Welcome to Friday’s live blog with Simon MacMichael, Jack Sexty and the rest off the team.
Scientists urge WADA to ban spinach due to steroid-like effects; Coast To Coast In A Day sportive tomorrow (and 2020 entries open Monday); Dutch gov’t tells cyclists to leave phone in pocket as ban comes in + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond in the road.cc Live Blog
Fri, Jun 28, 2019 21:33
SUMMARY
28 June 2019, 21:33
Alex Dowsett wins national time trial championship for the sixth time
Alex Dowsett, who has been named in Katusha team for the Tour de France, will be riding the time trial stages in the colours of British national champion after winning the event for the sixth time in Norfolk yesterday.
Afterwards he said: “There were a few years where getting this jersey came quite easy and I guess I took it for granted. I think I will enjoy wearing it this time more than the other times I’ve had them. Today was a fight.
“I think I was down after one-third of the distance and this was a bit of a worry because I’d given a lot in this part of the course.
“Then at two-thirds it was touch and go, but then I brought it home well. We have some real fast guys in the Uk and the calibre of riders coming through is huge, so I don’t know when the last time in the national stripes will be so I’m going to enjoy every moment of this.”
28 June 2019, 21:33
Dowsett's new moniker recognised by the UCI...
May as well head to the registry/deed poll and get it properly changed now it’s been acknowledged at the highest level. Need all helps at the tdf I can get. https://t.co/iOtxJzhHPX
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) June 28, 2019
The new self-proclaimed ‘Alex van der Dowsaerttpoel’ (we presume the name is in tribute to a certain very talented Dutchman) has pretty much been knighted with the esteemed title…
28 June 2019, 21:33
Oregon cyclist sues city after workman places cable across cycle path
A cyclist is suing the city a Portland, Oregon, after a workman stretched a metal cable across a cycle path while it was closed for repairs.
James Thorne says the city was negligent in connection with the May 2018 incident, which happened in Kelley Point Park.
His lawsuit alleges that the cable was not clearly visible to riders, and that the city had failed to notify park users that the path was closed,
He sustained injuries to his back, neck and elbows and also had to undergo surgery on his left shoulder and right wrist.
Thorne is seeking $1 million in noneconomic damages for “pain, discomfort and interference with ordinary activities,” plus $86,000 in medical expenses, almost $85,000 in lost wages and $12,000 for damage to his bike.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Bloody cyclists, holding up traffic, rescuing ducks...
Rescued some ducklings this morning. First time I’ve been cheered for holding up traffic on me bike. from r/bicycling
This Redditer described his heroic act as the “first time I’ve been cheered for holding up traffic on me bike”.
*We’ve been told on certain browsers Reddit vids don’t appear to work, so here’s the link JIC
28 June 2019, 21:33
Glaston-bike
Lovely day for a bike ride! DH pic.twitter.com/zGJhpI3zbv
— Glastonbury Live (@GlastoLive) June 28, 2019
28 June 2019, 21:33
Dutch government tells cyclists to leave their phone in their pocket as ban comes in
The Dutch government has launched a publicity campaign urging cyclists to “Leave your phone in your pocket and save yourself a €95 fine” ahead of a new law banning people from using a mobile phone while riding a bike coming into force on Monday, reports dutchnews.nl.
The country’s transport minister, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, said: ‘In the traffic, an accident is just around the corner and this is why it’s important for all road users – including cyclists – to keep their eyes and minds on the road and not on their telephone screen.
“We often think that we can multi-task in traffic, but we really can’t, so please drive in ‘mono’ mode. I have a clear message for all cyclists: keep your phone, and your €95 in your pocket.”
28 June 2019, 21:33
Four-year doping bans for Denifl and Preidler
Professional cyclists Stefan Denifl and Georg Preidler have both been banned for four years for blood doping.
The two riders were provisionally suspended by the UCI in March after admitting being part of the Operation Aderlass blood doping investigation in their native Austria.
Denifl has been stripped of results including a stage win at the 2017 Vuelta.
