🚴♀️ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 🚴♀️
1️⃣ @lorenawiebes
2️⃣ @Elisa_balsamo
3️⃣ @emmanorsgaard1#RideLondon | #RideLondonClassiquepic.twitter.com/Ni7IRZJQdK— RideLondon (@RideLondon) May 27, 2022
Lorena Wiebes was the winner of the opening stage of the RideLondon Classique in Essex this afternoon. She beat world champion Elisa Balsamo and Emma Norsgaard to the line and takes the leader's jersey as a result. Tomorrow looks like another Essex sprint stage, before Sunday's central London circuit race.
The top ten of stage 1️⃣! 👇#RideLondon | #RideLondonClassiquepic.twitter.com/ivnfMtCc9i
— RideLondon (@RideLondon) May 27, 2022
I get Schmid's frustration, but come on. Has he never seen a criterium? You can't complain about a rider not holding their line in a sprint when there's tight lefthand turn in the final 100m. It's a fight for the inside line. Bouwman won that fight. #Giropic.twitter.com/Kuez3xa9ox
— Neal Rogers 🇺🇦 (@nealrogers) May 27, 2022
From contending for a Giro d'Italia stage win to riding face first off the course in a matter of seconds...
🚴🇮🇹 | Haha, wow... Wat een ontknoping! De halve kopgroep schiet rechtdoor in de laatste bocht... en dus wint Bouwman?! Was dit legaal, is dit oké? 🙌💙 #Giro
📺 Koers kijk je op discovery+ pic.twitter.com/ooqP7llS36
— Eurosport Nederland (@Eurosport_NL) May 27, 2022
Reporting from the finish area, Bradley Wiggins said there had been a few angry words exchanged between the breakaway riders after this bizarre end to today's stage. Approaching the sharp final bend, eventual stage winner Koen Bouwman accelerated past Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's Mauro Schmid, narrowly avoiding his front wheel as they rounded the bend.
Schmid locked up, moving across into the path of Andrea Vendrame, who in turn dominoed towards Atilla Valter. The two unfortunate riders were sent straight towards a run off area, thankfully unbarriered, but were left extremely frustrated at having missed their chance. Schmid, Valter and Vendrame all crossed the line gesticulating their disgust...
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) May 27, 2022
This could be very interesting to keep an eye on...
In the GC group, once again, nothing changed...despite the attacking efforts of Richard Carapaz, Jai Hindley and Mikel Landa. Hindley and Carapaz are seperated by just three seconds ahead of tomorrow's final mountain stage...
All shall be revealed next week!
It has finally happened. pic.twitter.com/oACBAUrQYf
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) May 27, 2022
Shout out to road.cc reader Dougie for delivering the goods...
> "Did a car write this?": Bizarre anti-cycling paintwork warns 'no bycles' allowed
The bycles warning is no more..."the spelling bee champion is out to fix it" he reported live from the scene...
This is a nuts final kilometre 🥴 pic.twitter.com/ptWVmkEc3u
— Tilda (@matildaprice_) May 27, 2022
Local knowledge suggests there's a pretty testing 8 per cent gradient before the sharp bend, which might make things a little safer...
Anybody with a pulse can do it…
— Peter Brommer (@pbro48) May 26, 2022
> Tyre Extinguishers target SUVs on home turf of the ‘Chelsea Tractor’
🇦🇺 @richie_porte drops out of the Giro 🙁
🇦🇺 @richie_porte abbandona il Giro 🙁#Giro
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 27, 2022
Richie Porte's final Grand Tour has ended, with an illness seeing the Ineos Grenadiers pro dropping out the race with 80km to go on stage 19. Eurosport and GCN+ on-motorbike reporter Sir Bradley Wiggins said he had seen the Australian throwing up, and shouted "gastro" to him — suggesting a stomach problem.
Cycling UK has launched its fifth route: 145 miles (234km) through Kent starting in the village of Wye, near Ashford. The loop was launched on Kent Day, yesterday, as part of Cycling UK's EXPERIENCE project and the Queen's Jubilee celebrations.
