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Danish team pursuit rider explains angry confrontation with Team GB's Charlie Tanfield after dramatic crash; GB women hit the deck while celebrating new world record; Velodrome chaos; KOM disqualification?; Olympic silvers + more on the live blog

It's Tuesday, the world records are tumbling and Dan Alexander is here trying to keep up with it all...
Tue, Aug 03, 2021 08:40
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Danish team pursuit rider explains angry confrontation with Team GB's Charlie Tanfield after dramatic crash; GB women hit the deck while celebrating new world record; Velodrome chaos; KOM disqualification?; Olympic silvers + more on the live blogDanish Tokyo Olympic crash (Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)
03 August 2021, 09:27
Danish team pursuit rider explains angry confrontation with Team GB's Charlie Tanfield after dramatic crash

Frederik Madsen has done some explaining for his animated actions in the aftermath of the Olympic team pursuit semi-final. The BBC was forced to apologise to viewers as the Dane was heard shouting "f*** them" and protested with the British rider sat on the floor. Madsen was then seen launching his kit against the floor in the Danish changing area.

Danish Tokyo Olympic crash (Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)

Madsen told reporters afterwards, probably aided by the fact his team had their final place confirmed by this point, that: "We don't do anything in bad faith. I'm so tired at that point. I didn't know if he was 10m or 20m away from me. I hope Charlie's ok. I wasn't shouting at Charlie, just at the situation." 

There has been some debate over which rider was at fault, with some saying Tanfield should not have been on that part of the track having been dropped. However, Sir Chris Hoy said the blame was solely with Madsen.

"As the lead rider in the team, you always have to keep your eyes on the team you're pursuing. It's called the pursuit for good reason. He clearly wasn't looking. Charlie Tanfield did the right thing in staying behind and on the black line, that was the Danish rider's fault."

The crash isn't the only bone of contention between the nations...British Cycling's performance director Stephen Park has called for the Danish team to be disqualified over their use of medical plasters for aero benefit. The tape had mysteriously vanished for the semi-final... 

03 August 2021, 15:45
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy retires

In years to come Charlie Tanfield will be able to, in true big screen style, show a freeze frame of him lying on the velodrome boards being bollocked by an irate Dane and say, "This is me...you might me wondering how I got here?" The answer to that question comes from team pursuit stalwart Ed Clancy retiring from duty ahead of this morning's semi-final.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist has been a proper servant to British cycling for more than a decade but could not take to the start line today due to an ongoing back injury. Three Olympic golds, seven world championships...That's a proper career.

03 August 2021, 15:20
There's more than just the Olympics to enjoy at the moment...Danny MacAskill hopping ten steps, for example

He's alright is Danny MacAskill...The Scot with all the BMX skills was back wowing us on Instagram, this time in Edinburgh with an expectant crowd of kids and some probably slightly nervous mothers... 

Danny is a firm live blog favourite and his most recent big day out took him to the Dubh Slabs, a 500m drop down exposed rock face on the Isle of Skye and was quite possibly his most impressive film yet.

03 August 2021, 14:38
Team pursuit reaction: Should Charlie Tanfield have been in the bike lane wearing hi-vis?

 I enjoyed this take on the team pursuit drama from Andrew on Twitter...

Looking forward to seeing GB's aero hi-vis jackets and accompanying bike lights in Paris in 2024...Maybe the UCI and Olympic Games organisers could arrange for a nice painted bicycle on the track for added protection?  

03 August 2021, 13:28
Bikmo partners with what3words for improved location accuracy on bike insurance claims
Bikmo What3Words (press release)

Cycling insurer Bikmo has partnered with what3words to improve location info on claims and make providing details easier for customers. The partnership means Bikmo is the first insurance provider in England to use what3words for claims.

The location service splits the planet into three metre squares and attaches a unique combination of three words to that square. For example, the first haipin on Box Hill is rounds.until.volume. This means customers can easily identify a location of an accident or crash when potentially in an unfamilar location, particularly if it's off-road.

Bikmo's first policyholder to use what3words to make a claim was approved recently. The rider fell on a gravel trail in Wentwood Forest near Newport and said the service "was very easy, I just opened the app and selected the square I needed. This was especially useful as the accident occurred in the forest, so I had no road names to go by”.

03 August 2021, 13:10
Shout-out to road.cc tech editor Mat Brett for his gearing wisdom

We got an email in from George in Norwich thanking road.cc tech editor Mat Brett for his gearing expertise. Over in our 'Suffering on the hills? Find out how to get lower gears to make climbing easier' feature, Mat shares the tip that if you want to go really large then a Shimano 105 GS rear mech will handle a 40-tooth cog at the back...even if Shimano won't admit it.

"Just a congrats to Mat Brett 2016 hills and gearing article," George kindly wrote in. "Bought an 11-40 for my Focus Paralane with 105 shadow. Thought I would do it right and took to two local bike shops who sneered and refused to do it quoting the wisdom according to Shimano etc etc. My cycling companion and I then did it in 20 mins with very little adjustment. Bingo. Gravel / touring machine as it should be!"

