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Pinarello bike porn: Filippo Ganna's supersonic Olympic TT machine; Pizza taped to top tubes and potato pouches; Anna van der Breggen stopped from riding course by official; G up for "one more push"; 3D scanners aero gains + more on the live blog

Dan Alexander is back with another day of live blog goodness to keep you entertained this Tuesday
27 July 2021, 14:40
Boris Johnson announces those convicted of anti-social behaviour will be "out there in one of those fluorescent-jacketed chain gangs"

You can tell you're a cyclist when you read Sky News and your first instinct is the PM has ordered people convicted of anti-social behaviour to get their cleats ready..."out there in one of those fluorescent-jacketed chain gangs visibly paying your debt to society" sounds like a pretty cool punishment to us. Come on, mate, don't skip your turn. Start paying your debt to society...

27 July 2021, 14:20
Alex Dowsett's TT preview

Rohan Dennis to win gold? Patrick Bevin a dark horse for a medal? Alex Dowsett has given us the goods with this TT preview detailing everything you need to know ahead of the two big races tomorrow...Including rumours of a tropical storm...

27 July 2021, 13:46
Get the gold paint ready? Pinarello bike porn: Filippo Ganna's supersonic Olympic TT machine

Well, well, well. Riding a machine like this beauty is a pretty nice perk of the job when you're as fast as Filippo Ganna. The Italian powerhouse will be gunning, or should I say Gannaing, for an Olympic gold medal to go with his rainbow jersey, in the early hours of tomorrow morning over in Tokyo.

The Ineos Grenadier has been near unbeatable for the past couple of years in races against the clock, racking up five Giro d'Italia stage wins in the discipline and melting cycling fans' brains globally with his thermonuclear wattages. And, if gold medals were won on style alone, the imposing Italian thrashing this piece of Pinarello perfection would earn a place on the top step of the podium with ease. If anything, it's a shame that the glossy red paint job will have to be replaced by a fresh gold look...Alright, I'll stop getting ahead of myself...

To win, Ganna will have to beat Tour de France conqueror Wout van Aert, Ineos teammate Rohan Dennis and well, almost every other great time trialist from across the world. We can't wait...

27 July 2021, 13:07
Geraint Thomas recalls Olympic Games road race crash that forced him to abandon
Geraint Thomas Olympic road race

Geraint Thomas has spoken to Eurosport ahead of tomorrow's time trial and promised to give "one more push" to challenge for a third Olympic medal of his career. Thomas won gold in the Team Pursuit in 2008 and 2012 but crashed out of Saturday's road race after teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart fell ahead of the Welshman.

"We were just going down a fast bit of road, there was a little bit of metal in the middle and Tao hit that and lost his front wheel and I was directly behind him," G told Eurosport.

"I could have tried to land on top of him – it would have cushioned my blow. But yeah, we were both on the deck and really unfortunate – just a freak accident. I knew I wasn’t bad, like broken something, but when you hit the floor at that sort of speed it’s never nice. I knocked myself about a bit, just a normal crash but it’s just disappointing. After the Tour and everything, looking to come here, change of scene and with the GB team I was really motivated to try and get something out of it.

"It's not that I’ve had a bad season. I've won two races, I’ve been up there on the podium a few other times as well as that. But the main two targets is what you dream about and they’re the ones where I’ve ended up on the floor so it is tough but it is part of the sport. Like life in general, you don’t always get what you deserve. You just need to keep trying.

"This year has been tough mentally but I’ve still got one more chance on Wednesday with the TT so I’ll just rest up now and hopefully get something out of that. One more push, at least stay on the bike."

Misfortune and crashes have shadowed Thomas throughout his career, including at the Tour de France earlier this month where the 2018 winner dislocated his shoulder in a fall on stage three. He will roll down the start ramp as one of the two British riders competing in tomorrow morning's TT. Geoghegan Hart is the other to take on the course against a stacked line-up, including world champ Filippo Ganna, Wout van Aert and Rohan Dennis... 

27 July 2021, 12:32
BREAKING (the rules) news
27 July 2021, 12:11
More Dutch misfortune as Anna van der Breggen stopped by official, varying reports of a fall
Anna Van der Breggen .JPG

ITT medal hopeful Anna van der Breggen is the latest Dutch rider to suffer Olympic misfortune after she was stopped by an official while training ahead of tomorrow's competition. Wielerflits reports the official caused Van der Breggen to fall, although other sources have disputed this.

The current TT world champ appears to be uninjured after the incident at the Fuji Speedway circuit. Japanese cycling coach Kyosuke Takei told the Dutch outlet: "Everyone had to stop due to a mistake by the organiser. And in the tumult with the guards, Anna was threatened and overthrown."

Geraint Thomas also reported problems with practising on the TT course. In a slightly cryptic tweet, the GB rider wrote: "Come recon the TT from 15:00-17:00 they said..." before following up with a second post saying he hadn't crashed, just that "it was a little chaotic."

