Backlash over Royal Parks ‘Velodrome’ tweet; Daily Mail gets weird over Harrison Ford; UCI-rejected kit for sale; Contrasting fortunes for cyclo-cross stars; Fabio rides far; 100-year-old cycles length of Britain + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“People riding bikes in a park. Whatever next?”
Today @theroyalparks velodrome pic.twitter.com/qgGWBzhjWR
— SeamusJoyce 💙 (@SeamusJoyce) December 14, 2021
Another day, another Richmond Park ‘bikes versus cars’ story. This time a Conservative councillor has come under fire for posting a video on Twitter of what he called ‘the Royal Parks velodrome’.
Two days ago we reported on a nasty incident between a motorist and a cyclist in the park, while instances of irresponsible and occasionally deliberately reckless driving since cars were readmitted earlier this year are regularly recounted on social media.
So it’s no surprise that Seamus Joyce’s tweet, originally posted two weeks ago, went down like a bad Christmas cracker joke.
Some were complexed by Joyce’s motivations, with Rendel Harris replying, “Two cyclists making an entirely safe and legal overtake on a car. Your problem with this is…”
Even non-cyclists were bemused, with Chris Hutber writing that “I’m no fan of a lot of cyclists, but they seemed to overtake perfectly safely.”
Others questioned Joyce’s own choice of transportation:
Why are you using a nature reserve and SSSI to drive your motor vehicle through? Maybe you could consider a less harmful mode of transport in this unique natural environment, like cycling, for instance?
— London Biker (@UFO_London) December 14, 2021
Looks more like a motordrome to me.
I can clearly see cars polluting what purports to be a park, a National Nature Reserve and an area of Special Scientific Interest.
— shamrocksoup🇪🇺🦔 (@ShamrockSoup) December 14, 2021
Joyce has since responded to the barrage of complaints, posting that he was driving his electric Nissan Leaf to a PSA blood test to check for prostate cancer (thankfully the results were negative).
The councillor, who is the opposition spokesperson for Transport, Street Scene and Air Quality in East Sheen, appeared in a Conservative campaign video just last month… riding a bike.
Your East Sheen Dream Team for the local elections in May 22. We will listen to residents, no surprise LTNs, working with @NJROnline on @TfL matters, we support a ward consultation on CPZs next May @sheen_dream @brianmarcel @LdnConservative pic.twitter.com/7U8InL6Y9t
— SeamusJoyce 💙 (@SeamusJoyce) November 26, 2021
On the day of Joyce’s tweet, two drivers were involved in a head on collision in Richmond Park between Ham Gate and Kingston Gate, obstructing part of the road.
Han Rides Solo – and the Daily Mail gets weird
Harrison Ford, 79, still looks every bit the action man as he dons clinging cycling jersey and bib on bike ride https://t.co/6mlNYMl5SI
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) December 29, 2021
We’re all used to the Daily Mail’s habit of describing – in sometimes uncomfortable detail – the clothing choices of the rich and famous (personally, I’m a big fan of the paper’s obsession with couples “matching” their outfits, but each to their own…).
But when Indiana Jones himself Harrison Ford was spotted looking extremely cool on his Colnago during a weekend spin in Santa Monica, California, well… things got weird.
Mail Online described the actor as looking in “fantastic shape as he rocked a clinging black cycling jersey and bib combination from Pedal Mafia”. The article was also at pains to point out that Harrison “made sure to wear protection as he also sported a black helmet along with matching shades” and that he “completed the look with black cycling shoes which were clipped into his red road bike.”
I shudder to think of how the Mail would describe me slogging up the last hill home…
Maybe I’m just jealous, though I am looking forward to the next article featuring Ford doing some kind of exercise. I heard he’s a (Blade) runner. I’ll get my coat.
Schlecks for Sale: Unused kit available after UCI order redesign for women’s team
If you want to actively support a smaller women’s cycling team, now’s your chance.
Andy Schleck Cycles are selling off items of their first run of 2022 team kit that they were forced to change. This way they can recoup some of the costs the UCI made them spend. pic.twitter.com/4fs7Q2CsfO
— Mathew Mitchell (@MatMitchell30) December 29, 2021
Speaking of kits, you can now get your hands on some brand new 2022 team gear before the season even starts, courtesy of the Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch women’s team.
The continental squad, co-sponsored by the bike shop owned by the baby-faced 2010 Tour de France winner, was forced by the UCI to redesign its kit for 2022 after three other Women’s WorldTour teams – UAE, Human Powered Health and SD Worx – unveiled similar takes on the peachy, pink, purple, sun-set theme.
The governing body’s decision was made despite the Luxembourg-based team’s decision to retain the same kit design that they wore during the 2021 season.
