Colombian cyclist Jarlinson Pantano, who won a Tour de France stage in 2016 when he was with the IAM Cycling team, has tested positive for EPO, the UCI has confirmed.

World cycling’s governing body said that the rider was targeted for testing by the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation.

It added: “The rider has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample. 

“In accordance with UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended until the adjudication of the affair. 

“At this stage of the procedure, the UCI will not comment any further on this matter.”

The 30-year-old’s current team, Trek Segafredo, said: “It is with deep disappointment that we have just learned that our rider, Jarlinson Pantano, has been notified of an adverse analytical finding in a sample collected during an out of competition control carried out by the Cycling Antidoping Foundation.

“In accordance with our zero-tolerance policy, he has been suspended immediately.

“We hold our riders and staff to the highest ethical standards and will act and communicate accordingly as more details become available,” it added.

When the world seems to be talking about something else, we always try to bodge in a cycling reference... and this time we thank The Humour Feed for sharing this gallery (original credit unknown) in which Bronn from Game of Thrones starts in the men's Olympic Road Race (photo 14).  

The intrepid youngster finished the 145km epic over the famous cobbles on Saturday, gaining special permission to ride as the usual minimum age for the event is 18. He completed the course in just over seven hours. He said: “I’m really proud to have done Paris-Roubaix, it was a brutal but an amazing experience. The Arenberg was horrible but after that I got more used to the cobbles and my BMX'ing came in handy as I could bunneyhop into the gutters! Lots of people were encouraging me and I got lots of high fives along the way.”   

Aged just nine Alfie, who attends the The Weald School in Billingshurst, West Sussex, climbed the Ventoux and Stelvio inside 48 hours. He also conquered the Col du Galibier a few months later. 

The folks at Velon managed to edit together plenty of carnage just a few hours after the finish - check out the madness and Gilbert's victory from another perspective...

It is estimated that 75% of Dutch people sometimes sing while cycling, so they have created designated cycling paths where you are encouraged to sing aloud. (h/t @BicycleDutch.) pic.twitter.com/ugbe0XrDuG

— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) April 14, 2019

Apparently it's a thing in the Netherlands!

The hour record, it's not about the bike… okay, well maybe a bit. That being the case here's the piece we ran recently on Victor Campenaerts' Hour Record setting Ridley Arena TT bike… that go-faster red paint job must have been worth a few extra metres.

The power hour begins. 

Arrived!pic.twitter.com/G989hJOJsA

— Hannah 12 cycles LEJOG 2019 (@12_lejog) April 16, 2019

Hannah arrived in John o' Groats about an hour ago, and has raised over £3,000 ang counting for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal and United World Schools. Head to her fundraising page here if you want to donate. Chapeau, Hannah! 

Belgium's victor Campenaerts is attempting to take the UCI Hour record from Sir Bradley Wiggins today - we've already had some coverage on the live blog today - and you can watch the livestream from the velodrome in Aguascalientes, Mexico, right here on road.cc (see main picture)>

According to the UCI, the livestream starts at 1655 UK time - but there seems to be some confusion about what time the LottoSoudal rider is starting, so you might want to check half an hour beforehand, or even earlier, if you don't want to miss it.

Play piano for the planet! On day 2 of #InternationalRebellion protestors & pedestrians at our #MarbleArch block are being serenaded by pianists. Come on down, it’s beautiful - they’ll be playing into the afternoon. Speakers powered by bikes! pic.twitter.com/fTMaicW5Ip

— Extinction Rebellion (@ExtinctionR) April 16, 2019

It's day two of the climate protests that have seen Waterloo Bridge, Marble Arch and the area around Oxford Circus closed to motor traffic, with activists placing trees, plants and themselves in the way to make the streets traffic-free for the time being. 

Good luck Victor Campenaerts #UCIHourRecord#vocsnor#Victor2VictorYpic.twitter.com/Qdf3OSrdWO

— pro cycling trumps (@procycletrumps) April 16, 2019

WIN a signed jersey by @VCampenaerts ahead of his #UCIHourRecord attempt at 18:00 CET today!

Retweet this post
Guess the distance he will complete in the comments below!

Entries close today at 17:30 CET and we'll announce the winner who guesses the closest tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/p010kw5LCA

— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) April 16, 2019

With a retweet of the post above and an accurate guess of the distance Campenaerts will cover, the UCI are also giving someone the chance to win a signed jersey from the man himself. The time now seems to have been changed to 18:00 CEST, although we previously understood it was set to take place 'from' 17:30. The UCI Youtube stream is currently showing that it will go live at 4.55pm UK time.   

According to law.com's Dail Business Insider, a cyclist who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury at the hands of a Porche Driver negotiated a $6 million settlement for his injuries. 

31-year-old Andy Introini was cycling in Miami Beach  on 8th November 2017, and was hit as he crossed an intersection. The driver Raymond H. Maroon Jr. allegedly made a high-speed right turn and struck Introini’s bike, sending the cyclist flying onto the windshield before slamming onto the tarmac, where he hit the side of his head. The damages were sought for medical expenses, plus pain and suffering.

At the launch of its latest Roubaix model last week, US bike brand Specialized also unveiled a women’s version of the bike – and in a video (see above) enlisted the help of world champion Anna van der Breggen and her Boels-Dolmans team mates Christian Majures and Chantal Blaak to make a compelling case for why there should be a women’s version of the race, showing the trio riding through the Arenberg sector of pavé.  

