Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news

Richie Porte’s wife “already tired of seeing comments about his weight” after rider’s retirement (and he’s back on rim brakes); Police blasted for passing cyclist on wrong side; CX life lessons; Cycling doubles during train strikes + more on the live blog

Another week, another live blog… Ryan Mallon’s back in the saddle for Monday’s roundup of all the latest cycling news and views
Mon, Jan 09, 2023 09:47
41

SUMMARY

No Live Blog item found.

Richie Porte’s wife “already tired of seeing comments about his weight” after rider’s retirement (and he’s back on rim brakes); Police blasted for passing cyclist on wrong side; CX life lessons; Cycling doubles during train strikes + more on the live blogRichie Porte's 'first ride as a MAMIL' (Richie Porte, Instagram)
09 January 2023, 09:46
Richie Porte Tour of Britain 2022 (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
“Just f***ing rude”: Richie Porte’s wife “already tired of seeing comments about his weight”

It’s been a long three year wait, but everyone’s favourite far-flung, sun-drenched, and (let’s face it) gentle introduction to the elite road racing season, the Tour Down Under, is back!

I can already feel the rush and hear the purr of those wheels in motion… (Apologies if that’s stuck in your head for the rest of the day.)

But two things will be missing from this year’s WorldTour curtain raiser in South Australia, as it marks its 23rd edition and the first since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

First, Willunga Hill, the Tour Down Under’s traditional GC battleground, has been excised from this year’s race, in favour of the optimistically named Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills.

Tour Down Under 2015 Stage 5 Richie Porte with Rohan Dennis on his wheel (picture credit Regallo)

Richie Porte battles with Rohan Dennis on Willunga in 2015 (credit: Regallo)

Second, the man synonymous with the Tour Down Under and Willunga itself, Richie Porte – responsible for six successive stage wins on the famous hilltop finish between 2014 and 2019 (as well as a bonus non-WorldTour win on Willunga at the 2021 Santos Festival of Cycling) – will not be there, having hung up his wheels following the truncated Tour of Britain in September.

While the cycling world will have to adjust to missing out on Porte’s annual surge up Willunga, the 37-year-old Tasmanian – whose successful 13-year pro career, after bursting onto the scene as a neo-pro for Saxo Bank at the 2010 Giro, featured stints at Sky, BMC, and Trek-Segafredo, multiple stage race victories, and a podium place at the 2020 Tour de France – appears to be enjoying life as a newly self-styled MAMIL:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Richie (@richie_porte)

However, while the majority of comments under Porte’s Instagram post were from well-wishers and fellow pros, a few – for whatever reason – referenced the two-time Paris-Nice winner’s weight.

These rather bewildering comments prompted Porte’s wife Gemma to pen a Twitter thread criticising cycling and more broadly society’s obsession with weight, noting the intense pressure pro cyclists are put under during their careers to maintain a specific diet and shape.

“Richie has been officially retired for eight days and I’m already tired of seeing/hearing comments about his weight/size,” Gemma Porte wrote.

“We knew the comments would come and yes we’re therefore probably hyper aware ,but in my opinion any comment is inappropriate, thoughtless, and just f**king rude. Some comments are positive/congratulatory about weight gain… still not wanted. His weight shouldn’t even be a conversation.

“If you want to comment on somebody’s weight, message your best friend or discuss it at home with your partner (ideally not in front of kids in the hope there’s one generation not as obsessed with weight as us,) DO NOT comment on their photos or, worse, say something in person.”

Porte also noted that most of the comments referencing weight weren’t actually “from trolls”, but “people simply not thinking and not realising how inappropriate it is to comment on somebody’s weight, athlete or not!”

She continued: “Richie has been an athlete for well over a decade, training every day once sometimes twice, with his weight/diet closely monitored and major sacrifices being made in other parts of life to maintain that intensity. That will obviously now change in retirement and so will he.

“Retirement is a MAJOR adjustment physically and mentally… for anybody. Stop critiquing every change and let people find their own way.”

