Pretty fast for a clean guy: Lance Armstrong enjoys ‘dopest trip’ (by bike) with Offspring singer, dividing punk fans; SchArt: The wackiest bike name ever? Ullrich downs Nutella jar; Khan a “w***ker” for cycling; UAE win Vuelta TTT + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
The weather’s changed and autumn is here already – looks like it’s time to dig the turbo trainer out from the shed corner
Damn you, rain. Can’t say I’m looking forward to a long, cold winter of this:
Sadiq Khan goes for a nice, pleasant cycle in Richmond Park – and gets called a “w***ker” on Facebook
Since we’re on the subject of social media backlashes against seemingly innocuous photos of weekend bike rides, it’s only fair we turn our attention to a man who inspires almost as much online vitriol as Big Tex himself, maybe even more: Sadiq Khan.
Over the Bank Holiday weekend, the London mayor posted a photo on Facebook of himself enjoying a coffee “after a couple of laps around the wonderful Richmond Park” on his Giant:
And the response in the comments?
“Massive w***ker. Novelty fact – a helmet wearing a helmet!”
“Hope you don’t choke on that coffee.”
“A knob on a bike with a coffee.”
“Did you cycle there using your stupid cycle lanes that no one else uses?”
“What, and no one pushed him off his bike?”
“Hide in a bush, then a quick stick in the spokes should do it.”
“That bike is fresh out the box for a camera shot only, bet he can’t even ride one.”
“Why don’t you ride over to France, then up the mountain, then carry on riding far away?”
Bloody hell. See, that’s why I don’t post photos of my weekend training rides anymore…
Why don’t cyclists use the cycle lane? Because it’s barely there…
We’ve seen some terrible, blocked, puny, leaves and rubbish-filled cycling infrastructure monstrosities over the years on the live blog, but surely this terrifying example of a ‘cycle lane’ – from Killarney, Co. Kerry – takes the biscuit:
“THIS is the bike lane? YIKES! No wonder people don’t use it,” said Karl on BlueSky.
“Did they just put a ‘bike lane’ sign on the side of the road that doesn’t have a bike lane?” asked another cyclist.
“I was on that a couple of weeks ago and it was even worse in person,” added Killarney local Lydia Mulvey.
“I can’t even wrap my head around it,” replied Karl. “Does the council not have engineers? It boggles my mind that the difference in standards between councils is so huge.
“I mean Dublin’s not perfect by any means but there’s no way they would be allowed pull a stroke like that.”
“Exactly,” said Lydia. “And it’s even more mind-boggling because it’s KILLARNEY, one of the most tourist heavy spots in Ireland and gateway to endless spectacular cycling routes.”
“That’s barely a hard shoulder!” added Teresa.
Yep, I think we have a new contender in our hotly disputed ‘Worst Cycle Lane in the World’ competition.
How NOT to pay tribute to Salvador Dalí when you’re racing in his hometown
No, Lotto, just no.
The Vuelta’s finally back in Spain! And there’s a team time trial!
Can you tell I’m excited?
After four long days in Italy and France, the Vuelta a España is finally back on home turf – well, Catalunya – for stage five in Figueres, the hometown of Salvador Dali.
And in an act of surrealism of which Dali would probably have approved, the Vuelta’s belated return to Spain will consist of a very belated team time trial, a 24.1km effort that will shake up the GC before the mountains begin in earnest tomorrow.
Dali’s approach may have been at odds with the precision-focused theory underpinning team time trials, and their exacting approach to time (no melting clocks supplied by Tissot, I’m afraid).
But he would, however, have supported their tendency to produce chaos and disrupt the existing order, as we saw back in 2023, during the wet, dark, and gloomy TTT which opened that year’s Vuelta and provoked some angry outbursts from Remco Evenepoel.
This year’s team time trial in Figueres could be ripe for more chaos, coming as it does five days into the Vuelta, an unusually long delay for a TTT effort at a grand tour, which could see tired (and, in the case of Visma, Movistar, Soudal Quick-Step, and Burgos, missing) legs leave gaps and lose time they wouldn’t have earlier in the race.
Adding to the unpredictability is the increasing scarcity of team time trials at cycling’s biggest races in recent years. Once a staple of the grand tour diet, only the Vuelta – with three in the last four years – has used the discipline with any regularity over the past decade. The Giro, for instance, despite featuring a TTT in every edition between 2006 and 2015, hasn’t used one since.
