappy on two fronts: his pay under the current contract, as well as Patrick Lefevre's team's competence in supporting his own ambitions.

One close source to Evenepoel has said: "It will all come down to money… and his current contract underpays him. Patrick Lefevere needs to adapt his contract or risk conflict."

The 23-year-old has a contract with the Belgian team till 2026, but there are reportedly no breakout clauses. As of now, INEOS Grenadiers seem the clear favourites to sign him, but RadioCycling reports that Israel-PremierTech could also arise as genuine contenders to land the talented young rider.

As lucrative as that sounds on paper, doing that in real life is not going to be easy, as the only way to get Evenepoel on your team is to buy his remaining contract out, which could cost anywhere around €10 million.

Team boss Lefevre, however, has told RadioCycling that he "doesn't owe €1 to anyone" and that "everything is paid".

However, as Lanterne Rouge podcast host Benji Naesen wrote on Twitter: "One thing is certain, so far, Quick-Step have not done enough to build a team around Remco Evenepoel."

Soudal Quick-Step has also failed to win a single stage this year, and with lead sprinter Fabio Jakobsen's exit from the Tour after an injury from a crash, it seems more and more unlikely that the team is set to return without a single win. 

> Fabio Jakobsen quickly edits Instagram post to remove sight of broken Specialized

Fabio Jakobsen Tour de France (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Fabio Jakobsen Tour de France (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

And to add Lefevre's miseries, Jakobsen has also decided to leave the team, due to the fact that he would have to share the spot with Evenepoel and that Lefevre was planning to reinforce the team's climbing aspect to build around Remco's strengths!

So if this scenario plays out and both Jakobsen and Evenepoel end up leaving, what is going to happen to Soudal Quick-Step? Will we have to sit through another Alaphillipe GC campaign?

17 July 2023, 14:06
What makes a Tour de France time trial bike so fast?
2023 Tour de France TT bikes

A rare breather in this Tour de France for the ages today, before riders get on their time trial bikes for tomorrow's ITT stage.

With the top two, Vingegaard and Pogačar, separated by just 10 seconds, and both functioning at the peak of human performance and determined not to be one upped by the other, it is most likely going to come down to their individual time-trial performances.

Pogačar just became the Slovenian men's time-trial champion last month, is known for his prowess on the TT bike, but Vingegaard is no slouch himself — he was on course for the victory in last year's time trial before slowing down in the final few hundred metres to let his teammate and super-domestique Wout van Aert take the win.

But what makes the TT bikes so fast? road.cc tries to find out.

> What makes a Tour de France time trial bike so fast?

17 July 2023, 13:04
What if you get close-passed by... cyclists?

As anyone reading this blog would know, our famous road.cc motto goes something like... 'Getting on a bike does not make you a saint'.

So what if you get close-passed, but instead of a motorist, by a group of riders?

Bicycle Ben on Twitter faced this when he was out riding in Leicestershire. "I was disappointed with a group passing me in #Leicestershire this morning - they passed with a car approaching (despite the lead calling out "car coming"), and one rider in particular was *very* close to me."

He continued: "I'm not a group rider, so this made me extremely uncomfortable and very worried about any wobble that might then lead to a collision, particularly given the oncoming vehicle. Groups, *please* don't do this and show some respect and consideration for other types of rider.

However, through a later tweet, Ben updated that he had contacted the group of cyclists and recieved an apology from them. "My point was to highlight that such situations can be intimidating for riders who are especially not used to group riding, and that has been taken on board," he said.

Do you think the group of cyclists was right in their passing? Or could they have taken a bit more care and been a little more patient? 

17 July 2023, 12:55
17 July 2023, 12:50
Where are the coffee shop pics?

Not much going on in today's rest day. Maybe the riders are finally taking a breather before tomorrow's all-important maillot jaune-deciding time-trial? 

