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Police forced to brake as close passing van driver leaves cyclist “no escape route”, but motorists claim there was “plenty of room”; Was epic Tour de France finale best race ever?; BBC warn Laura Kenny; Aussie cyclist defects to GB + more on the live blog

Like a good Kraftwerk song, Ryan Mallon’s head this morning is full of the Tour de France, Tour de France, Tour de France. But he promises he’ll talk about other cycling-related things on the Monday live blog. Maybe…

SUMMARY

19 August 2024, 13:47
Police officers forced to brake as van driver leaves cyclist “no escape route” with close pass – but some motorists still claim there was “loads of room”

If you’re going to close pass a cyclist and force an oncoming driver to brake to avoid a collision – though we’d prefer it if you refrained from doing that at all – it’s probably best that you don’t do it while a police officer is driving in the opposite lane.

Over the weekend, Staffordshire Police’s roads policing unit tweeted the following picture of a van driver leaving a person on a bike very little room and with “no escape route”, just as they were approaching on the A460:

Van driver close pass on cyclist captured by police (Staffordshire Police’s roads policing unit)

Talk about bang to rights.

“Travelling down the A460 between The Rugeley and Cannock when this van driver decided to conduct a close pass overtake of this cyclist,” the force said.

“Causing us to brake and leaving the cyclist no escape route. Driver stopped and reported for careless driving.”

The quick response prompted some (qualified) praise from cyclists on social media, with Richie writing: “Good that you took action. This is commonplace though in Staffs, largely because from experience no action is taken when video footage is submitted by cyclists. I don’t bother reporting any more as it’s proven to be a waste of time.”

“Sorry to hear that,” the unit responded. “We will always prosecute poor driving such as this if we see it.”

> Near Miss of the Day 915: Cyclist slams on brakes to avoid driver who ignored him and turned across... but says “no point in reporting” due to Police Scotland’s lack of online close pass portal

However, since this is Elon Musk’s deranged cesspit of dangerous opinions we’re talking about, there were also quite a few, ahem, interesting rebuttals from some blue check drivers.

“What are you driving, a house?” asked Alex. “There’s plenty of room for everyone by the looks of things.”

Probably best to look again, Alex.

“Utter crap,” added Harry, which remarkably wasn’t a preface for the following take on the close pass. “There is ample room between the van and the cyclist; also the van (if you go by their wing mirror) is only about 12-18 inches in your lane. Is your depth perception really that bad that you somehow can’t negotiate this? I always thought police drivers were trained...”

Fortunately, others weren’t as dismissive of the cyclist’s safety.

“Thanks for your action,” said Ant. “You can see from other comments just how challenging it is to cycle. Please keep prosecuting dangerous drivers, don’t send letters, waste of time.”

19 August 2024, 08:08
Kasia Niewiadoma wins the 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Charly Lopez)
“One of the most thrilling days the sport has seen”: Was Kasia Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering’s epic, nail-biting Alpe d’Huez duel the best Tour de France finale ever – and the greatest stage of all time?

Alright, LeMond, Fignon, aero bars, the Champs-Élysées, 1989, eight seconds, and all that. It was a good run, but your time at the top is finally over.

Because yesterday afternoon, on the 21 hairpins that make up cycling’s most legendary climb, Alpe d’Huez, we witnessed the most tense, exciting, unpredictable, and closely fought Tour de France finale in the sport’s history.

Four seconds. That was all that separated a fighting, battling, desperate Kasia Niewiadoma from a career-defining triumph and devastating defeat.

The 61 seconds that ticked by between stage winner and defending champion Demi Vollering crossing the line and the yellow jersey’s final, long agonising sprint felt like an eternity – the handful of seconds after Évita Muzic had passed Niewiadoma, taking away those potentially vital bonus seconds, even more so.

The realisation on the face of Niewiadoma – who admitted afterwards that she had a horrible time on both the Alpe and the preceding Col du Glandon, convinced another breakthrough victory was falling through her fingertips – when she learnt that the yellow jersey was hers to keep will surely go down as one of the Tour de France’s most iconic images.

Kasia Niewiadoma wins the 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Charly Lopez)

(A.S.O./Charly Lopez)

As the old saying goes, the Tour is won on the Alpe. Never was that adage, one applied to race-winning moments by the likes of Lance Armstrong and Carlos Sastre, truer than it was yesterday evening.

Of course, the drama of the final stage of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes wasn’t confined to that deceptively long finishing straight, or even Alpe d’Huez for that matter.

