Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

road.cc live blog from Brussels: Team Ineos criticised for unveiling "gas guzzling" Ford Ranger Raptor as their new Recon Car; Tour de France team presentation; Tour de France tat + Vélo North cancelled and more

We're in Brussels ahead of the Tour de France departe, here are some of our highlights so far.....
05 July 2019, 09:32
Geraint Thomas gets new bike
(Not) Geraint Thomas gets a new bike just in time for the Tour

Geraint Thomas is an Olympic Medallist, World Champion and Tour de France winner.

Meanwhile, @GeraintThomas has just become a cyclist. 

https://twitter.com/EvansCycles/status/1146856384614547457

 

04 July 2019, 18:40
Team Ineos under fire for unveiling "gas guzzling " Ford Ranger Raptor as new recon car

The team are taking flak for using the (not exactly environmentally-friendly) Ford Ranger Raptor for their Tour de France course recons this year. Some of the replies to this post aren't exactly positive...

04 July 2019, 18:27
Tour de France team presentation: Richie Porte not best pleased at being asked if it's "now or never", Geraint Thomas says we should know who's going to win by the end of week two
tour de france ineos team pres.JPG

A fairly uneventful Team Presentation took place in the Grand Place this evening, with arguably the most controversial moment coming during Richie Porte's mini-interview on stage - the compere put it to Porte: another Australian won the Tour when he was 35, you're 34, is it now or never?"

As well as pointing out that Evans was in fact also 34 when he won in 2011, Porte didn't seem best pleased about his age being scrutinised: "I don't really know what to say to that. Maybe best I just say nothing." 

Later on Team Ineos took to the stage, with Geraint Thomas saying that he thinks we'll have a "pretty good idea" of who will take the GC by the end of the second week. 

04 July 2019, 18:22
Bora-Hansgrohe unveil new jersey for Tour de France

Perhaps to make their star man feel a little more exclusive despite not donning a world champs jersey for the first time at the tour in a few years, Bora Hansgrohe have unveiled this new jersey for the race. What d'ya reckon? 

04 July 2019, 18:14
The 'Manneken Pis' finally gets some appropriate clothing
tour de france pissy boy yellow jersey 2

The famous Brussels statue, that literally translates to "Little Pisser" according to Google, was dressed with a yellow jersey by a quick-thinking member of the public. It was eventually removed by security unfortunately, but we think the outfit was a significant upgrade if not protecting all of the lad's modesty...

04 July 2019, 14:27
SKILLZ
04 July 2019, 13:37
Bostik TdF
The Tour de France news you've been waiting for

Bike manufacturers have been working on bikes. Riders on their fitness. And, erm, Bostik on sticky numbers. We think.

"Bostik has developed a hot melt adhesive solution (or hot melt glue) sprayed on the back of the bibs", it gushes. "Its formulation, based on industrial technologies and with an accurate dosing of 60 grams, has been tested in its laboratories to assess its adhesion rate and flexibility in extreme conditions (wind and rain resistance, perspiration ...). Solvent-free formulated and made up with 10% of bio-sourced materials derived from pine resin, the company is also committed to act as a responsible industrial company"

"The result is an amazing simplicity: adhesive bibs that are easy to apply on the jerseys by pressing strongly and slowly on the palm of the hand. They provide both more comfort and lightness for optimal performance while being able to be removed without damaging the shirt and without leaving marks."

We're assuming it's talking about the self-adhesive bib numbers, rather than bib shorts. It doesn't actually say so in the press release, ever. Unless self-adhesive bib shorts are a thing now, and no-one told us.

04 July 2019, 12:50
Tour de France tat part 1
tdf fragrance 3

We're not just out here looking for news and bikes, we're also on the hunt for tat... and what could be more tenuous than a Tour de France eu de toilette? Luckily it smells quite citrussy rather than like sweat and chamois cream. 

04 July 2019, 12:44
What do you think of this paint job?
trek madone ltd paint job.JPG

We reckon this is a new limited edition colourway of Trek's Madone, as it's not one we've seen before and the Trek Segafredo mechanics were pretty quick to hide it when they saw us snapping. Insert 'what brand is it?' joke here... 