09 January 2023, 17:27
“It would be a real shame if a stage of the Tour of Britain could not now take place on the Isle of Wight,” says the race organisers
09 January 2023, 10:59
Richie’s back on rim brakes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Richie (@richie_porte)

While Richie Porte’s Instagram post commemorating his “first ride as a MAMIL” has attracted attention for some of the rather unnecessary comments underneath it (though, as it was on Insta, the comments were actually to the right of the photo, but I digress), eagle-eyed road.cc editor Jack Sexty also noted that the Australian, finally free from the tyranny of sponsor-mandated equipment, had opted for a Team Sky-era Pinarello Dogma – complete with rim brakes.

That rather old school choice by Porte, who rode discs during his final year as a pro with the Ineos Grenadiers as well as during his two-year stint with Trek-Segafredo, has certainly gone down well with some of cycling’s more traditionalist fans:

Richie Porte rim brake comments, Instagram 2
Richie Porte rim brake comments, Instagram
Richie Porte rim brake comments, Instagram 3

 

09 January 2023, 16:56
“He looks as fit as a butcher’s dog”: Readers react to Richie Porte ‘weight’ story

Today’s main live blog story, on the rather ill-advised comments aimed at a fit and healthy Richie Porte as he begins to enjoy life after a decade-plus in the stressful and ultra-controlled environment of professional cycling, has got plenty of you talking (and has even attracted a few likes from pro cyclists on Twitter – Hi, Matteo Fabbro).

Here’s a selection of some of your thoughts from Facebook, Twitter, and (of course) the comments section:

“Good for Richie and Gemma for standing up on this,” says road.cc reader SimoninSpalding, who then turned to an arguably more pressing issue: “My issue is how Richie thinks he qualifies as a MAMIL already? He needs a few more years before I will accept him into the club.”

However, in the comments section, ejocs reckoned that the remarks about Porte’s weight were taken out of context: “As far as I can tell, the weight-related comments on Porte's post are referencing his failure to sport a MAMIL body (for example: ‘You need to work on your gut a bit, carbo load and decrease your cycling, that should do the trick’), not mocking him for gaining weight.

“In other words, they're playing up the inside joke he himself referenced in his post. True, that wouldn't be obvious without some cultural context, but for once I don't think Instagram and internet commenters are as horrible as they're being portrayed.”

Over on Facebook, Phillip Griffiths wrote: “Can't understand the comments. He doesn't look big. Looks normal. However, he is retired. It's time to enjoy life after making so many sacrifices in his life. Eating things and doing things he couldn't. Cycling is an extreme sport for staying extremely light.

“Kit sizes are also a joke. I wear size small tops but have to buy XL in cycling. Doesn't make any sense.”

Similarly, Jimmy Ray Will noted pro cycling’s unhealthy obsession with weight as a factor behind some of the comments directed at Porte.

“I always struggle when professional cyclists complain about excess focus around weight,” he wrote. “The key fundamental of the sport is about generating as much power as possible, with as little body weight. If this triggers people, they should probably do something different.

“Professional sport is very rarely, if ever, a healthy lifestyle, you make a choice and you deal with the consequences.

“I think it is scary looking at that photo of a normal, slim man, and being shocked at how 'chunky Ritchie is looking these days'. There is nothing normal about this sport, but the problem is the sport and not the people commentating.”

Finally, many were just buzzing to see a retired pro back where they belong: riding a bike with rim brakes…

09 January 2023, 17:25
09 January 2023, 12:33
“Is this an acceptable pass by a police car?” Police officer criticised for passing cyclist on wrong side of pedestrian refuge island

We’ve got a classic Twitter debate to take you into lunchtime on the blog today…

The following clip, posted this morning, shows a police officer overtaking cyclist James on the Blackshaw Road in south west London late last night.

Though the overtake was fairly wide and gave James plenty of space (perhaps for all the wrong reasons), much of the spirited debate that has followed underneath the clip has centred on the driver’s decision to pass the cyclist on the wrong side of a pedestrian refuge island:

As several commenters noted, the driver’s failure to comply with the ‘keep left’ sign at the pedestrian island could result in three penalty points (though as we’ve seen on the live blog in the past, that doesn’t always prove the case).

