How serious do Dutch cycle planners take comfort and directness?
For a new “star route” from The Hague’s centre to its southern suburbs, the existing (dark and noisy) underpass below the A4 created a 400 meter detour.
So they built this €12 million viaduct across the motorway. pic.twitter.com/xPPx244pqL
— Melissa & Chris Bruntlett (@modacitylife) August 5, 2021
The Dutch are alright at this cycling infrastructure lark...All to avoid a 400m detour through a dark tunnel. Now compare that to the A12 in Suffolk that had us all grimacing the other week.
“…and you need to move over, so I can get past.”
INCORRECT
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) August 5, 2021
It's just as well this guy got in front, he managed to save himself two seconds of not sitting in traffic time...
We interpret the world through a cognitive lens.
1. I think I’m cycling to get a coffee.
2. This guy thinks I’m deliberately blocking his path and delivering a personal slight.We need a national educational campaign for motorists. And keep it simple!pic.twitter.com/UoWF4Awbyi
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) August 5, 2021
T.I. shared the news on Instagram that he had been arrested in Amsterdam after being caught texting while cycling. The American rapper explained he had been on his phone when a policeman "ran into me and broke his side mirror".
"He was extremely upset. I was out having a great time. I’m still not upset. They arrested me and didn’t even put me in handcuffs. They just opened the door and invited me to the backseat. I obliged."
The rapper said he had ignored the driver at first, thinking he was just a delivery driver and only realised it was a police vehicle when the officer shouted at him to stop. NME reports that as he slowed down the driver of the van pushed against his handlebars, breaking the vehicle's wing mirror.
CRYING LOOK AT HIM CYCLING pic.twitter.com/hNsogZKmGM
— mols (@dr3ricciardo) August 3, 2021
From what little F1 coverage I've seen, Sebastian Vettel seems like an all round good guy. This is just extra bonus points...
Team Ineos are happy to let Geraint Thomas leave unless he takes a wage cut, team director of racing Rod Ellingworth has hinted. The 2018 Tour de France winner struggled for form in 2020 before suffering a series of crashes at big races this campaign. Thomas' Tour de France tilt was left in tatters by a stage three fall.
Reports have suggested Ineos are willing to keep the 35-year-old for a 13th season with the team and have offered Thomas a new deal on a reduced wage. However, the Welshman's career achievements are likely to demand a greater salary, making a departure the most likely outcome...
"It’s still ongoing and the ball is in his court," Ellingworth said. "There are conversations going on and I’ve tried to give him personal support, especially after the difficult time that he’s had but we’re talking to him and it’s ongoing, but if there's a massive offer then there’s no way we’d be able to keep him. We just need to be realistic.
"There’s quite a lot going on around rider recruitment, and not just for next year but also for the coming years after that. There are a few areas for us to work on."
Ineos have already announced the signing of promising Australian Luke Plapp - who won an Olympic bronze as part of his nation's team pursuit squad yesterday. Controversial Italian Gianni Moscon, Sebastian Henao, Owain Doull, Ivan Sosa, Cameron Wurf and Michal Gołas are all expected to leave the team.
Matt Walls earned the honour of winning Team GB's first track cycling gold medal of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The 23-year-old from Oldham, who rides for Bora-Hansgrohe on the road, held off a late charge from Elia Viviani in the final points race to win omnium gold, GB's first in the discipline.
"I came into the points race with a bit of a lead and that was nice to have a bit of breathing room. I got a gap and committed to it, it worked out I got the lap (and 20 points) and the legs were sore after that. Coming in here, everything was a bit of an unknown. The last track race I did was the European Championships last year, which is a long way away," Walls said.
"I came into the scratch race feeling good and won it. I thought then, 'I have a chance now as long as I play it smart.' I knew I had the legs and it worked out."
Before transitioning to the track, Walls was a mountain biker and also dabbled in a bit of triathlon..."Someone said about going down to the velodrome, which was close for me because of where I live. I went there, tried it and loved it. I did more and more as I grew up, got into racing and tried all sorts. I did cross, did mountain biking, track and road. I got onto the British Cycling programme when I was 15, and went on to get a pro road contract which put me in good shape for here."
Right at the top of the list of things I didn't expect to stumble across today is this news that Jeremy Clarkson's daughter, Emily Clarkson, is now partnered with Specialized, promoting the brand's e-bikes. The Instagram influencer shared the news with her 194,000 followers via a well-shot ad of Clarkson Jr and her partner going for a spin through London.