The Tour de France, in a first for the race, will kick off with a team time trial (the Tour’s first since 2019) next year, in Barcelona – so it seems grand tour TTTs can only take place in Catalunya.
(ASO/Charly Lopez)
Focusing on today, the Figueres TTT, as ever, will favour the big teams. Despite missing the injured Axel Zingle, Visma-Lease a Bike will enter as one of the big favourites, thanks to their powerhouse unit of Jonas Vingegaard, Victor Campenaerts, Dylan van Baarle, Wilco Kelderman, and Matteo Jorgenson.
UAE Team Emirates will also be hunting the stage win and GC time for João Almeida and Juan Ayuso, while the Ineos Grenadiers’ strong batch of rouleurs and fast men, fronted by Filippo Ganna and yesterday’s winner Ben Turner, can’t be discounted.
And David Gaudu will be going all-out to defend his red jersey, aided by Groupama-FDJ teammates Stefan Küng and Remi Cavagna.
We don’t get too many grand tour TTTs these days, so make sure you enjoy this one.
Laura Kenny, Sarah Storey, and Chrissie Wellington included in shortlist for BBC’s UK Sportswoman of the 21st Century award
The voting for BBC 5 Live Breakfast’s Sportswoman of the 21st Century has opened, with two cyclists, Laura Kenny and Sarah Storey, and Ironman legend and women’s cycling activist Chrissie Wellington, making the shortlist.
The shortlist, celebrating the women who have made the biggest impact in UK sport since 2000, was compiled by a panel of expert judges who considered figures from across more than 50 sports.
[Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com]
Among the 15 sporting stars who made the cut is track legend Laura Kenny, Britain’s most successful female Olympian, who retired last year having won five Olympic golds, one Olympic silver, and seven world championships during her illustrious career.
Like fellow British cyclist Lizzie Deignan, Kenny has become one of sport’s biggest advocates for maternity support, returning to the sport to win gold in the Madison in Tokyo after giving birth in 2017, while also earning praise for openly discussing a miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
[Ed Sykes/SWpix.com]
The other cyclist on the list, Dame Sarah Storey, Britain’s most decorated Paralympian, who has amassed 30 Paralympic medals, including 19 gold, across swimming and cycling between 1992 and 2024, including two golds in the road race and time trial at last year’s Paris Games.
Storey, as you all know, balances her groundbreaking career with her role as Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Commissioner, advocating for safer cycling infrastructure and calling for motorists to adopt better attitudes when driving around vulnerable road users.
.jpg)
[Mariano Kamp]
Former triathlete and four-time Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington is on the list, after dominating the Ironman distance between turning professional in 2007 and retiring in 2012, winning all 13 of the full-distance races she competed in during that period and breaking every world record on offer.
Alongside Marianne Vos, Emma Pooley, and Kathryn Bertine, Wellington was also a founding member of Le Tour Entier, the campaign group set up to support the growth of women’s cycling and help establish a proper women’s Tour de France – which was finally achieved in 2022.
The other names on the shortlist include boxer Nicola Adams, swimmer Rebecca Adlington, rugby union player Maggie Alphonsi, footballer Lucy Bronze, cricketer Charlotte Edwards, athletics star Jessica Ennis-Hill, rower Katherine Grainger, para-athletics legend Tanni Grey-Thompson, athlete Kelly Holmes, sailor Ellen MacArthur, hockey player Kate Richardson-Walsh, and swimmer Ellie Simmonds.
Voting closes at 10am on Friday, so make sure you get your ballot sent in!
“You could have mechanics sleep inside the trucks, but that comes with serious risks”
> “We are dealing with organised crime”: Lidl-Trek manager urges teams to “find a solution” for bike raids by thieves at races
CatchBrad
Thanks to the team time trial, the Vuelta’s starting a bit later than usual this afternoon.
So, while you wait patiently for the racing to start, you can still get your cycling fix (sort of) by tuning in right now to ITV, where Bradley Wiggins’ infamous appearance on Celebrity Catchphrase is being repeated this afternoon:
Not sure how Brad fitted in the filming, between all those gym sessions with Lance…
Women’s WorldTour squad Ceratizit Pro Cycling set to fold next month, as boss says “current economic climate has significantly impacted the ability to maintain a WorldTour team”
Just a day after British women’s Continental team Hess Cycling folded with immediate effect mid-season (following a turbulent period punctuated by missed payments, ripped-up contracts, and fraud allegations), Women’s WorldTour squad Ceratizit Pro Cycling announced last night that it will “cease operations” at the end of the season.
