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Frustrated breakaway contenders miss out on Giro d'Italia stage win after bizarre finale; Stop Killing Cyclists co-founder slams "entitlement" of complaining drivers; "Bycles" is no more; Your stupid cycling moments; Hi-vis + more on the live blog

Ah it's finally Friday...the weekend is a glorious eight hours away...all that's left now is to survive Dan Alexander's final live blog of the week...good luck.....
27 May 2022, 15:50
Lorena Wiebes wins opening stage of RideLondon Classique

Lorena Wiebes was the winner of the opening stage of the RideLondon Classique in Essex this afternoon. She beat world champion Elisa Balsamo and Emma Norsgaard to the line and takes the leader's jersey as a result. Tomorrow looks like another Essex sprint stage, before Sunday's central London circuit race. 

27 May 2022, 15:27
Agree?
27 May 2022, 15:10
Frustrated breakaway contenders miss out on Giro d'Italia stage win after bizarre finale

From contending for a Giro d'Italia stage win to riding face first off the course in a matter of seconds...

Reporting from the finish area, Bradley Wiggins said there had been a few angry words exchanged between the breakaway riders after this bizarre end to today's stage. Approaching the sharp final bend, eventual stage winner Koen Bouwman accelerated past Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's Mauro Schmid, narrowly avoiding his front wheel as they rounded the bend.

Giro stage 19 GCN/Eurosport

Schmid locked up, moving across into the path of Andrea Vendrame, who in turn dominoed towards Atilla Valter. The two unfortunate riders were sent straight towards a run off area, thankfully unbarriered, but were left extremely frustrated at having missed their chance. Schmid, Valter and Vendrame all crossed the line gesticulating their disgust...

This could be very interesting to keep an eye on...

In the GC group, once again, nothing changed...despite the attacking efforts of Richard Carapaz, Jai Hindley and Mikel Landa. Hindley and Carapaz are seperated by just three seconds ahead of tomorrow's final mountain stage...

27 May 2022, 16:45
What's all this then? road.cc goes riding in mysterious attire
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc)

All shall be revealed next week! 

27 May 2022, 14:36
The content we've waited all week to see...
27 May 2022, 14:13
That didn't last long..."Bycles" warning is no more
No Bycles paint (Dougie Hay)

Shout out to road.cc reader Dougie for delivering the goods...

> "Did a car write this?": Bizarre anti-cycling paintwork warns 'no bycles' allowed

The bycles warning is no more..."the spelling bee champion is out to fix it" he reported live from the scene...

27 May 2022, 13:38
😬

Local knowledge suggests there's a pretty testing 8 per cent gradient before the sharp bend, which might make things a little safer... 

27 May 2022, 13:06
Ba Dum Tss

> Tyre Extinguishers target SUVs on home turf of the ‘Chelsea Tractor’ 

27 May 2022, 13:01
Richie Porte abandons Giro d'Italia — final Grand Tour ends with illness

Richie Porte's final Grand Tour has ended, with an illness seeing the Ineos Grenadiers pro dropping out the race with 80km to go on stage 19. Eurosport and GCN+ on-motorbike reporter Sir Bradley Wiggins said he had seen the Australian throwing up, and shouted "gastro" to him — suggesting a stomach problem.

27 May 2022, 12:49
Cycling UK unveils new long distance cycling route through Kent

Cycling UK has launched its fifth route: 145 miles (234km) through Kent starting in the village of Wye, near Ashford. The loop was launched on Kent Day, yesterday, as part of Cycling UK's EXPERIENCE project and the Queen's Jubilee celebrations.

The Cantii Way is designed to be "a perfect introduction to multi-day cycling and can be ridden in one go over three to four days as it passes through Canterbury, Whitstable, Folkestone, Dover and Dungeness."

Cantii Way Cycling UK

"Using a combination of quiet ways, country lanes, byways and bridleways the route is designed to be manageable by anyone of reasonable fitness on most types of bike. Making use of part of the North Downs Way Riders’ Route that Cycling UK launched in 2018 in collaboration with Kent Downs AONB, the Cantii Way takes riders deep into Kent’s rich history, vibrant modern culture and natural beauty," Cycling UK says.