04 July 2019, 12:41
Custom stems from the Bora-Hansgrohe camp
peter sagan stem why so serious.JPG

Peter Sagan has his signature 'why so serious?' catchprase accompanied by The Joker on his stem...

daniel oss bora fuck oss stem.JPG

...while Daniel Oss has gone for this pun that doesn't really work or rhyme, but is unique all the same. 

04 July 2019, 12:36
More spots from the Team Ineos camp: new number plate needed and a prototype chainring for G
team ineos sky plate.JPG

While the team vehicles have all been fully transformed to their new team colours, we couldn't help bt notice the personalised plate could do with updating...

geraint thomas 38t proto chainring.JPG

Meanwhile, we managed to take a closer look at Geraint Thomas' Dogma F12 and were intrigued to spot a prototype 38t inner chainring. With an 11-30t cassette and 53t big ring this will presumably give a slightly better spread for hilly stages without resorting to grinding on steep inclines. 

04 July 2019, 12:31
Big Dave's on disc
dave brailsford dogma disc brake.JPG

While the rest of Team Ineos are sticking with rim brake bikes for the Tour, Sir Dave Brailsford's own bike is a disc brake version of the Dogma F12. The Ineos boss is looking fit as a fiddle and could have passed for a member of his team as he headed out for a ride this morning, here he is looking really pleased to be papped in the photo below. 

dave brailsford ineos kit.JPG

 

04 July 2019, 12:23
Greetings from Brussels
brussels square.JPG

We're here to nose around the team hotels, shoot some cool bikes and generally soak up the atmosphere ahead of the Tour de France departe on Saturday. Here's a shot of Grand Place we took last night where the team presentation will take place from 4.25pm today. If you're planning a visit yourself, we can confirm the beer in Belgium is indeed reassuringly strong... 

04 July 2019, 12:05
Velo north logo
Vélo North cancelled

The closed-road Vélo North sportive, which has caused some controversy (as usual, with closed-road events) has been cancelled two months out from its inaugural run, which was due to take place on 1 September.

On the event website the organisers say that "Despite our best efforts, we were unable to attract sufficient riders to justify the event going ahead. We apologise to everyone who had signed up and was looking forward to taking part – we hope you understand our reasoning and appreciate that this was not a decision we took lightly."

The email to entrants paints it slightly differently: "Despite our best efforts, we were unable to attract sufficient riders to justify the level of disruption the event would have had on residents, businesses and communities throughout the region as a result of the road closures."

More on this one soon...

04 July 2019, 10:09
Does aero kit make you go faster?

We made Dave ride round and round in circles for an hour to try and find out!

 

04 July 2019, 09:57
Renshaw to Retire

Mark Cavendish's lead-out man Mark Renshaw is set to retire at the end of this season.

The Australian sprinter formed an unstoppable partnership with Cavendish at HTC Highroad, helping the British sprinter to the majority of his 30 Tour de France stage victories.

Renshaw briefly joined Blanco Pro Cycling to try for his own victories but returned to lead-out man duties with Etixx Quick-Step before moving to Dimension Data with Cavendish.

Our favourite moment that the pair produced was this fabulous victory on the Champ Elysees back in 2009.

04 July 2019, 09:29
Holborn
This is why you should get up early in the summer

5.30 this morning, Holborn ... no motor traffic, just a bicycle gloriously lit up by the morning sun.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

28 comments

Avatar
Judge dreadful | 5 years ago
0 likes

What a shock, they’ve fucked up (again) on the Velo North. They honestly couldn’t organise an orgy in a brothel. But I’d imagine they’ve made loads of interest on all the pre payments, so that’s probably the entire point.

Avatar
jhsmith87 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Pretty sure Bahrain-Merida have been using a Mclaren. Just throwing that out there. 

I love technology, cycling & cars. I also want to do more for the environment. But ultimately, as said above, TdF would cease to exist if it was 100% eco friendly. I get that we all need to try harder but as also mentioned before, sport relies on sponsorship. 

