“Feels like cycling coverage is about to go back to the dark ages”: Cycling fans blast “disgrace” as Eurosport Player set to shut down after Tour de France; Froome acts (again) and misses Tour; Visma/Intermarché bike colour wars + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“Feels like cycling coverage is about to go back into the dark ages”: Cycling fans blast “absolute disgrace and disaster” as Eurosport Player set to shut down after Tour de France
Cycling fans in parts of Europe, the US, and Australia were greeted today with the news they’ve been dreading since the demise of the GCN+ app late last year, after it was revealed today that Eurosport’s Premium subscription service is set to close down the day after the Tour de France ends, with subscribers told to instead sign up for Discovery+ and HBO Max – and pay a significantly larger sum to watch live cycling.
According to an email sent to a Eurosport Premium subscriber today, the Eurosport Player is to be discontinued from 22 July, the day after the Tour’s Nice finale, but before the Olympic Games and the Tour de France Femmes.
Instead, viewers in certain parts of Europe, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, have been recommended to subscribe to streaming platform Max, while fans in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Italy are told to find their cycling on Discovery+.
As noted at the time of GCN+’s demise last year, the end of cycling’s first, extremely popular dedicated streaming app marked part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans to consolidate all its content – from all of its sports to documentaries, films, and reality series – on one platform.
This week’s news is further evidence of that shift, it seems, and means for many cycling fans having to pay a higher price for content they don’t actually want – with one European viewer quoting €15 a month for a HBO subscription with the sport add-on package – when, just 12 months ago, they could subscribe to an app with only wall-to-wall cycling coverage (of course, all of that coverage still exists on Discovery and HBO, it’s just mixed in with everything else).
Which hasn’t gone down too well with armchair viewers who predicted that Discovery’s ‘content consolidation’ would not work in the favour of cycling fans, and who now fear a return to the circa 2010 era of limited live coverage for reasonable prices and dodgy streams.
(Although it must be noted that for some viewers, especially in the UK, the price doesn’t change much, if it all, if they change from Eurosport to Discovery+. For the moment, anyway.)
> The rise & fall of GCN+ – is the livestream party over for cycling fans?
“This is an absolute disgrace and a disaster for every cycling fan. Terrible decision,” said the fan behind the popular Cycling Out of Context account.
“Terrible. It’s already impossible to get the Eurosport coverage here in Australia without a UK/Euro credit card. The sport is just going to lose people permanently because of this,” added Carlos.
“Feels like cycling is about to go back into the dark ages in terms of coverage. This sucks a whole bunch. Why must broadcasters do this to all sports?” added former cycling journo and Jayco press officer Sadhbh O’Shea.
“We’ll look back and talk about the cycling season of ‘22 and ‘23 like old hippies talk about the summer of love… Cycling nirvana did exist and it was GCN+ and Eurosport Player,” wrote cycling cartoon guy Rich Mitch.
“Big Cycling has fully eaten itself and is now just picking at the bones of what it was.”
> GCN sold back to founder by Warner Brothers Discovery, website to close
Even current pros were getting involved in the debate.
“Let the return to Tiz commence,” said Larry Warbasse, referring to the online streaming site favoured by Americans in the pre-GCN days.
And the answer?
“VPN and watch every race live on either Sporza or RAI,” said Philip Malcolm.
But that means we won’t get to hear Carlton-… Now I think about it…
Formerly notorious Bank Junction set to reopen to taxi drivers – and “incredibly disappointed” cyclists say road safety will be replaced by “wall of cabs”
Cyclists in London say they are “incredibly disappointed” after councillors voted to allow taxi drivers access to the formerly notoriously dangerous Bank Junction, where traffic restrictions have been in place for seven years limiting the junction to cyclists, pedestrians, and buses only, following the death of cyclist Ying Tao in a collision with a lorry driver in 2015.
Read more: > Cyclists “incredibly disappointed” as councillors vote to reopen formerly notorious junction to taxis – despite casualties dropping to “virtually nil” seven years since restrictions introduced after cyclist’s death
‘England being rubbish again at the Euros’ jokes, cycling-themed edition
As someone who oscillated last night between bewilderment, exasperation, and open amusement (hey, they aren’t my team, before you get all huffy in the comments), while watching that shambolic England display against Denmark at the Euros yesterday evening, I couldn’t help but chuckle at this spot of cycling-themed tactical analysis:
Gareth Southgate wears a helmet on his peloton.