As Specialized says at the end of the video, “The Roubaix is no longer just for men. The race shouldn’t be either.”

There are already under-23 and junior versions of the race for male riders – so why not one for elite women too? What do you think?

#TUR2019

Double trouble!
@Sammmy_Be takes another amazing stage win while teammate @gro_felix finishes second!! #teamworkmakesthedreamwork amazing teamwork! pic.twitter.com/vSBU2HEGDL

— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) April 17, 2019

The Irishman has taken both of the opening stages at the Presidential Tour of Turkey, winning an uphill sprint finish on day two. The comeback from illness for Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) isn't going to plan at the moment, finishing 22nd on stage 1 and 94th today. 

Chapeau Victor my man

— Brad Wiggins (@SirWiggo) April 16, 2019

Many are asking the question of how much advantage was gained by Campenaerts breaking the Hour Record at 1,800m of altitude - but Bradley Wiggins has suggested in his podcast (and in this tweet) that he has nothing but praise for his successor. What would Campenaerts have done at sea level? We might never know, but will try to investigate with some expert help over the next few days. 

We hot cross buns! So here's a tasty fact of the day: One hot cross bun will give you fuel for 22 minutes of cycling. Yum! pic.twitter.com/0A2ehihWS8

— Sustrans (@sustrans) April 17, 2019

How much to burn off a couple of easter eggs as well?

Skip to 1:26:45-ish in the live stream, and Victor appears to offer a free night's drinking at his local bar back in Antwerp, Cafe Mombasa in the district of Borgerhout. He says: "In Borgerhout, at my fan cafe (Cafe Mombasa) all my fans can drink free beer all night. And if you're not a fan, you an still become a fan! All night, free beer. Enjoy." 

We might have to make a pilgrimage. If you want to read the full report of how Campenaerts smashed the record click here, to see his history-making bike in more detail head here. 

Anyone else’s Gran this talented on two wheels ? pic.twitter.com/6TzGaCBicr

— Awesome Cycling (@AwesomeCycling) April 18, 2019

You're never too old...

Perhaps this was a misunderstanding after all, as Hesjedal's posts, questioning if Wiggins had sold a pink jersey given to him by Hesjedal, have now been removed. The comments are still viewable via Twitter, as we've screenshotted above.  

 

 

 

 

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——. @bradwiggins what stage was this from???

A post shared by Ryder Hesjedal (@ryder_hesjedal) on Apr 17, 2019 at 4:28pm PDT

#Awkward. Get the popcorn out, as this looks potentially salty... it all started when 2012 Giro winner Hesjedal asked Wiggins "what stage was this from?", with a message underneath that appears to be from someone claiming to have bought the jersey off Wiggins. 

 

 

 

 

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@bradwiggins you sold this to someone after you received it from a friend?? WTF .. a few explanations are in order as I can’t answer the buyers inquires to me ? #replica #notworn #intherace #collector ??

A post shared by Ryder Hesjedal (@ryder_hesjedal) on Apr 17, 2019 at 6:27pm PDT

In the next post, Hesjedal then questions if it really is a genuine jersey that Wiggins has sold on, or if there's been a misunderstanding and it's just a replica. Wiggins hasn't responded yet, and if he does we'll update you of course... 

This mini-doc follows Kye White as he charts his journey towards the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. National Lottery funding has enabled Kye to train full-time, as well as plenty of sacrifices made by his family along the way. 

Cycling artist event May 10th@cookhamfestival#Caminodesantiago#reachyourpotentialpic.twitter.com/8788xxVK8Q

— Timmy Mallett (@TimmyMallett) April 17, 2019

Last year TV presenter Timmy Mallet embarked on a self-supported cycle tour on his e-bike, riding across three countries and eventually across the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in northern Spain. Multi-talented Mallett painted the landscapes along the way, and will be appearing at Cookham Festival in Berkshire on 10th May to tell his story and show his paintings off. 

Mallett is still riding regularly (apart from a brief hiatus when he got his beloved Giant e-bike stolen); you can follow him on Strava here. 

A driver was due to appear in court today to face charges of assault and dangerous driving after allegedly ramming former London cycling commissioner Andrew Gilligan off his bike.

The Evening Standard reports that the incident happened in Bishopsgate on 4 April 2018 and left Gilligan, now a senior correspondent for The Sunday Times, feeling “very, very shaken” and needing hospital treatment for cuts to his shins.

Chukwudi Uzorh, aged 28 and from Camden, who was driving a Nissan Juke at the time, was due to appear at City of London Magistrates’ Court today.

We went to the launch of Time's Alpe D'Huez 'altitude bike' last year, and after perusing the latest version of the UCI approved list it appears that a disc version is on the horizon. The top-end 01 and more affordable 21 versions both have an additional listing with a 'D' added to the end of the name, which we can only assume means 'disc'. We'll update with confirmation when we get it. 

If you've watched any pro racing this year, you'll have seen a lot more bikes with disc brakes. Every Deceuninck - QuickStep victory, and there have been a few, has been on a Specialized bike with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 hydraulic disc brakes, prompting Shimano to release this promotional video.

It reveals that the disc brakes take a lot more time and work to get right but that the benefits are worth it. And those benefits? “You can brake later, you can make more speed with them,” according to Belgian national champion Yves Lampert, in a video produced by Shimano and shared a few days ago.

