Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news

"Blame cyclists for stoking the flames of the road culture war": Telegraph columnist writes; Tour de France concerns as Covid positives rock Tour de Suisse (Pidcock and race leader Vlasov OUT)... but stage six goes ahead + more on the live blog

Happy Friday! The weekend is just around the corner, Dan Alexander will be bringing it home with your final live blog of the week
UPDATED Fri, Jun 17, 2022 09:56
44
"Blame cyclists for stoking the flames of the road culture war": Telegraph columnist writes; Tour de France concerns as Covid positives rock Tour de Suisse (Pidcock and race leader Vlasov OUT)... but stage six goes ahead + more on the live blogCyclists in Richmond Park with London skyline (copyright Simon MacMichael)
17 June 2022, 15:50
Where'd everybody go?
17 June 2022, 15:17
Racing round-up: Tadej Pogačar wins...but ain't happy with his tyres + Quick Step fight back

Elsewhere in the world of racing today, Tadej Pogačar won the third stage of his home race — Tour of Slovenia — reversing the 1-2 from the opening stage, with teammate Rafał Majka second. It wasn't all plain sailing though...

In Belgium, Yves Lampaert hit back for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, winning the TT. Mads Pedersen was second and maintains a handy ten-second lead over the Belgian ahead of the weekend's final two stages. Tim Wellens is third at 24 seconds...

17 June 2022, 15:07
Breakaway win for Nico Denz on stage six of Tour de Suisse

After this morning's drama, the teams agreed to race stage six of Tour de Suisse, and after 177.5km in the sweltering heat it all came down to a photo finish. Nico Denz got the nod ahead of Clément Champoussin, while José Herrada and Quinn Simmons were third and fourth respectively.

In the GC group, no change as Jakub Fuglsang, who took the race lead from Covid positive Aleksandr Vlasov this morning, still leads by one second from Geraint Thomas. Sergio Higuita is third, while one of EF Education-EasyPost's two remaining riders Neilson Powless is fourth.

17 June 2022, 14:35
17 June 2022, 14:19
Rubbish idea
17 June 2022, 12:54
"Blame cyclists for stoking the flames of the road culture war": Telegraph columnist writes

What a week, eh...

On Monday, we reported how Channel 4, Scotland Tonight and a couple of written publications had reignited the cycling licences 'debate'. On Tuesday, we shared some of your reaction to said article, including several opinions expressed that it seems cycling is an easy target for certain media outlets experiencing a slow news day.

Just as we thought we were melting away into the weekend in a 30-degree slumber, the Daily Telegraph chucked a bucket of ice cold water over us...

Brace yourselves for Rowan Pelling's Friday offering: 'Blame cyclists for stoking the flames of the road culture war' because apparently "the self-appointed sheriffs of Britain's highways and cycle lanes, with their Twitter feeds full of GoPro footage, are simply infuriating"...

Seemingly inspired by the media meltdown following Near Miss of the Day 784, a clip she said her own "expert judgement" to was "lucky devil — that's three times the space bus drivers give you in Cambridge".

Followed by the surprisingly common admission (considering the content of this, and similar pieces): "I spend half my life on two wheels, so I'm mustard-keen on motorists giving bikes safe passage" and yet..."I loathe the self-important, bluging-calved, Lycra-clad, road-hogging behaviour of Serious Cyclists on their 10-grand-racers — mowing down pedestrians and yelling obscenities at Nissan Micras".

Elsewhere on the cycling hit list: Richmond Park, speeding, Strava PBs and those who film their rides.

GoPro-wielding cyclists must, Pelling claims, be the "type of person who enjoyed lockdown because they could dob in their neighbour for going out twice in one day".

What follows is an exhaustive list of anti-cyclist bingo classics: riding the wrong way up one-way streets, making stressed-out mums perform emergency stops, pavement riding, red-light jumping..."but still I don't pull out my iPhone to get a second-year physics student sent down"...

It's not the first time we've seen columns like this popping up in the national press...not even the first time this month, in fact...

> Highway Code changes criticised in bizarre "I'm a cyclist, but..." Spectator article

Back when the Highway Code was (even more of) a hot topic, the Daily Mail published an "error-strewn" Richard Littlejohn column attacking cyclists...