— Rob M (@Im_RobM) June 20, 2024
I can’t wait for the first ‘Froome has more chance of winning the Tour this year than England do the Euros’ post… Okay, I really will stop now!
Although, after they all enjoyed a leisurely spin on some e-mountain bikes earlier this week, maybe Southgate needs to send his squad down some proper gnarly downhill trails before the Slovenia game.
That’ll get rid of all that caution…
Froome misses out on Tour de France selection for second year running, as Derek Gee, Stevie Williams, and Jake Stewart set for Tour debuts in “stage-hunting” Israel-Premier Tech squad
With all that time spent honing his acting craft over the past 12 months, not to mention another underwhelming season punctuated by an anonymous showing at the Dauphiné earlier this month, it’s perhaps no surprise that Chris Froome was the big name missing as Israel-Premier Tech named their eight-man squad for the Tour de France this morning.
The 39-year-old’s omission means the four-time winner misses out on the Tour for the second year running, with Israel-Premier Tech instead opting for a dynamic, stage-hunting team featuring Froome’s fellow Brits, and Tour de France, debutants Stevie Williams and Jake Stewart.
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
“I’m looking forward to racing in my debut Tour de France,” Williams, who has enjoyed a stunning season so far, winning Flèche Wallonne and the Tour Down Under, before finishing second on a stage of the Tour de Suisse last week, said following the team announcement.
“It will be a special moment to line up at the biggest bike race in the world. It’s something I dreamt of as a kid growing up.
“This has already been a wonderful year for me so far with some nice victories. Now, I’m eager to target some stages over the next month and try to tick off a major goal for myself and for the team.”
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Another debutant – and possible stage winner and GC contender – in the IPT squad is Derek Gee, who followed up his impressive showing at last year’s Giro with an even more impressive third place overall and a superb stage win at the Dauphiné, and will be one to watch out for (and possibly stick in your fantasy league team) over the three weeks.
Gee’s fellow Canadian, and former Tour stage winner, Hugo Houle is also included, as are sprinter Pascal Ackermann, Krists Neilands, and veterans Guillaume Boivin and Jakob Fuglsang (so be prepared for plenty of ‘bird song’ references by Carlton Kirby).
The Tour probably comes too early for promising 22-year-old American Matthew Riccitello, who lit up the Tour de Suisse and finished fifth overall, but will instead target the Vuelta.
Also targeting the Spanish grand tour is Froome, apparently, the stage racing legend responding to a fan on Twitter last night by insisting “I’m focusing on the Vuelta”.
That’s unless Eastenders come calling first, eh Froomey?
Alright, alright, I’ll stop now…
Tao Geoghegan Hart also set to miss Tour de France after fracturing rib in Dauphiné and contracting Covid
Another British GC contender who won’t be lining up in Florence for the start of the Tour de France next weekend is Tao Geoghegan Hart, after Lidl-Trek confirmed this morning that the former Giro d’Italia winner will miss out on his first opportunity to lead the team at a grand tour after fracturing his rib and contracting Covid.
The 29-year-old Londoner, who joined Lidl-Trek from Ineos at the start of this year, has spent much of 2024 building back his form after his horrific femur-breaking crash at last year’s Giro, finishing ninth overall at the Tour de Romandie and securing some good placings at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
However, Geoghegan Hart – who was set to lead Lidl-Trek’s GC tilt at the Tour – was caught in the mass crash that marred stage five of the Dauphiné, suffering a fractured rib.
After returning home to Andorra, the British rider then confirmed on Instagram that he had contracted Covid and was “super sick”, missing five days of training in the process, adding to the litany of bad luck that has plagued him in recent years and prompting Lidl-Trek’s announcement this morning that he will miss the Tour.
“News we wish we didn’t have to share. Unfortunately Tao Geoghegan Hart will miss this year’s Tour de France,” Lidl-Trek said in a statement.
“The Brit has been sidelined for longer than initially expected after the Critérium du Dauphiné due to illness and injuries sustained, including a fractured rib, in the crash on Stage 5.