17 July 2023, 12:34
Ready for a new challenge this September? Take on the Bath Beast...
Bath Beast sportive

The crazy Tour, the Scottish World Championships, and then the Vueltas in late August and finishing in mid-September. The cycling calendar is stacked, but if you want a challenge for yourself, we've got a little something for you. Maybe not little.

The Bath Beast is an "epic new cycling sportive" organised by Julian House in Bath, with all funds raised going to improve the living conditions of the homeless in the city. The event will take cyclists through an exhilarating challenge through the stunning landscapes and the picturesque surroundings of Somerset and Wiltshire.

The event takes place on Sunday 17th September and features three routes. The 100-mile (160km) and 70-mile (112km) distances are both designed to challenge the most dedicated of riders and the 25-mile (40km) route will provide a fantastic opportunity for cyclists wanting to discover the hills around Bath.

All three routes start and finish at the Bath Racecourse, with finish featuring an epic climb.

Event fundraiser for Julian House, Rachel Avent, said: "Julian House have wanted to organise a cycling event for some time and teaming up with the Bike Workshop and Pulse Events now makes this possible. The route is longer and tougher than a lot of bike events out there and being one of the last events in the cycling Sportive season means there’s time to train and take on this challenge whilst raising money for Julian House too."

Chris Quenon, Social Enterprise Manager for Julian House Bike Workshop added "The best cycling events are ones where you can challenge yourself and in doing so benefit communities around you. It's a win win situation - although it's not a race! The Bath Beast is a great opportunity for Julian House to have its own charity bike ride, hopefully it will inspire many riders to take part and in doing so learn how involved the charity is across the Southwest."

With three feed stations along the way, riders will receive a finishers medal with food and refreshments available when they arrive back at the Bath Racecourse.

Early bird tickets are available now from £30.00 and the event is open to cyclists aged 13 and over. Participants are also encouraged to raise sponsorship so that Julian House can support more people who have fallen into difficult circumstances, be that as victims of domestic abuse, homelessness, mental health issues, family breakdown or addiction.

17 July 2023, 12:21
Tony Blackburn responds to latest Jeremy Vine cycling video, says he was "nearly knocked down by a cyclist" while using crossing
Jeremy Vine MGIF video (Twitter/@theJeremyVine)

Sure, we might have gone an odd week or two without him, but what even is a road.cc live blog without our regular guest making an appearance?

> Tony Blackburn responds to latest Jeremy Vine cycling video, says he was "nearly knocked down by a cyclist" while using crossing

17 July 2023, 11:34
"Not a good Look?": Bryan Coquard's bike handlebar snaps in two while descending at stage 15 of Tour de France

Surely I couldn't have done better there?!

Maybe Look could have, because Cofidis' Bryan Coquard, third in the points classification wouldn't be looking at them very happily after his bike's handlebar looked to break into two, as onlookers were left surprised, continuing to look at the bizarre event unfolding in front of their eyes.

I'll stop...

Coquard somehow, almost magically, managed to keep it together as he grabbed the fracture on the handlebar and held on for dear life, waiting for his team car to supply him with another bike. Fortunately, no major damage occurred.

But that wasn't the only mishap to befall Look bikes. On Saturday's stage, there was another instance where a Cofidis rider suffered a scary-looking high-speed wobble while going over 100km/hr at a descent.

> LOOK what we've spotted! Check out the new Team Cofidis Look road bike

The French team, which was without a victory for 15 years, has finally managed to snag not just one, but two wins at this year's Tour de France. However, their recent troubles with their bike supplier won't leave them impressed.

Our tech team is currently looking more into what exactly happened and what's going on with the Look bikes, but I think they've got some of the best-looking bikes in the peloton, and with Cofidis' resurgence (they've got more wins than Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step), they better get their business sorted.

If looks could win, Look is a winner in my books. Just, don't crook please.

