“They’ve prioritised cyclists over small businesses”: Cycle lane running through Christmas market forces organiser to step down over “safety fears”; Scots urged to emulate Basque fans by waving saltires at home worlds + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Scots urged to emulate Basque fans by waving saltires at home worlds
Is that Crow Road, or is it the Col du Tourmalet?
That’s the (admittedly rather bizarre) question one Scottish nationalist is hoping people will be asking throughout the upcoming all-in-one UCI world cycling championships, which he hopes will turn Scotland into a kind of Pyrenees-north-of-the-Tweed.
Cycling fan Eric Anderson told The National newspaper (which, I’m sure you know, isn’t a big fan of the whole United Kingdom thing) that he was inspired by the cycling-mad fans of the Basque Country during the Tour de France’s opening three days in the region earlier this month and – most importantly – the ubiquitous sight of their distinctive red, green, and white ikurrina flag.
So, Anderson is now calling on his fellow Scots to put on their best Basque impression during the worlds by making sure the Saint Andrew’s Cross is a constant presence on the roads, at the trackside, and on the TV coverage.
(A.S.O/Charly Lopez)
“It struck me while watching it just how proud people were to be Basque,” Anderson said.
“And it made me think that we’ve got this huge event coming to Scotland and we really shouldn’t miss the opportunity show that same kind of passion. It’s a fantastic opportunity to highlight the beauty and friendship of our country on an international stage.
“When the men’s road race departs from Edinburgh on August 6, it’s a pity that the aerial footage will show the Union Flag flying on many of the capital’s most prominent buildings.
“But in the tradition of cycling road racing, it’s the fans along the way who capture the imagination. So, bring your Saltires along as you stand by the road, wave them passionately as you encourage the competitors, but most of all respect the riders, give them space, and make these world championships the most memorable yet!”
Well, whatever your political affiliations, I think we can definitely all agree – after some of the chaos at the Tour – on the whole ‘give the riders space’ thing…
It’s all about the bike: Check out Jonas Vingegaard’s yellow jersey winning machines
> The bikes ridden to Tour de France victory: Jonas Vingegaard’s Cervelo S5, R5 and P5
Tour de France Femmes stage three preview: Could the sprinters finally get their chance in Montignac-Lascaux?
It’s fair to say that the first two stages of this year’s Tour de France Femmes weren’t especially kind to its sprinting contingent.
On stage one, the sprinters were foiled by a rampant Lotte Kopecky and the ruins of a disorganised chase behind, while yesterday’s relentlessly difficult ride through the Massif Central – capped off with a popular win by Liane Lippert (that’s one each in the Movistar-SD Worx phony war, if you’re keeping score) – saw Lorena Wiebes and Marianne Vos finish almost 16 minutes down, and Charlotte Kool a further three and a half minutes back.
After two stage wins last year, will today be another Wiebes and SD Worx day at the Tour? (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
But today’s finale in Montignac-Lascaux, with its 650-metre long, plan flat finish straight, should finally see former teammates Kool and Wiebes go head-to-head for sprint supremacy at the Tour, with Vos and potentially Elisa Balsamo (still recovering from a horrific crash at RideLondon in May) snapping at their superfast heels.
Not that the stage is a straightforward, nailed on sprinters’ day, however. The 147km from Collonges-La-Rouge is constantly up and down all day and features five categorised climbs before a constantly rolling (and possibly attack-inspiring) final 50 kilometres.
Well, they weren’t going to make the first big sprint of the 2023 Tour Femmes an easy one, were they?
We’re gonna sponsor like it’s 1999: Polti set for return to cycling with Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso’s team
When it comes to professional cycling, nothing beats a bit of 1990s nostalgia (wait, what? They did what during the 1990s?!).
Well, if you conveniently ignore all the doping scandals, the turbo-charged performances, and the last days of Rome debauchery, cycling fans will be treated to an iconic throwback from next year, as Polti – the Italian steam ironing brand whose name adorned the kits of Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Gianni Bugno, and Richard Virenque – is set to return to the sport as the title sponsor of Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso’s second division team.
Polti, and potentially its brilliantly garish red, yellow, and green kit, will replace the blue of Eolo and Kometa at the team, as Basso and Contador aim to improve and internationalise a team that has taken two mountain stage wins at the Giro d’Italia over the past three years, courtesy of Lorenzo Fortunato’s epic win on Monte Zoncolan in 2021 and Davide Bais’ victory on Gran Sasso d’Italia in May.
