MVDP has been training in Valencian Community. A bunch of Strava KOMs for MVDP yday. Other Alpecin-Fenix riders there (at least): Tobias Bayer, Dries De Bondt, Michael Gogl & Senne Leysen. Some A-F cyclists started camp already on 18/4-19/4. MVDP's first file from 22/4. #Giro105pic.twitter.com/e0RmFkdPQJ
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) April 28, 2022
What's that? The Giro starts with an uphill finish? Aye, I know a guy...
Best commute to work ever! 😉
I know from personal experience that #Chile is making enormous strides in #cycling culture, but this is next level stuff! 🏔🚴🏻♂️🏡#Valparaiso | @bicicultura🇨🇱pic.twitter.com/ZUaRZZ09Be
— Anders Adamsen (@anderspreben) April 26, 2022
"One thing I’ve learnt today is how valuable taking people along on a journey can mean," Ed told his social media following. "The KOM on Sa Calobra is one thing, training, creating videos, sharing the little details on socials to hopefully help or give people something to relate to somewhere is a massive passion.
> Most competitive Strava segment in the world? Ed Laverack smashes Sa Calobra KOM
"I saw that today. Not just from the folks at the top of the mountain, but the groups of cyclists on the road, asking 'did you do it?' Having no idea who these people were made me slightly emotional, but it makes everything I do so fulfilling and worthwhile.
"Professional cycling isn’t the only way to make a living by doing what I love to do. Right, I’m off for another lie down."
What's next?
Bealach next!
— Ed Laverack (@edlaverack) April 28, 2022
We all know who is right, but The Sun isn't interested in that. Just wants to stir it.
— Steve Western (@IlminsterSteve) April 29, 2022
West Midlands Walking and Cycling Commissioner Adam Tranter provided the most succinct answer to The Sun's "who's in the right?" nonsense..."The give way markings might provide a clue" he suggested...
Don't go bringing common sense to The Sun's 'debate', Adam...
Over on Facebook, Robert Skedgell had the pick of the comments: "One of the most serious problems with the driving theory test is that it's been made easy enough for Sun readers to pass"...
Here in the live blog comments section, kinggill offered some always-appreciated local knowledge: "Before the A38 route was opened, the council announced in the media that cars would have to 'give way' when crossing the cycle route (as if one could ever just swing across the Bristol Road!). It caused fury online as per usual 'causes more pollution for me to idle my engine' etc. It is a great route but always heart-in-the-mouth moments at those junctions; a pity as it's one of the few places in Brum where you can pick up a bit of speed."
brooksby did a good job of summing up how most (all) of us feel: "I honestly don't understand. How is it 'open to debate'? Cyclist on cycle path, therefore having priority; motorist approaches 'give way' lines. Motorist doesn't give way, either through a conscious decision or because they just weren't looking. Either way, motorist at fault. End of discussion."
While chrisonatrike wondered if the real meaning of The Sun's 'debate' is: "whether cyclists should be allowed anywhere roads - or indeed at all".
Our cycling heroes. Immortalised.
Meet the 2022 INEOS Grenadiers #Giro lineup 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/UPwuQfa8kR
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) April 29, 2022
Talking of The Empire, here's Ineos Grenadiers' line-up for the Giro. Any talk of a Chelsea takeover hasn't materialised in time for Romelu Lukaku to pull on the Lycra...
In full: Richard Carapaz, Richie Porte, Pavel Sivakov, Jhonatan Narváez, British national champ Ben Swift, Jonathan Castroviejo, Salvatore Puccio and exciting British prospect Ben Tulett.
Thomas Tuchel will be in the team car, with N'Golo Kanté first reserve should anyone drop out...
Exclusive - Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos bid more than £4bn for Chelseahttps://t.co/s9kGd79emB
— Matt Dickinson (@DickinsonTimes) April 29, 2022
We regret to inform @AvVleuten sustained a broken right wrist during a training crash on Thursday.
She underwent surgery at @Rijnstate last night, and is already on track for a full recovery. Send her all of your best wishes everyone! 🙏
More info 👇
— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) April 29, 2022
Annemiek van Vleuten will be out of action for the foreseeable having broken her right wrist during a training crash in the Netherlands, Movistar has confirmed. Last Sunday's Liège–Bastogne–Liège winner underwent surgery last night at the Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem, with no return date yet discussed.
Despite this, the team says Van Vleuten should still be able to be fit in time for the Giro d'Italia Donne and the inaugural Tour de France Femmes, in July.
Did you know it's Local Bike Shop Day tomorrow?
