“Keep your hands to yourself, it’s not difficult”: Fans left uncomfortable as Lorena Wiebes forced to ride away from “hands-on” race marshal; Flanders or Huddersfield? Check out this savage cobbled climb; Cycle lane sweepers + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"Keep your hands to yourself, it's not difficult": Fans left uncomfortable as Lorena Wiebes forced to ride away from "hands-on" race marshal
If we were uncomfortable, think how Lorena Wiebes felt…
Binche-Chimay-Binche should have been the story of the Dutch sprinter winning her 23rd race of the season on her final appearance for DSM, and while Ryan gave her deserved props on yesterday’s blog, the majority of the post-race chatter was about this less-than-comfortable scene from the finish…
Lorena Wiebes won Binche-Chimay-Binche and then this happened.
There is no reason in this situation that any rider – male or female – should be touched, let alone when they’ve clearly asked not to be.
Unacceptable.
— Sophie Smith (@SophieSmith86) October 4, 2022
On commentary, José Been described the man, tasked with escorting the winning rider to the podium, as “a little bit touchy which Wiebes does not appreciate, to be honest”.
Wiebes repeatedly pushed the marshal’s hands off her back and shoulders before eventually riding off in search of her teammates.
The video of Lorena Wiebes and that way-too-hands-on man is really uncomfortable to watch.
Worse still, I’m sure every woman watching it cringes knowing exactly what it’s like to be in Lorena’s position.
Just keep your hands to yourself, it’s not difficult.
— Issie 💙 (@IssieAtch) October 4, 2022
Good finish on the women’s race. @TourDeJose completely correct to point out the inappropriately handsy man trying to steer Wiebes toward the podium. Not acceptable.
— AndreasCyclesMinnesota (@AndreasCycleMN) October 4, 2022
Get your hand off her you weirdo https://t.co/TyeBaW6VO2
— Cameron Jeffers (@Cameron_Jeffers) October 4, 2022
With full respect to the Belgian one-day race, Binche-Chimay-Binche is not the Tour de France, where the bustle of reporters, photographers and team staff waiting to greet the winner can see a rider swarmed by a sea of attention, getting further and further from stepping on the podium by the second.
Even there race staff tend to form a human barricade rather than insisting on touching the rider. On a sporting level, when your heart rate is at 190, you can taste blood, legs weak and you’re just wondering if you can make it to the podium without throwing up, a hand on the back or someone invading your personal space can be infuriating (not that I’d know what riding to a podium feels like)…
More importantly, on a human level, keep your hands to yourself…(rant over)…
Cue the amateur detective work...
Here’s one of Lorena Wiebes’ DSM teammates dropping a like on a Tweet calling the marshal’s behaviour “uncomfortable” and asking “how many times does she have to push his hand off her?”
"Yuck"
A simple tap on the shoulder “podium is this way.” Pointing in direction would have been sufficient. Not this uncomfortable showing, repeated touching. https://t.co/gui32loFyk
— James Talks Cycling (@JamesTalksSport) October 5, 2022
A few of your comments…
“Yuck. That dude needs to back off, just watched the full replay — she pushes him away several times and he doesn’t go. Aside from that, what a finish — metres ahead of second & third, a class of her own. Good to see Le Col Wahoo on the podium too, a smaller British outfit,” thisismyusername commented.
peted76 has noticed the problem before: “This isn’t a one off problem (I’ve seen it plenty in all kinds of race) nor (in my opinion) is it a male or female problem. Sometimes, as in this case, it is uncomfortable viewing, just leave the riders alone to gather themselves.”
tbh I wasn’t really concerned about how uncomfortable the fans were but after watching the video, HE IS WAY TOO HANDSY, I also felt uncomfortable bbllleeeuurrrgghhhhhhhh. Love and respect to Lorena Wiebes, I would have lamped him one. https://t.co/8bY0teqMGa
— Moon’s Haunted (@Oog) October 5, 2022
Always thought this about these weird finish line courtiers.
Who instructs them to do this https://t.co/FTNlfyNMQe
— Harry Gray (@HarryHamishGray) October 5, 2022
The fans were uncomfortable? Imagine then how she felt.
