Three men's pro bike races finishing simulatenously...some afternoon to be a cycling fan...
The last of the three is the most significant (in our book) thanks to Trek-Segafredo's Mads Pedersen getting his arms aloft aboard the brand new, recently spotted, Trek Madone. Oh, we did a video on that if you missed it last week...
Glorious! Well done Mads! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/e3Ud88krsA
— Anna Mac (@AnnamacB) June 15, 2022
Elsewhere in the racing world, Daryl Impey rolled back the years to beat former teammate Michael Matthews on stage four of Tour de Suisse, while Tadej Pogačar returned to action at his home race — Tour of Slovenia.
It wasn't he who won today's opening stage however...instead, teammate and likely soon-to-be key Tour de France domestique Rafał Majka took that honour.
Most importantly of all though...Ryan's old training buddy Matty Teggart won the first stage of the Rás over in Ireland. One, two, three...no, four bike races...to keep an eye on today...
Tech editor Mat is currently in the process of putting together a state of the industry piece to give you an in-depth overview of the bike industry. In the meantime, Merida UK's boss has made some interesting comments on the subject.
Talking to Cycling Industry News, Chris Carter noted: "The market appears to have plenty of what it doesn't need right now and not enough of what it does need. For example, there is stock of entry-level MTB and hybrid, but not enough carbon road and e-bikes."
And on outside investment?
"In my view, the jury is out. One of the advantages or disadvantages of having been around for a while is a lot of experience and a hefty dose of cynicism.
"Ribble are consumer direct, with venture capital backing; they have lost £10m in the last three filing on companies house, with the business supported by significant loans.
"The cycle market is seen as this amazing opportunity due to the Covid boom, with extrapolations of the exceptional demand and lofty ambitions, but the reality has always been the cycle industry is a low margin industry."
Cyclist gets knocked off bike by leopard in India pic.twitter.com/zmGSgWmUGZ
— The Independent (@Independent) June 15, 2022
Shout out to @JumboVismaWomen who had me a bit confused about the TT bike on top of the car in Oxford yesterday ... and in reply to the obvious question, told me it's for the Dutch national TT champs, nice but of forward planning 👍 pic.twitter.com/CSCkp8Bf9t
— Simon MacMichael (@simonmacmichael) June 12, 2022
There's a career in events planning if the cycling mechanic-ing doesn't work out...
Are you ready for the first episode of The Next Top Mechanic? Mark June 17th on your calendar!🗓 With the help of @visma we'll go from 200 applicants to 1 winner.
📺 https://t.co/cmszcFZvRCpic.twitter.com/cpJNItEZ24
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) June 14, 2022
What other cycling-related reality TV competitions would you like to see? Britain's best drivetrain cleaner? 10 minutes, 10 filthy drivetrains, which will be cleanest? Not feeling it? Fair enough...
The Great British Rice Cake Off? 50g of carbs, but whose riding fuel will be tastiest?
Bunny hop idol? Planet X Factor? Winter Glove Island? Big Ring Brother?
EDIT: Apparently Ryan blogged this yesterday, so lucky you lot getting to read about it twice. Maybe I'll tell you a funny story about an events planner and LTNs later...
Perhaps leave 5 minutes earlier?
— Dirk Kildair (@Dirk_Kildair) June 15, 2022
It's rare a live blog story is completely controversy-free, uniting the comments section...
Plenty along the same lines as thereverent, who said: "For a Wedding Planner, they seem to lack some planing ability."
Although it's The _Kaner winning comment of the day..."Maybe he should become an 'Events Planter'...." Well played....
matt_cycles sought out the locals for some insight: "The comments section about the LTNs article in the Oxford Mail makes for good reading. Seems the signage about LTNs were in place months before they took effect. Like others have said, seems poor planning by the company."
And muhasib was left a bit confused by the whole episode..."Surely weddings can be organised on zoom or MS teams? It seems so 2019 to attend in person an event."
Dom Whiting is taking his two-wheeled rave through the streets of Sheffield this Sunday, starting at Tudor Square from 2pm...
SHEFFIELD!!
Drum & Bass On The Bike sees it’s first trip to SHEFFIELD this SUNDAY (19th) Starting at TUDOR SQUARE from 2PM.
Looking forward to this one as there’s been so much ask for it! SEE YOU SUNDAY... pic.twitter.com/sO6X6WTQTu
— Domonic (@domwhiting) June 14, 2022
Here's one that slipped through the net a couple of weeks back but is more than worth a late call-up to the live (two weeks late) blog. Those pesky Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are at it again...*checks notes*... stopping people getting to weddings!?
That's the claim of one events planner in Oxford, who seemingly failed to properly plan his events leading up to the big day, and blames the tardiness on those little wooden planters.