03 August 2021, 13:04
03 August 2021, 12:50
Koen de Kort appointed Trek-Segafredo's team support manager concluding 19-year pro career which ended with Dutchman having three fingers amputated
koen de kort - getty images

Trek-Segafredo veteran Koen de Kort has officially announced his retirement from the sport and will become one of the team's new support managers overseeing the sourcing and testing of racing equipment. De Kort rode 17 Grand Tours during his career, including this year's Giro d'Italia, but made headlines in June after he needed three fingers amputated following an off-road vehicle accident in the Pyrenees.

"I think it’s very important that it’s understood that I’m really super excited about this, and it’s not a job that’s convenient,” De Kort said. "It’s something that I’ve really wanted for some time. And I’m just really excited to start doing this. And I’m excited for the interaction with Trek. It’s really like a family. I mean, it might sound a bit corny, but it really does feel like that."

03 August 2021, 12:45
Good joke, bad joke

Have I Got News For You is trying to get back in our good books after Friday's debacle. I guess the Metro was banking on us all commuting by bike, not picking up its paper with this cartoon...

03 August 2021, 11:08
"I feel ready to go back home to be the team leader that I want to be": Sam Bennett re-signs with Bora-Hansgrohe
Specialized S-Works Ares 6 Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett is going back to Bora-Hansgrohe when his contract with Deceuninck-Quick-Step expires at the end of the season. The Irishman has struggled to build on his green jersey-winning performance at the Tour de France last year and has faced repeated attacks in the media from his current team boss Patrick Lefevere. Last week, Lefevere compared Bennett's return to Bora as like "women who return home after domestic abuse".

Bennett was due to ride the Tour de France, but pulled out with a knee injury. Lefevere claimed his sprinter's issue was psychological, not physical. Now, the 30-year-old has signed a two-year deal and will be joined by his favourite lead-out man Shane Archbold, who also rejoins the German team from Quick-Step, and his Irish friend Ryan Mullen. Former Team Sky prospect Danny van Poppel also joins Bora as part of their leadout plans.

Bora-Hansgrohe team boss Ralph Denk welcomed the news: "I can understand that he felt that step was important for his career. I’d say that only worked out partially. We are a team that places a lot of value on cohesion, respect and sustainable cooperation, as we believe that these are the foundations for long-term success. You can have disagreements sometimes. However, as long as you treat each other with respect, you will always find each other again." You hear that, Patrick?

03 August 2021, 10:47
Specsavers delivers the banter...
03 August 2021, 09:15
KOM disqualification?

Team GB say the Danes should be banned for their aero tape...Just think how many aero plasters they'll get on the lad who crashed...

03 August 2021, 09:14
03 August 2021, 09:05
A second track cycling silver of the morning for Team GB

Jason Kenny has his eighth Olympic medal, taking his tally to six golds and two silvers, making him GB's most decorated Olympian...Kenny's wife, Laura, has also just stepped onto the podium with the rest of the GB team pursuit squad to collect their silver medals. Can the men add a bronze tomorrow?

03 August 2021, 08:45
Germans dominate women's team pursuit final, setting second world record this morning

It was silver for GB's women in the end. The German team dominated the team pursuit final from start to finish, setting another world record and coming a lap short of lapping the competition. Team GB faded quickly as the Germans powered on and bested their semi-final effort by one tenth of a second to secure a deserved gold medal.

03 August 2021, 08:08
Olympic team pursuit chaos as Denmark crash into GB rider but still qualify for final

DRAMA! It's been some morning for British track cycling fans. The short of it is that Team GB's men's team pursuit squad are into tomorrow's bronze medal race. How they got there will take some explanation...Denmark were cruising to victory in the second semi-final, GB were down to two riders and out of contention when inexplicably the Danish train smashed into the back of Charlie Tanfield, bringing proceedings to an end. After a short, tense wait, we got the confirmation that the Danes would be going through and GB are racing for third...

Denmark will take on the Italians in a mouth-watering clash after Filippo Ganna's charges smashed the world record by two seconds in the first semi-final. That's three team pursuit world records this morning, and we've not even reached the finals. Is it acceptable to go for a lie down before 10am?

03 August 2021, 07:06
Team GB crash after setting new team pursuit world record

Team GB are through to the final of the women's team pursuit and are guaranteed at least a silver medal. Neah Evans came in for Elinor Barker and helped set a new world record before ending up on the deck after teammate Katie Archibald bumped into the back of her as they were cruising around the velodrome. Both riders looked unhurt as they quickly got to their feet.

In the race, Archibald, Evans, Laura Kenny and Josie Knight got the better of Chloe Dygert's USA team. The lead swung between the two rivals, with Dygert single-handedly pulling the Americans into the lead, before Archibald regained the Brit's control. At the line, GB set a time of 4:06.748, a new world record and progress to the final.

The record was short-lived as the Germans, in the next semi-final, repeated yesterday's feat and took another half a second off the British time. USA will compete for the bronze medal against Italy later on, GB have a date with destiny against the Germans.

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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