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Tadej Pogačar crashes moments after Vingegaard's ridiculous save (+ Jonas wins Stage 18); Confused Geraint Thomas (not the Ineos one) thanked by Pog; Police spot bike theft...during morning meeting; Froome DNF + more on the live blog

It's Thursday and Dan Alexander is tightening his cleats ahead of one last mega mountain day... will he make the time cut? ...
Thu, Jul 21, 2022 09:12
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Tadej Pogačar crashes moments after Vingegaard's ridiculous save (+ Jonas wins Stage 18); Confused Geraint Thomas (not the Ineos one) thanked by Pog; Police spot bike theft...during morning meeting; Froome DNF + more on the live blogPogacar crash
21 July 2022, 16:06
Who keeps calling Jonas?

 

21 July 2022, 15:36
All she wrote... Jonas Vingegaard wins stage 18

Barring injury, crash disaster, or the cruelty of a Covid positive, Jonas Vingegaard should be wearing yellow in Paris on Sunday. The Dane, towed by Wout van Aert, saw his great rival Tadej Pogačar slip away on the final ascent of Hautacam. Van Aert came to a standstill, leaving Vingegaard nothing to do except ride the final kilometres to glory...

Van Aert finished third?! (It's been that sort of Tour)... before best of the rest Geraint Thomas and David Gaudu took fourth and fifth. Vingegaard now leads Pogačar by 3:26...

Game. Set. Match?

21 July 2022, 15:26
The Tour de France that keeps on giving

Wout van Aert rides Tadej Pogačar off Jonas Vingegaard's wheel. Tour de France 2022. Incroyable... 

21 July 2022, 15:07
What the headline should say
21 July 2022, 14:45
Too much DRAMA

On the final mountain descent of the Tour de France and Jonas Vingegaard somehow managed to keep this upright...millimetres from disaster...

Moments later, pushing on, it was Tadej Pogačar's turn for a scare, the Slovenian hitting the deck as he tried to remount over a gravelly roadside...

In the end, Jonas waited, Pog returned, and we got a photo of sportsmanship and respect that will become one of the great Tour de France images in years to come, I'm sure...chapeau...

Now go kick lumps out of eachother on Hautacam... 

Thibaut Pinot, Dani Martinez and Wout van Aert are starting the final climb, looking to be racing for the stage win...let's play ball...

21 July 2022, 14:39
21 July 2022, 14:19
Lift off
21 July 2022, 14:03
UK's first waymarked gravel cycling trails opened near Aberfoyle
Gravelfoyle (Credit ANDY MACLANDISH)

Duke's Pass out of Aberfoyle was the start of my best ever day on two wheels, so fond personal memories of the place, even if it seems I was riding the wrong type of bike. After all, it's affectionately called Gravelfoyle for a reason...

Bike Trossachs, a cycling-focused community interest group based in the town has opened three new gravel routes in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, the first waymarked trails in the UK dedicated to gravel riding.

The 10km, 20km and 30km waymarked routes start and finish in the centre of Aberfoyle and venture deep into the Loch Ard Forest, exploring the areas surrounding Loch Ard and Loch Chon. The routes have been designed "to encourage more cyclists, everyone from families with an appetite for more relaxed off-road adventures to weekend warriors keen on longer distance challenges, to experience the joys and thrills of gravel riding in the area, while using Aberfoyle as a base".

The village of Aberfoyle, located on the edge of The Trossachs in Loch Lomond has, in the last few years, become a hotspot for gravel riding. Within just a 12km radius of the village there is a network of over 200km of off-road, multi-surface forestry tracks and trails, gravel roads and paths.

In other words, it's more than worth a trip or serveral...

For all things gravel and dirt, check out off-road.cc, our sister site...

21 July 2022, 13:04
Fortunate Jack Bauer escapes injury in shocking Tour de France crash involving UAE Team Emirates team car and motorbike

EDIT: Both motos involved in the seperate incidents, metres apart, that brought down Bauer and Eekhoff have been kicked off the race.

Jack Bauer might take issue with us calling him fortunate...

This one could have been so much worse though. Nils Eekhoff fell too on the other side of the pinch point, while UAE's driver wasn't too keen on hanging around to swap details...

An understandably angry Bauer screamed "fucking hell" at the offending moto rider before setting off on foot, leaving David Millar on ITV comms to ask: "That press motorbike, what was he doing?" Walk it off, Jack, walk it off...