27 May 2022, 12:38
Time for some more of your most stupid cycling moments

Kapelmuur nominated a friend with some extraordinary tales of cycling stupidity: "This reminds me of an accident prone chap I met on a ride a few years ago. One of his collisions with a parked car resulted in him crashing through the rear window and landing in the back seat.

"He also got his front wheel stuck in a cattle grid and was catapulted over the bars, I couldn't work out how that was possible. His best was setting up rollers in his living room,  riding off the end of them, sweeping a clock, ornaments and photos off the mantelpiece and wrecking the coffee table he landed on.

"He has survived though, I still see his name on Strava."

nosferatu1001: "Cycling along a new path I've not been down before, looked back for a second to shout about how good a path it was, look back to see a hidden collapsed bit of path down into the river right in front of me. About 3 feet across and too close to avoid. Just managed to hook the front wheel up and kept speed up so it made the other side. Bit of a bump but otherwise ok.... Timing was immense."

PRSboy added another second-hand tale: "Back on the 'stupid things on bikes' theme, a friend was in a group in a sportive, when a bloke decided he'd remove his gilet, pro style, whilst pedalling along at 40kmh. All was apparently going well until he got the garment stuck on the left brake hood as he packed it up..."

27 May 2022, 12:12
Alessandro De Marchi visits his hometown during Giro d'Italia stage 19
27 May 2022, 12:00
Cycling is weird

Left the original tweet in so you can see your stage 19 breakaway — KOM jersey holder Koen Bouwman has to be the heavy favourite if it goes the distance. Teammate, and yesterday's second place, Edoardo Affini is on the front powering the miles away...

The break has nine and a half minutes with 105km to go...looking good for Jumbo-Visma... 

27 May 2022, 10:14
Stop Killing Cyclists co-founder slams "entitlement" of drivers complaining about 20mph speed limits during Good Morning Britain debate

Co-founder of Stop Killing Cyclists Donnachadh McCarthy was on Good Morning Britain this morning to take part in a debate about 20mph speed limits, which was framed as: "Are 20mph cameras a war on drivers?"

On the ITV morning show, McCarthy was making the case for the cameras, while broadcaster Edward Adoo argued there is "no logic" to 20mph cameras being live in the early hours of the morning when "there is no-one around". 

The 'debate' came after a 20mph camera in Plymouth detected more than 23,500 speeding drivers before it was officially switched on — including 1,100 in the first 24 hours alone.

McCarthy said Adoo's claim the cameras should be switched off during quieter times was "the voice of entitlement".

"We're listening to the voice of entitlement," he said. "He talks about families. What about the family of kids who are being killed? The idea that we put the idea of a £100 fine against saving lives is shocking to me. At night time there will be nurses coming home from the night shift. There'll be parents going to work on the Good Morning show."

At this point the host interrupts to make the point..."But they'll be in cars. They won't be at risk of being hit, one would imagine"...erm, right...okay...because nobody in a car has ever hit another vehicle...

Showing the patience of a saint, McCarthy corrects: "Sorry, they could crash into another driver. This is actually safety for everybody. The idea that we have not enforced 20mph zones is a disgrace. Five times more people will be killed at 30 (mph) than 20 (mph). Why have the police not enforced it up to now? This is good news for families, good news for kids."

27 May 2022, 11:07
There's racing closer to home today too

It's not just the Giro today. The Women's WorldTour peloton are rolling through the Essex countryside on stage one of the RideLondon Classique. 100km to go until the stage finish in Maldon: British champ Pfeiffer Georgi, world champ Elisa Balsamo and Lotte Kopecky are just three of the names competing.  

There's another stage in Essex tomorrow, before the central London circuit race finale on Sunday...

27 May 2022, 10:56
road.cc at the Giro
Giro 2022 riders - credit Ryan Mallon

Live blog favourite Ryan is on his honeymoon so, naturally, has taken the lucky lady to watch the Giro d'Italia...no, really...

