“Hero” cyclist saves dogwalker from bear attack; Top races of 2020; The “cycling mafia … a powerful, financially supported organisation” … really?; Pidcock named Yorkshire Post’s Sports Hero; + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
The “cycling mafia … a powerful, financially supported organisation”
Step aside, the Bicycle Lobby – there’s a new gang in town, the “Cycling Mafia,” and it’s “powerful, financially supported organisation” – or at least, that’s what anti-bike lane and low traffic neighbourhood Twitter account OneTowerHamlets would have you believe.
#CyclingMafia is ‘a powerful, financially supported organisation’.
If only … pic.twitter.com/ve3GKsZNas
— Shivaji Shiva (@ShivajiShivaLaw) December 30, 2020
Unsurprisingly, the monicker has attracted a fair bit of derision on Twitter.
I saw one claiming “cyclists are the new motorists”
Again – I thought “if only we had that much respect, freedom and protection”
— Drew White (@drewsonix) December 30, 2020
Indeed, we are
— The Cycling Mafia (@CyclingMafia) December 31, 2020
Might be worth a try… pic.twitter.com/t1ZSu9lztI
— KarlOnSea (@KarlOnSea) December 30, 2020
Though joking apart, there is a serious point in play here, with accounts such as this and others helping stoke anti-cyclist hatred …
Unpleasant, or completely unhinged?
Another recent favourite… ban cycling in parks and on towpaths. But also against any measures that redistributes roadspace away from cars and make cycling there safer. Hates LTNs, bike lanes, any cycling infrastructure.
Mad. pic.twitter.com/vMdLACLsAr— Charlotte (@cvfdavies) December 30, 2020
Top races of 2020 - Lizzie Deignan wins La Course
Today we’ll be highlighting a few of our favourite races from a shortened and action-packed 2020 season, starting with Lizzie Deignan’s stunning win at La Course by Le Tour de France in Nice, with the race bursting into life through an attack by Annemiek van Vleuten that only the strongest could go with, and Elisa Longo Borghini playing a huge role in team-mate Deignan’s eventual victory …
Tom Pidcock wins Yorkshire Post's Sports Hero award
Tom Pidcock has ended 2020 by being named Yorkshire Post’s Sports Hero of the year.
The 21-year-old from Leeds, who will be racing for Ineos Grenadiers next year, has had a stellar season across a number of disciplines.
On the road, he won the under-23 Giro d’Italia, while in mountain biking he added two more rainbow jerseys to a growing collection, winning the E-MTB Cross Country and Under-23 Cross Country titles at the World Championships in Austria.
Earlier this month, at the Superprestige Gaver, he also took his first top-level international cyclo-cross victory, beating world champion Mathieu van der Poel.
Other names on the Yorkshire Post’s shortlist included from the Yorkshire sporting world, including rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield, Leeds United manager Marco Bielsa and wheelchair athlete Hannah Cockroft – although surprisingly, despite victories including La Course by Le Tour de France (see below), there was no place for Lizzie Deignan.
Video: Cyclist picks up bike from factory in China ... and rides it home to Newcastle
If you follow cycling journalist and author Carlton Reid on Twitter, you’ll probably know that his son Josh last year picked up a bike he had ordered from Giant’s factory in Shanghai, China … and rode it all the way home to Newcastle.
His four-month trip back to the UK took him across China and through countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Hungary, Germany and the Netherlands, from where he took a ferry across the North Sea to Newcastle.
My son’s epic 9,300-mile ride from the @GiantUK factory in China to Newcastle is in today’s @travelmail Positive stuff about cycling and being accommodated in mosques cos of the kindness of strangers.
https://t.co/Q5IkncLFdz— Carlton Reid (@carltonreid) December 31, 2020
You can follow Josh’s adventures through this 30-minute video he compiled of the trip – and he’s also been speaking about his experience in this Daily Mail article (where some of the commenters haven’t quite grasped that the journey took place in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic broke out).
Top races of 2020: Pogacar blows Roglic away to win the Tour de France
It wasn’t the first time the leadership of the Tour de France had changed late on – who can forget the narrowest ever race in 1989 when Greg Lemond overhauled Laurent Fignon on the final day, or 2011 when uniquely three men, Thomas Voeckler, Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans each held the yellow jersey on the final three days – but Stage 20 of this year’s race, ahead of the procession into Paris, saw a stunning change of fortunes for Slovenian riders Primoz Roglic and Tadej Pogacar.
Roglic’s Junbo-Visma team had controlled the race throughout and he led his younger compatriot – two days shy of his 22nd birthday – by 57 seconds going into the time trial from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles.
Pogacar, the penultimate man on the course, ate into Roglic’s lead on the flatter part of the course and blew him apart on the climb, the race leader’s team mates Wout van Aert and Tom Dumoulin watching incredulously as the UAE Team Emirates rider put two minutes into his friend and rival to take the yellow jersey by 59 seconds.
Top races of 2020: Wout Van Aert wins Milano-San Remo
We had to wait a long time for the first Monument of the year, with Milan-San Remo – nicknamed La Primavera due to its usual springtime slot – taking place in early August, but what a race it was.
