“Method actor or just all in on cycling?”: Pogačar celebrates with a vegetable as a trophy after winning a crit race; Cameron Mason and Zoe Bäckstedt shine in gnarly European cyclocross champs; “How is this is an okay cycle lane?” + more on the live blog

Best cyclist? Maybe (Vélo d'Or can I please have a word?). But is Tadej Pogaçar also a great actor? I say for sure!

"Does he know this doesn't count as a win?" pic.twitter.com/5gU24vajyj

— Dan Deakins (@DanDeakins) November 5, 2023

This was him after beating Sepp Kuss in the Saitama criterium race. Oh, and if you haven't noticed yet, maybe zoom in on his, erm, trophy.

Yeah, that's a root vegetable wrapped in a plastic film which Tadej Pogaçar, winner of two Tour de France yellow jerseys, is hoisting up in the air after a season which saw him win almost half the races he contested last year.

Who's going to tell him... Anyone?

And for those of you wondering, the Japanese criterium — nothing more than an exhibition race with predetermined results — was also contested by the likes of Peter Sagan and Mark Cavendish, who finished third and fourth respectively.

Oh, and there was Chris Froome too, fresh off the knowledge that he had been riding his bike which had a set-up "centimetres" off from his usual set-up during his Tour de France winning years.

> Not so marginal losses: Chris Froome reveals recent bike set-up was “centimetres” apart from Team Sky days due to “oversight”

Amidst all the showboating and revelling, Pogačar revealed that he's been enjoying his Tour de France rivalry with Jonas Vingegaard, who has now beaten him two years in a row, and it could go down as something for "the history books", with the pair sharing the last four titles between them. Maybe our generation's Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor?

In June, the world lost one of the most precious and wonderful riders. 26-year-old Gino Mäder, stage winner at 2021 Giro d'Italia, was involved in a high-speed crash on the Albulapass descent at the Tour de Suisse this year. Despite being airlifted and resuscitated, Mäder unfortunately didn't survive the tragic accident.

A criminal investigation was launched soon after the accident. Now, the Prosecuter's Office has closed the case, finding no criminally relevant fault attributable to any third party, such as the safety of the route or the organisers.

While the world still reels from his demise, since then, the riders' union president Adam Hansen, involved in a lot of campaigning and organising to make the sport safer, has gone on record and called cycling a dangerous sport, but vowed that it's getting safer, with increasing rider awareness one of the key agendas of his job.

> "Profound safety problem" in elite cycling, finds report... but riders union president says it's "getting safer"

Friends! Good to have you back. Collective noun for bollards, anyone? Put your bids in! ‘A consolidation’? ‘A steadfastness’? This is the way to maintain a park for people, dogs, play, instead of letting it degrade into the car variety ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ @BrightonHoveCC pic.twitter.com/Gq4B8PZo9r

— Katy Rodda Still Wants 2m (@KatyCycles) November 6, 2023

Already the current British National Cyclocross champion and former Junior World Champion in the same discipline, Zoe Bäckstedt, 12 months after finishing fifth in the European U23 championships, was unflinching and unwavering this time round.

The Welsh rider, who also won gold at the U23 Euro time-trial this autumn, took the lead of the race in the second lap and never looked back from then on, finishing a full 34 seconds ahead her closest rival Marie Schreiber of Luxembourg.

Objective complete ✅

Zoe Backstedt wins the European Cyclo-Cross u23 title and does it in impressive fashion 🇬🇧@Backstedt_Zoe | @BritishCycling pic.twitter.com/2GJqo8IuLr

— Eurosport (@eurosport) November 5, 2023

Wow, just wow. Is this a contender for one of the worst-designed cycle lanes in Britain?

How is this an ok cycle lane? (Essex Street, NR2) @NorfolkCC @BerylBikes @Sustrans_East pic.twitter.com/ZoaRHKM2yj

— Pannacotta (@ms_pannacotta) November 3, 2023

Last week, a cyclist said he had been left "terrified" by food delivery riders using illegal e-bikes at high speeds in cycle lanes, Cycling Scotland calling on companies to check the bikes they ride "are legal and road worthy"...

> Police crackdown on dangerous delivery cyclists after cycling charity urged companies to do more following cycle lane crash

Quick, someone ring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost! The swan's escaped!

A lot of cycling infrastructure in the UK is for the birds pic.twitter.com/CAoVqhcWGj

— ETA Services Ltd (@ETAservicesltd) November 3, 2023