You can see in the video that James was wearing hi-vis.
Inches from death for both of us. First thing he asked when I got him out of the car 'Did I hit you?' Thankfully not. @cyclegaz@PompeyCyclist@NthrnCyclistTVL@MikeyCycling@gcntweetpic.twitter.com/Y60kfnlYAm
— James Hannaway (@JamesHannaway1) March 11, 2020
The EF Education First rider explained: “My wife and kids had plans to travel from the US to Nice for the final, but given the current circumstances I couldn’t risk being separated from them with no options of seeing them. So I am returning to the US.
“I hope this situation will be resolved quickly and everyone can get back to normal life. I am hopeful this will all blow over and I can continue my season with @tourderomandie and beyond.”
Fernando Gaviria and his UAE Team Emirates team-mates have been kept in quarantine in their Abu Dhabi hotel since the UAE Tour was cancelled midway through last month.
The Colombian sprinter says he has the coronavirus, but feels well.
“I am here to avoid spreading the virus to more people,” he explained.
Another rider at the race, Dmitry Strakhov who rides for Professional Continental outfit Gazprom-RusVelo, has also tested positive for Covid-19 and has been receiving treatment in hospital.
The harsh new statutory law could even land offenders with two years in jail if they're caught with an unlicensed e-bike capable of reaching speeds over the EU-legal limit of 25km/h - full story over on eBikeTips.
🏁 🇸🇮@JTratnik y a cru mais c’est finalement 🇮🇹 @Bonifazio_993 qui s’impose dans un finish de folie.
⏪ Revivez le dernier kilomètre de l'étape 5 de #ParisNice.🏁 🇸🇮@JTratnik was close but 🇮🇹@Bonifazio_993 claims the win after a crazy finish.
⏪ Relive the last kilometer. pic.twitter.com/18y1T8Zmbh— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 12, 2020
Dispatch are on it. Thank you!
— Pedal Me (@pedalmeapp) March 12, 2020
Typical! Bike now back in our custody. Should be back in service within the hour. Thanks for raising the alarm and trying to prevent the theft!
— Pedal Me (@pedalmeapp) March 12, 2020
We chased the bike down and it was abandoned by the thief in Holloway.
— Pedal Me (@pedalmeapp) March 12, 2020
This includes the We Ride Flanders sportive, which has around 16,000 riders.
We have decided to postpone all of our Peloton recreational cycling events up to April 19, including @RondeVlaanderen cyclo, until later this year. Concerning the pro events we will await further advice from authorities but we will of course understand any decision taken.
— Tomas Van Den Spiegel (@tomasvds) March 12, 2020
You can find the latest news on other major cycling events on our Corona Watch page.
A massive proportion of cyclists who had booked to stay in Mallorca during March and April have now postponed their trips, according to The Business Association of Balearic Travel Agencies (AVIBA).
Last year an estimated 20,000 cyclists descended on Mallorca between March and April, but The Olive Press reports that local hoteliers are suffering an ‘exponential’ cancellation of bookings.
“The situation is very delicate and the level of activity from cyclists compared to last year has decreased by 40 per cent,” said an AVIBA spokesperson. “Almost all destinations in Mallorca have been impacted.”
When you need to get your kid to school 😂 pic.twitter.com/x2BjUdi0TJ
— Awesome Cycling 🚵♀️🚵♂️ (@AwesomeCycling) March 12, 2020
NL Times reports that over 3,800 e-bikes were reported stolen to Dutch bike insurer ANWB last year – 38 per cent more than the year before.
This is not entirely unexpected with some 420,000 e-bikes were sold in the Netherlands last year – 40 per cent of total bike sales.
"Until recently, the plug-in bike was mainly used for recreational purposes by older Dutch people," said an ANWB spokesperson. "But now masses of pupils ride them to school and commuters take them to work."
They added that, "shopping centres, train stations and entertainment areas in particular are true theft hotspots."
The figures were confirmed by Enra, the Netherlands’ other major bike insurer. They said that while conventional bikes were mainly stolen by opportunistic thieves, the high value of e-bikes made them a focus for organised crime.
"Most stolen electric bicycles cross the border straight away," explained Jeroen Snijders Blok of SAFE, an organisation that works to combat bicycle theft. He said the fact that e-bikes are widespread in the Netherlands, but not yet in the rest of Europe was a factor.
British athletes competing at this year's Olympic Games in Tokyo will have more opportunities to thank sponsors as part of a compromise agreement with the British Olympic Association (BOA).
The BOA’s 'Rule 40' protects the exclusivity of the International Olympic Committee's major sponsors, but a number of high profile athletes have said they find it unduly restrictive.
Former track sprinter Callum Skinner has previously said he found his British Cycling contract limited his commercial opportunities as the sport’s governing body has a series of large commercial partners who are offered exclusivity.
Late last year a group of athletes led by Adam Gemili launched a legal challenge against the BOA and the two parties have now reached an agreement.
Andy Anson, the BOA’s recently appointed CEO, said: “This agreement allows athletes to further benefit from their personal sponsors whilst balancing the needs of the BOA to raise funds to support all athletes at the Games.
“I’m grateful that Adam [Gemili] and his colleagues took the time to work with us to find a solution.
“We have always been and will continue to be supportive of athletes maximising their earning potential and having sponsors at a national or local level.”
