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Live blog: James Hayden back on the road after attempted robbery; Cyclist has leg chopped off by lawnmower blade; Owain Doull set to ride first Grand Tour; London's 'safer junctions' aren't safe enough; Zwift announce Yorkshire Worlds course + more

All the news from the site and beyond...
23 August 2019, 16:51
Owain Doull set to ride first Grand Tour at Vuelta a Espana

Olympic track champion Owain Doull is preparing for what could well be the toughest challenge of his career after being picked for the Vuelta. 

Speaking to the BBC, Doull said he hopes to emulate follow in the footsteps of fellow welshman Luke Rowe, who has proved a successful road captain for Team Sky and Ineos in the Classics and the Tour. 

"My goal is to do something similar to Luke; what he does every year is what I aspire to," said Doull.

Owain Doull after winning gold in Rio (copyright Britishcycling.org_.uk).jpg

 

"To be able to race the Classics in a leadership role and then go to the big Grand Tours in a key support role is an ambition. Luke is definitely someone I look up to. "

23 August 2019, 16:26
Cyclist has leg sliced off after lawnmower blade falls off truck

A cyclist whose leg was sliced off by a lawnmower blade that fell off the back of a passing truck has sued the Ford Motor Company reports the Metro.

The University of Maine history professor’s lawsuit says the mower was defective because its blade could drop from an upright position to a deployed position while being moved.

Godfried was struck with such force while out riding with his son that the blade severed his leg. His life was saved by Arica Gagnon, a nurse who was en route to the beach with her children when she saw the accident, and stopped to use a towel as a tourniquet.

The professor’s injuries were too severe to recover from, and he ended up losing his left limb above the knee.

lawnmower-384589_1920

 

 

23 August 2019, 15:33
Marcel Kittel wins at 2017 Tour de France (Photo © Tim De Waele).jpg
Marcel Kittel retires from racing at the age of 31

German sprinter says he has "lost all motivation to keep torturing myself on a bike".

Full story here.

23 August 2019, 15:32
Looks like ITV were just trailing this...
23 August 2019, 15:00
James Hayden back on the road after attempted robbery
23 August 2019, 14:21
Sian Hughes and her bike after her crash (@Simon Cooper)
Sussex vying for coveted title of ‘most dangerous county for cyclists’

Earlier this month we reported how Hampshire had been labelled the most dangerous county for cyclists after police officers attended 567 collisions in which cyclists had been injured in a 12-month period.

The Argus now reports that Sussex is even more dangerous.

“Hampshire claimed to hold the record earlier this month with 567 crashes in 2018,” reports the newspaper. “But newly released data from Sussex Police surpassed that figure with a total of 600 crashes.”

For 140 of those, the cyclist was listed as “vehicle one.” They were listed as the second vehicle 442 times, as the third vehicle in 17 cases and the fourth vehicle in just one incident.

Sussex Police Freedom of Information officer Roger Brace said: “We cannot however report if the cyclists recorded as vehicle two, three or four were in collision with a car or not.

“It could be as simple as being knocked off by a car door opening or being clipped by a bus in Brighton.”

We’ve no real clue why he said this. Neither of those things sound any less dangerous to us.

23 August 2019, 14:18
Any guesses?

The big question really is what constitutes "very soon"?

23 August 2019, 13:48
"Safer Junctions" aren't safe enough say campaigners

London Cycling Campaign say that inadequate schemes are being brought forward simply for the sake of checking boxes.

23 August 2019, 13:29
Man who took up cycling to lose weight rides for Team GB

David Brewin from Stroud is heading off to Poland for the Cycling World Gran Fondo Championships where he will be competing as part of Team GB on Sunday, reports the Stroud News and Journal.

“I started cycling towards the end of 2014 when after a long look in the mirror I was horrified to see the reflection of someone who was without doubt overweight,” he said.

In 2017, a freak accident on a muddy road saw David break his leg.

“My muscles waisted away and walking was a struggle. It was a very tough time as I also lost my job because of the protracted rehabilitation period," he said.

Instead of losing weight, David now had to gain it. He did so and is now ready to compete. 

