YouTube driving instructor Ashley Neal “highlights some motorists’ terrible attitudes to those ‘dangerous’ cyclists”; Pro cyclists’ union wants protesters’ platform “taken away”; Riding 300km… in one park; Robots in bike lanes + more on the live blog

Coming to a bike lane near you? Well, not yet, unless you live in any of the Arizona cities which have been selected for DoorDash’s roll-out of its autonomous delivery robots, which have a top speed of 20mph and the company says will use bike lanes and pavements. But a sign of things to come for the future of deliveries and road use?

> US delivery company DoorDash wants autonomous robots with 20mph top speed to use bike lanes 

Naturally, this has got the cycling community talking about what it could look like and whether people would feel safe using cycling infrastructure around 20mph burrito-transporting robots? When I logged-on to type this up, to be perfectly honest, I thought most of the comments would be along the lines of this to-the-point reaction…

As it turned out, there was actually some positivity, Sheff telling us on Facebook they’d be more than happy to have a 20mph emission-free derny to draft on the commute. Likewise, in the comments on the article, there was a suggestion for a cyclist friendly handle on top “that we can grab hold of for a free tow. Deal?” A sticky bot, chrisonabike dubbed it.

Mr Blackbird rightly pointed out the need for rigorous testing on these robots, while another part of the discussion was talk about whether these robots could actually have a positive impact on the amount and quality of cycling infrastructure that is out there. If all the big delivery companies’ financial interests are on side, “NOW you’ll start to see proper bike lane infrastructure,” another rider suggested.

HeRidesBikes (a North Carolina-based cyclist) added: “I’m all for this. Cyclists lobbying for bike lanes hasn’t moved the needle. The biggest spike I’ve seen was more because drunk people on scooters were getting hit, so more bike lanes appeared in those areas. Guarantee if this passes we’ll start seeing more bike lanes.”

Miller: “I feel intrinsically against this. But if food-delivery bots gained traction then all the bike lanes that are not being built for cyclists would probably magically appear for delivery bots.”

Chrisonabike: “Nothing new — if there’s a ‘free’ space someone will try to make use of it in the pursuit of money. (See food delivery companies etc. And indeed businesses since forever expanding into the public space in front of their shop, storing stuff and vehicles on footways and cycle paths…)

“Personally I think we need more independent human-powered mobility rather than space for drones. But we know that many humans have a very limited enthusiasm for that… Weren’t there some smaller ones being trialled in the UK?”

I believe Milton Keynes has had autonomous delivery robots for a few years… although, granted, they don’t look like they’d even know what 20mph is, let alone hit it…

VIPcyclist questioned if the US actually has the usable cycling infrastructure to enable DoorDash’s plan, but would “happily consent to this using cycle lanes in the UK”, especially the painted ‘murder strip’ ones.

“It wouldn’t get down a pavement though, a pram can’t get down one near me, so this thing would have no chance, besides it’d probably get mugged.” Well there’s a cheerful thought. Talking of which…

Visible disappointment from Josh Tarling over his fifth place finish in yesterday’s European Championships TT. The Brit started with podium ambitions but ended up behind a flying Remco Evenepoel, trade teammate Filippo Ganna, surprise bronze-winner Niklas Larsen and British teammate Ethan Hayter. Speaking to Cycling Pro Net afterwards, Tarling said he felt “upset” and “ashamed”.

Tarling’s 2025 has seen him win the time trial stage of the UAE Tour, go close twice at Paris-Nice, race the classics, and win a stage of the Giro d’Italia, his first Grand Tour victory. However, a crash on stage 16 of the Italian race has seen his racing limited in the second half of the season, yesterday just his third raceday back.

“It was all a bit unknown after the Giro,” Tarling explained. Avoiding any excuses, the Ineos Grenadiers rider said the strong winds (which might have made things tougher for the bigger riders) were “the same for everybody” and “if they’re good in the wind, I have to get good in the wind”.

“I have no complaints, I just think it was just a bit unknown from my side.”

Silver medallist Ganna was more happy to point out the impact the wind had on the big boys, “For sure, the wind doesn’t help me, if you see the big guys, I’m the only one in the front. Remco’s 60-70kg, the CdA (how aero you are, in layman’s terms) was more important today than watts.”

France will be without their two home heroes from this year’s Tour de France for the European Championships on home roads this weekend. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Maëva Squiban are out with “infectious symptoms”, according to the French cycling federation. Today’s action features the mixed relay TTT before the junior and U23 road races follow tomorrow. As with last weekend’s World Championships schedule, the women’s road race is on Saturday before the men’s on Sunday.