Here are some of his snaps from yesterday's stage finish in Treviso...

Giro 2022 Fiorenzo Magni pink jersey 1 - credit Ryan Mallon
Giro 2022 fans - credit Ryan Mallon
Giro 2022 1934 Bianchi - credit Ryan Mallon
Giro 2022 fans - credit Ryan Mallon
Giro 2022 finish - credit Ryan Mallon

 

27 May 2022, 10:53
"Peak irony"
27 May 2022, 09:42
"Most drivers wait until the bike is sold": Toronto motorist smashes into bike shop

Even in the supposed safety of a retail establishment it seems bicycles are not safe from harm...

Toronto-based Sweet Pete's at least tried to see the funny side (if you don't laugh you'll cry, and all that)...

If only Sweet Pete's was using the cycle shop lane then none of this would have happened...

27 May 2022, 08:51
"The entire story is lengthy, but riding into the back of a Vauxhall Viva and causing my love plums to explode would be a particular low point": We have a new clubhouse leader...

road.cc contributor Jo should have taken a horse to the shops...ask Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority if you have no idea what I'm talking about...

Brace yourselves for the most eye-watering reply I think I've ever put on the live blog...

On the funnier end of the scale...

Here on the live blog, you commenters have had your fair share...

Steve K said: "In the days when I thought it was ok to chuck banana skins into hedgerows, I tried to do exactly that with a good hard throw, whilst completely forgetting about Newton's Third Law, and only just managed to keep the bike upright."

Rendel Harris commented: "Most stupid moment on a bike: coming off the Col de Madone on a hire bike, having pompously drilled into Mrs H ad nauseam that they were a continental setup with the front brake on the left, leaning it into the first hairpin, overcooking it slightly and promptly forgetting myself, grabbing a handful of what I thought was front brake and going into a big sideways drift as the back wheel locked up. Managed to get it upright just in time for Mrs H to coast by on my inside, murmuring, 'Forgot, did we?'."

Keep 'em coming...

27 May 2022, 08:17
24 hours is a long time on Twitter...Peter McKinnon changes his tune

Yesterday, Peter McKinnon asked: "Question. Why do cyclists think they’re vehicles?" and got the educational response you'd expect...

By the evening he'd changed his tune...

27 May 2022, 07:44
"Miracle I'm still alive": Most stupid moment you've ever had on a bike?

Let the floodgates open...

Hmmm, the difficult thing for me is deciding which one counts as most stupid...

There was the busy commute unclipping fail, but that was more a result of stubbornly avoiding buying new cleats until the old ones couldn't...well, unclip...

Somehow getting a ball bearing in my frame is up there too...that's a rattle that's hard to get rid of...

Or how about as a very young kid, having just learnt how to ride a bike without stabilisers when I decided trying to cycle with my eyes closed would be a good idea...*narrator: "It was not a good idea"*...our neighbour's hedge never was the same again...

Come on, don't be shy... get your most stupid cycling moment in the comments...we promise not to laugh too much...

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.

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68 comments

Avatar
IanMSpencer | 1 year ago
4 likes

I'll do a deal with the driving lobby, get the people you represent to stop killing other motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians, damaging buildings and street furniture, and will lobby for the removal of speed limits based on the success in achieving it.

20mph limits are brought in because motorists kill and injure people with depressing regularity. They are not taxes on motorists, they are an attempt to staunch the KSI rate of driving.

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Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
0 likes

Couldn't see anything wrong with Bouwman's line watching it live, having watched multiple replays from multiple angles I still can't. The guys behind made a spectacular misjudgment, only themselves to blame as far as I can see.

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eburtthebike | 1 year ago
3 likes

The GMB thing reminded me of the time a few weeks ago when they had a climate protester on, and ridiculed her shamelessly.  Presumably they hadn't seen "Don't Look Up" as they would have curled up and died at their complete crass ignorance.

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AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
3 likes

Cyclist on crossing mowed down by RLJ driver.

