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"Christ on a bike!" Vatican City officially becomes a UCI cycling federation; Some cyclists are rejoicing at UK petrol shortages; Ineos switch to Bioracer for 2022; Disc brake 'conspiracy' comments; Ex-pro banned for 9 years + more on the live blog

It's Friday! Jack Sexty will be blogging you through the morning and afternoon before we all clock off for the weekend...
24 September 2021, 14:57
Final reminder: Drink At Your Desk Live with Ned Boulting starts at 4.30pm on our YouTube channel!

And we've embedded it here for your convenience so you can read all about the world's holiest cycling federation, petrol panic buying and disc brakes then just press play at 4.30. Enjoy! 

24 September 2021, 14:20
Isotonic holy water, anyone? UCI announces latest national federations to be affiliated, and one inclusion is raising eyebrows

A routine tweet was sent out by David Lappartient today announcing the latest nations to become UCI member states. Those nations are Equatorial Guinea, Solomon Islands, South Sudan and... the Vatican? 

The Pope's back yard and the world's smallest country has also been recognised by the European Cycling Union, and it's led to a flurry of comments wondering what the Vatican will bring to professional cycling... how will sock height be checked under those vestments, and will any sports nutrition brands step up to make caffeine versions of Sacramental Bread? Will riders be allowed to compete on Sundays? Will the Pontiff be team manager? 

A round up of the best comments and pics so far can be found below. For further reading on why cycling and Catholicism is a match made in heaven, read about when Egan Bernal gifted Pope Francis a Pinarello Dogma here, and when Pope Francis warned about cycling's 'dark side' here

24 September 2021, 14:17
Inner tube panic-buying, anyone?

If you don't own a motor vehicle, perhaps it's time to stock up. That said, cyclists have certainly known what its like to experience supply issues since the pandemic began... 

> When will Britain's bike shortage end? 

24 September 2021, 13:50
Today at Road World Championships - a very brief round-up so far

This morning was the men's junior road race in Flanders, with Per Strand Hagenes of Norway triumphing after launching an attack on the penultimate climb of the day. He ended up crossing the line 19 secs clear of Romain Gregoire of France, with Estonian rider Madis Mihkels winning a sprint to round off the podium. These poor Lithuanians apparently didn't make the start line because they turned up an hour late.... 

In the U23 race, there has been so many crashes it's difficult to keep up. There was a breakaway with a gap of just over a minute with about 60km to go, but by the time we've sent this post there's likely to have been another dramatic development... 

24 September 2021, 13:46
24 September 2021, 13:43
"Alexa, define lucky": rider in U23 worlds race narrowly avoids going through shop window

That was close! We've identified this rider and will have a full story to follow shortly. 

24 September 2021, 12:46
"Bring back the golden age of the first lockdown"

There's already been some reaction to our lead story about petrol panic-buying not being all that bad after all. 

24 September 2021, 11:54
Some cyclists aren't too sad about the UK running out of petrol

Fuel has joined toilet paper, pasta and soap as the latest thing to be panic bought by UK consumers - although this time the pandemic is thought to be only partly to blame, with some petrol stations missing out on deliveries yesterday because of a big shortage of HGV drivers - this news in turn led to some panic buying, which had led to the current situation of some fuel stations running out of fuel today.

While other countries across Europe are also experiencing difficulties with their supply chains, the problem in the UK is thought to have been exacerbated by Britain's exit from the European Union.

Grant Shapps was quick to clarify today that the UK does actually have plenty of petrol and diesel and that drivers should buy fuel as normal, telling the BBC that refineries have "plenty of petrol".

Not all people are sad at the pumps being empty, however, with some suggesting a lack of available fuel could mean quieter roads. Others have noted the irony of Britain transforming into a nation of outdoor enthusiasts over lockdown, and then panic-buying petrol again at the first mention of shortages. 

Could a silver lining in this latest supply crisis be quieter roads to cycle on because everyone has run out of petrol? The only problem being that malt loaf, bananas and jelly sweets are invariably delivered to their final destinations via lorry, so we might not be able to ride very far without getting super tired... 

