National Swimming Network? Council slammed for slow response to cycle tunnel flooding; Red Bull moves into cycling with Bora; Waterlogged bike paths; Carrying two fridges by bike (and on head); Cyclocross police presence boosted + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Will we finally see a new Trek Emonda and updated SRAM Red groupset in 2024? Pro riders spotted on potential new climbing bike, plus unidentified SRAM callipers
Ah, all the new UBTs (Unidentified Bike Tech) are starting to come out of the woodwork – or more accurately, the pro teams’ service courses – as the road season looms ever larger…
Still can’t say I’m a massive fan of Trek’s recent infatuation with massive seat tube holes…
The Dave Walker cartoon for every occasion
Motorists – Why don’t cyclists use cycle paths?
Cyclists – 👇 #cycling pic.twitter.com/N0akIG5Ky4
— Wenvoe Wheelers 🚴🏻♀️🚴🏻🚴🏼♂️🏴 (@wenvoe_wheelers) January 1, 2024
Might need to add in a massive pool of water in the latest update…
Cyclist threatened with legal action for posting video of close pass by driver in company-branded van
When one London-based cyclist caught a close pass on camera and sent the footage to the company whose branding was covering the driver’s vehicle, he expected an apology and perhaps “some form of disciplinary action”. Instead, he was threatened with legal action for using the company’s trademark without permission.
Now, if that isn’t the start of some (admittedly niche) thriller, I don’t know what is…
Read more: > Cyclist threatened with legal action for posting video of close pass by driver in company-branded van
Pro cyclists: Great role models for sustainable, green transport – Oh, wait…
MVDP chegou ontem para a corrida com o seu Lamborghini ‘fora de estrada’ 🏎🎥 IG @nieuwsblad pic.twitter.com/fvzNUTbrWC
— BikeBlz (@BikeBlz) January 2, 2024
It’s not just the UK’s bike paths – Cyclocross course in Belgium also hit by severe flooding
It looks like Britain’s commuters aren’t the only ones having to contend with swimming pool-inspired routes this week – Saturday’s pro Hexia Cyclocross race in Gullegem, Belgium, has also been hit by serious rainfall, making the course more fitting for a triathlon than even the maddest ‘cross race.
VRT has taken some photos of how the Gullegem CX course looks at the moment – any triathletes doing CX might have a teeny bit of an advantage 😅
The race is set to go ahead still, they’re going to divert the course avoid the flooded sections pic.twitter.com/Ah2PctAzA1
— Mathew Mitchell (@MatMitchell30) January 3, 2024
Apparently, the race is still set to go ahead, thanks to some necessary tweaks to the route to avoid the riders having to pack their scuba gear.
One ‘cross star who definitely won’t be getting his feet wet in Gullegem, however, is Eli Iserbyt. The off-road specialist – who spoke to road.cc last month about his gruelling cyclocross schedule – spent the night in hospital earlier this week suffering from dehydration caused by a stomach bug.
The World Cup and Superprestige series leader, who posted a DNF in Hulst last week and didn’t start the X2O Badkamers Trofee round in Baal on New Year’s Day, is expected to miss the next few races, before returning to compete in Sunday’s World Cup round in Zonhoven.
Those pesky cyclists, always driving their vans on the footpath!
Must be another cyclist driving a car on the pavement. pic.twitter.com/1aVQJhpILG
— Cycling V.I.A. (@cyclingvia) January 3, 2024
Extra police presence expected at cyclocross race in Koksijde following Van der Poel spitting incident – with riders told to report booing spectators during recon
Tomorrow’s X20 Trofee race in Koksijde – which will once again see the ‘Big Three’ of men’s cyclocross, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Tom Pidcock, go head-to-head – will feature an increased police presence and additional measures to combat unruly fans, the event’s organisers have confirmed in the Belgian press.
The beefed-up security protocols come after the unsavoury incident that marred last Saturday’s World Cup round in Hulst and saw world champion Van der Poel fined €250 for spitting at a group of spectators who allegedly threw beer and urine at him during his dominant race-winning ride.
