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Children dodge cars parked where Kensington cycle lane used to be... but apparently it's their fault; AG2R Citroën unveil new BMC/Campag 2021 bikes; Does mileage matter?; Crown Prince vs ostrich; Unexpected item in the bike lane + more on the live blog

Happy New Year! Dan Alexander is back on the live blog to keep you entertained this Monday
04 January 2021, 17:42
AG2R Citroën unveil new BMC bikes, dressed with Campagnolo components
ag2r citroen 2021 team bike bmc - via campagnolo

...and so far, it would appear the internet thinks the team's new bikes are dressed quite a bit better than the riders themselves, after the new large-worded jersey proved pretty divisive when it was unveiled before Christmas. 

Of the new partnership between Campagnolo and BMC - one we haven't seen before in the pro peloton - Campagnolo commented: "BMC is a brand that shares a great deal with Campagnolo - a pursuit of innovation, a desire to produce distinctive and premium products, but most importantly, a passion and commitment to cycle racing."

AG2R Citroën's MD Vincent Lavenu said: "We are very happy to have Campagnolo with us for 2021. Campagnolo is renowned in the cycling  world for its performance products, its racing heritage and love for the sport. Combining such an excellent brand with our new bike partner BMC gives me great confidence as we head into a new chapter for the AG2R Citroën team." 

You can see the new team bike in all its glory in this fancy unveiling video below... 

04 January 2021, 16:36
Your thoughts on mileage goals

Our opinion piece on mileage goals has caused a fair bit of debate this afternoon. Do you care about how far you, or someone else, rides in a year? Or is it simply how much you enjoy your cycling that matters? 

'hawkinspeter' commented: "Excellent piece! The thing with modern cycling (or at least for me) is that we've got loads of different metrics we can obsess over and they're all useful in different ways, but it's so easy to let performance anxiety to get in the way of just getting on your bike and enjoying a simple ride."

'dassie' commented: "If people want to set distance/frequency targets, and then let others know how they did - it really doesn't bother me at all.  Each to their own, sometimes it can inspire others to ride more - wherever they choose. Similarly, I acknowledge most cyclists I see out on the roads, but don't expect any reciprocation. Just do what you've gotta do, be considerate, and ride."

04 January 2021, 16:22
Happy 2021

We've a feeling this gif is going to come in handy quite a lot this year. 

04 January 2021, 16:10
Fabio Aru is back

Fabio Aru has a cult following on Twitter, mainly for his extraordinary portfolio of facial expressions that can only be explained by the pain of being a professional bike rider. The Italian completed his first race for his new team, Qhubeka Assos, this weekend in Italy and looks as miserable as you'd expect someone carrying their bike through freezing mud to be...Here's some more Fabio for your amusement...

04 January 2021, 15:40
You'll never guess what car they drive
04 January 2021, 14:20
Behind the scenes at the Tour de France with Jumbo-Visma and Astana

These behind the scenes documentaries following cycling teams at big races are becoming more common. Deceuninck-Quickstep, EF Pro Cycling and Team Sunweb released their own videos covering the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España last year. Now, it's the turn of Jumbo-Visma and Astana.

Dutch broadcaster, NOS, follow Jumbo-Visma at the Tour de France and capture the shock and disbelief following the stage 20 time trial as Tadej Pogačar snatches victory from Primož Roglič. The hour-long film also covers Wout van Aert's two stage wins, Roglič claiming the race lead on stage nine and offers an interesting insight into life in the peloton as one of the world's best teams at the biggest race of the year. The link for the Jumbo-Visma documentary is here. Astana's shorter video can be watched at the top of this post.

04 January 2021, 13:44
Things you don't expect to see in the bike lane

Nothing to see here. Just a new bridge over the cycle lane for you to ride under...