24 September 2021, 11:19
Disc brakes: a round-up of your comments on whether the bike industry is having us all on
Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 - Pinarello Dogma F - Detail (CREDIT Irmo Keizer_Andreas Dobslaf)-02

It seems like we just can't stop talking about stopping at the moment, and our latest article on the subject of disc brakes delves into the theory that the bike industry saw us coming and are steadily moving all road bikes to disc brakes as a cynical ploy to rinse more money out of us. 

> 8 reasons not to get disc brakes

After doing some investigating, the conclusion of Mat's feature is that "the idea that disc brakes are being forced on a reluctant bike buying public is a complete myth," because there is plenty of evidence to suggest the shift is consumer-led, not top-down as some folks on certain video sharing platforms have theorised. 

What do you think? Sam3 commented: "In this new world, rim brakes will be a quaint leftover but otherwise really irrelevant, much like cars with manual transmission. Especially as the bikes industry reconfigures itself and its supply chain around this new design direction. That's why. It's not an illuminati plot to impoverish bikers or anything. I got disc brakes on a bike I bought about 10 years ago, found them to be shockingly better, low maintenance in practice and I would never go back to mucking about with rim brakes - or rim brake wheels. It's so yesteryear. It's fascinating that it's mainly in the british press that I still see these kinds of disc--vs-rim storylines. Everyone else has pretty much moved on." 

Captain Badger, we suspect with a hint of sarcasm, says: "I for one am sick and tired of the Disc-lobby's machinations. I'm a hard-pressed v-braker, and this is just another stealth tax. This isn't what I voted Brexit for! It's political correctness GAWN MAIRD!" 

nicmason added: "I have hydraulic disc brakes and have never had maintenance problems with them. For sheer stopping power they can't be beaten. If you've never had them I'd recommend trying them. Also I have worn through several wheel rims using rim brakes, I would not return to rim brakes." 

It seems road.cc readers are team disc. Maybe those rim brake aficionados are just a noisy few, and we're preaching to the choir after all... 

24 September 2021, 10:02
Ineos Grenadiers switch to Bioracer kit for 2022
Dave Brailsford press conference 2021 - via Bioracer 2

Ineos will end a five year sponsorship deal with Castelli when it begins a partnership with the Belgian cycling and triathlon apparel brand Bioracer for the 2022 season. Sir Dave Brailsford was at the Bioracer House along the World Championships course in Leuven yesterday to finalise the deal. 

Known for its custom kit, Bioracer sees this deal as part of its lofty ambitions to expand into the UK and North American markets, aiming to reach an annual turnover of 100 million euros by 2030.

Its founder Raymond Vanstraelen said: "From day one, Bioracer’s ambition has been to partner with the best riders, and thanks to our work with cycling federations, we have been able to fulfil these ambitious but extending this to a partnership with Ineos Grenadiers is a personal dream come true for me. The very best all-round team of this century shares our constant drive for innovation like no other."

Brailsford commented: “I’ve known Danny [Segers, Bioracer's CEO] and Bioracer for a long time and always admired what they do and the way that they do it. I’ve always hoped and believed that we would work together one day so I am genuinely delighted that day had now come. The ethos that underpins their work is built around speed - pure and simple - with athletes right at the heart."

Known for its custom clothing, Bioracer plans to have measuring and custom fitting sessions with all Ineos riders before unveiling the kit in December. You'll be able to buy replicas from January 2022. 

> How to buy custom cycling clothing — your complete guide

24 September 2021, 09:11
Wout approves of the 'best crosswalk ever'

It's almost as if there's a famous Belgian hoping to win a world championships on Belgian soil this weekend or something!

24 September 2021, 08:19
Former pro turned GCN presenter Björn Thurau banned for over nine years "for several violations of anti-doping regulations"
Björn Thurau - image via wikimedia commons Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Germany's national anti-doping agency (NADA) has banned the former professional cyclist Björn Thurau for nine years and six months for multiple offences including attempted use, possession, distribution or administration of prohibited substances for doping purposes in cycling. All Thurau's results from December 2010 to the present day will be voided. 