“Wishing Tao all the best for a good recovery. The Team can’t wait to see him back racing at 100 per cent as soon as he is ready.”
You call that a Tour team, Visma? Now that’s a Tour team: UAE Team Emirates unveil squad supporting Tadej Pogačar – and it’s scary
With Visma-Lease a Bike announcing their Tour team yesterday – featuring Jonas, WVA, a bus seat-inspired jersey, and a whole host of question marks over their double Tour winner’s fitness – UAE Team Emirates decided to up the ante by revealing another terrifyingly stacked squad of talent.
Tour de Suisse destroyers Adam Yates and João Almeida. Basque Country winner and Vuelta podium finisher Juan Ayuso. Domestique-deluxe climbers Pavel Sivakov and Marc Soler. Engine room maestros Tim Wellens and Nils Politt.
And, of course, the Poginator 3000.
It’s here! We present to you our starting eight for the @LeTour 🇫🇷:
🇪🇸 @juann_ayuso
🇩🇪 @PolittNils
🇫🇷 @PavelSivakov
🇪🇸 @solermarc93
🇧🇪 @Tim_Wellens
🇬🇧 @AdamYates7
🇵🇹 @JooAlmeida98
🇸🇮 @TamauPogi #UAETeamEmirates #WeAreUAE #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/QaIulC4UFX— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamEmiratesUAE) June 21, 2024
Now that’s a dream team. No wonder Pogačar said he was “scared” of his own Tour team a few weeks ago (after, let’s face it, winning the Giro practically on his own).
And with serious doubts still hanging over Vingegaard’s health and form ahead of the Tour, the only threat to UAE’s hegemony at the race appears to be if they decide to make Gareth Southgate their lead DS…
‘Alright, Tadej, you’ve won a stage and you’re seven seconds up on Jonas after the first weekend. I reckon we just drop Juan and Adam back to get the bottles, and let Nils ride a slow tempo for the next three weeks. That should do it…’
What, too soon?
I’d like a Sram of Lagavulin, please: Ever looked at your groupset and thought ‘I wonder if you could pour me a dram of whiskey?’ Well, wonder no more…
Now, this is the kind of Friday cycling content we want to see:
I’ll have to ask him what beers he has on eTap…
I’ll get my coat.
Elisa Longo Borghini wins eighth Italian time trial title – but then loses it almost immediately as Lidl-Trek star relegated for team car driving too closely
It’s safe to say that Elisa Longo Borghini has had her fair share of Italian time trial championships over the years. Since 2014, the Lidl-Trek star has acquired seven green, white, and red skinsuits, often in pretty convincing fashion, too.
So, it was a surprise to see Longo Borghini pushed so hard in yesterday’s national TT in Grosseto, where she finished just 0.95 seconds ahead of FDJ-Suez’s Vittoria Guazzini.
It was even more of a surprise, then, when the race jury spent half an hour after the race deliberating, before deciding that Longo Borghini would be docked 25 seconds and stripped off the win – because her Lidl-Trek team car had followed too closely in her wake during the race, giving her some additional drafting assistance, despite being warned by the commissaires to drop back a number of times.
No wonder Longo Borghini looked baffled as she waited for the organisers to make up their minds…
This rare implementation of the UCI’s rule on the distance between the rider and their team car during a TT also has wider repercussions than just the outcome of a national time trial title.
As the new Italian champion in the discipline, 22-year-old Guazzini will also be Italy’s sole women’s time trial representative at the Paris Olympics later this summer.
The price you pay for some dodgy driving, eh?
Drunk driver with six empty beer cans in SUV rams two cyclists, before driving over stricken rider, in shocking hit-and-run in Texas
A drink driver with half a dozen empty beer cans in his vehicle who rammed into the back of two cyclists, before using his SUV to run over one of the cyclists as they lay on the ground following the shocking collision, has been arrested and charged in Texas, as cyclists have labelled the incident “attempted murder”.