We're really proud to be one of their supporters this year
Kick-start your child’s love of cycling by paying your local bike shop a visit on Saturday 30th April! #SupportYourLocalBikeShop@LBSDayUKpic.twitter.com/q413xCRgvJ— Cycle Sprog (@CycleSprog) April 29, 2022
Sa Calobra has a new king 👑
Hill climb specialist Ed Laverack claims one of the most competitive Strava segments in the worldhttps://t.co/F1W1CSmrZ0#cycling— road.cc (@roadcc) April 28, 2022
Ed Laverack conquering Sa Calobra was one of those rarest of rare news stories that attracts a universally positive reception. Here's the best of it...
peted76 said: "This is great to see! Ed has been planning a crack at this KOM since before COVID hit and scuppered his plans..Chapeau Ed, what a KOM to have!!"
> Most competitive Strava segment in the world? Ed Laverack smashes Sa Calobra KOM
Over on Facebook, Colin Worth commented: "Not bad, I stop to take photos, otherwise I’d expect to be pretty close to that, we’ll never know though." Wouldn't we all...
Paul Winchcombe came to the painful realisation Ed's time is more than twice as quick as his Sa Calobra PB, while Ben Williams reckons he was slower going down...
Rob Slack wanted a shout-out. He's on the Strava leaderboard too...just in the bottom 5 per cent. Mark Markowski noted the baguette, coffee and cake at the bottom is the only thing slowing his ascent down. Me and you both, Mark, me and you both...
Mark Williams commented: "Beat me by about 30 mins but he probably does lots of training which, let’s face it, is a bit like cheating."
Excuse me, don't mean to interrupt, but it's ONE WEEK TO THE GIRO D'ITALIA! ONE WEEK I TELL YOU! 😮🇮🇹🌸🤌🤩 #Giro105
— Katy M is counting down to the GIRO (@writebikerepeat) April 29, 2022
A few days on from his breakthrough Monument success, Remco Evenepoel sat down with Belgian media outlet Sporza to talk through his triumph, including his accidentally high cadence and post-race hyperventilating.
"I accidentally switched two teeth smaller instead of bigger. That caused panic for a while, because my cadence was very high," the Belgian sensation said of his thermonuclear attack...
Remco made La Redoute great again! 🚀 #LBLpic.twitter.com/pfZ2XVRmcc
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) April 24, 2022
"I had a day like the time trial in Algarve. I didn't really hear anything around me because I was so in the zone. Only what they said in my ear came to me. The only thing I felt and heard was when I saw my trainer Koen Pelgrim standing on top. Only at that moment did I look away from the road. He was screaming like the other supporters.
"But I just didn't realise what was happening in the last 200 meters. You can ask my family: I was really hyperventilating after the finish."
The Northampton Chronicle & Echo reports work has started this week to build a mountain bike park on a former golf course. The site, west of Brackmills Industrial Estate, opened for work on Monday to build the Northampton Bike Park where the former Hard Nine golf course stood. Shredding dirt is the new golf, apparently.
The plans include: A multi-user green trail – an easy, dual-direction cycle route across the site, connecting Houghton Hill to the underpass for the A45. Blue (moderate), red (difficult) and black (severe) off-road mountain bike trails for different abilities - dual tracks will allow head-to-head riding. Five gathering spots where riders can meet to discuss the next section of track, and coaching can be provided. A mountain bike skills area.
"This will be an outstanding facility," Cllr Lizzy Bowen said. "We know there are many people in the local area and the mountain biking community who can’t wait to see it up and running. This project continues our work to make Northampton a town fit for the 21st century, with opportunities for everyone in the area to live their best lives."
Yesterday's live blog featured the video of a cyclist using the A38 cycle lane in Birmingham, with its lane-crossing turnings and not-looking motorists...
The clip was fairly uncontroversial, I don't think that's up for debate. A cyclist riding along the route was forced to brake hard after a driver, coming from the left, didn't check to see if anything was coming and pulled out across the rider's path. A fairly common occurrence for anyone who uses a bicycle to negotiate the UK's road network, unfortunately.
The Sun newspaper did not see it that way...
We really didn't want to give their social post the slightest air of promotion, so here's a picture of it instead (with Jeremy Vine's thoughts on the "but who's in the right?" ridiculousness)...
But who is in the right?
😡😡😡 pic.twitter.com/VvOvRRQ5gd— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) April 28, 2022
Amongst the replies: someone who thought the cyclist was riding the wrong way down a one-way street (no, really), "It's a horrible thing to have to say but in this instance the cyclist is absolutely 100% in the right", and this handy advice...
Anyone who doesn't know the answer to this should send their driving license back to the DVLA ASAP.
— CyclingInASkirt (@CyclingInASkirt) April 28, 2022
But that wasn't the end of matters as, in reply to Vine, another rider who has footage from the very same Birmingham cycle lane, said he'd "nearly died there" yesterday afternoon.
You can hear my brakes go on very early, in assumption the driver will stuff up … because they so often do. 👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/5sEueresBc
— Michael Brown 🌍🇺🇦 (@bikelawman) April 28, 2022
It seems running the gauntlet of crossing motorists is just part and parcel of using this infrastructure...
In the words of yesterday's cyclist: "Even when you think you're cycling in a safe place, there are drivers around to show you, you never are."