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Jeremy Vine laughs off “absolute class” road rage incident with Rolling Stones fan; 91-year-old’s double LEJOG challenge; Remco signs five-year deal; Tory’s bike lane rant; Driver gets jail time; Bouhanni received racist messages + more on the live blog
SUMMARY

Jeremy Vine laughs off "absolute class" road rage incident with Rolling Stones fan
This driver was raging angry and her car sounded like it was about to explode, but I could still hear her shout F*CKING BEATLES FAN when she passed. Absolute class. We need more of this pic.twitter.com/X99NjzrozS
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) April 5, 2021
Jeremy Vine is all for novel lines being shouted from passing cars…This clip features a driver in their 60s behind the wheel of a Citroën 2CV with ‘It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll…But I Like It’ stickered on the rear. The pedalling presenter says she was furious, presumably at being held up for a few seconds and yelled “fucking Beatles fan!” out the window as she passed…
No hard feelings from the broadcaster who was impressed by the creativity…”Absolute class. We need more of this. Good luck to her — it was a quality shout,” he tweeted.
Who’d have thought it? The Beatles vs Rolling Stones debate inspiring road rage 60 years later.
Peter Sagan set to leave Bora-hansgrohe at the end of this year with Deceuninck-Quick-Step a potential destination
Peter Sagan to QuickStep?
I can’t think of a better plot line right now. It’s like Bobby Ewing taking over The Queen Vic.
— Ned Boulting (@nedboulting) April 5, 2021
According to L’Équipe, Peter Sagan will be leaving Bora-hansgrohe when his contract expires at the end of the year, with Deceuninck-Quick-Step a possible beneficiary of the three-time world champion’s signature. The Slovak’s relationship with current team boss, Ralph Denk, is reportedly strained and the French newspaper suggests the rider’s agent, Giovanni Lombardi, will have already offered his client to Patrick Lefévère’s Quick-Step.
A source told L’Équipe the only potential issues would be Sagan’s salary and staff but explained a deal would make “everyone a winner, Peter, because it is the only team capable of making him win more races, and Lefévère because Peter is the one who can help the whole team to win.”
Conservative parliamentary staffer's cycle lane rant
1.7/10. Solid scoring for this. Cars being forced to avoid stationary objects…..what a fucking liberty (yes, I typed that in a Catherine Tate voice)
Whatever next?….cars being forced to turn corners?— Rate My Rant 🚴♀️ (@rant_rate) April 6, 2021
EF Education-Nippo sport Muc-Off helmet design at the Tour of Flanders
This weekend at Flanders, the team will debut a special helmet design. A design that pays tribute to essential workers during the pandemic, as nominated by the team’s riders and staff.
Head to the link below for more on our helmets made with @muc_offhttps://t.co/fcx9MU4dKT
— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) April 3, 2021
Did you catch EF Education-Nippo’s Muc-Off helmet design at the Tour of Flanders? The team who brought you Palace kits and duck helmets at the Giro wore a design nominated by their riders and staff at the Ronde, featuring the names of key workers, as a way of saying thank you for their ongoing work during the pandemic. Beyond this weekend, the POC helmets will get another outing at Amstel Gold before being raffled off to raise money for the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Each helmet is unique and some have particular significance. Team soigneur John Murray nominated his granddaughter, who worked on a COVID-19 ward in North Yorkshire, providing round-the-clock care for patients. American rider Alex Howes will wear his at Amstel Gold, he said: “I’m always amazed and in awe when I encounter someone with an innate and natural instinct to give and serve and wearing these helmets that pay a small tribute to their hard and selfless work is a real honour. The global pandemic rocked all of us, but it also shined a light on how strong and caring many of us can be.”
Let us know your favourite cafe stop


We need your help for our new YouTube show road.cc Recommends…Give your favourite cafe stop a shout-out over on the forum and it could get a review from one of our team in a future episode. Whether it’s the cake, coffee or both that makes it special, let us know why it’s your favourite place for a mid-ride snack.
