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Michael Owen takes a dive after forgetting to unclip; Cyclists share weirdest things they've swerved to avoid...including giant sex toys; Jeremy Vine's message to motorists; Drivers reclaim bike lane after segregation removed + more on the live blog

It's Friday and Dan Alexander will be taking you through to the weekend on the live blog...
Fri, Feb 26, 2021 08:54
22
Michael Owen takes a dive after forgetting to unclip; Cyclists share weirdest things they've swerved to avoid...including giant sex toys; Jeremy Vine's message to motorists; Drivers reclaim bike lane after segregation removed + more on the live blogMichael Owen forgets to unclip (via Twitter video Michael Owen)
26 February 2021, 18:17
Simon Still resigns from London Cycling Campaign
London Cycling Campaign logo Feb 2021-grey

After social media posts made by London Cycling Campaign employee Simon Still two years ago were uncovered by a radio presenter last week, Still has now resigned from the LCC. 

The charity released this updated statement today: 

"After considering his position following the investigation of racist tweets made prior to his employment at LCC, Simon Still has resigned from the charity with immediate effect. We continue to acknowledge we have a lot of work to do to ensure we are a fully inclusive and diverse organisation. We are moving forward with plans already announced to train and support staff and activists to better understand and prevent racism and all forms of unfair discrimination, and for the organisation to become more representative of London’s diversity."

26 February 2021, 11:31
"I didn't touch him ref!": Michael Owen takes a dive after forgetting to unclip his cycling shoes

We'll bet it's not the first time Michael Owen has been accused of going down too easily... no yellow card for this offence, just a red face. The former England striker shared a video of his embarrassing moment to his 3.7 million followers on Twitter, and didn't get much sympathy from his fellow ex-pros...

As one of England's best ever strikers and a Ballon d'Or winner retreating to his (presumably very large) home to review the comical footage on CCTV, perhaps Owen won't feel quite so defeated as us regular Joes who have ever took a cleat-related tumble from our bikes. 

A quick brainstorm from the road.cc news team made a pretty decent five-a-side team of footballers who've come round to life on two wheels...Ben Foster in goal, Lee Dixon at the back, Geoff Thomas in midfield with Owen and Shearer up top. Managed, of course, by Neil Warnock. Beat that if you can...

26 February 2021, 16:21
Indoor training with a difference

26 February 2021, 16:20
26 February 2021, 16:03
Remco Evenepoel won't race until Giro d'Italia and doesn't expect to compete for GC at his debut Grand Tour

RTBR.be reports that the first time we'll see Remco Evenepoel racing in 2021 will be at the Giro d'Italia. The Belgian confirmed that he doesn't expect to compete for GC and will be treating the race as a training camp to prepare for goals later in the year. Evenepoel hasn't competed since crashing out of Il Lombardia last August. 

"We are not going to add a few more races before the Giro," he explained. "We already know that I will take the start without ambition, without expectations. I see the Giro as preparation for the summer, it's a three-week training camp to prepare for the big goals later in the race. year. I will maybe score a stage from time to time, but I am not aiming for the general classification. We are not going to the Giro with this idea."

26 February 2021, 15:45
Work begins to design ten low traffic neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester
Salford LTN (via Sustrans)

Sustrans and Arup have begun work with Transport for Greater Manchester and local councils to design ten new low traffic neighbourhoods. The project's aim is to build travel aternatives and deliver safer streets, improved air quality and stronger communities for residents. The schemes will form part of the Bee Network, a ten-year plan for Greater Manchester to deliver the UK's longest joined-up cycling and walking network.  

Work has begun with communities in Bolton, Bury and Stockport to gather feedback from residents. Principal urban designer at Sustrans, Rory Davis said: "We’re very excited to be working with local communities on this ambitious programme, which will help transform residential streets across many areas in Greater Manchester that suffer from high road traffic accidents, health problems and poor transport links.

"Community engagement is central to our design process and under normal circumstances this is carried out through group meetings and workshops, so the pandemic throws up obvious challenges. Our team will be working hard to ensure that we give as many local people as possible the chance to have their say through online workshops, printed leaflets delivered to residents, and an interactive website."

26 February 2021, 15:33
Fresh new kit for Drops-Le Col

Drops-Le Col have released pictures of their sharp looking kit for the upcoming season. It's a fresh number to go alongside an eye-catching bike in the form of the Ribble Endurance SL R Disc which we featured as our Bike at Bedtime earlier in the week...    

26 February 2021, 13:15
Cyclists share weirdest things they've swerved to avoid...including giant sex toys

There's a cracking forum up and running on the site today about the weirdest things you've had to swerve to avoid on the bike...The comments started fairly normal: squirrels, a badger, a chicken crossing the road...It didn't take long for the replies to turn weird...