“If riders are confronted during their recons by people who boo or insult them or who throw beer and urine, they can warn us,” Koksijde organiser Jan Deramoudt told Het Nieuwsblad.
“We are in direct contact with the police, who will make extra efforts to prevent so-called supporters from disturbing or hindering the participants.”
> Mathieu van der Poel spits at “booing” spectator on way to 7th straight win
Deramoudt also confirmed that police drones and additional plain clothes officers will likely be used tomorrow, as part of a clampdown on poor behaviour towards the riders, a switch from the usual focus on inter-fan fighting that the organiser says is “a response to the current situation”.
“It is our duty as an organization to take care of both the public and the riders. Everyone should be able to experience cross-country in a fun and safe way: whether you are supporting, working, or cycling,” he said.
The additional measures have been praised by Van der Poel’s father Adrie and Sven Nys, the former world champion and father of up-and-coming star Thibau.
“This is about taking steps against the negative behaviour of what is – thankfully – only a small number of people,” Nys said.
Administrators love it so… Wiggle owes 20 grand to Haribo
More updates from the not-so-happy world of Wiggle…
> WiggleCRC owed Haribo £20,000, plus millions of pounds to other cycling brands, administrator’s proposal document reveals
But you can’t carry two fridges, an armchair, and a lamp by bike, can you? Well, according to this video, you can (and on an old Strida, too)
Alright, stop what you’re doing, because this is important.
Over the years, we’ve devoted countless blog stories and opinion pieces to the excellent transportation qualities of bicycles, usually as a retort to the well-worn pro-motoring question: ‘But can you transport X, Y, and Z’ by bike?’ – which, if X equals ornate baths and Y and Z equal all sorts of goods, tools, and services, then you’ll know the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.
But I think we’ve found the definitive ‘Can you carry this by bike?’ video, posted on Twitter last night by a Zaragoza-based cycling account, and featuring a cyclist – purportedly – carrying two fridges, an armchair, and a lamp on his head… while, and this is the maddest part, riding one of those old folding Stridas (I didn’t know they were still around either)…
You’d never do this in a car pic.twitter.com/HgFTv47OSc
— ⓑιcιcletⓞ (@Bicicleto_ZGZ) January 2, 2024
Now, the veracity of the video has already been called into question – those falling fruit look suspiciously Pixar-esque to me – but still, the clip hasn’t stopped people asking the important questions:
What no cycle helmet?😂🤣
— Steve Evans🇺🇦💪 (@foodmakersteve) January 3, 2024
Landismo 🤝 Flanders
Discovering the Belgian cuisine, one bite at a time 😁 pic.twitter.com/TO89YEHCmM
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) January 3, 2024
I reckon Soudal Quick-Step’s social media admin is going to enjoy Mikel Landa’s tenure at the team…
Bora-Hansgrohe confirm Red Bull merger and “joint venture”, which will “complement” existing sponsorship deals
After today’s news that Red Bull had acquired a controlling stake in Bora-Hansgrohe, the German WorldTour team has now confirmed the deal, which is currently subject to an ongoing review by the Austrian antitrust authority.
Red Bull is planning to expand its involvement in road cycling and is aiming for a partnership with Bora- Hansgrohe,” the team said in a statement this afternoon.
“By becoming a partner in Team Manager Ralph Denk’s operating company, Red Bull strives to complement the team’s portfolio of existing long-term main sponsors, who will remain on a long-term basis. The planned joint venture has been notified to the relevant antitrust authority.
“We ask for your understanding that we will not comment further on the planned joint venture, as we do not wish to anticipate the ongoing review by the Austrian antitrust authority.”
The countdown to road.cc awards season begins…
> road.cc Recommends updated with 9 products including the Specialized SL8, Ribble CGR SL, Campagnolo Super Record Wireless + more
Red Bull acquires 51 percent of Bora-Hansgrohe
Energy drinks company Red Bull – the brand behind Tom Pidcock and Wout van Aert’s individualist helmet designs of recent years – is now ramping up its interest in pro cycling even further, by acquiring a controlling 51 percent stake in Primož Roglič’s Bora-Hansgrohe team.