(CorVos/SWpix.com)
Whether the new Polti can replicate the (admittedly tainted) success of the 1990s-era Polti remains to be seen. Founded in 1994, the team immediately achieved success through former Giro winner Bugno at the Tour of Flanders, before the ‘Tashkent Terror’ Abdoujaparov sprinted to a stage win and the points competition at the Giro and backed that up with two stages and the green jersey at the Tour de France.
Polti also tasted victory the following year at the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, courtesy of Mauro Gianetti, and the Tour of Lombardy in 1999 through Mirko Celestino. In 2000, the last year of their sponsorship, the exiled Virenque – still in denial over his doping at Festina long after all his mates had confessed to taking EPO – won the Morzine stage of the Tour de France.
While Contador and Basso would take even a fraction of that success for the new 2020s-era Polti team, I’m sure they could do without the accusations of widespread doping on the squad, first aired by Jörg Jaksche in the late 2000s.
“Not all sponsors are the same. Some sponsors give new life and write exciting new chapters in our lives,” Ivan Basso said, confirming the future of the team and its riders.
“I’m proud that the Polti family has entrusted us with the responsibility and honour of following on from the unforgettable moments of cycling history of their past.”
Just don’t follow on from all the moments, eh Birillo?
Brighton city centre recycling to be collected by e-cargo bikes
Recycling waste from businesses in Brighton city centre is to be collected by e-cargo bikes, in a scheme by cargo bike delivery service Zedify and recycling company Recorra that aims to reduce carbon emissions in the area, our sister site ebiketips reports.
The bikes will be fitted with large boxes that will take the waste away to be made into paper which will then be redistributed to offices in the city.
Read more: > Brighton city centre recycling to be collected by e-cargo bikes
Memorial bench dedicated to late Ayrshire cycling legend stolen and site vandalised
Cyclists in Ayrshire say they have been left “heartbroken” and “devastated” after a memorial bench dedicated to a popular local cycling writer was stolen and the site, including a memorial cairn, vandalised.
The hand-crafted bench, which was cemented into the ground in a remote part of Gallowa Forest Park at Rowantree Toll near Barr, and dedicated in April to long-time Ayrshire Post cycling correspondent and Ayr Road Club member David Bell, was stolen last week.
The thieves also appear to have vandalised the nearby memorial cairn, also erected in memory of Bell, whose articles on cycling for the Post between 1931 and his death in 1965 – published under the pen name The Highwayman – formed the basis of two posthumously-published books. The site’s location was earmarked as “fitting” for a cyclist who wrote so lovingly about the hills of South Ayrshire and Galloway.
“Members of the South Ayrshire communities of Straiton and Barr were disgusted to learn of the theft of the Memorial Bench to the late David Bell from the memorial site at Rowantree Toll last week,” Ayr Roads CC stalwart Arnold Thomson told Ayrshire Live.
“Not only was the beautiful hand-crafted bench stolen, but the Memorial Cairn was also vandalised and sprayed with graffiti.
“The memorial bench was only erected in April of this year in commemoration of Ayrshire Cycling legend, Davie Bell. Vic Possee, former Chairman of Ayr Roads/Arnold Clark Cycling Club, spent many months on a labour of love with the project, that involved sourcing the Galloway Elm for the bench and having it constructed by fellow cyclist Colin Reilly, of Girvan.
“Vic is understandingly heartbroken that vandals should stoop so low to steal the bench and vandalise the cairn. Hundreds of tourists visit the area and the memorial bench was well used by all who stopped at this idyllic spot in the South Carrick Hill Country. Hopefully the culprits will be found.”
Ayr Police are currently investigating the theft.
“Only a matter of time before somebody gets killed”
> Lime hire scheme under fire as residents claim e-bikes “deliberately” left in “dangerous places”
Naturally, this story on locals complaining about yoofs leaving Lime e-bikes strewn across the road, “endangering people”, has prompted one Twitter (or X, or Tesco Express, whatever it’s called) user to dig out a classic of the Abandoned Vehicles Endangering People genre:
‘Only a matter of time before someone gets killed’ pic.twitter.com/SL49xNVABw
— Preston Johnny (@iloveboreens) July 25, 2023
They’re everywhere…
Anyone know why there’s an Ineos Grenadier (as in the 4×4 car) in the convoy? #TDFF2023
— Tim Bonville-Ginn (@TimBonvilleGinn) July 25, 2023
Meanwhile, away from the latest greenwashing attempt to flog a hideous 4×4, it’s all kicking off on today’s stage, with Jumbo-Visma’s former Tour of Flanders winner Coryn Labecki currently up the road.
Not that we can see any of it of course, with the live TV coverage yet to start…
Record audiences for 2023 Tour de France, with Jonas Vingegaard’s crushing time trial performance the second-most watched Tour stage of the last 20 years
Did someone say “Netflix Effect”?
