“Balance and concentration are indispensable”: Cyclist completes 2km wheelie climb…without the front half of his bike; Vandalism after the Tour of Flanders + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“Balance and concentration are indispensable”: Cyclist completes 2km wheelie climb…without the front half of his bike
Italian cyclist Simone Temperato has taken lightweight cycling to a new level by cycling up a hill without the front half of his bike.
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In the video shared to Instagram, he is seen tackling the 2km Rosina climb to Marostica, without a front wheel, fork, stem or handlebars.
He said: “Of the many ways in which I have tackled the Rosina climb to Marostica, this is one of the most difficult, where balance and concentration are indispensable to complete the 2km ascent without making a mistake.
“Try to believe it!”
Despite missing half the bike, he is still prepared with what looks like a water bottle mounted on the frame.
“I know bicycle prices have gone up recently, but this is ridiculous—we don’t even get the front end now,” joked Chelsea Brook.
Another user, Enrico Morellini, took a more practical angle: “Normal that the climb is stronger, his bike weight half. Great job.”
un.manigoldo also added: “I came home like this too, after leaving my parked bike in Rozzano.”
"Make better choices instead of excuses"
Remember this picture, & others like it, every time you hear someone in your city say “we’re not Amsterdam.”
This was #Amsterdam in the 1970s.
Many of the cities we admire made tough choices regarding cars in the past, and are still making better choices today.
Better choices instead of excuses.
— Brent Toderian (@brenttoderian.bsky.social) 7 April 2026 at 02:28
"The future is with us": Paris' streets transformation
Paris’ hostile streets have found new life as Mayor Anne Hidalgo bravely transformed it from a city for passing through to a city for passing time. She faced fierce criticism but ultimately found broad support for her ambitious introduction of cycle lanes, pedestrian streets, and public transport. 🧵
— Melissa & Chris Bruntlett (@modacitylife.com) 7 April 2026 at 13:46
Melissa & Chris Bruntless add “Results include 1,000 km of bike routes, 350 of which are separated from cars, with €250 million dedicated to network expansion.
“Paris has also built 300 School Streets, alongside re-greening efforts that saw the removal of 70,000 car parking spaces, and planting of 145,000 trees and 45 km of parks.”
In relation to these changes, Mayor Anne Hidalgo said: “When I was re-elected, many said, ‘What a surprise,’ but it I wasn’t surprised. I know we have two parallel levels at work.
“The lobbies of men angry because of the removal of cars, and the people. It was the latter, women and young people, who voted for me. So, I can say, ‘The future is with us.’”
Plans for state-of-the-art regional cycling hub approved
Plans for a state-of-the-art cycling hub have been approved by Bristol City Council’s Planning Committee on Merriman’s and Henacre Open Space in Lawrence Weston.
This would include a 1km long, 6m wide closed loop for training and racing, a Bikeability track and a cycling play area.
There will be a slight diversion and upgrade to National Cycle Network NCN41 and Avon Cycleway.
The plans also feature offices, toilets, EV charging points, security fencing, light and CCTV.
“Achieving planning permission is a major milestone and brings us one step closer to creating a traffic-free space that will open up cycling to many more people across Bristol and beyond.
“The regional cycling hub will offer children, families and adults of all abilities a safe, welcoming space to learn to ride a bike, build skills and grow their confidence,” said Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport and connectivity committee.
“By providing inclusive training – from Bikeability sessions for SEND pupils and tailored support for Disabled adults to high-quality space for competitive cycling – the hub will help more people enjoy the freedom and independence that cycling brings.
“As a community asset, it will provide more opportunities for people to be active, spend time together and enjoy healthier lifestyles. It will also help bring people together, create new opportunities for training and work, and support a cleaner, more sustainable city by encouraging more everyday journeys by bike.
“We’re delighted to see this project moving forward – it’s an investment not just in cycling, but in the long‑term health, wellbeing and resilience of our communities.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, added: “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to stay healthy and active in the West and cycling is a great way to stay fit and travel. Access to places where it is safe for children to learn to cycle, and young people and adults to gain confidence is really important.
“We are committed to get people in the West of England moving and encouraging more people to cycle is a big part of that. We are already investing in safer cycling infrastructure across our region, working with Active Travel England and local councils.
“This planning decision is an essential step towards a new regional cycling hub. Now, the combined authority can soon consider the business case for a new regional cycling centre in Lawrence Weston.”
Construction of this hub remains depending on developing a full business case and securing the necessary funding for the site. The cost of developing this business is being met by the UK Government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. The council is awaiting a decision on the allocation of additional funding needed to build the facility.
Tower over opponents in the upcoming World Cups
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Cyclist saved after being stranded for four hours in Australian river
A 31-year-old cyclist was rescued by the Police Air Wing near Suggan Buggan, Australia, after getting stranded halfway across the Snowy River
The experienced cyclist began to cross the river just before 8 pm, but the water level rose higher than expected, and they became stranded with their bike halfway across, clinging to the reeds.