This video shows how the cost benefit of bikes can make sense in the wake of national truck strike, with Brazilian bike manufacturer Caloi working out how much money on gas is saved when bikes are used instead. 

No apologies for the Game of Thrones reference.

Watch as Julian Alaphilippe and Jakob Fuglsang slug it out on the Mur de Huy at the end of today's Fleche Walllonne.

Nothing to do against him on Mur de Huy...Julian Alaphilippe wins his 2nd Fleche Wallonne. In the shape of his life, Fuglsang was a hard nut to crack though, Astana is still flying close to Deceuninck. 25-22...
(by @mundociclistico ) #FlecheWallonnepic.twitter.com/E4ftEnDx5B

— Mihai Cazacu (@faustocoppi60) April 24, 2019

Julian Alaphilippe, along with Mathieu van der Poel one of the two in-form riders of the early months of the season, has won La Fleche Wallone for the second year running.

Yeeeesssssssss!!!!!! @alafpolak is the king of the Mur de Huy for the second year in a row. What a beautiful victory in #FlecheWallonne for the most in-form rider of the year!#No25in2019
Photo: @GettyImagespic.twitter.com/bTNXxcBX88

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) April 24, 2019

The Deceuninck-Quick Step rider crossed the finish line on top of the iconic Mur de Huy this afternoon ahead of Astana's Jakob Fuglsang, with Diego Ulissi of UAE Team Emirates third.

Victory in the women's race went to another rider who is absolutely on fire at the moment - world champion Anna van der Breggen of Boels-Dolmans  - her fifth successive win in the race.

Team Sky’s Chris Froome says “you have to make yourself hurt” to get the benefit from training camps on Tenerife to be able to help you cope with the suffering and pain once you are racing.

The four time Tour de France winner was speaking during a camp at Mount Teide to the BBC’s Tom Fordyce.

"When I first started coming here, it felt like we were on the Moon," he said. "I wondered what we were going to do for two weeks.

"It's pretty desolate up here. It's just the hotel. But that's perfect. These training blocks, you can literally shut the rest of the world out.

"We're out on our bikes almost all day, and when you come back to the hotel in the evening there's nothing. Just peace and quiet. Massage, eat, sleep. Rinse and repeat. You do exactly what you need to get ready for July.

"It is going to bring pain. But that is what this is all about. We're bike riders. You're not going to get better by just cruising around, getting coffees every day.

"You've got to get out there and make yourself suffer. You have to make yourself hurt."

Froome is currently racing at the Tour of the Alps and next month, rather than defend his Giro d'Italia title, will ride at the Tour de Yorkshire, his first race in the colours of Team Ineos following its takeover of Team Sky's management company.

Read the full interview here.

Tom Ritchey designed and built the first steel Swiss Cross cyclocross bike a quarter of a century ago for the Swiss CX champ Thomas Frischknecht, and now they've updated it to mark the occasion. The new Swiss Cross has flat-mount disc brake compatibility, thru-axles, a full carbon fork and updated geometry for a slightly more aggressive position. It also has clearance for up to 40mm tyres for off-road forays away from the CX race course. 

100 limited edition framesets will be launched and there will be a normal production run of the standard black version (below). Check them out on Ritchey's website here.  

Cycling club and local restaurant team up to fund new bikes for refugee riders@cyclinghackney and @ItalianVenerdi launched rebranded bikes and kits in #Clapton earlier this monthhttps://t.co/zLvmt39eCB#Hackney#cycling#refugeespic.twitter.com/VL9ByEZ4N0

— Hackney Citizen (@hackneycitizen) April 23, 2019

The Hackney Citizen reports that Cycling Club Hackney and the Italian restaurant Venerdi are raising funds to kit out local refugees with new road bikes. It's part of the club's Aspiring Rider Development Programme to help young cyclists to compete at a high level. The scheme also includes youths from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as refugees who have been riding with the club for over a year.  

Cycling Club Hackney's manager Keir Apperley has coached at youth level for ten years, previously mentoring Team Sky's Tao Geoghegan-Hart who won his first WorldTour stage win at the Tour of the Alps over the Easter weekend. 

The new bikes have been rebranded with Venerdi logos before being given to aspiring young racers, and there is also custom kit. 

Capital's transport body confident its vehicle detectors will pick up oncoming cyclists.

Full story here.

Graham from Bournemouth sent us this video.

“The traffic here is awful,” he writes. “Most days it’s actually the cars holding up the bicycles. I dont appreciate being told to use cycle lanes (which has happened multiple times) when quite clearly there's a reason behind not doing so.”

Graham wants the council to do bike lanes properly.

“At the moment all they do is stick pretty pictures of bikes on pavements.”

We've got no confirmation yet, but word is that Vincenzo Nibali will be a Trek Segafredo rider from next year. Bahrain Merida yesterday announced that Mikel Landa will be their leader for the Grand Tours in 2020, leaving Nibali, winner of all three Grand Tours, without dedicated team support. These rumors aren't new. We first heard whispers in January. But it seems that the transfer will be confirmed today. Even more interestingly, Nibali is currently throwing down continuous attacks in the Tour of the Alps. Maybe he's letting his legs do the negotiating?

