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Top road safety cop shuts down bicycle number plates talk... asks for media to focus on "primary causes of road death", not cyclists; Council slammed for replacing pub’s outdoor seating area with bike racks; Overgrown cycle lanes + more on the live blog

Dan Alexander will be kicking off your Tuesday live blog before Ryan jumps in later on to finish the day
Tue, Jun 13, 2023 09:03
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Top road safety cop shuts down bicycle number plates talk... asks for media to focus on "primary causes of road death", not cyclists; Council slammed for replacing pub’s outdoor seating area with bike racks; Overgrown cycle lanes + more on the live blogNumber plate
13 June 2023, 07:50
Top road safety cop shuts down bicycle number plates talk... asks for media to focus on "primary causes of road death", not cyclists

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox has joined the discussion on number plates for cyclists, saying he welcomes the media's road danger coverage... but suggested they would be better served "focusing on the primary causes of road death" which, he added, "is not cycling and it's not the issue of cyclist registration plates"...

A comment that sparked calls for Good Morning Britain to get in touch next time they need someone to 'debate' Howard Cox...

 This all comes after the Partridgian heir Richard Madeley, the aforementioned Fair Fuel UK founder Cox and Timmy Mallett covered the topic in a rather rushed Good Morning Britain segment on yesterday morning's show.

In a series of events you can probably already predict, Cox claimed... cyclists "don't contribute anything financially to the roads". He also hit "running riot", running red lights and riding on pavements in a strong early anti-cycling bingo contender for this week.

So, yes, have a scroll back through yesterday's live blog if you wish, in the meantime, if Mr Cox is correct, it seems we can all claim back that tax we've been paying...

13 June 2023, 15:59
Now there’s an idea…

Get that man on Good Morning Britain, first thing tomorrow! 

13 June 2023, 15:22
Tour de Suisse: Mattias Skjelmose wins the battles of the wonderkids as Remco Evenepoel struggles after attack on summit finish

Following teenager Lenny Martinez’ breakthrough win on Mont Ventoux earlier today, this afternoon at the Tour de Suisse 22-year-old Mattias Skjelmose grasped another opportunity to strike fear into the hearts of the peloton’s older generation, outgunning Felix Gall to take the stage win and leader’s jersey on a sodden day in the Swiss mountains.

The Danish prospect, who has been consistently impressive all year, backing up early season stage wins with three top tens at April’s hilly classics, was one of only two riders, along with the Austrian Gall, who could follow the king of the young ‘uns, world champion Remco Evenepoel, when the world champion attacked with 6km to go on the slick slopes to Villars-sur-Ollon.

But despite forcing the pace following his attack, Evenepoel, taking part in his first race since Covid wiped his Giro bid, suddenly and surprisingly (and smoothly, it must be said) wilted in the final kilometres.

First Gall, then Skjelmose, took advantage of the world champion’s unexpected capitulation, the Dane proving too strong in the last few hundred metres, grabbing the stage and the leader’s jersey in the process.

To continue the youthful theme on the first mountain stage of this year’s Tour de Suisse, 20-year-old Juan Ayuso attacked the second group as Evenepoel dropped back to take third on the day, while another 20-year-old, Cian Uijtdebroeks, managed fifth.

And who was in fourth? Well, Remco of course – the old man (he’s 23 now, practically ancient) rallying as the gradient eased to lead his group home and show, despite a brief collapse, that there’s plenty of life in those aging legs yet.

I joke, but with cycling’s stars getting younger and younger, it’s starting to feel like the 23-year-olds are the elder statesmen these days…

13 June 2023, 14:58
Thomas De Gendt, 2019 Vuelta (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
“Feel free to join in”: Thomas De Gendt set to swap Tour de France for his own tour from Belgium to Costa Blanca

While Thibaut Pinot is set to make his tenth appearance at the Tour de France next month, another much-loved veteran of the peloton, Thomas De Gendt, won’t be marking his own decade of Tour starts, having ruled himself out of the Grande Boucle after a difficult, injury-plagued season.