When Demi Vollering – who started the day 1.15 behind on GC – accelerated through the fog on the steepest section of the Col du Glandon with 53 kilometres remaining, in the company of Pauliena Rooijakkers, yellow jersey Niewiadoma dispatched quickly, the gap increasing with every pedal stroke, the stage was set.

And the actors knew their roles perfectly.

Demi Vollering, stage eight, Col du Glandon, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

(A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

Vollering: the consummate, imperious stage racer, the finest of her generation, seeking to simply ride away from the rest and regain what she believed was rightfully hers.

Niewiadoma: the impetuous, popular attacker, the fighter, and nearly woman of the peloton, suddenly vaulted into a desperate defending job.

And Rooijakkers: the wildcard, the pure climber, sitting two seconds ahead of Vollering on GC, waiting to pounce to shock us all.

After a breakneck descent, the gap stabilises at 1.15 – at one point Vollering, Rooijakkers, and Niewiadoma are all basically level on the virtual GC – then falls (thanks to Lidl-Trek’s Lucinda Brand pulling for Gaia Realini in the valley), then stabilises again.

Kasia Niewiadoma, Lucinda Brand, stage eight, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

(A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

Meanwhile, the long road to Alpe d’Huez was characterised by tension in both groups, as Vollering became visibly frustrated at both Rooijakkers’ sometimes reluctant assistance and that her own usual dominance in the mountains was being curtailed by the dogged determination of Kasia Niewiadoma.

That dynamic continued on the Alpe: Vollering, a picture of concentration through her clear lenses, ploughing on, Rooijakkers a constant, dangerous presence on her wheel. Niewiadoma in time trial mode, showcasing all the stubborn resilience she’s become famous for.

By the final, shallower kilometre of the Alpe, the pendulum had swung back in the yellow jersey’s favour. At the top, it was just, just enough. After eight stages through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, the top two of the Tour de France were separated by just four seconds, the final podium of Niewiadoma, a devastated Vollering, and Rooijakkers by just ten.

Kasia Niewiadoma, stage eight, Alpe d’Huez, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

(A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

“When Demi attacked it was terrible because the climb was so hard and I could feel like I was losing my legs then,” an emotional Niewiadoma said at the finish.

“I had to stay patient and keep my pace on descent. And  got my power back and I knew that I just had to push my best on my final ascent. I believe you always have to keep pushing and trying hard, even if things don't go your way.

“There are weeks when things are perfect. Besides putting in a lot of hard work, the stars have to align. We wrote history this week and I am so proud to be on the top step.”

“It was nail biting. We thought we lost it, then we thought we had it, then we lost it then we thought we had it,” Niewiadoma’s Canyon-Sram boss Ronny Lauke said.

“Oh, my goodness, that was unbelievable. I think in any sport, I’ve never been through such an emotional rollercoaster.”

Demi Vollering and Pauliena Rooijakkers, stage eight, Alpe d’Huez, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

 (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

Of course, the major plot device of this year’s Tour de France Femmes, which acted as Chekhov's Gun for the drama that unfolded in the Alps yesterday, was Demi Vollering’s crash in the final six kilometres of stage five.

Vollering, then in a yellow jersey ripped and tattered by her high-speed fall, was left almost completely isolated by her SD Worx teammates as Niewiadoma pressed on ahead, the Dutch star extracting a brief turn from Mischa Bredewold, as Blanka Vas won the stage, her team leader losing 1.47 to new race leader Niewiadoma.

The debate around SD Worx’s curious tactics during Vollering’s lonely chase was exacerbated further when Lorena Wiebes, who sprinted for eighth place despite knowing her team’s yellow jersey hope had hit the deck, nonchalantly claimed that Vollering would easily claw back the time lost once the race reached the high mountains – a prediction cast asunder by Niewiadoma’s dogged brilliance.

Did SD Worx’s failure to rally around Vollering – who’s set to depart the team for FDJ Suez next year – cost them a second Tour de France title in a row?

Kasia Niewiadoma, Demi Vollering, and Pauliena Rooijakkers, final podium, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

 (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

For many cycling fans, it didn’t matter.

“If, if, if… Let’s just celebrate one of the most thrilling days the sport has seen in a long while,” cycling writer Peter Cossins tweeted yesterday.

“The best finish in the history of Grand Tour racing without a doubt. Absolutely phenomenal.”

Amen to that. Sorry Greg…

19 August 2024, 15:49
Third, second, first: Red jersey Wout van Aert trades near misses for redemptive first stage win since horrific spring crash

It was only a matter of time.