A men's and women's team in GB kit will take to the startline of the Tour de Yorkshire, taking place between 2nd-5th May. Here are those teams: 

Men

Jim Brown
Sean Flynn
Ethan Hayter​
Dan McLay​
Joe Nally​
Will Tidball​
Ben Turner

Women

Rhona Callander
Dani Christmas
Anna Docherty​
Lauren Dolan
Nikki Juniper
Jess Roberts

The motor offers steering assistance, propping the bike up straight again if it senses you are leaning too much and are about to fall, and keeps the bike stable at speeds of over 4km/h. It's a prototype at the moment, and TU Delft have been researching how and when bikes do and don't fall over for the past 15 years. 

Will it work on a mountain descent at 50mph, we wonder? 

New groupset, more sprockets, plus 48/32 chainset and 11-34 cassette options. Read all about it here. 

The Northampton Chronicle reports that two boys have been thanked by Northamptonshire Police after they lent officers their bikes for a police chase.

At about 12pm on Monday, three men broke into a builder’s yard in Carisbrooke Way, Daventry, and tried to steal a dumper truck by driving it into the back of their transit van.

A member of the public called it in and after the suspects abandoned their van, a foot chase ensued.

Various members of the public pointed officers where to go before two boys lent them their bikes to continue the chase.

Two men were caught and charged.

Police Sergeant Matt Bailey, said: “The public support during this incident was fantastic and led directly to the capture, arrest and charging of these two individuals.

“I would like to thank all of them for their help but especially the two boys who lent me their bicycles – it was great to know how much they wanted us to succeed in catching up with the suspects.

“These two young men have been written to and invited to spend a day with us on response, which I hope they’ll take up as it’ll be great to spend the day with them and show them a day in the life of a response officer.

“This incident was a great example of how effectively the public and the police can work together and with the teamwork displayed on Monday, the thieves had no chance.”

A mafia hunter.

Apparently.

And he's on telly tonight.

Full story here.

Aim this year is to highlight specific local issues.

Full story here.

We've just had a visit from Clif's guys in the UK, and they've kindly left us with some brand new tasty treats - the Peanut Butter Banana Clif Bar and Ginger Ale Shot Bloks are available now, head to Clif's website for more info.

Forrest Road human protected bike lane went off safely -- thank you everyone who took part! There was loading immediately before and immediately after we finished, just to prove the point!

And, in case anyone was wondering, the lane is 21 Jelly Babies wide! pic.twitter.com/6yToPU2ayL

— Pedal On Parliament #PoP2019 (@POPScotland) April 26, 2019

The campaigners are calling for segregated cycle lanes in Scotland, and this morning a number of supports formed a chain to create a 'lane' for cyclists using the very much not segregated cycle lane on Forest Road in Edinburgh. 

Ooh, road.cc's on GCN* how exciting! …You can get the full story here
*It's like a thing on Youtube

Following the launch in Belgium, we've now got the brand new Specialized S-Works Roubaix to test on more familiar roads. First look and more coming soon, but here are a couple of pics on our Instagram account. 

 

 

 

 

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Shiny! New Specialized S-Works Roubaix just landed in the office for review

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on Apr 26, 2019 at 2:13am PDT

A farmer who was accused of failing to stop his tractor at the scene of an accident during last year’s Tour of Pembrokeshire has had the charges against him dismissed.

The cyclist involved, Phillip Withers, said that he was riding towards the back of a group of around 20 riders when they encountered Haydn Williams in his tractor, heading in the opposite direction.

He said several of the cyclists managed to filter through a small gap on the left hand side of the road, but Williams continued moving forward, shouting “get back” from the cab.

As Williams drove past, Withers said his leg was pinned against his bike by the hay rake that was being towed.

Williams said he remembered getting out of the vehicle and shouting at the cyclists to move back toward a layby further down the road. He said he was unable to reverse himself as another farm vehicle and a 4x4 were occupying a layby or farm entrance behind.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to failing to stop after a road accident, failing to report the accident to police and driving without due care and attention.

The Western Telegraph reports that yesterday all three charges were dismissed and an order was made for Williams’ defence costs to be paid from central funds.

Tricky to get all of this into jersey pockets when cycling but thankfully they’re pretty stretchy @Telegraphpic.twitter.com/MLJGUox1Bg

— FlatStanley (@flat__stanley) April 29, 2019

Team Sky may have ridden their last race at Liege-Bastogne-Liege yesterday - but their kit (the 2017 version, at least, or something very close to it) will be worn by the riders at the Tour de Romandie which starts tomorrow.

Officially, Ineos doesn't take over the team - and its sponsorship - until Wednesday 1 May, which is when the new kit will be launched (minus, we're guessing, the signature blue line).

With all but the opening day of the Swiss race taking place under the new sponsor, Ineos is the name Geraint Thomas and co will be wearing at Romandie ... and provide a last glimpse of the colours that have dominated the Tour de France in recent years.

⠀
Cycle-basket
⠀ pic.twitter.com/carcoQoP4e

— ⓑιcιcletⓞ (@Bicicleto_ZGZ) April 27, 2019

Andresen Tobias Lund winner of E3 for juniors @E3BinckClassic@StadHarelbekepic.twitter.com/TALRMVJwqJ

— Alex Vandevyver (@VandevyverAlex) April 27, 2019

This rather odd victory celebration at the Junior BinckBank Classic one-day race was performed by 16-year-old Tobias Lund Andresen, who found that he had time to get off his bike, sink to the ground and then walk across the line with his bike held aloft. Some have accused the youngster of arrogance and over-exuberance in victory, while others have put it down to a young lad who's just proper excited to win a race. 