Read more: > Drunk driver with six empty beer cans in SUV rams two cyclists, before driving over stricken rider, in shocking hit-and-run in Texas
Intermarché-Wanty’s social media manager strikes again
So, apparently it turns out that Visma-Lease a Bike’s new Tour de France isn’t just inspired by Richard Plugge’s local bus journey after all…
Inspired by CUBE 😇
Glad you love our bikes @vismaleaseabike https://t.co/FtY5rLt25z pic.twitter.com/GJ3iGEkaQm— Intermarché-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) June 21, 2024
Blue and yellow shots fired.
“Like a young Brando”: Chris Froome tries his hand at acting (again) with bizarre “Oscar-worthy” silent digital wallet ad… complete with stereotypical French salesman – after being left out of Israel-Premier Tech’s Tour de France squad
Chris Froome won’t be spending his July riding around France, desperately trying not to get dropped on the first climb every day, after Israel-Premier Tech opted to leave the four-time winner out of their Tour squad this morning – more on that in a minute – but at least that means he can continue working on his acting skills, without all that unnecessary bike racing distraction.
Because, after trying his hand at weird, viral ASMR parody videos last year (complete with, gasp, disc brake touching), thespian Froomey has made a comeback this week, as part of the 39-year-old’s latest attempt to flog some all-in-one digital wallet by British tech company Curve.
Just in case you missed Wednesday’s live blog, the seven-time grand tour winner announced on Strava that he had partnered with Curve, in which he has been a long-time investor apparently, and will front their latest campaign for ‘financial wearables’.
(I think that means you can pay for stuff with your wedding ring – cue some outdated 1970s comedy punchlines – but I’m not entirely sure.)
In any case, to help Luddites like me, the Froome doggy dog has decided to release a new – bizarrely silent – social media advert explaining the whole techy concept.
So, if you ever wanted to see four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome mime that he’s got a puncture, before attempting to buy some vastly overpriced spare tubes from a Reform Party member’s ‘Allo ‘Allo!-inspired fantasy version of a French person (oh look, more old-fashioned comedy)… then, amazingly, you’re in luck:
4 yellow jerseys, 2 Olympic medals, and surely an Oscar is on the cards after this performance, right? 🤣 https://t.co/jJNZJGSbNX pic.twitter.com/1u83oCVmRb
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 20, 2024
And while some social media viewers urged Froome to not give up his day job – which, ironically, seems to be the opposite of the message he’s currently receiving from Israel-Premier Tech (what? Too soon?), others were effusive about the future prospects of Chris Froome The Actor and Part-Time Pro Cyclist.
“Academy Award for best Short Film and best male actor,” one fan, who presumably still thinks Froome has a chance of that last Tour stage win, wrote on X.
“A career in Coronation Street awaits!” said another.
“It’s like watching a young Brando,” added Martin, who must have a copy of that deleted scene where the Godfather used a ring to pay for a tube on a mountain near Monaco (although, now I say it…).
Meanwhile, wooks81 added that it was “nice to see Wiggins in the advert”:
You know what, he’s not far away…
“Four yellow jerseys, two Olympic medals, and surely an Oscar is on the cards after this performance, right?” Froome himself asked when posting the video.
However, after all that, it was left to Trevor Ward to speak for all of us with his take on Froomey’s latest non-cycling venture:
“And I still have no idea what it is you’re advertising.”
Airbag helmets – coming to a head near you soon?
> Cycling helmet with integrated airbag is one step closer to reality as POC patent approved
I hear Gordon Ramsay’s already placed 1,000 orders…
Light vigil to be held in memory of cycling safety campaigner Mike Gough, who was killed in collision with van driver in March
A candlelight vigil is to be held next Saturday in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, in memory of Mike Gough, a popular local cyclist, volunteer, and road safety campaigner, who was killed in a collision with a van driver in March.
The vigil will take place on 29 June at the Sebastopol Cannon on George Street, near where Mike was killed, offering people the chance to pay their respects to Mike and the memory of all victims of road crashes in Cambridgeshire.
Attendees are invited to gather from 10pm and bring a candle, torch, or bicycle light. Starting at 10.30pm, some speeches will take place and poetry will be read by Mike’s wife Hazel, other members of the family and supporters of Hunts Walking and Cycling group, of which Mike was a founding member.
A mechanic and owner of Roadies Cycles in Hartford, as well as a passionate advocate for safe cycle infrastructure and streets, he shared a post two days before his death that asked: “How many more vulnerable road users will be killed or seriously injured… before we get a safe route between Huntingdon and St Ives?”
