E-bikes seized to tackle bad parking, but no mention of tackling obstructive car parking; Transitional stage could bring first sprint finish at Tour de France + more on the live blog

It seems like an own goal on the part of a local authority to allow several hire bike providers to run amok through the borough, and then complain that bikes are being parked on pavements because there is nowhere suitable for the bikes to be parked.

Westminster City Council’s approach, rather than limiting the number of providers or, heck, installing active travel infrastructure to increase the availability of cycle parking bays, is a bit nuclear, seizing all bikes they consider to be “dangerously parked.”

It’s hard to know what the council think will happen having seized the bikes, other than there now being a potential shortage in supply that forces people to travel less sustainably.

And they must know that there are limits on the size and scope of infrastructure (parking bays) that these companies can construct, given that such construction is typically bogged down in debates about taking from pedestrian space. Particularly when you know how difficult it is to reduce car parking availability without the support of said council.

But you sense that this sledgehammer approach might not be the best way to crack this nut, and also that Westminster Council, despite progress in some areas, might not have the best interests of active travel people at heart…

> Son of pensioner killed by cyclist calls for cycling speed limits to deter “dangerous” riders and “protect pedestrians”

If you read our road.cc prediction’s article, you might realise I’m not much of a fan of this year’s route. After the first stage, we already had the GC shaken out in a rough order you might expect to see in Paris, after yesterday, we even now have the favourite in the yellow jersey. Stage 3 was probably envisioned as a breakaway stage when it was designed, but this early in the race the peloton (and UAE) were too motivated to let a stage win go up the road.

The question is whether UAE will finally give the break a chance given today’s final categorised climb is 35km from the finish, and the last 15km are mostly downhill. Or will Visma be tempted to ride the break down in order to keep Tadej Pogacar in the yellow jersey? Yesterday’s post-stage interview already hinted that the Sloveniam might become weary of having to talk to Seb Piquet (ASO’s interviewer and the voice of race radio) every day.

If the peloton do lead over the line, then the question will be whether the sprinters can survive the two second category climbs, and whether the teams of riders like Mads Pedersen and Dorian Godon have the firepower to hold them off on the chase at the other end. Here’s some of what Ryan had to say from his stage-by-stage guide:

“Starting in one of the homes of cassoulet, that hearty stew favoured by Tour journos, this stage, working its way through Cathar country, has the breakaway written all over it.

“Though considering the limited sprint opportunities available at this Tour, the more climb-friendly fast men could also eye this one up, and put their teams to work to ruthlessly slaughter the hopes of the escapees, Medieval Inquisition style.”

Sofa score: 7/10

Ryan’s latest dispatch has a deep dive on yesterday’s scorching heat at the Tour de France, which took place a stone’s throw from some raging wild fires…

> “It was a war zone”: Tom Pidcock shocked by ‘hardest ever’ Tour de France heat – but rival sports director says “that’s cycling, you can’t complain about that s***”