The German squad, which boasts the likes of Sarah Van Dam, a fifth place finisher at this year’s Tour of Britain, and 2024 Thüringen Ladies Tour winner Sandra Alonso, was founded in 2016 as the then-UK registered Team WNT.
Lisa Brennauer, Lizzy Banks, Katie Archibald, and Cédrine Kerbaol have all raced for the team over the past decade, with Kerbaol responsible for the team’s biggest ever result, winning stage six of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes before departing for EF Education-Oatly this year.
ASO/Charly Lopez
Long-term sponsors WNT pulled out at the end of last season, while in May the team confirmed that Ceratizit would also be stepping aside after 2025, though at that point management were optimistic that a new sponsor could be found.
However, in a statement released on Tuesday, the squad’s manager Claude Sun said that “escalating costs and current conditions” had rendered that sponsor pursuit futile, announcing that the top-tier women’s team will fold at the end of the season.
The team’s final race, the Maryland Cycling Classic in Baltimore, USA, is set to take place on 6 September, in just 10 days’ time.
“The current economic climate has significantly impacted the ability to maintain a WorldTour team. Despite our best efforts to secure new sponsorship, escalating costs and current conditions have made it impossible to continue,” Sun said.
“It is with deep regret that we confirm the end of Ceratizit Pro Cycling after this season. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Ceratizit Group, Orbea and all of our sponsors for a decade of unwavering support, and to all of our riders, staff, and fans for their dedication and passion over the years.”
Ben Chilton and Huw Buck-Jones set to make Tour of Britain debuts as strong Great Britain team, including Ben Wiggins, announced for home stage race
Two promising young riders with off-road pedigrees, Ben Chilton and Huw Buck-Jones, are set to make their Tour of Britain debuts next week, after being named as part of a strong six-man Great Britain squad for the six-day race on home roads.
Both Chilton, a runner-up in the national cyclocross championships this year, and former mountain biker Buck-Jones have been racing the French domestic calendar this year and picking up some strong results in recent weeks.
The debutants will be joined by returnees Josh Golliker and Ben Wiggins, who both made their Tour of Britain bows in GB colours last year. Golliker, racing for EF Education’s development team, has had an impressive season, taking third at the U23 Gent-Wevelgem, while Wiggins is currently in his second season with Hagens Berman Jayco,
Will Palmer/SWpix.com
The line-up is rounded off by the experience of sprinter Matt Bostock, a veteran of four editions of the Tour of Britain, and Josh Charlton, who won a stage of the prestigious Rás Tailteann while racing for GB this year.
“For me, every time a rider pulls on the Great Britain jersey, they have the chance to inspire, which I think is incredibly special,” the team’s DS Matt Brammeier said ahead of next week’s race, which begins in Suffolk on 2 September.
“With this year’s Lloyds Tour of Britain I’ve brought together a mix of proven and experienced riders and those stepping up, giving them the platform to show what they can do to make the next steps in their careers. I’m certainly excited to see what we can do.”
Your non-Vuelta racing round-up: Jonas Abrahamsen solos to impressive Muur Classic Geraardsbergen win ahead of Mark Donovan, as Luxembourg rider Mathieu Kockelmann sprints to Tour de l’Avenir victory
While you’ve been waiting for the big guns to roll down the start ramp in a neat uniform line in Figueres, there’s been plenty other racing going on this afternoon.
At the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen – a one-day race based around laps of cycling’s greatest climbs (so basically something teenage me would have been dreamt up on Pro Cycling Manager) – Jonas Abrahamsen soloed to the fourth win of his career, three of which have come in the last six weeks.
The 29-year-old Uno-X rider joined the breakaway with around 90km left before attacking, alongside Q36.5’s British rider Mark Donovan, on the Denderoordberg with 35km to go.
After the pair rode up the final ascent of the Muur together, Abrahamsen once again used the Denderoordberg to his advantage, riding away to take an impressive solo victory, 15 seconds clear of Donovan, who held off the pack, led home by Lotto’s Jenno Berkmoes.
“The first lap I was not feeling so good, but when we started the Muur, I just love racing in Geraardsbergen, up the Muur full gas all the time. I think I was first up it every time. It was an amazing win,” Abrahamsen said at the finish.
