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Jeremy Corbyn joins Tom Boonen in being spotted cycling on Google StreetView

Labour leader caught on camera in August 2014 yards from his Islington home

What has Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn got in common with Etixx-Quick Step’s Tom Boonen? Well, the leader of the opposition hasn’t won Paris-Roubaix (unless he’s used a very cunning disguise) and in Lodnon he’s more likely to be hitting potholes rather than pavé – but both have been captured riding their bikes on Google Street View.

Political blogger Guido Fawkes flagged up Corbyn’s image captured by the Google Street View car as he pedalled along Berriman Road in North London, just yards from his Islington home. The face is blurred, but it's unmistakeably him. Here’s another picture of him riding up the street after turning off the Seven Sisters Road.

Jeremy Corbyn on GoogleStreetView 2.JPG

The politician was snapped riding his trusty red Raleigh bicycle – you may remember the reaction from some elements of the press to news earlier this year that he wanted to treat himself to a new one costing £475.

Well-wishers pledged more than £6,000 to treat him to his “dream bike” but the Islington North MP asked for that money to be given to charity and said he would treat himself to the Raleigh Criterium bike for his birthday, which is next month.

> Jeremy Corbyn pledges crowdfunded 'dream bike' cash to charity

Curiously, when Corbyn was doorstepped by reporters this morning who wanted to quiz him about David Cameron’s tax affairs, it was a blue sit-up-and-beg-style bike that he rode away on, as you can see from the video on this Huffington Post report.

Boonen cropped up on Google Street View a few years back, pictured in the Belgian national champions’ kit as he stopped at what was reported by the Dutch press to be Johan Van Summeren’s house while on a training ride with several riders from various teams.

Tom Boonen and pals on Google StreetView

> Tom Boonen pops  up on Google StreetView

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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8 comments

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Dantenspeed | 7 years ago
3 likes

The 'sit up and beg' bike is the one that The Times referred to as a 'Chairman Mao style bike'. Not that they have anything against Jeremy Corbyn...

Nice to see he suffers from n+1 like the rest of us

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Simon E | 7 years ago
2 likes

Riding in the door zone  2

Avatar
Gasman Jim | 7 years ago
1 like

How is this worthy of an article?

Avatar
maldin replied to Gasman Jim | 7 years ago
6 likes

Gasman Jim wrote:

How is this worthy of an article?

Well, for one thing it makes me think that any cycling related comments he makes in the future might be based on personal experience rather than what his researchers said a focus group had come up with. 

Avatar
Rapha Nadal | 7 years ago
1 like

Slow "news" day?

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Butty | 7 years ago
3 likes

And avoid becoming a faceless politician.

Hopefully the next updated streetview pic of him will be on his fancy Moynat Malle that we crowdsourced for him?

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darrylxxx | 7 years ago
10 likes

I think his wheel needs truing.

Avatar
Paul_C | 7 years ago
10 likes

at least he cycles... unlike the limousine using Tories....

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