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Live blog: Callum Skinner will lead new Global Athlete organisation to "give athletes a voice", Brailsford "met Colombia's president to discuss Sky backing", Tour legend Yates becomes e-bike ambassador, Boulting hits bum note as saddle is stolen + more

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
13 February 2019, 18:03
British track cyclist Callum Skinner helping to lead new Global Athlete organisation, "an athlete-led movement for change"

Skinner announced his pride at his involvement in launching the organisation on his Twitter page earlier, with Global Athlete promising to give athletes an independent voice. It comes after the Russian Doping scandal and US gymnastics sexual abuse case, both of which led to calls for heightened rights and protection for athletes. The former WADA deputy director general Rob Koehler has also been named the new director general of Global Athlete. On the Global Athlete website, they've stated that their vision is to create positive change in world sport, balance the power that exists between athletes and sporting leaders and secure a more meaningful and representative athlete voice for all decisions in sport. Do you think this new independent body will lead to fairer treatment of pro cyclists, and athletes in general? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

13 February 2019, 17:43
M_I9-qvu
All-City Cycles launch Cosmic Stallion

Described as a steel all-road racer, the Cosmic Stallion has a new livery and a Shimano 105 spec. An A.C.E tubeset and big tyre clearance make it suitable for rough gravel too. Head over the the All-City website for more info.

13 February 2019, 17:32
'Who kills who' on the roads

This is actually from the Netherlands, and even though the bike is a hugely popular mode of transport it's shown to be pretty un-deadly in this graph. A version for the UK would be particularly interesting. 

13 February 2019, 16:24
wiggle new forest sportive
Wiggle offering half price entries to the New Forest Sportive to celebrate Valentine's Day

Nothing says I love you like entering your other half into a brutal 102 mile sportive around the New Forest... and if you buy at least two entries before midnight on February 14th, it will also be a more financially savvy gesture as well as a thoughtful one because the tickets are half price. The event takes place on 30th March, and there are 38, 80 and 102 mile route options to cater for all abilities. An official photographer, music, event village and locally sourced food and drink are all thrown in with the entry price. Click here to find out more and get your entries in while this most romantic of deals is still on.

13 February 2019, 16:09
Another financial facepalm courtesy of Transport for London...
13 February 2019, 15:49
Ned Boulting falls victim to half-job saddle and seatpost theft

Maybe it was just a really lovely saddle or the robber had some sort of unpleasant fetish, but unfortunately it left the popular sports presenter no option but to go home sad and saddle-less. 

13 February 2019, 13:39
Brailsford reportedly meets Colombian government to discuss potential sponsorship of Team Sky

Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford has reportedly held talks with the Colombian government as he seeks to secure the UCI WorldTour outfit’s future for next season and beyond.

He is in the Latin American country for the Tour of Colombia where Chris Froome is starting his 2019 season, and according to El Espectador met with Colombia’s president Iván Duque, former Team Sky rider Rigoberto Urán, and Ernesto Lucena, the director of government agency Coldeportes, to discuss the project.

The newspaper, whose article is paywalled, speculates that Team Sky could, in effect, become Colombia’s first UCI WorldTour team.

13 February 2019, 10:33
2 Ribble Yates
Sean Yates announced as ambassador for Ribble SLe e-road bike

Due to ill health the Tour de France and Vuelta stage winner hasn't been able to ride as much as of late, but says the new lightweight Ribble SLe has got him back out conquering the hills again. Yates says: “I'm keen to start promoting the virtues of the SLe and the benefits associated with e-road bikes. Anything that looks this cool and rides that well and can get people back out there riding, keeping up with the group on the hills or cycling further and over terrain they never thought possible – has got to be a good thing.” 

The SLe is for sale on Ribble's website in various specs here

13 February 2019, 09:27
An investigative thread on the (now infamous) Cycling Safety Technology app

We're going to guess the Cycle Safety Technologies app developer has had a 'busy' week but perhaps not for the right reasons (more here) and this Twitter thread delves a bit deeper into the company's history and how the app works. It doesn't make for very promising reading...

13 February 2019, 09:15
"Why don't cyclists use the bike lane?" etc etc

This clip from Australia is pretty hard to watch... and if you click through to the Facebook post some of the comments are pretty hard to read too...

13 February 2019, 08:39
USA Cycling logo
Former track champ and Marthy Nothstein plans to sue USA Cycling for slander, libel and defamation

Nothstein, a former US congressman and a three-time track world champion, was accused of sexual harassment in an incident that took places over 20 years ago, and wfmz.com reports that his attorney filed a writ of summons on Friday notifying USA Cycling that a lawsuit is coming.

The Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist was suspended without pay from his position as executive director of the Lehigh Valley velodrome in Pennsylvania following the allegation from an 'anonymous tipster' back in August, and an investigation was opened 11 days after he announced his candidacy for US Congress as a Republican. An investigation was conducted by SafeSport who closed it with no action taken based on the available information and evidence, and in a further investigation by Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin, the woman named as the tipster even denied anything had happened. Nothstein plans to sue USA Cycling for defamation, libel and slander. 

13 February 2019, 08:32
Vélo_Birmingham_&_Midlands_2
Ambitious new West Midlands cycling infrastructure planned, with 26 new routes in the pipeline

Transport for West Midlands have announced plans to spend up to £250 million on cycling infrastructure, with 26 new routes totalling 200km linking through Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry and Solihull. They will also appoint a Cycling and Walking Ambassador, start a flagship cycling corridor and support for councils to deliver local schemes, coordinate a family cycling festival and work with communities to improve cycling and walking provisions. 

The leader of Birmingham City Council, Cllr Ian Ward said: “It's clear that we need to change the way people travel across the West Midlands, so in addition to getting more people walking and using public transport, one of our key ambitions is to see more people cycling.

"In recent years we've launched innovative schemes to get people on their bikes. Through the Birmingham Cycle Revolution and initiatives like the award-winning Big Birmingham Bikes, we've focussed on education, training and of course promoting the many benefits of cycling; but if we are going to persuade more people to make the transition from four wheels to two, people have to feel safe on their bikes and we have to look at everything from road layouts to other cycling routes across the region.

"By increasing the investment in cycling and walking, we're signalling our determination to improve air quality, tackle congestion and improve the health of people across the region."

You can read the full report into the plans from West Midlands Combined Authority here - thanks to Peted76 for posting the link in the comments. 

13 February 2019, 08:28
How about some 'interpretive spinning' to start your day?

Looks a piece of cake... the spinner in question appears to have answered some questions in the comments section, explaining that the average person shouldn't try this at home/in the gym and these are skills she's built up over 13 years as a gymnast and fitness instructor. 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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4 comments

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alansmurphy | 5 years ago
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Sky do have Columbia's best rider...

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grnbrg | 5 years ago
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Marty Nothstein was never a US Congressman. He ran for a seat but did not win.

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ktache | 5 years ago
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Good luck Birmingham and the West Midlands.

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peted76 | 5 years ago
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Report for the cycling infrastructure routes can be found here https://governance.wmca.org.uk/documents/s2574/Report.pdf 

 

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