Live blog: Geraint Thomas insists cycling among "cleanest sports", Confused Tory MSP says "bicyclists ride at 30 to 40mph" when there's a 20mph speed limit, Chris Hoy's new Flying Fergus children's book is out this month + more

Great initiative @EDCouncil Fab surprise for me & kids to arrive by bike & discover we get a free swim. Hope more folk do the same! #cycling pic.twitter.com/SAgir5Bg1X

— Susie Ranford (@susieranford) February 7, 2019

This is a great idea. Wonder if they rode there at 40mph in a 20 zone the swines? (see earlier post) 

Reigning @UCI_cycling Road Race champion @alejanvalverde isn't giving up the rainbow jersey without a fight #Yorkshire2019 pic.twitter.com/tx9mbmO6d6

— Yorkshire 2019 (@Yorkshire2019) February 7, 2019

The veteran wants to attempt a defence of his crown on the tough course... although we reckon a certain Slovakian might have some say in it. 

Bad news on CS11. Westminster Council’s legal action means
Swiss Cottage junction remains a traffic-dominated menace to people walking & cycling. We're still determined to reduce road danger in the area, but with WCC continuing to obstruct us, it'll now take longer than we hoped

— Will Norman (@willnorman) February 7, 2019

Will Norman expressed his disappointment at the decision to block work to build the cycle route from Swiss Cottage to the West End, as did Sadiq Khan. CS11 was originally blocked by High Court judge Sir Ross Cranston in September, saying work can't start until “the cost benefit/analysis is premised on the whole scheme being implemented.” Westminster Council said that its residents were “overwhelmingly opposed” to proposals for some parts of CS11 but argued that despite multiple requests it had not received necessary traffic modelling and mitigation measures from TfL such that it could make an informed decision about its installation. Following this appeal, CS11 won't be happening as it stands. 

Disappointing decision - but blame should be pointed at Westminster Council who continue to block plans for a safer cycling route from Swiss Cottage to the West End. We'll consider next steps, but time & investment must be focused on boroughs who want to help make cycling safer. https://t.co/7oyjZ2i8Wf

— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) February 7, 2019

This graphic is a clear example of how the Netherlands caters for cycling, while neighbouring countries aren't nearly as keen. https://t.co/LatXty892x pic.twitter.com/kXQG37fT51

— Momentum Mag (@MomentumMag) February 6, 2019

This heatmap is pretty telling. 

The Nursing Times reports that after shadowing Dutch nurses during a trip to Holland last year, Dorset community nurses have now been given e-bikes to travel to appointments to make them more visible in the community and help to change the public perception of what they do. 

Hattie Taylor, from Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, told the Nursing Times about the trip to Holland, which involved six nurses shadowing six Dutch counterparts: “We followed colleagues that do similar to what we do here, but here we go out and about in our cars and there, because it’s quite flat, they all go out on bikes. 

“It felt like you were doing something that was helping you keep fit as well & it helped you to get a bit of fresh air & get a different perspective than you do when you’re just sitting down in car" #NursingNowEngland ambassador @hattierocket on e-bikes https://t.co/sLd57zrUtZ pic.twitter.com/9QLDRZDgPZ

— Bev Matthews RN MSc #NHS (@BevMatthews_) February 6, 2019

"They realised that it was a lot quicker sometimes on a bike than in a car, because you don’t have to wait in traffic and you don’t have to find a parking space, you just arrive. And it felt like you were doing something that was helping you keep fit as well and it helped you to get a bit of fresh air and get a different perspective than you do when you’re just sitting down in a car." 

On their return to the UK the Trust partnered with Fizz bikes who rented them bikes at £35 a month, and the scheme is now fully up an running for nurses in Dorset. Taylor said they'd had a positive response from nurses and patients since the ebikes have been deployed, with the electronic assistance meaning staff don't turn up sweaty to appointments to boot. 

The memorial service took place in Manchester yesterday of Paul Sherwen, with family, friends and former colleagues joined by hundreds of members of the public to pay tribute to the pro cyclist turned commentator who died in December at the age of 62.

Among those who attended yesterday and paid tribute to Sherwen was Ned Boulting, who worked alongside him when he and Liggett provided ITV’s commentary on the Tour de France.

Thanks to @PhilLiggett and others, an army of folk descended on Manchester Cathedral.

What we will all take home is the sense of a life lived squeezed till the pips squeaked, and a man who cared deeply about his fellow travellers.

I am so glad to have known Paul Sherwen. pic.twitter.com/k3H6d8UmRV

— Ned Boulting (@nedboulting) February 7, 2019

ITV Cycling also produced the following video as a tribute to Sherwen, covering his career both in the saddle and behind the microphone.

On the day of his memorial service at Manchester Cathedral, a tribute to Paul Sherwen from his broadcast colleagues and friends in the UK.

Archive courtesy of ASO/INA and stills from Graham Watson pic.twitter.com/857ElDKeQd

— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) February 6, 2019