DSM's Eekhoff returned to his feat relatively quickly too and both continued stage 18. Back up the road, we're climbing. I say we... the elite athletes are climbing, I'm slumped in my chair post-lunch, but we're all in this together, right?

Midway up the Aubisque, hopefully no tacks today, the breakaway of more than 30 riders is scattered across the slope at intervals of up to 1:30 over yellow jersey Jonas Vinegagaard.

Tom Pidcock's up there somewhere along with, picking a few big names, Wout van Aert (obviously), Bauke Mollema, Giulio Ciccone, our hero Hugo Houle and many, many others...74km to go...

21 July 2022, 13:47
Our new best (and when I say best I mean worst) 'cyclists dismount' sign
21 July 2022, 12:46
21 July 2022, 11:47
Chris Froome out of Tour de France with Covid
Chris Froome Tour de France 2022 (ASO / Pauline Ballet)

"Unfortunately I've got some pretty disappointing news to share this morning," Froome said in a video message. "A test has revealed that I have contracted Covid so I'm not going to be taking the start today.

"I'm really disappointed not to be able to roll into Paris and finish off this Tour de France, it's been an extremely special race for us as a team and me personally. I've really been finding my legs again and want to thank everyone for the support. 

"I'm going to head home, switch off for a few days and refocus on being ready for the Vuelta a España."

A cruel end, but we'll all remember Alpe d'Huez for a very long time...

21 July 2022, 11:23
A fierce Pyrenean summit finish to cap a brutal Tour de France

Here's the summit finish brought to life courtesy of the good people over at Strava. Yesterday's winner Tadej Pogačar has uploaded his win to the ride-sharing app...

 
21 July 2022, 11:15
21 July 2022, 11:03
Police spot bike theft outside...during morning meeting

A man in Newcastle-under-Lyme, in Staffordshire, has been arrested after he attempted to steal a bike from council headquarters... only to be spotted mid-theft by police officers inside in their morning meeting.

A police spokesperson told the Stoke Sentinel: "Shortly before 9am this morning (20 July) officers at Castle House on Barracks Road in Newcastle-under-Lyme detained a man.

"A 41-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft. He was later released under investigation pending further enquiries."

21 July 2022, 10:15
Philippe Gilbert announces retirement at the end of the season... and he's throwing one hell of a leaving do
Vuelta 2013 S12 Philippe Gilbert wins (© Unipublic:Graham Watson)

[📷 Unipublic: Graham Watson]

Philippe Gilbert is retiring at the end of the season, and is throwing a retirement party that only a five-time Monument winner and former world champ can. Phil's Last Ride, on Saturday 15 October will include a "cycling tour for the general public", presentation of "official tribute book" to be signed by the adoring masses and a farewell criterium... all based around the Cauberg climb where Gilbert dominated Amstel Gold Race and won his rainbow jersey.

Now that's a send off...

21 July 2022, 10:02
One last Tour de France mountain showdown

It's time for the toughest Pyrenean stage of this year's race, the final chance for the main players to move up (or slide down) the GC in the mountains. After today we've got one long classic third week breakaway/sprint day, an individual time trial and the final day procession in Paris. If you want to make a move, it has to be today... 

TdF 2022 Stage 18 profile

Or how the stage will look for polka dot jersey-wearing Simon Geschke...

Will it be one for the breakaway? Will Thibaut Pinot finally get his win? Or will Tadej attack Jonas all the way up Hautacam? Danes in yellow have history up there...(road.cc Ryan: "I'm sure Jonas will be delighted with the comparison")...check the replies to this tweet for more than a few questions about this post... 

Prediction time...

I'm saying another day for Tadej, but Jonas to keep yellow... 

21 July 2022, 09:17
When you are Geraint Thomas...but not THE Geraint Thomas...
21 July 2022, 07:53
Very confused Geraint Thomas (not the Ineos one) thanked by Tadej Pogačar

Picture the scene: you're called Geraint Thomas, but don't possess the same Tour de France-winning abilities. You hop on Twitter in the early days and sign up as @geraintthomas (as you would), only to be bombarded by fans, haters and messages from pro riders each July...

Well, that's exactly the position @geraintthomas, a lecturer in Visual Effects & Motion Graphics at the University of South Wales finds himself in annually. He even went viral back in 2018 when G won the race...