According to figures reported by L’Équipe, the exciting, relentless racing of this year’s Tour de France was reflected in the viewing figures in its home country, with a whopping 42.5 million viewers tuning into the race for at least a minute on France Télévisions, a million more than the 2022 edition.
In addition, 3.7 million viewers in France tuned in to Eurosport’s coverage (so got to see Adam Blythe on a motorbike, the lucky sods), while the average French person watched the Grande Boucle for five hours and 55 minutes, 14 minutes more than last year.
The audience for stages shown on France 2 also broke records, with 4.2 million viewers on average (up by 130,000) and a 44.1 percent audience share.
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
The biggest audience for France Télévisions came, perhaps surprisingly, during last Tuesday’s time trial for the ages by Jonas Vingegaard, as the Dane’s race-winning effort was watched by 6.3 million viewers with a peak of 8.7 million – the second-highest number to tune in to a Tour stage in the past 20 years.
And for a time trial (a time trial!) too…
I can just hear all the Club 10 geeks laughing now: ‘Oh Monsieur Prudhomme isn’t a big fan of time trials, is he? Maybe this’ll make him reconsider and stick an out-and-back dual carriageway stage on next year’s route…’
Don’t try this at home, kids
Another chain issue for an Israel Premier Tech Roland rider!
Elena Hartmann just picks it up and sticks it back on again#TDFF2023 pic.twitter.com/dROhq1xUm8
— Mathew Mitchell (@MatMitchell30) July 25, 2023
Ah, I remember when I could do that without losing a finger or falling into a ditch. Those were the days…
Riders’ union president Adam Hansen wants to develop a sensor to stop motorbikes influencing races
I swear, sometimes it seems like Adam Hansen has been busier in retirement than when he was racing 500 grand tours back-to-back in his pro days…
The CPA riders’ union president’s latest plan to overhaul professional cycling for the better comes in the wake of the various motorbike shenanigans at this year’s Tour de France, though Hansen reckons – beyond the headline hold-ups on the Joux Plane and La Loze – that motos “influence the races too much” in general, by inadvertently providing some handy assistance for draft-seeking riders attacking or chasing back on.
That’s why you always see riders – usually someone like Michał Kwiatkowski – waving away the camera motorbikes from the front of the peloton, especially when they have a teammate in the breakaway not being aided by the moto-generated slipstream.
So, what’s the former Lotto rider’s solution? Lasers (no sharks though, unfortunately).
Yesterday I purchased a later distance sensor. I will start to develop a sensor that could be attached to motorbikes in races to govern the distance from them to the riders. Motorbikes influence the races too much. Too many teams and riders complain about this. Wish me luck!… pic.twitter.com/9M31bdUuej
— Adam Hansen (@HansenAdam) July 25, 2023
The Australian tweeted this morning: “Yesterday I purchased a later distance sensor. I will start to develop a sensor that could be attached to motorbikes in races to govern the distance from them to the riders.
“Motorbikes influence the races too much. Too many teams and riders complain about this. Wish me luck!”
Hansen later added that the sensors would be “required on every cyclist, also every motor” and that would also “want a light to display that a motor stays too close for too long and everyone to see this.”
https://t.co/iMDXvlyJ9U pic.twitter.com/JKWb6HE4It
— Anthony Pope (@Plastic_Peloton) July 25, 2023
Aside from the obvious Dr Evil references, others described the 42-year-old’s DIY sensor from the shed plan an as “interesting idea”.
“Should also be applied to support cars in ITTs,” wrote Anders. “Distance dependent on how many bicycles there are in the top rack.”
> UCI clamps down on narrow handlebars, pin-less number pockets and support car trickery
Las, meanwhile, suggested drones as an alternative to the increased congestion, especially on narrow mountain passes, caused by the Tour’s enormous motoring cavalcade.
“The use of drones have been very successful in the ski world, not affecting riders and getting amazing shots,” he said.
Hansen here, on the attack solo at the Vuelta, wishing that motorbike was in front of him…
However, Hansen was less convinced about the prospect of drones flying over the peloton, replying: “Drones are too dangerous in my opinion. The controlled automated ones from DJI are too slow and to control these at high speeds is almost impossible, they only have one camera so you watch where you go or the riders.
“Racing drones are ideal and very dynamic. But… [they have] blades that can cut you open and battery life is terrible. I have four drones, my DJI wouldn’t do it. My racing drone would cut someone open if it landed in a crowd.”
Yeah, I don’t fancy the ‘blades that can cut you open’ aspect of the drone thing either, if I’m honest.
Or how about more Austin Powers-style solutions?