27 July 2021, 11:24
Rapha Women's 100 is back for a ninth edition
Rapha Women's 100 2021 (press release)

Rapha's celebration of women's cycling, the Rapha Women's 100, is returning this September for a ninth edition. Since its inception in 2013, the Women's 100 has inspired thousands of cyclists to come together and ride 100km on the same day. Back again after Covid restrictions, the ninth edition will see group rides hosted from Rapha's Clubhouses and partner cafes across the world, from Down Under to San Fransisco. Full details and sign-up information will be announced soon...

27 July 2021, 10:26
Christina Mackenzie set for second Land's End to John O'Groats record attempt in bid to break 19-year-old record

Christina Mackenzie is back for another attempt at the Land's End to John O'Groats record this week. Back in 2019, the national 12-hour champ was within touching distance of beating the current best time of 52 hours, 45 minutes, set in 2002 by Lynne Taylor. That time Mackenzie faded at the end to finish two hours, 30 minutes off Taylor's time, but she's back in the South West to have another shot at the 19-year-old record tomorrow. All the best, Christina.

27 July 2021, 09:53
Italian national team uses 3D scanner tech to get aero for Tokyo

 Italy's pursuit of gold medals in Tokyo has led them to lean on the expertise of Russian manufacturer Thor3D's 3D scanning tech to reduce aero drag. The team has put its Pinarello bikes and Hardskin clothing under detailed analysis by the 3D technology to digitalise each athlete and reduce their drag as much as possible by optimising riders' equipment and position.

3D Natives reports the process involved riders being scanned while riding in their race position and wearing their full race kit, and was complete in two minutes. From the pictures and data, Pinarello designed custom-made bars for each rider and optimise their positioning. Because Filippo Ganna clearly needs extra help destroying the rest of the world...

27 July 2021, 09:21
On-bike nutrition done right: Pizza taped to top tubes and potato pouches at triathlon event
Potato pouch (Image: Louise Short/Facebook)

Gels and bars stuck to the top tube? Fine, we've seen it before. French bikepackers bundling baguettes back in their pockets? All good. Pizza slices taped to the top tube? That's a new one...and as for raw potatoes packed into a pouch for a crunchy mid-ride snack...Louise Short snapped these unconventional nutrition strategies on triathletes' bikes at the Outlaw event in Nottingham at the weekend.

Top tube pizza (Image: Louise Short/ Facebook)

 This Soreen malt loaf looks so sticky it doesn't need any help securing itself, although that top tube will need a good scrub later. Apparently the crows were loving the generously provided buffet while the athletes were in the water for the swim... 

Top tube Soreen (Image: Louise Short/Facebook)

Ash Van Bassman won the comments section: "I assume for Kona, pizza bike triathlete adds pineapple to make it a Hawaiian?" Although based on some of the anti-pineapple comments from Friday's live blog, that joke probably won't land here...

27 July 2021, 08:08
Swiss sweep women's MTB podium at Tokyo 2020
Swiss sweep women's MTB podium at Tokyo 2020 (Copyright Alex Whitehead, SWpix.com).JPG

Switzerland have taken a clean sweep of the medals at the women’s mountain biking event in Tokyo, with five-time world champion Jolanda Neff taking gold, more than a minute ahead of runner-up Sina Frei and with Linda Indergand third. Team GB’s Evie Richards finished seventh, 3:23 after the winner.

27 July 2021, 07:52
Wout van Aert's Tour de France skinsuit up for auction...but it will cost you

Jumbo-Visma have put their kit from the Tour de France up for auction to raise money for Jeugdfonds Sport & Cultuur, a charity which helps children from less privileged backgrounds participate in sport. The standout item is one of Wout van Aert's skinsuits used during the Tour. You'll need a large wallet though...with five days to go the bidding is already up to €1,800 (plus a nine per cent fee).

Second on GC, Jonas Vingegaard's jersey is also up for auction and is up to €1,300, at the time of writing. Cruelly, you can also bid for one of Primoz Roglic's skinsuits he wore during his punishing first week, possibly with crash holes included...

In fact, if you want anything it'll cost you...Mike Teunissen's signed bottle is the cheapest item going...and it's still €65. No word on if the UCI will take action against the Dutch leadout man for lobbing a bidon to a fan via an auction, but that's surely a retrospective disqualification.

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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24 comments

Avatar
Awavey | 2 years ago
0 likes

and not forgetting Anna Shackley will be the 1st British rider competing in tomorrow mornings TT races in the womens event, which takes place ahead of the mens race.

Btw does anyone believe G had the Olympics as a target this year ?

Avatar
brooksby | 2 years ago
2 likes

Compulsory cycling!  3

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/jul/27/uk-covid-live-news...

Boris Johnson says people guilty of antisocial behaviour should be in hi-vis ‘chain gangs'

Avatar
HarrogateSpa replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
3 likes

Johnson is guilty of antisocial behaviour, but he already poses in hi-viz (and lab coats, and milkman's coat, and car factory worker one-piece) for cynical photo opps.

Avatar
HarrogateSpa replied to HarrogateSpa | 2 years ago
6 likes

Disturbing the neighbours while rowing with his girlfriend, lying about £350M a week, lying about the lack of checks on goods GB-NI, handing out public money to party contacts and donors, joking about 80-year-olds dying of Covid, lying about who paid for refurbishments to his flat...