Wout van Aert has endured a rough few months since his classics campaign-ending crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen in March.

But after almost six months since his last win at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, and two consecutive podium places that put him in the Vuelta’s red jersey, Van Aert finally managed to raise his arms in the air (and flap them like a bird) in Castelo Branco, as the Visma-Lease a Bike all-rounder powered past Kaden Groves on the drag to the line for an impressive, redemptive win.

At the end of another somewhat sleepy day at the Vuelta, Alpecin-Deceuninck took charge in the closing kilometres, hoping to see up Groves for his second win in as many days.

However, a perfectly timed Victor Campenaerts attack on a slight rise in the final two kilometres put the cat among the Alpecin pigeons – the Belgian may have been brought back under the flamme rouge, but Grove’s lead-out resources were suddenly depleted in the chase.

And it was Van Aert who took full advantage, bursting away on the steady drag to the finish, and gently closing the door on an indecisive and slightly boxed-in Groves in the process, to secure the tenth grand tour stage win of his career, and in the red jersey to boot.

And after six months of frustration, recovery, and near misses, the Belgian superstar will certainly be relieved to chalk a Vuelta victory off the list before he hands over the leader’s jersey in the mountains tomorrow.

19 August 2024, 15:26
Five cool things, bike edition!

Ah, stop tempting me, please, I’m trying to make it through 2024 without buying a new bike…

FiveCoolThings-2024-08-19

> Bike edition! Five cool bikes coming soon from Pinarello, Ribble, Cervélo, Orro and Mason Cycles

19 August 2024, 10:28
Laura Kenny (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Laura Kenny “spoken to” by BBC bosses for appearing to promote luxury brands during Paris Olympics coverage

More post-Olympics chatter this morning, and a bit of a weird one at that too, as the Telegraph has reported that Dame Laura Kenny was “spoken to” by the BBC for appearing to promote luxury brands that she wore while working as a pundit during the broadcaster’s coverage of the Paris Games.

Britain’s most successful female Olympian, Kenny announced her retirement from racing in March and enjoyed a successful punditry stint in Paris, earning widespread plaudits for her in-depth analysis and refreshing, positive take on the sport.

Laura Kenny interviews Jason Kenny for the BBC during 2024 Paris Olympics (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Kenny interviews her apparently hilarious husband Jason for the BBC in the track centre in Paris (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

However, the big bosses at the Beeb have apparently had a word with Kenny after she mentioned a number of fashion brands in social media posts during the Games, and appeared on air wearing a £2,000 watch by Breitling, a brand she currently represents as an ambassador.

Kenny also posted several photos of herself which tagged fashion brand Reiss, although apparently she has no formal or commercial links with the company.

According to the Telegraph, the BBC has reminded the five-time Olympic gold medallist of its rules around promoting products on air, with Kenny removing the brands from her social media posts.

“No on-air talent should promote products, goods, services or clothing they use on air,” the BBC rules state.

“On-air talent, in any genre, engaged by the BBC must not accept clothing or products free, or at considerably reduced cost, in exchange for wearing or using them on air. Nor should they appear on air wearing clothes or using products, goods or services which they have agreed, or been contracted, to promote or in which they have any financial interest.”

Though I wonder what the Beeb will say when Kenny rocks up to her next punditry gig with a few fajita kits under her arm…

‘That sprint was a bit spicy, just like my limited edition Team GB Old El Paso Smoky BBQ packs…’

Flawless, Laura, flawless.

19 August 2024, 14:54
When the DJ has absolutely no clue you’ve just won the Tour de France and you’re “Maillot Jauning all over the club”

‘Bit weird that oversized polka dot T-shirts with a massive supermarket logo on them are trending, but okay…’

19 August 2024, 14:29
Mark Cavendish enjoys “beautiful” return to Isle of Man for homecoming victory lap around raceway

On Friday night, the Isle of Man’s most famous sporting son made a glorious return, as part of a homecoming party to celebrate his record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage win.

Accompanied by around 100 children on bikes, Mark Cavendish rode a few celebratory laps of the raceway at the island’s National Sports Centre in Douglas, where the Manx Missile first started racing himself as a child, and which is set to be named in his honour next year.

“To have the kids riding with me was really special. I remember how I’d have felt to ride with a professional, so that was really, really nice to do that,” Cav told ITV at the event, which was originally scheduled for Thursday but pushed back due to the typically inclement Manx weather.