“The qualifier (this year) was a brutal race but I got through it and a week later I was invited to ride for Team Great Britain in the World Championships in Poznan, Poland on September 1," he said.

 

 

 

23 August 2019, 12:58
Early entry for the Tour of Britain Land Art competition
23 August 2019, 12:40
It's 150 years since Auckland's first bike ride
23 August 2019, 12:18
Bank Junction before it was closed to traffic other than buses and cyclists (licensed CC BY 2.0 by Ronnie Macdonald)
London’s Bank Junction to be turned into festival space for World Car-Free Day

Formerly notorious junction will become a picnic area with a sound stage as part of ‘Reimagine’ event.

Full story here.

23 August 2019, 11:42
“I call for us to take back our roads. In acts of guerrilla warfare, we strike with no warning”

“I slow and stop my bicycle. And completely lose my shit.”

23 August 2019, 10:10
Primoz Roglic.JPG
Contador tips Roglic and Lopez for Vuelta – Wiggo says watch out for Valverde

"If I have to choose, I would say that both [Primoz] Roglic and [Miguel Angel] López are two cyclists especially motivated for La Vuelta,” Alberto Contador told Eurosport. “I think that perhaps they are the two top favourites.”

Bradley Wiggins agrees.

"I think on paper you would say that’s how it’s looking to be shaping up, but in cycling, as we’ve seen this year really, anything can happen, crashes or just the form guide really.

"I would never discard Valverde either, he is so consistent over the years – oldest man in the race and I think he is going to be ever-present as World Champion, riding the Vuelta as World Champion of Spain, I think it doesn’t get much better for a Spanish rider."

23 August 2019, 09:54
Bradley Wiggins (via Eurosport)
E-bikes aren't cheating, says Sir Bradley Wiggins

Our favourite part of the interview is actually the bit where he tries to make out like he's really chilled out about his riding these days, but then says, “I have to do two hours. I can’t do 1h55. I’m quite… Two hours is two hours, you know?”

Full story here.

23 August 2019, 09:50
All the pretty bikes

From the Enve Builders Summit held in the US recently. Pick your fave from these 20 bikes listed right here.

See the gallery here

ENVE_190809_IM23935.jpg
23 August 2019, 07:45
Zwift to get Yorkshire World Championships course
Zwift SneakPeek_Yorkshire_DraftHouse_2

It's been announced this morning that the UCI have continued their partnership with Zwift, meaning we're going to get the UCI Road World Championships course in game. 

It will launch in early September, with Zwifters able to ride a virtual course based on the finishing circuit in Harrogate. Zwift CEO Eric Min said: “I’m delighted to be continuing our long-standing history with the UCI Road World Championships. Ours is a history that dates back to the Richmond in 2015 - a course that still produces some of the most exciting racing on Zwift. Like we have done with Richmond and Innsbruck-Tirol, we hope to bring more people closer to the action by being able to experience the Yorkshire course from the comfort of their own home.​"

If you're planning on visiting for the world champs in September, Zwift will also have a pop-up in the Cold Bath Brewery so you can do a demo, meet fellow cycling fans and take part in daily ride-outs.  At least if you get a bit carried away demoing the course, you'll be in the right place to get some post-ride refreshments...

23 August 2019, 07:30
Less than ideal...

Itamar Einhorn of Israel Cycling Academy ended up being disqualified from the Tour of Denmark... because his Directeur Sportif told him the wrong start time for his individual time trial. Arriving ten minutes later than his designated 15:08 start time, Einhorn still rode but ended up outside of the time limit so is now out of the race. Although he says "I blame no one" in the tweet below, we've a feeling that might have been said through gritted teeth... 

Their latest recruit Dan Martin will hope for some better organisation when he begins racing for the Pro Continental team.

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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3 comments

Avatar
CygnusX1 | 4 years ago
5 likes

Hawkinspeter photo-bombing the lead image again

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to CygnusX1 | 4 years ago
5 likes

CygnusX1 wrote:

Hawkinspeter photo-bombing the lead image again

I get around

Avatar
brooksby | 4 years ago
0 likes

Quote:

Our DS Nicki Sorensen: “ I mistakingly wrote the wrong start time ( 15:18 instead of 15:08) and because of that Itamar has started late

... no no

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