Legendary cyclist killed in collision with SUV driver; Close Pass Day met with...sensible comments from motorists; Vini Zabù out of Giro after EPO positive; 90% of stolen bikes locked; Joys of commuting; Zwifters in the peloton + more on the live blog

🇪🇸 #VCV2021 Las caídas en la parte final impidieron a @jonaberasturi filtrarse en un sprint con triunfo para Démare (GFC). @Jonathanlastra_ y @JeffCepedaH, los mejores CJR en la general, concluyeron en el primer grupo.#SúmateAlVerde 💚 pic.twitter.com/FtoWzxPCTy

— Team Caja Rural-RGA (@CajaRural_RGA) April 15, 2021

Arnaud Démare won his first stage of 2021 over in Spain today in some miserable April conditions at the rearranged Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. The French champion made it two out of two for FDJ at the race after Miles Scotson's win yesterday and beat Caleb Ewan, who was third.

That's another day of the live blog wrapped up until the morning...

When you have a long day at the @TUEindhoven office😴

🛌 @mline_nl pic.twitter.com/VAChbCmBHE

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) April 15, 2021

I’m very sad to report that 86-year old Joe Shami, well-loved by the community & famous for his 600+ consecutive weekly bike rides to the Mt Diablo summit, passed away after being hit by a driver in the Olympic roundabout in Lafayette yesterday. Rest in peace, Joe. pic.twitter.com/SMtkY2l9Fh

— Robert Prinz (@prinzrob) April 14, 2021

Legendary Californian cyclist Joe Shami was killed in a crash with an SUV driver at a roundabout in Lafayette on Tuesday, the East Bay Times reports. In 2019, at the age of 85, Shami completed 600 weeks in a row riding to the summit of Mount Diablo, a 12-mile climb to 1,173m. For 11 years and 28 weeks, he rode to the summit of Mount Diablo every Sunday. The driver hit Shami early on Tuesday morning and despite an off-duty nurse's care, police confirmed the cyclist died in hospital later that day.

 Friend and local rider Al Kalin told the paper how sorely missed he will be in the local community. "Eighty-seven years young, and just an amazing cycling ambassador," Kalin said. "He was the friendliest guy, and so helpful on so many levels. He was a very good friend."

Androni Giocattoli Sidermec will be replacing Vini Zabù at the 2021 Giro d’Italia. | L’Androni Giocattoli Sidermec sostituirà la Vini Zabù al Giro d’Italia 2021.

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) April 15, 2021

Good news for fans of the team managed by Gianni Savio who love a sponsor or 35...Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec will be back at the Giro next month. Vini Zabù–Brado–KTM withdrew this morning out of "love for the sport" after one of their riders tested positive for EPO. 

Bad news for Nairo Quintana fans...

pic.twitter.com/CDI802yEbb

— Nairo Quintana Fanclub (@NairoInGreen) April 15, 2021

"Oh my goodness - that was torture!" 🥵

Jose Manuel Diaz climbs to victory in a thrilling finish to Stage Five at the Tour of Turkey 🇹🇷#TUR2021 pic.twitter.com/ptslSLdUqO

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) April 15, 2021

What a grind that final climb was... José Manuel Díaz takes the win but arguably more eye-catching was Jay Vine in second. The 25-year-old Aussie is at the first race for his new team Alpecin-Fenix this week having earned himself a contract by winning the Zwift Academy finals last November. Could we see more riders come into the professional road racing ranks through Zwift in the future?

Some of you have fairly pointed out that Joanna Ball's comment about fixing potholes isn't quite the common sense solution I said it was...Fair enough, granted, fixing potholes doesn't help out cyclists if it means drivers expect us to ride in the gutter...

What caught my eye was someone who hadn't been triggered into screaming 'road tax', two abreast or "lycra lout" by the police asking them to give us space. Perhaps I should pass the common sense crown on to Jill Lloyd Eccleston who wrote: "When I took my driving test in 1976, the instructor always told me to pass bikes with enough room for the bike to fall over. Have done so ever since."

Vini Zabù team withdraws from the Giro d'Italia. They're at risk of a suspension because of two anti-doping issues in 12 months, which if imposed, could begin before the Giro, or even during the race. https://t.co/9h4907oiCd

— the Inner Ring (@inrng) April 15, 2021

One of the Italian teams given a wildcard spot at the Giro d'Italia, Vini Zabù, have withdrawn from the race after Matteo De Bonis' positive test for EPO. The team has self-suspended itself from racing and said the withdrawal was out of their love for the sport. 

"The team and the main sponsor Vini Zabù have decided to give an important message to the world of cycling, to teach those athletes who still think they can take shortcuts by cheating," a team statement said. "The team has agreed with its main sponsor not to participate in the Giro d'Italia, despite having demonstrated to the competent bodies that it has taken the most diligent measures to combat doping.

"Our decision not to participate in the Giro d'Italia is intended to underline the damage that the unlawful conduct of an individual can cause to the entire team, with devastating effects on those who, instead, put their best efforts into enabling cyclists to compete."

An AlterLock study looking at bike thefts in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands found that 90 per cent of cyclists had their cycles locked when they were taken. The survey of 1,500 people also found that more than half of cyclists had experienced bike theft, although the UK figure of 47 per cent was significantly lower than the 64 per cent of Dutch cyclists and 65 per cent of German cyclists who had experienced the crime. Of those figures, 35 per cent had been the victims of bike theft themselves, while 24 per cent knew a family member or friend who had a bike stolen.

What's going on here? Surely not some sensible comments being left under a police close pass campaign...The last time Gloucestershire Constabulary shared one of these posts they were inundated with anti-cyclist replies. 'Road tax', red light jumping, riding two abreast and all the other usual suspects...But not today. Well, not quite as much today...

Top comment from Joanna Ball: "What would help drivers and cyclists alike is if all the potholes to the sides of roads were fixed. Many times cyclists have to move further out into road so as not to hit pot hole and be flipped off bike. They could then cycle closer to path and be less of a danger to drivers when they are passing.

"Lots of bad cyclists as there are lots of bad drivers. Neither is totally at fault. Make more cycle lanes, widen roads and make paths thinner. Loads of paths too big than is needed but no cycle path. Cyclist have choice of ride on dangerous potholed road or path." What are you doing bringing common sense and reasonable solutions to the comments, Joanna?

And it wasn't just a one-off either...Mickey Riordan said: "Cyclist are cycling considerably more in the centre of the road to avoid pothole like motorists have to, simple make the roads safe for everyone, mend all the potholes."

Dave Lucas added: "Can't we just take some of the unused paths and turn them into cycle routes. Hardly anyone walks on paths these days."

We even had someone say they prefer overtaking cyclists riding two abreast...I'm going to go and have a lie down.