The 36-year-old breakaway legend broke his hand in a crash at Paris-Nice in March and, after abandoning the final stage of the Dauphiné on Sunday, decided that he wasn’t in the right shape to ride the Tour, telling Lotto-Dstny manager Kurt Van de Wouwer to remove his name from the longlist for selection.

“I was not shocked by that phone call,” Van de Wouwer told Sporza. “I felt it coming. It is a logical consequence of everything Thomas has already encountered this season. We need a De Gendt in the Tour who is 100 percent and at the moment he is not.”

So, instead of riding the Tour, De Gendt will undertake his own mini tour in preparation for his next big racing target, the Vuelta.

The Belgian will spend 12 days riding from his home in Flanders all the way to the favoured pro retreat of Calpe, on the Costa Blanca. Oh, and via the mountains of Andorra, too.

De Gendt tweeted yesterday looking for volunteers to tag along with him, if you fancy an epic ride this summer. If you can keep up with cycling’s ultimate lone ranger, of course…

13 June 2023, 14:32
Pinot battles to third on the stage to Mende at the 2022 Tour de France (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Ar-No Démare: Departing French sprinter left out of Groupama-FDJ Tour de France squad AGAIN, as Thibaut Pinot prepares for tenth and final Tour

Thibaut Pinot has been granted the fairytale ending to his career many had hoped for, with Groupama-FDJ boss Marc Madiot this afternoon naming the mercurial French climber among the five riders definitely heading to Bilbao for the start of the Tour de France in July.

The 33-year-old, who is retiring from the sport at the end of this season, will hope to keep the form he displayed during a tumultuous three weeks at the recent Giro d’Italia, where he finished fifth overall and won the mountains classification but narrowly missed out on two gilded opportunities for a farewell stage win in Italy.

Thibaut Pinot, stage 13, 2023 Giro d’Italia (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Pinot will be joined by Valentin Madouas, Kevin Geniets, Tour de Suisse time trial stage winner Stefan Küng, and David Gaudu, who will be expected once again to spearhead Groupama-FDJ’s yellow jersey challenge after finishing fourth overall last year, despite a subpar performance at last week’s Critérium du Dauphiné.

The remaining three names on the start list will be announced closer to the Tour.

There will definitely be no place again, however, for sprinter Arnaud Démare, who misses out on his second consecutive Tour as Madiot favours a team capable of riding with the best on the Tour’s biggest climbs.

“Our team will be focusing on the mountains,” Madiot said in a statement today. “The objective is, of course, the general classification with David Gaudu. We’ll also allow ourselves to go on the offensive with Thibaut Pinot, Valentin Madouas, and Stefan Küng.”

Arnaud Demare wins stage five of the 2022 Giro d’Italia (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Speaking to L’Équipe at the Tour de Suisse, where he finished second yesterday to Biniam Girmay, Démare said he was informed of his omission last week and that 2023 will mark his last year with the French team with whom he turned pro eleven years ago.

“This was the second hard blow,” the 31-year-old told the newspaper. “At the Boucles de la Mayenne, [Madiot] announced that it was the end with the Groupama. Not in so many words, but I understood that it was all over. He told me: ‘We can't keep you’. And that’s it.”

Referring to the decision to leave him out of the Tour squad, despite preparing for the race all year, Démare said: “I’m angry and disheartened because I worked for this, and I made concessions this winter knowing that I would only have one teammate with me for the sprints.

“It wasn’t a contest between Thibaut and me for a place. The three of us [with Gaudu] could have done a good job together.”

David Gaudu (ASO/Fabien Boukla)

(ASO/Fabien Boukla)

Démare’s absence in France will certainly come as a welcome relief to the misfiring Gaudu, who was forced to apologise to his teammate back in January after a leaked group chat message revealed that the pair don’t talk to each other and that the 26-year-old French GC hope was vocal about his feelings concerning the sprinter’s place in Groupama’s Tour squad.