> Wiltshire Police say they won't charge driver who overtook on the wrong side of a refuge island because they gave 'enough room' 

The Met has at least responded to the video, sending James one of those automated ‘get in touch’ messages… 

09 January 2023, 16:14
Santander Cycles e-bike (picture credit TfL) (1)
Record year for London’s Santander Cycles scheme

London’s Santander Cycles hire scheme witnessed another record-breaking year in 2022, as figures released by Transport for London (TfL) show that 11,506,889 bikes were hired last year, 565,625 more than in 2021, another record-breaking period for the scheme.

The period between September 2021 and August 2022 was a particularly ground-breaking one, as each month recorded the highest number of hires for that month since the scheme was launched 12 years ago.

The data from 2022 also shows that the new fleet of 500 e-bikes added to the initiative in October have proved a success, with 129,232 hires made so far. Waterloo Station was the most popular docking station in 2022 with 131,005 hires. 

“It has been another incredible, record-breaking year for London’s tremendous Santander Cycles scheme with over 11.5 million rides, proving that the boom in walking and cycling we saw during the pandemic is here to stay,” says London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman.

“2022 also saw the introduction of fantastic new e-bikes with more Londoners than ever using sustainable ways to get around the capital.

“The Mayor and I are determined to continue building a cleaner, greener and more prosperous London for everyone. Santander Cycles plays a hugely important role in making active travel around the city as accessible as possible.”

09 January 2023, 15:54
09 January 2023, 15:33
Mark Cavendish at Gran Torino 2022 (copyright Simon MacMichael)
Mark Cavendish fails in bid to bring coach to Astana

Mark Cavendish may not be fully confirmed as an Astana-Qazaqstan rider just yet – an inevitable announcement currently delayed by the ongoing trial related to a violent robbery at his home in 2021 – but one thing is certain: his coach won’t be making the move with him.

On Friday, Soudal-Quick Step confirmed that Greek coach Vasilis Anastopoulos, credited by Cavendish with helping revive his career in 2021, when he roared to four Tour de France stage wins and the green jersey, will stay part of the Belgium squad’s set up.

According to Cyclingnews, Cavendish had attempted to bring Anastopoulos with him to the Kazakh team, with advanced discussions reportedly taking place.

However, these talks appear to have broken down and the Greek coach was introduced as part of the Soudal-Quick Step setup at a team presentation event on Friday.

The failure to secure a move for Anastopoulos will come as a blow to British champion Cavendish, who has been described by the Greek coach as “almost part of my family”.

The Manx sprinter has been as equally gushing in his praise for Anastopoulos.

“The feedback from Vasilis… I love it. He’s doing every pedal rev with me,” the former world champion told Procycling magazine’s Ed Pickering in late 2021.

“He’s invested, so passionate. Fuck, I wish I’d met him 10 years ago… He gets so much out of me.”

09 January 2023, 14:49
A sign of the times or manufactured outrage? Your reaction to our feature on the rising cost of cycling

Yesterday’s feature on the rising cost of cycling – which explored the impact of inflation on bikes, equipment, and clothing in recent years, and compared prices between 2009 and 2023 (with some fairly nifty graphs thrown in for good measure) – has led to quite a bit of discussion on the ol’ interweb.

Responses have ranged from those who feel that they are being “ripped off” by the inflated prices of recent years, while others have noted that inflation isn’t the only driving force here, and that the quality of bikes, components, and kit (even those with the same brand names) has surged in the past decade, resulting in a heftier price tag in your local shop.

> The rising cost of cycling — when will this crisis stop!?

Of course, it’s a complex issue, and we’re currently working on a follow-up podcast and video which will address some of the things we just didn’t get round to in the initial feature.

In the meantime, here’s a selection of some of your thoughts on the current state of the cycling market:

OnYerBike: 

An interesting article. I wonder if there are any economists who could weigh in on the appropriate use of inflation.

The bike industry would certainly argue that whilst the names might have stayed the same, the bikes themselves have improved significantly. Inflation statistics are based on a basket of goods that stays largely the same - a pint of milk produced today will be essentially identical to a pint of milk from 2009. But today's bikes are arguably "better" than those of yesteryear - certainly the manufacturers like to tell us that every iteration is more aero, stiffer, more comfortable etc. than the previous generation. 