While you’re at it, have a watch of episode one of the new series which features a trip to the Honey & Ginger Farmshop & Cafe in Failand near Bristol.
UCI U-turn? Italian pro riders' union says they were assured riders could throw bottles to fans
#ACCPI ha partecipato in prima persona ai meeting dedicati ai nuovi #regolamenti @UCI_cycling grazie al vicepresidente @MATTEOTRENTIN. Nelle riunioni era stato detto che sarebbe stato consentito gettare in #sicurezza le borracce in presenza di pubblico… 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Rrdf9Byhyl
— ACCPI Assocorridori (@ACCPI1946) April 6, 2021
Could we see a U-turn from the UCI over throwing bottles to fans? Michael Schär was thrown out of the Tour of Flanders for chucking a bottle to a group of fans under the UCI’s new littering rules. Fans and fellow pros alike were vocal in their anger at the rule and support for Schär who said being thrown a bottle as a kid inspired him to become a cyclist.
Here’s a pair of translated tweets from the Italian pro riders’ union this morning: “ACCPI vice president Matteo Trentin participated in the meeting re new UCI rules and was told that it will be allowed for riders to throw their water bottles safely in presence of public. We hope that common sense will be used in the application of the rule. We are in full agreement of fining those who throw away litter in an indiscriminate manner. A water bottle given to fans is the emblem of the sport which benefits the planet and of the passion of grown-ups and kids.”
When you realize you forgot new UCI regulations. pic.twitter.com/A9icwa1FIX
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) April 4, 2021
Doing an Alex Dowsett
@alexdowsett pic.twitter.com/V4zwOKMtTP
— Aaron Freeman (@Aaronfreeman02) April 5, 2021
Nacer Bouhanni hits back after receiving multiple racist social media messages
[2/2] The comments and racism directed towards Nacer this last week is absolutely deplorable. There is no place for racism in this world. To the so called ‘fans’ of cycling that have made these comments, you are not welcome here.
— Jake (@jakey_stewart) April 6, 2021
Nacer Bouhanni has been subject to multiple racist social media messages in the aftermath of his dangerous sprint at Cholet-Pays de Loire. Bouhanni wrote on Instagram: “Hello to all the little jokers who have been having fun for a week writing to me personally or commenting on some cycling sites that I should go back to Africa, that I am a criminal, that I am a north African who needs to be interned and who constantly send me (pig’s heads)!
“Know that I was born in France and that I will file a complaint because I’ve been putting up with this too long and held my silence, this time, I will not let go.”
The messages came at the end of a week when the Arkéa–Samsic sprinter was first disqualified and then referred to the UCI’s Disciplinary Commission for pushing Jake Stewart into the barriers. Stewart suffered a broken hand in the incident and missed the Tour of Flanders.
Cyclists locked out of hangar by thieves
A bicycle hangar in Fitzrovia was damaged by thieves who attempted to cut through the lock with an angle grinder or similar tool. Fitzrovia News reports residents have been left unable to access their bikes due to the damage and fearing the offenders will return to try and take the cycles. The chair of the residents association has written to Falco, the hangar’s provider, to ask for help in improving security.
“Someone has physically cut into the bike hangar lock (probably with an angle grinder or similar) and has jammed the lock. As a result, one of our residents and others cannot access their bikes,” the email said.
“We are very concerned that who ever made the attempted break-in, might try again and be successful in stealing the bikes in the hangar.”
The attempted break-in is believed to have happened on Saturday evening and has been reported to the police.
91-year-old grandfather riding double LEJOG challenge for charity
91-year-old grandfather Bahman is riding the equivalent distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back to raise money for Roundabout Dramatherapy. This past week he reached the 2,500km mark and has been chipping off 5-6km every day. So far his JustGiving page has raised £2,356 .
We'll take that as a no...
