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Olympic BMX racer collides with person crossing track; Cancellara's special edition BMC snaps at the airport; Tom Pidcock wins mountain biking gold for GB in Tokyo; No room at the bike rack; Bitcoin prize money; MVDP's crash + more on the live blog

Here's to Tom Pidcock brightening up a grey Monday morning, Dan Alexander will have all the reaction and news on the live blog...
Mon, Jul 26, 2021 09:03
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Olympic BMX racer collides with person crossing track; Cancellara's special edition BMC snaps at the airport; Tom Pidcock wins mountain biking gold for GB in Tokyo; No room at the bike rack; Bitcoin prize money; MVDP's crash + more on the live blogDutch BMX rider Niek Kimmann crashes into person crossing track at Tokyo Olympics (screenshot from video Niek Kimmann/Twitter)
26 July 2021, 16:09
Olympic BMX racer collides with person crossing track

Dutch BMX rider Niek Kimmann crashed into a person crossing the track during practice ahead of Thursday's quarter-finals. Kimmann reported some pain in his knee after the crash but said he hoped to be ready for competition. There has been no word yet on the condition of the person, believed to be an official, who he collided with at the Ariake Urban Sports Park course. 

The crash is the latest misfortune to befall the Dutch cycling squad in Tokyo. Earlier today, Mathieu van der Poel crashed out of the BMX CX race, which was eventually won by Brit, Tom Pidcock. On Sunday, the incredibly strong Dutch team failed to work effectively to pull back Anna Kiesenhofer in the road race, Annemiek van Vleuten crossed the line celebrating, thinking she had won, only to be deflated by the news.

26 July 2021, 15:53
26 July 2021, 15:36
Your Olympic champion
26 July 2021, 15:07
US triathlon events company gives athletes the option of prize money paid in Bitcoin

CLASH, a US-based triathlon events company, has taken the unique step of offering athletes the chance to collect their prize money as Bitcoin. The digital currency created in 2009 will be offered to athletes with the incentive of lower transaction fees than traditional banking. The first event where athletes can bring home the Bitcoin will be CLASH Daytona in December. 

"We are thrilled to make this latest announcement. Bitcoin is a matter of convenience, an investment and serves as an additional secure payment option. This new option provides our athletes with the ability to receive compensation on their preferred terms. These incredible athletes continue to inspire me, the entire CLASH Team and the expansive age group field. We owe it to them to advance the business and elevate their profession with this new opportunity," the company's CEO, Bill Christy said.

26 July 2021, 14:54
Transport for London goes big on enforcing rules at junctions with latest batch of traffic cameras
TfL enforcement cameras (via press release)

Transport for London has awarded a contract to P Ducker Systems (PDS) for at least 50 new enforcement cameras for junctions across the capital. Citing the figure that 76 per cent of collisions on London's roads happen at junctions, TfL says the cameras will play a "vital part in helping us meet the Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury on the road network."

Each year more than 4,000 people are killed or seriously injured on London's roads. A trial of the cameras in 2020 saw an improvement in compliance of road rules at junctions of up to 60 per cent in six months. We suspect TfL could put Cycling Mikey out of business with a camera at the now-infamous Gandalf Corner in Regent's Park. Unfortunately, as it's a Crown Estates Paving Commission road this will remain a dream...

26 July 2021, 14:01
Another worthy gold medallist

26 July 2021, 13:39
Let's all take a minute to fully appreciate the brilliance of Anna Kiesenhofer's Olympic road race win
Anna Kiesenhofer Scott Addict Olympics Road Race - Drivetrain (Alex Whitehead_SWpix.com)-3

It was one of the stories of the opening weekend of the Olympic Games: Anna Kiesenhofer, the 500-1 shot amateur who doesn't even ride for a pro team, winning against a stacked field of the best riders in the world. If that wasn't enough, Kiesenhofer's backstory is just as incredible. The Austrian has a PhD in mathematics from the Technical University of Vienna, as well as spending time at the University of Cambridge studying a whole host of topics we didn't even know existed or begin to explain what they mean...

While at Cambridge, Kiesenhofer rode for the university's cycling club and triathlon club, helping them win the Varsity 25-mile time trial alongside Commonwealth Games Gold Coast bronze medallist Hayler Simmons. 

At the 2012 BUCS 10-mile time trial she came dead last, 32nd out of 32...That's 31 people who will be living off the 'I beat an Olympic champion' story at the pub for the rest of their lives.   

Kiesenhofer's Twitter bio still reads: 'selected for Tokyo 2021 road race.' That could do with an update, but her tweets show a meticulous scientific approach to training. Just three weeks ago she analysed her CORE body temp sensor's readings and shared papers on isothermic and fixed intensity heat acclimation methods to explain how she planned to adapt to Tokyo's punishing weather conditions.

26 July 2021, 12:52
The next generation of Tom Pidcocks
26 July 2021, 12:04
26 July 2021, 11:25
Fabian Cancellara's Olympic Games special edition BMC snaps at the airport

It was a beauty...In honour of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Fabian Cancellara had this Japan-inspired paint job sprayed up for his special edition BMC Teammachine SLR, here it was in all its glory...