The Cantii Way is designed to be "a perfect introduction to multi-day cycling and can be ridden in one go over three to four days as it passes through Canterbury, Whitstable, Folkestone, Dover and Dungeness."
"Using a combination of quiet ways, country lanes, byways and bridleways the route is designed to be manageable by anyone of reasonable fitness on most types of bike. Making use of part of the North Downs Way Riders’ Route that Cycling UK launched in 2018 in collaboration with Kent Downs AONB, the Cantii Way takes riders deep into Kent’s rich history, vibrant modern culture and natural beauty," Cycling UK says.
When I was a kid I was flying down a hill in a mates cul de sac, and I pulled the back brake hard to skid it round in front of his house. Turned a bit too hard, ended up facing the opposite direction and going over the back wheel.
— Oli (@dudeoli) May 27, 2022
Kapelmuur nominated a friend with some extraordinary tales of cycling stupidity: "This reminds me of an accident prone chap I met on a ride a few years ago. One of his collisions with a parked car resulted in him crashing through the rear window and landing in the back seat.
"He also got his front wheel stuck in a cattle grid and was catapulted over the bars, I couldn't work out how that was possible. His best was setting up rollers in his living room, riding off the end of them, sweeping a clock, ornaments and photos off the mantelpiece and wrecking the coffee table he landed on.
"He has survived though, I still see his name on Strava."
Cycling into a @WorldBollard I'm still blushing at the thought.
— Birdy (@BiddyBike) May 27, 2022
nosferatu1001: "Cycling along a new path I've not been down before, looked back for a second to shout about how good a path it was, look back to see a hidden collapsed bit of path down into the river right in front of me. About 3 feet across and too close to avoid. Just managed to hook the front wheel up and kept speed up so it made the other side. Bit of a bump but otherwise ok.... Timing was immense."
I lost a vital gear component off my bike, as I fixed a puncture, 40kms into a 4,000km ride
Found the component after an hour of frantic searching through long grass…still having flashbacks 😱
— Kris (@climb8b) May 27, 2022
PRSboy added another second-hand tale: "Back on the 'stupid things on bikes' theme, a friend was in a group in a sportive, when a bloke decided he'd remove his gilet, pro style, whilst pedalling along at 40kmh. All was apparently going well until he got the garment stuck on the left brake hood as he packed it up..."
😬
I have too many of these tales to tell 😵
— Mike Anton (@M1ke_A) May 27, 2022
Amore Infinito 🥰@ADM_RossodiBuja
🇮🇹 #Giropic.twitter.com/KCs25NltDZ
— Israel – Premier Tech / Israel Cycling Academy (@IsraelPremTech) May 27, 2022
@mathieuvdpoel we are waiting for you!! pic.twitter.com/Jw8Vsg8cIN
— Svit Kramar Ros (@ros_svit) May 27, 2022
Left the original tweet in so you can see your stage 19 breakaway — KOM jersey holder Koen Bouwman has to be the heavy favourite if it goes the distance. Teammate, and yesterday's second place, Edoardo Affini is on the front powering the miles away...
The break has nine and a half minutes with 105km to go...looking good for Jumbo-Visma...
'Is it just a money-making ploy?'
Donnachadh McCarthy. co-founder of 'Stop Killing Cyclists' says it is entitled for drivers to go over 20mph in certain areas and safety has to come first. pic.twitter.com/kTeGS2ygis
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 27, 2022
Co-founder of Stop Killing Cyclists Donnachadh McCarthy was on Good Morning Britain this morning to take part in a debate about 20mph speed limits, which was framed as: "Are 20mph cameras a war on drivers?"
On the ITV morning show, McCarthy was making the case for the cameras, while broadcaster Edward Adoo argued there is "no logic" to 20mph cameras being live in the early hours of the morning when "there is no-one around".
The 'debate' came after a 20mph camera in Plymouth detected more than 23,500 speeding drivers before it was officially switched on— including 1,100 in the first 24 hours alone.