Luckily, the cyclist was well-equipped and was able to activate a satellite communication device. The Rescue and Coordination Centre were notified and dispatched the Air Wing to the coordinates.
The Air Wing was able to locate the cyclist after seeing a fellow cyclist on the riverbank. They lowered an officer to rescue the cyclist and brought him to safety just after 12 am.
The cyclist was taken to the hospital but remained physically uninjured.
Major win for bike industry campaign as Trump administration confirms no new tariffs on bicycles
> Major win for bike industry campaign as Trump administration confirms no new tariffs on bicycles
Citybikeboys jump over "rare" car in new stunt
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Citybikeboys have posted another video of themselves cycling over cars as part of a new stunt, but this latest clip has sparked criticism and debate over the car involved.
The group captioned the post: “Cars and coffee got a little out of hand yesterday morning, sorry wheels of NYC.”
Commenters were quick to focus on the model of the car. Mat Halprin said: “ugh… sad to see this happen to such a rare car.”
Reamarts added: “U gotta be trolling… no way u just busted the glass on a quattro…smh.”
However, others clarified that this car is not the highly sought-after Audi Ur‑Quattro, but more likely a front-wheel-drive Audi Coupé GT.
Feffnshii said: “NOT a QUATTRO it’s a fwd coupe gt. Still rare still sucks to see get smashed.
Smoovebert further clarified that “to be fair this is only a GT and not an Ur Quattro. They made hundreds of thousands of these by only 8000 Ur Quattro’s.”
Have Paris-Roubaix bikes progressed more in the last 50 years compared to the previous half-century?
Emily Tillet has taken a close look at whether innovations in bike tech over the past 50 years have outpaced those of the previous half-century.
Vandals Scatter Rubbish Across Oude Kwaremont after Tour of Flanders
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A group of young people tore open rubbish bags and knocked over portable toilets on the Oude Kwaremont on Sunday evening, following the Tour of Flanders.
Huge crowds had gathered earlier in the day to watch the riders navigate the iconic cobbled climb, lining the road and surrounding fields. Once the race had moved on, cleanup crews moved in to deal with the large volumes of litter left behind.
By the evening, most of the waste had been collected and packed into large bin bags, ready for removal. However, according to bystanders, at around 10 pm a group of teenagers began vandalising the site.
A local resident told Het Nieuwsblad: “They threw the rubbish around and knocked over portable toilets.
“They also knocked over crowd-control barriers. Because they were connected, dozens of metres of barriers fell over.
“Together with others, we urged them to put them back upright, which they eventually did. But they left the rubbish and toilets as they were.”
Organisers returned on Monday to continue clearing the remaining debris and restore the area.
Tadej Pogačar could face driving ban for running red light at railway crossing during Tour of Flanders, as train operator criticises riders setting “bad example”
Work started on Leicester’s park after £1.2 million from Active Travel Fund
Work started on Monday, 6 April, on Leicester’s Rally Park improvements as part of the £1.2 million secured from the Government’s Active Travel Fund.
The work will include a new zebra crossing that will extend walking and cycling routes to Hinckley Road, footpaths to the children’s play area and a new community garden.
“This new investment from the Government’s Consolidated Active Travel Fund will allow us to extend ambitious improvements already made at Rally Park.
“We are aiming to create safer and more attractive routes at the heart of this thriving neighbourhood, linking Newfoundpool, Frog Island and the new Waterside development for people to walk, wheel or cycle along.
“It’s an important scheme that will help more people make active travel their preferred choice for everyday trips to school, the shops and into the city centre.”
The investment will deliver accessible entrances to the park, and safer routes linking surrounding neighbourhoods, schools and the riverside development area. The work is expected to be completed by late summer.
There have been several improvements to the park since Summer 2024, including access, new sealed-surface paths, and landscaping.
“That’s definitely one way to unclip”: A new clipless prototype?
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Cyclist Aline More has shared a video of her cleats still clipped into the pedals, but the rest of the shoe is completely detached.
This might not be the quick-release system manufacturers had in mind, but AndyCycles jokes, “relax guys, this is just another clipless prototype”.
Average running added that “That’s definitely one way to unclip”.
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@quiff And not all EAPCs comply with the EAPC regulations: Viz; fitted with pedals, have max 250W motor, 15mph cut off, etc.. An EAPC that does not comply with the regulations, is treated as a motor vehicle, etc.. To paraphrase the DVSA & DoT guidance. :-)
@the infamous grouse I would imagine most women in sport's priorities are the same as men in sport, in no particular order: Sporting success (titles, medals etc), Personal satisfaction, Respect from fellow professionals, Respect from the media (much less important than that from fellow professionals), The feeling of belonging and contributing to a team, Fair renumeration and being able to make a living from the sport. I do think that women's sport (and men's to a lesser extent) is still sometimes patronised by parts of the media, where there is total ignorance of the talent, efforts and sacrifices required to get to the top. One example of this was the past heralding of Katy Price aiming to make the GB Olympic Equestrian squad. I'm not sure whether things like this calendar contributes to the patronisation.