Julian Alaphilippe followed a move from past winner Vincenzo Nibali on the Poggio, and only Wout Van Aert was able to stay with the Frenchman as they crested the climb, ahead of a touch-and-go finish on Via Roma with the bunch closing in.
2020 has been an awful year ... but bikes have made it better
didn’t manage to hit my target for the year (was frustratingly close) but cycling in 2020 has made a terrible situation a whole lot better and no doubt kept me sane! 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 pic.twitter.com/Kp4mMi2oMW
— Jack Mayorcas (@jackamayorcas) December 31, 2020
Top races of 2020 - Alaphilippe blows first race in rainbow jersey ... big time
Fresh from winning the world championship at Monza, Julian Alaphilippe quickly laid to rest the so-called ‘curse of the rainbow jersey’ by winning his first race in it, at Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Never mind the early celebration that saw Primoz Roglic pip him to the actual finish line … the Deceuninck-Quick Step man was also relegated from the sprint for veering across the line of his rivals.
Zut, and indeed, alors.
Cyclist saves dogwalker from bear attack (+ link to video)
A woman in Florida who was attacked by a bear while walking her dogs has hailed a cyclist who intervened and managed to distract the animal as a “hero.”
WSVN has posted video of the moment Kathy Boyle met cyclist Joe Schmidt to thank him for saving her and her pups.
She said: “Thank you so much. The only reason I’m standing is because you came around that corner and we were able to distract the bear.”
Schmidt said: “Actually, just kinda getting towards the end of the ride and I heard some screaming.
“All I could think about was, you know, it’s a matter of split second,” he continued. “‘OK, I got to get down there.’ I thought you were being attacked. I mean, I thought you were going to be dead.”
He managed to chase the bear away by shouting, with the help of Boyle, who said: “There are only a few people out there early in the morning, and I just was trying to hold on long enough that someone would be walking,”
But Schmidt added: “I didn’t really do as much as she thinks I did. She went full martial arts.”
WSVN reported that Boyle’s two dogs were injured in the attack but are both expected to make a full recovery.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/24/carspreading-vehicle-size-crash-deaths-study Is the bike industry missing a trick here? Too much focus on selling us lighter more aero machinery, new fangled tubeless systems & gravel specific chamois butter - not enough bikespreading. 32" MTB tyres are one thing, but where are the heavily armoured, oversized urban road warrior bikes? WankFietsen if you will. Just bung a load of ads on TV depicting empty urban streets whilst wanging on about freedom, engage the Evil Cyclists Lobby in some Government quangos & Robert's your mother's brother. If MSM media has taught me anything, it's that there's some sort of war going on out there & we need a bigger defence budget and some deadly new tech with which to compete on the battlefield. That & you know, how else are you going to transport your grand piano across town?
In bollards we trust! https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/bollards-installed-accident-prone-pub/
The problem with Roadcc (and all cycling magazines) is that it’s all preaching to the converted. …It’s a great forum for exposing the issues, it’s Roadcc’s bread and butter. But what is Roadcc doing to advocate for all its readers outside the cycling industry?
Cycling thinks it’s a fashion parade, which is why prices have become so exorbitant. It’s zero surprise to see Pinarello on a catwalk. Almost every group ride in any world city has become fashion parade. Cycling outfits can easily cost $1000. …The great thing is that you don’t have to buy into it! Just stop paying high prices. There are many affordable options.
That seems like a complete non sequitur to what I wrote.
Delivery's free should you spend over £55, golly! I could spend that much on all manner of ingredients to make rice cakes, granola bars, 'gravel' mix enough to keep me cycling for weeks on end. Just eat real food, if you've got time to train, you've got time to make you're own grub. Just eat real food, you've probably got some in the kitchen
@mdavidford Are you not concerned that using reasonable force to defend yourself against robbery with violence may result in criminal charges against you? It was 2 against 1. Reasonable force should include rendering your attackers incapable of doing you harm.
Not sure what being a “family man and business owner” has to with it, though. That's no guarantee of good character or trustworthiness. We've seen any number of "family men and business owners" abusing, threatening, or running cyclists off the road in stories here on road.cc - often using their business vehicle to do it.
@Mr Anderson One of the comments was from a person who describes himseld as a "family man and business owner", who fought off two attackers trying to rob him and is now facing charges of GBH. I am reminded of "The Little Onion"'s brush with the law and Dave Clifford's prosecution for reporting a phone driver.
36 thoughts on ““Hero” cyclist saves dogwalker from bear attack; Top races of 2020; The “cycling mafia … a powerful, financially supported organisation” … really?; Pidcock named Yorkshire Post’s Sports Hero; + more on the live blog”
You know the difference
You know the difference between the Mafia and the government?
Only one of them is organised.
Mafia? What about…??
Mafia? What about…??
As 2021 closes, I’d like to
As 2020! closes, I’d like to say thank you to road.cc for giving me interesting stuff to read all year, and also to fellow commenters who made me think or laugh in these mad times. It has really helped.