Even Britain's Got Talent got in on the act...

> Britain’s Got Terrible Cycling Takes: Amanda Holden says cyclists with cameras are "asking for trouble"

It's exhausting...

17 June 2022, 12:48
17 June 2022, 10:33
Timmy Mallett making us all a little jealous
17 June 2022, 11:07
17 June 2022, 09:52
From 153 to 95...

Tour de Suisse stage six WILL GO AHEAD...just with significantly less riders than yesterday...credit to ProCyclingStats for the list...

Tour de Suisse abandons (ProCyclingStats)

 Here's what race organiser Oliver Senn had to say this morning: "The situation is not ideal, it is very sad that the Covid is spreading in the race and in the teams. But all the teams still in the race have agreed to restart, there is no other decision on today's stage."

17 June 2022, 09:58
17 June 2022, 09:42
"Everyone has the willies": FDJ sports director says peloton nervous of Covid with Tour de France two weeks away

Speaking to French outlet Ouest France, Groupama FDJ sports director Philipe Mauduit gave an insight into the mood in the bunch at Tour de Suisse, saying "everyone has the willies".

"For the moment, we cross our fingers because it falls hard next to us but we are not affected. This Friday morning, we feel it even more than yesterday and it was already impressive. It feels like coming back in February-March. Since yesterday, we have seen the return of masks everywhere," he said.

"We are not considering that [pulling riders from the race]. Because honestly, if they go back, they're on a plane, but who says they won't catch it on the plane? It can happen at any time, you have to accept it, but be more careful…"

And the sports director wants tougher Covid measures at the Tour: "We were amazed at not having any bubbles, the end of the masks, the return to life before... But is it really serious when we see what's going on? We must go back, reapply a strict bubble. It would be irresponsible not to. It's nobody's fault, that's how it is. A bubble is not magic, but it at least limits contamination. "

17 June 2022, 09:12
Tom Pidcock tests positive for Covid

Apologies if you couldn't care less about racing...but this is never ending...

Ineos Grenadiers' multi-disciplinarian is the next to leave Tour de Suisse having tested positive for Covid. Yesterday, team leader Adam Yates left due to the same reason, casting doubts on the team's Tour de France plans. A statement by the race organisation is expected later this morning. Surely this can't continue? Can it?

17 June 2022, 09:06
Race leader Aleksandr Vlasov OUT amid calls to cancel race

Race leader Aleksandr Vlasov, and teammate Anton Palzer, are both out of Tour de Suisse due to Covid positives, while Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl announced Louis Vervaeke is out too...

When will it end? Not yet... 

No word if Brambilla has Covid, but I make that 10 of the 22 teams (Movistar withdrew Alex Aranburu due to heatstroke) at the race who have lost riders (or their whole team) since yesterday. Any point in continuing the race?  

17 June 2022, 08:45
Canyon has made just 250 units of this ‘Fast Fruit’ Aeroad

Yep. Just 250 bikes have been painted up in this orange, purple and mint colour scheme and it is available in one build only. That’s going to make it a rather rare sight and the chances of two turning up for the same club ride are slim.

The Aeroad CF SLX 8 Disc LTD gets a SRAM Force eTap groupset, DT Swiss carbon wheels and Continental GP5000 TL tyres. This little lot will set you back £6,149 and weighs a claimed 7.94kg.

If you want one, you’re going to have to be very quick. To be honest, they’re probably already sold out…

canyon.com

17 June 2022, 08:52
17 June 2022, 08:45
Bahrain Victorious statement

Bahrain Victorious will not start stage 6 at the Tour de Suisse due to a positive Covid-19 test this morning. The medical team conducted rapid antigenic tests on all riders and staff this morning after an isolated case of Covid symptoms for one of the riders. Since then, the two riders who abandoned the race ahead of stage 5 after gastrointestinal issues also returned positive Covid-19 tests this morning. Following the advice of our management, medical team and the race organisers, the team will withdraw from the race.

A statement by the Tour de Suisse Management will be published before the start of today’s stage 6.