Now think how @tadejpogacar feels...

And (the real) Tadej returned the favour, thanking @geraintthomas, simultaneously blowing everyone's minds and sending Cycling Twitter into meltdown. It's tweetception...

And having written all of that we've just realised Pog tagged @gerainthomas, not @geraintthomas...THERE'S ANOTHER ONE...

Will the real Geraint Thomas please stand up?

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and has spent the past four years writing stories and features, as well as (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. 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 joined road.cc in 2020. Come the weekend you'll find him labouring up a hill, probably with a mouth full of jelly babies, or making a bonk-induced trip to a south of England petrol station... in search of more jelly babies.

Add new comment

36 comments

Avatar
brooksby | 1 year ago
2 likes

On that 'Cyclists dismount' sign, do you think they meant to say 'Cyclists stop and pray'?

Avatar
Hirsute replied to brooksby | 1 year ago
0 likes

I suppose it should be a stop sign to prevent a collision with an accelerating vehicle.

I have never seen anyone on the actual A12 though where there is that layout. Seen a few on the footway.

Avatar
Owd Big 'Ead replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
1 like

Highways England, what do you expect?
They have something similar on the A38 south of Derby where a cyclist was killed 5 or 6 years ago. Its all part of the box ticking exercise to show that cyclists have been catered for, when clearly they haven't.

Avatar
IanMSpencer | 1 year ago
5 likes

Obviously Bauer's fault for getting into the motorbikes blind spot, and attempting to overtake rather than waiting at a respectful distance until it was safe to pass.

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brooksby replied to IanMSpencer | 1 year ago
2 likes

You would think that the motorists who cover the Tour would have a bit more experience driving around cyclists...

Avatar
DoomeFrog | 1 year ago
0 likes

In the slow mo on the TV you could see the DSM rider hit the moto on the side of the road first, then the car stopped to avoid the fallen rider and the press moto then got stuck trying to squeeze through the gap.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to DoomeFrog | 1 year ago
0 likes

I would have though the team cars had parts to play as well as the motos on both incidents, so why only the Motos being blamed?

Avatar
HarrogateSpa | 1 year ago
3 likes

We have a consultation in Harrogate on a Station Gateway scheme to make the town centre more pleasant, and to improve conditions for walking, cycling and public transport.

It has already passed 2 consultations. This is the 3rd one, as a result of a threat of judicial review by an opponent of the scheme, as explained here.

If it doesn't go ahead, we lose £11 million of investment in the town and safe cycle tracks to LTN 1/20 standards (in most places).

If anyone has an interest in Harrogate/lives here/visits regularly, please would you respond to the consultation and support the scheme?

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to HarrogateSpa | 1 year ago
5 likes

I'm generally leery of being a "rent-a-mob" for somewhere I don't live.  Not sure the "but the other side are doing it!" makes this better and I know this is a common complaint for consultations. (Quite happy to bloviate on the internet generally though!)

However I've a passing knowledge of Harrogate from some years back so will have a look.

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
5 likes

I'll just leave this here

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/21/revealed-oil-sectors-staggering-profits-last-50-years

Avatar
peted76 replied to hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
2 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

I'll just leave this here

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/21/revealed-oil-sectors-staggering-profits-last-50-years

Oh my lord! 

Avatar
DoomeFrog | 1 year ago
3 likes

Perhaps a tweet linking the current leader of the TdF to two disgraced former professional cyclists might be a bit of a faux pas by the OP.

Avatar
Dan Alexander replied to DoomeFrog | 1 year ago
1 like

Perhaps, I certainly meant nothing by it and was looking at the stage win angle

Avatar
DoomeFrog replied to Dan Alexander | 1 year ago
3 likes

Sorry, might be crossed wires here.

I was alluding to the original twitter poster as making a mistake for celebrating two disgraced cyclists in the same breath as the current leader, not having a go at the blog for reproducing it.

Avatar
Dan Alexander replied to DoomeFrog | 1 year ago
1 like

👍No problem, definitely noticed I probably should have been a bit clearer anyhow

Avatar
ChrisB200SX replied to DoomeFrog | 1 year ago
0 likes

DoomeFrog wrote:

Perhaps a tweet linking the current leader of the TdF to two disgraced former professional cyclists might be a bit of a faux pas by the OP.