28 June 2019, 21:33
First Look: Cannondale SuperSix Evo 2020
Cannondale has totally redesigned its flagship carbon road race bike with an all-new frame that is more aerodynamic, stiffer and comfortable than the bike first introduced in 2011 and last updated in 2015, with wider tyre clearance and revised geometry with choice of rim or disc brakes.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Froome is fed up...
Working on my patience #recovery #cycling pic.twitter.com/wFMDRcyIfN
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 28, 2019
…and dreaming of getting back on the bike again. Let’s hope the doctor’s predictions were correct.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Scientists call for spinach ban for athletes due to steroid-like effects
Scientists have called for spinach to be banned for athletes after discovering steroid-like effects.
Vice reports that researchers at the Freie Universität Berlin have recommended that a chemical called ecdysterone that is found in spinach should be added to WADA’s prohibited list due to potentially steroid-like effects.
They said: “Our hypothesis was that we would see an increase in performance, but we didn’t expect it to be that big. We recommended to WADA in our report that the substance be added to the doping list. We think that if it increases performance, then that unfair advantage should be eliminated.”
You’d have to be eating Popeye-esque quantities of the green stuff to feel the benefits, though – 4 kilograms a day, in fact, or 40 of the 100 gram bags it often comes in at the supermarket.
28 June 2019, 21:33
Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to jointly lead Team Ineos at Tour de France
Team Ineos will go into the Tour de france, which starts in Brussels a week tomorrow, with Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal as joint leaders – and they have a very strong supporting cast to back them up. Find out all about it here.
28 June 2019, 21:33
The eighth Coast To Coast In A Day sportive is tomorrow - and entries for 2020 open on Monday
With midsummer upon us, we’re coming into the height of the sportive season and tomorrow sees the eighth edition of one that combines one of the country’s bucket list cycle routes with some of its toughest climbs – the Coast To Coast In A Day.
1,000 riders will enjoy what is forecast to be glorious weather as they ride 150 miles from Seascale on the Cumbrian coast across to Whitby on the North Sea with 4,500 metres of climbing in between, including the Hardknott and Wrynose Passes before tackling the North Yorkshire Moors.
Organised by Open Cycling, the event sells out each year – the 2020 edition takes place on 20th June and if you want to get ride it, entries open next Monday 1 July. Find out more on Open Cycling’s Facebook page.
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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Latest Comments
Gm_Crop 8 hours ago
I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
IanGlasgow 8 hours ago
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
Rendel Harris 10 hours ago
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Bill H 10 hours ago
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
pbunyon 10 hours ago
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
chrisonabike 10 hours ago
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
belugabob 10 hours ago
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
Astralstroll 13 hours ago
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
Mr Anderson 14 hours ago
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
MaxiMinimalist 14 hours ago
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
25 thoughts on “Scientists urge WADA to ban spinach due to steroid-like effects; Coast To Coast In A Day sportive tomorrow (and 2020 entries open Monday); Dutch gov’t tells cyclists to leave phone in pocket as ban comes in + more”
With the Portland thing
With the Portland thing (America’s big cycling city) it would appear that the cable was the closure, no hanging signs or tape, no cones, no standing signs. A bit like doing a temporary road closure by sinking solid black metal posts in a road, hoping that was enough and wondering why it was destroying cars and injuring the occupants. And then being sued.
$12000 damages for his bike?
$12000 damages for his bike?
Rick_Rude wrote:
10k bike plus accessories and the frame snapped.
Then again America, so they start high with their claims.
Holding up traffic like that?
Holding up traffic like that? He should have got a bill.
hawkinspeter wrote:
What do the Inland Revenue and a duck have in common?
They can both stick their bills up their ass.
Dowsett has been observing
Dowsett has been observing for a few weeks/months on Twitter that having ‘van’, ‘aert’ or ‘poel’ in your name is an unfair advantage this season (e.g. Lampaert, van Aert, van der Poel, Poels, Evenepoel).