I note that all the current generation of bikes have disc brakes, where as they were all rim brake in 2009. In several cases you're comparing mechanical groupsets to electronic ones (Google suggests the Tarmac SL3 was available with Di2 but the RRP quoted is for a SRAM mechanical equipped version - but I might be wrong on that one).

More obviously, the (current) Defy Advanced has a carbon frame, while the 2009 Defy was aluminium alloy. I note that in 2016 Giant released the Contend, which on paper appears much more directly comparable to the 2009 Defy, and the current RRP for the entry level model is £849. A quick browse on cycling retailers websites indicates there are a number of entry level road bikes that look at least as good as the 2009 Defy with an RRP <£1,000. 

Similarly, while the "range topping" Madone might have got more expensive, the RRP of the cheapest current Madone, the SL6, is only £4,800. I wouldn't want to say that is a "fairer" comparison, but I would say given the choice between a factory-fresh 2009 Madone 6.2 and a current SL6 for the same money, I for one would probably go for today's model.

I guess my conclusion would be that if you're a competitive cyclist who wants every last marginal gain, then yes you would need to spend more today to have the latest and greatest tech. But for everyone else, there are still some very good bikes at sensible prices.

ooblyboo: "I think road.cc deserve some credit for attempting to illustrate the rate at which prices have risen, even if the comparisons aren't perfect. It has been a few years since I upgraded to a new bike and at today's prices I just can't imagine doing so. My last purchase was a second hand TT bike which is now nearly 10 years old. A half-decent new one now is often greater than the cost of a brand new motorbike and the price isn't justifiable.

"Many models from recognised brands are becoming unaffordable. I will keep my ageing steeds going but as a commenter notes below, the alternative is the cheaper Chinese brands. Not an approach I am particularly keen on because it looks like a bit of a lottery but channels like TraceVelo show that there is quality to be had in certain corners of the internet at somewhat more reasonable prices."

IanEdward: "They'll just charge what the market can bear. Now they've seen what people are willing to pay for electronic gears and disc brakes it would appear that the sky is the limit! Meanwhile you can still buy high end aluminium wheels for £350, 105 mechanical rim brake groupsets for £300, good framesets for upwards of £750... You can probably still build a very nice fast bike for £2k if you wanted but no whirring gearshifts and no disc brakes..."

Kil0ran: "If you're willing to BYO (build your own) it's still possible to get an affordable bike. Go with Tiagra - or even Claris - and source parts secondhand. The secondhand market is absolutely saturated at the moment. Know which brands spec the same frame from Claris to Dura-Ace, have a decent set of easily convertible wheels and you can build a high-end bike for low-end money."

09 January 2023, 14:18
09 January 2023, 14:05
‘It never looks as steep in photos as it is… oh wait’

Whitby’s Donkey Track, featured on the blog last April, never seems to get any easier, no matter which angle you look at it from…

> Stupidly steep hills: could you ride up a 50 percent gradient?

Let the ‘where’s the steepest street in Britain’ debate recommence:

09 January 2023, 13:49
09 January 2023, 13:10
Miguel Angel Lopez (copyright RCS Sport)
Miguel Ángel López drops down to third tier after Astana sacking

The mercurial Colombian climber Miguel Ángel López has finally secured a ride for 2023, signing for third-tier outfit Team Medellín-EPM a month after he was sacked by Astana-Qazaqstan for his alleged links to a doping investigation in Spain.

The 28-year-old, who has endured a chequered few years punctuated by a brief, tumultuous, and ill-fated spell at Movistar before his abruptly curtailed return to Astana in 2022, was confirmed as the Colombian Continental outfit’s new singing yesterday, and will represent his new team at this month’s Vuelta a San Juan.

However, Medellín’s position in cycling’s third tier means that López won’t be present at this year’s grand tours, or the WorldTour stage races he’s conquered in the past, such as the Volta a Catalunya and the Tour de Suisse.

