“If cyclists have an accident what exactly do they lose?”: Anti-cycling bingo full house; Daily Record says cyclists could be fined “for riding next to cars on roads”; Tour Femmes pro taken out by own team car; Leo Hayter to Ineos? + more on the live blog

Following this morning’s post about the Brighton Argus reader who spent her free time before an appointment at the dentist filling in her anti-cycling bingo card, some of our regulars in the comments were a touch suspicious about Christine’s story:

Mungecrundle said: “She saw seven cyclists and not one of them was devouring a live baby or pillaging a nun? I simply don't believe her.”

Rapha Nadal was more forensic in his analysis, pointing out that “there aren't any bus stops in Fiveways which are so close to the traffic lights that "Christine" could've witnessed all that. Of the ones at the Fivways crossroads, three of them are on an incline so these casual cyclists must've been going some to come shooting past her (allegedly).”

wycombewheeler also had a few questions: “Luckily as it was (checks notes) "such a hot day", they should have been very easy to see, as it was neither poor light or night

“I think the main reasons for cyclists wearing black, is it shows the dirt so much less, dirt typically resulting from tyre wear, brake dust or particulate emissions - all of which coming from motor vehicles.

“Aside from the use of language to imply the cyclists rode through the lights when they shouldn't. Why not "I saw seven cyclists ride past"? Why the mention of the lights, which were obviously green for these six since she specifically mentions the seventh going through on red?”

“Repeated mention of "Road Fund Licence" so she's over 60 years out of date before she starts,” said Karlt. “I bet she thinks the Road Fund is where her VED goes and it's what all the road repairs and building come out of.”

HoarseMann said: “I do hope Christine was wearing a day-glo shellsuit. It would be terribly irresponsible not to do so; not only so she is clearly visible to drivers when crossing the road, but also so that the bus driver can clearly see her waiting at the stop.

“Perhaps now she has been to the dentist, she should consider a trip to the opticians, since she is having difficulty seeing cyclists in broad daylight.”

Clem Fandango replied: “Yes so difficult that she still saw six of the swines... Paging Erwin Schrodinger.”

Our readers were also less than impressed with the Daily Record’s frankly head scratching headline that cyclists could be fined “for riding next to cars on roads”, which – much to the confusion of those in the comments – appeared to be simply describing the act of road cycling, rather than any specific misdemeanour.

A bit like describing a bank robbery as: ‘Man arrested for entering a branch of Santander’…

“My favourite comment on the Daily Record article is the guy who claims that "cyclists don't ever read the Highway Code" before stating that the 1.5m overtaking distance applies to filtering, thus proving that he hasn't ever read the Highway Code,” noted BalladOfStruth.

“Possibly the most blatant of click baits,” said eburtthebike. Us or the Daily Record? On second thought, don’t answer that…

Journée catastrophique pour Mavi Garcia qui tombe après avoir touché la voiture de sa propre équipe ! L'Espagnole va perdre beaucoup de temps aujourd'hui. #TDFF pic.twitter.com/JNwOOsBac7

— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) July 27, 2022

It’s been a disastrous day on the gravel for UAE Team ADQ’s Spanish champion Mavi García. Despite looking strong on the dirt roads – García has finished second at Strade Bianche after all – she has suffered the kind of bad luck which has led many fans to question the purpose of gravel or cobble sections in stage races.

García punctured twice on the rough gravel roads, and then, as she once again chased back onto the main group of favourites, she was taken out by her own team car in a freak incident, the DS clipping her back wheel and sending her to the ground.

¡JODER! ¡JODER!

Caída tremenda de 🇪🇸 Mavi García por culpa del coche de su propio equipo, el UAE

Después de dos pinchazos en el sterrato, día durísimo para la española que era candidata a todo en este Tour mostrando un gran estado de forma pic.twitter.com/9uczep1LEt

— José Manuel Amorós (@AmorosCuatro) July 27, 2022

García got back on her bike, bloodied and torn, but her hopes of overall victory at the Tour Femmes are now almost certainly lost in the dust of France’s vineyards.

A huge celebration is due! Jonas Vingegaard has landed in Copenhagen and we are ready! 🇩🇰👏🏆 #letourdk #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/mQf3J2NDMt

— Grand Départ 2022 🇩🇰 (@letourdk) July 27, 2022

It hasn’t been a bad month for Danish bike racing, has it?

From a boisterous Grand Départ and a second overall Tour win courtesy of Jonas Vingegaard, to stage wins for Magnus Cort, Mads Pedersen, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig – it’s fair to say that Denmark is currently on top of the cycling world.