The 65-year-old was killed while cycling on Huntingdon’s George Street on 16 March, when a van driver struck him. The driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving but released on bail.
Paying tribute to Mike after his death, Nik Johnson, the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “He was a huge advocate for the benefits of cycling, for active travel, for safe spaces on our roads and on our pavements, not just in the local area but across Europe. He inspired me to be interested in cycling and will be sorely, sorely missed.”
“We’ll continue to support those who want to see a safer cycle network in the district in memory of Mike and to ensure that no more families are left suffering after tragic incidents like this,” Camcycle’s Anna Williams also said.
Those attending next Saturday’s vigil are encouraged to walk or cycle if they are able to do so, and Mike’s family have chosen Cycling UK as their charity for anyone who would like to make a donation in Mike’s memory.
Gates, barriers, and chicanes being installed on Britain’s “most expensive street” to keep cyclists out
“Safety” measures, including gates, barriers, and chicanes, are being installed on Kensington Palace Gardens – the London avenue dubbed Billionaires’ Row and Britain’s “most expensive street” thanks to its £35 million average house price – to keep cyclists out and prioritise the “safety and wellbeing” of diplomats and other high-profile, ultra-rich residents, as the street reopens to pedestrians following a brief review carried out by the Crown Estate.
Read more: > Gates, barriers, and chicanes being installed on Britain’s “most expensive street” to keep cyclists out
Romain Bardet set for final Tour de France as French star confirms he’ll retire after 2025 Criterium du Dauphiné and focus on gravel racing
Thibaut Pinot, Peter Sagan, Nacer Bouhanni, and now Romain Bardet – bit by bit, the famed Class of 1990*, that crop of talent that also includes Michael Matthews and Nairo Quintana, is fading from the spotlight at the top of the sport.
And in an Instagram post this afternoon Bardet, who announced his arrival as one of France’s great grand tour hopes ten years ago when he finished sixth overall at the 2014 Tour de France, has confirmed that this year’s Tour will be his last, and that he’ll retire after next year’s Criterium du Dauphiné to focus instead, like so many retired pros before him in the last few years, on gravel racing.
“I have really enjoyed my time with the team,” the DSM-firmenich PostNL star, who joined the team in 2021 after eight years with AG2R, said in the message.
“So for me, it was a no-brainer to either continue with them or fully end my career. I am very grateful for the relationship I have with all the team members and for the trust that the management is putting in me.
“I was not really sure if I wanted to continue cycling, but I still feel that I can bring value and keep chasing big results with the team, so I am happy that we are going into another year together to do something a bit special.
“For me, this is the way I dreamed of finishing my career. I hope to still chase some big victories with the team in 2025, especially in the Giro, to try and get the missing stage win there.”
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Arguably France’s greatest and most consistent contender for grand tours over the past decade, Bardet finished in the top ten six times and the podium twice at the Tour de France, providing an attacking, panache-laden counterpoint to Chris Froome and Team Sky’s race-sucking control.
He has also won three stages at the Tour, along with the mountains jersey in 2019, and since joining DSM has enjoyed success at the Vuelta (picking up a stage win in 2021) and the Giro d’Italia, with two top tens in Italy (including ninth this year) bookending a sixth at the 2022 Tour.
Bardet has also been a perennial contender in the hilly classics throughout his career and was the best of the rest behind a rampant Tadej Pogačar at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April.
“I will also keep working with the younger riders in the team and help them develop towards their GC goals,” the 33-year-old said today.
“The Dauphiné will be my final road race, as it is my favourite race on the calendar. It is really mountainous and close to where I live. These are the roads I used to train on a lot, so there couldn’t be a better place to finish my road career.”
* Of course, the greatest cycling superstar born in 1990, Anna van der Breggan, announced yesterday that she is mounting a surprise comeback next season after three years in retirement. So you never know, with Bardet soon out of the picture, can we expect a 2026 Pinot Tour bid?
Move over Kuenssberg and Myrie, it’s time for the road.cc Podcast election special!