Driver claimed the cyclist was at fault because he wasn't wearing Hi Viz and had headphones on. 
 

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zideriup replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
1 like

'[Derek Hall] was jailed for three years and four months as well as banned from driving for three years, eight months'
 

It doesn't say whether or not the ban is running concurrently with his sentence. What use is a ban if he's going to be imprisoned throughout half-to-most of it?

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andystow replied to zideriup | 1 year ago
3 likes

zideriup wrote:

'[Derek Hall] was jailed for three years and four months as well as banned from driving for three years, eight months'
 

It doesn't say whether or not the ban is running concurrently with his sentence. What use is a ban if he's going to be imprisoned throughout half-to-most of it?

They run consecutively, so the ban begins the day he gets out. This changed a few years ago.

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brooksby replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
0 likes

Quote:

Another witness stated he saw Hall 'come from the left and barrel through the red light', estimating he was travelling between 30 to 40mph. Hall told police he approached the light on amber but carried on because he was 'already committed to the junction and couldn't stop'.

surprise

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eburtthebike replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
0 likes

Double.

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eburtthebike replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
1 like

Warning for the faint hearted; don't look at the picture of the driver.

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Owd Big 'Ead replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
1 like

If it had been reported in my local rag the comments section would have been full of motorists defending the actions of the driver. Perhaps there's more common sense in Birmingham than I imagined.

As ever it seems to be one law for the motorists and everyone else can go **** themselves.

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Bungle_52 replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 1 year ago
2 likes

At least he stopped, rendered assistance, attended the interview voluntarily and plead guilty to dangerous driving. I recall others who have killed a cyclist, fled the scene, refused to answer questions without a lawyer and plead not guilty or acceped careless driving and have got away with a lot less.

This seems to be entirely wrong to me.

PS Just seen the latest loophole created for people with a thick skin and no conscience. The rules have been changed so that ministers don't have to resign for breaking the ministerial code.

 

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Patrick9-32 | 1 year ago
10 likes

The government: "Hey, this is the law, it is there to keep people safe"

Vulnerable groups: "Could you please obey the law, you are killing people"

Drivers: "Its ridiculous that people would even consider obeying the law. I am offended that you would even suggest it, you are the bad guy here."

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chrisonabike replied to Patrick9-32 | 1 year ago
5 likes

But but cycling through red lights / on pavements / wrong way / two abreast (?) / not pulling over to let faster vehicles through ... and cyclists are killing people - although you might have to squint to see it.

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P3t3 | 1 year ago
5 likes

Can I ride cycling UK's newest route on a bike with disc brakes???

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mdavidford | 1 year ago
0 likes

Stopped facing out over the top of a flight of steps to take a photo. Then went to turn to the side and push off. Only at that point did I discover that a camera on a strap round your neck that suspends it at a perfect height for snagging the bars is a bad idea...

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Daveyraveygravey | 1 year ago
0 likes

7 years ago I was doing the Dartmoor Classic, which features lots of gorgeous roads and scenery.  I'm on the moor somewhere past Postbridge, so roughly 3/4 of the way round.  There's a long descent with a left hander at the bottom and a climb out.  I get up to about 50 mph, check in front and behind, nothing coming in either direction for miles, so I line the corner up for maximum speed and use of the road.  I'm right on the right hand edge, but turn in slightly too late, so miss the apex anyway.  I ran wide on the exit, on the grass, speed coming off quickly, get it back on the road, think Christ I've saved it... then not sure what happened but I am on the deck, most of my left leg grazed, my arse is hanging out what is left of my shorts, my shoulders are bleeding.  Had to ride 20+ miles back to the finish.

I don't approach downhill corners like that anymore...

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chrisonabike | 1 year ago
2 likes

Enjoying the ride so much I went in to the back of a parked car.

Later the same year - pushing on so much I went into the back of a parked car.

Probably a good thing I didn't drive back then. I've learned a little since.