From Beacon St going east before HPP an area in need of protection. Today, advocates around the world are placing red cups along bike lanes where protection is needed. The #RedCupProject is in honor of Dave Salovesh, a D.C. advocate killed while riding his bike. We #DemandMore. pic.twitter.com/zj5ZsjGCqi

— Bike Newton #mobilitylanes #2019Goals (@BikeNewton) April 26, 2019

Bike Newton, a cycle safety campaign group based near Boston in the US, laid out red cups to demonstrate how motor vehicles shouldn't encroach on bike lanes. Unfortunately this was the scene a few hours later...

Sadly the scene at 7:30 am. There is no reason cups should have been knocked over. No vehicle should have been driving in the buffer. This is the most direct route for people biking into downtown. It needs protection. (Yes we have picked up all the cups and will recycle) pic.twitter.com/dhj97cad7g

— Bike Newton #mobilitylanes #2019Goals (@BikeNewton) April 26, 2019

"No vehicle should have been driving in the buffer", say Bike Newton. The hashtag #redcupproject is doing the rounds mostly in the US, but the call for action is global, say campaigners. 

Unfortunately-named Italian cycling apparel brand Pissei have unveiled their latest collection, paying homage to the 1970's. With the jersey and shorts available in two different colours, Pissei say the kit "has an influence of disco dancing", with a regular fit, breathable mesh at the rear on the jersey and flat straps on the bibs for extra comfort. 

The kit is available now on Pissei's website. 

To any haters on this, it’s a lifetime closer in reality than fifa is to football & there’s some serious money invested into fifa e-sports.

Crucially this is gamifying exercise which can never be a bad thing & may also provide a small stepping stone into people racing outdoors. https://t.co/dhnl12Cnu4

— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) April 26, 2019

Alex Dowsett says the Fifa (the football game) comparison is wholly unfair on bike e-racing, as it's "a lifetime closer in reality"; the idea being that a very very good indoor cyclist could actually have a chance at turning pro in real life, whereas that would never be the case for someone who is really good at Fifa.  

Nikki Brammeier, however (who ran the London Marathon this weekend), isn't so keen...

Is this for real? Seriously this is not what professional cycling is about. I was inspired to race after watching my hero’s push themselves to their limits outdoors on the road, in the woods, in a field. I don’t think I would have felt the same sat watching a screen of avatars https://t.co/FABulxfzYq

— Nikki Brammeier (@NikkiBrammeier) April 26, 2019

Her reply was met with plenty of opinions for and against, with some even saying the British Championships was great to watch...

I didn't think it'd make for a great spectacle but actually, the British National Championships Final races were great to watch - it definitely has potential as a spectator sport - unlike standing on the roadside for 2 hours to see the peleton for 5 seconds!

— vonobox (@vonobox) April 26, 2019

What do you think, should we accept static bike racing as equal to road and track racing? 

Would you trust someone to jump over you?pic.twitter.com/u4C8dQu6nN

— Awesome Cycling (@AwesomeCycling) April 28, 2019

Eagle-eyed viewers might have spotted a new Rapha jacket being worn by members of EF Education First racing Liège–Bastogne–Liège on Sunday. The updated version of the Pro Team Lightweight Shadow Jacket is similar to the previous design but it uses a much lighter fabric.

"Our proprietary Shadow fabric is back, but not as you’ve seen it before," says Rapha. "Constructed using the same technique of stretch weaving yarns dipped in a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment, our new fabric incorporates threads that are just as strong but even lighter. Treated for a second time with DWR, the technique creates an out-of-the-pocket jacket whose feathery weight belies its incredible wind and water-resistant properties."

Unlike most fabrics designed to do a similar job, Rapha's doesn't rely on a membrane. Rapha reckons that this makes for exceptional breathability.

"The woven fabric also provides an element of mechanical stretch and wraps around a rider’s body to create a tight race fit. A full-length, two-way zip allows for easy adjustments on the fly while a reflective armband combines with reflective bands to vastly improve your visibility while riding through the gloom."

Tanel Kangert, Michael Woods and Simon Clarke were all spotted wearing the Pro Team Lightweight Shadow Jacket at the weekend.

We'll ask the nice people at Rapha if we can get one in for review.

Get more details from Rapha's website. 

Introducing Team Ineeoos ...

Ahead of the opening time trial at Tour de Romandie @GeraintThomas86 shows off our one-off kit for the race #TDR2019pic.twitter.com/NDX3CEmyDp

— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) April 30, 2019

So farewell then, Team Sky.

“This is the line ... ”

Yes, that was your mantra.

Some disliked Murdoch’s backing.

Jim Ratcliffe’s response?

“Hold my beer."

In a plastic cup.

(With apologies to EJ Thribb)

"Move over amateurs...
...oh, and helmets are for cats!"pic.twitter.com/XfSmrPaXfL

— Cycling Professor (@fietsprofessor) April 29, 2019

Odd, funny, highly entertaining, perhaps a bit disturbing... the competitors in the video are apparently four years old. Such speed, desire and hunger to win at all costs must be down to god-given talent... that plus some very enthusiastic parenting no doubt. 

You may have seen a thread on Twitter in recent days showing David Bowie taking to the stage in outfits that match the kits of current League 1 [asks editor if that is actually a thing, given that the team I support has been in the top flight for 100+ years and apparently it is].

