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Danish team pursuit rider explains angry confrontation with Team GB's Charlie Tanfield after dramatic crash; GB women hit the deck while celebrating new world record; Velodrome chaos; KOM disqualification?; Olympic silvers + more on the live blog

It's Tuesday, the world records are tumbling and Dan Alexander is here trying to keep up with it all...
Tue, Aug 03, 2021 08:40
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Danish team pursuit rider explains angry confrontation with Team GB's Charlie Tanfield after dramatic crash; GB women hit the deck while celebrating new world record; Velodrome chaos; KOM disqualification?; Olympic silvers + more on the live blogDanish Tokyo Olympic crash (Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)
03 August 2021, 09:27
Danish team pursuit rider explains angry confrontation with Team GB's Charlie Tanfield after dramatic crash

Frederik Madsen has done some explaining for his animated actions in the aftermath of the Olympic team pursuit semi-final. The BBC was forced to apologise to viewers as the Dane was heard shouting "f*** them" and protested with the British rider sat on the floor. Madsen was then seen launching his kit against the floor in the Danish changing area.

Danish Tokyo Olympic crash (Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)

Madsen told reporters afterwards, probably aided by the fact his team had their final place confirmed by this point, that: "We don't do anything in bad faith. I'm so tired at that point. I didn't know if he was 10m or 20m away from me. I hope Charlie's ok. I wasn't shouting at Charlie, just at the situation." 

There has been some debate over which rider was at fault, with some saying Tanfield should not have been on that part of the track having been dropped. However, Sir Chris Hoy said the blame was solely with Madsen.

"As the lead rider in the team, you always have to keep your eyes on the team you're pursuing. It's called the pursuit for good reason. He clearly wasn't looking. Charlie Tanfield did the right thing in staying behind and on the black line, that was the Danish rider's fault."

The crash isn't the only bone of contention between the nations...British Cycling's performance director Stephen Park has called for the Danish team to be disqualified over their use of medical plasters for aero benefit. The tape had mysteriously vanished for the semi-final... 

03 August 2021, 15:45
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy retires

In years to come Charlie Tanfield will be able to, in true big screen style, show a freeze frame of him lying on the velodrome boards being bollocked by an irate Dane and say, "This is me...you might me wondering how I got here?" The answer to that question comes from team pursuit stalwart Ed Clancy retiring from duty ahead of this morning's semi-final.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist has been a proper servant to British cycling for more than a decade but could not take to the start line today due to an ongoing back injury. Three Olympic golds, seven world championships...That's a proper career.

03 August 2021, 15:20
There's more than just the Olympics to enjoy at the moment...Danny MacAskill hopping ten steps, for example

He's alright is Danny MacAskill...The Scot with all the BMX skills was back wowing us on Instagram, this time in Edinburgh with an expectant crowd of kids and some probably slightly nervous mothers... 

Danny is a firm live blog favourite and his most recent big day out took him to the Dubh Slabs, a 500m drop down exposed rock face on the Isle of Skye and was quite possibly his most impressive film yet.

03 August 2021, 14:38
Team pursuit reaction: Should Charlie Tanfield have been in the bike lane wearing hi-vis?

 I enjoyed this take on the team pursuit drama from Andrew on Twitter...

Looking forward to seeing GB's aero hi-vis jackets and accompanying bike lights in Paris in 2024...Maybe the UCI and Olympic Games organisers could arrange for a nice painted bicycle on the track for added protection?  

03 August 2021, 13:28
Bikmo partners with what3words for improved location accuracy on bike insurance claims
Bikmo What3Words (press release)

Cycling insurer Bikmo has partnered with what3words to improve location info on claims and make providing details easier for customers. The partnership means Bikmo is the first insurance provider in England to use what3words for claims.

The location service splits the planet into three metre squares and attaches a unique combination of three words to that square. For example, the first haipin on Box Hill is rounds.until.volume. This means customers can easily identify a location of an accident or crash when potentially in an unfamilar location, particularly if it's off-road.

Bikmo's first policyholder to use what3words to make a claim was approved recently. The rider fell on a gravel trail in Wentwood Forest near Newport and said the service "was very easy, I just opened the app and selected the square I needed. This was especially useful as the accident occurred in the forest, so I had no road names to go by”.

03 August 2021, 13:10
Shout-out to road.cc tech editor Mat Brett for his gearing wisdom

We got an email in from George in Norwich thanking road.cc tech editor Mat Brett for his gearing expertise. Over in our 'Suffering on the hills? Find out how to get lower gears to make climbing easier' feature, Mat shares the tip that if you want to go really large then a Shimano 105 GS rear mech will handle a 40-tooth cog at the back...even if Shimano won't admit it.

"Just a congrats to Mat Brett 2016 hills and gearing article," George kindly wrote in. "Bought an 11-40 for my Focus Paralane with 105 shadow. Thought I would do it right and took to two local bike shops who sneered and refused to do it quoting the wisdom according to Shimano etc etc. My cycling companion and I then did it in 20 mins with very little adjustment. Bingo. Gravel / touring machine as it should be!"