17 July 2023, 11:20
17 July 2023, 09:43
Arsène Wenger expresses his love for the Tour, says footballers don't suffer as much as cyclists
Arsène Wenger at Tour de France 2023 (Eurosport/GCN+)

The man who revolutionised the beautiful game, went toe-to-toe against the best manager football has ever seen (in my completely unbiased view), and achieved a feat in English football that no one has ever managed to replicate, is in love with the Tour too.

But looking at it another way, who would've thought a French man who devoted his life to sports wouldn't be in love with one of the biggest sporting events in France?

Spotted in the Alpine commune of Les Gets before the départ of yesterday's glorious stage with five-time winner Bernard Hinault, whose victory in 1985 remains the last time a Frenchman won the Tour, Arsène Wenger was asked by ITV what was he doing there?

"Because I'm French!" he remarked.

He then got to sit in the race director's car at the front of the peloton. Wenger also told Eurosport: "I'm a close friend of Christian Prudhomme, he invited me here, and I want to see if it's like the dressing room of a football team!

"I want to see how the race is working from the inside, and I've been given the opportunity and I don't want to miss it."

David Walsh from the Sunday Times, also at the race, asked Wenger if he's a fan, to which he replied: "In my childhood I saw the Tour de France in my village [Duttlenheim in Alsace] so you can never forget this.

"It’s a World Cup every year, that’s what it is. The dream of every cyclist is to win the Tour de France, that is why we are all interested in the Tour. As well, it is a sporting event people don’t have to pay to watch."

> Arsène Wenger says football needs blood testing to catch the doping cheats

Any differences between cycling and football, Le Professeur?

"When you play football you think it is hard, you think we suffer too much,” he said. "Then you watch the cyclists in the Tour and you think we are nothing. So we [footballers] have to push ourselves a bit more. What the cyclists do is encouragement for other athletes to push themselves more."

He had time to assess this year's Tour too. "I have watched it, of course. Two exceptional champions and everyone wondering who will give in. It is an exceptional fight," he said.

Wenger added: "They are above everybody and have separated themselves from everyone else. So you have two Tours this year, Pogačar and Vingegaard fighting for victory, the rest fighting for third place."

He also said that he believes Arsenal will win the Premier League this year, so maybe I won't go around asking him for Tour predictions... (This statement is once again, based on your live blog host's completely unbiased perspective)

Well, I hope Wenger would be glad to know that the Arsenal squad has been cycling to work lately... 

17 July 2023, 09:23
THAT crazy weekend at Tour de France... Your live blog weekend roundup is here

How do I even begin to sum up THAT weekend at the Tour? Attacks, crashes, motorbike drama, more attacks... it had it all, and then some more. 

Thankfully, Ryan has put together this fantastic recap of the entire last week to get you guys jogging your memory on this rest day.

Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, stage 15, 2023 Tour de France (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

> Tour de France week two recap: Pogačar and Vingegaard on deuce as Tour for the ages set for final week tiebreaker

Some more Alpine highlights from the weekend...

> Motorbikes that foiled Tadej Pogačar attack thrown off Tour de France for one day, as UAE Team Emirates blast “unacceptable” lack of distance from riders

> Selfie-taking spectator causes huge crash at Tour de France

> Tour de France stage neutralised after mass crash in opening kilometres

Adwitiya Pal

Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.

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15 comments

Avatar
leipreachan | 1 year ago
4 likes

Fully support Ben on that matter. I train in Richmond Park and fast groups (yes, London Dynamo, I'm looking at you) quite often overtake dangerously. I regularly see them riding three abreast -- and some of the turns there are not wide enough for me to comfortably pass in an oposite direction.

I understand that while riding in a group you need to keep a short distance but keep distance from other road users (slower cyclists, pedestrians, joggers, etc), please!

Avatar
SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
15 likes

Re the group of cyclists passing in the face of oncoming traffic.

If it had been the driver of a car that had pulled that maneouvre I think we would all have agreed that the driver was wrong, I don't see it any differently just because they were bikes.

I also don't think the experience of the cyclist riding in a group is relevant. They could, should have waited, at the very least they should have singled out to pass.