Unfortunately for Spartacus, the bike didn't survive his flight home from Sardinia, with the four-time World Champion and twice Olympic Games gold medallist taking to Twitter to have a pop at Swiss International Air for the damage to his poor seat stay...

The now-retired racer got plenty of sympathy after suffering every cyclist's worst nightmare, although some were surprised by his choice of bike bag...

Time for some shameless self-promotion...Fabian, should have had a read of our features on taking your bike abroad...'How to fly with your bike — pick the right airline, save money and hassle' and 'The stuff they never tell you about flying with your bike'...Have a read if any of you lot are lucky enough to be in the unlikely position of jetting off for a summer hol abroad...  

26 July 2021, 10:49
Mathieu van der Poel crashes out of Tokyo Olympics after plank is removed between practice and competition

It was billed as the latest instalment in the friendly rivalry between Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel. The pair have shadowed eachother for the past couple of years, from the cyclo-cross scene to the road and, of course, on the dirt of the XC mountain bike trails...

Van der Poel was favourite but fell early on. The Dutchman blamed the removal of a plank from the course between practice and competition for throwing him off and causing this nasty crash...

26 July 2021, 10:34
XC Cross Country Mountain Biking Guide
2021 tom pidcock gold medal team gb great britain mountain bike tokyo 2020 olympics

If like a few of us at road.cc you're more accustomed to watching Tom Pidcock riding on his skinny tyres for Ineos and are relatively new to this weird world of mountain biking, our friends at off-road.cc have put together a guide with everything you need to know about the Olympic mountain bike events. If you're watching the highlights back and want to know exactly how it works or are now keenly looking forward to the women's race tomorrow, check it out...

26 July 2021, 09:39
The cycling world reacts to Tom Pidcock's Olympic gold

That's the picture. Like the rest of the British cycling world, we've been trying to keep calm - what a ride, Tom. He doesn't even turn 22 until Friday...answers in the comments: what were you doing at 21? Keep it clean, although I'm guessing nobody can trump winning Olympic gold less than two months after being hit by a car and breaking your collarbone... 

26 July 2021, 08:34
"It's nothing like any other race. The Olympics just transcends any sport": Tom Pidcock reacts to Olympic gold

Tom Pidcock has been facing the world's press after winning Team GB's third gold medal of the day..."It's nothing like any other race. The Olympics just transcends any sport. You compete and represent your country and everyone in your country is behind you, no matter in what sports they like. It's just national pride, it's unbelievable," said Pidcock.

The 21-year-old broke his collarbone at the end of May but was back on the bike just six days later to build his form for his big goal of the year, dominating the race after Mathieu van der Poel crashed out early on. "It's been a such a hard time coming here from crashing and breaking my collarbone [in May] and that's just unbelievable," he continued.

"I'm always better when I take control myself. I take my own lines, my own speed. Once we started I was fine, all the nerves kind of went and I concentrated on the race. I'm happy this is only every four years because it's stressful. I know that my mum and girlfriend are crying at home. It's sad that they can't be here but I see them when I get home." 

26 July 2021, 08:05
Tom Pidcock wins Olympic mountain biking gold for Team GB in Tokyo after expected showdown with Mathieu van der Poel failed to materialise as Dutch rider crashed early on

Team GB’s Tom Pidcock dominated today’s mountain bike race at Tokyo 2020 to win Olympic gold, but the much-anticipated showdown with Mathieu van der Poel failed to materialise as the Dutch rider crashed early on. Pidcock, who turns 22 on Friday, put in a blistering short opening circuit after starting from the fourth row of the grid to move up to the front of the field ahead of the seven 4.1 kilometre laps of the main course.

By the end of the second lap the Yorkshireman was alone at the front of the field with defending champion Nino Schurter and Mathias FlĂźckiger, attacking again to get in front of the Swiss pair. From then on he gradually teased out what would prove to be an unassailable lead, with FlĂźckiger taking silver, 20 seconds behind the Team GB rider, and David Valero of Spain a further 14 seconds back in third place.

Van der Poel’s crash happened just before the first of the seven full circuits, the Dutchman landing heavily after going over his handlebars on a jump off a rocky section of the course, with Pidcock, riding behind him, managing to avoid being caught up.

While van der Poel remounted, the crash cost him a minute to his rivals, and he eventually abandoned with two laps remaining. It’s Team GB’s third gold medal of the Games, with Adam Peaty defending his 100 metres breaststroke title earlier today and, while Pidcock was riding to victory, divers Tom Daly and Matty Lee winning the synchronised 10 metre platform competition.

26 July 2021, 07:54
"Build it and they will come": No space left at packed seafront bike rack

The locals were out at Seapoint Beach in Dublin yesterday and they all travelled by bike by the looks of things. No room at the inn for latecomers but even riders who could not find a spot were just happy to see less cars being driven...

David O'Mahoney said you'd normally have "a stream of drivers coming down, looking for parking, giving up and doing a five-point turn to get out!" Not anymore.

Cllr OisĂ­n O'Connor was one of the many to rock up by bike and "just about squeezed our three bikes into an available spot. Fantastic to see!"

Dan Alexander

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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