“It was beautiful, it was really nice, a wall of noise the whole way round the race circuit and it makes me proud that I get to call this home,” the 39-year-old added on the BBC.

Cavendish also described the decision to name the track after him as “special” and “an honour”.

“Not just myself but so many bike riders over the years long before I rode here have used this as a training ground, as a platform to start what they do,” he said.

“And to be able to know it’s not just the place that I started but the place where my name will continue, it’s pretty special and I’m massively honoured for that recognition.”

19 August 2024, 13:30
Nine-year sentence for “drunken idiot” drug-driver who told passengers “cyclists should not be on the road” moments before overtaking group ride, hitting and killing cycling club chairman
19 August 2024, 12:52
Chapeau, Yanina Kuskova

Before we move away from the Tour Femmes and onto the relaxed pace and late summer vibes of the Vuelta, let’s take a moment to applaud Yanina Kuskova, who finished 47th overall at her debut Tour de France – despite being the sole remaining member of her Tashkent City team for the final four stages, after all her teammates had pulled out before the end of Wednesday’s rainy stage to Liège.

That’s over half the race.

Yanina Kuskova, 2024 Tour de France (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

(A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

And while there’s been plenty of criticism of Tashkent City’s presence at this year’s Tour, Uzbekistan’s national road race champion Kuskova more than held her own on the sport’s biggest stage – and the 22-year-old even finished higher on GC than any member of the WorldTour Roland and Human Powered Health outfits.

Fair play.

And luckily for Kuskova, she survived the fate of Bjarne Riis, who was the last rider left standing in his Lucas team at the 1987 Vuelta a España, ploughing on for several stages alone – until finally he was forced to pull out with illness, something the big Dane later alleged in his autobiography was down to his own team staff poisoning him, so they could pack up and go home.

19 August 2024, 12:13
How to put on a jacket while trying to win the Tour de France, with Demi Vollering

SD Worx’s team tactics may be under the microscope after they let this year’s Tour de France Femmes slip through their fingers, but there’s no denying the sublime perfection that was this jacket handover at the top of the Col du Glandon between the attacking Demi Vollering and her teammate Barbara Guarischi, who stepped into a super-soigneur role after DNFing the previous day:

Now that’s what I call slick. No ‘Marco Pantani stopping at the top of the Galibier to put his jacket on during a long-range attack’ about Demi Vollering, I’ll tell you that much. She barely even slowed down…

19 August 2024, 11:45
Wout van Aert, stage two, 2024 Vuelta a España (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Speaking of the Vuelta…

Yep, apparently there was another grand tour on yesterday – who knew?

And while we were all being treated to the closest Tour de France finish of all time, the Vuelta a España peloton was enjoying a nice slow Sunday spin through Portugal, followed by a typically frenetic final few kilometres – and a bad crash for Josh Tarling and Max Poole – which saw Kaden Groves start where he left off at last year’s Vuelta by winning the tough uphill sprint in Ourém.

Kaden Groves wins stage two of the 2024 Vuelta a España (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Meanwhile, after adding to his by now bulging collection of second places, Wout van Aert is in red for today’s final full day in Portugal, which sees the peloton face a lumpy enough course to Castelo Branco, where Groves will be hoping to make it two from two at the Vuelta’s admittedly very limited array of bunch kicks this year.

(And in doing so, defy the expectations of one unnamed live blog commenter, who last week reckoned the Aussie sprinter’s chances wouldn’t match his tally of three wins from last year, thanks to the limited opportunities on offer throughout the 2024 route. The lesson here is to never underestimate the Vuelta’s ability to loosely define the word ‘hilly’…)

19 August 2024, 11:26
Drunk cycling ‘fans’ doing their best to ruin bike races, part 186
Mathias Vacek blames "drunk fan" for Vuelta crash (Eurosport)

> “Some people just don’t care”: Pro cyclist slams “drunk fan” for causing chaotic Vuelta a España crash

I imagine the Portuguese spectator counted himself lucky that Vacek didn’t go the full Miguel Ángel López on him after the crash. I suppose there are three more weeks of idiots running alongside riders on climbs for that to happen yet…

19 August 2024, 10:02
Matt Richardson, UCI Nations Cup, Jakarta, 2023 (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Australia’s Olympic sprint and keirin silver medallist Matt Richardson set for surprise nationality switch to Team GB

It may be transfer announcement season on the road (Wout Poels to Astana being the latest move for you contract watchers), but this morning’s news of Olympic-themed switching took us by surprise, I’ll admit.