03 August 2021, 13:04
03 August 2021, 12:50
Koen de Kort appointed Trek-Segafredo's team support manager concluding 19-year pro career which ended with Dutchman having three fingers amputated
koen de kort - getty images

Trek-Segafredo veteran Koen de Kort has officially announced his retirement from the sport and will become one of the team's new support managers overseeing the sourcing and testing of racing equipment. De Kort rode 17 Grand Tours during his career, including this year's Giro d'Italia, but made headlines in June after he needed three fingers amputated following an off-road vehicle accident in the Pyrenees.

"I think it’s very important that it’s understood that I’m really super excited about this, and it’s not a job that’s convenient,” De Kort said. "It’s something that I’ve really wanted for some time. And I’m just really excited to start doing this. And I’m excited for the interaction with Trek. It’s really like a family. I mean, it might sound a bit corny, but it really does feel like that."

03 August 2021, 12:45
Good joke, bad joke

Have I Got News For You is trying to get back in our good books after Friday's debacle. I guess the Metro was banking on us all commuting by bike, not picking up its paper with this cartoon...

03 August 2021, 11:08
"I feel ready to go back home to be the team leader that I want to be": Sam Bennett re-signs with Bora-Hansgrohe
Specialized S-Works Ares 6 Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett is going back to Bora-Hansgrohe when his contract with Deceuninck-Quick-Step expires at the end of the season. The Irishman has struggled to build on his green jersey-winning performance at the Tour de France last year and has faced repeated attacks in the media from his current team boss Patrick Lefevere. Last week, Lefevere compared Bennett's return to Bora as like "women who return home after domestic abuse".

Bennett was due to ride the Tour de France, but pulled out with a knee injury. Lefevere claimed his sprinter's issue was psychological, not physical. Now, the 30-year-old has signed a two-year deal and will be joined by his favourite lead-out man Shane Archbold, who also rejoins the German team from Quick-Step, and his Irish friend Ryan Mullen. Former Team Sky prospect Danny van Poppel also joins Bora as part of their leadout plans.

Bora-Hansgrohe team boss Ralph Denk welcomed the news: "I can understand that he felt that step was important for his career. I’d say that only worked out partially. We are a team that places a lot of value on cohesion, respect and sustainable cooperation, as we believe that these are the foundations for long-term success. You can have disagreements sometimes. However, as long as you treat each other with respect, you will always find each other again." You hear that, Patrick?

03 August 2021, 10:47
Specsavers delivers the banter...
03 August 2021, 09:15
KOM disqualification?

Team GB say the Danes should be banned for their aero tape...Just think how many aero plasters they'll get on the lad who crashed...

03 August 2021, 09:14
03 August 2021, 09:05
A second track cycling silver of the morning for Team GB

Jason Kenny has his eighth Olympic medal, taking his tally to six golds and two silvers, making him GB's most decorated Olympian...Kenny's wife, Laura, has also just stepped onto the podium with the rest of the GB team pursuit squad to collect their silver medals. Can the men add a bronze tomorrow?

03 August 2021, 08:45
Germans dominate women's team pursuit final, setting second world record this morning

It was silver for GB's women in the end. The German team dominated the team pursuit final from start to finish, setting another world record and coming a lap short of lapping the competition. Team GB faded quickly as the Germans powered on and bested their semi-final effort by one tenth of a second to secure a deserved gold medal.

03 August 2021, 08:08
Olympic team pursuit chaos as Denmark crash into GB rider but still qualify for final

DRAMA! It's been some morning for British track cycling fans. The short of it is that Team GB's men's team pursuit squad are into tomorrow's bronze medal race. How they got there will take some explanation...Denmark were cruising to victory in the second semi-final, GB were down to two riders and out of contention when inexplicably the Danish train smashed into the back of Charlie Tanfield, bringing proceedings to an end. After a short, tense wait, we got the confirmation that the Danes would be going through and GB are racing for third...

Denmark will take on the Italians in a mouth-watering clash after Filippo Ganna's charges smashed the world record by two seconds in the first semi-final. That's three team pursuit world records this morning, and we've not even reached the finals. Is it acceptable to go for a lie down before 10am?

03 August 2021, 07:06
Team GB crash after setting new team pursuit world record

Team GB are through to the final of the women's team pursuit and are guaranteed at least a silver medal. Neah Evans came in for Elinor Barker and helped set a new world record before ending up on the deck after teammate Katie Archibald bumped into the back of her as they were cruising around the velodrome. Both riders looked unhurt as they quickly got to their feet.

In the race, Archibald, Evans, Laura Kenny and Josie Knight got the better of Chloe Dygert's USA team. The lead swung between the two rivals, with Dygert single-handedly pulling the Americans into the lead, before Archibald regained the Brit's control. At the line, GB set a time of 4:06.748, a new world record and progress to the final.

The record was short-lived as the Germans, in the next semi-final, repeated yesterday's feat and took another half a second off the British time. USA will compete for the bronze medal against Italy later on, GB have a date with destiny against the Germans.