The team criticised the ruling in a Facebook post, writing that “our team was highly surprised because our team is the only team of all teams below who did NOT change their jersey colors in any way comparing to our 2021 jersey. Despite that our team was the first of all UCI teams with this design, the UCI still denied our jersey and leaves our team behind with an unfair feeling, especially because all our kit was already finished.”
Since the now non-approved kit had already been produced and in a bid to recoup some of their losses, this morning the squad announced a sale of the offending gear, including jerseys, skinsuits and gilets.
So if pink and purple – and supporting a small women’s team – are your thing, make sure to have a look: they’re selling out fast!
Wout wavers as Mathieu misses out
If, like me, you’ve been glued to the cyclo-cross this winter (apologies family and friends), then you will have noted the contrasting fortunes of the two superstars of the men’s side of the sport: Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
Jumbo-Visma rider Van Aert has been in imperious form, dominating each of his five cyclo-cross starts this season, including back-to-back solo wins in Dendermonde and Zolder over the Christmas holidays.
Van der Poel, on the other hand, had been sidelined with a knee injury sustained in an innocuous training crash, and while his performance and second place behind his Belgian rival on Sunday (his first cyclo-cross race of the season) sparked hopes for some spectacular showdowns over the next month, he faded dramatically the following day in Zolder and failed to finish.
A recurring back injury, described by the Dutchman’s Alpecin-Fenix team as “a swelling on an intervertebral disc”, also means Van der Poel will miss the next few races over the new year, and possibly the rest of the cyclo-cross season.
While injury may well rule Van der Poel out of January’s world championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Van Aert is remaining tight-lipped over his own plans to race for the rainbow jersey, after his coach Marc Lamberts claimed that his rider might skip the Worlds to better prepare for the spring classics on the road.
As things stand heading into 2022, the biggest event in cyclo-cross might, for very different reasons, be missing its two biggest names. Step forward Tom Pidcock, perhaps?
Supergran aims to cycle length of Great Britain
Here’s a story to warm your heart – or make you rethink your January training plans.
100-year-old Ivy Richmond is aiming to cycle 874 miles – the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats – on an exercise bike given to her by her nieces.
The centenarian is certainly not new to extreme challenges. She spent her 100th year climbing nine flights of 18 stairs each day, reaching 10,000 metres in height in just under a year. By climbing the height of Everest (and an extra kilometre for good measure), she raised £2,360 for St Ormond Street Hospital.
She started her cycling challenge in November and has already completed 100 miles. Ivy told the Mirror, “I am pleased to be cycling now – I’ve certainly had enough of climbing stairs! I am grateful for the bike from my wonderful nieces and I’m happy to be making good use of it.”
Move over Cannavaro, that’s truly inspiring stuff. Might just have to dust off my own bike now…
Adelaide cyclist posts moving Strava tribute
Now I’m not the biggest fan of Strava – steady with the pitchforks – but even the most dyed-in-the-wool cycling luddite would find it hard not to be moved by this fantastic tribute created using the app.
Peter, a cyclist from Adelaide, rode over 100 miles for nine hours across the city to trace this image of a mother and a baby to celebrate his 200th donation of anti-D immunoglobulin to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
Anti-D plasma is used to prevent Rhesus disease, which is caused by a specific mix of blood types between a pregnant mother and her unborn baby.
While 17 percent of Australian mothers need anti-D injections to ensure their baby is healthy, Peter is one of a pool of only 200 donors.
Bora-Hangrohe unveil 'post-Sagan' kit for 2022
When the trust and camaraderie between teammates is unwavering, their power becomes unmatched. 💥
History tells many stories of humans who are forever bonded by their strength as a team.
Our story is being written now… #BandOfBrothers #NoOffseason #BORAhansgrohe pic.twitter.com/FfNaWVYXAc
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) December 29, 2021
UK cycling apparel brand Le Col has made it back into the big leagues by teaming up with Bora-Hansgrohe, as the team go forward in 2022 without that Slovakian bloke. Not everyone is keen so far, what do you reckon?
Bora’s new kit for 2022. Maybe some die-hard fans of cubism will like it but I don’t. The red square gives me a nasty headache. Bad. 👎 pic.twitter.com/EeEEcQ0w0g
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) December 29, 2021
That Richmond Park 'velodrome' tweet: some reaction
Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
— danbam (@danbamb) December 28, 2021
Why do some Councillors think that open hostility towards cyclists is a vote-winner?