04 January 2021, 12:54
Will Norman toasts record year for London 'Boris Bikes', with over 10 million hires in 2020

In what was a stinker of a year for many of us, a sharp increase in all types of bike riding was one silver lining - you can check out our more in-depth review of 2020 in cycling here

04 January 2021, 12:37
'Time to get rid of that car lane no one is using', said no council ever

Part of the reasoning for removing the Kensington High Street cycle lane was that it wasn't being used by cyclists so it should be ripped out for to make room for another lane of cars. 4 Chords No Net has posted these tongue in cheek updates of traffic on Westminster Bridge, suggesting maybe it's time to rip out the road to make room for more pedestrian access...

Bill Hulley went even further and said: "Learn from Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, rip out the entire bridge, those people could swim if they want to." 

04 January 2021, 11:41
Annemiek van Vleuten and Marianne Vos show off new team kit
Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar kit (via Twitter)

The start of a new year means Annemiek van Vleuten and Marriane Vos have been able to sport their new team kits for the first time. Van Vleuten shared the photo above of her first training ride wearing the Movistar blue with her new Canyon. While Vos showed off the Jumbo-Visma Women kit at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup race in Hulst, finishing 11th. 2021 is the first year of Jumbo-Visma's women's team with Vos their star signing for the debut campaign. 

04 January 2021, 11:29
Late Christmas present for Alex Dowsett
04 January 2021, 11:19
Stars and stripes shoes
04 January 2021, 10:29
Mathieu van der Poel sets out route to the classics starting with UAE Tour in February
Mathieu van der Poel wins 2019 Amstel Gold Race (picture credit Amstel Gold Race)

Mathieu van der Poel impressed again, winning the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup event in Hulst yesterday. The Dutch sensation also set out his plans for the 2021 road season in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. Van Der Poel will return to the road at the first WorldTour event of the year, racing the UAE Tour at the end of February. Significantly, this means the 25-year-old will skip the opening weekend of the cobbled classics before using either Tirreno-Adriatico or Paris-Nice as preparation for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Van Der Poel told the Flemish newspaper that he will take a break following yesterday's victory in Hulst to train ahead of the final few weeks of his cyclo-cross season, culminating with the World Championships on January 31.

04 January 2021, 09:56
Why didn't they go for a bike ride in the park?

Great spot by 'Sriracha' in the comments this morning. One of the other replies to Jeremy Vine's tweet offers a neat answer to all those saying they should be cycling in a park and not on the road...

04 January 2021, 09:39
Dubai Crown Prince vs ostriches
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Fazza (@faz3)

These cyclist vs ostrich videos are becoming a regular feature on the blog. Before Christmas we shared this video of an ostrich in South Africa getting involved in a group ride. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum went one better, 'racing' two of the flightless birds.

As well as learning that ostriches have a top speed of 43mph (70km/h), this morning has taught me that the Crown Prince of Dubai is a keen cyclist. It's a nice life for some. 

04 January 2021, 08:38
Children cycling down Kensington High Street dodge cars parked where the cycle lane used to be...but apparently it's their fault

The message Jeremy Vine wanted people to take from this video was probably that cycling for vulnerable road users has been made more dangerous since the Kensington High Street cycle lane was ripped out. Kids have to ride past parked cars, avoiding any doors that may suddenly open, and worry about traffic overtaking from behind...

However, that's not how everyone saw it...The replies to Vine's tweet are full of people accusing the children of poor riding. Seriously...

John Marshall said: "Also in danger because they failed to look, signal, look manoeuvre. The one at the back did glance a couple of times, but no indication. The adults who taught them need to give them another lesson. I'm actually on the side of cyclists being safe. I'm not trying to abdicate drivers responsibility, but we still have drunk and drug drivers. For the sake of a tiny bit of inconvenience, why not take precautions?"

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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32 comments

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schlepcycling | 3 years ago
0 likes
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BobGently | 3 years ago
6 likes

Why does anyone engage with ancient Greek drivers? It's clearly a spoof account created by the editorial team to drive traffic on the site; no real person is as inane as this account-holder.

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ktache | 3 years ago
1 like

More lockdown regulations, England, back to "exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area."

