“Completely made up”: Cycling page with thousands of followers spreads bizarre fake stories, including one claiming Tadej Pogačar confronted by Greta Thunberg during TV interview; Incredibly serious Zwift safety concerns… (not) + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"Completely made up": Cycling page with thousands of followers spreads bizarre fake stories, including one claiming Tadej Pogačar clashed with Greta Thunberg during a TV interview
Here’s a rather bizarre start to Thursday for you: a Facebook page presenting itself as a news site appears to be chasing engagement with completely made-up ‘stories’ about pro cyclists.
The reviews of the page from fed-up people who keep seeing the posts on their feed include plenty of mentions of ‘fake news’, but this week’s (now deleted) one has attracted particular attention for claiming Tadej Pogačar “was unexpectedly interrupted” by Greta Thunberg during a TV interview and “was publicly called a ‘traitor’ for refusing to join a LGBTQ+ awareness and climate change campaign”.
We told you it was bizarre.
Now, it would be all too easy to dismiss this. Who could possibly believe that’s true? But the page in question has thousands of followers (enough to fill most League One football clubs’ stadiums) and the comments and reactions suggested some were taking the ‘news’ seriously.
Furthermore, as cycling journalist Peter Stuart pointed out on in a post on LinkedIn, the fake post was then appearing in Google’s AI overview.
“Pogačar was allegedly interrupted by activist Greta Thunberg during a live television appearance,” the AI Overview told readers searching for any news about Pogačar and Thunberg.
“Reports suggest Thunberg criticised Pogačar regarding environmental campaign participation, to which the cyclist responded calmly, causing the studio audience to applaud him.”
Fortunately the discussion around the page’s fake stories, and Google AI’s interpretation of them, means it now flags it all as made-up, but what strange times we’re living through…
Was there ever any doubt?
Different bike, same outcome 👊🏻
Despite last-minute changes from TT bikes to road bikes, time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel still won Stage 2 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana ahead of teammate Aleksandr Vlasov 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/vwgf4c6tCc
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) February 5, 2026
Racing round-up: Lorena Wiebes gets 2026 underway with a win, but Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana time trial neutralised due to strong wins
Wiebes wins with ease 😮💨
Lorena Wiebes proved once again she’s the woman to beat in the sprints, delivering another imperious performance to take her 119th career win on Stage 1 of the UAE Women’s Tour 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/D39RCFz1kr
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) February 5, 2026
The sprint queen is up and running in 2026. New year, same result, this first stage of the UAE Women’s Tour all too familiar for every other team trying to get Wiebes beat. Just look at that gap back to Lara Gillespie and Zoe Bäckstedt.
Over in Spain, the TT at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana has been neutralised amid strong winds and reports of roadside barriers being blown over. The stage win is still up for grabs and Remco Evenepoel has just rolled down the start ramp as we speak. He’ll have to beat Brandon McNulty’s 20.47, so we should know fairly soon.
On the decision to neutralise the GC, the organisers confirmed: “As a result of the safety protocol meeting, comprising the various departments previously communicated, and following a thorough analysis of the situation and the conditions under which the stage will be conducted, the decision has been taken to proceed with the start in accordance to the planned route.
“Nevertheless, it has been agreed that the times recorded will not count towards the general classification. The stage will have a stage winner, and the corresponding podium ceremony will be held in accordance with the established protocol.”
British cycling clothing brand Le Col bought by Head Group, months on from founder's departure following years of heavy losses
Common sense prevails (for now)... Ineos Grenadiers don black shorts
View this post on Instagram
The grey/white ones are gone and Ineos are back in black. Maybe someone’s pointed out to a chief bean-counter behind-the-scenes just how much extra washing the white ones would have meant? Those controversial shorts did get an outing in Aus recently, but the reality of European weather vs summer Down Under might have forced their hand.
Pro cyclist struck by speeding 100kph driver in alleged hit and run – despite being "perfectly visible" with hi-vis jersey and flashing light
"Not the best start to the year, but I'll bounce back": Mads Pedersen breaks collarbone and wrist in crash in first race of the season, faces disrupted classics prep
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A tough start to 2026 for Mads Pedersen, the Dane crashing and breaking his collarbone and wrist on stage one of Volta a la Communitat Valenciana.
Pedersen is undergoing surgery on his collarbone today, the wrist injury not believed to require an operation as things stand.
It all puts his spring classics campaign up in the air, at the very least disrupting his early-season racing and prep for the cobbles.
“Not the best start of the year,” Pedersen wrote on Instagram. “I’ll bounce back.”
Lime bike boss proposes adjusting traffic lights "to reward safe cyclists"
But can Matt Richardson do this?