Yesterday, the Austrian Federal Competition Authority announced that it was notified of Red Bull’s purchase of a majority stake in RD pro cycling GmbH & Co KG and RD Beteiligungs GmbH, the owner of the German WorldTour squad.
The deal solidifies the already existing relationship between Red Bull and Bora, who last February joined forces to launch the ‘Red Bull Junior Brothers’ global talent scouting programme, which analyses Zwift and Strava data to discover the next generation of pro riders.
> Supplier merry-go-round continues as Bora-Hansgrohe confirms new partnership with SRAM
The news also follows Red Bull’s increasing interest in not just sponsoring but owning sporting teams, with the company now in charge of several football clubs around the world, including RB Leipzig, New York Red Bulls, and Red Bull Salzburg, along with their UK-based F1 team.
It also, potentially, demonstrates the team’s desire to match – thanks to what we presume will be increased investment from Red Bull – the Vismas and UAE Team Emirates of the cycling world at the very top of the sport (an ambition noted in Bora’s signing of Roglič, though arguably hindered by Cian Uijtdebroeks’ acrimonious departure to Visma last month).
One thing is for sure, though – the rider identification helmet game will be a whole lot harder over the next few years…
And on the more responsive side of things: Oxfordshire County Council on the ball as fallen tree cleared from cycle path
While the local authority in Bath has come in for criticism for its somewhat delayed response to the weeks of flooding problems on the city’s cycle routes, Oxfordshire County Council has earned some praise this afternoon for swiftly clearing a Storm Henk-afflicted bike path that was blocked by a fallen tree earlier today.
Thanks to a Marston resident who alerted me to this fallen tree blocking Marston Ferry Road cycle path. I have report it to @ODS_doinggood & hope they can clear it as soon as possible. With Marston Meadows flooded, we need to keep alternatives open. pic.twitter.com/XSM2zJpHcm
— Mary Clarkson (@maryoxford) January 3, 2024
“Thanks to a Marston resident who alerted me to this fallen tree blocking Marston Ferry Road cycle path,” Labour Oxford city councillor Mary Clarkson posted on Twitter.
“I have reported it to Oxford Direct Services and hope they can clear it as soon as possible. With Marston Meadows flooded, we need to keep alternatives open.”
Soon after Clarkson’s tweet, she was informed that the tree was already being moved from the path, prompting the councillor to praise the local authority for “such a fast response”.
Take note, Bath…
“I can’t help but feel that the response would have been much swifter if it had been a road”: Cyclists bemoan flooded bike routes – and delayed response from authorities – as Storm Henk hits UK
It’s certainly been a wet and windy start to 2024, thanks to Storm Henk’s decision to blow in and cause some severe disruption across the country (cheers, climate change), and for UK-based cyclists, that means only one thing – lots of terribly flooded bike routes.
On yesterday’s live blog, we noted the opening of Sustrans’ first-ever National Swimming Network route in Bath – formerly home to the city’s Two Tunnels greenway, where flooding has been reported since Christmas Eve.
Over a week after the flooded bike route was initially flagged to Sustrans and the local council, Bath-based cyclist and sometime road.cc reviewer Jez Ash asked if the tunnel had been cleared – noting that “there were large objects invisible below the water which are a major peril to any cyclists who fancy riding through it” – prompting the following watery video at the Bear Flat entrance to the shorter tunnel, filmed by Alan Yeodal yesterday morning:
Deep enough now for my Labrador to swim in this morning! About 60cm at the deepest point I would think. I was able to get through with just walking boots before Christmas!
@bathnes @Sustrans pic.twitter.com/HXMyEhti7w— Alan Yeodal (@AlanYeodal) January 2, 2024
When asked if any warnings had been put in place on the cycle route, Alan said: “No signs as of this morning. There were some ‘chalked’ on the tarmac a few days ago. It would be sensible to have some warning signs at the other end.”
Last night, thankfully, it was confirmed that Sustrans and Bath and North East Somerset Council are “aware” of the new swimming route, and are “in the process of taking action as soon as arrangements can be put in hand”.
However, some weren’t impressed by the delayed response.