— joan hanscom (@joanhan) October 5, 2022
One vehicle you don't mind seeing in the cycle lane
A motor vehicle I don’t mind seeing on the cycle path pic.twitter.com/0ubGKplc8L
— Dom (@domtee123) October 4, 2022
Best cycling gear 2022 | road.cc Recommends episode 19
Flanders or Huddersfield? Check out this savage cobbled climb
🚨Monster climb klaxon 🚨
Just outside Huddersfield it seems there’s a cobbled berg straight out the Tour of Flanders…(not just because of the Strava segement’s name)…
Get ready for leg-shredding images…
Out for a walk and found this sneaky little cobbled climb about half a mile from home.
One to tackle on the bike one day, when it’s dry!! Not sure what gradient it tops out at but it’s a beauty 😮 pic.twitter.com/pbY8Re7tOm— Mel Sykes (@nuddypants) October 4, 2022
Nether Moor Road goes straight on the bucket list… just below Bamford Clough…
"Some schools have memorial gardens to the children they have lost as a result of poor driver behaviour. Not on my watch": Headteacher takes on parents' bad parking
“Some schools have memorial gardens to the children they have lost as a result of poor driver behaviour.
Not on my watch.” https://t.co/TPvbHPjhOk
— Shivaji Shiva (@ShivajiShivaLaw) October 4, 2022
Now, admittedly — as a few people pointed out here — wouldn’t promoting active travel as a school run replacement be an easy option?
Regardless, strong stuff from the headteacher of a school in Dulwich, south London, who is so fed up with parents parking where they want, “endangering the lives of others”, that this letter dropped into the inboxes this week…
Some highlights…
“For the sake of the children I now ask you to make that change […] the behaviours of a few are endangering the lives of others […] some schools have memorial gardens to the children that they lost as a result of poor driver behaviour. Not on my watch.”
Wahoo Roam V2 first look — Better maps, colours and GPS?
If you missed it yesterday…
> Wahoo launches refreshed Elemnt Roam with more powerful colour screen: first ride impressions
Plenty of bezel chat amongst you lot…
Sriracha: “First impression: wow, that’s a big bezel!”
Surreyrider was more concerned with the £50 price hike, but back to bezels…zeeridesbikes: “What is going on with that bezel?! I’ll stick with my Karoo 2. Battery’s life isn’t as good (12 hours ish) but at least it works like a smartphone and the navigation is incredible.”
BalladOfStruth joined Liam and Jamie in playing spot the difference: “It’s the same as the old one. It looks like the only physical change is the three buttons below the screen have been changed from recessed fiddly buttons under a single piece of rubber (which were a bit of a bitch to press in gloves), to three individual buttons flush with the screen. Otherwise it’s literally identical to the old one.”
Spot the difference…
British Cycling opens door to "wider use of on-board cameras in sanctioned races"
We are pleased to announce the introduction of on-board cameras in races! 🏁 📹
Check out some highlights from this year’s racing, thanks to @Monument_HQ.
More information can be found here: https://t.co/jXPzNk2Jt8 pic.twitter.com/pcRLdfhYtr
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) October 5, 2022
British Cycling has announced approval for wider use of on-board cameras in sanctioned races, “helping to showcase the thrills and excitement of the sport and enable fans to get closer to the action than ever before”.
After a successful trial in this year’s National Road Series and National Circuit Series, riders will be able to apply for approval from the governing body prior to an event, filling in this form, at least seven days prior.
“I’m really pleased that we’re now able to widen the opportunity for riders and event organisers to capture on-board footage in British Cycling events, helping to showcase the thrills of racing and taking the sport to new audiences,” Dani Every, British Cycling’s delivery director, said.
“Having successfully trialled the process this summer, and seen the success of on-board cameras in events like the UCI Track Champions League, we’re really excited by the potential of their wider use and would encourage any riders or event organisers who are interested to contact our compliance team to find out more.”
What do you reckon? Positive news?
I asked for this every year since 2018. After some trials and all that, I’m glad to see @BritishCycling have given the go ahead! https://t.co/SQS0wSudRk
— AlecBriggs/ Pedaler (@Alec_Pedaler) October 5, 2022
This translates as ‘ how do I pull my consent when I get caught calling someone a **** in a bike race’ 😂😂
— Jacob Tipper ️ (@JacobTipper) October 5, 2022
Hope I’m wrong but I don’t think this is the game changer that’s going to stop teams & races going to the wall.