Well, the motor should. The thing is, riders can ride where they want. It’s the motors fault.
— Adam Hansen (@HansenAdam) July 25, 2023
What do you reckon? Are lasers telling motorbike riders to stay away during races the answer? Or should the way the Tour is organised, and its reliance on an endless stream of vehicles, be next on Hansen and the CPA’s agenda?
Heartbreak for Julie van de Velde as Lorena Wiebes opens 2023 Tour account with resounding sprint win
To paraphrase commentator after commentator who, throughout the 2000s, attempted to steer the viewer back to the situation on the road after announcing yet another doping positive, now back to the racing!
💔 Heartbreak for @julieJvdv, triumph for @lorenawiebes, relive the nail biting last KM of stage 3!
💔 Que c’est cruel pour @julieJvdv ! @lorenawiebes triomphe au bout d’un dernier kilomètre qui nous aura tenu en haleine !#TDFF2023 | #WatchTheFemmes | @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/97ZTF9b8zb
— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 25, 2023
And what a race it was too, as some game-playing and brinkmanship in the peloton was almost thrown back in the faces of the sprinters’ teams, who had to pull off a dramatic chase in the final kilometres to catch lone escapee Julie van de Velde.
The Fenix-Deceuninck rider had been away on her own since the 60km to go mark and – with SD Worx refusing to work behind, despite possessing the undisputed best sprinter in the world in Lorena Wiebes – still held a 40 second lead with only five kilometres remaining.
However, with Charlotte Kool’s DSM blinking first in their stand-off with SD Worx, that final 650 metre finishing straight in Montignac-Lascaux proved a bridge too far for the plucky Van de Velde.
On that never-ending straight, yellow jersey Lotte Kopecky finally hit the front for SD Worx, breaking the heart of her fellow Belgian, who she swept past with just 300 metres to go, and teeing up European champion Wiebes for what was in the end a resounding first sprint win of the 2023 Tour.
Kopecky’s fearsome lead out was enough for her to finish third on the day, extending her lead on GC, while Marianne Vos, who briefly looked capable of challenging Wiebes’ sprint, came in second as the boxed-in Kool was forced to settle for seventh.
The women’s peloton really needs to finally call the bluff one day
You can’t simply tow the best sprinter in the pack to the line when they’ve done nothing to help, knowing full well you’ll lose#TDFF2023 pic.twitter.com/pgXwuSSDRB
— Mathew Mitchell (@MatMitchell30) July 25, 2023
Van de Velde, meanwhile, can at least content herself with the none-too-shabby consolation prize of the polka dot jersey, picked up during her 60km solo attack.
“Lotte did such a good job in the lead-out. I suffered in her wheel, but she brought me perfectly,” Wiebes, now on to the third Tour stage victory of her career, said after her win.
“The breakaway was of course still gone with one kilometre to go. We took the [final] corner good. All the time I stayed with Lotte. The plan was that she would go and deliver me good and that’s exactly what she did. I felt Marianne start the sprint on the right of me and then I was able to catch her.
“We always believed in it. We felt it wasn’t really up to us to start the chase because we still have some hard days to go, and we don’t want to let the other girls go full out. It’s a great start. We are really happy with this and we hope to continue in this way.”
Today’s dramatic finale certainly bodes well for the sprint stages ahead – though I’m not sure how long SD Worx – who, lest we forget, possess the race’s top sprinter, one of the two big GC contenders, and the yellow jersey – will get away with their excuse of not being able to work?
Former Astana rider Miguel Ángel López provisionally suspended by UCI for “use and possession of a prohibited substance” before 2022 Giro d’Italia
Just a day after he won his second stage in three days at the Tour de Panamá (ahead of teammate and Operación Puerto alumnus Óscar Sevilla) former Tour de France stage winner and grand tour podium finisher Miguel Ángel López has been provisionally suspended by the UCI after being notified of a potential doping violation allegedly committed in the weeks before the 2022 Giro d’Italia.
The mercurial Colombian climber was sacked by Astana in December after the team claimed that it “had discovered new elements” linking him to alleged doping doctor Marcos Maynar.
These “new elements”, Spanish newspaper ABC reported at the time, relate to a document claiming that López received a dose of menotropin, a human growth hormone that increases muscle mass and eliminate fluids, before the start of last year’s Giro in Hungary, a race he withdrew from on stage four.
López was initially, and briefly, suspended by Astana last July after reports emerged claiming that the Colombian was being investigated for his alleged involvement in a drug trafficking ring in Spain, led by physiologist Maynar, who was arrested in May and charged with crimes against public health, drug trafficking, and money laundering as part of the Spanish police’s Operation Ilex investigation.