Amazing that the fantastic #rondevanvlaanderen is not enough anymore journalist starting new fudge @deceuninck_qst about Sagan. Sorry you can play alone don’t call me
— Patrick Lefevere (@PatLefevere) April 6, 2021
Here’s what Patrick Lefevere thought of the rumours linking Peter Sagan to his Deceuninck-Quick-Step team for 2022…Doesn’t sound likely does it?
The team has released a behind-the-scenes video of Kasper Asgreen’s Tour of Flanders win too…
Remco Evenepoel signs five-year contract with Deceuninck-Quick-Step
We’ve got the news for you 😃😃@EvenepoelRemco – a winner of 14 races since turning pro – has signed a five-year contract with Deceuninck – Quick-Step, an important step for the future of the team: https://t.co/07mfcGXNWV pic.twitter.com/9cwqllnuaB
— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) April 6, 2021
Today’s blog is turning into a Deceuninck-Quick-Step live blog…The big news coming out of Belgium this afternoon is a new five-year deal for Remco Evenepoel. The 21-year-old has enjoyed enormous success since turning pro two years ago, winning the European ITT Championships, Classica San Sebastian and five stage races.
He is currently prepping for his Grand Tour debut at next month’s Giro d’Italia where he will start as one of the favourites to win the maglia rosa despite having not raced since his crash at Il Lombardia last August.
“I feel really honoured to put pen to paper for the next five years,” Remco said. “As Patrick [Lefevere] told me, this is the longest agreement he has ever signed with a rider. I’m really proud and happy to stay in this wonderful team, where I have already enjoyed a lot of success, and hopefully we can reach our big dreams. I love it here.”
Pennsylvania driver who critically injured child in bicycle-pulled carrier gets prison sentence


Penn Live reports a Pennsylvania man has been given a prison sentence for critically injuring a toddler being carried in her mother’s bicycle-pulled carrier. The District Attorney D. Peter Johnson said Tyler Bean-Dowell knew he had hit her and yet still drove off. The County Judge Michael T. Hudcock sentenced Bean-Dowell to one to nine years in state prison and ordered him to pay the $16,000 medical costs.
The incident happened last April when Abigail Martin was riding her bike and pulling her 11-month-old daughter. In the crash her daughter suffered severe head injuries that have required multiple surgeries and it is unknown if the injuries will be permanent.
Bean-Dowell did not stop and told police he hadn’t seen the damage to the passenger-side mirror until he was driving home. Parts of the mirror were found on the front seat of his vehicle and there was small shreds of glass on his jacket. He was taken to custody later that day and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault by vehicle last October.
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@theslowcyclistxx As I said above, the manufacturer claims that these wheels are "as strong as XC MTB wheels"; XC MTB involves a lot of crashing through tree roots and over fairly gnarly rocky sections, if these wheels can't cope with that sort of punishment then the manufacturers shouldn't make such claims about them. If they are only designed for well packed fine gravel roads then so be it, but they should be marketed as such and not with claims to which they clearly can't live up.
As a Bath cyclist, all they really needed to do was to make the short spur of road at the NW corner 2-way for bikes (currently one-way going S; cars and bikes) and use the funds elsewhere (for active travel). Bikes could then just follow the clockwise one-way around the park; the SE corner feeds you into the cycle route that goes through town. I'd have more sympathy for the opponents (with their usual "I support active travel, but what about the children playing" platitudes ie I don't want to lose my cheap parking/rat-run) if the recent (small) protest wasn't heavily promoted by the 'cycle-haters' who regularly rage against the new bike lanes on Nextdoor. I'm conditioned to Bath traffic, but if it encourages some people out of their cars, then build it. As someone who pretty much walks or cycles around Bath all the time, I've been 'beaten-up' by Bath drivers for long enough (18 years) that anything that sticks it to them is fine by me.
"Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria told media, “These are some of the busiest streets in all of North America. We need to restore them to vehicle lanes to stop the congestion." It beggars belief that in this day and age, a 'transportation minister' can spout such incredible lies. Anyone with the faintest appreciation of transport knows that cycle lanes don't cause congestion: in fact, they alleviate it. Still, it's nice to know, well, not that nice, but interesting, that the utter incompetents aren't restricted to the UK. Is Doug Ford the Canadian equivalent of Trump or Nigel? Full of fake news and excrement. We could learn a thing or two from our Canadian cousins though, and start organising protests to stop the removal of bike lanes. If we can present some convoluted reasoning which showed that cycle lanes were bad for asylum seekers, we'd get lots of blokes wearing black with balaclavas supporting us.
Just go for 32/34 tyres instead - a lot cheaper.
@Rendel Harris I don’t agree that a light gravel wheelset is expected to withstand impacts from rocks. Yes, it should be able to withstand potholes and also a cross country track, but if ridden directly into a rock, I would expect any carbon wheelset to be finished.
Something worth a mention in indoor cycling accessories is a rocker plate. Long rides on an indoor trainer can start to hurt after a while, and a decent rocker plate gives enough side to side and fore/aft movement to help prevent this. I acquired a TurboRocks Realplate React a year or so ago, it's very well made and the service from order to collection was excellent. It took a few weeks to get used to it, until the motion felt natural, but after that, longer sessions became much more comfortable. My current setup:
@eburtthebike now wondering if anyone has looked at the possible benefits of promoting cycling *goggles*, since the eyes are very easily injured but also easily protected. Presumably rather rare, but eye damage can have massive impact on someone's life...
The horizontal component will mean that on impact there's drag and so torque (not good) but that energy will mostly be dissipated over time (sliding) so much less peak force (ignoring torque briefly). ...but isn't the fate of many crashing motorcyclists decided when their flight / slide is checked by encountering a horizontal surface? If they do that with their head that torque could fatally damage the neck / brain, or their head / helmet then absorbs the likely much greater energy than the vertical fall. So the horizontal part matters - albeit still subject to the limited ability of currently practical helmets to help. Sounds like a good idea to wear one regardless of exactly how much it mitigates any of these risks. Not only keeps the law (and the in-laws?) happy but keeps debris out of your eyes, your ears from being blasted by so much wind, rain off your head etc. All of which would be very distracting and could well contribute to crashing in the first place. Bicycle helmets - slightly different calculation for me, since a hat and glasses do much of that and I'm rarely at wind-noise-deafening speed. Although abrasion protection is (and has been) welcome.
@theslowcyclistxx Completely agree. Or at least 4. The truth is that it is possible to crack a gravel, road, or a MTB rim if you are riding fast down a road with sharp rocks that stick out. It has happened to me before on rough roads. Notice that tire pressure, the width of tire used, etc were not mentioned. It is hard for me to imagine that "Value" is only three stars. None of the other wheels mentioned are anywhere near the weight of this wheelset. How Scribe's and Hunt's wheelsets have the same value ranking, despite the Particle one being 350g lighter despite being cheaper makes no sense.
On Picnic-PostNL, some interesting details from Nicolas Roche in NOS, "I think this management is not suitable for cycling. In cycling, we deal with a lot of variables. It's not a predictable sport. The body is not a perfect machine. We have to contend with weather conditions and also the tactics of 24 other teams. I understand that people want a master plan to be prepared, but they can't already be planning the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France in May. And that’s what they did." What did it mean to you that the bond between the coach and the rider wasn’t appreciated? "It wasn’t valued to maintain friendships. I find that strange. I remember that during the big tours, I got a different masseur every three days. For every rider, that massage is a moment of rest, or a chance to open up, call your wife, or just go over the day. I strongly disagreed with making changes with the sole purpose of ensuring we wouldn’t develop a friendly relationship with the masseur." Why were they so fixated on breaking those strong personal relationships? "A mystery. Maybe because in the past, masseurs often transported doping for riders? But I don’t know the real answer."