— Ross Stalker MSc 🏳️🌈🔶 💉💉🔜💉 (@ross_stalker) December 29, 2021
It appears most people haven’t taken too kindly to Cllr Joyce’s disgust at cyclists riding their bikes in Richmond Park. Stuart MacLean’s comment on Facebook perhaps sums up the general reation we’ve got so far…
Catch you tomorrow folks, remember if you go for a ride to stay off the roads and ride in parks… but also don’t stay off the roads and don’t ride in parks. Hope that’s all clear! Now I’m away off to order the new Bora jersey…
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Bought a couple of bottles, taking one for the team. Will report back.
@mdavidford Yeah, I'm dead suttle.
@Bungle_52 Blimey, I'd be a bit concerned that a school principal could put out such an illiterate message. I make it a round dozen errors in seven sentences. Let Tim ride free!
@Bungle_52 The truck driver is, of course, making a meaningful journey from A to B, so...
Except that it doesn't say anything about fire risk, and unassisted bikes can just as easily be ridden in a dangerous manner (in which case, punish the offenders, not everyone else). They don't seem to have given any particular reason* for it, apart from a vague reference to changes in the law. If they'd said "There's a fire risk from dodgy ones and we don't have the capacity to check which are which" then people might not be so annoyed. As it is, it just gives the impression that they've made an arbitrary decision without much thought or reasoning at all. Tim, on the other hand, is just trouble, and deserves to have special measures taken against him. [* Apparently there was a letter to parents that hasn't been posted, but whatever the contents of that, it doesn't seem to have made the reasoning any clearer to them, judging by the social media comments.]
Fair enough - sometimes it's more obvious to them as is writing than them as is reading.
I'm intrigued what the data says for Scotland. Last year in Stirling, I had my bike (plus tailfin setup and camping kit) removed from the station cycle park and left against a rail to see if I noticed it. Thankfully I did and quickly made my way to get my train. I reported it online to PS when I got home, it was left for less than a hour and I mentioned that as a solo female traveller the most unnerving bit, was someone clearly watching me. Despite it being logged and a PS email to arrange a call back, the call back never came. They then had the nerve to text me a response questionnaire on how they'd done.
@mdavidford This is the instagram post. All seems very reasonable to me in view of the fire risk the batteries pose and the possibility of scooters and e-bikes being ridden in a dangerous manner when it's crowded at the start and end of the day. Children are still being encouraged to cycle to school but I'm a bit concerned that they are singling out tim for the lunch ban.
@mdavidford I thought you may have detected a hint of sarcasm there! Seriously though the standard of driving is much higher in London than Marrakesh.
That's terrifying!! I'm pretty sure I'd have ridden (or perhaps fallen or jumped) into the concrete ditch on the right; I wouldn't have even tried to stay on the carriageway. ********** Years ago in Laos I was riding into Vang Vieng at about 15mph when a lorry came straight towards me at full pelt (I was on the correct - right - side of the road). I made the instant decision to ride into the water-filled ditch on my right that ran immediately parallel to the road, having no idea of its depth. The water was only about 10 inches deep and I slowed down covered in muck but still upright. I then went back to see why the driver had chosen my side of the road, as he wasn't overtaking. Turns out there wasn't his side of the road - just a massive hole where it had been...
23 thoughts on “Backlash over Royal Parks ‘Velodrome’ tweet; Daily Mail gets weird over Harrison Ford; UCI-rejected kit for sale; Contrasting fortunes for cyclo-cross stars; Fabio rides far; 100-year-old cycles length of Britain + more on the live blog”
Reading through the twitter
Reading through the twitter replies does raise a valid question for me as a non Londoner. Why do people drive through that park? Is it a ‘through route’ or a shortcut, or do they just drive through there to watch the geese?
brooksby wrote:
There are good car routes to the north, south and east of the park, but it is unquestionably a useful ratrun for those travelling up the west side, from Kingston gate to Richmond gate – it’s also used as a ratrun when there are incidents on the A3 etc. In terms of visitors, there are carparks by/near all the main entrances, but many people have their favourite bits to visit – Pen Ponds or the Isabella Plantation being the main ones – and so may drive halfway round the park to reach the nearest carparks. Both these favourites are well under a mile’s walk from the nearest “gate” carpark (the park is only 2.5 miles or so across at its widest points) but apparently perfectly fit and healthy adults have to park right by them to go for a walk…ideally the roads would be completely closed to motors except for access to the gate carparks and a shuttle bus could be provided for the elderly and disabled; there was one previously but it was stopped for Covid reasons, I think the RPS did promise it would return when it was safe.
Rendel Harris wrote:
This is part of car driving psychology, and I’m also prone to the temptation. Drive to supermarket, spaces abundant close to the car park entrance and exit. But keep going to get nearer to the supermarket door, investing 5 mins of driving to save 2 mins of walking. Do shopping, then join queue to get out of car park, behind those who parked next to the exit.