@Mr Blackbird i find it all quite laughable, the person being targeted isn't pretending to be a sportsperson ... she's being eyecandy. surely the women in sport don't care about or aren't interested in male recognition?
@Rendel Harris I think it was jitensha_oni who when this was discussed previously, posted a Surrey by law that made pushing a bicycle on a public footpath was an offence.
@the infamous grouse I think a calendar with shots of women cyclists competing or training would be much better. I am still on tablets as a result of seeing the cycling video for Ariana Grande's "Side To Side" a few years ago. I later found out that the lyrics were even ruder than the video 😯
Losing the metal shims is a downgrade. These shims are one of the best features of the SPD-SL cleats, as they avoid the "imprinting" of the bolts into the plastic that makes other road cleats hard to fine-tune after some use (I'm looking at you, Time i-clic).
Honestly, the backlash to the Novig advert is not wide enough. For future reference: https://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/
Unduly lenient sentence. My guess is, his self-belief that he did nothing wrong is so ingrained that there is a strong possibility that he might be involved in something in the future. (Assuming he can afford any future insurance premium.) Then hopefully this incident can also be taken into account to have him banned for life.
@Rendel Harris the "relationship engineering" of a product and how that then evolves (because humans exist in societies) is a fascinating business. To a first approximation aren't products designed to be loveable? (Leaving aside the "marmite effect" or "learn to love it" of eg. hot chilli or beer) Doesn't a great deal of effort and indeed trial going into that, from making things "self-explanatory" through decent ergonomics to hooks like having "a satisfying click" and "making me walk tall"? It would be remarkable if people *didn't* love their cars. Because cars weren't set up as a simple blag (or have outlasted it) there's also the mitigating or getting us to overlook the unpleasant parts. As with other "addictive" things those become increasingly noticeable once the first thrill lapses. Luckily we aren't great at saying "could things be better? Let's step back and see whether they might be overall if I did things differently. Allowing that any change will be work and take time to get used to".
Got to take issue with "traditionally" there, Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx, Moser, Hinault, Fignon all rode it (all bar Anquetil and Fignon winning at least one) and further back GT winners like Garin, Lapize, Pelissier, Maes etc all won, one could go as far as to say that traditionally grand tour contenders frequently rode it and frequently won, it's only in the modern era that teams have decided that they shouldn't risk their golden geese.
12 thoughts on ““Balance and concentration are indispensable”: Cyclist completes 2km wheelie climb…without the front half of his bike; Vandalism after the Tour of Flanders + more on the live blog”
I guess “man rides unicycle” doesn’t sound quite so interesting…
I have also had an upper separate from a sole while riding (after many years of use). Wasn’t filming it at the time though.
I kept the sole!
IMG_0745
Parisian bobos are living the dream. They can cycle on 1,000 km of dedicated bike lanes, oblivious to piles of uncollected trash overflowing the pavement, well-fed rats and ubiquitous construction works. They also have to opportunity to walk their kids to school crossing parks where drug dealers and other thugs run their businesses. When the weather doesn’t permit cycling, they enjoy taking le Métro, turning a blind eye on pickpockets and beggars. What a wonderful world!
Yeah, you posted exactly the same thing last week. It was bollocks then and it’s bollocks now.
So it’s basically “same as the UK but with provision for active travel” *?
Sounds good, where do I sign?
* See Birmingham / other places with bin strikes. No doubt there’s crime and grime in Paris … but this smacks of the ludicrous suggestions of some US commentators about “no-go zones” in the UK and “worse than (insert silly place like Skid Row)”.
I suspect that the worst places for that are where the cycle infra is also least good or absent eg. the banlieues (?) – the suburbs and feeder towns. No shock there, deprived places have issues…
The same as Americans who are scared to visit Portland or Minneapolis.
Oh no, so scary!
RE: Make better choices instead of excuses
I know! I know what happened next!
… Was it that the press said “this is ridiculous!” And the local authority looked at the wide empty pavements and agreed that “the street was too narrow” to have so much space given over to a handful of pedestrians when so many hard-working people who *had to drive* were being delayed?
… but then they realised that still only gave one extra lane – so they demolished the houses and built a motorway instead?
(I joke but…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jokinen_Plan
)
Opinion piece in The Guardian – Too many drivers see road safety rules as a personal affront. It’s time to tighten up UK laws
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/06/driving-deaths-prison-sentences-uk-road-safety-laws
Shurely “it’s time to *enforce* UK laws?”
Probably things drift – here a bit of (theoretical) push by tinkering with sentence guidance / possibly even law, there a bit of some societal “hey my kids use electric scooters that could have been them”. And maybe even “now I’m not full time at the office I drive a bit less and sometimes even walk / cycle to the shops as parking’s a nightmare”?
Egads! There’s clearly a bicycle on the pedestrian-marked part there! (Does that count as a “sidewalk”? )