Annemiek van Vleuten's dramatic World Championships crash — confirms front tyre didn't "explode" before fall; Bauke Mollema suffers untimely mechanical... later collides with seagull; Angle grinder bike thefts are back + more on the live blog

While the person on the receiving end of this most famous of road rage confrontations was a motorbiker, of course cyclists the world over can relate to the exchange... and therefore, regular Twitter and cycling Twitter alike have been marking Ronnie Pickering Day, because it's exactly seven years since the fiery footage first emerged... 

Happy Ronnie Pickering Day to all those who observe it pic.twitter.com/P8yY9tnOBa

— Lucie Fur (@Lucie_Fur99) September 21, 2022

Should really have a bank holiday for Ronnie Pickering Day

— Tim (@piearce9) September 21, 2022

‘Do you know who I am? Ronnie Pickering!’ but it’s performed by an Indie Band pic.twitter.com/vMN5rgaMh3

— Michael Fry (@BigDirtyFry) January 9, 2021

A lot of analysis and a whole load of memes have appeared in those seven years, and last year the incident was even immortalised in song by comedian Michael Fry, who performed the entire exchange in the style of a noughties landfill indie band. 

If you prefer your victims of road rage to be riding bikes without motors, check out some of our Ronnie Pickering-esque greatest hits. Happy Ronnie Pickering Day!

> Driver aims ‘can-can’ kick at cyclist, misses – and falls on his backside

> Ronnie Pickering, eat your heart out: the angry canal man

> 'Clown takes a pratfall'

> “I have honour, integrity”: Phone driver launches bizarre rant at CyclingMikey – before mounting footpath

> Road rage meltdown driver who threatened to kill cyclist fined for public order offence

In the last few minutes the Dutch cycling federation has released the following statement:

After her fall in today's Mixed Team Relay, Annemiek van Vleuten will remain in the selection of the KNWU for the world championship on the road in Wollongong (Australia). A (stable) fracture in the elbow has been detected in the Olympic time trial champion. A final decision on whether or not to participate in the road race will be made later this week.

National coach Loes Gunnewijk said a decision will be made in consultation with the team doctor and Van Vleuten over the next few days. 

"Annemiek is allowed to cycle with this stable fracture, but the question is of course with how much pain that will be. We will see that in the coming days. We hope that Annemiek can still start, but that has to be justified," she said. 

𝙁𝙖𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚. #WOUT2026 pic.twitter.com/TCiXQ0hPw4

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) September 21, 2022

Two more years of Wout van Aert being an absolute cycling god in the yellow of Jumbo-Visma? Oh go on then...

The men's MVP has extended his deal, which would have expired in 2024, to the end of 2026, saying he is "obviously happy" to stay with the team where he "can perform at my best".

"It surprised me the team wanted to negotiate my contract again, but it's a nice recognition. We quickly agreed. I don't think a longer partnership poses any risks because we've been able to get better for the past four years," Wout said.

Ready for dubious quote of the day? Here goes...

"One of the team's slogans is 'better every day', which is not coming out of thin air. We keep improving in performance, the team's facilities, everything."

Thanks for that, Jumbo comms manager...sorry, I mean Wout...

Anyway, thinking about what Wout's palmares might look like come December 2026 is enough to makes us, and the entire peloton, shudder... Flanders? Roubaix? Rainbow jersey? Five green jerseys?

In fairness, I doubt they ever went away, we just didn't see them. 

Bike theft Happened in the crouch end yesterday evening at 6pm pic.twitter.com/Au2if5GuXs

— London & UK Street News (@CrimeLdn) September 21, 2022

More footage of bike thieves using an angle grinder to cut through locks and take a bicycle, this time in Crouch End, north London. We've already covered multiple incidents of similar offending, often in London, this year, including back in March when a group, unfazed by the growing crowd of onlookers, cut through locks.

It's not just London, however. A month earlier in Edinburgh footage emerged of hooded thieves using an angle grinder to try to steal a nurse's bike from a busy city centre street. Fortunately, in that case, they were thwarted by passers by.

Last year one of our most read stories was the footage of a brazen bike thief using an angle grinder to steal a Trek bike locked outside busy shopping centre in south east London.

Don't know what happened but looks the tire exploded after I did hit the side of the road. So that was not the problem. Something caused I got out of balance, but what ever caused it: it will not help or change my situation. Now in the hospital. 🤞🤞 https://t.co/ApGAY4YITt

— Annemiek van Vleuten (@AvVleuten) September 21, 2022

Annemiek van Vleuten — the all-conquering winner of all three of this year's women's Grand Tour replicas, including the Tour de France Femmes — crashed out of the World Championships mixed relay time trial this morning (UK time) and says she is on the way to hospital for X-rays. Her right side is heavily bruised, the prolific winner who will retire at the end of next season said, and she is "especially worried about my right elbow and arm".

⚠️ CRASH for @AvVleuten!! ⚠️

Mechanical issue causes horrible crash for the Dutch superstar.
Really disappointing day for the Dutch. #Wollongong2022 pic.twitter.com/rU5LYNnlcu

— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 21, 2022

In the same social media post updating fans about her condition, Van Vleuten said the crash happened when her "front tyre exploded". With the challenging road race on Saturday all we can do is hope one of the biggest names in the sport is on the startline to continue her sensational season...

> From Coppi to Van Vleuten: Cycling's greatest ever seasons

It was a nightmare afternoon/morning (depending on your time zone) for the Dutch in the new(ish) mixed relay time trial — the event which replaced the team time trial a few years back and involves three male riders from a nation riding a TT before three women finish it off, starting when the men have completed their course.

Things went wrong for the riders in orange from the start ramp — Bauke Mollema's chain getting snagged, although sadly no repeat of his hilarious sponsor-bashing outburst at the 2019 Giro..."I always ride with (SRAM) 1x (no derailleur). First time this happens this year. Bad luck at the worst moment," he said after today's mechanical.

Nightmare for the Dutch as Bauke Mollema drops his chain very early on the team mixed team time trial. Great news for Australia who sit in the hot seat. #Wollongong2022 #cycling pic.twitter.com/rmIZ4cV0n0

— Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) September 21, 2022

Images you can hear. #Mollema #SRAM #Wollongong2022 pic.twitter.com/yXopGGfMpa

— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) September 21, 2022

Anyway, on the seventh anniversary of 'Ronnie Pickering' going viral, here's everybody's second favourite vid...

Oh, you want to know who actually won the mixed relay? Sorry, now we've got that stuff out the way I'll tell you...

It was Swiss dominance, powered by European champion Marlen Reusser and nearly man Stefan Küng. Pretty strong back-up too when you can call on Stefan Bissegger, Mauro Schmid, Nicole Koller and Elise Chabbey for support.

> "It was terrifying": Remco Evenepoel and World Championships pros suffer magpie attacks

Italy missed out on the win by three seconds, while home favourites Australia did enough to earn bronze, 38 seconds behind their Swiss rivals.... and breathe. That's a lot of drama for before 9am...