16 thoughts on “Jeremy Vine laughs off “absolute class” road rage incident with Rolling Stones fan; 91-year-old’s double LEJOG challenge; Remco signs five-year deal; Tory’s bike lane rant; Driver gets jail time; Bouhanni received racist messages + more on the live blog”
On “Conservative
On “Conservative parliamentary staffer’s cycle lane rant” – I wonder how Samia Hersi usually overtakes? Does she just drive over the top of the vehicle in front??
Enquiring minds want to know…
Apparently,
Apparently,
The fourth picture showed
The fourth picture showed that the bus had pulled away and a car still attempted to overtake. Also most bus stops are now in the “main road” (well on it as no stop is in it) as most councils do not do the lay bys and fill them in to calm traffic as they have to slow for the busses. So nothing to do with the cycle lane really.
Finally, what traffic hold up? She took 3 pics of cars and the others are well down the street on the last one so to me, cars overtook as they approached. I wonder how long she waited to take the pics?
No one will ever know, as she
No one will ever know, as she blocks anyone who tries to question her stance, such as pointing out there have been 0 reported accidents around the bus-stop stince it was changed, but several in the years before.
Just awaiting my turn to be blocked.
StuInNorway wrote:
Already had the honour for my offensive suggestion that car drivers aren’t “forced” to drive round the bus but have the option to wait a few seconds instead.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Already had the honour for my offensive suggestion that car drivers aren’t “forced” to drive round the bus but have the option to wait a few seconds instead.— StuInNorway
“…wait a few seconds instead.” – are you quite mad, sirrah???
Quote:
Wow, self driving cars are here and endangering lives already?
But apart from that, emphatically yes, cyclists are that important. Why does this woman assume car drivers are more important by default?
I can’t make out what the
I can’t make out what the Stones fan is shouting, but anyone driving a 2CV in 2021 is clearly dedicated to style above destination. But then you could say the same of anyone riding a penny in the 21st century.
for both of them.
I can’t hear any shouting
I can’t hear any shouting from the Stones fan either (their nearside window is closed). And as for JV saying the engine sounded like it was “about to explode” – all 2CVs sound like that when driven as intended!
I think I can make out
I think I can make out ‘Beatles Fan’ but whether that’s influential bias :-/ (or whatever the term is) having read the story first. I certainly can’t make out the ‘F’ word 😉
…and certainly a 2CV has
…and certainly a 2CV has never prevented another road user from driving as fast as they wanted to.
Im confused – how was that
Im confused – how was that snipped filmed, the camera seemed somewhat above the helmet.
Looks like a 360 camera. I
Looks like a 360 camera. I don’t know exactly which one but they often have software that cuts out the mount. See e.g. this review for more details: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/02/gopro-fusion-360-in-depth-review.html
Edit: it’s the new Insta360 – Jeremy talks about it in this thread: https://twitter.com/theJeremyVine/status/1375876011603206149
She’s just a cymbal of her
She’s just a cymbal of her time. I watched the video, I was waiting for the Clash, kudos to Vine for keeping his cool.
You were waiting for a clash
You were waiting for a clash on a cymbal? That would be Charlie Watts then, drum roll and cymbal clash after such a clever pro-stones joke. Or am I confused?
By the way, all that Stones v. Beatles rubbish is, I believe, an invention of later times. In the early days when they started, the 60s, there wasn’t any such tribalism that I came across. I loved both, as did many others. You might have preferred one or the other, but there wasn’t the antagonism, and certainly not the Stones = bad boys, Beatles = nice. They were both considered equally rough, long-haired layabouts (etc) by most parents and teachers, hence a lot of their pretty much equal appeal.
‘My brother’s still at home, with his Beatles and his Stones’ (Mott the Hoople, 1972? Equal then, and old hat by 1972)…
With the strength they
With the strength they already have does DQ actually need Sagan, at his presumed high price? Presumably they could pick up a couple of younger pretenders for that price.