Welcome to Wednesday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team…
Live blog: Doctors untangle cyclist’s dangly bits after he gets them stuck in bike bits (somehow); N London Dirt Gravel ride returns; Fiona Kolbinger leads Transcontinental Race; Video: NYPD ticket cyclist for breaking non-existent helmet law + more
All today’s news from the site and beyond…
Wed, Jul 31, 2019 18:43
SUMMARY
31 July 2019, 18:43
"It's over, I give up": Thibaut Pinot consoled by Groupama FDJ's Directeur Sportif in French documentary
Les mots de Marc Madiot à @ThibautPinot quelques minutes après son abandon sur le Tour de France… #AvecThibaut #TDF2019 pic.twitter.com/WWU6a9HKxD
— France 2 (@France2tv) July 29, 2019
Pinot’s Tour de France of course ended in tears after he was forced to abandon on stage 17 due to injury, that has since been diagnosed as a torn quadricep. In this French documentary that aired on Sunday night in France, Marc Madiot is trying to console his distraught rider following his abandon. Pinot says “Every time it’s the same, every time”, and “It’s over, I give up”, with Madiot protesting that Pinot did everything right and it wasn’t to be: “Carry on doing everything well and one day or another a door will open.
“A guy like you doesn’t give up. Ever since you’ve been a rider, you’ve never given up until now. You’ve overcome everything.
“We’re going to get you there. We’re not going to leave you. The team is behind you.”
At the end of the clip Pinot is sobbing uncontrollably, and simply says: “I’m fed up.”
31 July 2019, 18:43
A Dutch-style police chase
Dutch police arrest Dutch pickpocket in the most Dutch way possible.
(According to Reddit) #WhatTheDutch pic.twitter.com/SvOiV0532t
— Brandon Lust (@CaraiVei1) July 30, 2019
Forget guns, sirens and all that lark – this officer simply pedals up alongside a pickpocket nonchalantly and cuffs him without barely saying a word. Now that’s efficient policing!
31 July 2019, 18:43
Part of Road World Championships course collapses with less than two months to go
8 weeks until the world championships in Yorkshire and this is the current state of the bridge half way up Grinton Moor pic.twitter.com/zQfWujAGeC
— Sam Blades (@SamBlades93) July 30, 2019
Intense flash flooding in Yorkshire has caused vehicles to be swept away and roads to collapse, and with the Road World Championships coming to Yorkshire in September this is what a part of the course now looks like. The road up Grinton Moor between Wensleydale and Swaledale is completely impassable after a bridge collapsed, with over 3 inches of rain falling in less than 24 hours and hailstones ‘the size of pickled onions’ were reported.
The Ard Rock enduro mountain bike festival, due to take place this weekend, has already been cancelled because of the flooding, with the organisers saying on their Facebook page that they are “doing everything in our power to ensure our team on the ground is safe, and we can support all those who need help.”
31 July 2019, 18:43
It takes two
Some accidentally very clever photography going on here…
31 July 2019, 18:43
Transcontinental Race breaking news: Fiona Kolbinger now in overall lead as Jonathan Rankin pulls out
Rankin cited horrendous foot pains for his reason for dropping out, but saying it had been “a pleasure” despite being forced to ‘scratch’ from the race.
For years we’ve waited, knowing it is possible. Finally and with a vengeance, Fiona Kolbinger has arrived @transconrace. I’m rooting for her. Rockstar. What a time for our sport. pic.twitter.com/VSVEJv1QS0
— James Hayden (@JamesMarkHayden) July 31, 2019
It means that Fiona Kolbinger is now leading the race overall, having just crossed the border between Italy and Switzerland – the tweet of support above is from James Hayden, who won the 2017 and 2018 editions. Ben Davies is in second, and quite far behind Davis in third is Sam Thomas. Could we get a first female overall winner of the annual epic in its seventh edition? The tracker can be found here.
Unfamiliar with the Transcon? Check out our handy guide.
31 July 2019, 18:43
If you thought Fiona Kolbinger's Transcon lead was impressive, wait till you see the Strava evidence
Kolbinger is riding for around 17 hours a day so far at a hugely impressive average speed, clocking up her biggest day yet yesterday covering 475km. If she keeps this up, there can only be one winner.
Link to her Strava profile is here if you want to feel very inspired/completely jealous.
31 July 2019, 18:43
Video: NYPD officers ticket 45-year-old cyclist – for ignoring non-existent helmet law
Video has emerged of two New York Police Department officers ticketing a 45-year-old cyclist for not wearing a helmet – even though it is not illegal to ride a bike there without one.