“Good news”, said Andy Kelly, “But I can’t help but feel that the response would have been much swifter if it had been a road.
“Crazy that Active Travel arteries aren’t treated with the importance they deserve. Can you imagine an A road going for days without any authority doing anything about a major flood?”
Meanwhile, over in Oxford the Marston cycle path – which was reopened in October after two months of maintenance work – has been experiencing its own issues:
Paging @marstonbikepath pic.twitter.com/GIdGp7Q7im
— Richard Parnham 🏳️🌈 (@RichardParnham) January 2, 2024
Marston cycle path flooded to the bend. You will need to cycle with boots to avoid wet feet (and the water is cold!) @marstonbikepath pic.twitter.com/mA34YDN0JZ
— Andy Saunders (@ObjectInSpace) January 2, 2024
And the Trans Pennine Trail – voted the National Cycle Network’s most popular route – is also waterlogged in several places:
The Transpennine Trail is flooded in parts too, so take care if you are on a bike as there may be hazards under the water. https://t.co/t6gaHVKH0q pic.twitter.com/MB4iXgm7j0
— Friends of Carrington Moss 💚🌳🐾🚴♀️🐴🚶♂️💚 (@FriendsMoss) January 2, 2024
Looks like the award for Britain’s Most Flooded Bike Route could be inundated with new entries over the next few days…
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Latest Comments
Rider: You promised that the breakfast would be toast with jam, cereal and boiled eggs, all I've been given is a slice of untoasted plain bread. Prudhomme: Sometimes steak with oysters, caviar and champagne isn't available, stop complaining. Pathetic from the top man, all the riders are asking for is clean rooms with air-conditioning. The attitude that they are asking for the Earth with such minimal demands shows absolute contempt for the people whose incredible efforts pay for his enormous salary (I assume it's enormous, given that he seems to have taken great care to make sure that the figure is not publicly available as far as I can see). The attitude towards riders doesn't seem to have changed in some respects from the days when they used to sleep on the stone floors of churches overnight to try and keep cool.
Its impossible to do what they are suggesting. There are far too many variables that affect the things they are using to calculate it. The reason Stava and co. can be in the ballpark *sometimes* with their estimates is because sometimes the conditions they base their estimates on are simple or they simply get lucky ie. overestimate the effect of wind by 5% but also underestimate the quality of surface you're on. With a strong wind, crappy road, upright position, wrong tyre pressure, putting power down when you shouldn't or coasting at every chance, the estimates will be wildly wrong.
@arowland Have You watched the clip in the article? It appears to be body cam footage of the police officer in the passenger seat whilst they are driving closely behind the van on the motorway. So they could see the company logo and read the phone/mobile number and then call it.
If you have signed up for a month to watch the tour don’t forget to ring up and cancel your payment, you can do it now as it’s a 30 day wait cancellation. I was going to sign up for a month but when they announced the highlights on Chanel 5 I’m just watching that instead
The Channel 5 highlights show is decent except for the host, who needs to learn how to talk without smiling - it makes the tone extremely annoying. I use the mute and skip buttons a lot whenever she comes on, but unfortunately some of what she says is useful/necessary to fill in the gaps in the highlights.
I got six months of TNT for €17.99 when I got to the end of a similar Sky Sports offer. That will get me through to September or October. It's already cancelled from the end of the six months and I begrudge them every cent I give them.
I've been watching on NOS.tv in the Netherlands using Nord VPN. All the action live, no registration required, no adverts.
I wouldn't pay their exorbitant fees so I just watch the Channel 5 highlights. It's disappointing and I miss the live broadcasts, as well as the ITV highlights with Ned & David.
I’ve begrudgingly paid the £31 just to watch the tour, I’ve now cancelled it so that’s all the greedy yanks are getting out of me!
25 thoughts on “National Swimming Network? Council slammed for slow response to cycle tunnel flooding; Red Bull moves into cycling with Bora; Waterlogged bike paths; Carrying two fridges by bike (and on head); Cyclocross police presence boosted + more on the live blog”
The Romans were quite adept
The Romans were quite adept at making raised active travel routes, is it really a skill that’s been lost over the centuries? Or is it that much cheaper to dig a trench and half fill it with tarmac so pathways become the impervious drainage ditches?
