Giro chainsaw massacre: Egan Bernal chased up Passo Giau by superfan lumberjacks; Reaction to Gwent Police warning swearing cyclists; Gravel bike interest soars since start of pandemic; On the beers; Froome talks 2020 regrets + more on the live blog

Active Neighbourhoods help kids make their way to school safely without having to worry about cars or other traffic. 🚲 🚶

It means they can enjoy the fresh air, chat to friends and it wakes them up in the morning!

👉 https://t.co/bzh2IGPjpb pic.twitter.com/nXyv24AQP7

— Transport for Greater Manchester 🚲🚶🏾‍♀️ (@OfficialTfGM) May 25, 2021

Where's your helmet, Kermit? #helmetsafety #wearahelmet

— Sean Quinn (@SeanHQuinn) May 20, 2021

Are you really a good MTB fan if you don’t bring your chainsaw to a World Cup?? https://t.co/QTaoboapKe

— Cameron Mason (@camerooney_) May 25, 2021

I guess with nobody seeing any TV pictures of the climb it is nice to find out how Egan Bernal dropped the entire field, even if it is a day late...Plenty of people wagering they could beat their local climb's KOM with a bit of 'persuasion' from a chainsaw-wielding lumberjack.

Gareth Rhys Owen summed up the absurdity of it all: "This is off the chart bonkers. One of the greatest sportsmen in the world, in one the elite events in his sport, being chased/cheered by supporters with chainsaws." Lionel Messi never had to put up with Barcelona fans with hedge trimmers at the Nou Camp, did he?

Aaron McAllorum recited that famous old saying: "Nothing gets the legs pumping more than being chased by lads with chainsaws."

Chainsaws are the new cow bell. https://t.co/tEbVoQQ6hS

— Partridge Thornton (@PartridgeToffee) May 25, 2021

I have written to Khalid Mahmood MP asking him to stop publishing misinformation to undermine vital efforts to improve air quality across the city. pic.twitter.com/e9pS2vAR2e

— Waseem Zaffar MBE (@WaseemZaffar) May 24, 2021

 Labour councillor and Birmingham City Council cabinet member Waseem Zaffar has written to MP Khalid Mahmood asking him to "stop publishing misinformation to undermine vital efforts to improve air quality across the city." The MP for Perry Barr was last week involved in a bizzare social media argument after a video was shared attributing gridlocked traffic in the south of the city to local LTNs and has been critical of the city's Clean Air Zone. 

More to follow shortly...

Chris Froome believes pursuit of race results and rushing back for the Tour de France last year was a mistake. The four-time Tour champion believes he should of focused on rehabilitation from serious injuries sustained at the 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné rather than aiming for quick results.

"In hindsight it would have been much better to really take time out and focus on the rehab side of things rather than chase things on the bike," he explained. "Getting to the end of last season, seeing the weaknesses I still had, it was clear the focus for the winter and the first part of this season needed to be trying to address those imbalances rather than chasing bike form.

"Having that goal of being ready for the tour meant I wasn’t doing my rehab properly. I was trying to get as fit as possible for July where I should have been engaged in the muscle imbalances."

Froome has invested in Hammerhead, the company whose Karoo 2 cycling computer is used by Israel Start-Up Nation. The undisclosed amount means the 36-year-old will join the brand's advisory board.

Wiggle crunched its numbers to show how interest in gravel bikes has soared since the start of the pandemic. A look into the online retailer's search data found that searches for gravel bikes are up 133 per cent in the past 12 months. Searches for gravel tyres are up 186 per cent, while gravel wheelset searches jumped the most and are up 256 per cent. Interest in bikepacking bags is up 122 per cent.

Wiggle guesses the interest partly stems from ongoing uncertainty about holidays and foreign travel, meaning that riders are looking for adventures closer to home. "Gravel riding has exploded over the past 12 months," John Bann-Lavery of Wiggle said. "With many in the UK grounded for some time to come, the idea of packing the bike with camping equipment and heading off to holiday nearby is an attractive one.

"Many people are discovering that adventure can be found on their doorstep when you explore by bike, and gravel bikes can make that possible and more accessible than ever. It’s no wonder that we’ve seen such a huge uptake in interest in this segment over the past year. And, with so many new converts to this style of riding, I’m sure it’s a trend that’s here to stay."

Have you dipped your toe in the gravel riding ocean this year? 

Si vola altissimo 🍻😍#giro #raigiro pic.twitter.com/EXfJfiKDAC

— Ciclismo Ignorante (@Ciclignorante) May 24, 2021

For fuck's sake. https://t.co/95uCQb4HXP

— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) May 24, 2021

Gwent Police confirmed to us that cyclists who submit videos of dangerous driving may find themselves being prosecuted for their own behaviour, including swearing. This came after we were sent a close pass by a reader in which the cyclist can be heard dropping a few shocked expletives at the driver overtaking him as they roll up to a give way sign.

We could have filled the live blog for the entire day with all the exasperated effing and blinding replies our story received on social media. Here is the best of the reaction...

On Twitter, Dave said: "I am sorry officer for swearing at somebody that nearly killed me. I am certain that in that instant the most important aspect is to not outrage public decency."

Kev made us laugh...

Since when is swearing a crime?

If that’s true then I’m fucked

— Kev (@Super_Kev81) May 24, 2021

HoarseMann suggested the enforcement of some driving offences be taken away from the police: "The solution to this problem does not lie with the police. They need enforcement of these sort of driving offences to be taken off them and given to a civil prosecution body - similar to council enforcement officers. It would be self-funding via fines, create jobs, free up police time and most importantly, make roads safer as the chance of getting caught would increase dramatically."

Sriracha commented: "This should not be complicated. Cause and effect - the effect can not occur first. If the motorist can be shown to have been goaded into intemperate action due to the pre-emptive swearing from the cyclist, maybe there is a case to prosecute the cyclist. I'm thinking here along the lines of, "come on then, you wouldn't dare, bring it on" peppered with swearing. But given that cause and effect are the other way around, the threat to the cyclist comes first and prompts the outburst of language, the police are simply displaying their prejudice."