— William Fotheringham (@willfoth) October 5, 2022
Oooh look at me, my name's Chris Froome and I live on the Mediterranean
You know it’s been a long day when your shorts look like this 😅 pic.twitter.com/sxXkXCgNX0
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) October 5, 2022
No leg warmers? Sweat marks? Sunshine? You wouldn’t get that here in October…
Uh oh, they're talking about helmets again...
Do we really need another helmet debate on social media?
I’ll let you be the judge of that. Feel free to find something less tiresome to read on today’s blog…
BUT this one’s hardly your usual six-follower, no avatar, provocateur…
Why not both, why limit yourself to a single helpful item. Particularly when one takes months/years and the other a few hours to have delivered.
— Cycle Safety Team (@MetCycleCops) October 4, 2022
On the topic of hi-vis…
High vis https://t.co/xFE1QiJaUM
I don’t think the real issue is cyclists invisible to drivers, it’s motorists driving badly.— Naughty Drivers (@NaughtyDrivers) October 5, 2022
More visible…like a fully marked (big reflective and high viz stickers) traffic car with flashing lights?
Nope, drivers still can’t see them. pic.twitter.com/Y9uzfFOS0o— Roads Policing – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) December 2, 2021
Correction: Oooh look at me, my name's Chris Froome and I go on work trips to Israel
Amazing ride out in Israel today on #YomKippur with Guy Sagiv.
No traffic at all to worry about so we took full advantage 😌
G’mar chatima tova! pic.twitter.com/s3gvAlnjRu— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) October 5, 2022
Go find the earlier blog post if you’re now very confused…
5 October 2022, 08:18
5 October 2022, 08:18
5 October 2022, 08:18
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Latest Comments
I think the issue about speed limits isn't actually a debate about what the speed limit should be. Moreover, It's people talking past each other because they working from different frameworks of what the speed limit is. There's one group of people who say the speed limit is a legal tool there to single out reckless drivers, and there's the other group who assume they're traffic calming by fiat, because, they don't understand how speed limits work. There is evidence to suggest lower limits work on the sort of narrow residential streets that already lend themselves to such speeds, when it comes to much wider main road where you see non-compliance rates of well over 90%, those people who limits were previously able to single out and target are the sort of drivers most likely to hurt of kill a cyclist. Meanwhile you help to make speeding normalised and socially acceptable instigated by people who claim to want the opposite.
If motorists stopped drinking and/or drug driving and driving faster than the speed limit, that would reduce the head injuries to cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.
Our window cleaner told me that he rarely gets Christmas tips from his customers in the wealthier areas of town. Maybe it's part of the go getter / climb the greasy pole mentality. I once read that many Olympic gold medalists share a lot of common personality traits with psychopaths - the need to dominate, to come out on top, to soundly beat your opponents. Perhaps the same applies to some high fliers in business?
The only important characteristic for me is whether I can mount a front derailleur, so I can have my preferred 550+% gravel-bike gear range with no large gaps (for doing long, steep Alpine climbs and also have a gear for pedalling on the downhills)?
38x10T on 32in wheels? Sounds like some solid leg power there!
Imagine how their brains would react, if they ever visited the Netherlands (on so many other levels, too)
@mdavidford Perhaps it's for lycrist infiltration - or maybe they're doing anti-doping work with the UCI? Breaking into the peloton disguised as avid cyclists?
Hexlox to protect your bits. Pricey but oh so ingenious...
The bit about evil rich people has some road relevance. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/sep/03/ig-nobel-prize-awards-2026-winners
Yes, but those are essential vehicles. Without them able to drive up and down that road (Park St) at will, fighting over the parking spaces, all the local shops would close immediately. The looney-green council had a plan to bus gate one end, but fortunately the WECA mayor decided to refuse the cash in the face of mere democracy.