Avatar
ktache | 5 years ago
0 likes

That Ford, Raptors must fly to live and hunt, that thing looks like it waddles and will never take off.  No matter how much POWER! it has.

Soaring could never be a word used to describe that.

 

Avatar
quiff | 5 years ago
2 likes

I'm no fan of pick-up trucks or Ineos, but Team Sky didn't exactly have great credentials on this even before the Ineos rebrand. Sky used a Ford Ranger last year too, and previous cars have included the Jaguar F-Type and Ford Focus RS. A Google search also reveals a Mustang and Ford GT in Sky livery (not sure if they were actually used on course thouogh). None of these were designed for fuel economy.  

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
1 like

How dare Ford name the little pickup a Raptor.  Its for the f150 SVT Raptor https://www.google.com/search?q=f150+raptor&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ve...

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 5 years ago
0 likes

Sportive organisers should give some serious thought to closed road rides: whilst they are great for riders, they frustrate locals and disrupt lives, quite often get cancelled as a result and then become an admin nightmare (for both organisers and entrants).  Better to keep rider numbers down and leave the roads open.  If there are too many riders for a one-day ride, spread it over two. 

I'd give an exemption to Ride London, however, as its in an around the capital.  That said, having ridden it a few times I'm not entirely convinced that closed road rides are much safer for riders with some taking risks that they otherwise probably wouldn't. 

Avatar
john1967 | 5 years ago
2 likes

i was very uneasy about Ineos and this just looks like a f#ck you to the
#climateemergency

Why didn't they just get hybrids???

Avatar
cdamian replied to john1967 | 5 years ago
0 likes

john1967 wrote:

i was very uneasy about Ineos and this just looks like a f#ck you to the #climateemergency Why didn't they just get hybrids???

It would be nice if some teams would now come with fully electric cars. Just to show ex-sky what's up.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to cdamian | 5 years ago
2 likes

cdamian wrote:

john1967 wrote:

i was very uneasy about Ineos and this just looks like a f#ck you to the #climateemergency Why didn't they just get hybrids???

It would be nice if some teams would now come with fully electric cars. Just to show ex-sky what's up.

Electric vehicles are not significantly less productive of CO2 than ICE vehicles, and depending on how the electricity is generated, can produce more.  Neither will they reduce congestion, road danger or reduce obesity or improve health; they are pretty much irrelevant apart from the single advantage of reducing pollution at point of use.

There is currently massive coverage of electric vehicles as "the answer" to pollution and climate change, which is extremely misleading to say the least.  On BBC R4 this morning at about 0630, they interviewed a professor who pointed out that most of the publicity about electric cars was greenwash and they wouldn't solve the huge problems of profligate car use.  They have had several subsequent long articles today about electric cars, all of them either stating explicitly that electric cars are zero carbon, or heavily implying it, without challenge from the interviewer.  No mention whatsoever of active travel, as the BBC has a de facto ban on mentioning the benefits of a massive switch to cycling.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago
0 likes

burtthebike wrote:

cdamian wrote:

john1967 wrote:

i was very uneasy about Ineos and this just looks like a f#ck you to the #climateemergency Why didn't they just get hybrids???

It would be nice if some teams would now come with fully electric cars. Just to show ex-sky what's up.

Electric vehicles are not significantly less productive of CO2 than ICE vehicles, and depending on how the electricity is generated, can produce more.  Neither will they reduce congestion, road danger or reduce obesity or improve health; they are pretty much irrelevant apart from the single advantage of reducing pollution at point of use.

There is currently massive coverage of electric vehicles as "the answer" to pollution and climate change, which is extremely misleading to say the least.  On BBC R4 this morning at about 0630, they interviewed a professor who pointed out that most of the publicity about electric cars was greenwash and they wouldn't solve the huge problems of profligate car use.  They have had several subsequent long articles today about electric cars, all of them either stating explicitly that electric cars are zero carbon, or heavily implying it, without challenge from the interviewer.  No mention whatsoever of active travel, as the BBC has a de facto ban on mentioning the benefits of a massive switch to cycling.