Given that he specified his name in the morning before doing the race, should we regard this ‘name-doping’ as unfair preparation?
jollygoodvelo wrote:
Well if all the other top riders are on it…
Anyone know the specifics on
Anyone know the specifics on the Dutch thing?
[Edit] France24 have it that you have to be moving.
[Extra Edit] Holland-Cycling has a bit more-
https://www.holland-cycling.com/blog/300-mobile-phone-use-on-bike-illegal
The last bit: The new law applies to holding or operating your device. So if you want to use your navigation, take pictures or make a video while you are riding, make sure you use a holder on your handle bars or helmet. Just don’t press any buttons while you’re riding!
About that new Dutch law: it
About that new Dutch law: it applies to all mobile electronic devices. So you’re also not allowed to take your GPS out of its holder (which makes sense).
Presumably that would also
Presumably that would also make it illegal to operate the compouter functions (speed etc) of a GPS-equipped bike computer while moving.
Depends on what they mean by
Depends on what they mean by “mobile electronic devices”. If that’s meant literally, then it could apply to turning on/off bike lights which I doubt they would want. I think they mean “mobile” as in “mobile telecommunications” which could exclude GPS devices.
I think it’d be clearer if they specified not staring at a screen (e.g. more than a second or two) whilst moving.
We’d need to consult the
We’d need to consult the original Dutch to see whether it includes eg Bluetooth-equipped devices. In any case, we can hope that the law will be applied pragmatically.
Bmblbzzz wrote:
If it follows the usual pattern, it’ll be applied pragmatically if you are old and white, mostly ok if you are young and white and incredibly aggressively if you are none of the above.
So how many people are being
So how many people are being killed/injured by people on bikes using phones, just so we know the data and risk factor? Are they going to apply the same law for pedestrians, if not, why not, surely the risk is pretty much the same isn’t it if not more so? oh wait, peds using phones utterly ignoring their environment and hurting people doesn’t count!
The fine for 20% over a 50km/h limit in an urban(other) area is €48, doing 60km/h in a 50km/h zone is €75,
The equivalent fine of €95 is for doing 42km/h in a 30 zone or 64km/h in a 50 zone, so in the lower speed limit (residential), one were there’s greater danger posed by motorists, if you’re 40% over the posted speed limit that gets you the same penalty as a person using a mobile phone whilst cycling, seems legit!
Oh do shut up.
Oh do shut up.
fukawitribe wrote:
if you’re responding to my post then no I won’t. This is a forum to discuss the subject maters at hand. Instead of dribbling like you’ve lost your marbles why not enter into a normal conversation/discussion, is it too hard for you?
Seems that the squirrels are
Seems that the squirrels are further up the food chain than ducklings in some places. At least the DfT seem to think so.
Grey squirrels are vermin!
Grey squirrels are vermin!
I really want to know why the
I really want to know why the squirrel did cross the road.
Was it because it was nuts or to show that it wasn’t chicken?
hawkinspeter wrote:
maybe an initiation ritual?
giff77 wrote:
Not as tough as the pheasant initiation.
Froomy is finally catching up
Froomy is finally catching up with GoT; hence the expression.
Ha, I’d always thought that
Ha, I’d always thought that gangs of cats waited by the side of the road, telling one of them “wait, wait, wait.. go, go go” whenever a car was close enough.
An official overview of the
An official overview of the new dutch law is here: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2019/06/28/%E2%80%98laat-je-telefoon-lekker-zitten-en-hou-95-euro-in-je-zak%E2%80%99
The term used is “vasthouden”, i.e. holding the device, so using it should be fine, as long as you’re not holding it. And the article explicitly states that /operating/ a device that is in a holder is OK:
“Als een mobiel apparaat in een houder zit mag het wel worden gebruikt, bijvoorbeeld voor navigatie of handsfree bellen.”
I.e.: “If a mobile device is in a holder, then it may be used. For example for navigation or hands-free calls”.
So… seems pretty sensible.
Just how much did the spinach
Just how much did the spinach growers pay for that research?