36 thoughts on ““Keep your hands to yourself, it’s not difficult”: Fans left uncomfortable as Lorena Wiebes forced to ride away from “hands-on” race marshal; Flanders or Huddersfield? Check out this savage cobbled climb; Cycle lane sweepers + more on the live blog”
Ffs. It’s one thing being a
Ffs. It’s one thing being a bit tactile (not a nice thing, but I get that people have a different bar on what is appropriate. However I will never accept the utter lack of ability of certain men to fail to realise their hands on approach is unwelcome. Any bloke that can’t accurately judge the situation should never be allowed within arms reach of someone who nay be ghe victim of their unwanted touching.
And the correlation is high with men who miss a bucket load of signals to back the fuck off and men who react badly when they are finally told to fuck off.
This isn’t a one off problem
This isn’t a one off problem (I’ve seen it plenty in all kinds of race) nor (in my opinion) is it a male or female problem.
But it is a weird sport where as Dan writes “your heart rate is at 190, you can taste blood, legs weak and you’re just wondering if you can make it to the podium without throwing up, a hand on the back or someone invading your personal space can be infuriating”.
Sometimes, as in this case, it is uncomfortable viewing, just leave the riders alone to gather themselves.
That subset of men who will
That subset of men who will take any tiny bit of authority and use it as an excuse to get handsy like this are really making life harder for everyone else, women most of all, being harassed by these assholes but other men as well to a lesser extent; being tarred with the same brush.
I’m sure that roadsweeper is
I’m sure that roadsweeper is photoshopped, I’ve never seen a swept cycle lane in my life.
I reported a cycle lane to
I reported a cycle lane to KCC as it was dangerously full of debris, not helped but some bright spark deciding pine trees were a good idea along the road, so full of pine cones too.
They took the time to phone me and tell me, I kid you not, it was too dangerous to send a roadsweeper along without closing a lane. It is a dual carriageway with a 40mph limit. Oddly though I had quite a civil discussion openly on facebook in a local group with someone moaning that the lane wasn’t used by cyclists (they were shocked when I showed video of me cycling it) a few days later the chap sent me the attached photo. I am hopeful our discusson guilt tripped someone at KCC who was reading.
Netherlands…
Netherlands…
Yep, and when it snows here,
Yep, and when it snows here, the bike paths will be cleared before the roads are.
Not that makes it acceptable,
Not that makes it acceptable, but I’ve seen worse man-handling post finish line, so if it hadnt been pointedly mentioned in the commentary, would everyone have reacted in the same way?
And wasnt he the drug test chaperone not the podium direction guy ?
Awavey wrote:
I think (hope?) the reaction would be the same without the commentary though would question if it would have been as widely covered without.
Let’s hope the negative reaction will reduce the amount of inappropriate touching there guys get.
I did wonder if it was Drug /
I did wonder if it was Drug / compliance guy. Don’t they have to check the bike and rider for the top three or so? He has to ensure the rider goes as directly to the area as possible without having the opportunity of swapping rides, hence the urgency but doesn’t excuse the excessive manhandling.
well yes and not wishing to
well yes and not wishing to sound uber feminist about it but every woman has experienced that amount of unwanted invasion of personal space and touching, and sometimes more, its totally not ok right, Im not trying to excuse it.
but the doping control chaperones job is to coin a footballing phrase to be touch tight marking of the rider, till they hand them over to actual doping control, and thats why its more uncomfortably close contact than just some marshall offering directions to a podium.
Awavey wrote:
The simple solution would seem to be to employ female marshalls, I’m sure in a cycling-mad country like Belgium there would be no shortage of volunteers.
On a side note, I’m not au fait with all the latest doping techniques but what is there a rider could do between the finish and doping control that would alter her results anyway? The GT men seem to have a pretty free hand to celebrate with their soigneurs and management, take drinks etc before being taken to doping control, was this guy being over officious (apart fom the unwanted contact) in trying to rush her straight there?
If the problem is unwanted
If the problem is unwanted touching, how does your simple solution help? Not sure if you are suggesting that a female would not commit the offence, or that it would be no offence if she did.
Sriracha wrote:
I can’t speak for women, not being one, but on the assumption that this marshall was just being crass rather than actually getting his jollies by touching the rider I think most women would be less disturbed if it was another woman, wouldn’t they? In just the same way as they would feel less threatened if it was another woman behind them on the street at night or in an empty railway carriage, the threat level is completely different.