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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20 comments

Avatar
check12 | 3 years ago
4 likes

Madsen told reporters afterwards "....... I hope Charlie's ok. I wasn't shouting at Charlie, just at the situation." 
no mate your were shouting at him, bad at cheating bad at lying too.

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to check12 | 3 years ago
1 like

check12 wrote:

Madsen told reporters afterwards "....... I hope Charlie's ok. I wasn't shouting at Charlie, just at the situation." 
no mate your were shouting at him, bad at cheating bad at lying too.

and yet GB relegted to the 7/8 race instead of 3/4.

Italy should turn up to the final with hi viz tape all in strategic locations all over their suits.

As allowed under the rules for 'protection' as I read them. Those danes travel pretty fast, and don't look where they are going.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

I think you have put the wrong tweets in the Team Pursuit reaction or at least the same one twice as neither relate to the Hi Viz texts. 

Now fixed

Avatar
Hirsute | 3 years ago
3 likes

I hate cycle lanes

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/19485935.vandal-damages-bollard-head...

//www.gazette-news.co.uk/resources/images/12858914.jpg?type=article-full)

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
2 likes

I wonder why they've blurred his face and also, what's on the road that needs blurring?

Avatar
mdavidford replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
4 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

what's on the road that needs blurring?

Bollard gore.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
3 likes

GDPR ! A reflection of his face in the puddle !

(I think someone was not sure how to use the software, as there are lots of those squares eg left of uber eats. See how many you can spot !! )

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
4 likes

Hadn't spotted the Uber Eats one.

If someone's engaged in clearly criminal activity, then there's no need to invoke GDPR as there's exceptions for the purpose of law enforcement. I can just imagine the police publishing photo-fits of blurred out faces and asking "Do you know this man?"

Avatar
mdavidford replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

We can't tell from the photo that they're engaged in criminal activity, though - they could just be trying to straighten it out...

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to mdavidford | 3 years ago
3 likes

Well they didn't do a very good job of it

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Well they didn't do a very good job of it

You didn't see the state of it to start with......

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
1 like

Strangely no bingo card completions in the comments as not one mention of taxes, insurance or registration. 

A couple of Cycle lanes cause congestion comments, a version of "no one is using it because I can't see cyclists queuing" and one quite novel "Cycle lanes are discriminatory as they are only used by Young White males and everyone else can't use it because......."

Avatar
Awavey replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
5 likes

True but theres still classic deflection of the real issue,and that cycling steals space from more important cars and creates the congestion.

Which is nonsense, Colchesters roads have been gridlocked long before any cycle lanes were put in there,because congestion is caused by the sheer volume of cars trying to drive round it/through it.

Avatar
Awavey replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
2 likes

Any reason why the bollard is in the middle of the lane anyway, cargo bikes and strikes might struggle to get past it ? Though I'm not understanding how any of that infra fits together with the road.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
1 like

Because there is a gap to turn right, so without the bollard, a few drivers will use the cycle lane instead of queuing in their lane.

The main problem with that bit of cycle lane is that the start of it does not join with anywhere sensible. You have to be pretty confident, quick and thick skinned to use the roads that precede it. Once you are on it, it does lead onto the high st where there are lots of cycle racks of reasonable design. The main problem is that the high st is supposed to be restricted use but there is no enforcement so drivers park in loading bays, bus stops, taxi ranks or just use it as a cut through.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
0 likes

Might be because the lane stops and starts up the hill and they wanted to stop motor vehicles then driving up it.  The cycle lane is one way and then bikes have their own lane going through the high street at the lights which is now one way to Motor vehicles. After those lights the road is back to normal dual lane so any congestion is not caused by that specific bit as noted by the article anyway.

 

Avatar
Hirsute replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
3 likes

Actually the cycle lane is 2 way  for some part !

It goes go to 2 lane traffic after the first lights, then the cycle lane reappears as two way. There is a proposal from ECC to have a two way route from the train station all the way South to the vandal photo and then continue S across the dual carriageway to link to a shared pathway.

Optional car parking in the cycle lane, on double yellow lines within the confines of a pedestrian crossing.

 

Avatar
Awavey replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

It just looks such a fiddly bit of infra to use for very little gain from a cyclist pov, none of the bollards are in line with the road markings, and on google maps it shows they put a bollard in a box junction, and then use more bollards to block your natural line to turn right for the next set of misaligned bollards and then right at the top of the road you get a two way lane that feeds into parking bays,which doesnt really make much sense anyway as how do you get there to ride contraflow. Why not just make it bus,deliveries,disabled & cyclists only in that area.

It just feels messy and makes it harder to push this stuff to the likes of the bollard vandal as a real benefit, as I doubt I'd be that keen to ride it that much.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
0 likes

ECC init.

I only use it to show that cyclists do use it. I think it is more a remnant of last year to allow pedestrians to distance from one another.

Avatar
alchemilla replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
0 likes

Why is there a bollard in the middle of the cycle lane anyway? Perhaps he wanted to get through on his trike, and was doing everyone a favour by trying to remove it .

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