"Are we this backwards?": Disbelief at town ditching 20mph speed limit...because most motorists ignore it; Police van blocks cycle lane for 36 hours...opposite traffic warden centre; Vine's LTN dilemma; Should've gone to Specsavers + more on the live blog

#lesRP🇮🇹 - 1ÈRE VICTOIRE SUR UN GRAND TOUR POUR GIACOMO NIZZOLO 🇮🇹 ! Lui qui avait entamé ce #Giro avec l'objectif de remporter une étape se voit recomposer de ses efforts, il devance le surprenant Edoardo Affini 🇮🇹 et le maillot cyclamen Peter Sagan 🇸🇰. pic.twitter.com/MRz2OtnOLw

— Paul Moutarde (@PaulMoutarde) May 21, 2021

Having finished second on 11 stages at the Giro, Giacomo Nizzolo finally got a win at his home Grand Tour. Edoardo Affini almost gatecrashed the sprinters' party, rolling off the front in the final 500m to snatch second. However, it was Nizzolo's day. The Qhubeka Assos sprinter kicked from a long way out, rounding Fernando Gaviria and Affini to spark jubilant scenes amongst the Italian fans in Verona. Peter Sagan, leading the points classification, finished strong to take third.

Monte Zoncolan tomorrow...not the usual hellish ascent the riders are used to but a tough way up the climb nonetheless. Will Egan Bernal still be wearing the maglia rosa come Monday?

If you’ve been listening to @robhatchtv referring to building chairs and breaking tables on commentary at the Giro, @GrahamWillgoss just found this gem. All hail Rob Hatch 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Nn9W9Y2u6x

— Orla Chennaoui (@SportsOrla) May 21, 2021

The Boss: “Damn we’re out of coffee!” 🤔
Segafredo: “Say no more” 😉

☕ @segafredoitaliapic.twitter.com/ks018yaAjc

— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) May 21, 2021

Trek and Segafredo have committed to another two years as co-title sponsors of the team Lizzie Deignan, Vincenzo Nibali and former world champion Mads Pedersen ride for. Since 2016 the bicycle manufacturer and Italian coffee company have worked together as co-title sponsors, picking up the founding sponsorship of the women's team in 2019.

During this time the team has won many of the biggest races on the calendar including Il Lombardia, Strade Bianche, women's Liège–Bastogne–Liège and La Course. Trek's president, John Burke, said he is looking forward to a continuation of their successful partnership. "It's been a great partnership between two great brands," he said.

"We're really happy to see that it will continue. Professional cycling is an incredible sport that requires long-term vision and that's exactly why having committed partners from outside the sport like Segafredo is so important for its growth. Between the success of the men's team, and the launch, and incredible success of our amazing women's team, we've accomplished a lot and I’m very excited to see what is still to come."

📹 pic.twitter.com/d5Iu2pTs8g

— Vuelta a Andalucía (@VCANDALUCIA) May 21, 2021

Easy to forget with the Giro dominating our TV screens that there is another race going on this week. The start of today's stage at the Vuelta a Andalucia was delayed by the riders in protest at the lack of attention they feel their safety requests have been given. The CPA riders' association explained on behalf of the riders that their concerns about route choice, gravel descents and potholes on yesterday's stage compromised their safety.

A CPA statement read: 

This symbolic protest is intended to attract the attention of the organisers and the UCI to this important issue. The safety of the athletes must be the priority in the organisation of all races, both large and small and they will no longer tolerate serious shortcomings such as those which were encountered yesterday.

The riders protest against the choice of routes, gravel descents and large potholes, which in yesterday's stage put their safety and well-being in serious danger.

This difficult situation is to be added to the long and tiring transfers to which the athletes have been subjected during this race. They understand the organiser's difficulties due to the post-pandemic period but they ask for more attention and respect to be given to this situation, as this is also a requirement by the regulations.

The HSBC UK National Road Championships will take place in Lincoln. Scheduled for a rearranged slot in the calendar from 14-17 October 2021 the event will begin with time trials on the Thursday before circuit races on the Friday and road races on Sunday. All the national champions will be crowned during the same week for the first time in the event's history and the free slot on Saturday will give punters the opportunity to ride a sportive and the Newells Michaelgate Hill Dash.

No word yet on the route, but event organiser Dan Ellmore did hint that the famous cobbled Michaelgate climb will be used. The event has been put together by British Cycling with the help of the organisers of the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix which was postponed this year due to covid restrictions. Lincoln last hosted the National Championships in 2015 when Lizzie Deignan and Pete Kennaugh won the jerseys.

"Winning my third national road title in Lincoln in 2015 was a really special moment and I’ll never forget the noise and the atmosphere of that day," Deignan said. "It’s a race that all riders want to win and after the past year I’m sure that will be truer than ever this October.

"The growth in the number and quality of female British riders since the last time the race was in Lincoln in 2015 has been absolutely incredible to see and I know that competition for the national champions’ jerseys will be fiercer than ever this time around."

Genuine question. The road I'm approaching — New Quebec Street — looks like it became an LTN today, which is great. It's on my commute home. Can I still go down it on my bike? pic.twitter.com/dlN84wCb99

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) May 20, 2021

Can he? Can't he? A new pedestrianised zone, LTN sounds better, has popped up on our favourite pedalling presenter's commute home. Vine took to Twitter to try and work out if he could still ride down Quebec Street...after all, the sign says pedestrianised zone, but only shows motor vehicles as being banned...

Surrey Police's Roads Policing Unit were quick to say cyclists are still allowed..."Yes. The restrictions apply to motor vehicles only. Unless stipulated otherwise, which the sign did not, so happy cycling."

That first sign is outdated as the regs now require it to have "and CYCLE" added. The two types of zone are below. The left bans all vehicles, bicycles must dismount. The right bans motor vehicles, bicycles are allowed. A part time restriction may be in place though (second pic). pic.twitter.com/IOSy5VAFeY

— Nathan_A_RF (@Nathan_A_RF) May 20, 2021

I went to Specsavers in #Chiswick, as suggested.

It's right there behind all the cyclists stopped at the red light.

(Next to 2 vehicles)#ChiswickChaoshttps://t.co/yiFr9Sp2wppic.twitter.com/oThde2GheE

— Drew White (@drewsonix) May 20, 2021