"Alex has been trying to get me cycling in London for the best part of a decade, it took until now for me to get it," Clarkson wrote on Instagram. "But I’m here. Probably because riding an electric bike is about 10 million times easier than the bikes I rode before (statistic made up by me) - although you still have to pedal it really does take the sting out of the hills. They’re fun and practical but mostly they’re just so comfortable.
"We got into central London quicker than we’d have done in the car (and didn’t have to pay congestion) and saw so much more of it than we would have done on the tube. It sounds odd but cycling has just made me really… happy, a huge thanks to Specialized for partnering with us on this, we’re loving it." I wonder what her old man thinks of that? Quicker than a car? Practical and comfortable? Making you happy?
Jeremy Clarkson's career has been the polar opposite of his daughter's pedalling positivity. In a famous 2019 rant, Clarkson said "Bikes can f*@% off" and last year he argued the capital's segregated cycle lanes were causing congestion...
He even managed to squeeze a pop at passing Trek-Segafredo pro Charlie Quarterman into Clarkson's Farm...
But maybe the tide is turning in the Clarkson household and we'll soon see Jeremy out and about on two wheels? Okay, probably not...But on that bombshell...
What makes the perfect vehicle?
The reality of driving in cities is a far cry from what the advertising tells us. Loved working with @Specialized_UK to show there's a better way with Specialized Turbo.
No Traffic. Easy Parking. Zero Emissions. Effortless Errands. pic.twitter.com/ew8hb3rkF0
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) August 3, 2021
Getting Jeremy Clarkson's daughter on board was a masterstroke, and this new advert isn't too bad either...
No Traffic. Easy Parking. Zero Emissions. Effortless Errands. No wonder Emily Clarkson loved it.
Also heard some great gossip from the track this morning - Apparently a nation has complained a certain rider had an aerodynamic aid down the front of his skinsuit - it transpired the rider was just very well endowed 😂😂😂
— Jacob Tipper ️ (@JacobTipper) August 5, 2021
Where to start with this one?
If you’re watching the cycling sprint and you need some context of how the power equates to a normal bike… @chrishoy says get yourself on a Wattbike and see if you can get your output to hit 2600 watts!!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯#Power#QuadsOfDestiny#Olympicspic.twitter.com/HDe46h67D8
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) August 5, 2021
The Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 finally returns in just one month's time.
From Penzance to Aberdeen, eight incredible stages featuring nearly 20,000 metres of elevation gain over 1,320 kilometres await. #TourOfBritain🔴🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/lfTm89EhGW
— Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) August 5, 2021
I'd say the Tour of Britain is my favourite race of the season. There's something about knowing the geography of the race, having visited some of the areas of the route and seeing the pros suffer on your local climbs that makes it all much more relatable.
This year's route looks particularly great if you live in the South West, where the week-long stage race will begin with two stages in Cornwall and Devon. One man who may be on the startline is Chris Froome. The four-time Tour de France winner is going to skip the Vuelta a España and do some smaller races instead. Come on, Chris. You know you want to...
You've probably heard about the upcoming Highway Code changes by now. In short, the updated edition to be published in the autumn will introduce a hierarchy of road users, meaning those with the potential to cause the most danger to others will be deemed to have greater responsibility to those who are more vulnerable. Radical, I know...
On top of this, motorists are also to be subject to guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking riders. Cyclists will also get priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead.
This has been as well-received as you might expect by the sort of people who enjoy a spot of anti-cyclist bingo in their free time.
Susie, for example, shared a photo of some letters in a local newspaper. Topics raised included: red light jumping, ignoring zebra crossings, pavement cycling, ignoring one way signs, riding two abreast, insurance, commuters causing congestion, number plates on bikes, hi-vis clothing and headphones...in other words, the full set.
Our old friend Jeremy Vine spotted Susie's assessment of the situation and had a smart idea...a new tax for all road users. How might that work?
Hello Susie: I'd be delighted to pay a new £10 per year road tax for riding my bicycle.
Conventionally it is scaled up based on the fourth power of weight on the rear axle, so your family car would be subject to an annual £1.3m charge. Hope that's okay — let's get cracking! https://t.co/wZSTdIyQuv— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) August 4, 2021
Here's the notorious Surrey Roads Policing Unit's admin for their take on the whole 'road tax' kerfuffle...
— Blythe on a bicycle 🚴🏻♀️ (@girlonabrompton) August 5, 2021