According to Spiegel, the 33-year-old was named as part of Operation Aderlass, a blood doping scandal of which the German doctor at the centre of it, Mark Schmidt, was jailed for four years and 10 months in January. 

Thurau's ban comes two years after his professional cycling career ended. His father Dietrich Thurau won Liège–Bastogne–Liège and six Tour de France stages in the 70's and 80's, but Björn never won a major World Tour event other than a mountains classification jersey at the 2014 Tour de Suisse. His most recent public appearances were on GCN's German YouTube channel, where he was working as a presenter as recently as January of this year. 

24 September 2021, 08:05
Rwanda will host 2025 Road World Championships... and decision proves controversial on social media
rwanda cycling - image via twitter

The nation of Rwanda is mad about cycling, so you'd think it's only right that its president Paul Kagame flew into Flanders to meet UCI boss David Lappartient this week to confirm Rwanda as the first African hosts of cycling's road world champs. However, some have highlighted the country's recent human rights record as a reason not to be so thrilled with the announcement... 

Others, however, defended the decision, with one saying: "...when did human rights become a litmus test for allowing countries to host international athletic competitions?"

Reaction to the story by Rwandan newspaper The New Times seemed largely positive - do you think a Rwandan world champs is positive for the sport? 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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48 comments

Avatar
kingleo | 2 years ago
2 likes

Motorists: are your journeys necessary, can you use a bicycle?

Avatar
ktache replied to kingleo | 2 years ago
0 likes

I can see some drivers keeping their precious fuel, once finally obtained, for only the most essential journeys.

The later bits of the fuel protests were a commuting cyclist heaven, not quite the 70's Sunday roads of early lockdown, but getting there.

The thing about panic buying is that you are foolish if you don't get in there early.

Avatar
ktache replied to ktache | 2 years ago
1 like

And maybe if the desire to keep tanks full continues for any length of time, causing shortages at the pump, which a shortage of fuel delivery drivers will only exasserbate, maybe a reduction of the heavyness of some of our heavy right footed drivers, a closer adoption of the more fuel efficient speed limit, and maybe, with fingers crossed, less pointless overtaking while approaching queues of traffic or red lights.  Though of course that would mean looking beyond the cyclist, which would mean adopting a completely different way of seeing...

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TheBillder | 2 years ago
0 likes

"Björn never won a major World Tour event other than a mountains classification jersey at the 2014 Tour de Suisse"... Well not any more. That's a good long ban, and I hope he gets a visit from the police if he's been supplying drugs to others illegally.

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Spangly Shiny | 2 years ago
0 likes

Wahoo or Garmin, which is better?

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Freddy56 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Sky were using Bioracer made but not branded team kit ALL through the Rapha sponsored years so they have had a working relationship

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Awavey replied to Freddy56 | 2 years ago
0 likes

I was convinced theyd already made the announcement the moment they said they werent using Castelli anymore

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Sriracha replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
6 likes

So you're worried about the chain supply chain?

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peted76 | 2 years ago
2 likes

There's a guy at work who was running on fumes getting here.. of the five garages near the office, not one has any fuel.. he's had to call his dad! LOL

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Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
2 likes

Headline but no story about UCI recognising Vatican cycling? Don't see why that should stop me being the first to say Christ on a bike though...

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chrisonabike replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
1 like

You called? Oh, too many for you.

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OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
4 likes

All very well being smug about fuel shortages until we run out of food, oh yeh and bike spares too.

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Captain Badger replied to OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
6 likes

OnTheRopes wrote:

All very well being smug about fuel shortages until we run out of food, oh yeh and bike spares too.

Best ensure that fuel supplies are directed to where they're needed most - eg emergency services, public transport, and supply chain

The rest of us perhaps need to adapt and survive...

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OnTheRopes replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
2 likes

Just so long as my aircraft is refuelled for my flight to Majorca tomorrow smiley

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Captain Badger replied to OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
0 likes
OnTheRopes wrote:

Just so long as my aircraft is refuelled for my flight to Majorca tomorrow smiley

Of course, an essential service!