One of the best track sprinters in the world, Matt Richardson, has confirmed this morning that he will be joining the Great Britain Cycling Team from next month, after his application to switch nationality from Australia was accepted by the UCI.

Born in Maidstone, Kent, Richardson moved with his family to Western Australia when he was nine, maintaining dual citizenship in the process.

Since beginning to compete for Australia as a junior, Richardson has gone on to establish himself as one of the fastest men in the world, winning a world title in the team sprint in 2022, along with two Commonwealth golds that same year, before winning silver in both the sprint and the keirin, along with a bronze in the team sprint, at this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

However, despite his success in the green and gold, the 25-year-old believes the time is now right for him to move back to the UK permanently, and join up with Jason Kenny’s sprint team in Manchester.

Matt Richardson, 2022 UCI Track Champions League (Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)

(Alex Broadway/SWpix.com)

“I have made the decision to pack up my entire life and move halfway across the world to begin the next chapter in my cycling career. It is with a sense of excitement and renewal I announce I have joined the Great British Cycling Team,” Richardson said in a statement today.

“Switching nationality was a difficult decision, and not one I took lightly. It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future. I deeply respect Australia and the Aus Cycling Team and it will always be a part of who I am. As this new chapter in my life begins, I would like to sincerely thank the coaches and support staff who have worked with me over many years in Australia. 

“But this decision is about following my passion and pushing myself to new heights. This isn’t about leaving something behind, but about embracing a new chapter in my journey and chasing a dream, a dream that is to race for the county which I was born in.”

According to the UCI’s regulations, Richardson’s move means he will be forced to sit out this year’s world track championships and the 2025 European champs, but is free to represent Team GB immediately at all other events.

Things are already starting to look interesting for 2028…

19 August 2024, 10:55
Matt Richardson, 2024 Paris Olympics (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Australian Cycling “disappointed and surprised” at Matt Richardson’s switch to Team GB

Turns out we weren’t the only ones caught off-guard by Matt Richardson’s post-Olympics switch to Team GB, after sprinting to two silvers and a bronze in Paris – it caught Australian Cycling on the hop too, apparently.

In a statement released this morning, AusCycling’s performance manager Jesse Korf said it was disappointing that the 25-year-old British-born rider is set would be leave a programme which guided him to his current position as one of the fastest sprinters in the world.

“The announcement of Matt’s switch is disappointing and came as a surprise. We also understand that the desire to compete for a country one was born in can bring forth strong emotions,” Korf said.

“Matt has been an integral part of our sprint programme in the last five years, enjoying many successes on the track across two Olympic Games, a Commonwealth Games, multiple UCI Track World Championships campaigns, and several UCI Track Nations Cup and World Cup seasons.

“Our Performance programme has made massive leaps in terms of culture and performance in recent years which is a testament to all athletes, coaches, and staff – Matt included.

“The men’s sprint programme is currently one of our deepest and exciting talent pools with strong programmes across the country with the support of state and territory institute and academies of sport. We have many talented riders that now will see increased opportunity as we set our sights on LA 2028 as a stepping stone towards Brisbane 2032.”

Matt Richardson, 2024 Paris Olympics (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

 (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

For his part, Richardson thanked all those who’ve coached and supported him throughout his cycling career down under, including a “special mention to Midland Cycle Club, WAIS [Western Australia Institute of Sport], and AusCycling, with personal thanks to the two biggest coaching influences in my career – Clay Worthington and Matt Crampton”.

He continued: “I want to say a huge thank you to my teammates for everything we’ve been through together. You’ve been there for the highs and the lows, and I’m so grateful for all the support, laughter, and hard work we’ve shared.

“I hope you can understand and support me as I continue to give my best in the sport I love.”

19 August 2024, 09:29
Kasia Niewiadoma, stage eight, Alpe d’Huez, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)
“The fact this is causing an outrage shows how far we have come in women’s cycling”: Cycling fans fume at “criminal” lack of Tour de France Femmes TV coverage – as live feed of decisive stage only starts halfway up Col du Glandon

I think it’s pretty clear that yesterday’s Tour de France stage to Alpe d’Huez will go down as one of the most memorable, exciting, and iconic cycling has ever seen.

It’s just a pity we only got to see half of it, then.

In a theme that’s becoming all too familiar for fans of women’s cycling, even in this golden age of both racing and exposure, the live TV coverage of yesterday’s decisive, exhilarating stage only began halfway through, as the riders were already tackling the HC-rated Col du Glandon, and the first moves in the high-altitude chess had already begun.

