Our favourite take on that sign-defacing intellectual's day out with a sharpie...
"I'd prefer to be called a spandex-clad twat, instead of a Lycra-clad one.
It's more Rock 'n Roll 🤘," 0-0 commented. 0-0? Nah, it's 1-0 now...
OnYerBike made a good point about how the message actually reads. Forgive me, it's like trying to decrypt some ancient code..."Pretty sure the first line of that vandalised sign reads "Devil'sINGLE FILE". We'll go with that...whatever it means.
mdavidford spotted another: "Strictly speaking, I think there probably ought to be some punctuation between 'file' and 'you' - a comma, at the very least. Also, it actually says 'Devil's ingle file', which is presumably something to do with the fire[place]s of hell."
Clem Fandango made a wider point about suitability of transport to certain spots..."I've had verbal abuse and dangerous passes (including around the hairpin bends) on Box Hill loads of times - always makes me laugh how some drivers consciously drive to Box Hill* (* insert name of local cycling hotspot here) on a weekend, when the weather is good, and are somehow 'surprised' to encounter cyclists. Before losing their sh*t at having to drive slowly safely for a bit. I mean how could they be expected to have foreseen or be expected to tolerate anything but clear roads and a serene, uninterrupted driving experience, the poor lambs?"
brooksby said: "Imagine being so angry, and yet also having the spare time, to go and vandalise a road sign like that..." To which, Shake added: "You slowed me down by nine seconds so I'm going to waste 120 seconds to write this."
The Olympic mountain biking trail in Hadleigh, constructed ahead of the 2012 Games, is to be repaired by Essex County Council following "significant" erosion. The Basildon, Canvey and Southend Echo reports a cold spell last February damaged large sections of the trail, forcing it to be closed.
Most of it reopened following works in the first half of last year, but a further number of issues surfaced since, forcing sections to be closed off again. Mark Rowley, commercial operations manager for Essex County Council, said: "Some works were carried out but there are further remedial works that are still required."
Cllr Mark Dunham added: "We are very mindful that the Haleigh bike trail is a Olympic legacy but the weather in recent winters has conspired against us and we are continually under the cosh if you like with increased usage and the erosion by mountain bike use is really quite significant."
DJ’in on a bike with a baby?!
Hold my beer... pic.twitter.com/U6POstDmBX
— Domonic (@domwhiting) April 25, 2022
For the full set from Brum...
Scrap Car Comparison has decided NFTs are the perfect medium for owners to remember their vehicle by...
When it's scrapped or sold the car-scrappage company will offer motorists the 'opportunity' to "get their (virtual) hands on an NFT of their prized motor to keep for eternity, rather than having to say goodbye when it comes to scrapping or selling."
It's the "ultimate keepsake"...apparently...
Interesting. At least NFTs are completely uncontroversial and never cause a wild social media shitstorm every time anyone announces they're getting involved...
> The angry backlash against NFTs in cycling, and how Bike Club NFT is trying to turn the tide
Oh wait...
12 of the best emergency bike fixes — get going again with these smart bodges#cyclinghttps://t.co/AL6yaL8XBzpic.twitter.com/Y4LLZd1kwv
— road.cc (@roadcc) April 25, 2022
Terrifying crash at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Julian Alaphilippe suffering broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
Romain Bardet, from a different team, showing true sportsmanship to climb down and help, check on him pic.twitter.com/c3ylBAGZIq
— James Dart (@James_Dart) April 24, 2022
Tom Pidcock thinks he broke a finger in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège crash that ended so many riders' chances yesterday. Pidcock eventually crossed the line in 103rd place, more than 13 minutes after Remco Evenepoel. But the Ineos Grenadiers rider was just happy to have escaped serious injury and told reporters at the finish that he had used up one of his nine lives.
Pidcock also blamed a rider from DirectEnergies for taking too many risks at 70km/h, and said the move was unacceptable and had risked the lives of others. It is unclear where we'll see Pidcock next. He had been down to ride the Giro d'Italia next month, but the noises from Ineos suggest he might get his first Tour de France appearance instead...
As if Romain Bardet's stock couldn't get any higher after last week's first GC win since 2013, it turns out, as if we couldn't already have guessed it, that he's a good chap...
Bardet climbing down to help an injured Alaphilippe 👏 pic.twitter.com/bhs5cKnMJ6
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) April 24, 2022
In the aftermath of the Liège–Bastogne–Liège crash which ultimately left Julian Alaphilippe in hospital with a punctured lung and multiple fractures, it was Romain Bardet who stayed with his compatriot until medical help arrived.