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
1 like

Captain Badger wrote:

OnTheRopes wrote:

All very well being smug about fuel shortages until we run out of food, oh yeh and bike spares too.

Best ensure that fuel supplies are directed to where they're needed most - eg emergency services, public transport, and supply chain

The rest of us perhaps need to adapt and survive...

supply chain for what? e.g. is it more importnt that essential workers have fuel to get to work (I know many could chose to cycle) or that supermarkets are able to maintain a plentiful supply of bottled water, soft drinks and alcohol?

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
1 like
wycombewheeler wrote:

Captain Badger wrote:

OnTheRopes wrote:

All very well being smug about fuel shortages until we run out of food, oh yeh and bike spares too.

Best ensure that fuel supplies are directed to where they're needed most - eg emergency services, public transport, and supply chain

The rest of us perhaps need to adapt and survive...

supply chain for what? e.g. is it more importnt that essential workers have fuel to get to work (I know many could chose to cycle) or that supermarkets are able to maintain a plentiful supply of bottled water, soft drinks and alcohol?

Indeed, a fascinating question.

Avatar
Mungecrundle replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
3 likes

Stock up on roadkill while you can.

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Captain Badger replied to Mungecrundle | 2 years ago
3 likes
Mungecrundle wrote:

Stock up on roadkill while you can.

Rude...

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brooksby replied to OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
14 likes

I think the Govt's core problem here, when they are telling everyone "Don't Panic!", is that they have told so many lies so many times that nobody actually believes them any more; to the point where when they are saying "Don't worry, everything will be fine" you know we're probably facing an Extinction Level Event...

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Pyro Tim replied to OnTheRopes | 2 years ago
5 likes

OnTheRopes wrote:

All very well being smug about fuel shortages until we run out of food, oh yeh and bike spares too.

What fuel shortage? There isn't one , just a delivery problem. A few petrol stations didn't get deliveries yesterday, it was poorly reported, and now people are panic buying. Christ on a bike, what is the world coming to?

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Jack Sexty replied to Pyro Tim | 2 years ago
3 likes

I've tried to clarify this as best as possible in the post on the subject, the problems are being caused by delivery problems and now panic buying. 

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Sniffer replied to Pyro Tim | 2 years ago
1 like

Even in normal times we are not far from draining the system of fuel.

All UK refineries are operating well below maximum throughput as demand has been lower than normal and margins extremely poor.  Therefore there is no shortage of fuel available and capacity that can be brought on.

The problem is that there is far more 'storage' of fuel available in vehicles than in refineries and depots.  If we assume that the average car fuel tank is 50% full (probably an overestimate) then if a significant number of people fill up 'just in case', which is more accurate than panic buying, then the supply chain will be disrupted hugely leading to local shortages.

Throw in driver shortages and we are not far away from local supply issues.  I would expect them to be very short lived though.  As once you have filled yoiur car, you can't fill it twice.

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Pyro Tim replied to Sniffer | 2 years ago
7 likes

Our whole supply chain for everything has been based on "Just In Time" for a long time. With the driver shortages, this can not happen at the moment. Factories will stop, there will be shortages on the shop shelves. It's caused in part by the problems with ocean freight, but mostly due to lack of drivers. As a Freight Forwarder, I have seen this 1st hand. I am struggling to get things collected, and when I can the prices have trippled. Poor driver facilities have stopped Brits wanting to work in haulage, and we've got by relying on Eastern Europeans who are prepared to put up with it. Until we start catering properly for drivers at service stations, and elsewhere, it's not going to get better, unless you raise salaries significantly. The lack of infrastructure for drivers is endemic here, and so much worse than the rest of Europe. I know Truckers are not a cyclists favourite group, but we can't live without them.

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hawkinspeter replied to Pyro Tim | 2 years ago
3 likes

Pyro Tim wrote:

Our whole supply chain for everything has been based on "Just In Time" for a long time. With the driver shortages, this can not happen at the moment. Factories will stop, there will be shortages on the shop shelves. It's caused in part by the problems with ocean freight, but mostly due to lack of drivers. As a Freight Forwarder, I have seen this 1st hand. I am struggling to get things collected, and when I can the prices have trippled. Poor driver facilities have stopped Brits wanting to work in haulage, and we've got by relying on Eastern Europeans who are prepared to put up with it. Until we start catering properly for drivers at service stations, and elsewhere, it's not going to get better, unless you raise salaries significantly. The lack of infrastructure for drivers is endemic here, and so much worse than the rest of Europe. I know Truckers are not a cyclists favourite group, but we can't live without them.