Ohhh yes, just when you thought you were reaching breaking point when it comes to leadership debates, manifesto launches, betting scandals, and the general A-Level politics student vibes permeating throughout the country, here comes the road.cc Podcast with its must-listen election special, where we ask the truly important questions that should decide the fate of this country’s government.
Such as: Do any of the political parties actually care about cycling? And exactly how many references are there to cycling and cyclists in each party’s manifesto? And, finally, why did the council decide to throw loose stones all over my favourite training routes?
See, I told you we were asking the important questions. You don’t get that kind of incisive political thinking with Fiona Bruce…
> Cycling and the General Election: Do the UK’s political parties care about cycling and active travel? We take a deep dive into the 2024 manifestos
Also, as an aside, it’s crazy to think that the road.cc Podcast has reached its 80th episode. Which means it’s now the Tories’ target market for votes…
“Feels like cycling coverage is about to go back into the dark ages”: Cycling fans blast “absolute disgrace and disaster” as Eurosport Player set to shut down after Tour de France
Cycling fans in parts of Europe, the US, and Australia were greeted today with the news they’ve been dreading since the demise of the GCN+ app late last year, after it was revealed today that Eurosport’s Premium subscription service is set to close down the day after the Tour de France ends, with subscribers told to instead sign up for Discovery+ and HBO Max – and pay a significantly larger sum to watch live cycling.
According to an email sent to a Eurosport Premium subscriber today, the Eurosport Player is to be discontinued from 22 July, the day after the Tour’s Nice finale, but before the Olympic Games and the Tour de France Femmes.
Instead, viewers in certain parts of Europe, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, have been recommended to subscribe to streaming platform Max, while fans in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Italy are told to find their cycling on Discovery+.
As noted at the time of GCN+’s demise last year, the end of cycling’s first, extremely popular dedicated streaming app marked part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans to consolidate all its content – from all of its sports to documentaries, films, and reality series – on one platform.
This week’s news is further evidence of that shift, it seems, and means for many cycling fans having to pay a higher price for content they don’t actually want – with one European viewer quoting €15 a month for a HBO subscription with the sport add-on package – when, just 12 months ago, they could subscribe to an app with only wall-to-wall cycling coverage (of course, all of that coverage still exists on Discovery and HBO, it’s just mixed in with everything else).
Which hasn’t gone down too well with armchair viewers who predicted that Discovery’s ‘content consolidation’ would not work in the favour of cycling fans, and who now fear a return to the circa 2010 era of limited live coverage for reasonable prices and dodgy streams.
(Although it must be noted that for some viewers, especially in the UK, the price doesn’t change much, if it all, if they change from Eurosport to Discovery+. For the moment, anyway.)
> The rise & fall of GCN+ – is the livestream party over for cycling fans?
“This is an absolute disgrace and a disaster for every cycling fan. Terrible decision,” said the fan behind the popular Cycling Out of Context account.
“Terrible. It’s already impossible to get the Eurosport coverage here in Australia without a UK/Euro credit card. The sport is just going to lose people permanently because of this,” added Carlos.
“Feels like cycling is about to go back into the dark ages in terms of coverage. This sucks a whole bunch. Why must broadcasters do this to all sports?” added former cycling journo and Jayco press officer Sadhbh O’Shea.
“We’ll look back and talk about the cycling season of ‘22 and ‘23 like old hippies talk about the summer of love… Cycling nirvana did exist and it was GCN+ and Eurosport Player,” wrote cycling cartoon guy Rich Mitch.
“Big Cycling has fully eaten itself and is now just picking at the bones of what it was.”
> GCN sold back to founder by Warner Brothers Discovery, website to close
Even current pros were getting involved in the debate.
“Let the return to Tiz commence,” said Larry Warbasse, referring to the online streaming site favoured by Americans in the pre-GCN days.
And the answer?
“VPN and watch every race live on either Sporza or RAI,” said Philip Malcolm.
But that means we won’t get to hear Carlton-… Now I think about it…
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Latest Comments
You forgot to include giving yourself a dose of heatstroke by riding all day in mid-40s temperatures.