“It was a complicated year, being without a team in 2023, with all the team’s filled up and there wasn’t any space,” López said Monday.

“This team has given me a big opportunity to race in 2023. To start with in the Vuelta a San Juan, and we can race and get through the season.”

“Get through the season” – ever the optimist, Miguel…

> Miguel Ángel López sacked by Astana due to doping links, but rider maintains he has “never tested positive”

López’s shunting to the periphery of pro cycling was confirmed last month when Astana announced the termination of his contract, claiming that the team “had discovered new elements” linking him to alleged doping doctor Marcos Maynar.

These “new elements”, Spanish newspaper ABC reported at the time, relate to a document claiming that López received a dose of menotropin, a human growth hormone that increases muscle mass and eliminate fluids, before the start of last year’s Giro d’Italia in Hungary.

López, who was initially suspended by Astana in July when his name came up following Maynar’s arrest as part of the Spanish police’s Operation Ilex investigation, of course strongly denies the allegations, and even trotted out the well-worn ‘I’ve never tested positive’ line following his sacking in December.

At Medellín, he will join former U23 world champion Fabio Duarte and – ironically, considering the nature of the investigation which prompted López’s dismissal from Astana – former Operación Puerto alumnus, 46-year-old Óscar Sevilla.

Nairo Quintana 2022 TDF (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Zac Williams/SWpix.com

The Tour de France stage winner’s arrival has also heightened the rumours that Medellín will splash the cash on another Colombian star without a team for 2023 after being caught up in a doping scandal, Nairo Quintana.

The Giro and Vuelta winner was let go from Arkéa-Samsic – despite recently agreeing a three-year contract extension – after being disqualified from last year’s Tour de France following a positive test for Tramadol.

Quintana has yet to announce a new deal for 2023 but, like López, is expected to seek refuge away from the biggest teams, with Medellín highly touted as a possible destination.

Are we beginning to see the foundations of a Colombian Rock Racing?

09 January 2023, 12:02
“Cyclocross is a simple game…”

Does this mean Mathieu van der Poel needs to practise his penalties?

09 January 2023, 11:43
Londoners take to bikes during train strikes, as cycling more than doubles at King’s Cross

As most train services return to normal today for the first time since Christmas, new data has shown that the number of cyclists on Pancras Road, King’s Cross, more than doubled during the recent rail strikes.

According to a study conducted by transport technology scaleup VivaCity, the number of cyclists increased by 102 percent compared to the three previous ‘non strike’ days, making up 18 percent of the total traffic in the area.

Pancras Road rail strike cyclist count (VivaCity)

However, while the number of people on bikes swelled during the strikes, the number of cars also rose by 20 percent.

“With train strikes having a huge impact on travel across the capital, it’s interesting to see how many Londoners have opted to cycle to work during the weeks affected by train strikes,” says VivaCity’s CEO Mark Nicholson.

“It’s promising to see active travel being prioritised, our mission is to work with local authorities to ensure that London’s roads are well equipped for, and welcome these changes in the long term.”

09 January 2023, 10:23
I’m not sure what I’m more fixated on: Mr Loophole’s latest surprising hot take or his preppy fashion sense and leopard print throw…
09 January 2023, 09:56
Diving headfirst into the week like Mathieu van der Poel and Fem van Empel

If Fem van Empel’s experience at yesterday’s Zonhoven round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup can teach us anything about the week ahead, it’s that we shouldn’t get too disheartened if it gets off to a rough start.

The 20-year-old Dutch sensation and current World Cup leader crashed three times in the opening two laps of the sandy, runny course (including a spectacular, headfirst fall on the first lap’s descent, which also saw British wonderkid Zoe Bäckstedt hit the sand).

Despite falling outside the top 20 following that disastrous start, the Jumbo-Visma rider stayed cool, picking her way through the crowd to eventually finish third – behind the peerless Shirin van Anrooij and second-place Puck Pieterse – and retain her lead in the World Cup standings.

See, things will get better, I promise…

Although try telling that to Mathieu van der Poel, who seems stubbornly stuck to that second spot on the podium behind his apparently unbeatable nemesis Wout van Aert, as next month’s worlds in Hoogerheide rapidly approaches.