Sounds like we need to build in a bit of slack into our supply chains. I don't know if the numbers would support it, but I suspect that just-in-time logistics is assuming that rare disruptive events that cause these kinds of issues are actually rarer and more costly than they've allowed for. However, the competition between companies probably won't allow a company to buck the trend and spend more on resilience as they'd end up charging more.

Even though there's the problems with truck drivers killing cyclists, I'd much rather that the drivers got paid a decent salary to encourage more professionalism and higher skill levels (I think of it as a skilled profession). Also, we need to remove lots of cars off the roads to make it easier and quicker for trucks to get around. Like you say, they're important to all of us.

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wycombewheeler replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

 

Sounds like we need to build in a bit of slack into our supply chains. I don't know if the numbers would support it, but I suspect that just-in-time logistics is assuming that rare disruptive events that cause these kinds of issues are actually rarer and more costly than they've allowed for. However, the competition between companies probably won't allow a company to buck the trend and spend more on resilience as they'd end up charging more.

Even though there's the problems with truck drivers killing cyclists, I'd much rather that the drivers got paid a decent salary to encourage more professionalism and higher skill levels (I think of it as a skilled profession). Also, we need to remove lots of cars off the roads to make it easier and quicker for trucks to get around. Like you say, they're important to all of us.

The trouble is, that in normal times when manufacturers can get what they need 'just in time' those that chose to do so will have a competitive edge over that that choose to keep x weeks worth of parts to ensure manufacture is not interupted. particularly when parts are sizable and require a lot of storage space.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
1 like

wycombewheeler wrote:

The trouble is, that in normal times when manufacturers can get what they need 'just in time' those that chose to do so will have a competitive edge over that that choose to keep x weeks worth of parts to ensure manufacture is not interupted. particularly when parts are sizable and require a lot of storage space.

Conversely, they'd get a big competitive advantage whenever the supply chain does have a breakdown which I'd suspect is going to happen more often with the climate catastrophe etc.

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

wycombewheeler wrote:

The trouble is, that in normal times when manufacturers can get what they need 'just in time' those that chose to do so will have a competitive edge over that that choose to keep x weeks worth of parts to ensure manufacture is not interupted. particularly when parts are sizable and require a lot of storage space.

Conversely, they'd get a big competitive advantage whenever the supply chain does have a breakdown which I'd suspect is going to happen more often with the climate catastrophe etc.

yes, those companies who have been carrying the higher costs of storage facilities for the past 15 years, will have an advantage now where their rivals are disrupted.

Providing they are still in business.

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hawkinspeter replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
0 likes

wycombewheeler wrote:

yes, those companies who have been carrying the higher costs of storage facilities for the past 15 years, will have an advantage now where their rivals are disrupted.

Providing they are still in business.

It's like gambling - do you go for the small, frequent wins or hold out for the larger, "rare" wins? Maybe now some firms will pivot from just-in-time to a-little-before-time.

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wycombewheeler replied to Sniffer | 2 years ago
0 likes

Sniffer wrote:

If we assume that the average car fuel tank is 50% full (probably an overestimate) then if a significant number of people fill up 'just in case', which is more accurate than panic buying, then the supply chain will be disrupted hugely leading to local shortages.

probably an underestimate, there will be some people who filled up just before getting home, with a tank 100% full, but no people with tanks at 0% as they would be stranded by the roadside.

Ignoring those that routinely do not fill up their tank, because of cash flow constraints, as these people will not be rushing out to fill up anyway, as they can't affoord to.

"just in case" of what? just in case of fuel stations running out? this is the very defition of panic buying. And does not help me when I need to transport teenager and all stuff to university at the other end of the country this weekend.

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