It’s insane, but I think nearly all drivers do it, and that often includes me. I dare say that I’m not the only wibbler here who gets sucked into this madness at least from time to time.
Oh totally, before we got
Oh totally, before we got shot of the car last year I was always doing that against Mrs.H’s wishes – “Let’s park here and walk,” “Weeellll, we could but if we join that slow-moving traffic jam we might end up a hundred yards closer…”
The odd thing is I love walking and will often get off a train or bus earlier than I need to in order to walk a bit further if I can, but seated in a car some instinct appears to take over telling me that I must get as close to my destination as possible before employing my legs. Weird.
Ive always parked the
Ive always parked the furthest away from the entrance, because I dont mind the walk anyway, but more importantly I get lots of space left around me so that I dont end up with dents in my car from people incapable of parking properly.
This will be my new year’s
This will be my new year’s resolution – along with better chain hygiene.
Don’t you find some always
Don’t you find some always parks next to you when you do that?
occassionally, which I do
occassionally, which I do find annoying 🙂 but its still better than the guarantee of someone parking next to you.
Me too, I like the extra walk
Me too, I like the extra walk and I hate door dings. I always park furthest away and with a forward facing exit direction. Even so, it is surprising how often on returning to the car and finding vehicles in the adjacent spaces when there are plenty of double, triple or more contiguous spaces available nearby. It’s almost as though they like to huddle together for warmth or mutual protection.
As Rendel says, people use it
As Rendel says, people use it as an alternative to the A307 or the A3, but I’m not convinced it is any quicker than the actual roads. I’m sure some people drive through to look at the deer – cars slowing for deer are common. Trade vehicles are technically banned, but they also drive through in large numbers. It’s treated as just another road, not a park, essentially.
Same problem in Regent’s Park
Same problem in Regent’s Park. No deer, but lots of speeding traffic rat running from centre ville to Camden and Primrose `Hill. It’s horrible to cycle around sometimes as the motor vehicles go really fast.
Ryan Mallon wrote:
You’re out of luck if you’re looking for a running partner. I hear he only runs solo.
Would you get mine while you’re there….
Captain Badger wrote:
Even if he agrees to run with you it’s pretty stressful, he keeps up a pace that’s really Frantic, it’s something to Witness, it’s almost like he’s a Fugitive, but there’s a Clear and Present Danger of getting left behind.
Mine’s the navy pea jacket if you’re going…
Rendel Harris wrote:
I don’t believe he’s that fast – unless he’s taking Extraordinary Measures
And He’s still the fastest
And He’s still the fastest ever on the Kessel Run!
If only he knew that parsec
If only he knew that parsec is a distance
lesterama wrote:
the guardians of the canon have stitched up that gaff, it was covered in Solo. The falcon achieved the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs by taking shortcuts (skirting nearer black holes than thought possible) calculated by its advanced navigational computer. Most craft could only makes it in 20.
Is that how he finds the time
Is that how he finds the time to moonlight as a car dealer in the Borders? https://www.harrisonsford.co.uk/
The clown for East Sheen,
The clown for East Sheen, Seamus Joyce, and his cycling buddies were not wearing hiviz or lids and appeared to all cycle off down the pavement (Exit stage left, pursued by a bear).
As for the second clown, trying valiantly to ride a bike, that looks like it deserved SPDs, in brown leather brogues…. is it possible, just possible, that he hasn’t been near a bike since he was 12?
The Dream Team eh? Why should East Sheen tremble?
That party political
That party political broadcast tweet was the least convincing thing I’ve seen since last week’s Boris BS. Never mind jumping on the bandwagon, they’re jumping on their bikes; or at least someone’s bikes. If cllr Joyce is so convinced of the benefits of cycling, why did he post his ludicrous tweet about the park being a velodrome.
While I’m quite glad his test was negative, that hardly seems justification for destroying the ambience of a park by driving through it, which begs the question why wasn’t he cycling through it? Or does he only ride bikes for frankly pathetic political tweets?
That Bora strip is a big
That Bora strip is a big improvement. And the UCI have treated Schleck Cycles appallingly. Is it in their mission statement to shaft smaller players?
yeah Im not seeing the issue
yeah Im not seeing the issue with the Bora strip.
As for Schleck Cycles team, totally agree, how can it be right they were forced to change their kits which had the precedent of use in that colour style, whilst the other teams who clearly are going to be the ones colour clashing during the WWT dont ? At least it looks like they sold all the kit now, and their revised version looks fairly smart for a last minute change.
We’ve only heard one side of
We’ve only heard one side of the Schleck Cycles story, though. It’s possible they were just a bit tardy registering their kit for the season, so the others got approved on a first-come-first-served basis.