López was welcomed back into the Astana fold a few weeks later, and finished fourth overall at last year’s Vuelta a España. He was eventually sacked when the fresh allegations emerged in December and has spent 2023 dominating the South American racing scene for Team Medellín – EPM.
López on his way to winning stage 17 of the 2020 Tour de France on the Col de la Loze (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
That domination has come to an end today, however, with the UCI releasing a statement this afternoon announcing the 29-year-old’s provisional suspension.
“Based on an investigation conducted by the International Testing Agency (ITA), including evidence obtained from the Spanish law enforcement authorities (Guardia Civil) and the Spanish Anti-Doping Organisation (CELAD) during the investigation into Dr Marcos Maynar, the UCI has today notified Miguel Ángel López of a potential anti-doping rule violation (ADRV),” the governing body’s statement reads.
“After review of the information and material provided by the ITA on 26 June and 7 July 2023, the Colombian rider has been notified of a potential ADRV for use and possession of a prohibited substance in the weeks prior to the Giro d’Italia 2022.
“The UCI has decided to provisionally suspend the rider pending the final decision… No further comment will be made at this stage of the proceedings.”
“They’ve prioritised cyclists over small businesses”: Cycle lane running through Christmas market forces organiser to step down over “safety fears”
No, don’t worry, you haven’t accidentally clicked on the wrong live blog, it’s still July (although the weather at the moment is certainly doing its best to convince you otherwise).
But in Oxford, attentions are already turning to the festive celebrations at the end of the year, as a row has broken out over a cycle lane running through the middle of the city’s Christmas market – which has prompted the market’s organiser to step down from her role over “safety fears”.
The cycle lane runs between the two public spaces where the market will take place on Broad Street, and will be separated from the tat and kangaroo meat-filled stalls. Visitors to the market will be able to move between each side through informal crossing areas, Oxford City Council has said.
Last year, the county council closed the bike lane and installed a diversion route for cyclists while the market was in place. However, it says that the alternative route will not be possible this coming Christmas.
Nicole Rahimi says with a heavy heart she has cancelled @Oxford Christmas Market indefinitely. @OxfordshireCC & @OxfordCity have insisted on reinstating the cycle lane which had been closed since 2013. This layout makes it impossible to continue the yearly well-loved market 😢 pic.twitter.com/FcUIpxf3sa
— OurCityOurChoice (@OurCityOurChoic) July 22, 2023
The news that Oxford’s Christmas market will also play host to a working bike lane has led Nicole Rahimi, who has managed the festivities for the past 14 years, to step down from her role, a decision she claims is down to “safety fears” for pedestrians and cyclists.
“I’m devastated for all the traders, charities, and local businesses. This marks the end of my business, which existed to put on this festive market every year,” she told the Oxford Mail.
“In the end I had to put cyclists and pedestrians’ safety first.”
The news has sparked the usual anti-cycling furore, with Eddie Reeves, leader of the county council’s Conservative group, describing the local authority’s decision not to close the bike lane as an example of “woke wonkery of the worst kind”.
Classic.
Reeves also argued that the “overwhelming majority of cyclists are decent and conscientious people” and would therefore be happy to “dismount or find alternative routes to avoid Broad Street during the Season of Goodwill”.
One of the market’s traders also told the Oxford Mail: “This is a tradition, and it is unforgivable the council will not make exceptions for the sake of cyclists.”
Rahimi, meanwhile, added that the local authority’s stance on the bike lane was “unreasonable” and that it “prioritised cyclists over small businesses”.
I mean look what happened the last time someone tried to cancel Christmas. Not a good move here at all. Working around cyclists is pretty sad tbh
— Brannagans magic hat (@heyit5sam) July 22, 2023
However, a spokesperson for the council said: “The conditions regarding the cycle lane were in place when Ms Rahimi first expressed her interest in holding the Christmas market.
“Although an alternative route via St Michael’s Street was provided last year during the Christmas Market, that option is not viable this year. This was made clear to Ms Rahimi last year.”
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, added: “Nicole Rahimi has had more than 12 months to prepare for this change, and she submitted a proposal to the City Council that included the cycle route through the market.
“Both the City and County councils had continued to engage Ms Rahimi, as she was the preferred provider, and we are keen to get moving with the planning for this year’s event as soon as possible.
“However, now she has withdrawn from the procurement process, we will now move forward to explore alternative options for this year’s market.”
> Bike parking nightmare before Christmas as cycle racks to be removed for festive market
The row over the Broad Street bike lane isn’t the first time that the Christmas market has clashed with the needs of cyclists in the city.