There are plenty of disgraced TDF winners to choose from, it actually seems hard to avoid linking to one.

Avatar
brooksby | 1 year ago
1 like

Yoga teacher denies killing pro-cyclist in bitter jealousy battle (metro.co.uk)

https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/20/woman-accused-of-killing-cyclist-who-date...

Quote:

[Kaitlin] Armstrong entered a not guilty plea [to first degree murder] during her first court appearance yesterday. She also denied a separate count of failing to pay for a Botox procedure in 2018.

...

Armstrong is being held in Travis County Jail on $3.5million bond on the murder and theft charges.

Avatar
Hirsute | 1 year ago
5 likes

//pbs.twimg.com/media/FYJHO2pX0AMOQ6U?format=jpg&name=900x900)
Just picking up the bike

 

Avatar
DoomeFrog replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
3 likes

Shirley that doesn't count, wheels are on the pavement so all road markings can be ignored.

Did they go for the Hazards too? For completeness of course.

Avatar
Owd Big 'Ead replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
2 likes

Ah, the self entitled in their German automobile. I'd be embarrassed to flout as many laws in one go with that parking fuckwittery!
What a cockwomble!

Avatar
Dicklexic replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
2 likes

Ah wouldn't it be a shame if your bottle were to become dislodged as you try to squeeze past, and accidentally spill fluid onto the driver seat. Very fortunate indeed that nothing like that happened.

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delthebike | 1 year ago
4 likes

I'm Geraint Thomas, and so's my wife.

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Hirsute | 1 year ago
2 likes

Take that wtjs !!!

https://twitter.com/LancsPolice/status/1549711539866853377

Since the launch of #OpSnap we have seen over 1400 submissions of dangerous driving. Using that footage, we have taken positive action on over half of the cases. Check out the submitted footage.

 

Avatar
Bungle_52 replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
1 like

Only one involving a cyclist and they were done for driving on the pavement not for the close pass.

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Hirsute replied to Bungle_52 | 1 year ago
1 like

I did quite like the one on overtaking with long dashed lines. They must be really hot on double white line overtakes !

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wtjs replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
3 likes

I did quite like the one on overtaking with long dashed lines. They must be really hot on double white line overtakes !

I assume I'm expected to comply with the prompt and provide contradictory proof. I'm half way across the left lane in the probably forlorn hope that I'll be quick-witted enough to take advantage of the space to the left when some oncoming nutter Audi driver screeches round the bend at 80. This is Tiguan KV11 AZD. OpSnapLancs report APL106182. No response. No action. They long since gave up with NFA- now you get nothing at all- I suppose this is tied in with some dodge about ignoring cases 'incorrectly submitted' or something, to avoid including them in the numbers. There must be some trick to dodge the reports of 'No MOT No insurance' vehicles because there are so many of them

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SimoninSpalding replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
2 likes

Conclusion:

The other half were cycling related/submitted by wtjs!

or

Their idea of "positive action" is sending a NFA to the complainant?

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Hirsute replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
0 likes

I was kinda going with 1

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wtjs replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
5 likes

Take that wtjs !!!

Quite simple- they're lying. The dodge will be something along the lines of defining evidence they don't like as not being 'dangerous driving', and making sure that damning and inconvenient cases are not recorded- that is a dodge which Greater Manchester Police employed to great effect before they were 'put into Special Measures'- a fate so richly deserved by Lancashire Constabulary

This is Stagecoach Route 41 PX12 EEZ at 09:22 on 20.7.22- pretty common Stagecoach driving and becoming commoner because they know the negligible probability of action by Lancashire Constabulary. Reported to OpSnapLancs as APL106375 at 17:00 20.7.22. There will be no response whatsoever- Lancashire Constabulary has never prosecuted anybody for close-passing a cyclist because, by the dodge described above, they don't accept that as 'dangerous driving' unless the cyclist has the decency to be KSI'd at which point it would move into 'insufficient evidence'

Avatar
OnYerBike replied to wtjs | 1 year ago
1 like

I wonder if it's worth doing a FOI request to see how many submissions they have received in total? Because I agree there is some weasle wording there: "we have seen over 1,400 submissions [that we considered to be] of dangerous driving [and a further XX,000 submissions that we simply ignored]."

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