Ryan Mallon

Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.

Add new comment

41 comments

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to vsmith1 | 1 year ago
0 likes

vsmith1 wrote:

Yes but many employers have a cyclescheme in a benefit package, so you could get that bicycle on the scheme and pay for it before tax and NI. It's like an interest free (though really a lease) loan. Try getting that for a car.

Unfortunately, my employer doesn't participate in that, but as I understand it, there's a ceiling of £1000 to be spent on bike and accessories and I don't think it can be used for second-hand bikes. It's a strange scheme as the employee doesn't own the bike until the end of the scheme and then I think it's optional for the employer to transfer ownership.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
3 likes

It used to be 1k but now there is not limit BUT down to the employer to allow amounts over 1K

"It's important that we note that employers are under no obligation to offer schemes with a limit in excess of £1,000. "

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
2 likes

hirsute wrote:

It used to be 1k but now there is not limit BUT down to the employer to allow amounts over 1K

"It's important that we note that employers are under no obligation to offer schemes with a limit in excess of £1,000. "

My employer considered that the scheme was too much effort for only providing a small benefit (I believe the bikes/equipment are sold at RRP which reduces the savings) and there's a risk of employees leaving before the end of the scheme which would involve the business being left with unwanted bikes, assuming they can reclaim them.

I don't think the scheme is very good as it only really benefits people in steady jobs that are paying higher tax - arguably those are the people least in need of such a scheme.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
1 like

Not good for retailers either

https://road.cc/content/news/cyclescheme-now-unviable-retailers-after-ch...

2020 article  - but bike prices have gone up a lot, meaning it's not just the higher end affected.

Avatar
Awavey replied to hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
1 like

the benefits are complex to quantify because everyones financial situation is different, its not that your getting a cheaper bike necessarily, just a bike thats maybe cheaper to budget for in your spending than as a one off payment. It works best if you treat it as an interest free loan, but then my LBS runs interest free loans over a similar period so are you really getting that much benefit.

I dont know though it does annoy me that people think you need to spend 3k upwards to buy a bike to commute to work on.

Avatar
SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
5 likes

Good for Richie and Gemma for standing up on this.

My issue is how Richie thinks he qualifies as a MAMIL already? He needs a few more years before I will accept him into the club 

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to SimoninSpalding | 1 year ago
6 likes

SimoninSpalding wrote:

Good for Richie and Gemma for standing up on this.

My issue is how Richie thinks he qualifies as a MAMIL already? He needs a few more years before I will accept him into the club 

Quite, as a 54-year-old I am adamant that middle age only begins at 55 (I may revise this position in ten months' time).

Avatar
Steve K replied to Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
3 likes

Rendel Harris wrote:

SimoninSpalding wrote:

Good for Richie and Gemma for standing up on this.

My issue is how Richie thinks he qualifies as a MAMIL already? He needs a few more years before I will accept him into the club 

Quite, as a 54-year-old I am adamant that middle age only begins at 55 (I may revise this position in ten months' time).

For years, middle age has been defined a MA + 10, where MA = my age.

Since I hit 50, this has been revised to MA + 5.

As I turn 53 at the end of the month, you are absolutely fine, Rendel.

Avatar
IanMK replied to Steve K | 1 year ago
2 likes

In a recent interview of with Fiona Bruce on Antiques Roadshow* Jonathan Ross (62) and three years older than me described himself as a middle age man. I went to laugh, then stopped myself and thought; that's okay then few more years to go.

* I've been a bit of an invalid this last week and watched all sorts of rubbish

Avatar
ktache replied to IanMK | 1 year ago
2 likes

Antiques Roadshow is fine and almost perfect early Sunday evening viewing.

And Ski Sunday.

Avatar
IanMSpencer replied to Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
3 likes

When in her 60s and retired, my mum was adamant that she was middle aged, and not a pensioner (though she actually was collecting her pension).  Given that she got to about 80, my calculations are that retrospectively she was wrong (another thing she could be quite adamantly against!).

Pages

Latest Comments