@eburtthebike Sorry to hear that. I had a very worried wife who saw me being a goldfish. I kept going round the same loop of 4 statements. My shoulder really hurts, what happened? My watch is broken, I suppose the bike is fu***d? Apparently I did that for about 2 hours. I eventually came back to near normality about 5-6 hours later. I was on the phone to my wife and I suddenly realised I had cold feet. I looked at them and they were bare as were my legs, I said Bear this is a bit embarrassing I haven't got any trousers on, er nor a shirt what the hell is going on? She said you have been in an accident and you are at hospital. The bike had fingernail marks in the bar tape, a scuff to the back of the front mudguard, and a broken quill pedal. now all repaired. Somehow I managed to stop the bike but not me. The Helmet was cracked right through. I had a broken tooth a bust rib and a lot of bruising. Someone came out of a house and put me in the recovery position in the road until I came round. For me not remembering what happened is really quite frustrating. I have bought a go-pro clone to go on the bike but I haven't actually fitted it yet. It would be sensible to just to have a bit of evidence if the same should ever happen again. After all there aren't always Londis shops with CCTV in just the right position are there?
@timscottellis given the "anarchic by design" organising principle what Critical mass is "for" will vary (even between participants). I believe part of the original idea was to be "critical" - direct activism against motorists by reclaiming space. Whether it's a good idea to annoy people who mostly will have no clue why you're doing that is a question of course. It certainly serves a community building and awareness raising function. And for some (perhaps like yourself?) showing them that they *can* ride on the streets. Albeit some would never do so outside of such an event.
Money's *always* tight - or rather it's always tight for active travel because in the UK that is very low on the priority list *. The vast majority of money goes on apparently unrelated stuff - health and adult social care. But I think active travel could make a minor but positive contribution here. And a large amount of that money compared to active travel spend goes on things that overall have a negative impact there (indeed are a net cost) - providing for the level of motoring we have. Including repeatedly pouring money into (pot-) holes in the ground. Could we reallocate some of that? * For some parties - maybe even governments - it's actually something they're against. If only because they're more keen on motoring which will effectively work against it.
I don't understand why the police can't crack down on those bloody idiots forcing the riders to inhale the smoke from powder flares, not as if it's a sort of guerrilla action, interfering with the riders then disappearing back into the crowd, they couldn't be any easier to spot as they stand there holding them but I don't think I've ever seen police, authorities or other fans intervening to stop them in a road race. Seen the police doing a good job stopping them at cyclocross, obviously on a long road stage it's not as easy to have an officer on the spot at the right time but yesterday's flareup (sorry) was on the finishing circuit, there must have been a few coppers in the vicinity who could have dealt with it.
Bit confused now Tom, you said that "AFAIK nobody said he’s going to ride to win the GC", I gave you an example of Seixas himself talking about going for GC, now you're saying there you are, there is evidence that he's talking about the GC? I know that, it was me who shared the quote.
Couldn't have a much more perfect example for a certain poster of how cycling continues to feel the full force of climate change...
@Rendel Harris Oh, and by the way. "But I will not take risks for something other than the GC." - this could just as well be read as "I won't take any risks unless it's really, really worth it." They're not even talking about snatching the maillot jaune for a day, but about the GC. Who wouldn't, if they had a opportune shot at that?
Here's a photo I took on Alpe d'Huez at TdF 1991. L to R: Gianni Bugno, Miguel Indurain, Luc Leblanc. They would finish the stage in that order, Bugno winning. Yes, colour film was available in 1991 but that day I chose to use black and white knowing that many years hence it would look epic.
Riding a bike is green. Pro cycling is not. Don't greenwash us by confusing one with the other.
26 thoughts on ““Feels like cycling coverage is about to go back to the dark ages”: Cycling fans blast “disgrace” as Eurosport Player set to shut down after Tour de France; Froome acts (again) and misses Tour; Visma/Intermarché bike colour wars + more on the live blog”
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…but sad to see what circumstances have reduced him to.
[Again – too soon?]
No. Why would it be. His
No. Why would it be. His finances (or lack of) have been reported on for months on end.
Just had an email from
Just had an email from Eurosports:
We regret to inform you that the Eurosport Premium subscription service will be discontinued on July 22….The good news is that discovery+ is the new streaming home for Eurosport! discovery+ is where everything you love on Eurosport meets the must-see shows of discovery+.