I’m not sure Gaudu is too pleased with Pinot’s Tour swansong potentially detracting from his GC bid either if I’m honest, but at least it’ll make for compelling viewing on Netflix…

13 June 2023, 13:31
Hot Dutch Cycling Summer

“On a day like this, you wouldn’t be in your car, would you?” Never were truer words spoken…

13 June 2023, 12:54
Call for mandatory cycling helmets from children's hospital consultant

In other news from Ireland, it’s perhaps reassuring to find out that the mandatory bike helmet debate isn’t just a culture war phenomenon confined to the UK (and Italy this week, too)…

Richmond Park 02 copyright Simon MacMichael

> Call for mandatory cycling helmets from children's hospital consultant

13 June 2023, 11:46
“What a joke”: Pub slams council’s decision to rapidly replace outdoor seating area with bike racks “without warning”

Dublin City Council has come in for heavy criticism, from cyclists and non-cyclists alike, after rapidly moving to install a bike rack in an area which only two days previously had been the site of outdoor seating for a pub.

Siobhán Conmy, the owner of Street 66, a LGBTQ+ venue in Dublin city centre, says the bar’s rolling outdoor furniture licence – which has enabled it to have a popular seating area located on their loading bay – was rejected for the first time in years on Friday afternoon.

Then on Monday morning, a row of bike racks was installed in the loading bay, a swift turnaround described by Irish cycling website Sticky Bottle as the “fastest anyone has ever seen Dublin City Council moving”.

“Last Friday I was applying for the outdoor furniture license as normal, like we did over the last few years. I applied in October and then in March. I rang the Council every week to get an update. On Friday at 3pm I was told that we were refused for the loading bay,” Conmy told Extra.ie.

“Then [yesterday] morning one of my customers was passing by and told me Dublin City Council put bike racks on the loading bay. I hadn’t been notified, we haven’t been given the chance to appeal or been told why it’s been refused.”

Conmy also told the website that she believes she should be “given the chance to appeal”, especially considering the rapid-fire installation of the eight bike racks comes during Pride Month, the bar’s busiest period, and questioned the need for additional bike parking facilities on the street.

“The loading bay I assume would be reinstalled as a loading bay rather than a bike rack area. Which is dangerous outside a busy bar. The delivery drivers will be completely frustrated, our delivery day is tomorrow and they’ll have to drive up a footpath to do their job,” she said.

“Coming up to Pride Month, we have massive orders coming in. I don’t understand at all why it happened. It feels a little suspicious why a bike rack was installed on a Monday morning after a permit was refused on Friday evening.

“This one of our busiest months, we have tours coming from all over the world. There are nice vibes for the next couple of weeks.

“There are 26 bike racks on the street already, it seems very strange why they added an extra eight. I’d like an explanation why this was done outside our front door and why we weren’t given any form of notice or chance to appeal.”

An online petition calling for the bike racks to be removed has already been signed by almost 4,000 people, while ‘remove bike rack’ was trending on Irish Twitter.

One Labour councillor described the council’s decision as “really not good enough”, while iconic Irish drag queen and gay rights activist Panti Bliss tweeted that “None of this adds up. Dublin City Council isn’t being upfront here. Solidarity with Street 66.”

Notably, the move to install the bike racks has also been criticised by local cyclists, with the Dublin Cycling Campaign arguing that the loading bay was too narrow to facilitate bikes.

“We do not support the installation of the bike parking outside,” the group tweeted.

“Aside from the obvious issues with removing outdoor seating during Pride month, this is an example of very poor planning by Dublin City Council on a street that should be pedestrianised.

“These also look like a temporary installation which is confusing. The location also suggests it might be too narrow for bikes and they would stick out on the path or road.”

13 June 2023, 12:18
French neo-pro Lenny Martinez takes first pro win on Mont Ventoux

Remember the name…

19-year-old Lenny Martinez, one of the new crop of ever-younger ‘Next Big Things’ in cycling, took the first win pro win of his career today, and on Mont Ventoux of all places.

The precocious Frenchman outkicked hilltop-sprinter-in-chief Michael Woods to come out on top in a seven-rider sprint at the end of the shortened 99km one-day race finishing on the Giant of Provence. EF-Education EasyPost’s British rider Simon Carr managed third after failing to match Martinez’ initial burst just before that iconic right-hand bend towards the summit.