“Sorry guys, mind if I just squeeze… yep, thanks, yep that’s just my one there… out your way in a sec…”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Red Bull Danmark 🇩🇰 (@redbulldanmark)

> “It shouldn’t be costing outrageous sums of money”: Irish Prime Minister lashes out over €100,000 bike shed at maternity hospital, months after row over “inexcusable and inexplicable” €336,000 bike shed at Parliament

It all “started as a joke”, but ended up becoming a reality…

303km/188 miles around the same 1.8km/1.1-mile Toronto park loop. Enough to test your legs (back, wrists, neck, shoulders, saddle and everything else) and mind. How much boredom can one rider take? Maybe not quite as much as Gabriel Sayer put up with in May when he rode 1,000km around Regent’s Park, but still admirable amounts.

> “Relentless circling”: Cyclist rides 1,000km around Regent’s Park

The Toronto version took this rider around High Park enough times to remember every rise, bump in the road, pothole and puddle. Sharing a screenshot on Reddit, they said it “started as a joke” but ended up taking a little under 10 hours moving time at a very impressive 31.1km/h (19.3mph) average speed. 

They took breaks at 100 and 200km to refuel and stretch, the toughest bit apparently the accumulated neck pain, lower back pain and other aches from hammering away on the same route in largely the same position for so long.

“I’m glad this goal is finally over with and I hope on some level it can encourage someone to go after theirs,” they concluded the post. 

To keep the boredom at bay, as much as possible, they opted for three hours of podcasts in the ears, followed by three hours of “meditative silence” and finally some “filthy Drum n Bass to keep my energy up” in the closing stretch.

As it turned out, someone else said they’d done the exact same thing and set off to ride hundreds of kilometres around the loop too… although they “missed a turn and cut my ride short by accident”. Me too…

The UCI has suspended Portuguese team APHotels & Resorts – Tavira – SC Farense for 20 days in accordance with its rules about entire teams being suspended if two of its riders receive notice of an asserted anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) arising from an Adverse Passport Finding in the same 12-month period. The team will be banned from racing between 23 October and 11 November.

Last year, on 7 November, rider Venceslau Fernandes was notified by Portugal’s anti-doping agency of an ADRV due to “unexplained abnormalities” relating to his biological passport back in 2023. Then, on 22 July 2025, Delio Fernandez Cruz was was also notified of an ADRV, also relating to the 2023 season, triggering the two-rider threshold for a team suspension.

The UCI said it would not comment further as the “results management procedures are still ongoing”.

> “Effectively decriminalising bike thefts”: Bikes stolen from train stations that were left for more than two hours will not be investigated, says British Transport Police

So… seen the British Transport Police revelation that’s making headlines this Thursday? Check that out in the post below if not, but we’ve got some more station cycle-parking news for you here. We were going to share it anyway at some point today, but now feels as apt a time as any.

Greater Anglia is showing off its new cycle security improvements at Bishop’s Stortford station, complete with tall spiky fences and access-controlled gates. Obviously, how well-run said access-controlled gates are will probably determine if any planned security measures actually result in real-world improvements.

“We take cycle security very seriously, and we want to make sure cyclists are able to leave their bikes at the station safely while they travel,” said Mark Usher, the head of facilities management at Greater Anglia, this apparently all the more important given today’s news that the British Transport Police will not investigate station bike thefts if a bicycle was left for longer than two hours.

Mr Usher said of Bishops Stortford’s new cycle ‘compound’: “These improvements will not only provide greater security for cyclists, but they will help to encourage more people to travel more sustainably by bike and public transport to help reduce congestion on the roads and the quality of the air we breathe.”

The president of the CPA riders’ union Adam Hansen has addressed the protests which engulfed the Vuelta, arguing that the demonstrations against Israel-Premier Tech’s participation crossed the line and “protesters should have the platform taken away from them”.

Former pro Hansen took issue with the fact the final stage in Madrid, which was abandoned as pro-Palestine protesters stormed the finish circuit, gave the demonstrations “two hours of live TV” and further advertised bike races as a means for protest.

“Protesters should have the platform taken away from them; if they have no platform they won’t go to a race,” Hansen said in an interview with BBC Sport. “I’m not against protesting, but putting riders in danger is the last thing we want — some riders were hit and pushed off their bikes [in Madrid] and this is not protesting. It goes past that line.”

He said the Vuelta should have been cancelled before the final stages: “If we had cancelled La Vuelta on a Friday and the last three days were not shot [on TV], the protesters would not have had their platform. By trying every day, we showed there was a platform.

“Cancelling would have shown them there’s no point in coming to bike races because we turned the TV off. Yes, it’s a huge deal for [Vuelta organisers] Unipublic to do something like that. But we have to make a small sacrifice today for the long-term future of cycling.”