“I love to get pain in my legs and going hard. I tried to be in the front all the time and it was very nice to get the win.”
Meanwhile, at the Tour de l’Avenir, the baby Tour de France, Luxembourg’s Mathieu Kockelmann – who’s set to turn pro with Lotto next year – won a messy sprint in Val-Suran ahead of Mexican Cesar Macias.
Britain’s Noah Hobbs finished sixth, just ahead of Ireland’s Seth Dunwoody, as French rider Maxime Decomble, one of the beneficiaries of Monday’s big break, defended yellow.
Movistar’s Orluis Aular ends up in field and Carlos Verona has bizarre close encounter with barrier as Lidl-Trek storm to early lead at Vuelta team time trial
We’re halfway through this afternoon’s Vuelta team time trial, and things are looking good for Lidl-Trek, who are currently in the hotseat after setting a blistering time of 25.35.
They could have been quicker too, had Carlos Verona not ridden straight into a barrier during a bizarre lapse of concentration after drifting to the back of the line on a corner:
The current second-placed team, Movistar, just eight seconds behind Lidl-Trek, were also hindered when their Venezuelan Orluis Aular embraced Catalunya’s agriculture and ended up in a field:
What did I tell you earlier about team time trials and chaos?
“A jersey 19 years in the making”: Geraint Thomas unveils his final race jersey ever ahead of the Tour of Britain – featuring his best results, names of former teammates and coaches, and a drawing by son Macs
I’m not crying, you’re crying…
Israel-Premier Tech team time trial interrupted by pro-Palestine protest at Vuelta a España
Away from the racing, GC intrigue, and detours into fields, the biggest story from today’s Vuelta team time trial came courtesy of the latest attempt to disrupt major bike race this year in protest against Israel-Premier Tech’s involvement,
And, unlike most of the previous demonstrations, including at the Giro and Tour, this one even managed to impede the team at the heart of the protests, with the entire Israel-Premier Tech squad forced to slow down mid-TTT, with some riders even being brought to a complete halt:
> Israel-Premier Tech team time trial interrupted by pro-Palestine protest at Vuelta a España
Vuelta Team Time Trial: Late surge by Visma-Lease a Bike puts Jonas Vingegaard back in red jersey, as UAE Team Emirates lay down GC marker with impressive stage win
Their GC leaders Juan Ayuso and João Almeida may have been flying under the radar so far at this Vuelta, but UAE Team Emirates stepped up when it counted this afternoon in Figueres, winning the team time trial and beating red jersey rivals Visma-Lease a Bike by eight seconds.
UAE covered the flat 24.1km Catalan course in 25.26, averaging 56.8kph, unseating Giulio Ciccone’s Lidl-Trek, who had held the top spot for most of the day.
And, until the very end of the stage, it looked like Ayuso and Almeida were going to double up by striking a serious blow in the GC battle, as Jonas Vingegaard’s Visma team toiled during the first half of the course, falling 18 seconds behind at the second intermediate check.
However, a late surge by the men in yellow – their late start attributed to a misreading of the wind direction, according to Matteo Jorgenson – saw Visma limit their losses to just eight seconds.
That was also enough to propel Vingegaard back into red (the first time the Dane has ever regained a grand tour leader’s jersey after losing it), as Groupama-FDJ and David Gaudu were forced to settle for ninth, 24 seconds down.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, meanwhile, overcame a nasty crash for Matteo Sobrero to finish fourth, 12 seconds down and four ahead of Egan Bernal’s Ineos Grenadiers. Tom Pidcock and Q36.5 will also be happy, the relative grand tour newbies placing eighth and losing just 22 seconds.
And while grand tour team time trials have often been criticised for opening unfair time gaps and distancing GC contenders with lesser squads, the Vuelta’s belated TTT has left things delicately poised ahead of tomorrow’s first trip into the mountains.
With two mammoth stages in the Pyrenees coming up, Vingegaard sits just eight seconds clear of UAE duo Ayuso and Almeida (and their domestique Marc Soler), while the likes of Ciccone, Gaudu, Jai Hindley, Giulio Pellizzari, Bernal, Felix Gall, and Pidcock all remain within 30 seconds of the lead.
Race on.
What have I just watched? 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich downs jar of Nutella – after being dared to by Victor Campenaerts and Matteo Jorgenson
Just when you thought you’d seen everything there was to see in professional cycling, along comes a video of Jan Ullrich chugging Nutella straight from the jar, to honour a dare set by Visma-Lease a Bike riders Victor Campenaerts and Matteo Jorgenson.