Kasia Niewiadoma, stage eight, Alpe d’Huez, 2024 Tour de France Femmes (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

 (A.S.O./Thomas Maheux)

The long, agonising wait for the live pictures to reach our screens – don’t worry, we were still being treated to the glorious spectacle of watching paint dry and grass grow at the Vuelta – called to mind the revamped Tour Femmes’ inaugural 2022 edition, when Annemiek van Vleuten blew the field to shreds on the Petit Ballon, the first of the penultimate stage’s three mammoth climbs… and we didn’t get to see any of it.

And while Demi Vollering at least waited for the television cameras to start rolling before launching her attack through the fog on the Glandon, it’s clear that cycling fans were not happy at the mid-2000s approach to live women’s racing on the telly.

“It’s criminal not to have full coverage of the queen stage of the biggest race in women’s cycling in 2024,” wrote the Tratnikismo account on Twitter, while watching archive footage of the men racing up Alpe d’Huez as the broadcasts got underway.

“I did think it was odd the final two stages were not from flag to flag... even on a weekend too,” said Rob.

> The Tour de France Femmes’ Long and Winding Road: A brief history of the women’s Tour de France

“No disrespect for the Vuelta, but why is there TV coverage of a peloton cruising slowly on a lovely Sunday ride, while we still have to wait another 30 minutes for the Tour de France Femmes?” asked Sebastian. “The queen stage, Alpe d’Huez, Col du Glandon, SD Worx sending four riders into the attack. So annoying.”

“To not have full coverage of stage 8 is genuinely a disgrace. I would rather watch the break formation of this stage than the Pologne final,” added Kristoffer, who apparently isn’t a massive fan of the Tour of Poland.

Meanwhile, Eurosport commentator José Been put it all in perspective: “The fact this is causing an outrage (and rightly so) shows how far we have come in women’s cycling.”

Good point. Now we just need proper coverage of the big stages at least and we’re sorted.

19 August 2024, 09:14
Is it OK to never use the drops on your road bike? When live blog debates go deep

In case you missed this over the weekend (think there was some sport on the telly), inspired by last week’s DIY bike modifications – or mutilations, some may argue – on the live blog, Dan decided to take a deep dive into the pros and cons of using your drops… and not hacking them off with a saw:

Is it OK to never use the drops on your road bike?

> Is it OK to never use the drops on your road bike? 

After obtaining a PhD, lecturing, and hosting a history podcast at Queen’s University Belfast, Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.

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32 comments

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 3 months ago
0 likes

Quote:

And in doing so, defy the expectations of one unnamed live blog commenter, who last week reckoned the Aussie sprinter’s chances wouldn’t match his tally of three wins from last year, thanks to the limited opportunities on offer throughout the 2024 route

Ah, that would be me, I believe...I didn't quite say that, I said I didn't think he would exceed his achievements of last year, given that to do so he would have to win the flat stage and all three hilly stages that don't have altitude finishes. Given that he didn't take yesterday's hilly stage, there's one hilly stage and the flat stage left for realistic chances, so...both the "hilly with altitude finish" stages end on Cat 1s so can't see him in with much of a shout there. Stage 11 may be an outside chance, "medium mountains" but Cat 3-2-2-3 with a downhill to the finish, but on the whole I'll stick with my prediction that he won't better last year's haul. Time will tell!

Avatar
Oldfatgit | 3 months ago
6 likes

Once again, it's got to directly affect a plod before they'll do anything about it.

Rest of us ... well, we don't matter.

Avatar
stonojnr replied to Oldfatgit | 3 months ago
1 like

dunno, got close passed by a car tonight probably not much different from that vans gap, with a police car coming the other way. they didnt do a thing, probably close to their shift ending.

Avatar
wtjs | 3 months ago
4 likes

“Sorry to hear that,” the unit responded. “We will always prosecute poor driving such as this if we see it.”

Ah! The police standard dodge is back! 'The offence has to be witnessed by a traffic officer' fib, which we know to be untrue after the Rishi Sunak 'not wearing seatbelt' incident when even Lancashire Constabulary (leading contender for the UK's Most Idle and Inept Police Force Award) managed to prosecute. The subtext for this comment is 'so if you annoying little b******s think anything other than the bin is reserved for all your HD videos, you've got another think coming'

Avatar
Hirsute | 3 months ago
9 likes

Looking after someone's dog for a week.

Why do drivers slow down and give me more space when walking the dog than I get riding a bike ?