Last year, the council announced that – along with the bike lane being closed for the duration of the market – bike racks near the site would also be temporarily removed during the 18- day long festive event.
Some local riders expressed disappointment at the decision and suggested the council should be encouraging people to attend the market by bike, not deterring their visit by removing a place to lock their bicycle.
Ah, Christmas, eh? What a wonderful, stress-free time. I think I’ll stick to the summer for the moment, thank you very much…
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Latest Comments
Would he have performed better on his normal bike?
the National Bus and Rail Union told the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) the following month, saying the requirements (making the cyclist scum wear helmets and HiViz) would, “make the roads a safer place, as it would make potential hazards easier to spot.” Nothing to do with driver behaviour then? Stagecoach is even putting intimidating threats against cyclists on the side of the buses now! ttps://upride.cc/incident/px60beo_stagecoach41-closepass/
.......the government was focused on the “enormity of the e-scooter problem” Just wait until they find out how absolutely effing gigantic the car problem is. The whole thing is just motornormativity at government level, and while Ciarán Cannon talks sense, Seán Canney is fecking eejit.
40% of fatal road incidents (70 deaths p.a.) in Ireland involve excess alcohol. Pass a law mandating compulsory alcohol interlocks for all motor vehicles and see what that does for road safety first.
@mitsky I didn't say it was applicable in this case or that I thought it should be, I was simply answering your question as to whether anyone had ever shot someone and been charged with anything other than murder or attempted murder, to which the answer is yes.
@perce The new troll, my friend, is solely piss and wind, the new troll is solely piss and wind.
Very correct price for a basic, no-frills frameset. Older and wiser -after a warranty case on a '100 year' Ti frameset that lasted 5 years before a drive side chain stay weld said sayonara- I'll never again purchase a really high cost Ti frame. If the replacement -3999 Euro at retail but I paid 800, which is what it took for them to +- honour the warranty- fails, I'm done. Firstly because they do fail. Titanium is very finicky where welding conditions are concerned and good luck with that warranty, better read the wording very carefully. Secondly, often the price is justified with 'it's a frame for life'. Errrr....yes, unless you decide you want something different after 5 years, it breaks or technology evolves to a point where your frameset becomes aa anachronism and after 10 years you can start hunting for spares(UDH and disc brakes, anyone?). Third: I'm getting a bit tired reading about these so-called 'magical' properties of Ti. The only magical thing about it is the corrosion resistance. All that absorbing of vibrations etc is mainly function of frame design/geometry. If you want vibration damping: larger tires, lower pressure, done.
True,but I can't count thé number of times I've seen him on TV as an invited expert for comments since
"...there was enough suspicion to warrant an out-of-hours knock on the door for the Tour’s then-top two." A generic statement that sounds like a cover-your-arse mumbling. Can they be more specific? Nope. Good to see Vaughters join Lefevere to add up some controversy to the very politically correct pro peloton. In the late 1990s and early noughties, when cycling was becoming a global phenomenom, officials, race organisers and team managers turned a blind eye on doping. Nobody wanted to slay the goose with golden eggs.
Am I missing something. Pogacar would be firm favourite no matter what you did unless you made it a very flat edition which no one would want. Outside of Pogacar its all up for grabs. You can't build a good multi-week race with Pogacar in the form he is in. Take Pogacar out and this would be fine.
47 thoughts on ““They’ve prioritised cyclists over small businesses”: Cycle lane running through Christmas market forces organiser to step down over “safety fears”; Scots urged to emulate Basque fans by waving saltires at home worlds + more on the live blog”
“The news has sparked the
“The news has sparked the usual anti-cycling furore, with Eddie Reeves, leader of the county council’s Conservative group, describing the local authority’s decision not to close the bike lane as an example of “woke wonkery of the worst kind”
Anyone using this argument over anything needs to be banned from politics, banned from voting and basically paraded through the streets and have rotten vegetables thrown at them.
Or something a little less exteme but you get the picture. Oldflake muppets the lot of them.
There is a handbook that
There is a handbook that these people use
Stealing that!
Stealing that!
Quote:
“Wiley warped wonky woke wobbly winding wankery of the worst kind”
Such fun!
Got that classic Old English
Got that classic Old English alliterative verse thing going:
Woke wokery of the worst kind.
Councillors cancelling Christmas cheer
For cyclists seeking Strava segments!
Do you haiku?
Do you haiku?
Woke wonkery of the worst kind.
Our road will close for rat meat and tat.
Kick the cyclists to we don’t care.
Empty your wallets for Nicole!
But “where’s the kigo?” or it
But “where’s the kigo?” or it’s just senryū. (Should be easy, Christmas Market…)
Quote:
never been to a christmas market before, but is this a thing, are you sure it isn’t reindeer meat on offer?