No thought of grabbing his bike and getting back to the front of the race, Bardet jumped into the ditch, looking out for the world champion before signalling urgently for help.
Thank you, @romainbardet, for looking after Julian immediately after the crash - a true gentleman 👏👏👏 https://t.co/yItUOOndG0
— Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team (@qst_alphavinyl) April 24, 2022
Speaking to VeloNews at the finish line, Bardet said: "It was just a nightmare. Tom Pidcock and a rider from DirectEnergies crashed in front of me on the right, and I crashed on the right too, but I was really okay. When I looked around I saw Julian maybe five or six meters down, and it was an emotional shock because he was in a bad situation. No one was coming and he really needed help. It was an emergency situation. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t breathe.
"He felt conscious but he couldn’t really talk. I really hope that he’s OK. The mechanic came, then the doctor. The road was completely blocked. It was a really bad situation. After that, I was in shock. The race was gone. I was lucky to escape with no injuries."
Riding into the week like... pic.twitter.com/hmM98Nnxct
— Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team (@qst_alphavinyl) April 25, 2022
Here's all the best stuff from around the site that you might have missed over the weekend...
We were at the Cycle Show at the Ally Pally at the back end of last week, and Anna has rounded up all the best bikes on show. In fact, there were so many we've had to do a part two, including... Vitus, BMC, Ribble, Argon 18 and loads more...
Yesterday, we had the news story from Texas where one custom car shop owner cried he was the victim of 'cancel culture' after a backlash over a video he posted of himself 'rolling coal' over a cyclist he passed. It's almost like actions have consequences...
Sunday was also Liège-Bastogne-Liège day. Unfortunately the racing was slightly overshadowed by a terrible crash which saw multiple riders fall. Amongst them, world champion Julian Alaphilippe, who suffered a collapsed lung and multiple fractures. Annemiek van Vleuten and Remco Evenepoel took the wins in similar race-shattering fashion...
And, on Saturday we brought you a follow-up story to that shocker of a close pass video that was doing the rounds last week. Why? Well, the Alliance of British Drivers rubbished the court decision to fine the driver £417 (plus five penalty points) as "pathetic sucking up to the cycling lobby". They seem like a nice bunch. Maybe that's why they've blocked us on Twitter...
Trying to work out how to add "please read the highway code and stop sucking exhaust fumes"pic.twitter.com/32TKbmwBP9
— noodles (@andykeetch) April 24, 2022
The eagle-eyed amongst you might notice the vandalised message appears slightly differently in our live blog headline. Don't stress, that's just to tidy up all the grammatical errors present...
"Lycra clad"? Yep, that'll need a hyphen. Sure, you're loving the capitals, but only "Lycra" needs one...but by far and away our personal favourite is that it actually reads: "Devil's SINGLE FILE Dyke YOU LYCRA CLAD TWATS!" Cryptic. I wonder what's a single file Dyke?
Who's the culprit? The early money is on 'Chazza'...
Imagine the level of 'bantz' this caused with 'the ladz' down the pub after Chazza did this. Classic Chazza...
— Rich Mitch (@rich_mitch) April 24, 2022
And, some local knowledge questioned the intelligence behind the message (if that was ever not in doubt)...
There's two perfectly functional A roads for cars to use to cross there: the A23 dual carriageway about 500m to the east, and the A283 about 1500m to the west. Anyone driving up Devil's Dyke and getting annoyed at cyclists has made their own bad decisions.
— Georgina Wilcox (@GeorginaWilcox) April 24, 2022
On a more cheerful note, at the bottom of that hill lies the village of Fulking, with one reply noting "they'll enjoy the vandalism of that road sign too".
You'll be pleased to hear there is 😂
— noodles (@andykeetch) April 24, 2022
See, it's not all bad...
At the top, there's the pic.twitter.com/ea3kaVdvcZ
— Matt Southerden (@mattsoutherden) April 24, 2022
It's not the first time somebody's incandescent rage at people riding bicycles (presumably because "they're slowing me down") has caused a vandal to halt their day to make a point by writing on a road sign...
Last April, a coffee shop took the bold strategy of sharing a photo of one such "Beware of cyclists [...] they're c****!" (Correct use of they're. Well done) on social media. Spoiler alert: it didn't go well. I mean, when have you ever met a cyclist who drinks coffee?