Anyway. References to North London's leading club apart (the other claimant, it should be noted, was in Middlesex until the mid-1960s), someone has taken inspiration from that thread and done one of Elton John riffing UCI WorldTour kits.

And it is AM-AZ-ING.

Goodbye, Yellow Brick Jersey.

Elton John as UCI WorldTour men's teams: a thread

Team Ineos pic.twitter.com/4FQRaHW1rM

— Joseph Robinson (@joeprobinson) May 1, 2019

A violent offender made off from officers on a pedal cycle in Northampton town centre..
It’s a refreshing change to see our local criminals ‘going green’ in their attempts to evade Police..
He was arrested when he fell off aforementioned cycle..

— Northants Police ARV (@NorthantsARV) May 1, 2019

Northants Police recognising the silver lining of a violent criminal choosing two wheels over four to attempt a getaway... of course, he fell off and got caught shortly after. 

 

 

 

 

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Introducing the new Wahoo Elemnt Roam... full navigational features plus Wahoo’s first computer with a colour screen! Details on road.cc now, review coming soon. #wahoo #wahooelemnt #elemntroam #cycling #bikes #tech

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on May 1, 2019 at 7:18am PDT

The new GPS is Wahoo's first with a colours screen. Read all about it here. 

Mais imagens do novo kit do @TeamINEOS e da nova Pinarello F12. pic.twitter.com/7fB486BFzk

— País do Ciclismo (@DoCiclismo) May 1, 2019

Speaking at an undisclosed location in Yorkshire just in case anti-fracking protesters turn up (read more about that here), Sir Dave Brailsford said: It is the start of an exciting new chapter for us and we’re all really looking forward to our future with INEOS at the helm”. 

He also posed for some (slightly awkward) photos with Ineos head honco Sir Jim Ratcliffe and star rider Chris Froome, with Froome wearing the new kit and clutching a brand new Pinarello Dogma F12. You can read all about the new bike here.   

Data provider Velon has teamed up with the digital services company EY to launch VelonLive, described as "a suite of digital services designed to provide enhanced performance insights and make road cycling more accessible and engaging for millions of fans around the world". The creators claim that VelonLive data tracking system is among the most sophisticated in the sports industry.

Velon has been around since 2014, providing live data and videos from some of the world's biggest pro cycle teams, including Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky).

The new level of live rider data – including real-time updates on riders’ speeds, power and cadence – will be accessible for more than 100 days of racing each year, beginning with the Giro d’Italia 2019 on 11 May in Bologna, Italy.

Earlier this year, live rider data was shown to those watching the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Australia, the UAE Tour and the Tour of Flanders. 

"The data also provides fans with insight into the Hammer Series of races," says Velon. "Not only can fans access additional information via the VelonLive app and website, the data is also shared with organisers, broadcasters and media outlets to enhance coverage of the races."

Get more info from www.velon.cc.

Adam Hansen has to be one of our favourite pro racers. He looks at things from a very different angle and what we get is some brilliant tech.

The best of his creations is his carbon shoes which are incredibly light and perfectly molded to his feet. Here, he's re-wrapping them to give them a fresh look before his next race.

Dave has built a Bamboo Bike. Should we make him have a go at some shoes?

Catch up with the latest edition of EF Gone Racing. It's the final race of the Spring Classics and the heavens have opened.

The Team Ineos Youtube channel posted a video with some of the best memories from the decade-long dominance enjoyed by their riders when they raced as Team Sky; however there wasn't any mention for a certain Tour de France-winning Kilburn native. Instead there are interviews with the current roster including Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, with the former saying "none of this would have been possible without Team Sky". 

The popular presenter will take on the roll for the net three years, and will be involved in promotional and fundraising activities for the Trust. 

We’ve mentioned several times recently on road.cc how the New York Police Department’s standard response to the death of a cyclist on the streets it patrols is to ticket riders in the ensuing days – at times, for ‘offences’ that don’t exist, such as not wearing a cycle helmet, which is not legally required for adult cyclists there.

But now it’s emerged that ‘New York’s Finest’ reacted to a cyclist being killed by a hit-and-run truck driver a couple of months ago by issuing fines to people heading to a memorial ride for her.

Aurilla Lawrence was killed on 28 February, and the actions of NYPD officers following her death have led her father, Kenny Lawrence, to pen a heartfelt piece for Gothamist in which he calls on the city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, to protect cyclists.

“On February 28th, 2019, my daughter Aurilla Lawrence was struck by an oil tanker truck near the intersection of Broadway and Rodney Street in Brooklyn,” he wrote. “The driver attempted to pass Aurilla and came back in on her causing her to lose control. She ended up under the wheels of his truck.

“This driver took my daughter's life, and he didn’t even stop. He left her to die alone on the street as he continued on his way.”

He went on to say: “Far too many families have had to bury a loved one this year because of unsafe streets and reckless drivers. Nothing will bring her back, but at the very least Mayor de Blasio ought to be doing everything in his power to make sure nobody else’s family has to go through what mine has.

“But they’re doing the opposite. I was furious to learn that the morning after Aurilla was killed, police were out giving tickets to bicyclists on the same block where she was struck. The truck driver was the one who killed my daughter and fled the scene, so why were the police out on the street treating cyclists like criminals? Did Mayor de Blasio not understand that many of these cyclists who were being targeted were actually headed to a memorial ride in honour of Aurilla?”