In terms of not committing the offence, yes I think it’s quite likely that a woman would treat another woman with more respect and not feel she had the right to (wo)manhandle her, clearly that would not be true in all cases but the likelihood is greater.
ETA Just asked Mrs H’s opinion, she is of the mind that she would definitely view it differently if she were in that position and it was a woman rather than a man, for much the same reasons as I gave above (which she hasn’t seen!), “If it was a woman I would find it annoying, if it’s a man I would find it threatening.”
It’s the YJA Syndrome –
It’s the YJA Syndrome – Yellow Jacket of Authority.
it’s creepy
it’s creepy
Paging brooksby
Paging brooksby
https://twitter.com/MrGreenGus/status/1577314474746339328
Yeah, I know. I’ve given up
Yeah, I know. I’ve given up on it, to be honest and just make sure to take primary along on the main carriageway.
The wands in the foreground were flattened about three weeks ago by a lorry delivering and then removing some scaffolding. It happened about two days after the council had been and replaced some (that I’d brought to their attention).
The red van you can see is also parked across a couple of flattened wands.
I would love to do a FOI and find out how much taxpayer money is being spent on replacing these things.
I think the last one I saw
I think the last one I saw was looking in the opposite direction, so it’s probably the same spot.
Didn’t know Peter Sagan also
Didn’t know Peter Sagan also works as a race marshal
Those cobbles look fantastic,
Those cobbles look fantastic, best I can offer is these beauties in deepest, wettest Argyll
Alternatively Back Causeway or Mid Causeway in Culross are both Arenberg-esque in their resemblence to broken bowling ball halves AND just generally berg-ish in the gradient if you sneak up Hagg’s Wynd
Hi Viz
Hi Viz
Ah Mikey and helmets, let’s
Ah Mikey and helmets, let’s not go there and upset his cult like twitter following
I just think if the answer is
I just think if the answer is PPE, then it’s not a great answer considering all the others things that are supposed to be done first !
Is any single thing THE
Is any single thing THE answer, or can a helmet help reduce risk in certain circumstances as part of a broader suite of measures?
Adam Sutton wrote:
Segregated infrastructure is probably closest to THE answer.
Helmets don’t reduce risk (and according to a couple of studies increase it), but allegedly reduce the severity of the risks.
hawkinspeter wrote:
No, THE answer is, reduce* individual motorised traffic to a bare minimum.
* through regulation, taxation, interdiction…
marmotte27 wrote:
No, THE answer is, reduce* individual motorised traffic to a bare minimum.
* through regulation, taxation, interdiction…— hawkinspeter
Top of the list would be getting arseholes driving to behave like human beings, not psychopaths that give zero shits about anyone else…
Yes, AND then re-engineer all
Yes, AND then re-engineer all the bits of our motor infra * so that they are safer and more convenient for cycling (and walking if there’s no provision for that).
* Roads were not built for cars but by now they definitely aren’t engineered for any other mode. Traffic lights, lane dividers, large sewer gratings, high kerbs… not made for cyclists!
Mitigate the outcome you mean
Mitigate the outcome you mean.
Whether the risk increases/decreases/stays the same is a matter of debate.
PPE is the final step you
PPE is the final step you take, having exhausted all other options. They haven’t done so.
Yup likewise predictable and
Yup likewise predictable and tedious responses here too, because everything has to be about extreme cases not the countless instances that amount to little more than a minor “ah bollocks” moment because the rider had a helmet on thankfully. I’ve cracked my head on a kerb after an off on a greasy road wearing a helmet luckily, but yeah fuck it I’ll throw the helmet away.
The only thing “predicatble
The only thing “predictable and tedious” here is your post.
Well you should probably
Well you should probably throw that helmet away.
I can predict it’s never the
I can predict this cartoon won’t get old in the UK for a long time. That is certainly tedious.
Anyway I’m all for people taking their own measures (and how would I stop them?) It’s just when those with power to do something really meaningful to alter road safety talk about this (or those with an interest in the status quo) it’s helpful to reply:
And now for some smile-making
And now for some smile-making news (and death to Bristolian squirrels too) with a tangential connection to cycling:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63142767