Where there is a difference is that they have apparently apologised, which would be a very rare occurence with a driver admitting they made a mistake.

Avatar
AidanR replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
3 likes
SimoninSpalding wrote:

Re the group of cyclists passing in the face of oncoming traffic.

If it had been the driver of a car that had pulled that maneouvre I think we would all have agreed that the driver was wrong, I don't see it any differently just because they were bikes.

I also don't think the experience of the cyclist riding in a group is relevant. They could, should have waited, at the very least they should have singled out to pass.

Where there is a difference is that they have apparently apologised, which would be a very rare occurence with a driver admitting they made a mistake.

I agree that a close pass by a cyclist is broadly the same category of error, but with a few differences regarding safety:

1) The speed differential is likely to be much higher with a close pass by a motorist compared to one by a cyclist;
2) It's much easier for a driver to misjudge and actually clip a cyclist; and
3) If a cyclist is clipped by a motorist, the vehicle's momentum is much higher and so more likely to end badly for the cyclist.

Avatar
HoarseMann replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
0 likes

Yep, not good group riding at all. Driving was terrible too, chose to press the horn instead of the brake pedal - standard for a small BMW.

Avatar
mark1a replied to HoarseMann | 1 year ago
1 like

2 pedals - accelerator and foot-horn. 

Avatar
Aussie Rider replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
0 likes

SimoninSpalding wrote:

Re the group of cyclists passing in the face of oncoming traffic.

If it had been the driver of a car that had pulled that maneouvre I think we would all have agreed that the driver was wrong, I don't see it any differently just because they were bikes.

I also don't think the experience of the cyclist riding in a group is relevant. They could, should have waited, at the very least they should have singled out to pass.

Where there is a difference is that they have apparently apologised, which would be a very rare occurence with a driver admitting they made a mistake.

Try riding Beach Road in Melbourne (Australia) on any Saturday or Sunday morning. Last survey/count I'm aware of some showed that there were around 4,000 cyclists using this road on each day. Many 'fast' club/shop bunches that would be riding at 40 kph plus passing slower groups or individuals. All in about 40 km of road.

At least it was 2 lanes each way, so oncoming vehicles was not so much an issue except when really fast groups are passing fast groups which are passing slower riders.

Avatar
Paul J | 1 year ago
8 likes

I had not twigged, while watching live, that the reason Coquard was sticking his legs out and taking corners a bit strangely was cause.... his bars were broken! And he **kept descending**, to minimise time loss while the team car caught up?!!!

Avatar
brooksby | 1 year ago
4 likes

Interesting article by Eben Weiss:

https://bikesnobnyc.com/2023/07/14/easy-rider/

Quote:

No, e-bikes and all the rest of it aren’t taking people out of their cars; they’re taking people away from old-fashioned bikes. I don’t know how they can keep pushing this “reducing car trips” thing when it’s so completely obvious. E-bikes and other contraptions are simply attracting the people who were already open to riding regular bikes, and who like being outside, and don’t mind experiencing weather. As such, they’re not emptying the highways and making our cities safer and more “livable,” they’re simply filling up the bike paths and supplanting pedal power. Again, people don’t choose the harder thing, they choose the easier thing. Ebikes aren’t more efficient and virtuous cars, they’re easier bikes, and it’s as simple as that. That’s why, as one of the dwindling number of people who ride a regular bike, I’m now constantly passed constantly by man, woman, and child. I mean I was always slow, but as a pedal bicyclist in 2023 I’m now really slow. Painfully slow. If you commute in New York on a regular bike, you’ve probably experienced the strange modern phenomenon of riding up an incline and hearing the clicking of a freewheel behind you because someone’s literally coasting while you’re climbing.

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to brooksby | 1 year ago
4 likes

Saw that and as usual he's got a point to ponder.  However:

a) "America" so this is pretty much the country that gave the world mass motoring - or at least took that and ran with it further than anyone else.  Like all of us Americans are also great for then wanting to explain things to others e.g. cycling to the Dutch...

b) He's a bit of a professional contrarian.