17 June 2022, 08:42
Bahrain Victorious and Israel - Premier Tech riders also out of Tour de Suisse after Covid positives

The positive tests keep on coming...

17 June 2022, 07:49
Tour de France concerns as Covid positives rock Tour de Suisse

Two weeks today the Tour de France will get underway with a short time trial in Copenhagen. However, as the GC hopefuls, team players racing for selection, and fast men find their form over in Switzerland, that c word seems to be spreading through the peloton.

Yesterday, Adam Yates and the entire Jumbo-Visma squad left the race following positive tests. This morning, four riders from EF Education-EasyPost and two each from UAE Team Emirates and Alpecin-Fenix have joined the list...

Team boss Vaughters broke the news on Twitter...

 UAE Team Emirates have lost Marc Hirschi and Mikkel Bjerg, while two non-positive teammates, Joel Suter and Vegard Stake Laengen, have abandoned as a precaution.

"Unfortunately, like many other teams we have also had a surge in Covid-19 cases," the team's medical director said. "Our affected riders have been fully assessed, and are currently mildly symptomatic. 

"The riders sharing a room with the positive cases are deemed high-risk contacts, so in the interest of rider, team and community health, we decided it is best that they also be withdrawn. It’s a pity but the reality is that the virus is still with us as a society and we are monitoring our athletes regularly to be as careful as we can."

Alpecin-Fenix then, within the last 20 minutes, announced their team would leave the race too and that a "statement by the race organisation will follow later this morning".

The triple-header of abandons left some fans worried about the potential impact on the Tour de France...

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 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 has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

Add new comment

44 comments

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
5 likes

You could have re-arranged the headline about Rowan into "Telegraph stokes culture war".

Since all the culture wars in this country are stoked by the right wing gutter press. 

Avatar
Hirsute | 2 years ago
7 likes

Gets off killing a young lad because they needed a piss.
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2022/06/17/motorist-who-made-a...

Any comment Rowan ?

Avatar
NOtotheEU | 2 years ago
7 likes

GoPro-wielding cyclists must, Pelling claims, be the "type of person who enjoyed lockdown because they could dob in their neighbour for going out twice in one day".

Enjoyed lockdown? 

I only enjoyed the empty roads as I was working as usual keeping the country running while most of the white collar middle class like her relaxed at home.

Avatar
Rome73 replied to NOtotheEU | 2 years ago
1 like

She most likely sat at home writing comment contributing very little. 

Avatar
cmedred | 2 years ago
9 likes

England really needs to adopt the so-called "Idaho stop'' on a national level because:

A.) It lessens the severity of injuries to cyclists hit by motor vehicles.

B.) It would put an end to all that whining about cyclists running red lights.

"In 1982, Idaho implemented a statutory rule that allows bicyclists to treat stop signs as yields and red lights as stop signs, using discretion when passing through intersections....It reported a 15-percent decrease in bicyclist injuries in the year following the law’s adoption, and no long-term change (Meggs, 2010)." https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57149/dot_57149_DS1.pdf

The pushback against adoption of the law in other U.S. states has been that the safety increase has not been "proven'' to be universal, but the fact of the matter is that there have been no discernible increases in Idaho bicycle fatalities since '82 which makes the law, in the worst, case neutral. 

If neutral, the only benefits would be a slight increase in the efficiency of travel by bicycle with the elimination of unnecessary stops and a total end to the incessant whining from motorists. Both of which sound like pluses. 

 

Avatar
Brauchsel replied to cmedred | 2 years ago
4 likes

Motorists whine that cyclists don't pay a tax that nobody has paid for almost a century, and believe that filtering and riding two abreast are illegal. Unfortunately, I doubt changing the law to let cyclists go through red lights would stop the whining. 

Avatar
ShutTheFrontDawes replied to cmedred | 2 years ago
1 like

Thanks for sharing that information. I'm not sure where you get the idea that enacting the Idaho Stop results in a reduction in the rates of injuries or the severity of injuries though. The paper you reference says on page 25 that "quantifying the impact of the presence of the law is impossible with the current data". I would very much like to understand the causal relationship between cycling through stop signs and red lights and the reduction of rates and/or severity of cyclist injuries. Please share if you have any more info, thank you.