Do BBC producers read road.cc?  They finally mentioned active travel on R4 this afternoon.    After a day spent promoting electric vehicles of course.  It starts at 46:40
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0006dwt
 

Avatar
Ad Hynkel | 5 years ago
1 like

I can't believe anyone can really be surprised at a company sponsored by fossil fuel processors using a vehicle that uses more of said product than any other reasonable vehicle for that purpose. Get used to it, Brailsford and co have broken cover... they are giving up pretending as they head for cushy retirement. Those who want to keep waving flags can hold their noses.

I find it strange that they chose to hold that closed road sportive on the same day as the already well established Tour o the Borders (also closed road). I know it's not exactly next door but it's not that far up the A68. Can I drop a recommendation here if anyone who has been dumped on by those organisers? Tour o the Borders is a cracker and very well organised. The macaroni cheese pies were a revelation too...

Avatar
brooksby replied to Ad Hynkel | 5 years ago
0 likes

Ad Hynkel wrote:

I can't believe anyone can really be surprised at a company sponsored by fossil fuel processors using a vehicle that uses more of said product than any other reasonable vehicle for that purpose. Get used to it, Brailsford and co have broken cover... they are giving up pretending as they head for cushy retirement. Those who want to keep waving flags can hold their noses.

Whilst I don't disagree, exactly how eco-friendly was the Team Sky Death Star bus? 

Avatar
peted76 replied to brooksby | 5 years ago
1 like

brooksby wrote:

Ad Hynkel wrote:

I can't believe anyone can really be surprised at a company sponsored by fossil fuel processors using a vehicle that uses more of said product than any other reasonable vehicle for that purpose. Get used to it, Brailsford and co have broken cover... they are giving up pretending as they head for cushy retirement. Those who want to keep waving flags can hold their noses.

Whilst I don't disagree, exactly how eco-friendly was the Team Sky Death Star bus? 

The sport of cycling is horrendously un-environmental, the TdF more than all the others. They use helicopters for filming and often aeroplanes on stage transfers for riders, whilst the vehicle convoy drive lorries and buses, they plan stage starts and finishes not based on logic, but who's paid for the stage to start in their town. Bikes and kit get used for just one season, it's all so horribly wasteful and ironic that it's used to promote a human powered sport. 

 

I still love it though, and IMO that guzzling Ford support car still looks cool.

Avatar
Htc replied to peted76 | 5 years ago
2 likes

peted76 wrote:

brooksby wrote:

Ad Hynkel wrote:

I can't believe anyone can really be surprised at a company sponsored by fossil fuel processors using a vehicle that uses more of said product than any other reasonable vehicle for that purpose. Get used to it, Brailsford and co have broken cover... they are giving up pretending as they head for cushy retirement. Those who want to keep waving flags can hold their noses.

Whilst I don't disagree, exactly how eco-friendly was the Team Sky Death Star bus? 

The sport of cycling is horrendously un-environmental, the TdF more than all the others. They use helicopters for filming and often aeroplanes on stage transfers for riders, whilst the vehicle convoy drive lorries and buses, they plan stage starts and finishes not based on logic, but who's paid for the stage to start in their town. Bikes and kit get used for just one season, it's all so horribly wasteful and ironic that it's used to promote a human powered sport. 

 

I still love it though, and IMO that guzzling Ford support car still looks cool.

The goal of the TDF is not to promote cycling, it’s to make money. Like 99% of all professional sports.

Avatar
burtthebike | 5 years ago
3 likes

INEOS, doing their absolute damndest to make Sky look totally moral.

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
0 likes

That Madone paintjob is fantastic. Big fan of the oversized Trek logo too. Wouldn't work so well for other brands because it's the K on the head tube that makes it work. 

Avatar
peted76 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Velo North, that's what now two or three out of four or five closed road events cancelled by (CSM Active parent company)in the past two years?