No, you aren’t losing your mind. It actually happened.
1997 Tour de France winner Ullrich was often mocked during his career for his off-season love of Nutella (see, the weight debate is nothing new in cycling), to the point that rumours spread – geddit? – that he would drink the hazelnutty goodness straight from the jar.
But what’s this got to do with Visma-Lease a Bike, I hear you ask?
Well, as part of his popular series of in-race vlogs, Victor Campenaerts told his Instagram followers during the Vuelta this week that his teammate Jorgenson loves sharing random facts based on the race route every day.
And, ahead of stage two’s start in Alba, Jorgenson asked his Visma colleagues on the bus: “Why do you think this town is responsible for 25 per cent of the consumption of the world’s hazelnuts?”
The answer? Because Alba is the home of Ferrero, the makers of the Nutella, whose factory was near where Visma’s bus was parked.
“Would there be a tap we could just hang under with our mouths open and get filled up with Nutella?” Campenaerts asked, who was then inspired to bring up the decades-old rumour surrounding Ullrich.
“Did you know the rumour is that Jan Ullrich put a jar of Nutella in the microwave, then drank the jar of Nutella?” he asked – though Jorgenson wasn’t convinced.
“That’s a completely unverified fact. Jan Ullrich, can you respond to the vlog, please?”
And, believe it or not, Der Kaiser duly responded with his own video – complete with a full bar of Nutella.
“Hey Victor, hey Matteo, hey guys! This was my trick for sure in the winter when I was active,” Ullrich said, verifying Campenaerts’ claim.
“But in the summer, you don’t need a microwave – the hot sun in the summer is enough. Cheers and good luck in the Vuelta, this is for you guys and Jonas.”
And, with the steely determination of his Tour-winning ride on Arcalis, Ullrich chugged away at the Nutella, just like it was the middle of December in the ‘90s.
“Lecker.”
Cycling, eh?
‘Err, the bike looks cool, but are you really sure about the name?’ Get ready to SchArt yourself when you see this new urban e-bike…
Move over, Cannondale’s ‘Bugger’ trailer. There’s a new questionably named bit of bike tech in town.
This week, Colorado-based VPL Bike unveiled its new $200,000 concept urban e-bike… called the SchArt.
Yes, you read that right. I don’t know what people in Colorado think ‘sharts’ or ‘scharts’ are, but they sure as hell aren’t fancy, eye-wateringly priced e-bikes, I’ll tell you that much.
And they even announced it with a social media post that began with: “The SchArt has landed!”
So, you’d think they’re in on the joke. Well, at least you’d hope so.
“$200K may seem like a lot for this concept bike but there is a ton of new innovation happening with this one-off urban sprint e-bike,” VPL Bike said in a statement unveiling the funky-looking machine, which will be showcased at this week’s Made bike show in Portland, Oregon.
“Obviously the cost of manufacturing would have to come way down in order to make it a production bike.
“The idea behind it is to make a bike that has more usable room for cargo applications as well as have the ability to break down and fit into a box the size of a gun case.”
Very relatable stuff, then. And the response to this very expensive SchArt? Just as you’d expect.
“Nice project, cool tech, but are you sure about the name?”
“Great name.”
“I can’t afford to SchArt myself.”
You and me both, mate.
The Offspring x Mellow Johnny: The cycling-themed single of the decade?
Right, it’s the one you’ve been waiting for all day.
Following their ride in Austin at the weekend, Lance Armstrong and The Offspring’s Dexter Holland jumped out of their cycling kit and headed straight to the studio, where my sources tell me they laid down the tracks for a Mellow Johnny-inspired version of 1998 smash hit Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).*
And, as luck would have it, my source (let’s call him Brad W.) also managed to procure a copy of the first draft of the lyrics, which apparently are all Armstrong’s work.
Let’s have a look (and follow along with the original at home)…
You know it was kinda hard racing in our day
Everyone was doped, but I won anyway
I may not have had class, or an ounce of Jan’s style
But if you asked questions, I’d end up in denial
So don’t debate David Walsh straight
You know he’s just going to print it anyway
It was a level playing field, we kept it real
Except for Tyler, no way, for Floyd, no way
So if they hate, just overcompensate
And you know you can always confess on Oprah really late
The world needs inspiring
Hey, hey, find that brand new drug!