McCarthy said Adoo's claim the cameras should be switched off during quieter times was "the voice of entitlement".
"We're listening to the voice of entitlement," he said. "He talks about families. What about the family of kids who are being killed? The idea that we put the idea of a £100 fine against saving lives is shocking to me. At night time there will be nurses coming home from the night shift. There'll be parents going to work on the Good Morning show."
At this point the host interrupts to make the point..."But they'll be in cars. They won't be at risk of being hit, one would imagine"...erm, right...okay...because nobody in a car has ever hit another vehicle...
Showing the patience of a saint, McCarthy corrects: "Sorry, they could crash into another driver. This is actually safety for everybody. The idea that we have not enforced 20mph zones is a disgrace. Five times more people will be killed at 30 (mph) than 20 (mph). Why have the police not enforced it up to now? This is good news for families, good news for kids."
'There's no logic.'
Motorists have reacted with fury to the appearance of 20mph speed cameras catching thousands out.
But are these cameras a 'cash cow' or much-needed to keep us safe? pic.twitter.com/qpENIoYPkO
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 27, 2022
📸 The peloton moves through the beautiful Essex countryside in the early stages of Stage One
Follow the action on our live blog: https://t.co/Ah8DKbhZQ1#RideLondon | #RideLondonClassiquepic.twitter.com/nfPgvR9fkW
— RideLondon (@RideLondon) May 27, 2022
It's not just the Giro today. The Women's WorldTour peloton are rolling through the Essex countryside on stage one of the RideLondon Classique. 100km to go until the stage finish in Maldon: British champ Pfeiffer Georgi, world champ Elisa Balsamo and Lotte Kopecky are just three of the names competing.
There's another stage in Essex tomorrow, before the central London circuit race finale on Sunday...
Live blog favourite Ryan is on his honeymoon so, naturally, has taken the lucky lady to watch the Giro d'Italia...no, really...
Here are some of his snaps from yesterday's stage finish in Treviso...
Cargo bike car valet in Hackney. Peak irony. Kudos pic.twitter.com/cyouoWzvvw
— Bob From Accounts 🚲 (@BobFromAccounts) May 27, 2022
Even in the supposed safety of a retail establishment it seems bicycles are not safe from harm...
All our staff are ok and it appears no one was injured. I’ve always wonder how a driver hits a building? Now I can ask one who’s done it. pic.twitter.com/UxEFAo1jc5
— Sweet Pete's (@SweetPetesBikes) May 26, 2022
Toronto drivers crash into buildings on a semi-regular basis, but it’s a little on the nose to crash directly into a bike shop. pic.twitter.com/PMveu4sQiq
— Alex Mather (@AlexDRMather) May 26, 2022
Toronto-based Sweet Pete's at least tried to see the funny side (if you don't laugh you'll cry, and all that)...
And in case you weren’t sure our shop in limited to a speed of 0.0kph
— Sweet Pete's (@SweetPetesBikes) May 26, 2022
If only Sweet Pete's was using the cycle shop lane then none of this would have happened...
Most drivers wait until the bikes are sold.
— Medium Rick (@e46rick) May 27, 2022
Yes, should have had some @Bontrager day time running lights flashing on the front of the shop.
— Sweet Pete's (@SweetPetesBikes) May 27, 2022
Sorry, but I have to ask - was your shop wearing appropriate reflective clothing?
— Mississauga's #1 Mantis Fan (@DuncanIdunno) May 27, 2022
“I’ll get the milk”
ride the 1/4 mile to the petrol station, pop a wheelie over a kerb when i remember i hadn’t done up the front wheel after the bike had been on a roof rack… got the milk and a broken wrist https://t.co/KGmUXbZduG— Jo Burt (@VecchioJo) May 27, 2022
road.cc contributor Jo should have taken a horse to the shops...ask Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority if you have no idea what I'm talking about...
Brace yourselves for the most eye-watering reply I think I've ever put on the live blog...