Best not put too much faith into CSM Active events in future methinks, booking hotels and travel arrangements in advance appears a bit of a lottery.

Avatar
Mark B | 5 years ago
1 like

eX-SKY seems quite appropriate to me.

Avatar
daccordimark | 5 years ago
0 likes

Seems a bit OTT to have to prototype a 38 tooth chainring - it's not exactly radical compared to a 39 is it?

Avatar
RobD replied to daccordimark | 5 years ago
0 likes

daccordimark wrote:

Seems a bit OTT to have to prototype a 38 tooth chainring - it's not exactly radical compared to a 39 is it?

I guess because it isn't for sale as standard yet, and with the UCI rules etc saying it's a prototype probably gets around them ever having to make them for sale if they don't want to.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to daccordimark | 5 years ago
1 like

daccordimark wrote:

Seems a bit OTT to have to prototype a 38 tooth chainring - it's not exactly radical compared to a 39 is it?

When I moved on to 9 speed I used to use a 37T inner with the 130mm BCD, there were only two companies that did them IIRC, still it meant I could stick with a 12-26 which I thought was a fairly wide/mountain set up, certainly compared to the 42-24 low I used to have.  I can't beleive how I used to get up the slopes on that, but then that's 30 years and a couple of stone away.

 

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
0 likes

This is why you should get up early in the summer
5.30 this morning, Holborn ... no motor traffic, just a bicycle gloriously lit up by the morning sun.
Those Jeremy Vine videos always seem quite early in the morning though?

Avatar
Organon | 5 years ago
0 likes

Absolutely amazing, but it was 10 years ago. Unfortunetely time moves ever onwards. [Noticed cav was still Livestronging at the time, oh dear, well I guess it was for cancer.]

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
1 like

What an absolute beast. Sprints shouldn't be that easy - that looked effortless.

Avatar
PRSboy | 5 years ago
0 likes

Nostalgic seeing Cav and Renshaw, in light of this years TdF news... what a partnership.

Indeed... surprising news on Velo North.  I imagine the lack of traffic on the rural roads makes a closed road event less relevant than down south, particularly given the lumpy entry fee and long journey/accomodation etc for visitors.

Avatar
Kendalred | 5 years ago
3 likes

Nice picture - although I prefer my 6am commute around Coniston Water.

Heads up - Velo North cancelled due to lack of interest...discuss!

Avatar
MoutonDeMontagne replied to Kendalred | 5 years ago
2 likes

Kendalred wrote:

Nice picture - although I prefer my 6am commute around Coniston Water.

Heads up - Velo North cancelled due to lack of interest...discuss!

I'd signed up for the Velo North. Mostly driven by nostalgia, since it was those roads that introduced me to the whole world of road riding after being a  mountain biker all my life. Fantastic roads and scenery and some of the best climbs I've ridden in the UK, all on a second hand £50 halfords special racer. Was looking forwards to riding the same roads when fitter, and on a much better bike with zero traffic to worry about. 

I can see why though, when I lived there, the Etape event was cancelled too due to public complaints about closed roads and lack of riders. Its a shame really as it really is a fantastic place to ride, but often overlooked in favour of Wales, London and Yorkshire, and actually the local tourism would benefit from the exposure. The roads aren't overly busy, except the main Weardale and Teasdale routes so not that much to be gained, other than bombing down the Crawleyside and Bolly on the racing line! 

Avatar
number9dream replied to Kendalred | 5 years ago
1 like

Kendalred wrote:

Heads up - Velo North cancelled due to lack of interest...discuss!

 

Absolutely no surprise here. If ever there was a closed road sportive designed to annoy people then this was it. The fantastic roads in the area are usually so quiet that actually closing them would make very little difference, except to residents and we all know how inconvenient 1 day out of 365 with the roads closed are from other public outcrying when events have been scheduled. Paying excessively for the priveledge certainly wouldn't makes sense for anyone who has already ridden in the area. 

In addition this wasn't a great route - many more fantastic climbs are available nearby and the dead miles to and from Durham at the start and finish weren't well throught out. Good riddance. 

Latest Comments