Because I’m quite tempted, it’s been a while since I ate kangeroo, and it was pretty tasty as I recall. Maybe I can even put up with the christmas tat.
I was under the impression
I was under the impression that Christmas markets tended to be ersatz-German in theme but I tend to avoid any seasonal tourist trap events so I couldn’t be certain. As it happens I have a business trip to Bonn at the end of November so I will try to find time to eat Currywurst washed down with Gluhwein whilst I am there.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Don’t bother, you will be sorely dissapointed, unless, of course, you like overpriced cheap meat and buyers remorse.
A gifted friend of mine made an online ‘Christmas Market Tat Generator’ which I wish I could find about now..
peted76 wrote:
I don’t think I’d like Kangaroo meat, but I don’t want to jump to conclusions…
wycombewheeler wrote:
The German Xmas market in Bristol seems to be an excuse for day-drinking (you can sit in a wooden seating area that was put up in less than a day, drinking overpriced lager and listening to the battery powered talking reindeer head while watching people deciding whether to but stuff from the stalls or to go to a real shop nearby where it will be cheaper…).
Or so I hear, anyway…
Not just tat, overpriced tat.
Not just tat, overpriced tat…
After 14 years of organising
After 14 years of organising a Christmas Market any excuse will do to get out of the job for another 14!
Hopefully someone else will
Hopefully someone else will step up and organise it. Given the large number of cyclists Oxford has (I don’t know Oxford, but I have read articles indicating thousands of daily cyclist) I hope the new organiser encourages people to visit with their bikes!
Wonkery? I like that word.
Wonkery? I like that word. Don’t know what it means but I like it.
perce wrote:
It means owning a confectionery manufactory in which you use an indentured workforce to mete out sadistic punishment to children who fail to live up to your ideals.
And exploiting squirrels.
And exploiting squirrels…
chrisonatrike wrote:
Is that film available on NutFlix?
hawkinspeter wrote:
I think their offerings are targeting an older demographic.
It means that you think about
It means that you think about things before making a decision about them. A wonk is somebody who thinks.
Is this not true?
Is this not true?
‘Reeves also argued that the “overwhelming majority of cyclists are decent and conscientious people” and would therefore be happy to “dismount or find alternative routes to avoid Broad Street during the Season of Goodwill”.’
Surely the good cyclists of Oxford would be happy to put up with a bit of inconvenience so other people (or even the cyclists themselves) could “enjoy” having a craporama in the town for a few weeks a year whether they think it’s a good use of space or not?
To not put up with a bit of inconvenience so that other people can have fun isn’t all that far away from residents on a proposed route refusing to allow closed roads for a charity cycle sportive in case they want to use their car that day is it?
Doesn’t look like the Evil
Doesn’t look like the Evil Cyclists Lobby has opined yet, but various assumptions seem to have been made in the name of Statler & Waldorfery.
I’ll be at the meeting in the village hall later though so I’ll make sure it’s covered under AOB.
I have no issues taking a
I have no issues taking a small diversion, however we don’t fully know why Oxford Council have claimed that the diverted route used last year was not viable this year. Unless there are roadworks or road narrowings from building maintenance I don’t see an excuse, so if it was the case, they should have brought that forward in their reasoning. Also I am pretty sure that people who regularly cycle through oxford could propose a viable alternative through route, I doubt they would see it as an inconvenience.
“Cyclists” have not been
“Cyclists” have not been asked for their opinion, still less taken the decision, but don’t let that stop you blaming them.
What? I’m not blaming anyone
What? I’m not blaming anyone for anything – I’m asking whether a bit of live-and-let-live creates the opportunity for a compromise … which is precisely the sort of compromise we ask for every now and then when we want exclusive use of the roads for a bit.
Is there a reason why the
Is there a reason why the market can’t be moved instead?
Or … tin foil hat at the ready… have the council recently lost a battle against cyclists and this is a way of getting back at them? Maybe had to install expensive routes / cycle lanes not working etc?
It’s not like the tide of public opinion needs much encouragement when it comes to going out on cyclists.
Oldfatgit wrote:
To be fair, I don’t think it is explicilty the council’s fault that the market has been cancelled. It reads like the council have told the organiser (a third party) that the cycle lane can’t be moved and the organiser has decided not to continue.
Unless the council knew she would cancel if they didn’t reroute the cyclists….
There must be a road or car
There must be a road or car park in Oxford that could be closed to host the market.