Unfortunately for Jon, we had a higher bid...

Thinks you can top that...let us know the weird and wonderful items that have made you swerve...

26 February 2021, 14:38
How not to descend safely...unless you're Danny MacAskill

Danny MacAskill being a ridiculously talented bike handler is hardly breaking news. He's been awing us for years with his skills...However, he caught our eye again this lunchtime with a novel way to go downhill on a bike: backwards, on just your front wheel...Probably wouldn't recommend trying this one at home...

MacAskill also shared a behind the scenes clip from his latest 'The Slabs' video...Not recommended if you don't like heights...

26 February 2021, 14:35
26 February 2021, 12:54
Promising Italian cyclist dies after being hit by a lorry

A promising 17-year-old Italian cyclist who rode for Vincenzo Nibali's junior team died after being hit by a lorry while training. Giuseppe Milone was training near the Sicilian city of Messina when the crash happened. Nibali is currently racing at the UAE Tour but shared his condolences on social media. "This morning I woke up with the news of Giuseppe's tragic death. That's why I ran with a black ribbon on my arm. To remember it, one last time. Now is the time for silence. I send a big hug to Giuseppe's family. May he rest in peace," Nibali said.

26 February 2021, 13:13
26 February 2021, 12:29
Sam Bennett doubles up at UAE Tour

Sam Bennett got his second win of the week at the UAE Tour this lunchtime. The Irishman sprinted to victory on the Palm Jumeirah to make it two out of three for Deceuninck-Quick-Step in the sprints this week. Former Quick-Step man Elia Viviani was second, with Bora-Hansgrohe's Pascal Ackermann third. Tomorrow is the final stage of the race with another sprint expected. There weren't any changes to the overall, meaning that avoiding disaster, Tadej Pogačar should be crowned the winner of his team's home race tomorrow...

26 February 2021, 10:28
"You will get busted": Jeremy Vine's message to motorists who commit traffic offences

Sharing a video of a driver ignoring a red light in Hammersmith, Jeremy Vine had a simple message for motorists who commit offences in front of him. "I say this in a spirit of respect and love: you will get busted," the broadcaster tweeted. Vine regularly uploads videos of his experiences of poor driving in the capital and he confidently stated that the driver in his latest clip would get a ticket for their actions. 

Jeremy's warning attracted a lot of attention on Twitter, with talkRADIO presenter 
Julia Hartley-Brewer replying: "Couldn't agree more. Shame we can't do that with cyclists too. But they don't have number plates."

Another user, with a black cab as his profile picture commented: "Shame on you Jeremy playing copper and grassing up motorists? That’s fine but get a balanced view and report all the cyclists that jump red lights too? Oh ...you won’t cos they don’t carry any ID do they, so all those cyclists do as they please." Vine responded pointing out that more people are killed by lawnmowers than cyclists...

Some of the Channel 5 presenter's recent video highlights include a driver blaring their horn as they pass only to get stopped at the next set of lights and a motorist who was seen driving down the Hyde Park cycleway...

26 February 2021, 10:16
Brompton releases new phone mount for navigating on the go
Brompton Phone Mount

Brompton has released a new phone mount to make navigating on the go easier. Designed to fit all their folding bikes' handlebar styles, the mount allows users to attach their phone with a simple twist. Brompton says the design uses robust nylon and has a sleek black finish for an unobtrusive look on the bike. The mount fits both Brompton's M and H handlebars, something which up until now had been a challenge to create a phone mount that fits both types.

26 February 2021, 08:47
Drivers reclaim bike lane after segregation removed

Chapman Crispfield, from GoBike, shared this video of what's happened to a cycle lane just outside Glasgow. The Dumbreck Road pop-up bike lane was segregated giving cyclists the full lane on the right of the picture. However, since taking away that segregation it's been reclaimed by drivers who in the video are using it as a third lane...

Green Party councillor, Jon Molyneux said: "Pretty much the only fully-segregated on-road cycle route in my ward was a circa 200m ‘pop-up’ lane leading to Pollok Park, put in to help safe, active travel in lockdown. It appears to have been taken away, without notice, and contrary to clear direction from elected members."

Local cyclist John Chivall added: "I used this lane regularly to cycle with my children to Bellahouston Park, as Pollok Park - our nearest park - is often not safe for us with the number of people taking cars on the narrow park roads. Now getting to Bellahouston is less safe and less pleasant."

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and has spent the past four years writing stories and features, as well as (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. Having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for the Non-League Paper, Dan joined road.cc in 2020. Come the weekend you'll find him labouring up a hill, probably with a mouth full of jelly babies, or making a bonk-induced trip to a south of England petrol station... in search of more jelly babies.

