Susannah Constantine considers cycling six months after apologising for "joke" about killing cyclists; Sidis on the catwalk; Single-speed bike brand says it could lose 30% of business due to post-Brexit tariffs; Racing the tide + more on the live blog

 

 

 

 

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Mathieu van der Poel wasn't in as jubilant a mood as you might expect for someone who had just won their fourth cyclo-cross rainbow jersey. He told Belgian outlet Sporza that he found yesterday's win a bit sad without the normal party atmosphere. "There was a strange vibe without fans," Van der Poel said. "Everyone just went home. That was a bit sad. The euphoria was different than usual. You can't do anything with your team or with your friends. It was very strange. How did I celebrate? A bottle of wine and a pizza with my girlfriend."

Having won his third consecutive world title in the discipline, Van der Poel admitted that cross is becoming less important to him and that it is the rivalry with Wout van Aert that keeps him motivated more than the sport itself. The 26-year-old also suggested he may leave the Tour de France after the second rest day in order to properly prepare for the Olympics.

Take a closer look at the bike that Van der Poel powered to victory in Oostende...

A beautiful example of how coordinated actions works and that it’s doable in a short space of time.

People will choose active travel when, and only when, they have joined up safe space to do it 👏👏 https://t.co/ct60yLD5iE

— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) February 1, 2021

Single-speed bike brand Quella predicts it will lose up to 30 per cent of its business due to tariffs on sales to the EU. The Gloucester-based bike company's co-founder, Mike Mellor, told Punchline the 14% post-Brexit tariff applied to bikes that fall outside the 'sale origin rule' and anti-dumping tariffs up to 45% will seriously impact their business. As Quella's bikes use frames and components that are built in China and Taiwan, the company will have to pay the 'sale of origin' tariff as only bikes that are at least 55% made and produced inside the UK and EU can move between UK and EU tariff-free.

"Our tariff-free Brexit is blatantly not a tariff-free Brexit," Mellor told Punchline. "We sell bicycles into Europe, it's about 30 per cent of our turnover. There is duty on almost every single sale that is going through. Our bicycles are designed in the UK but the majority of the componentry and all the frames are made in the Far East, in Taiwan and China.

"We pay duty when the goods land in the UK. In the past we've popped those bikes to a courier and they arrive in Europe a couple of days later. Now, the bikes are arriving up to seven days later and we are getting charged another set of duty — 14 per cent if they're just applying the goods not manufactured in the country of origin tariff. And up to 45 per cent if they apply anti-dumping as if the goods have been imported from China, when we've already paid the duty.

"It's not what we were promised. About 30 per cent of our sales for 2021 were budgeted for the EU. We just cannot sell to wholesalers at the current rates. It's just not sustainable. We will lose between 0 and 30 per cent of our business."

Ten days ago Ribble announced they would refund the 14 per cent tariff for its EU customers who ordered between 1st-17th January. The announcement came after a would-be Ribble customer in Germany contacted road.cc and warned about "surprises" at checkout for EU residents ordering from the UK. 

Watford Borough Council has removed a bicycle rack at Watford Junction Station following a series of thefts. The council says the decision was made to reduce the number of bikes being stolen. The Watford Observer reports that cyclists have instead been asked to use a secure custom-built facility near one of the platforms that is monitored by CCTV.

On their Facebook page, the council explained the decision: "Due to a number of bike thefts, the bike rack to the left of Watford Junction station entrance is being taken out of action. Cyclists are being asked to use the secure custom-built bike facility at the side of platform 6. This undercover facility has 300 spaces and is monitored by CCTV which feeds into the station's control room."

😛@mathieuvdpoel🇳🇱 retains the title.
The rainbow 🌈 bands are his for another year!#Ostend2021pic.twitter.com/99QcF5TOXL

— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) January 31, 2021

It lived up to the hype, if slightly dampened by an inopportune puncture for Wout van Aert. The course in Oostede certainly gave the TV cameras some great shots...It was Mathieu van der Poel's day with the 26-year-old winning his fourth cyclo-cross rainbow jersey and third in a row.

🇧🇪 @WoutvanAert v 🇳🇱 @mathieuvdpoel v 🌊The North Sea#Ostend2021pic.twitter.com/PABbvjib8v

— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) January 31, 2021