Experiencing speed wobbles whenever I tried to brake going down a long hill in the the Scottish highlands.  Took the bend at the bottom on the outside of the right hand side but kept upright, just.  The timing was fortunate as the only car I'd seen in an hour or so - coming towards me - was just far enough back not to be a problem.

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Kapelmuur replied to chrisonabike | 1 year ago
2 likes

This reminds me of an accident prone chap I met on a ride a few years ago.   One of his collisions with a parked car resulted in him crashing through the rear window and landing in the back seat.

He also got his front wheel stuck in a cattle grid and was catapulted over the bars, I couldn't work out how that was possible. His best was setting up rollers in his living room,  riding off the end of them, sweeping a clock, ornaments and photos off the mantelpiece and wrecking the coffee table he landed on.

He has survived though, I still see his name on Strava.

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to Kapelmuur | 1 year ago
0 likes

Nice!  I was glad to find I wasn't the only idiot unable to avoid stationary cars as a former flat mate managed to go so hard into one that they did exactly what your chap did, right through the glass.

Maybe it was really a dual purpose cattle-cyclist grid?

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jaymack replied to chrisonabike | 1 year ago
2 likes

Many moons ago my younger brother and I were racing one another in the stupid way only siblings can. To this day I'm convinced I'd have won had I not ridden into the back of the stationary Police van....

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chrisonabike replied to jaymack | 1 year ago
2 likes

#institutionallyanticyclist

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to chrisonabike | 1 year ago
1 like

My brother went into the back of a parked car. He was coming up to it and looked behind to see if any cars were coming but had totally misjudged distance/speed etc. 

But then it is not the first time he has cycled into stationary objects. He came down a steep hill into the side of a our hired caravan at the start of a holiday once. Parents heard a bang and found the 5yo sprawled at the side of it. That might have been the same holiday were I went missing (at 6 months) and after frantic searching they had found I had crawled underneath it. 

Avatar
nosferatu1001 | 1 year ago
1 like

Cycling along a new path I've not been down before, looked back for a second to shout about how good a path it was, look back to see a hidden collapsed bit of path down into the river right in front of me. Abiut 3 feet across and too close to avoid. 
just managed to hook the front wheel up and kept speed up so it made the other side. Bit of a bump but otherwise ok.... 

 

Timing was immense 

Avatar
PRSboy | 1 year ago
0 likes

Back on the 'stupid things on bikes' theme, a friend was in a group in a sportive, when a bloke decided he'd remove his gilet, pro style, whilst pedalling along at 40kmh. All was apparently going well until he got the garment stuck on the left brake hood as he packed it up...

Avatar
PRSboy | 1 year ago
13 likes

I never understand why cameras etc are framed as a war on drivers.

Coming up next on Good Morning Britain; "are door locks and burglar alarms a war on petty thieves?"  

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Oldfatgit replied to PRSboy | 1 year ago
3 likes

Victimless crime ...
That is, until someone gets killed, then it's all "been telling *them* for years about this road" etc, etc.

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mdavidford | 1 year ago
8 likes

Quote:

At this point the host interrupts to make the point..."But they'll be in cars. They won't be at risk of being hit, one would imagine"...erm, right...okay...because nobody in a car has ever hit another vehicle...

And nobody would ever be going to work on foot, or by bike...

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to mdavidford | 1 year ago
9 likes

mdavidford wrote:

Quote:

At this point the host interrupts to make the point..."But they'll be in cars. They won't be at risk of being hit, one would imagine"...erm, right...okay...because nobody in a car has ever hit another vehicle...

And nobody would ever be going to work on foot, or by bike...

I enjoy the "logic" of turning the cameras off as there's no-one around. If there's no-one around then who would the cameras be catching? If a tree speeds through a forest, would a squirrel still live in it?

Avatar
SimoninSpalding replied to hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
2 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

If a tree speeds through a forest, would a squirrel still live in it?

Dunno, you tell us!

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
3 likes

SimoninSpalding wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

If a tree speeds through a forest, would a squirrel still live in it?

Dunno, you tell us!

They (squirrels) can run at up to 20mph, so I'd say yes.

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