Add new comment

22 comments

Avatar
Jenova20 | 3 years ago
2 likes

"giant sex toys"

That's not giant by any stretch of the word (or imagination). Yes, i'll get my coat...

Avatar
Steve K replied to Jenova20 | 3 years ago
1 like
Jenova20 wrote:

"giant sex toys"

That's not giant by any stretch of the word (or imagination). Yes, i'll get my coat...

You're right. It's a Trek sex toy.

Avatar
Compact Corned Beef replied to Jenova20 | 3 years ago
8 likes

FTFY

Avatar
Crazyhorse | 3 years ago
0 likes

re Danny MacAskill. I really hope that road was closed! Otherwise, IMHO that is quite irresponsible riding. He is without question an immensely skillful bike handler, but public roads are very clearly not the place to be dicking around like that...

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to Crazyhorse | 3 years ago
1 like

Looked like it was a road on private land / parkland. Maybe a closed holiday park?

Edit: Actually Aberwystwyth Uni. Interesting how an Isle Of Skye resident justified travel to Wales though unless he has moved. 

Avatar
cdamian | 3 years ago
1 like

Danny's position is the worst of two worlds: dangerous and not aero!

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to cdamian | 3 years ago
0 likes

cdamian wrote:

Danny's position is the worst of two worlds: dangerous and not aero!

He's ensuring that he can't be penalised for a supertuck

Avatar
brooksby | 3 years ago
3 likes

Is the council seriously intending for cyclists to continue to use that Glasgow "cycle lane"?  Surely that's a corporate manslaughter charge waiting to happen...

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

replied to wrong post

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giff77 replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

brooksby wrote:

Is the council seriously intending for cyclists to continue to use that Glasgow "cycle lane"?  Surely that's a corporate manslaughter charge waiting to happen...

Pretty sure that GCC decommissioned this pop up lane a number of weeks ago when they removed the wands. Looks like the cyclist road narkings for travelling against the main traffic weren't erased at the s  as me time. I can understand leaving those with the flow of traffic and erecting warning triangles but even then I would be unhappy using it as it feeds two motorways 

Avatar
Woldsman | 3 years ago
4 likes

"You can fall off your bike whilst clipped in as many times as you like, but if you still think Instant Coffee is where it's at you ain't no cyclist, bruv."

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Dingaling replied to Woldsman | 3 years ago
0 likes

Being a tea drinker I have no idea what you mean, bruv. What has coffee got to do with click pedals?

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hawkinspeter replied to Dingaling | 3 years ago
4 likes

Dingaling wrote:

Being a tea drinker I have no idea what you mean, bruv. What has coffee got to do with click pedals?

Why can't tea and coffee drinkers just unite and agree to pick on those vermin that drink diet coke?

Avatar
glascymru replied to Woldsman | 3 years ago
0 likes

I'd better sell my bike then. 😭

Avatar
Kapelmuur | 3 years ago
2 likes

Re football people and bikes, I remember the then Bury manager Alan Knill standing in the dugout with a scratched and bruised face.

He explained that a squirrel had become entangled in his front wheel while he was out for a ride and caused a face plant.

That was his story anyway.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Kapelmuur | 3 years ago
7 likes

They always blame the squirrel

Avatar
OnYerBike | 3 years ago
6 likes

"This film will get him a ticket"

Will it? Or will the police make excuses for the driver? "the light had turned red less than 10 seconds before the driver went through and no motorists were harmed so no offence occured"

Avatar
EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
0 likes

Jeremy Vine is proper trolling now. All he's done in this instance is get people wound up about cycles with number plates and other bs.

No matter how reasonable his replies, they wont listen, we know that.

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
14 likes

EddyBerckx wrote:

Jeremy Vine is proper trolling now. All he's done in this instance is get people wound up about cycles with number plates and other bs.

No matter how reasonable his replies, they wont listen, we know that.

People getting riled on twitter are breeze. The message is getting out, via people like cyclingmikey, Jezza, some police forces even.

The message isn't going to be popular amongst some. Who cares?

Avatar
andystow replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
1 like

I think I could be happier in a world where drivers drove lawfully and considerately around cyclists, while steaming with repressed rage.

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rkemb | 3 years ago
11 likes

Is that lane still painted up as a two-way cycle route, with a possible consequent risk of having someone cycling directly towards traffic...?!

Avatar
Hirsute | 3 years ago
6 likes

Can't tell from that photo if there is a solid white line to the left of the cycle symbol.

Would need a group to reclaim the lane - after that Paris video, not sure I'd want to try by myself !

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