 

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Hirsute replied to ktache | 3 years ago
1 like

That's the guidelines though. The actual regs will be out tomorrow or Wednesday which previously have not been the same.

They seem more contradictory than ever.
Garden centres open and you can buy chocolates but you can't play golf but you can go to church.

Bike shops open still !

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brooksby replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
3 likes

hirsute wrote:

That's the guidelines though. The actual regs will be out tomorrow or Wednesday which previously have not been the same. They seem more contradictory than ever. Garden centres open and you can buy chocolates but you can't play golf but you can go to church. Bike shops open still !

I don't understand why they seem so keen to keep open the churches... (?)

 

Unless its all worse than they're admitting and they're giving everyone an opportunity to make their peace.

 

(I'll get my tinfoil hat)

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Hirsute replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
2 likes

Churches are supposed to be covid safe in that they have detailed guidelines to follow and many risk assessements to complete beforehand together with venue marshalls.

I think the government came under some pressure from denominations too but there is also the mental health side so being with other people and doing something corporately has a benefit regardless of anyone's view on religion.

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brooksby replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
0 likes

Hmm... 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
0 likes

I'll complete Brooksby's comment that "the mental health side so being with other people and doing something corporately has a benefit" can be applied to lots of things that can't be done at the moment orunder new rules even if Covid compliant. 

Personally I'm not fussed if people want to go to a religious house or not but attending a religious service is easily done at home in a similar way as most other things. 

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hawkinspeter replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

I'll complete Brooksby's comment that "the mental health side so being with other people and doing something corporately has a benefit" can be applied to lots of things that can't be done at the moment orunder new rules even if Covid compliant. 

Personally I'm not fussed if people want to go to a religious house or not but attending a religious service is easily done at home in a similar way as most other things. 

There are some religious rituals that require specific individuals or places. e.g. how could someone perform a Catholic Mass at home? Without consecration, the bread and wine won't literally become the body and blood of Christ.

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brooksby replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

I'll complete Brooksby's comment that "the mental health side so being with other people and doing something corporately has a benefit" can be applied to lots of things that can't be done at the moment orunder new rules even if Covid compliant. 

Personally I'm not fussed if people want to go to a religious house or not but attending a religious service is easily done at home in a similar way as most other things. 

There are some religious rituals that require specific individuals or places. e.g. how could someone perform a Catholic Mass at home? Without consecration, the bread and wine won't literally become the body and blood of Christ.

Then the Govt should allow people to go to bowling alleys and have a hotdog so as to worship Eris, or to an Italian restaurant to eat pasta and praise the Great Spaghetti Monster, etc etc...

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Hirsute replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
2 likes

Any guidelines or regs are going to be a bit arbitary but a bowling alley is a no no due to the enclosed nature, cross contamination and the level of noise.

The guidelines for churches include masks, sd, no singing, perspex barriers for preachers, cleaning, track and trace. There is also guidance on queues and hostile vehicles :eek:

 

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hawkinspeter replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
3 likes

They should, but they won't.

As an ordained Discordian Pope and also an enthusiastic Pastafarian, I'm more than happy to keep away from the great unwashed masses. In terms of controlling infectious diseases, I think they should close down places of worship as older religions don't necessarily take into account scientific models of diseases.

However, maybe Covid is a plague sent by a god (pick one) to punish us and who are we to try to help ourselves and not get infected?

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wycombewheeler replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
2 likes

hirsute wrote:

... They seem more contradictory than ever. Garden centres open and you can buy chocolates but you can't play golf .!

I don't think it's worthwhile to produce a list of essential foods and non essential foods.

When they ban sales of alcohol and tobaco then they can consider whether chocolate is 'essential'

In the first lockdown there were reports of shops getting a hard time for selling easter eggs, I don't recall any similar reactions to bottles of spirits or cans of lager.

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Hirsute replied to wycombewheeler | 3 years ago
0 likes

I didn't phrase that very well.