Adults pulled over for not wearing helmets. What’s most impressive about this video (not where they parked) but that they quote the law with such authority, even #2 pulling out his phone and offering a legal opinion with a little swagger, all the time being dead ass wrong. pic.twitter.com/lHVJ4DytXo
— Daniel Flanzig (@NYbikelawyer) July 30, 2019
In the incident, which happened on Saturday morning in Brooklyn when Ricky Bernstein, his wife and two other cyclists were pulled over for riding through a red light, an officer told him: “In New York City, you should not be riding without a helmet.”
Bernstein said that the four were kept waiting for 45 minutes while officers tried to determine if they had broken any other offences other than riding through the red light.
He told the pair: “A helmet’s not a law either,” to which one of the officers responded sceptically, “It’s not? OK.”
“No, it’s not,” Bernstein continued. “I’m 100 per cent positive.” He was correct; in New York, only cyclists aged 14 years and below have to wear a helmet.
The NYPD subsequently said in a statement: “The summons issued to the male for not wearing a helmet was issued in error and has been voided.”
The court summons issued for running the red light still stands, however.
31 July 2019, 18:43
TfL's cycling grants helping people to get out on bike rides
Yesterday @Heidi_LDN & I visited @Time_Talents and saw how they’ve used @tfl’s Cycling Grants funding to offer cycle rides for older people in Southwark.
We’ve increased the funding & expanded it to include walking. Find out how to apply here: https://t.co/bQdzNnR9zg pic.twitter.com/xpCfwICNy5
— Will Norman (@willnorman) July 31, 2019
Funded by TfL’s community grants scheme, with a total of £500,000 in grants made available, Time Talents are running a befriending program that offers older people bike rides around London with willing riders. London’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner Will Norman had a go at taking two willing participants for a spin yesterday.
Alan (87) and Bill (96) have been enjoying cycling with @Time_Talents befriending programme, funded by @tfl‘s community grants. Yesterday, they braved the rain and (even more bravely) let me cycle them around Southwark, while telling me how the area has changed. pic.twitter.com/drybStDyTI
— Will Norman (@willnorman) July 31, 2019
31 July 2019, 18:43
How much do you really love your bike?
Randy cyclist has to be cut free after having sex with his bike and getting todger trapped in the gears https://t.co/Ltp10dexJK
— The Sun (@TheSun) July 31, 2019
Probably not as much as this guy (apologies for the S*n link).
31 July 2019, 18:43
North London Dirt gravel ride returns on Sunday 8th September
Here’s an event that looks a lot of fun, and it’s for charidee!
Back for a second year, the North London Dirt II is a 70-mile gravel ride that heads out of London, starting Rapha Spitalfields CC and returning to London N16 via a mix of quiet roads, urban cut-throughs, gravel tracks and fun singletrack.
The event is open to about 100 riders with all profits going to a local charity, the St Mary’s Centre in Stoke Newington. You can get your entry in at www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-ride-journal-17443784689 and it costs £22.
It’s a brand new route this year and takes in “many back roads, dirt tracks and gravel paths as we’ve been able to fit in” say the organisers. They say anything over a 32mm cyclocross tyre is fit for the task so best leave your skinny slicks at home.
The organisers also add that it’s no sportive, there won’t be arrows at every junction, so you’ll need a degree of navigational ability (or download the route to your cycling computer) and be self-supported with enough food and spares to get you round.
(Photo © Dan Glasser)
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Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
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Latest Comments
Gkam84 17 minutes ago
I cannot edit my post; the need for a clear distinction between the two is not for semantics, but for those of us who are convoy drivers, who are licensed for that role. We take it very seriously and can incur fines and punishment from the UCI for wrongdoing. Those in front, in the caravan, are just normal everyday drivers and do not have the experience of driving in a race convoy, sometimes at speed, with riders all around us. Therefore, should not be taking risks on any part of the route.
Gkam84 21 minutes ago
Your wording on this needs to be clear, you've mixed up two different parts of the race. The vehicle was from the publicity caravan (Out in front of the race), similar to what you get at the Tour de France, they throw out merchandise to roadside fans, but later in the article, you say "Tour du Rwanda’s official convoy". The convoy on a UCI race is the vehicles which travel behind the race "in convoy" which include the team cars, officals cars, neutral service...etc. You need to have clear distinction between the two. This was not a convoy vehicle, it was a caravan vehicle.
Rome73 49 minutes ago
“when the government confirmed that Nottinghamshire County Council will receive £6.7 million for active travel over the next four years, with part of this funding to be used to repair the greenway” Wow - 6.7 million for the WHOLE council for a WHOLE four years for active travel. And once this one shared route has been repaired and the barriers paid for, there could be a WHOLE five million left for the rest of the county. For four years! Astonishingly generous. Imagine how much excellent infrastructure they will build.