I'd say he's partly right depending on where.  In the US - sure, they're not going to reduce the driving much any time soon.  On the other side the Dutch and the Danish changed a lot of their transport patterns before e-bikes were really practical.

We don't need lots of e-bikes.  Could more of us start riding our short journeys without them?  Sure - most of us could right now (but won't).  Do they help some people cycle who otherwise wouldn't / couldn't?  Absolutely.  Might they be a part of how change happens?  Probably - sounds like people are very keen to sell them and sums of money are a key driver of political / social change.  Will they change transportation in the UK without safe, convenient and social spaces to ride them in?  No.

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to chrisonabike | 1 year ago
1 like

On the "non-e-bikes are going to remain a niche, if not become even more niche" idea.  I'm not certain, but wouldn't bet against him *if* - big if - we can get more "non-cyclists" riding.  For people who simply want to get from A - B most conveniently, without "looking weird"?  e-bikes could well become the thing.  After all, people pay quite large sums to have cars already... There are many more of those people than those who currently cycle for transport in the UK.

Avatar
RDaneel replied to brooksby | 1 year ago
2 likes

One also has to remember US e-bikes are not necessarily the same as EU e-bikes. In the US they have a top limit of 20mph (possibly 28mph for a certain class?) and do not need to be pedalled, they can use a throttle. 

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Sredlums replied to brooksby | 1 year ago
1 like

Amen to that.
'E-bikes will get people out of cars' is the same nonsense as what they used to say in the early years: 'E-bikes are helpfull for elderly people and others who need some support'. Meanwhile young, healthy people ride e-bikes and even school kids are defaulting to e-bikes.
I can't stand the ugly constraptions.

Avatar
Gus T replied to Sredlums | 1 year ago
2 likes

After years of "normal cycling" I've just bought my first e-bike because I've developed a heart complaint which causes me to pass out if I ride more than 20 miles, are you suggesting that I should give up cycling distances because you dislike the aesthetics of an e-bike yes

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Sredlums | 1 year ago
2 likes

Sredlums wrote:

Amen to that.
'E-bikes will get people out of cars' is the same nonsense as what they used to say in the early years: 'E-bikes are helpfull for elderly people and others who need some support'. Meanwhile young, healthy people ride e-bikes and even school kids are defaulting to e-bikes.
I can't stand the ugly constraptions.

You must think of most standard bikes as ugly as well then, given that the majority of ebikes on the market now are virtually identical to their unpowered counterparts.

I personally know at least a dozen people who have either cut down on their car use or got rid of their car altogether (as we have) because they have bought an ebike or e-cargo bike. There are perfectly good reasons for young healthy people to ride ebikes; I am neither, unfortunately, but I'm still perfectly capable of riding 100 km+ on my road bike at weekends, however I can't manage a 50 km round-trip commute unpowered every weekday and still put in a decent day's work, it's just too exhausting. Likewise, we would still need a car to deliver food and supplies to the elderly parents who live some distance away if the only alternative was our unpowered bikes; with the ebikes we can manage such errands with ease. I know from our personal experience that ebikes do get people out of cars, often in scenarios when an unpowered bike would not be a practical alternative.

One does rather get the feeling that some self-styled "proper" cyclists have the same irrational dislike of people on ebikes as drivists have for cyclists. Is it just a sad aspect of human nature that everybody seems to need someone else supposedly "inferior" on whom they can look down?

Avatar
mark1a | 1 year ago
3 likes

French teams get the "luck of the draw" for hotel rooms?

Next up, in tomorrow's live blog, we reveal how the TV directors cut to panoramic chateau shots when a Cofidis, Groupama-FdJ or AG2R-Citroën rider needs to get to the peloton from off the back or a takes a gel in the last 20km. Wenger: "I didn't see it."

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