Avatar
GMBasix | 2 years ago
5 likes

Philipe Mauduit wrote:

"Everyone has the willies"

I'm struggling to keep up.

Is this transphobic?

Avatar
mdavidford | 2 years ago
3 likes

Quote:

Seemingly inspired by the media meltdown following Near Miss of the Day 784, a clip she said her own "expert judgement" to was "lucky devil — that's three times the space bus drivers give you in Cambridge".

Parser error.

Avatar
Oldfatgit | 2 years ago
5 likes

I gave up the main stream media years ago (being more than content with QI reruns and HIGNFY on Dave) - and have never joined Twitter.

I am so happy to exist in a world of complete bliss by being ignorant about the hate that is seemingly being openly spread on the mainstream media and social media about the pasttime that I enjoy (and technically killed me for a while).

I have no point to this post, other than to say that I ignore the shit on TV, papers and Twitter and because of that, I'm happier.

Avatar
rcdavies | 2 years ago
6 likes

Never thought about getting a camera (ChiliTech not GoPro) until a motorcyclist deliberately rammed me off the road. Had another assault dropped by the police despite being witnessed by an off-duty officer because there wasn't footage. 

Avatar
sparrowlegs | 2 years ago
1 like

Oh jeez that Aeroad is sex on 2 wheels! More colour schemes like that in the peloton please!

Avatar
belugabob | 2 years ago
1 like

Is it just me, or was anybody else bombarded with adverts for dashcams - whilst reading the complaints about "those cyclists, with their GoPros"?
Ironic...

Avatar
TriTaxMan replied to belugabob | 2 years ago
4 likes

belugabob wrote:

Is it just me, or was anybody else bombarded with adverts for dashcams - whilst reading the complaints about "those cyclists, with their GoPros"? Ironic...

I don't know why the gutter press have got their knickers in such a bunch about GoPro's..... when it was clear that the footage in question was shot on a Cycliq.

And I can use my Garmin Virb with impunity also..... because I'm not one of those cyclists with their GoPro's 

Avatar
STiG911 | 2 years ago
7 likes

Nothing but a vacuous, ego-driven, look-how-well-read-I-am-peasants piece by another 'Journalist' who wasn't hugged enough by her Mum.

Pathetic.

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
19 likes

Never mind the so-called "culture war" - can drivers just stop killing so many cyclists please?

Avatar
dabba | 2 years ago
9 likes

It sounds like the Telegraph is a part of of the Murdochracy, which in Australia owns about 70-80% of the news media - print and video. Extreme views are the norm. They have taken a pizzling recently because as a nation we voted out their poster boys from government. It was the most corrupt, lying, incompetent, self serving bunch of scum that we've had in my 70+ years. They wear the same clothes as Boris.

Avatar
Kendalred replied to dabba | 2 years ago
8 likes

dabba wrote:

It sounds like the Telegraph is a part of of the Murdochracy, which in Australia owns about 70-80% of the news media - print and video. Extreme views are the norm. They have taken a pizzling recently because as a nation we voted out their poster boys from government. It was the most corrupt, lying, incompetent, self serving bunch of scum that we've had in my 70+ years. They wear the same clothes as Boris.

Not owned by Murdoch, but by the 'Barclay Twins' (albeit only one remains alive). Multi-billionaire Tory tax-dodgers, so essentially the same thing...plus ca change...

Avatar
belugabob replied to dabba | 2 years ago
3 likes
dabba wrote:

They wear the same clothes as Boris.

That would be why they look so crumpled - no time to wash/iron them, between hand-overs

Avatar
SlowOldSteve | 2 years ago
10 likes

My observations on Cambridge during a visit last August was that despite the students not being there, the volume of cycling was astounding.  This was as a means of transport rather than recreation. I saw a fair bit of red light running but equally was impressed  at the level of safe, responsible riding.  We took our Bromptons and had a great time exploring the city and local area. I did think that overall drivers were more considerate there than at home in Kent, possibly because they see and deal with more cyclists. I was impressed with the amount of cycling infrastructure and how enjoyable it made it. One alarming aspect was the number of ebike food delivery drivers who seemed to whizz along with out ever pedalling and were totally reckless on the road and footway. Be interested in any locals views and how things change when students are there? 