Gemili said: “As an athlete group we are pleased to have reached an agreement with the BOA that moves us into line with other Olympic federations and that provides every athlete an equal and fair chance to generate sponsorship revenue in the build up to and during the Games.
“I would like to say thank you to the BOA for facilitating an open dialogue and recognising and addressing the concerns of the athlete body.
“Most importantly I would like to thank my teammates who have supported this movement both openly and behind the scenes, together we have made a real difference and demonstrated the strength of unity.”
National cyclo-cross champion, Tom Pidcock, is down in South Africa for the Cape Epic mountain bike stage race.
He warmed up with the Songo.info Champions Race, in which he came third.
And here he is going down the G-Spot mountain biking trail yesterday.
"In view of the health news and the measures taken throughout France, it is with deep sadness that the Tour de Bretagne cycliste takes the decision to cancel its 54th edition which was to take place from April 25 to 1st May 2020."
🚨 INFORMATIONS 🚨
Au vu de l’actualité sanitaire et des mesures prises sur l’ensemble du territoire français, c’est avec une profonde tristesse que le Tour de Bretagne cycliste prend la décision d’annuler sa 54ème édition qui devait se dérouler du 25 avril au 1er mai 2020.
1/4 pic.twitter.com/ZOViKAleAF
— Tour de Bretagne (@tourdebretagne) March 12, 2020
For an overview of cancellations and postponements of cycling events, see our Coronovirus Watch page.
Not as wide as these, we'll wager. We've reviewed the Ritchey WCS VentureMax bar in a 44cm width, and found them good for a wide range of riding. If you're heading off road and you want more control, or somewhere to sling a big bar roll for your camping gear, you might need more real estate than that. Enter the Ritchey WCS VentureMax XL in a whopping 52cm width.
"Taking the idea of the original alloy WCS VentureMax to the next level, the WCS VentureMax XL features all of the goodness of the original bar but widens it way up to a full 52cm", says Ritchey. "Appealing especially to the bikepacking community, the WCS VentureMax XL offers ergonomic tops for a more comfortable hand position, and the wider grip ensures more off-road control and stability when fully-loaded. Plus, there is plenty of real estate on either side of the stem for mounting accessories and bags. Additionally, the WCS VentureMax XL also features a 4.6° back sweep, aero-shaped 38x22.5mm tops, and drilling for a Shimano EW-RS910 junction box."
If you're interested in fitting bars to your bike that definitely wont fit through those daft bike gates on shared use paths then the XLs are €104.95 and available on Ritchey's website.
The London Bike Show and Triathlon Show: London will be postponed until July 3-5 2020 following the escalation of COVID-19 Coronavirus across Europe and the UK.
In a statement, organisers said: “We have been following UK government guidelines and working with the rolling advice from the public health authorities and other organisations, but it is now with reluctance that we have taken the decision to postpone the event at this time.
“The safety and wellbeing of our staff, exhibitors, visitors, partners and contractors is of the utmost importance to us, and therefore feel the protection and prevention of harm to the public has been paramount to this decision.”
Exhibitors’ bookings will be transferred to the new show dates.
Visitors’ tickets will be automatically transferred to Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July, and will be valid on any day that you wish to attend – simply come along with your existing ticket to gain access.
If you are unable to attend on any of the new dates, you can contact https://www.seetickets.com/customerservice and they will be able to arrange a refund.
To check the status of other cycling events, see our Coronovirus Watch page.
The Road Race - Saturday 20 June - at the 2020 @HSBC_UK | National Road Championships ⬇️
Start – Centenary Square Birmingham 🚩
Finish – Wolverhampton 🏁More info 👉 https://t.co/IC0fXTbRTf#NationalRoadChampspic.twitter.com/QgTVP1kDPE
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) March 12, 2020
Volta a Catalunya cancelled due to government restrictions, according to Spazio Ciclismo (h/t @OdvartJames) https://t.co/uPeh1M3ob5
— José Been (@TourDeJose) March 12, 2020
For more information on whether cycling events have been cancelled, postponed or are still on, see our Coronavirus Watch report.
You’ll have immediately noted the ‘could’ in that headline.
The BBC reports that the government is to open a consultation on whether to give local authorities more parking powers. Various options will be considered.
At the minute, pavement parking is only banned in London where a law was introduced in 1974.
The aim of it is not just to prevent pedestrians, including wheelchair users, people with baby buggies and the visually impaired, from being obstructed – it also seeks to limit damage to footways.
I used to have to get a pushchair across the pavement below on my way to my daughter’s nursery.
As you can see, it is fucked. And as you can also see, drivers are prone to parking on it.
I mean just look at it.
The AA agrees that people who park in an anti-social way should be penalised, but is against a ban.
"An outright ban could lead to unintended consequences with parking chaos becoming more widespread.
"A better solution would be for councils to make a street-by-street assessment and where pavement parking could be allowed it be clearly marked and signed."
Bradley Wiggins is fronting a new Comedy Central show where British athletes take on members of the public in a series of challenges that are sort of semi-related to their respective sports.
It's called Gods of the Game. Here’s the trailer. Wiggo appears to be gigantic and that’s actor Tom Rosenthal, son of sports presenter Jim Rosenthal, badgering him.
Gods of the Game is on at 7.30pm tonight.
The opening episode features Chris Hoy on a pedalo.