In conclusion, he said: “It’s impossible to feel that way if you live in fear that you might get run down every time you get on your bike. But Aurilla was a fearless bicyclist. Mayor de Blasio, please honour her by being a fearless mayor and doing everything you can to eliminate all this senseless death.”

Proper @letouryorkshire#photography alert @TeamDiData rider Nicholas Dlamini #TeamSWpix@_AlexBroadway_ follow the race all on https://t.co/pZvqP4zLefpic.twitter.com/7TvU8JfmnC

— simon wilkinson (@swpixtweets) May 2, 2019

The weather may be bad on today's stage of the Tour of Yorkshire but it has brought out the best in Alex Broadway. He managed to make the weather look quite beautiful.

"Is the glue on the stickers waterproof?"
"I think so."pic.twitter.com/2R1vvgJdg7

— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) May 2, 2019

A mixture of @TeamINEOS& Nic Dlamini of @TeamDiData have been keeping the break in check. 80km to go and the lead is just 1 min 20 seconds. #TDYpic.twitter.com/DwTjhvsz0H

— Tour de Yorkshire (@letouryorkshire) May 2, 2019

A small break has a lead of just over a minute, but it's the new red and black jerseys dicating the pace of the peloton. 

Anti fracking protests outside the Team INEOS team bus at the start of the @letouryorkshire in Doncaster #doncaster#TDY#TdY2019@DonnyFreePress#fracking@SheffieldStarpic.twitter.com/peFodI2Wo4

— Sheffield Star in Pictures (@pictures_star) May 2, 2019

Things aren't so cheery down at the Team Ineos bus. The full quote from the most vocal man in the middle: "It's unlawful, they're trying to buy the law here. We're checking them out. You've made the wrong decision here. I'm a cyclist myself and you've sold your sport out, you have, you've sold your sport out! If you think this is the end of it, you're wrong!"

The British road champ is still proper Yorkshire, as you will see in this video courtesy of his team Madison Genesis. The Tour de Yorkshire began today, with Swift hoping to add some stage wins to his already impressive CV.

The anti fracking protest is growing in size at the #TdY start in Doncaster #BBCTDY@RadioHumberside@looknorthBBC@BBCYork@BBCSheffieldpic.twitter.com/4ZT3WlwaUe

— Andy Comfort (@andycomfort) May 2, 2019

The race has barely begun yet the protestors are out, making their frustrations known.

We'll keep an eye out for roadside protests and amusing helicopter shots when we get live pictures at 1pm.

Peter Sagan's wheelies? That girl who does tricks while riding the rollers? It all pales into insignificance compared to the skill and endeavour of this gentleman riding through the Greater Manchester suburb of Leigh with a fireplace around his neck, spotted by April Fillingham. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Ms Fillingham said: 

 "I was in my friend's car when I saw this guy riding down the road on a bike with this massive fireplace. We had to turn back and take a better look. It must have been really heavy but he had this massive smile on his face.

"It was pure dedication. He must have really wanted that fireplace."

 

 

 

 

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No bike show is complete without some wooden bikes, never seen a fork tho with a wooden steerer - check out those alu dropouts made from recycled Audi wheels. That bike has 15K miles in it

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on May 3, 2019 at 8:08am PDT

This one has even got dropouts made from old Audi wheels...

Audi driver jokes in the comments, please!

Francis Benali still hoping to restart his charity challenge tomorrow.

Full story here.

DT Swiss has released details of its new Ratchet EXP system (top pic, above) which is said to be lighter, stiffer and more precise than its existing Ratchet system (lower pic, above).

DT Swiss's freewheel system has long made use of two ratchets featuring various numbers of teeth (18, 36 and 54-tooth versions). Two springs push the ratchets against one another so that all the teeth engage when you pedal, while the teeth move apart when you're coasting.

The new Ratchet EXP system is based on a similar concept but one of the ratchets is now threaded into the hub shell. A single spring pushes the second ratchet into the first one so that the teeth engage when you pedal. 

DT Swiss says that reducing the number of components not only increases durability, it reduces the overall weight, improves reliability and stiffens up the system.

"A single cylindrical spring ensures a faster full engagement and therefore an increase in reliability," says DT Swiss. 

"The hub stiffness is significantly defined by the distance between the bearings. For optimal performance it is important to maximise this distance, which is limited by the size of the freehub system.

"In the previous system the driveside bearing had to be placed next to the threaded ring and therefore the distance couldn't be increased. The integration of the driveside bearing into the threaded ring increases the bearing distance, resulting in a 15% improvement in hub stiffness."

All DT Swiss Ratchet system hubs can be converted to Ratchet EXP.

Ratchet EXP will at first come only in DT Swiss's 180 hubs although you can expect it to make an appearance elsewhere in the range sooner or later.

They ain't cheap, though. We don't have UK prices yet but whether you go for a disc or a non-disc version, a road front hub with SINC Ceramic bearings is €261.90 while the rear is €486.90. You can have a Shimano 11-speed, SRAM XRD or Campag freehub body.

They’re off! Stage two gets underway from Barnsley, see you in Bedale... #TDY  pic.twitter.com/ZePEQCWvqw

— Tour de Yorkshire  (@letouryorkshire) May 3, 2019

Take a look at this great video showing the insanity of this part race, part sportive event known at the Magnificent 7.