> Low Traffic Neighbourhood 'human bollards' step in following repeated vandalism
Speaking to the Oxford Mail, Chris Jones of Boys and Girls Promotions said they were unaware the LTNs in East Oxford came into effect on the Friday night, so, when he went to pick people up he was faced with... "the perfect storm".
"On the Saturday it took an additional 15 or 20 minutes to pick people up," he told the local news site. "Then it just snowballed with not being able to turn into certain roads, the congestion on Cowley Road, and we were an hour late for a wedding.
"That has never happened in 13 years. So you've already got the stresses and strains of the bride worrying if you're coming, you are trying to set up late, guests are arriving, you know, for somebody's special day, let's say it was not good.
"It breaks my heart to receive a disappointed email from a client but we have apologised to the client, discounted their invoice, reviewed internal procedures, and apologised to our staff ..... we go again!"
He's also going to "have to think about putting our prices up" owing to the increase in travelling time.
"We know Oxford has a major air pollution problem and the town is just not built for the amount of traffic that goes through. But our company has electric minibuses and we like to think we are ahead of the game.
"The LTNs seem short-term. What's needed is a big, grown-up conversation about where we can make a city where everyone drives electric vehicles and that way we can reduce the air pollution. This is just short-term fixes."
TT machine Filippo Ganna sat down with Eurosport's Cycling Show to talk about his Tour de France ambitions, Paris-Roubaix and the possibility of wearing the first yellow jersey of the race in a little over two weeks time.
"We have one of the most powerful teams," Ganna said. "The first big goal is the yellow jersey, we'll see if the prologue can give me a good present, or if I'll suffer for nothing. We hope there isn't a lot of strong wind and my legs spin well."
"It's my first Tour. Everyone says it's fantastic. We'll see..."
Over in Switzerland, Ineos Grenadiers' big hitters: Adam Yates, Dani Martínez, Tom Pidcock, Geraint Thomas, Dylan Van Baarle, Omar Fraile and Luke Rowe are sharpening their tools and racing for selection for the Tour.
Steve Cummings is in the car, DS for the race, and had some eye-catching things to say in his new book about how he believes he was used as an 'extreme diet guinea pig' by Team Sky to trial Wiggo's weight loss programme for the 2012 Tour.
Sir Chris Hoy is backing a new clip-on e-bike drive system where power is applied via the rear disc brake. Skarper's designers say it means a bike can be turned into an e-bike and back again in a matter of seconds.
Come right in and cycle into @Metro_Bank Cambridge. Ty. More trips by bike = less pollution (good for climate), more physical activity (better health) and greater visibility of more cyclists (safer travel for all) @camcyclepic.twitter.com/l7P7Ml2Jdt
— christopher loughlan (@CLoughlan) June 14, 2022
You'd be pretty unlucky to have your bike stolen from within a bank. There's a joke in there somewhere, someone more comically able can work it out for me in the comments...
I'm just here for a high street branch welcoming cyclists...I mean you could probably simply wheel your bike in regardless (although maybe I shouldn't assume that), but having somewhere to stand it up is a nice touch...
Careful, that bike lane is unprotected.
— Cool Bike Art 🚴 (@CoolBikeArt1) June 15, 2022
Timmy Mallett's UK tour is back on the road following a Jubilee Pageant hiatus (don't worry, he didn't have to wear one of those silly polo hats Sir Chris Hoy was scared of).
It may be burn your back hot down south, but up in the Highlands it's raining (obviously)...
"It's been seven consecutive days of rain and the forecast is...more of the same," Mallett wrote on Strava. "At home, Mrs Mallett is watering the garden!"
"I rode up the glen with the dark threatening mountains closing in and looking ominous. It's a lonely ride on the single track with these sheer dark cliffs bearing down on me," he wrote.
"All along the way the clouds got darker and moodier and seemed to reach closer.
It's as if the weather Gods live here scheming up different conditions and throwing them down.
"Then I glance across the valley and shafts of sunlight seem to lighten the clouds and laugh at me. It's a spectacular ride and once over not getting the classic Highland view I start to enjoy the way the weather changes that I see all the time."
On Monday, Mallett climbed the famous Bealach na Bà...
Reflecting on a first WorldTour win since last year's Giro, Peter Sagan admitted he was struggling during his barren run and "wondered what was going on with me".
"It was not easy, the last five months," he said. "It's not easy to return after a long break without racing. I didn't race for three months, before then I was racing, but I was sick. I was struggling and wondered what was going on with me.
"I'm very happy. It feels great. I have to thank my whole team TotalEnergies for their amazing work."
13 months for win No.120. What odds win No.121 only takes a day?