The list goes on. He isn't in any position to criticise anyone else.

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to HarrogateSpa | 2 years ago
2 likes

Wasn't there going to be some sort of road.cc crackdown on the needless politicisation of the comments section?

Avatar
brooksby replied to Rich_cb | 2 years ago
5 likes

Rich_cb wrote:

Wasn't there going to be some sort of road.cc crackdown on the needless politicisation of the comments section?

But saying that Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a lying liar who lies a lot about all sorts of stuff (and dissembles about the rest of it) isn't political.  It's just a statement of fact.

(What's that, Boris?  How many children do you have?)

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
1 like

No issue with your original post, news stories with amusing cycling related quips attached are live blog bread and butter.

HarrogateSpa's sad attempt to prove he hates Boris more than anyone else is another matter though.

Avatar
Simon E replied to HarrogateSpa | 2 years ago
4 likes

HarrogateSpa wrote:

Disturbing the neighbours while rowing with his girlfriend, lying about £350M a week, lying about the lack of checks on goods GB-NI, handing out public money to party contacts and donors, joking about 80-year-olds dying of Covid, lying about who paid for refurbishments to his flat...

The list goes on. He isn't in any position to criticise anyone else.

My sister was one of those neighbours. She has moved away from there now, thankfully.

I'd say his own behaviour is pretty anti-social. The lying seems to be a core part of his selfish, abusive personality. He's following his father, it seems. Is there anything he hasn't lied about or corrupted in some way?

Avatar
brooksby replied to HarrogateSpa | 2 years ago
2 likes

HarrogateSpa wrote:

Johnson is guilty of antisocial behaviour, but he already poses in hi-viz (and lab coats, and milkman's coat, and car factory worker one-piece) for cynical photo opps.

Don't forget hiding in walk-in refrigerators.

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Rendel Harris replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

Beat me to it!

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Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
3 likes

I'm guessing the spuds are boiled in their skins rather than raw? Although given the temperature the water in my bidons was reaching last week you could probably pop one in there and boil up a quick mid-race hot snack.

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Bmblbzzz replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
1 like

Was going to say the same. Pretty good idea too, I might use it, though I'd probably go for baked myself.

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PRSboy replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
2 likes

Rendel Harris wrote:

I'm guessing the spuds are boiled in their skins rather than raw? Although given the temperature the water in my bidons was reaching last week you could probably pop one in there and boil up a quick mid-race hot snack.

My bike got so hot in the sun resting against a wall last week that I heard a telltale "Pssstttt" as the rear inner tube went flat.  Turned out a puncture patch I'd repaired a hole with ages ago and forgotten about had come unglued in the heat!

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ktache replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
1 like

CamelBack's Podium Chill and Ice are my go to during the heatwaves, stored in the fridge overnight or during the day, stays cool just long enough.

Reduces ice build up during what the flip side of the year brings

Avatar
Awavey | 2 years ago
11 likes

Evie Richards finished 7th in the MTB XC race the Swiss swept the podium for, which is TeamGBs highest placed finish in the womens race in Olympic MTB XC history, in case you missed it.

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mdavidford replied to Awavey | 2 years ago
8 likes

And the BBC commentary after she crossed the line smiling from ear to ear...

"Disappointment there for Evie Richards, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Tom Pidcock's ride..."

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TheColster replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
3 likes

Totally agree it was an odd line of questioning. I've noticed similar things in other interviews too. The interviewer talking to Georgia Taylor-Brown was asking about her disappointment in not winning gold and what might have been. In context, she was beaming having just won a triathlon silver medal after running from 5th to 2nd following a late puncture on the bicycle leg and having said that she had been hoping for a top 5. It was a great performance, and it seemed to me an inability to read the room and celebrate the success she'd had. Not to mention that the winner was super strong and seemed unlikely to have been beaten anyway.

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OnYerBike | 2 years ago
2 likes

Pizza and malt loaf, fair enough. But raw potato seems like a great way to DNF... (unless they are actually boiled new potatoes or similar?)

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mdavidford replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
3 likes

Given how hot it's been recently, perhaps they were hoping they would be perfect jackets by the time they were done with the swim.

Quote:

some of the anti-pineapple comments from Friday's live blog

I think it was just the one fundamentalist, wasn't it?

 

Avatar
PRSboy replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
1 like

OnYerBike wrote:

Pizza and malt loaf, fair enough. But raw potato seems like a great way to DNF... (unless they are actually boiled new potatoes or similar?)

Maybe they are to lob at close-passers angel

Avatar
fuzzywuzzy replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
0 likes

Loving the comment about crows having a feast. It would be the type of thing I'd to, thinking I'd come up with a genius idea only to discover later there's a good reason it's not normally done

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OnTheRopes replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
0 likes

I assumed it was a spoof, the Pizza doesn't look very aero?

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brooksby | 2 years ago
4 likes

Finally, a purpose for those flat-topped top tubes!  3

Avatar
lesterama | 2 years ago
5 likes

Triathletes are indeed a different breed

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