And today the people of Copenhagen, having dug out their flags and yellow t-shirts, are once again out in force, lining the streets to celebrate Vingegaard’s victory and to keep the Tour party going…

He is here 💛🇩🇰#letourdk #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/msmAhYOzRo

— Grand Départ 2022 🇩🇰 (@letourdk) July 27, 2022

Jonas Vingegaard 💛🇩🇰#letourdk #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/bnXU3ZcPdj

— Grand Départ 2022 🇩🇰 (@letourdk) July 27, 2022

An iconic moment 🇩🇰

Jonas Vingegaard and his family on the balcony 👏#letourdk #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/xGfHLncb9l

— Grand Départ 2022 🇩🇰 (@letourdk) July 27, 2022

@CUttrupLudwig spotted last night out on a bender after her stagewin in #TDFF pic.twitter.com/6aTDBZeHyd

— Cycling Fanfiction (@Cyclingfanfict) July 27, 2022

Now that’s what I call cycling content… 

For the last segment of this morning’s newspaper roundup (I promise), we head to Scotland, where the Daily Record has published an article on this year’s revisions to the Highway Code and how they affect cyclists.

Where have they been the last six months?

Anyway, the bulk of the article, a regurgitation of an old Express piece, simply lists the rules around cycling – from decades-old laws concerning ‘dangerous’ and ‘careless’ cycling to the need to stop at traffic lights and have working lights while riding at night.

The writer also points out that the Highway Code tells us that cyclists “can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders”. Fair enough, I suppose.

But, when scrolling through my Google news feed, it was the headline that grabbed my attention.

“Cyclists could be fined £2,500 for riding next to cars on roads in Highway Code rule,” it read.

Huh?

For a brief moment, I thought that the Highway Code ‘whataboutery’ merchants had finally had their way – ‘If you come within 1.5 metres of my wing mirror, that’s a grand!’

Things get even more confusing when you spot the site’s trending stories list. “Cyclists fined for riding next to cars,” the shortened headline reads.

The article’s introduction is just as baffling.

“It's not just motorists who have to stick to the Highway Code while on the roads – cyclists also have to stick by the rules,” the author diligently points out.

“While cycling can be a great way to get fit, it sometimes involves road riding which means that riders must abide by the Highway Code.

“A number of laws recently came into place to keep cyclists safe, however they are also to protect the drivers around them.”

While a cursory glance at the article itself reveals the rather bland truth, the 21st century tendency to only read headlines – and then spout off in the comments – reared its ill-informed head.

“If this is true, it’s not before time,” typed one avid Daily Record reader.

One user, thankfully, summed the whole thing up rather concisely: “The daftest clickbait headline I've ever seen.”

Ah, the letters section of local newspapers – a platform for residents and readers to engage with and debate, in a studied, forensic manner, the great political, socio-economic, and philosophical questions of the day.

Or maybe they’re just used to regurgitate the same old worn-out tropes about cyclists. Yeah, maybe that’s it.

This morning’s ‘Letters to the Argus’, Brighton and Hove’s local news outlet (famous, of course, for including a massive portrait of Adolf Hitler on a front page story about cycle lanes in April), featured a potential all-time classic of the anti-cycling bingo genre.

So, eyes down, cards at the ready – Christine from Brighton, take it away:

“Most people, especially drivers, know that cyclists do have a law of their own,” she begins, getting us all off to a good start.

“They don’t have insurance, pay road fund licence nor do they seem to know that the Highway Code exists.”

Line!

“Two weeks ago I was early for my dental appointment at Fiveways, Ditchling Road. As it was such a hot day I sat at the bus stop until my appointment was due.

“I counted seven cyclists ride through the lights. Six of them were completely dressed in black and were riding black cycles. Very hard to see, especially in poor light or at night.”

Which one was it, Christine, poor light or night?

“Two of them were riding side by side having a chat.”

The scoundrels…

“Cyclist number seven was the only one dressed in high visibility clothing and was easy to see. However, he rode straight through the red light and shot past me at some considerable speed.”

My card’s filling up nicely now.

> ‘Crass and insensitive’ front page slammed after ‘Adolf Hitler’ signs bike lane petition

“According to the new edition of the Highway Code, we, the car drivers, are supposed to give cyclists all sorts of consideration when we are driving.

“We have to have road fund licence, insurance and MOT.

“If we have an accident we could lose our licence. If the cyclists have an accident what exactly do they lose?”

Yes, Christine, if a cyclist is hit by a two tonne metal box at speed, what could they possibly lose?

She concludes: “They use the roads, so they should abide by all the rules and regulations laid out for car drivers.”

Full house!

Bonus points also go to the Argus’ sub for captioning the image used above the letter with the profound “Drivers can lose their licence after an accident”.

Anti-cycling bingo? Completed it, mate.