ROOTminus1 wrote:
“Apart from a nationwide network of all-weather active travel routes, what have the Romans ever done for cycling?”
Never mind the Romans, I reckon we should ask some people who are used to living closer to (or below) the water and still using low-lying infra:
https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/tag/underpass/
Even deliberately:
Perhaps people saw this recreational attraction in Belgium and copied it, but without the drainage.
The UK is continuing to increase its impermeable surface coverage at the same time as we need to adapt to more concentrated or just increased rainfail. (As usual it’s politics and money, not because we lack the tools e.g. rain gardens).
I moved to Glasgow – a city
I moved to Glasgow – a city used to rain – 25 years ago and I’m utterly convinced that the council has a specialist department installing huge puddles at every bus stop and pedestrian crossing in the city. They’re recently had their budget increased and are now installing them in bike lanes too.
The team have recently discovered rain gardens and installed a few small, token examples. However, The University of Glasgow decided to show how it’s done and installed a large rain garden in the SW corner of their new plaza – you can see it in the bottom right of the attached image. Unfortunately the entire site slopes down to the SE corner and nobody at the University of Glasgow has explained to the water that it needs to flow uphill to their rain garden.
IanGlasgow wrote:
The bus stops and pedestrians crossings are both place where heavy vehicles stop and start from, so it’s probably just damage to the road from that. The bike lanes are more likely to be done deliberately out of spite.
I assume this will be
I assume this will be reviewed.
“Holborn cycle death: Woman was dragged under lorry, court hears”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67865824
Stafford
Stafford
Managing to flood a tunnel
Managing to flood a tunnel that is at the top of a hill is pretty impressive. I’m assuming the Victorians who built it had installed drainage, so at some point Sustrans/some contracter has fubared it. The response (or lack of it) is just another symptom of the attitude that ‘cycling is for fun, not for function’. Until we treat cycle routes like actual travel routes rather than leisure facilities, we’re never going to get decent uptake.
To be fair, this year has
To be fair, this year has been absolutely insane for rainfall – I haven’t had a consecutive 48-hour period without rain since August, we’re on something like the fourth or fifth named storm/weather warning in two weeks. The nearest population centre to me is a small village called Blaenwaun, which is (at 220m above sea level) one of the highest villages in West Wales. Yesterday, it was impassible because of flooding.
I drove to Aberglasney a few days ago, which means driving through Sanclar and past Carmarthen (both basically underwater at this point), and then getting on the A40 which runs parallel to the river Towey. The river has long since burst its banks and has flooded the surrounding farmland. Looking out from the A40 across the valley was like looking out at the sea. It’s crazy.
Henk was a storm that got
Henk was a storm that got heavier than expected. Played havoc with my bike-train-bike commute home. Stayed late with the possibility of a working train, but when that failed, found one route that might be running, of two alternates. Filthy off roaded to the nearest station, but nothing, and nothing had run through for many hours, and nothing for many hours, couple of engineering trains did go through as I was chatting to the station bloke, off to clear fallen trees. The canal had many tree falls, all passable, they’d already started on a big one that would have blocked it.
Popped into three more stations as I continued home, nothing, and nothing.
A route I had done many times, but not for over a decade. And not on a big heavy bike set up for deep mud. Or on my first day back after not riding for a week and a half. And, of course, headwind
The first time doing the full ride back in the five and a half years of this job. Train always eventually came through.
Lots of changes, interesting new junctions and new bits of road. Fantastic bridge on one. Lots of black cabs where you’d never normally see them.
Appreciated the new grips, glad because they were a nightmare to fit. And the new jacket the better half got me for Xmas. But the front brake sounds and feels like it needs new pads, annoying. But as it was very late when I did get in and I was pooped, I’m doing them today. And servicing. Going sintered, seeing if that improves the noise in the filth.
Call that flooded? This is
Call that flooded? This is flooded (NR1 barnes subway Sunderland 2012) Fortunatley the adjacent culvert is now cleared at regualr intervals
spen wrote:
Call that flooded?!?