Give it to me, Michele, uh huh, uh huh
And all the swannies say I’m pretty fast – for a clean guy
I reckon it’s got potential…
*It’s a joke, just in case you were wondering. But to be fair, Jan Ullrich just chugged a jar of Nutella on Instagram. Stranger things have happened…
And all the roadies say he’s pretty fast for a clean guy: Lance Armstrong enjoys ‘dopest trip’ (by bike) with The Offspring singer – but punk fans say “you could’ve chosen a cyclist who’s not a cheater”
Now here’s a ‘90s throwback crossover event you probably weren’t expecting to see this week…
Over the past few years, as he’s attempted to stealthily slide back into the cycling world via the subtle art of podcasting, Lance Armstrong has been spotted out on his bike with a host of big names from the peloton and beyond.
For example, Big Tex has ridden around Mallorca once or twice with old muckers Mark Cavendish and Jan Ullrich. He’s also gone for spins with Formula 1 star and pro cycling HAB Valtteri Bottas, and recently jokingly called out controversial influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul for a race.
Oh, and lest we forget this summer’s moody, black and white, and scantily clad gym photoshoots with Bradley Wiggins and George Hincapie, captured while the trio were podcasting during the Tour de France.
Get those shorts rolled up higher, Brad. Anyway…
So, it’s perhaps no surprise – though it may well be for fans of the band – that Armstrong was again spotted riding his bike this week with another big name who enjoyed roaring success and worldwide fame in the late 1990s: The Offspring’s frontman Dexter Holland.
Yes, that’s right. At the weekend, The Offspring, known for ‘90s punk revival hits such as ‘Come Out and Play’ and VH1 staple ‘Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)’, posted a photo of Holland posing with the former seven-time Tour de France winner, captioned: “Morning bike ride in Austin with Lance Armstrong!”
I reckon, judging by their respective clothing choices, Holland – whose PhD in molecular biology probably led to some interesting chats with one of sport’s most infamous molecule enhancers – is winning in the ‘man in his 50s looking cool on a bike’ stakes. But that’s just my opinion, of course.
However, despite Lance’s propensity for celebrity cycles, the punk legend’s weekend ride with Armstrong has baffled cycling and Offspring fans alike.
“Imagine driving down the street in your car and being like, ‘hey this guy looks like the lead singer of the Offspring’… Oh my god it’s him and Lance Armstrong!” wrote Chad on Facebook.
“Damn, the lead singer of offspring is a bike rider. I just didn’t see that one comin’,” added Simon.
But while the non-punk-leaning cyclists on the internet weren’t even sure who Holland was – some likening him to Biff from Back to the Future, or Gary Busey, or even Jan Ullrich – some Offspring fans weren’t exactly enamoured with their hero’s choice of cycling companion.
Lance and Dexter, back in the Americana days
“Could’ve chosen a clean cyclist, guys,” wrote Alex on X/Twitter, while Ursula said she wasn’t angry, she was “just disappointed”.
“What are you doing? He’s a f***ing cheater,” added Tadugl.
“Love ya homie but not a picture I would be posting… Are we forgetting?” added CB.
And, finally, Pete noted that Dexter was “still doing medical research, I see…”
And you thought the cycling community was having a hard time forgiving and forgetting, Lance…
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Latest Comments
@Rendel Harris No contradiction here. You can start with the intention to win the GC or just take your chance when you get it. The first one puts you under immense pressure - both mentally and physically - and could indeed cause a lot of trouble. The other gives you absolute freedom - the aim is to survive and learn the ropes, but when the stars align, you could just push and see what happens.
And there will be a +1 option, which the highlights on ITV4 never had, meaning that if there are problems on the train or I have to stay a bit at work I won't be as bothered. Quest had it, but not DMAX. But both suffered from the aforementioned unexplained no-show.
@mdavidford it was ice moments before the photo was taken. Those guys make a lot of watts.
The constant misconception with closs passing relates to the view that 1.51m is legal and 1.49m is illegal. It isn't. The government considered a minimum distance offence (and Tim, quoted in the article, pushed heavy for it in the consultation) but the conclusion of the consultation was that a minimum distance offence would result in no prosecution as the forensic evidence of distance would not exist. Instead s3 was the sensible fall back. Tim and a few other cyclists push the narrative that 1.5 is a legal requirement and police forces receive criticism if they apply the law of careless driving rather than the imaginary law of close passing. As time passes police forces understand that 1.5 is a fallicy, as more separated cycle lanes demonstrate this as they are themselves less than. 1.5 m from passing traffic despite having a physical separation. This distinction makes closs pass prosecution very "dodgy" without clear carelessness. But that message is lost in the fog of twitter.
