Daily Mail and GB News journalist objects to 20mph speed limits because... cyclists don't pay tax (apparently); Sprinting Fabio Jakobsen smacked in face by fan's phone; Weekend round-up + more on the live blog

Hope your Monday's going well, or at least was going well until you read this from Daily Mail contributor and GB News presenter Andrew Pierce under his Twitter username @toryboypierce...

Ministers considering 20mph limit ob roads in all built up areas to support cyclists. Why do Govts hate motorists and how much tax do cyclists pay? None

— Andrew Pierce (@toryboypierce) January 29, 2023

It's not Pierce's road.cc debut though. Last August, during the height of the Shapps-sparked licences, reg plates debacle, he appeared on Good Morning Britain to deliver an all-time anti-cycling bingo rant...

"They are a nightmare. Cyclists are a nightmare. Riding through red lights all the time, riding on the pavement all the time, clattering into people all the time. They are not insured, you don't know who they are, they don't wear helmets."

Anyway, last night's tweet was news to all of us who apparently shouldn't be paying tax...

Do some research and maybe try to see if you can find out the truth about so-called ‘road tax’ and who pays it.

— Guy Andrews (@thecoureur) January 29, 2023

And here I was worried about getting my self assessment in on time, but it turns out I don't have to pay any tax. 🚲🚲👍👍

— Richard Gracie (@richmtb77) January 30, 2023

Well that's good news. I'm a cyclist. Do you know how I can claim back all the tax I've been paying?

— Name cannot be blank (parody) 🦒 (@AracerRacer) January 29, 2023

Why are you pitting motorists against cyclists?

I drive heavy goods vehicles for a living and I choose to cycle recreationally.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

— Shatner's Bassoon 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇱🇹🇪🇺 (@Medziotojas) January 29, 2023

Of course when we talk about road tax, what we really mean is vehicle excise duty (VED), a tax collected by the DVLA depending on how environmentally-friendly a vehicle is, but hey, shouting road tax is fun apparently...

Most HGV drivers I encounter on the bike are brilliant… this guy was holding back and giving us space rather than charging up behind us to dive down the slip road. Little things like this make a big difference #Cycling pic.twitter.com/PXzyWfBR4e

— PassPixi (@PassPixi) January 29, 2023

Giant Group has bought 32.5 per cent of Stages Cycling's common stock, according to a filing with the Taiwan stock exchange, first reported by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

Giant's board has approved the purchase of $6.5 million common stock in Stages Cycling Inc. and convertible corporate bonds for $13.5 million.

Giant explained: "Through the integration of indoor and outdoor cycling products, Giant Group can offer consumers with a more comprehensive cycling experience, enabling consumers to enjoy the benefits and pleasures from outdoors to indoors and vice versa, and hence improving the overall quality of the cycling experience.

"Through this strategic alliance, Giant Group can further utilise its brand advantage within the professional cycling market and to consolidate both manufacturing and distribution resources to maximise synergies.

"This, on one hand, increases both product and service values and, on another hand, creates a seamless online and offline cycling ecosystem, thereby accomplishing the goal of future gradual long-term operation performance gains and enabling Giant Group to continue to grow."

Jo's penned another opinion piece and something tells me this one might cause some discussion...

> No, I don't wave at other cyclists when I'm out for a ride... isn't a simple nod of acknowledgement enough?

Just a random group of @ChallengeMca participants collectively sprinting across Madrid Airport to catch our connecting flight home @JuliusJelmer @KobeGoossens @ArneMarit @HerregodtsRune @jellewallays @Tomvanasbroeck pic.twitter.com/encYzzxLmK

— David Dekker (@dekkerdavid) January 29, 2023

Here's what you might have missed this weekend...

> REVIEW: Basso Diamante SV Disc Record Hydro Shamal Enigma

> Check out the road.cc Recommends Tyres of the Year 2022/23

> Conor McGregor knocked off his bike... and gets a lift home off the driver who hit him

> Win! Entry and accommodation for the Stelvio Weekender worth £849!

> Victory claimed for harassment campaign by "mob of decent people" as helmet cam cyclist deletes YouTube and Twitter accounts

> The rising price of cycling — why are bikes more expensive and how is the industry coping?

> Fancy a 3D-printed saddle custom-made for your butt? Plus more tech news from DT Swiss, Giant, 3T, Chris King, Classified, Stages & more

> REVIEW: Galibier GrandTour Foul Weather Gilet

Plenty to be keeping you distracted this Monday morning...

Road racing is definitely back if silly scenes such as these are on our screens...

🇳🇱 Fabio Jakobsen comes in contact with a supporter who knocks the glasses off his face in mid-sprint.

Goes to show that safety on sprint finishes needs to be improved! People should not be able to have their arms so close to the riders when they are sprinting!#VueltaSJ23 pic.twitter.com/SYv9DDvydv

— Domestique (@Domestique___) January 29, 2023

In what other sport would you get over-zealous fans causing their heroes risk of serious injury, enabled by inadequate safety infrastructure at events? It has got to make you flinch thinking about speeding up the inside towards victory knowing any one of the hundreds of spectators could knock you to the ground with an outstretched arm. Even more so when you remember what Fabio Jakobsen has been through...

Jakobsen finished second, behind double stage winner Sam Welsford, and was pictured with red marks on his sunglassless face at the finish...

Not the ending we would have wanted from the #VueltaSJ2023, but luckily @FabioJakobsen stayed upright in that insane finale.

Photo: @BeelWout pic.twitter.com/D9pXG21fW4

— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) January 29, 2023

Fabio Jakobsen taking a call during the sprint. 🙈 The idiot spectator almost caused him to crash. #VueltaSJ2023 pic.twitter.com/2WSaus1HYW

— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) January 29, 2023

Elsewhere at the race this weekend, Miguel Ángel López had something of a point to prove at his first event out of the WorldTour and dominated Friday night's queen stage, putting 30 seconds into the field on the high-altitude summit finish, followed home by... Filippo Ganna!?

Ganna powered ahead of Egan Bernal and Remco Evenepoel on the mountaintop finish, but with two sprint stages to go, couldn't claw back any time on López, the now-Team Medellín–EPM rider winning his first race for his new team. Sergio Higuita was third.