Anger over suspended sentence for unlicensed driver; Pendleton hears "rapid crunching gears" when overtaking men; Cllr's child threatened by 4x4 driver; José Mourinho cycles around training pitch; Froome "can’t wait for August" + more on the live blog

I can’t wait for August 🙏😊🗓 @UCI_cycling #cycling pic.twitter.com/ANFsf54pLW

— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 1, 2020

With the Tour de France supposedly beginning at the end of August, is this a warning shot fired towards his GC-contending teammates Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas, or are we reading too much into things? It was reported Froome could be mulling a mid-season transfer in time for this year's postponed Tour, but so far nothing has come of the rumours.

WTF?!! Yet another driver judge (?), letting a fellow horrific driver off scot-free. We will never have justice for people cycling, as long as it is administered by drivers. @StopKillingCycl

— Donnachadh McCarthy (@DonnachadhMc) June 1, 2020

Disgraceful

— moderniseyourstairs (@valeofwigan) June 1, 2020

road.cc readers have reacted with anger to the sentencing of Aaron Baxter (covered further down this page) who despite having no license or insurance, and driving in a vehicle he had taken without permission, avoided a custodial sentence. The judge took the unusual step of taking into account an incident that happened after the offence, when Baxter was stabbed and needed a life-saving operation to survive the injuries. The just said his circumstances were "powerful mitigation", and also heard from Baxter's defence that he was "extremely remorseful" over his actions.

Don’t the prosecution have 28 days to appeal an unduly lenient sentence?https://t.co/HEN9YfpyZ5

— Theo (@Theoonabike) June 1, 2020

Some are calling for an appeal against the sentence, which the prosecution can do if they feel it was unduly lenient.

Jose out there cruisin' in training pic.twitter.com/ByluAfPwjf

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 21, 2020

The football manager - currently boss at Tottenham Hotspur - revealed that the reason he was spotted on a vintage bike at the club's training ground in Enfield was because the players are so spread out due to social distancing regulations.

He told Sky Sports: "There was a period where we were starting 9am in the morning and finishing 5pm because by having players training individually, we had to organise lots of different slots, and the boys were coming at different times.

"We were really tired for a certain period. You can find a funny picture of me on a bike because we covered a huge distance and without the bike, I couldn’t control all of the sessions at the same time!"

Forced to work 9 till 5? Barbaric eh José!

 

 

 

 

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Just another day in lockdown was asked if I had any current portrait shots....... Not really. The way I appear has changed so much in the last few years, and to be perfectly honest, I rarely get recognised. I think I am quite nondescript....which is no bad thing. It allows me to be a chameleon which I enjoy. . If I’m out about on my road bike and I overtake a man for example .... I will hear a rapid crunching gears as they try to “make amends for it” occasionally combined with a mumbling of “I must of been daydreaming...like they need an excuse!” Usually followed with a pedal mashing (usually short lived) stomp back past me. It doesn’t bother me I think it’s funny. I’ve always been underestimated because of the way I look....one day I want to be intimidating.....but for now this is what I look like, a self portrait. . . @leica_camera @rubytuesdayashh #dontjudgeabookbyitscover #smallerthanithought #cantseetenacity #cantseedetermination

A post shared by Victoria Pendleton C.B.E (@victorilou) on May 29, 2020 at 4:50am PDT

The two-time track cycling Olympic gold medallist turned jockey has kept a lower profile as of late, and in one of her latest Instagram posts says that she rarely gets recognised nowadays: "I think I am quite nondescript....which is no bad thing. It allows me to be a chameleon which I enjoy", she says.

Pendleton also says that when out riding her bike on the road, some males don't appear to take it too well when she overtakes them:

"If I’m out about on my road bike and I overtake a man for example .... I will hear a rapid crunching gears as they try to “make amends for it” occasionally combined with a mumbling of “I must of been daydreaming...like they need an excuse!” Usually followed with a pedal mashing (usually short lived) stomp back past me.

"It doesn’t bother me I think it’s funny. I’ve always been underestimated because of the way I look....one day I want to be intimidating.....but for now this is what I look like, a self portrait."

In a post from yesterday, Pendleton also let her Insta followers in on her familiar-sounding lockdown routine: "I get up, drink coffee, eat porridge, train and then faff about the house, making more mess to try and make less, do gardening, admin, housework, DIY...days punctuated only by food not time. Trying to keep busy and resist snacking.....or get lured back into trying (one more time) to make a kickass sourdough!"

Numerous people have commented on Leicestershire Live's coverage of the incident and court report that 37-year-old Aaron Baxter's sentence appeared to be extremely lenient, after he was given an eight month suspended jail term and a 12 month driving ban for aggravated vehicle taking, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving without a licence or insurance. Baxter had a previous conviction for driving without insurance in 2015, and didn't reapply for his licence.

Baxter hit the 22-year-old victim on 19th August last year as he attempted to overtake another vehicle, and failed to spot the cyclist indicating to turn right as he pulled back in. The cyclist was knocked off his bike and was sent into a wall on Narborough Road South in Leicester, after Baxter hit him at around 29mph. He suffered what were described as horrific injuries, including a bleed on the brain, a broken eye socket and damage to both knees. He was placed in an induced coma at the scene before being taken to hospital in Coventry, where he spent two weeks recovering. He then spent six more weeks in recovery at home, and suffered from stress and anxiety.

Father-of-six Baxter stopped at the scene but then drove off in the white transit van, saying he had to take his children 'somewhere'. He then returned - testing negative for alcohol - and it was learned that he had taken his father's van without permission for the journey.

During sentencing, Judge Dean said that the fact Baxter was the victim of an alleged knife attack that almost cost him his life in October last year - three months after his motoring offence - was "powerful mitigation", explaining: "I don't know whether the fact you were a victim of an unrelated knife attack in October has brought home to you how the cyclist must have felt as a consequence of your actions in August last year.

"There was more than momentary inattention - you didn't see him in time to avoid striking him.

"You accepted responsibility for what happened at the scene and expressed remorse.

"You've been punished by being the victim of an unrelated crime since this and are still affected by that and your life has been changed by the attack upon you as well."

‘You could have lost your life there, boy’ said the 4x4 driver to my 11 year old son on his bike. He was far left on the road, her car was so big it straddled across the lane. And she not only expected him to stop for her but then told him that she has nearly killed him.

— Jo Rigby (@Jo_Earlsfield) May 31, 2020

Earlsfield Labour Councillor Jo Rigby claimed that her son was told this by the driver of a 4x4, even though he was 'far left on the road'. She continued: "And on his own street. Which is 20 mph.  And was built in 1895.  Simply no room for these enormous vehicles."

Not her kid. She would have detached from it if she had of killed him. This is the anti-cyclist narrative and why we need the media to stop feeding it.

— Jo Rigby (@Jo_Earlsfield) May 31, 2020

She then says that anti-cycling narrative in the media is to blame for the driver's poor attitude.

Been carefully drawing up your list of six friends and relatives to meet up with in a park somewhere all weekend? Here's what you missed on road.cc...

Police escort group of four cyclists off Cheshire motorway

Nottingham cyclist hospitalised after axe attack

Manchester plans £10m bike hire scheme – says it's learned from Mobike failure

Primal launches Dominic Cummings eye test jersey

‘Group rides that break rules reflect badly on cycling’ says Cycling Ulster as it tries to manage different guidelines either side of the border

Police retrieved "five pieces of fingers" from the Humber Bridge after a cyclist fell off his bike

Cyclists to be allowed back into Richmond Park – but only at weekday commute times for now