The entire story is lengthy, but riding into the back of a Vauxhall Viva and causing my love plums to explode would be a particular low point.
— Dirk Kildair (@Dirk_Kildair) May 27, 2022
On the funnier end of the scale...
Noticed a bar plug was sticking out so walloped it back in with palm of my hand and steered off the road into a hedge...
— Plastik Edukator (@ManyFacedTMan) May 27, 2022
Trying to extract a crank that was still very firmly bolted to the bottom bracket. @aweepedal knows about this. https://t.co/bnnlESKC3G
— 𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 (@overlandertheb1) May 27, 2022
My seat snapped off just as I left work with 19 miles still to go...
— Lennie: always Antifa 🇺🇦 (@drgs100) May 27, 2022
Here on the live blog, you commenters have had your fair share...
Steve K said: "In the days when I thought it was ok to chuck banana skins into hedgerows, I tried to do exactly that with a good hard throw, whilst completely forgetting about Newton's Third Law, and only just managed to keep the bike upright."
Rendel Harris commented: "Most stupid moment on a bike: coming off the Col de Madone on a hire bike, having pompously drilled into Mrs H ad nauseam that they were a continental setup with the front brake on the left, leaning it into the first hairpin, overcooking it slightly and promptly forgetting myself, grabbing a handful of what I thought was front brake and going into a big sideways drift as the back wheel locked up. Managed to get it upright just in time for Mrs H to coast by on my inside, murmuring, 'Forgot, did we?'."
Keep 'em coming...
Yesterday, Peter McKinnon asked: "Question. Why do cyclists think they’re vehicles?" and got the educational response you'd expect...
By the evening he'd changed his tune...
My bad guys 🚴♀️🚴🚴♂️❤️☺️ pic.twitter.com/9iif4Gji8k
— petermckinnon (@petermckinnon) May 26, 2022
Most stupid moment youve ever had on a bike? Ill go first. mudguard rubbing against tyre around front fork. Thought “a good knock will probably line that back up” so thumped the front mudguard behind the fork whilst cruising along. A miracle im still alive. Your turn.
— Stephen (@NorthRoadSte) May 26, 2022
Let the floodgates open...
Not zipping up my back pocket with a buff in it… pic.twitter.com/GieQWwWZp0
— Phil B (@phil_b) May 26, 2022
Went to hold on to a bollard at a set of traffic lights to save unclipping. It was one of the flexi ones.
Need I say more?!— Liz (@misslizmanning) May 27, 2022
Hmmm, the difficult thing for me is deciding which one counts as most stupid...
There was the busy commute unclipping fail, but that was more a result of stubbornly avoiding buying new cleats until the old ones couldn't...well, unclip...
Somehow getting a ball bearing in my frame is up there too...that's a rattle that's hard to get rid of...
Or how about as a very young kid, having just learnt how to ride a bike without stabilisers when I decided trying to cycle with my eyes closed would be a good idea...*narrator: "It was not a good idea"*...our neighbour's hedge never was the same again...
Riding home from lacrosse practice. My mate told me to watch out because I might get my lacrosse stick stuck in my spokes.
"Don't be daft" I said, "It'll never fit in between the spokes. And jammed it at the wheel to prove my point.Lacrosses sticks will fit between the spokes.
— Jon (@Jontafkasi) May 26, 2022
Forgot I was wearing cleats. Forgot to unclip at a red light, on a main road under spaghetti junction in Birmingham. It was rush hour and I fell off to the side. I can still hear the lads in the white van behind me howling with laughter. 🤪
— Peter Bailey (@FWPeterBailey) May 26, 2022
Thought if I carried on towards the badger that was crossing the road it would scurry out the way before I got there, and save me swerving to avoid. It didn’t. Just stared at me as I ran over it, then chased me down the road. Scared the shite out of me.
— Marc Ruse (@marcruse) May 26, 2022
Come on, don't be shy... get your most stupid cycling moment in the comments...we promise not to laugh too much...