Rendel Harris 1 hour ago
Standard journalist protection against any possible action for libel or defamation when mentioning any accusation that hasn't been proven in court. Obviously it's pretty unlikely that an unidentified person (it doesn't even say in which country the incident occurred) would be taking legal action over this but it's good practice always to include it. While there is no reason to believe Swenson has made up the story there are always different perspectives: the driver or passenger might well claim that the door was already open before he arrived and he wasn't paying attention. Unless/until a case is proved in court or by admission it remains an allegation and so it's safest to add the "allegedly" proviso.
cmedred 2 hours ago
Swenson was hit by "a motorist’s car door, which was 'allegedly' swung open into his path." Allegedly swung open? Is there some reason to believe Swenson is making up this story?
RayG 7 hours ago
And to show the sleeves with the dummy in the riding position.
RayG 7 hours ago
The people who would listen to them aren't much of the problem. What're needed are for [insert high profile sportsball people of your choice] to do this.
mark1a 10 hours ago
Get some help you tedious fool.
Backladder 11 hours ago
No, now everybody can see the space after your opening bracket!
Backladder 11 hours ago
What he means is there's nowhere to park all day for free! Morrisons has a 2 hour limit and the shopping centre is pay and display.
13 thoughts on “Live blog: Doctors untangle cyclist’s dangly bits after he gets them stuck in bike bits (somehow); N London Dirt Gravel ride returns; Fiona Kolbinger leads Transcontinental Race; Video: NYPD ticket cyclist for breaking non-existent helmet law + more”
I have huge respect for Pinot
I have huge respect for Pinot and love the way he attacks races.
That sounds like he’s
That sounds like he’s retiring
I blame the flooding on all
I blame the flooding on all the people on r/britishproblems who wished the hot weather would go away.*
*and global warming.
Fiona. You rock.
Fiona. You rock.
I’ve never crossed the Swiss
I’ve never crossed the Swiss-Slovenian border. You must show me where it is sometime so that I can go there.
clayfit wrote:
But the Swiss-Slovenian border is huge! – literally millions of people live on the border between Switzerland and Slovenia
If I were the NY cyclists I
If I were the NY cyclists I might be tempted to fight the red light thing, if BOTH officers can be mistaken about the laws that they are meant to be enforcing, they may be mistaken about the colour (sorry, color) of the light when the cyclists rode through the junction.
ktache wrote:
Wouldn’t do you any good. Even if you won (which you shouldn’t, as you broke the law), US police forces are basically I’ll-controlled paramilitary units. You’d end up being targeted every time they fancied a go at you. Literally sitting outside your house and following you when you left, watching for any minornteansgression and inventing one if you didn’t commit any. If you were super unlucky you might end up getting shot. Why anyone chooses to live there is an absolute mystery to me.
Zebulebu wrote:
If I were the NY cyclists I might be tempted to fight the red light thing, if BOTH officers can be mistaken about the laws that they are meant to be enforcing, they may be mistaken about the colour (sorry, color) of the light when the cyclists rode through the junction.
— Zebulebu Wouldn’t do you any good. Even if you won (which you shouldn’t, as you broke the law), US police forces are basically I’ll-controlled paramilitary units. You’d end up being targeted every time they fancied a go at you. Literally sitting outside your house and following you when you left, watching for any minornteansgression and inventing one if you didn’t commit any. If you were super unlucky you might end up getting shot. Why anyone chooses to live there is an absolute mystery to me.— ktache
To be free?*
*may contain irony. In this case sufficient to be magnetic.
Well, that injury certainly
Well, that injury certainly beats being bitten by a disc brake rotor… “Yes, doctor, I fell… Yes, it is very unlucky…”
brooksby wrote:
Well he’s obviously using the wrong lubrication – in this weather he should have been using wet lube not dry.
Really feel for Pinot, he
Really feel for Pinot, he certainly hasn’t had great luck, and for a rider with so much pressure and expectation it must be pretty hard.
I hope he doesn’t give up, especially after showing just what kind of form he was in this year, FDJ looked like they’ve really got their heads around supporting him in races this year. I’ve always wondered how he might have fared if he’d signed to a different team a few years ago.
The randy ‘cyclist’ may or
The randy ‘cyclist’ may or may not actually be a cyclist, but that gear wheel he was trying to shag was certainly not off a bicycle! More likely that it’s from a moped or motorbike.
Perhaps he thought he was shagging a bicycle, but after getting intimate with the gears it turned out to be a cross mesher!