If I see people waving the
If I see people waving the England flag anywhere except in a sports event wherein the England team is playing, I always tend to give them a wide berth… It’s unfortunate how the England flag has become linked with ‘certain political views’ to a degree that the Scottish or Welsh (or Basque, or pretty much any other regional or national flag) don’t seem to have.
I can’t speak for everyone
I can’t speak for everyone but in recent years the Scottish flag has become linked with Anglophobia in my mind thanks to the SNP.
Strange, because the SNP and
Strange, because the SNP and the independence movement are motivated by self determination rather than anglophobia.
Read it again. Says ‘linked’. Never mentioned ‘motivation’.
.
YOU brought up motivation.
.
Straw man.
.
The same could be said for
The same could be said for Brexit but that doesn’t change what it is commonly associated with.
The ultra extreme right wing
The ultra extreme right wing headbangers Vox have also almost appropriated the Spanish flag in the same way that they copy other fascist ideas.
Geoff Ingram wrote:
I thought that Vox was a mobile network? I’m sure they used to advertise on the telly…
“Headbangers” – maybe it’s
“Headbangers” – maybe it’s this Vox?
Geoff Ingram wrote:
UltraVox?
Ohhhh Valencia!
As someone of both English
As someone of both English and Scottish heritage, I don’t care what people wave at the roadside at the World Championships, as long as the riders are kept safe by everyone behaving respectfully. Scottish Independents have the right to believe in their political cause as much as the Scottish Unionists and Royalists have the right to believe in theirs.
I have a vested interest in the outcome of an independence referendum, yet I would rather stay neutral as I do not live North of the Border. From that perspective, I would not like to see a sporting event used as a political weapon. It happens enough in other sports with big money and state funded investors hosting events or obtaining entity ownership (club/team, league, sponsors etc) to sportswash their records of basic human rights abuse and war profiteering.
“Twitter (or X, or Tesco
“Twitter (or X, or Tesco Express, whatever it’s called)”
Nice one!
Traditions grow up fast, don
Traditions grow up fast, don’t they.12 or so years and it’s a ‘tradition’ to have an ersatz German market put up on a public highway.
I don’t see it as much of a loss – the worst currywurst I ever tasted was in one of these markets – in Birmingham of all places. I had a momentary pang of nostalgia and bought one, and threw it away very shortly afterwards.
However, Kingston manages to have a market with a mixed use route next to it without any great difficulty. The market duly gets fir trees, faux snow and gothic script in November. It all seems to work well enough – no-one seems to try and dash through it – you really wouldn’t want any of that currywurst sauce to get on your pastel lycra on your way to Sigma….
Re: the Polti return.
Re: the Polti return.
You mention about the 1990’s team/ riders being linked to doping, but to be fair Ivan and Alberto don’t have an entirely unblemished past IIRC.
I do accept that Contador was potentially negligence rather than an actual attempt to cheat but Basso always seems to get a free pass in spite of him paying large sums of money to Dr Fuentes…
“The National newspaper
“The National newspaper (which, I’m sure you know, isn’t a big fan of the whole United Kingdom thing) – my bold/italcs
who is?
ref may 2013 – feb 2013 – tomleonard.co.uk
Their tagline in their logo
Their tagline in their logo is “For an Independent Scotland”
I live in Southampton and
I live in Southampton and they just block off the bike racks every year when they put the Christmas market in. It’s frustrating because it means there is a fair distance to the next set of bike racks, but also because the Christmas market is terrible.
On a positive note I’m currently on holiday in the Netherlands. I couldn’t bring my bike and have been using the car, but it’s brought me much pleasure to see hundreds and hundreds of people cycling around the small town that we’re staying in, most of them without helmets, parking their bikes wherever they like with no need to lock them, and the small amount of motor traffic moving slowly and considerately. Why can’t Britain be like this?
bensynnock wrote:
Amen. A rhetorical question probably – but how they got there is actually a long and complicated story.
Why is Britain not like that? In a word – motornormativity.
In a sentence*: we have a different overall goal for transport e.g. the maximum capacity of motor traffic consistent with safety.
See the NL version [here, or article and video] and how radically different rules, designs and other choices come from their different goal. There are lots of videos and articles out there with more details of the virtuous circles which get set in motion or the details e.g. Robert Weetman’s longer ones, or Ranty Highwayman on the technical side and how that might apply in the UK.
* Other than “it is how it is because it got that way”.
Eddie Reeves, leader of the
Eddie Reeves, leader of the county council’s Conservative group, describing the local authority’s decision not to close the bike lane as an example of “woke wonkery of the worst kind”.
Isn’t it kind of the right wing hard of thinking to identify themselves so clearly, by the wearing of MAGA hats and use of the word “woke” as an insult.