After strong performances at the Volta a Catalunya and last week’s Dauphiné, Martinez has certainly underlined the potential that set French tongues wagging during his U23 career.

Just don’t mention Bernard Hinault, the Tour de France, or 38 years, alright?

13 June 2023, 11:06
Cavehill Road, Belfast (credit - Sustrans)
“Surely we can do better”: A day in the life of a cyclist in Belfast

As dedicated readers of the live blog will be well aware (as I keep banging on about it), Northern Ireland’s approach to cycling infrastructure and safety is somewhat… outdated, to say the least.

That lacklustre approach was succinctly summarised yesterday by Sustrans, who gave us an insight into a ‘Day in the life of a cyclist in Belfast’ on Twitter:

First up: “Four Sustrans staff were nearly creamed crossing at green light for pedestrians at Donegal Quay junction with Ann St as a car did a rogue turn coming off Queen’s Bridge… but only cyclists go through red lights.”

And then… “Cycled into city centre – pushed bike through ‘pedestrianised’ College St beside Fountain Centre full of parked cars and moving vehicles. Tried to get on bike at cycle lane in Queen St, woman sitting in parked car idling engine and blocking lane.”

Classic.

“Turned right into Castle St, sat waiting for red light to change at Primark – sensor still doesn’t appear to work for bikes? Finally out of city into Belfast Harbour estate to use dedicated cycle lane – covered in broken glass.”

The charity concluded: “Poor show. Just a bad day or is this other people’s experience of walking and cycling in Belfast? Surely, we can do better.”

Surely…

13 June 2023, 10:30
‘Just leave your bike in the train’s designated cycle storage area… Yep, that’s the one, alongside the bins’

A classic of the Bikes on Trains live blog genre here, posted on a local active travel Facebook group by cyclist Karina as she travelled from Southampton to Brighton yesterday evening.

Apparently all the passengers squeezing past were “very understanding”. The bins, not so much…

Bins in train bike storage space (Karina Clough)

> “Vertical bike storage is discriminatory and should be outright banned”: Rail engineer Gareth Dennis explains why taking your bike on the train is such a faff on the road.cc Podcast 

13 June 2023, 09:53
Team DSM unveil new name and new very, very, very, very dark blue kit

Out with the old Team DSM, in with the new Team dsm-firmenich…

The name change for the Dutch team, which boasts Romain Bardet and the talented young British duo Max Poole and Pfeiffer Georgi, reflects the merger between health multinational DSM and Firmenich last month, and will make its debut at the upcoming Giro Donne and Tour de France.

Francesca Barale, Team dsm-firmenich (Eltoromediadotcom)

(Eltoromediadotcom)

As well as the new name, DSM also revealed its new (kind of, I suppose) kit, complete with updated logo and – apparently – “blue” colour scheme.

Or, as Father Ted might say:

13 June 2023, 09:15
Mont Ventoux race cut to single climb due to storm risks

And the entire peloton breathes a sigh of relief…

Today’s one-day race on Mont Ventoux has been shortened by 55km, with the second and final ascent of the Giant of Provence cut from the route due to the risk of storms this afternoon.

Chris Froome and co. were originally set to tackle a double ascent of the legendary mountain, but thanks to the threat of storms later in the day on the exposed, lunar-like landscape of the Ventoux, the organisers have decided to shelve the final, tougher climb from Bedoin.

The race will still finish on top of the Ventoux, however, and will cover 99km instead of the planned 154km. With the climb from Bedoin – the side traditionally used in the Tour de France for summit finishes – scrapped, the new finish will see the riders ascend from Sault, a longer and less severe variation on the mythic climb, averaging five percent over its 24.3km.

“Due to adverse weather conditions, the finish of the race will be taken at the summit of the Ventoux after the first ascent,” the race organisers said in a statement.

“We have taken this decision to ensure the safety of the riders, which is our priority. We are naturally a bit disappointed, as the organisers, not to have the route we initially set out, but this decision is the wise one.”

