Ride a bike like @JoeBiden😎 pic.twitter.com/CzZcLXnmOR
— MEIDAS-PROTEGE.RCG (@MEIDAS_PROTEGE) January 16, 2021
VeloSkin are offering cyclists the opportunity to try their Chamois Cream and Soothing Muscle Recovery Gel for free (excluding £1.50 postage) with 10ml samples. VeloSkin says their Chamois Cream "lasts for miles and provides the ultimate saddle comfort". It is used by pro teams Ribble Weldtite and Canyon DHB P/B SunGod and they're so confident you'll like it that they'll send you discount codes for your first full-size order.
We've got a full news story coming up but just a quick update here... The High Court has ruled that TfL's Streetspace initiative was unlawful. Streetspace began last May and aimed to create more road space for active travel. However, in her judgement, Justice Lang said TfL "took advantage of the pandemic" to "push through radical changes" to London's streets and that the "ill-considered" response saw taxis banned from using bus lanes. She also said that "the needs of people with protected characteristics, including the elderly or disabled" weren't sufficiently considered. The case was brought by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and United Trade Action Group. Full story to follow...
They make them tough up north...Robert Brown wasn't letting flood waters get in the way of his bike ride. He told MailOnline: "It could get deeper than that. With all the snow coming down of the Pennines and the Dales. I could do with a canoe at the moment." Storm Christoph has brough flooding to many parts of the UK this week with Police chiefs in Greater Manchester declaring a major incident.
Wilco Kelderman and Andreas Schillinger were two of the seven Bora-Hansgrohe riders hit by a car while out training near Lake Garda in Italy on Saturday. Kelderman fractured a vertebrae and sustained a concussion in the crash. The Dutch GC rider, who finished third at the Giro d'Italia in October, said on Instagram that his injuries will force him to take a few weeks off the bike.
"Considering the circumstances, I'm doing fine, will be some weeks off to let the neck fracture heal up," Kelderman wrote. "One thing I know, I will fight back and come back strong. Also a speedy recovery to my Bora-Hansgrohe mates who were also involved in the accident."
Schillinger fractured several vertebrae and told radsport that he believes his helmet saved his life. "In my helmet you can see the cut from a chainring," the German explained. "The helmet saved my life. At the moment I can't imagine I'll be able to race again by then. I'm letting everything happen and waiting for the result from Hamburg. The most important thing is that I get pain-free again and for everything to heal completely."
Max Schachmann, Rüdiger Selig, Marcus Burghardt, Anton Palzer and Michael Schwarzmann were the other riders involved in the crash. Selig also suffered a concussion in the crash which Schillinger described as "unbelievable". "We were on a long, slightly downhill, straight at about 40-45kph. The car drove across the road without braking, and we didn't have a chance. I saw it, but the car was probably going 30-40kph.
"That was unbelievable, driving onto a big road without stopping. And at that moment, there was no other car driving on the other side of the road, so she hit us full on. After that, the woman was in full shock."
Phil Gaimon's attempt to reclaim the Everesting record ended when he pulled up after 5,500m of climbing. Still, a ridiculous ride from the former pro who covered the elevation in 4:34, and according to his Strava data hit top speeds of 92km/h on the descents...Gaimon did the attempt on a climb outside of Malibu near Los Angeles with an average gradient of 16 per cent for a little under a kilometre, which he climbed 43 times.
During last spring's shutdown pro riders looked for challenges closer to home which sparked a spate of Everesting attempts. Lachlan Morton and Alberto Contador both breaking the record in 2020. Sean Gardner holds the current record, climbing the equivalent 8,848m height of Mount Everest on a bike in 6 hours, 59 minutes and 38 seconds.
The Tour 21 will be led by former England, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Nottingham Forest footballer Geoff Thomas. It will involve 25 amateur cyclists riding the full Tour de France route a week ahead of the pros with the aim of raising over one million pounds for national blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia. It is hoped the money can help fill the shortfall the chairty experienced due to the Covid-19 pandemic and all funds raised will be invested into the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP). The national network of 12 blood cancer centres run potentially life-saving blood cancer clinical trials.
"This will be my fifth and final Tour de France cycling challenge since I was declared in remission from chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2005 and I am determined to ensure that this is the most successful and memorable of them all," Thomas said on the challenge.
Definitely more WorldTour than @PGATOUR! 😉🙈
Go golfing with the guys in the latest instalment of Grenadier Cam 🎥 pic.twitter.com/PizHVCIOtD
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) January 19, 2021
Europe's Ryder Cup team shouldn't be too concerned about a late charge for selection from any of Ineos Grenadiers' riders based on this footage. Rumour has it Filippo Ganna, Pavel Sivakov and Michał Kwiatkowski are still be trying to hit the ball now. The team were letting off some steam at their training camp in Gran Canaria, so maybe we can forgive their efforts and put it down to fatigue...
It's not the first time the team's sporting abilities off the bike have been questioned. Remember this crossbar challenge from a couple of years back...Credit where it's due, Chris Lawless is actually quite good.
The BBC reports that urgent repairs to Manchester velodrome have been approved after a report found that investment was needed to prevent "catastrophic" damage. Architects reported that parts of the velodrome were "approaching the end of life" and that if the venue was forced to close then investment to Manchester would dry up with cycling events relocating to other UK cities. The council has said they will repair the National Cycling Centre to protect its long-term future and work is expected to start after the Tokyo Olympics so that Team GB can continue to train at the velodrome.
Lighting, seating, CCTV, suspended ceilings, lifts and trackside facilities are all due to be upgraded as part of the investment although a budget for the project has not been finalised.
Unlock #NOWTVdublinbikes with the new NOW TV dublinbikes app and take them for a spin! 🚴♂️
Lycra and pedal straps not essential 😂@Sammmy_Be@JosephMcguckenpic.twitter.com/rYHBurjC9T
— NOW TV Ireland (@NOWTVIreland) January 19, 2021
Poor Sam Bennett only wanted to go for a casual spin in the park... The advert was filmed as part of the launch of Now TV's DublinBikes, a newly rebranded hire bike service in the Irish capital. Ripped to shreds by a local for his outfit, bike, shoes, body fat percentage, glasses and riding speed...I guess winning the Tour de France points jersey doesn't count for much these days...
Compared to these five bizarre cycling adverts, Now TV's is pretty normal...
Hugely positive news for Lambeth residents in Streatham & beyond. It will have a transformation impact for those who feel that current conditions are too unsafe.
Great to see lower speeds designed in from the start too with ⬇️ speed limits creating a safer high street 👍🚲🚶♀️🌳 https://t.co/BT9jPmDp1Ppic.twitter.com/dYM1JmCNil
— Claire Holland (@clairekholland) January 19, 2021
Transport for London (TfL) has released these plans for a new cycle lane in Streatham, south London. The project includes building a 2 kilometre segregated route with new pedestrian crossings and changes to side road entry and exit rules. The route will also have new trees planted to make the infrastructure more attractive. In a consultation carried out by TfL, 83 per cent of respondents agreed that the proposals would make them feel safer cycling in the area. 70 per cent agreed with the same statement about walking.
Councillor for Lambeth, Claire Holland described the scheme as "transformational". "We know that many groups in society are underrepresented when it comes to using a cycle to get around," she said.
"And we know that the main barriers are accessibility and danger, real or perceived. Only by delivering transformational main road schemes like this one, together with area-wide low traffic neighbourhoods on our local streets, can we make Lambeth into a borough whereby everyone has access to affordable and safe mobility options."
Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner added: "We are doing all we can to support the increased numbers of Londoners who are walking and cycling and help prevent a damaging car-led recovery from the pandemic."
