SPD Crocs: The must-have cycling footwear for 2021?; Swap wheels for sawmill blades to ride on a frozen lake; Women's Tour postponed; Fernando Alonso out of hospital; Richard Carapaz climbs to 4,800m in Ecuador; Pancake Day by bike + more on the live blog

Wout Van Aert Backs Supertuck Ban
Full vid here @flobikes ... https://t.co/GWu14SWARXpic.twitter.com/z1pT4r9FPJ

— Gregor Brown (@gregorbrown) February 16, 2021

Wout van Aert told FloBikes that he understands why the UCI has banned the super tuck descending position. He said: "We're not really arguing it because I understand why they made this rule, especially if kids are watching. Maybe it's good to show them how you ride a bike properly and not lying on it. For us as professionals it isn't going to make the races safer. I just follow what they say and let's see."

> Swiss Side data claims wind tunnel data shows ban on super tuck and TT positions "will increase aerodynamic drag"

Yesterday, Van Aert said winning the rainbow jersey at a home World Champs in Leuven would mean more to him than winning the Classics, Tour de France points jersey or Olympic gold.

The Inverness Courier reports that Scotland's network of walking and cycling trails helped boost local economies by £1.9 billion. The figure was released as part of a new report into the impact of the national network of trails by NatureScot, Sustrans and Scottish Canals. Scotland's National Walking and Cycling Network (NWCN) includes the Great Glen Way, National Cycle Network and Scottish Canals. 

The report found that walkers and cyclists made 145.1 million trips on the network in 2019, spending just under £2 billion and supporting around 27,500 jobs. On top of this, the reduction in car travel that resulted from these trips is estimated to have contributed a further £108 million, mainly through health improvements.

Another part of the report highlighted the mental health benefits of using the network of trails. 84 per cent of cyclists and hikers said it helped increase their physical activity, 75 per cent said it improved their wellbeing and 93 per cent said it boosted their overall life satisfaction.

"The rise in walking, wheeling and cycling over the past number of months has demonstrated huge public appetite to make happier and healthier journey choices across Scotland," said John Lauder of Sustrans. "Many people, regardless of age or ability, have discovered their local active travel routes for the first time. We now have a huge opportunity to maintain this momentum and deliver a fair, prosperous and green recovery for everyone in Scotland."

Sod the ice. That front wheel would be perfect for tackling those damned extending dog leads https://t.co/r9jtMREFGP

— Real Gaz on a proper bike #fbpe (@gazza_d) February 16, 2021

We knew you wouldn't disappoint...

Team car pic.twitter.com/VUYDYijbPD

— Rob Whittle (@PolkaDotRob) February 16, 2021

If you ever get tired of riding your bike maybe you can take it for a walk like in this video...Chinese researchers have developed a riderless autonomous bicycle that can balance itself, avoid obstacles, detect and follow targets and respond to voice comands. Presumably you can ride it too...

Design Boom reports the researchers from Tsinghua University used an electronic chip to integrate artificial intelligence. "Using just one chip, we demonstrate the simultaneous processing of versatile algorithms and models in an unmanned bicycle system, realising real-time object detection, tracking, voice control, obstacle avoidance and balance control. Our study is expected to stimulate AGI development by paving the way to more generalised hardware platforms," say the scientists in their research paper.

This year's Women's Tour, originally scheduled for June, has been postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are working with @UCI_cycling and @BritishCycling as we look to reschedule the race for Monday 4 - Saturday 9 October 2021.#WomensTour#UCIWWT

— The Women's Tour (@thewomenstour) February 16, 2021

The organisers of the Women's Tour have announced that the race, originally scheduled for the second week in June, has been postponed due to the pandemic. SweetSpot hopes they will be able to run the race in October and have requested alternate dates between Monday 4 and Saturday 9 October instead. The race, which is the only British women's race that is part of the UCI Women's WorldTour, is due to start in Bicester, Oxfordshire before finishing in Felixstowe in Suffolk six stages later. SweetSpot says they are working with British Cycling, the UCI and the race's regional stakeholders to accomodate the re-arranged race.

Eurosport and GCN have taken over the exclusive broadcast rights for both the Women's Tour and the Tour of Britain, which currently remains unaffected by today's news due to its September slot in the calendar.

Women's Tour race director Mick Bennett said: "We are obviously disappointed to be postponing the Women’s Tour from June but hope that by aiming to stage the race in October we can give the teams and public something to look forward to at the tail end of the summer."

YouTube engineer, The Q, will have the UCI sweating with his latest piece of cycling silliness. He converted a bike, replacing the wheels with sawmill blades so he could cycle on a frozen lake. The Icycycle cut through the ice on its first outing but worked once he modified it, adding metal strips onto the blades. His video has now been viewed more than 15 million times...

It isn't the first time the YouTuber with almost 11 million subscribers has done wacky things with a humble bicycle. Last June, he made a fat bike using F1 tyres before in September building a homemade motorised bike using a 25kW motor.

Unsurprisingly, replacing your wheels with steel sawblades didn't make our winter survival guide for cyclists. Have a read for some more realistic cold weather considerations...

Thanks everyone for support . It was very heartfelt. 💙

Gracias por todas las muestras de apoyo. Las agradezco de corazón 💙 pic.twitter.com/U1mV51v68D

— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) February 15, 2021

F1 star Fernando Alonso has been discharged from hospital after undergoing surgery on injuries sustained when he was knocked off his bike by a driver last week. Police in Switzerland have said that Alonso was knocked off his bike by a motorist turning into a supermarket car park. The two-time F1 world champion needed surgery on his fractured jaw.

In a statement, Alonso's Alpine F1 Team confirmed he had left hospital: "After a period of 48 hours observation at hospital in Switzerland, Fernando Alonso has now been discharged to continue his recovery at home. He will now have a short period of complete rest before progressively resuming training to undertake preparation for the start of the season."

The Spaniard was hit while riding near Lugano, in Switzerland's Italian-speaking Canton Ticino, and reports suggest that it was an oncoming motorist who was turning into a supermarket car park who collided him.