But don’t worry too much, as we’ll still be treated to some classic Ventoux action this lunchtime. The final six kilometres will still take in the iconic, barren section after Chalet Reynard and, combined with the shorter distance and (relatively) less taxing approach, should result in some explosive racing.

Just don’t expect any running this time, eh Froomey?

13 June 2023, 08:39
Eggcelent bike storage

But what if I need to transport 200 mixed weight free range eggs? Can't do that by bike, can you?

13 June 2023, 08:33
Welcome to the jungle: Overgrown cycle lanes

Ah summer... stifling heat, downpour-sodden commutes, tan/burn lines, planning your route around water. Add overgrown cycle lanes to the list of inconveniences... (I'm well aware I moaned all winter about the cold and rain, we're based in the UK, it's what we do)...

Elsewhere...

Less permanent than this at least...

13 June 2023, 08:07
Froome headlines Ventoux one-day race

Roll up, roll up, get your running jokes...

Froome returns to scene of THAT Quintana-crushing 2013 stage win (and THAT 2016 jog) for today's fifth edition of the Mont Ventoux one-day race. Two ascents of the famous mountain on the cards, although perhaps Froome's teammate Michael Woods is a better tip all things considered?

Time will tell. Elsewhere on the startlist: in form Spanish climber Cristián Rodríguez, Giro stage winner Einer Rubio, his Movistar teammate and fellow Colombian climbing wizard Iván Sosa, French prospect Lenny Martinez, 2019 winner Jesús Herrada, plus enigmatic double Dauphiné stage winner from 2021 Mark Padun.

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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37 comments

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
11 likes

I don't like adult cyclists riding on the pavement (unless there's a good safety/disability reason and it's done very carefully) and I don't do it myself, but it would be quite amusing to be challenged by Mr Cox for it, "Get off the pavement!" "I would, but I saw this bloke on telly telling me I don't contribute anything to the roads, so I don't feel I'm entitled."

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
5 likes

Or maybe "I was worried about worsening the state of the roads and creating potholes"!

I don't pavement-cycle either BUT that doesn't help much.  People on shared-use paths have become boilingly angry with me because I "shouldn't be cycling on the footpath".  (No - bell, friendly hello or other passing method didn't seem to be the cause).

Given our councils have been cheap / box-ticking, creating "instant cycling infra" by sticking up blue/white signs on what otherwise look just like footpaths it's hard to blame them.  Especially when (e.g. Auriol Grey case) even those councils appear uncertain of where cycling is allowed.

Avatar
Mungecrundle replied to Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
13 likes

With some glee this morning, I filtered to the front of the queue at the 3 way temporary traffic lights currently creating havoc in town, using an albeit too narrow cycle lane*. At which point I gently dismounted onto the pavement and walked around the corner before getting back on the road and off on my merry way with virtually no delay to my journey.

*Actually narrower than a standard number plate in places, too keep it topical.

Avatar
DoomeFrog replied to Mungecrundle | 1 year ago
1 like

https://youtu.be/JmkKa_IpZT4
 

Avatar
andystow replied to Mungecrundle | 1 year ago
7 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

With some glee this morning, I filtered to the front of the queue at the 3 way temporary traffic lights currently creating havoc in town, using an albeit too narrow cycle lane*. At which point I gently dismounted onto the pavement and walked around the corner before getting back on the road and off on my merry way with virtually no delay to my journey. *Actually narrower than a standard number plate in places, too keep it topical.

Ooh, an argument against bicycle number plates that might appeal to drivists: they might scratch their cars as we filter past.

Avatar
SimoninSpalding replied to andystow | 1 year ago
4 likes

No, it is our filtering that they want banned because they see it as us "jumping the queue "

Avatar
Steve K replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
5 likes

SimoninSpalding wrote:

No, it is our filtering that they want banned because they see it as us "jumping the queue "

It's funny how they think we should be part of the traffic "and wait our turn" if we're stuck behind them, but then get upset and think it's fine to close pass if they're stuck behind us.

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