May you all* have air in your tyres and space on the road in a better 2021.
And thanks road.cc for the socks. Makes up for not winning all those shiny prizes.
*I realise this sounds like the Queen’s speech but I do mean it.
TheBillder wrote:
Sh*t! Have I overslept?
You squirrels and hibernation
You squirrels and hibernation… I bet you can’t find the nuts you buried either.
The effort it took to avoid obvious smut in that comment means I need to go and lie down.
TheBillder wrote:
I did have a strange dream about the Mafia using an industrial pasta cooker to get rid of an informant. The authorities couldn’t al dentefy the victim.
They needed to soften him up
They needed to soften him up a bit.
I got my Evil Cycling Lobby
I got my Evil Cycling Lobby hoodie for christmas, so I guess I have funded the cycling mafia.
(Tomorrow’s meeting is in the village hall car park due to tier4 rules)
hirsute wrote:
Err, no!
hirsute wrote:
I’m going to bring some acorn cake (https://honest-food.net/acorn-cake-and-acorns-around-the-world/)
Edouard Guidon
Edouard Guidon
If he’s not careful he might wake up with a set of handlebars in his bed #cyclingmafia
11:42 AM · Sep 12, 2019·Twitter Web App
Would’ve thought a steering
Would’ve thought a steering wheel would be more appropriate.
mdavidford wrote:
What about Jeremy Clarkson’s head?
Eton Rifle wrote:
Definitely larger and uglier than a horse’s head.
Lizzie D didnt just win a few
Lizzie D didnt just win a few outstanding races this year, she was also the 2020 UCI Women’s World Tour individual champion, which shows the consistency in top finishing results too.
That the Yorkshire Post readers didnt recognise those achievements in their vote likely demonstrates the fact the Yorkshire Post completely ignore womens cycling as a sport or subject, as most media outlets also do, only treating it as some footnote filler to an end of year review.
Id like to think if there were any editorial New Years resolutions being set out there in medialand for 2021, that there was the same commitment as Rouleur are now demonstrating, to increase the coverage of women’s cycling next year.
What I want to know is how
What I want to know is how does one join the cycling mafia? I was going to ask the op, but I’m still banned from twitter until they get around to looking at my appeal for calling Cristo a cretin, or cretan.
eburtthebike wrote:
A friend of mine ended up working as a butler for a Mafia Don.
He was a maid man.
I would tell you but omerta..
I would tell you but omerta…
‘All Cretans are liars’
“Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”
Not just the UK where the
Not just the UK where the media is anti-cyclist. Compare the headline “Road rage in Berlin as cyclists clog streets in pandemic” to the facts in the report.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2043831/road-rage-in-berlin-as-cyclists-clog-streets-in-pandemic
The picture they managed to
The picture they managed to get of the “Cycling Hoards” is impressive.
Or perhaps those certain
Or perhaps those certain residents of the New Forest who seem to be blind to the danger from irresponsible drivers in motor vehicles and the carnage they can cause but are up in arms with anyone who cycles – Four horses killed in New Forest collision – BBC News (unsure if the link has copied but article 01/01/21 on BBC web site). What is chilling is the reference to 3 horses being killed in the area in December as if it is a normal occurence. Some people have a very deranged view on what creates risk and harm and measures that need to be put into place to help protect everyone.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-55506891
Saw this on a RT by Howard
Saw this on a RT by Howard Cox of Fair Fuel UK earlier today (have to follow with a second account as he’s blocked me on my main one for calling out his BS once too many times … i.e. once) …
CygnusX1 wrote:
What’s not to like??
That seems an American poster
:confused:
That seems an American poster.
It is, but its going around
It is, but its going around the UK based One … anti-LTN groups and other rabid anti-cycling accounts
He seems to have some good
He seems to have some good ideas. I’m going to send it to my Council they seem to be missing a trick.
What’s a citizen ticketing initiative? It sounds like it should be a lot of fun ?
I think some car park
I think some car park operators do that – allow the public to submit evidence of parking contraventions and get paid (something like) £10 a time.
I was hoping I could just
I was hoping I could just wander around taking photos of badly parked cars and then submitting the evidence. It would be particularly useful outside the local infants school. If the cars are in car parks it’s just not going to be fun.
Them damn Anarchists bringing
Them damn Anarchists bringing more rules in.
Wait, he even hates car
Wait, he even hates car sharing? Who is this Cox sucker?
Car lanes, oh dear. That summarises the the level of arrogance right there. It’s called a road. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a car-only lane.
There was set of questions on
There was set of questions on University Challenge last night (Crimbo special, easier questions…) about nationalities of Tour de France riders, I almost got mixed up between Slovenia and Slovakia…
AH CRAP! Just ran outta
AH CRAP! Just ran outta toilet paper. God dam public shithole bogs!
Cycling mafia? Did One Tower
Cycling mafia? Did One Tower Hamlet wake up and find their cylinder head in their bed ?
Hopefully more Rando than
Hopefully more Rando than Brando!