It seems that the monthly amount I pay is not going to change for at least the forseeable, so that’s good. I wonder if there are any downsides?
Just to add that if anyone
Just to add that if anyone has a Sky subscription, discovery+ standard plan (which includes ad free live cycling) is rolled into it at no extra cost, you just need to register via your Sky account
https://support.discoveryplus.com/gb/Answer/Detail/000004098
Not quite true if, like me,
Not quite true if, like me, you still have Sky HD (thanks to my woefully incompetent property ‘management’ company taking 4 months and counting to ask the freeholder if we can upgrade the communal system that Sky keeps offering us for free), then it’s not available.
I have a Discovery+ sub here
I have a Discovery+ sub here in NL. Havent heard anything yet, but seems the new platform here will be HBO Max. From what I read on the disco website, I can keep my sub going. If I leave, I can’t rejoin and will need a new sub for HBO Max. Checking the HBO Max website indicates only the Giro, Tour and Vuelta for cycling. Worrying.
Blogmeister wrote:
If we’re talking SRAM beers
If we’re talking SRAM beers on eTap, then surely they’ll have to consider bringing back Watneys Red Barrel.
F Grootneys and the Fascists
F Grootneys and the Fascists
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Yes, but will you also be running a ‘show us your pictures of bikes at polling stations’ thread on Thursday week?
Which is unfair, I can walk
Which is unfair, I can walk to mine, and there’s no where to lock a bike at it anyway
I’m going to keep going with
I’m going to keep going with the wrong ID. So I can post all my bikes.
Ironically in the last local election my out of date Maltese identity card was accepted, unlike that Blancmange Boris….
“Dark ages” sheesh
“Dark ages” sheesh exaggerating much ? I remember the days when the only way to follow any bike race was to buy a cycling magazine, or newspaper learn to read French or Italian, that told you what happened a week or a month ago, and that wasn’t that long ago.
Discovery+ show live coverage of lots of bike races that 10 years ago would have had no coverage at all. It costs money, they use bundle subscriptions with other content to push the price up.
However for comparison it would cost between £80 and £90 per month to subscribe to all the Premier League football games shown on TV in the UK.
In mah deh, wi ad ter wet fer
In mah deh, wi ad ter wet fer caryer pidgin, n’ope t’adnt bin et bah French on’t weh.
make as much fun of it as you
make as much fun of it as you like, but its the reality, so deal with it.
Reality is cvnts don’t like
Reality is cvnts don’t like being called cvnts
stonojnr wrote:
?
Wee Monsieur…..
Wee Monsieur…..
K cazzo voi ???
K cazzo voi ???
The dedicated Eurosport
The dedicated Eurosport Player actually shut down a while ago – since then it’s been the actual Eurosport website were you watch the action. All that changes is you sign up for Discovery+ for £6.99 per month (which is an increase) and you get extra non relevant stations. And there are add free streams……
The ‘dark ages’ comment is typical cycling fan ‘OTT’ drama…….
As for Bardet, just like Sagan he’s not retiring; merely switching disciplines. Retiring is when you stop completely……he’s not, he’ll still be racing.
Pain in the arse watching
Pain in the arse watching dodgy YouTube streams. Now where is that Udder Cream ???
Also, discovery+ is a giant
Also, discovery+ is a giant stinking turd of an app. Honestly the worst experience in years, and I wouldn’t want the WBD executive to think I’m there for the shitbox straight-to-DVD paranormal “documentaries” that the main streaming content seems to be built around.
When GCN moved my first
When GCN moved my first question was about the documentaries. At least I got a refund….
I don’t need an A level in
I don’t need an A level in politics to spot a cvnt at 300 metres.
So discovery is consolidating
So discovery is consolidating it all into one package.
First eurosport player was closed, then gcn+, now eurosport is moving in house. For them too many arms showing the same coverage.
Though no doubt, subscriptions will be raised in due course. Remember it went from £40 per year to £6.99 a month, more than doubling.
Well, we don’t even have a TV
Well, we don’t even have a TV, so doubly screwed. More concerned about WSB and BSB as coverage of those was excellent. Guess I’ll be using uchoob highlights… Mind you, even if I had a TV, I’d not pay Disco- a penny under these circumstances…