The protests during this year’s Vuelta saw stages shortened and riders brought down in crashes, the open roads nature of cycling making it an easy target for protesters compared to other sporting events, especially those in stadiums or arenas.

Some would probably argue that dodging Israel-Premier Tech’s presence on the startline would be the quickest means of ending pro-Palestine protests disrupting bike races, a step this weekend’s Giro dell’Emilia has opted for, uninviting the Israeli-branded team.

In response, Israel-Premier Tech said it was regrettable “threats of violence have disrupted our sport”. The team is already under pressure from its sponsors, Premier Tech and bike sponsor Factor both going public with their desire for the team to drop mention of Israel from the name.

> “The name of the team is no longer sustainable”: Israel-Premier Tech’s title sponsor joins calls for team to drop ‘Israel’ from identity and brand image

However, the UCI and the governing body’s president David Lappartient have backed the team, arguing “sport is not a tool for punishment” and “if we start excluding one team, next year it will be another, on another issue”.

Cyclo-cross has been touted for an addition to the Winter Olympics programme in time for 2030 in France. World Athletics president and British Olympic great Seb Coe predicted cyclo-cross and cross-country running would soon be included, telling The Guardian: “I think there’s a good chance it’ll happen.”

The timing has been cited as positive, new IOC president Kirsty Coventry reportedly keen to explore new approaches to the Olympics and Winter Olympics. 

“I think it’s come at the right moment, because Kirsty is certainly prepared to think differently about the programme, and what could go out of the stadium, and that mix between winter and summer,” Lord Coe explained.

“It’s come out of a conversation I’ve had with David [UCI president Lappartient] in cycling. I’ve always wanted to see cross-country back in for all sorts of reasons. Some are emotional. But it also gives Africa a proper presence in the Winter Games, which, if we are being honest, it doesn’t really have.

“And sharing the same course in 2030 with cyclocross is really where our thinking is going. We’ve already had good conversations. David’s up for it. I’m up for it. Obviously with the IOC there would have to be a variation in the charter, because it has to be with snow and ice, and there’s not been an obvious abundance of that recently. But it is, ostensibly, a winter sport, and cross-country would make more sense in the winter.”

Somewhat bizarrely, the piece also suggested some traditional indoor sports like judo could be open to a winter switch too, the message apparently that there’s plenty being considered regarding what comes when and where throughout the Olympic cycle.

> Giant arranges meetings with US Customs after Trump administration blocks bike imports over forced labour allegations

> Specialized has revamped the Aethos for the greater good… but after a test ride, I’ve decided I won’t be upgrading (yet)

We’ve just heard back from British Cycling who told us the British Transport Police stance not to investigate bikes stolen from train stations that were left for more than two hours is “letting cyclists down across the country”. A spokesperson told us:

This decision is letting cyclists down across the country and providing further barriers to people riding a bike. Bikes are a vital mode of transport, and way to access work, education or vital services. The theft of a bike is a horrible experience shared by too many people across the country, and decriminalising this activity will only serve to deter more people from choosing cycling, whilst preventing those already riding a bike from continuing to do so.

It’s another live blog appearance for driving instructor Ashley Neal, following on from the other week when we heard his views on a traffic light-related road rage encounter. Well, he’s back, this time with “the easiest video I’ve ever made”, but “simply and easily highlights some motorists’ terrible attitude towards those dangerous cyclists”. We’ve given that ‘dangerous’ some italics as it’s quite clear from the tone that there’s really nothing wrong with one party in the following clip…

The clown emoji for the thumbnail seems appropriate if you’ve shouted out your car window and made a massive scene about a cyclist holding you up… only to inevitably end up sat behind them at the lights. Add in winding your window up and pretending said rider, you were so annoyed with, now doesn’t exist, and you’ve made yourself look a bit silly.

Let’s dip into the comments section…

“This could have been a comedy sketch. All that and still ended up behind the cyclist.”

“Ironically, if the red car had another car or indeed a big long HGV in front of them, this would have put them further back in the traffic queue. But I’m quite confident they wouldn’t have reacted in the same way as they did to the cyclist and yet the cyclist didn’t even cause any delay. Not that it should even be a big deal if they did. It’s interesting how drivers react differently to different categories of road user.”

“I thought this was a revisit to Ronnie Pickering from the thumbnail”

Ah Ronnie Pickering, I wonder what he’s up to these days? Or how about the cycling equivalent…

> “Clown takes a pratfall” viral video cyclist talks to press

10 years ago now, doesn’t time fly when you’re amusing yourself with road rage videos from the internet…