So much support already for the new team!!! People have put so much effort into making banners and masks. I heard one man say “it’s fracking marvellous”. Not sure the swearing was necessary but I share the sentiment!!

— UK Cycling Expert (@ukcyclingexpert) May 2, 2019

Another fine observation from UK Cycling Expert. Chateau! 

We reported on some of the protests against fracking and Team Ineos in yesterday’s live blog, but speaking at the stage finish in Selby, Sir Dave Brailsford was keen to play down the number of activists.

"I had to hunt them down first because I couldn't find them," he told Cyclingnews.

"There was hardly anybody there, let's be honest – let's be real for once. The 15,000-mob that was to attack me this morning didn't really materialise. That's the reality. There were people there with the right to an opinion and I respect that but they've got a right to their opinion and that's it."

Many have questioned the wisdom of launching Team Ineos in Yorkshire, where the sponsor holds licences to carry out fracking, but Brailsford was comfortable with the decision.

"If we'd had any concerns about launching in Yorkshire we wouldn't have done it. We were right not to have any concerns because there are people here and they're enjoying it. Let's report that.”

Referring to the hordes of cycling fans at the finish, he said: "You might have people with flags but what about these people here? Does their opinion matter any less? No it doesn't.”

Somewhat labouring the point, he continued: "If you have a balance, I can see here now way more people than had flags. That's just true. That's facts and evidence. If you count the number of people here and the people with flags this morning… How many were there? Twenty? And how many here? There are more, aren't there?"

The rise in the number of so-called MAMILs - middle-aged men in Lycra - in Australia over the last two decades has led to cyclists aged 45 and over making up a greater proportion of casualties on the country's roads, according to a new report from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW).

"The severity of injuries sustained by cyclists generally increased with age," said AIHW spokesman Professor James Harrison.

He added: "Those aged 45 and over were more likely to have life-threatening injuries, stay longer in hospital and be transferred to another hospital."

We'll take a closer look at the report on road.cc tomorrow.

Local news photographs don't get better than this, sent to York Press by Grant Parker, the gentleman who is stood in it. In all seriousness, it says in the article that the road has since been repaired, but Mr. Parker is still waiting to hear whether he can claim for the damage it did to his car. That's proving to be an issue as it isn't technically a pothole, rather a hole that was formed due to water escaping and creating a 'void' in the road. A spokeswoman for City of York Council told York Press: “This is caused by water escaping from somewhere and washing out the structure of the road, over time, until a void is created. The road surface will hold up for so long and then the void becomes too large and the tarmac fails.”

This means it's not the council but Yorkshire Water who are liable, and they've apologised to Mr Parker for the damage caused to his vehicle. 

Great Nation-wide initiative. https://t.co/2NWfKrfqi5

— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) May 7, 2019

Wahoo has confirmed that despite a change of sponsor, its products will still be used by Chris Froome and co. In fact, Wahoo has renewed its sponsorship of Team Ineos through to 2021.

The details of the deal mean the team will use Wahoo’s Kickr trainer, which it has been using since 2014, for off-season training and pre-race warming up rides, along with the Climb, Headwind and Tickr.

The deal does not extend to bike computers, instead, the team will continue to use Garmin Edge computers.

“Warming up and training on the KICKR for the last several years has helped me to prepare for lots of races - especially the Tour,” said 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas. “This year the CLIMB lets us simulate the climbing position indoors, which helps greatly with muscle adaptation. With this year’s focus on winning the Tour again, finding every advantage is more important than ever, and I’m glad to have the Wahoo Ecosystem to help me get into Tour-winning form.”    

“We’ve been proud of the team’s success during our partnership,” said Chip Hawkins, CEO of Wahoo Fitness. “When you’re racing for a win at the Tour de France, every small improvement can pay off with big results, and we’re grateful to be part of the winning formula for Team INEOS and our other sponsored teams. After all the success we’ve seen in 2018, it’s exciting to carry our partnership forward into 2019, and through 2021.”

Driving too close to people cycling is an offence and can result in 3 points on your licence. We launch our new #givecyclespace campaign today. RT to support. pic.twitter.com/sB9F1a5ivT

— Cycling Scotland (@CyclingScotland) May 7, 2019

Cycling Scotland's #givecyclespace campaign begins today, with officers taking to the streets on bikes in plain clothes to educate drivers who fail to give enough space. The BBC reports that out of 1,000 people surveyed, Cycling Scotland found that 'most' were largely unaware of the danger of passing a cyclist too close and 73% didn't realise a close pass could land them with three penalty points on their driving license and a minimum £100 fine. 

Cycling Scotland chief executive Keith Irving said: "People who cycle regularly are likely to experience a 'very scary' close pass incident every couple of days and cycling casualties are increasing, in line with cycling's growing popularity.

"Every week in Scotland, at least three people cycling suffer serious, potentially life-changing injuries, usually from a collision with a vehicle. Our new TV ad campaign shows how it can feel to be close passed and increases awareness of the legal consequences for people driving too closely to someone cycling."

The DI2 has a button in there to change the rear mech

— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) May 6, 2019

His teammate Chris Lawless was the overall winner, and Froome dipped into the comments on his Twitter post to explain why Ineos riders appear to hover their thumb on top of the hoods - turns out a Di2 button is nestled in there to make shifts down the cassette. Well if it works for them...