According to the commentators today the french police can and have. They were chatting about temporary powers so that it's an offence to disobey an order from the police, concerning preventing spectators because of the wildfires. There were however far more fans than I was expecting. Yesterday's flare was over the border of course.
Nothing wrong with large chainrings - in fact, big to big is way more efficient so, use a big chainring and bigger cassette sprockets - it'll freak out your mates and allow you to pedal more smoothly and replace your chain less often!
Having recently purchased a month of TNT, and waiting for the start of the TTT, I caught some of the men's downhill, might have been the winner, but this lad did particularly well and decided to fall off after crossing the line. His airbag went off. I still think a bit of aramid in the weave on hip and shoulders wouldn't go amiss,
I liked it. I will watch it. It's essentially the TNT coverage, highlighted. So the same coverage that would have been on Quest or DMAX, but with the singular presenter, maybe less chat and maybe more racing. Hopefully less chance of the weird no coverage and no explanation days. Unfortunately no rest day recap, one of those lovely itv things. And no Chris.
13 thoughts on “Pretty fast for a clean guy: Lance Armstrong enjoys ‘dopest trip’ (by bike) with Offspring singer, dividing punk fans; SchArt: The wackiest bike name ever? Ullrich downs Nutella jar; Khan a “w***ker” for cycling; UAE win Vuelta TTT + more on the live blog”
National travel survey if you
National travel survey if you enjoy analysis paralysis
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-survey-2024/nts-2024-factsheet
In 2024, 25% of trips were under 1 mile, and 70% under 5 miles.
Not to worry, Sadiq is
Not to worry, Sadiq is working on it!
In reality, authorities don’t care about cycling and cyclists. When a motorist injures or kills a cyclist, and receives no jail term, you know your life means nothing to them.
MaxiMinimalist wrote:
Sadiq has nothing to do with the judiciary or any punishments people receive; he has done a huge amount to improve cycling in London and indeed to make it a world leader in safe cycling provision and active travel, so not sure why you think he deserves a sarcastic mention.
Comparisons: In NL as a whole
Comparisons: In NL as a whole the figures are interestingly different (not to say arrestingly so). The ones I’ve found e.g. here categorise slightly differently e.g. generally bus, tram and metro are grouped. (btm = bus train metro I think).
The “by distance” percentage numbers for driving and rail are similar to the UK although driving is a bit lower. That difference seems to be mostly taken up by cycling, with walking similar to the UK.
The “by trip” numbers have a LOT of cycling (e.g. see bigger cities – there is less cycling in countryside, but still more than the UK).
Whether you agréé with Sadiq
Whether you agréé with Sadiq Khan or not at least he’s out on a bike unlike thé pathetic clowns whose moans are quoted.
Khan’s 10x better as London
Khan’s 10x better as London mayor than that bloke who only started cycling after he got banned from driving for being over the limit for alcohol while behind the wheel. The amount of abuse he gets online is appalling. And he is a regular cyclist, or was at least until the threats from right wing boneheads meant he needed a police guard.
How is it possible to have a
How is it possible to have a ‘woman of the 21st century’ award when we are not yet even a quarter of the way through that century ?
If you’re racing that new
If you’re racing that new concept bike and hit someone watching do we say that the ‘SchArt has hit the fan’
I’ll get my coat!!
In town, when you collide
In town, when you collide with a courier, the SchArt hits the van
Like him or hate him,
Like him or hate him, Armstrong was the best of his generation’s cheaters.
In his 50s, he’s fit, good-looking and rich (wealth estimated to million 50 $), and couldn’t care less about the moralistic mob.
Well, he was a horrid alpha
Well, he was a horrid alpha male bully during the 90s, who got more help from officialdom than other riders in getting away with doping. But he has been a different character in recent years.
MaxiMinimalist wrote:
Well of course he doesn’t, that’s a prime characteristic of those with narcissistic personality disorders, it doesn’t mean that the moralists are any less correct in their condemnation.
Why do people, especially
Why do people, especially famous people, want to associate themselves with one of the biggest cheats and nastiest people to race bikes ever! Seems a little strange.