I was a reference to food shops being open and I noticed that the chocolate shops in town were open when we had the November restrictions as they come under food shops. Just struck me as odd that a shop that purely sells chocolate falls under essential shopping but I suppose it is hard to have the right wording to allow a bakers or butchers to open so you couldn't word it as 'supermarkets'.

I do think it is stupid that you can walk in botanical and historic gardens but you can't walk around a golf course. Seems exactly the same risk ie negligible.

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Bungle_52 replied to ktache | 3 years ago
1 like

Barnard Castle anyone?

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AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

Re: New Baby Dowsett, one of the first of Generation Pandemic?

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jacknorell | 3 years ago
14 likes

Can an admin put SocratiCyclist out of our misery already?

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Captain Badger replied to jacknorell | 3 years ago
5 likes

jacknorell wrote:

Can an admin put SocratiCyclist out of our misery already?

We should be careful, there are 2 very similar accounts, and it is nigh on impossible to tell the difference.....

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Mungecrundle replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
16 likes
Captain Badger wrote:

We should be careful, there are 2 very similar accounts, and it is nigh on impossible to tell the difference.....

Easy: One is a ludicrous driver centric parody account and the other is a parody of a ludicrous driver centric parody account.

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Captain Badger replied to Mungecrundle | 3 years ago
1 like
Mungecrundle wrote:
Captain Badger wrote:

We should be careful, there are 2 very similar accounts, and it is nigh on impossible to tell the difference.....

Easy: One is a ludicrous driver centric parody account and the other is a parody of a ludicrous driver centric parody account.

😂
But which one's which??

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SocrapiCyclist replied to Mungecrundle | 3 years ago
5 likes

How dare you!

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efail replied to SocrapiCyclist | 3 years ago
0 likes

There We Are Then.

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Hirsute | 3 years ago
1 like

Use the parks

 

Clicked thorugh on the twitter link to get to this abortion https://twitter.com/vanderlay/status/1345690337243705344

 

 

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Sriracha | 3 years ago
8 likes

Some awesome ripostes in the twitter thread. I love Vanderlay's answer to those saying the children should be taken to the safety of the park to cycle:
https://twitter.com/vanderlay/status/1345690337243705344?s=20

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hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

Oh won't somebody please think of the children?

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SocrapiCyclist | 3 years ago
19 likes

Take your pick:

  • You all know that roads are really for cars. 
  • I love bikes but children shouldn't ride them, or old people, or women now that I think about it.
  • If you can't ride through hostile city traffic then that's on you.
  • The comfort of the individual outweighs the efficiency and safety of the many. (To clarify I do not intend to sound like Jeremy Corbyn here)
  • If you get injured whilst cycling it's not the poor drivers fault.
  • The sacred voice of 'business' should be listened to above all others.
  • Ostriches have no place in our cities.

Etcetera etcetera...

Does anyone like me yet?

Avatar
Mungecrundle replied to SocrapiCyclist | 3 years ago
9 likes
SocrapiCyclist wrote:

Does anyone like me yet?

You lovable rogue!

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to SocrapiCyclist | 3 years ago
8 likes

SocrapiCyclist wrote:

Take your pick:

  • You all know that roads are for really for cars. 
  • I love bikes but children shouldn't ride them, or old people, or women now that I think about it.
  • If you can't ride through hostile city traffic then that's on you.
  • The comfort of the individual outweighs the efficiency and safety of the many. (To clarify I do not intend to sound like Jeremy Corbyn here)
  • If you get injured whilst cycling it's not the poor drivers fault.
  • The sacred voice of 'business' should be listened to above all others.
  • Ostriches have no place in our cities.

Etcetera etcetera...

Does anyone like me yet?

Dammit Socrapi, I have to keep double-checking which is which, there's only a fag paper between you!

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wtjs replied to SocrapiCyclist | 3 years ago
4 likes

You missed 'I'm a cyclist myself'!

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eburtthebike | 3 years ago
12 likes

I'm hoping those comments on the kids riding in the road were sarcastic, but such is the entitlement felt by drivers to intimidate and threaten the lives of others, reality says my hopes will be dashed.

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