Avatar
wtjs replied to Hirsute | 3 months ago
5 likes

Why do drivers slow down and give me more space when walking the dog than I get riding a bike ?

It's another version of the exaggerated courtesy shown to riders on horseback by BMW and Audi drivers- the ones who cheer the Telegraph 'writers' advocating routinely killing cyclists 

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Hirsute | 3 months ago
6 likes

Hirsute wrote:

Looking after someone's dog for a week.

Why do drivers slow down and give me more space when walking the dog than I get riding a bike ?

Because you'd probably get a heavier sentence for killing a dog than you'd get for a cyclist?

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eburtthebike replied to Hirsute | 3 months ago
6 likes

Hirsute wrote:

Looking after someone's dog for a week.

Why do drivers slow down and give me more space when walking the dog than I get riding a bike ?

They like dogs.

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mdavidford | 3 months ago
1 like

You've just sent me down a "What the hell is O'Tacos?" rabbit hole, and now I really want some 'French tacos' - chips, kebab, and tacos all in one meal - sounds like genius!

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Matthew Acton-Varian | 3 months ago
1 like

I have only caught highlight clips of the TdF Femmes battle on the Alpe and my word was that insane. A brilliant race as a neutral and the tension for that minute-and-a-second was nail-biting. An excellent finish to showcase the pinnacle of the Women's elite sport.

You have to feel for Vollering, for if it wasn't for her team's actions the day she crashed, she would have won the jersey by a couple of minutes. Absolutely feels like SD Worx hanging her out to dry because she is due to leave.

And a huge cheer for Yalina Kuskova. A very strong finish for a lone rider, and no doubt on the World Tour teams' radars. I do think that her team's entry to the TdF was questionable, and calls in to question the fairness and viability of the current points system, but there's no doubt that Kuskova is a rider to watch.

 

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Carior | 3 months ago
0 likes

I wonder if the BBC "had a word" with Mr Hoy.  By my read of those rules he must have at least been skating on paper thin ice as a part owner of an aero sensor company talking about how (amongst other things in fairness) aero sensors are allowing riders to optimize in real world velodrome conditions...

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henryb replied to Carior | 3 months ago
4 likes

There's huge inconsistency in the rules anyway. For example TV chefs are on television to tempt people to then go and buy their books, but this is seen as OK

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Matthew Acton-Varian replied to henryb | 3 months ago
1 like

In most instances, the BBC will have some financial involvement with the publication of the book - acting as co-producer or distributor on behalf of the publisher and the author, thus taking a cut of the money and the book is a BBC affiliated product. The BBC logo will be printed on the cover or in the foreword. And as the book is a BBC product, it can "advertise" the book at the end of the relevant cooking programme it comes from.

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ROOTminus1 replied to Carior | 3 months ago
0 likes

I don't get how the BBC think they can dictate what Laura puts on her personal Instagram page? I fully appreciate have strict guidelines on what gets broadcast through their media channels, but AFAIK it wasn't posted on a BBC account, or live in camera?

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Sniffer replied to ROOTminus1 | 3 months ago
0 likes

ROOTminus1 wrote:

I don't get how the BBC think they can dictate what Laura puts on her personal Instagram page?

Very simply.  If she were to continue to breach their expectations they won't ask her to do more punditry.  She won't be an employee like Gary Lineker where guidelines are enforcable, but if they are unhappy she won't be doing anymore work for them.

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mdavidford replied to Sniffer | 3 months ago
0 likes

Sniffer wrote:

ROOTminus1 wrote:

I don't get how the BBC think they can dictate what Laura puts on her personal Instagram page?

Very simply.  If she were to continue to breach their expectations they won't ask her to do more punditry.  She won't be an employee like Gary Lineker where guidelines are enforcable, but if they are unhappy she won't be doing anymore work for them.

 

I'd be surprised if there weren't clauses in their contract that would allow them to withhold fees if she refused to remove posts that breached the guidelines.

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Rendel Harris replied to ROOTminus1 | 3 months ago
2 likes

ROOTminus1 wrote:

I don't get how the BBC think they can dictate what Laura puts on her personal Instagram page?

They're not doing that at all, what they are saying is you can promote what you like on your own channels but if you're sponsored to wear something you can't then wear that when you're appearing on our channel, so Ms.K is sponsored to wear Breitling watches, no problem, but she can't wear them when appearing on the BBC because that would amount to Breitling getting their product advertised on the BBC. Their statement made it pretty clear:

"Nor should they appear on air wearing clothes or using products, goods or services which they have agreed, or been contracted, to promote or in which they have any financial interest.”