Avatar
mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes

Must be some strong immunity around in France - between them, the five French teams have only lost Davide Villella, and that was a mid-stage abandon, so presumably likely not Covid-related.

Avatar
chrisonabike | 2 years ago
7 likes

RE Fast Fruit aeroad:

Quote:

If you want one, you’re going to have to be very quick

But that's why I want one in the first place.

Avatar
TriTaxMan | 2 years ago
5 likes

I see Rowan Pelling at the Telegraph is stretching to new lows in cyclist bashing.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/06/16/blame-cyclists-stoking-flames-road-culture-war/

if you don't pay for the Telegraph have a look on twitter here

https://twitter.com/AdamBronkhorst/status/1537673769472380929

Avatar
Clem Fandango replied to TriTaxMan | 2 years ago
8 likes

FFS

Not going to benefit them by clicking on the link & I'm not a Twitterist (Twitterer? Twittist? Tw*t?)....anyway - Is it safe to assume that my bingo card will be largely complete?  I bet there's a "lycra-clad" in there nice & early?

At least they're only reaching the existing frothing gammon audience. 

 

Avatar
TriTaxMan replied to Clem Fandango | 2 years ago
10 likes

Clem Fandango wrote:

FFS

Not going to benefit them by clicking on the link & I'm not a Twitterist (Twitterer? Twittist? Tw*t?)....anyway - Is it safe to assume that my bingo card will be largely complete?  I bet there's a "lycra-clad" in there nice & early?

At least they're only reaching the existing frothing gammon audience. 

First paragraph is lamenting Wayne Humphreys fine from Go-Pro footage.

Second paragraph "I spend half my life on two wheels, so I'm mustard-keen on motorists giving bikes safe passage.  Equally I loathe the self important, bulging calved, Lycra-clad, road-hogging behaviour of Serious Cylists on their 10-grand racers mowing down pedestrians and yelling obscenities at Nissan Micra's"

Pretty much a full house in that paragraph alone but as you go on you get "Mamils", Strava Segment chasers, wrong way up one way streets, forcing cars to perform emergency stops, mounting pavements, red light jumping, and Cambridge is apparently "like Gotham City at its most Lawless", GoPro Vigilantes, Hipster on a penny farthing, "two wheels good, four wheels bad"

Avatar
Clem Fandango replied to TriTaxMan | 2 years ago
15 likes

Brilliant. The "as a cyclist myself" method in full effect.  

In fairness I often shout obscenities whilst out riding (either to work, to the shops or in my personal time role as bulging calved-lycra clad-road warrior vigilante-public enemy-menace) - I can't help it, it's a reflex reaction to my life being put in danger for no real reason.  I do tend to shout at the drivist rather than the car though....seems rather unfair to single the vehicle out.   

Bloody "journalists"......

Avatar
TriTaxMan replied to Clem Fandango | 2 years ago
6 likes

And to top it off.... they have published a puff piece about a poor motorist whose 'rare' car was taken on a joy ride by a car wash employee who crashed it when they swerved to avoid a mouse.

And also a piece about how cyclists don't want more cycle lanes they want potholes fixed.

Note how they give sympathy where the victim is a motorist, but criticism of cyclists when they are the victim

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to Clem Fandango | 2 years ago
4 likes

Just punctuate it with "F***ing tourettes" occasionally and that'll confuse the ignorant.

Avatar
Surreyrider replied to Clem Fandango | 2 years ago
9 likes

That's not journalism. It's an attempt to incite hatred, and worse, and should therefore be subject to a police investigation. We all know that won't happen. 

Avatar
Clem Fandango replied to Surreyrider | 2 years ago
4 likes

Surreyrider wrote:

That's not journalism. It's an attempt to incite hatred, and worse, and should therefore be subject to a police investigation. We all know that won't happen. 

 

I'm sure they can and will hide behind the "opinion piece" defence.  Despite the increasing level of harm  they are exposing vulnerable road users to.

Pages

Latest Comments