Dutch cyclist Piet Van Kempen having breakfast at a six-day event in 1936
📷Derek Berwin
— Cool Bike Art (@coolbikeart1.bsky.social) 4 February 2026 at 17:48
European Track Championships: Matt Richardson ends Harrie Lavreysen's seven-year winning run + Josie Knight breaks individual pursuit world record
It was another successful day for the Brits in Konya at the 2026 UEC Track Elite European Championships, Josie Knight and Matt Richardson adding another two gold medals to the tally. Great Britain sit at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final day of competition.
Richardson ended world champion Harrie Lavreysen’s unbeaten run in the sprint, this the first time that Dutchman has lost the event since 2019. Lavreysen took the first race before Richardson landed the second, the first time he’s ever beaten the 19-time world champion over the line.
In the decider, Richardson launched with one lap to go and held off Lavreysen to take a stunning win.
“It was hopefully an exciting final for the people watching at home,” Richardson said afterwards. “I certainly enjoyed myself; It was a really hard-fought battle. I’ve been working on trying to beat Harrie for many many years and always fell a little bit short so it’s really satisfying to finally get on that top step. I’m really proud to be able to wear this jersey for the next year and I’m going to enjoy it a lot.”
Elsewhere, Josie Knight regained the European individual pursuit title, setting a world record in the process. Knight’s time of 4:19.461 took 4.181 seconds off Vittoria Bussi’s previous record from May 2025. Teammate Millie Couzens won bronze to make it a British 1-3 on the podium.
Incredibly serious Zwift safety concerns... (not)
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I’ve got a G-Line. I quite like the look of some of that bling. I can’t imagine any of it will be cheap though. :( It’s already quite an expensive bike.
@SVXY It does not say you can't ride three or more abreast. It does not say that to do so would be inconsiderate. I'm afraid your opinion that it would be has no particular legal status.
@SVXY Rule 66 of the highway code says you can ride two abreast but to also 'be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups.' It does not say you can ride three or four abreast which would not be considerate of the needs of other road users. As the highway code is used by prosecution lawyers as evidence to convict in Road Traffic Act offences cases you certainly could therefore be prosecuted and convicted for careless cycling if cycling three or four abreast
@SVXY This is a curious tactic - rebutting your own argument with your very next sentence.
Affordable? Starting at £6K? You 'having a larf?
@SVXY Ah, so it *is* the "flood the zone with shit" argumentation technique then? Or perhaps ... you are genuinely unclear about the difference between the Highway code and the law (and perhaps the difference between cyclists, drivers and indeed horse riders? And rusty on safe practice? As mdavidford notes you appear to be confusing rule with Rule 66 (for cyclists, which doesn't say anything about not riding x abreast) with Rule 53 (for horse riders which gives guidance not to more than double up - I don't think this is a direct summary of any law since "should" not "must"). Charitably I'm going with "*i* know what it says!" which as I noted many of people feel they do. Anyway away with you, I feel you've had your fill of attention for today.
Road tax was abolished in 1937 by Winston Churchill because, as he said, "road tax makes motorists believe they are the moral owners of our roads." He got that right.
@SVXY None of the magistrates who sentenced him said the CPS should have charged him with dangerous driving. Why should they? He was not speeding, he was not on his phone and he was not drunk or under the influence of drugs either
@SVXY The court does not decide on whether someone was driving carelessly or dangerously, they can only decide on the guilt or otherwise of the defendant on the charge the CPS decides to lay against them. The CPS is notorious for preferring to charge careless rather than dangerous because it's an easier win; this results in entirely unjust sentences such as this one.
@Rendel Harris Wearing sandals may be fine if cycling on tracks over fields or in a quiet residential street with a 20 or 30mph limit. It is not sensible cycling on a 60mph main road
6 thoughts on ““Completely made up”: Cycling page with thousands of followers spreads bizarre fake stories, including one claiming Tadej Pogačar confronted by Greta Thunberg during TV interview; Incredibly serious Zwift safety concerns… (not) + more on the live blog”
I think perhaps you meant the first time that he’s not failed to lose it.
Didn’t we see Van Kempen’s bike on the blog a couple of weeks ago?
https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-22-january-2026-317755#Mother%20of%20God!
It appears the Irish government previously discussed plans to make helmets and hiviz mandatory for ebikes and escooters are being extended to apply to bicycles too: https://irishcycle.com/2026/02/04/all-bicycles-included-in-draft-plan-for-mandatory-helmets-and-high-vis-department-confirms/
Write to your TDs now!
https://road.cc/content/news/ireland-introduce-helmet-and-hi-vis-laws-cyclists-317819
Check the dates. That road.cc article is from January 26th, and the Irishcycle article is from February 4th. As the Irishcycle article states:
” today was the first time that they have made it clear that all bicycles are included in the draft plans”.
I.e., this story has developed since the road.cc article you’ve referred to.
That wouldn’t surprise me :-/
Maybe you should update the previous thread, it’ll probably be lost in here.