No problem with you having the promo deal but you can't use our airtime as part of it.

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eburtthebike replied to Carior | 3 months ago
1 like

Well, complaints that James Cracknell was paid to publicise the helmet that he claimed saved his life, and according to BBC rules they either shouldn't have interviewed him or made it very clear that he was paid, fell on stoney ground.  They also had a helmet expert for balance, and promised him that they would broadcast his statement that helmets didn't save lives, but then cut it.

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SimoninSpalding | 3 months ago
4 likes

The article about cutting off the drops had me paying more attention to where I had my hands on the commute this morning. My conclusion, probably about 75% on the hoods, the other 25% on the drops. Does this mean I can cut out the tops of my bars?

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Matthew Acton-Varian replied to SimoninSpalding | 3 months ago
1 like

Good one

I've just taken my vintage Claud Butler project bike out for its first (albeit very short and flat) ride since reassembly and I was almost exclusively in the drops - Bars and brake levers from that era are not easy to hold on in a "hoods" position and I wasn't climbing enough to need the tops. Admittedly just under 2 miles around a quiet housing estate is not enough to test out a proper riding position, but bike fit will come once the bike is mechanically sound.

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lesterama replied to SimoninSpalding | 3 months ago
1 like

Nah, just get an old Grail

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Rendel Harris | 3 months ago
1 like

Brilliant race, must admit I was hollering for Vollering, as it were, but Niewiadoma showed amazing guts to hang on. Might have helped at the finish if the Eurosport commentator had actually told us after Vollering had finished exactly what time Niewiadoma had to finish in to hold the jersey rather than leaving viewers to try and figure it for themselves...

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henryb replied to Rendel Harris | 3 months ago
8 likes

A real shame it wasn't broadcast on free-to-air UK television

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Cayo replied to henryb | 3 months ago
2 likes
henryb wrote:

A real shame it wasn't broadcast on free-to-air UK television

Exactly. Although, assuming we'd only have got Eurosport's highlights on Quest, there's no guarantee they'd actually have aired when advertised anyway.

Yet again yesterday, the Vuelta highlights didn't air in the 7pm slot, with the usual apology banner but no explanation or alternative time slot advertised. And, again as usual, they finally showed it at midnight, without updating the EPG, so those unaware of Quest's MO would think it was still going to be NASA's unexplained UFO Files (or whatever it was). Pathetic. 😡

Very happy for Kasia though, great to see her win such a big race.

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Secret_squirrel replied to Rendel Harris | 3 months ago
1 like

I was frantically hitting refresh on the browser every 30 seconds.

Was willing Demi to suceed despite her teams malice and/or incompetence.  I know she has a prickly reputation but I cant believe how poorly served she was by SDWorx in the last 4 stages.   With the exception of the excellent Niamh Fisher-Black

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brooksby | 3 months ago
3 likes

Quote:

City of London's cycle team seizing almost one illegal e-bike or e-scooter a day

Seems like they're the only police force which is actually following up on illegal e-bikes/e-scooters, then… 

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Rendel Harris replied to brooksby | 3 months ago
8 likes

brooksby wrote:

Quote:

City of London's cycle team seizing almost one illegal e-bike or e-scooter a day

Seems like they're the only police force which is actually following up on illegal e-bikes/e-scooters, then… 

And although they are at least doing something, they are not doing it terribly efficiently; I can guarantee that if I stood at a busy junction in the City during a working day I would see a number of illegal electric motorcycles and scooters equivalent to those the CoLP have seized in a year pass by within a couple of hours at most.

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andystow replied to brooksby | 3 months ago
2 likes

brooksby wrote:

Quote:

City of London's cycle team seizing almost one illegal e-bike or e-scooter a day

Seems like they're the only police force which is actually following up on illegal e-bikes/e-scooters, then… 

And at what rate are new ones being added to London's roads? I'd wager somewhat more than one a day.

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Steve K | 3 months ago
2 likes

Apologies if this has been picked up before, but a bit of political news.  The Department for Transport has finally confirmed its Ministerial portfolios.  Active travel is under the Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood - https://www.gov.uk/government/people/simon-lightwood

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MarsFlyer replied to Steve K | 3 months ago
1 like

Also e-scooters, modal shift & integrated transport strategy so hopefully he can join up lots of the dots.
Although he'll need Treasury support, hopefully they stop pinching from small budgets to address big funding gaps?

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