Barcode jacket to ‘protect’ cyclists from self-driving vehicles gets slated; Vuelta highlights as Roglic extends lead; Vinokourov and Jalabert win Ironman 70.3 age group world champs; Close pass op in Cleveland and Durham + much more on live blog tonight

US former gravel  bike racer Ashton Lambie has broken his own individual pursuit world record.

The 28-year-old stunned the track cycling world in September last year when he took 3 seconds off Jack Bobridge’s 2011 world record in the 4-kilometre event, setting a time of 4:07.251 at the Pan-American Regional Championships in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Riding at this year’s edition of the event in Cochabomba, Bolivia, Lambie – who onlyy started racing on the track in 2017 and last winter rode for the Derby-based team Huub Wattbike – lowered the record further to 4:06.407.

The event, once considered the Blue Riband of track cycling, was dropped from the Olympic programme after Beijing 2008, where Sir Bradley Wiggins successfully defended the title he had won in Athens four years earlier.

The Dutch rider proved the most powerful on the climb to the finish in Newcastle upon Tyne, with the day's six-man break swept up shortly beforehand. Matteo Trentin of Mitchelton-Scott keeps the overall lead.

Another perfect finish from @JumboVismaRoad!

[: @swpixtweets]#OVOToBpic.twitter.com/ULHHO8Gl3s

— Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) September 9, 2019

What the fuck are we doing?https://t.co/MrPyLZ0m4g

— brad culp (@bbculp) September 9, 2019

It appears not everyone is happy that Alexander Vinokourov and Laurent Jalabert are finding success at amateur level in age-group triathlon after their pro cycling careers. Vinokourov served a one year suspension for blood doping in 2007; and while Jalabert never served a ban, in 2013 the French Senate published his name in a list of doping tests that were found to show up positive from the 1998 Tour de France. Jalabert's was found positive for EPO. 

Numerous followers of our Facebook page have suggested that neither should be competing given their controversial history in pro cycling - what do you think? 

Cleveland and Durham police’s joint roads policing unit have today launched a close pass operation, targeting motorists who overtake cyclists too closely.

The initiative forms a part of a fortnight-long campaign led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), which aims to raise awareness of bikers and cyclists, as well as providing them with tips to keep safe.

In Cleveland and Durham, an unmarked police cyclist will identify drivers who pass carelessly or dangerously, with those motorists adjudged to have done so given advice or handed a fine and penalty points.

Inspector Jon Curtis, from Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Motorcyclists and cyclists remain some of the most vulnerable on our roads. Through this campaign, we hope to educate and raise awareness of the dangers they face to avoid as many tragedies as possible.

“We’ll be urging motorcyclists to avoid taking unnecessary risks, and other motorists will be encouraged to be aware of other vehicles on the roads. It is everyone’s responsibility to drive safely and reduce the number of serious or fatal collisions on our roads.”

Alexandr Vinokurov becomes the world champion!
We congratulate our general manager on winning the Ironman 70.3 World Championships 2019 in Nice! @alexandrvinokurov #ironman#ironman703#ironmanworldchampionship#ironman703nicepic.twitter.com/B0NYPK5Jpq

— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) September 8, 2019

The Astana GM and 2012 Olympic road race champ is now a fierce competitor in triathlon at age-group level, bagging himself a victory at the Ironman 70.3 world championships in Nice over the weekend. Vinokourov swam 1,900m in 33:55, biked a hilly 90km in 2:24:21 and ran the closing half marathon in 1:25:05 to secure victory in the 45-49 category. 

In the pro men's race, Britain's double Olympic champ Alistair Brownlee came up short against the young Norwegian Gustav Iden. The 23-year-old finished almost three minutes ahead of Brownlee in 3:52:35, and the victory was extra notable because Iden used a road bike with clip-on tri bars instead of the more aero tri-specific bikes that are standard fare in non-drafting triathlon; Iden said the reason for this was simply that he didn't have a sponsor who could supply him with one in time for the race, as he usually competes over shorter distances where drop bar road bikes are compulsory for draft-legal bike legs. 

In the women's pro race it was business as usual for Daniela Ryf, who won her fifth Ironman 70.3 world title. 

A return to the World Tour for @JonDibben1 with @Lotto_Soudal Congrats Jon pic.twitter.com/1VilVnISnH

— Team WIGGINS Le Col (@OfficialWIGGINS) September 9, 2019

After an injury-plagued season saw him dropped from Team Sky, Dibben spent the first half of 2019 without a team. He finally secured a deal with Madison Genesis, only for the team to announce that it will be folding at the end of the year.

Thankfully, he's secured a spot on Lotto Soudal for 2020!

I mentioned Pontevedra in my speech at the @StopKillingCycl Protest yesterday. A city with an inspirational Mayor, who has made radical changes to reduce motor vehicle journeys, which benefit everyone. https://t.co/CH3bcYRtKT

— Caspar Hughes (@countcaspargh) September 8, 2019

s all round for @MitcheltonSCOTT after a perfect team display in the Scottish Borders  today!#OVOToBpic.twitter.com/FSKuOvhhML

— Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) September 8, 2019

It's often the case with one-man breakaways that even though they look heroic, it's inevitable the lone warrior will be caught... but in the case of Alex Dowsett yesterday, it genuinely felt like the British TT champ was one final heave-ho from making it before the sprinters finally caught up with him less than 50 metres before the line. Matteo Trentin ended up with the stage victory, with Dowsett finishing in 7th; the always self-deprecating Dowsett described his effort as "doing a Cummings", referring to Steve Cummings of Dimension Data who has been known to fancy the odd solo victory here and there (often to little avail). 

After Cummings did a Cummings I figured now was a good time to do a Cummings and Cummings’d it off the front. Unfortunately with 50m to go I Cummings’d it up and it wasn’t to be a Cummings day. #ninjastevepic.twitter.com/6v883e6dbX

— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) September 8, 2019

Joanna Lumley says her policy when it comes to driving past cyclists is if they’re on their way to work or whatever, she’ll give them plenty of room but if they’re just riding round for fun then fuck ‘em pic.twitter.com/q0NI2DDp4h

— Fake Showbiz News (@FakeShowbizNews) September 7, 2019

...not really, this is very much a spoof Twitter account! We're sure Ms Lumley drives with plenty of due care and attention at all times.