NCR 81 in the Quarry and down past the weir in Shrewsbury is under 5-10 feet of water.
The photo below shows a sign on a pole beside the route as it goes underneath English Bridge – the base of the sign (below the ! warns of ” Oncoming cyclists & pedestrians”) is about 7 ft above the path & cycle route. I doubt it is even visible now. And when the floods recede the path will be very muddy and slippery. I used to ride to work that way when conditions allowed. Here is a photo of the path showing the river at a normal level:
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-marine-terrace-and-river-severn-from-english-bridge-shrewsbury-shropshire-23722295.html
Further upstream the same route near the Severn-Vyrnwy confluence near Melverley is also under several feet of water stretching across much of the floodplain. Tuesday’s deluge hit saturated ground and ran off straight into the watercourses, quite a few gauges show a rapid peak that is is not far off the record levels seen in 2000.
RE: Two Tunnels greenway –
RE: Two Tunnels greenway – come on whingers, surely it’s called “Bath” for a reason!
Red Bull buying out Bora –
Red Bull buying out Bora – Expect Bora to sight WVA and Pidcock for 2025.
There are other RB athletes
There are other RB athletes in cycling apart from them two. I’m guessing you don’t watch much MTB racing…..
Bora Hansgrohe do not have a
Bora Hansgrohe do not have a MTB team in any discipline or a current rider in the peloton who dabbles in XC. The last rider in their colours to ride MTB was Peter Sagan. Only Alpecin-Deceuninck, Ineos and Visma-Lease-A-Bike had MTB programes among the WT teams in 2023, all exclusively in XCC and XCO. Other bike brands seen at WT level almost all have “Factory” race teams including Giant, Trek, Specialized, Canyon and Scott, the WT teams they sponsor have no affiliation with their MTB teams. I am well aware of RB’s affiliation with MTB, with numerous sponsored riders, and their own freeride series (Rampage). RB taking a controlling stake in Bora is the brand’s first serious foray into the road world.
There is only one other road rider who is an individual Red Bull sponsored athlete and that is Anton Palzer, who already rides for Bora-Hansgrohe. My comment was specifically aimed at the road discipline – poking fun at Red Bull’s impending attempt to dominate road cycling – and had nothing to do with the Red Bull MTB programme.
Matthew Acton-Varian wrote:
Not sure they’ll get hold of either for ’25 but it’s nice to see a new(ish) big-money sponsor in cycling, processing from just sponsoring a couple of riders.
Maybe they’ll become a full RB outfit in a couple of seasons I’d expect?
As much as the quip was in
As much as the quip was in jest I would not be surprised if it turns out that way. Considering the sport is financially precarious a big money injection should be a good thing. I much prefer RB to say, the Saudi PIF, or a crypto-based sponsor.
The fridge video is very
The fridge video is very clever, however it ain’t real
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pvc2c40rk-4?feature=share
Maybe Sustrans could adopt
Maybe Sustrans could adopt that flooded CX course in Belgium? Would be right up their muddy street.
Not a recent clip but still
Not a recent clip but still another example of why we sometimes don’t use “cycle lanes”…
https://youtu.be/0-WYxz0J6Hw
“Cyclists bemoan…”
“Cyclists bemoan…”
We do be bemoaning.
What a bunch of whingers. It
What a bunch of whingers. It’s winter, it’s been raining a lot, half the fields in my corner of Shropshire are underwater, one of the three road in & out of our village is already close by flood water and the second will probably close later this morning. Deal with it or buy some waterproof socks!
on the other hand, how many
on the other hand, how many people commute through fields in Shropshire?
leipreachan wrote:
“Farmers!”
“…and?”
“Farmers’ mums”
theres been a road flooded
theres been a road flooded near Leiston since Storm Babet
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-67683190
and theres a road I cycle on alot, got used on the Tour of Britain last year, thats usually impassable, unless you want to get your feet wet and ruin your bottom bracket, for 4 months of the year due to persistent flooding.
it took about 5 years of continually reporting it before the council pumped out the blocked drain and only temporarily fixed it.