Chris Froome will not race until mid-March and, "It is difficult to estimate what we can expect [...] but we are trying to get the most out of it." That's the verdict of Team Israel - Premier Tech sporting manager Rik Verbrugghe who today told Het Nieuwsblad that the 36-year-old is still suffering from a knee injury which had hampered his winter preparation.
We're so excited about the forthcoming changes to The Highway Code that we did this! (thread!) pic.twitter.com/sLzkKv8LXX
— Better Ealing Streets (@BetterEaling) January 19, 2022
Heard about this a couple of months ago - despite noises to the contrary for a while last year, there WILL be a third season of the Netflix documentary on the Movistar team, El Día Menos Pensado. https://t.co/QbiYoZkDXM
— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) January 20, 2022
People in Czech capital Prague will have free access to short-term bike-sharing after a pilot project was made permanent. The Lítačka public transport pass will now give users up to 15 minutes free use of hire bikes, four times a day.
Canadian Cycling Magazine reports the scheme was initially implemented to alleviate the city's congestion by offering an alternative to bus or car journeys.
Having begun in October the three-month pilot has now been made permanent. The stats from the pilot showed the majority of journeys lasted around five minutes, most likely as people commuted or popped to the shops.
Warning strong language. Swearing while you fear that you are about to be killed by a driver using a vehicle as a weapon against you is a public order offence according to the local Inspector. Long thread @SafeCyclingEire@IrishCycle@righttobikeit@CitizenW0lf@ciarancannonpic.twitter.com/49nPBzuNDy
— I Against I (@CyclingForMind) January 16, 2022
Here's a lesson you should apparently consider: don't swear if you're put in danger on the roads...
@CyclingForMind found out the hard way after reporting this driver for a dangerous overtake ahead of a blind bend, only to receive a caution and see no action against the motorist. The manoeuvre came moments before this later footage and "out of fright at being overtaken so close to a blind bend I ended up swearing," the rider explained.
"I could see the look of anger on the driver's face as he overtook. Five minutes later I passed the same driver in a car park. He appeared to be checking his phone. I shook my head at the fact he had time to stop to check his phone but not to wait until it was safe to overtake."
That's where we join the footage...with the driver chasing after to have a few words...
"I was inches away from being forced onto the gravel," they continued. "If I crashed I could have hit the stone wall to my left or gone underneath the van."
In the following 'debate', "he came out with such gems as 'you're swearing in front of my fucking young lad'.
"At no point did I swear at the driver while he was out of the van or make threats against him. Not proud of myself for the language I used in front of the kid but I did not expect a kid to be in a work van when he first overtook.
"I think most people would react the same. When you fear that you are about to be killed you don't have time to consider your words. It was a primal reaction to the most primal fear."
When the incident was reported to the Garda, the inspector cautioned the cyclist for their language, and cautioned the driver for their language also, but "no action in regards to overtaking towards a blind bend".
Despite repeated requests for updates and an appeal the original decision stood. "What message are the Garda sending out here? If a driver causes you such fear that you swear don’t report them or you will end up in court."
There's something very therapeutic about bike build vids. It's like ASMR for cyclists...
Thankfully Richard Carapaz avoided smashing up his new Pinarello, but only just. I say Carapaz almost smashed his bike...an impatient driver almost smashed his gold Dogma is definitely more accurate...check out Near Miss of the Day 700, Ineos Grenadiers training camp edition if you missed that one...
Remember this?
How could you forget...The brand got a fair bit of heat for it when it first dropped, and then got the official telling off from the Advertising Standards Authority, informing Mamnick’s owner Thom Barnett that the ad breached UK advertising code.
However, the company isn't ready to go down easily, and is still popping back at the critics...
— Mamnick™ (@Mamnick) January 20, 2022
You might have heard of Bakers Eddy if you're big into your music...the New Zealand-based band has supported acts like Highly Suspect and The Rubens, and has a new track out called...*drumroll please*...Hi-Vis Baby.
And yes, it's about life as a cyclist. "I could go forever, distance is nothing. I think i feel better because my heart is pumping. If you're in a four-wheel drive you can fuck off because i am not your problem 'cause I am on a journey don't concern you." Catchy.
There are hints of their punk-inspired past, and the band describes its sound as "loud, fast and dirty" which incidently is how I describe my bike (although more often than not loud, slow and dirty would be more accurate).
So where would this chart in our 2016 People's Choice: your favourite songs about bikes and cycling?
Tour de France by Kraftwerk came out on top in that, Bicycle Race by Queen second and Half Man Half Biscuit's See that my bike's kept clean was in third. Any danger of Hi-Vis Baby cracking the podium?