"Welcome to London" where thieves cut through bike racks; Local Conservative group claims LTNs "target the vulnerable"; Multiple abandons from huge Bessèges crash; Is Giulio Ciccone the messiah or a very naughty boy? + more on the live blog

Back in Europe there was almost a popular win for Valentin Ferron, the rider yesterday spotted clinging onto a bridge after a crash. Unfortunately for him and his TotalEnergies team, promising Belgian Arnaud De Lie is in imperious form and took his second stage of the race.

🇧🇪@Arnaud_De_Lie of 🇧🇪@lotto_dstny wins stage 3 of 🇫🇷@Etoile_Besseges#EDB2023pic.twitter.com/fyw9hlr9dD

— World Cycling Stats (@wcsbike) February 3, 2023

Young Brit Samuel Watson was third. In Spain, there was a win for Astana Qazaqstan as Simone Velasco won a three-up sprint ahead of Bob Jungels and Jonas Gregaard. The eternal top-ten Fred Wright was sixth.

🔹 𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗥 Etapa 3 | Stage 3 🔛 de la #VCV2023 GP @BancoSabadell

🔹 @simovelasco (@AstanaQazTeam )
📍Bétera > Sagunt 🏁
Enhorabona 👏👏👏🚴‍♂️🥇!#VoltaValencianapic.twitter.com/AFBkdVQjMd

— Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana - VCV (@VueltaCV) February 3, 2023

Time for a fantastic addition to the pro cyclists doing sponsor duties hall of fame...

@RensonWorldwidepic.twitter.com/OrCoeeISBH

— Tim Declercq (@Tim_Declercq) February 3, 2023

Up there with that time Alaphilippe's doctor prescribed him specifically Tacx trainer work to regain fitness from crash injuries. 

It's Green Football Weekend don't you know...

Being slightly cynical that means professional clubs, some of whom's players will be jetting across the country to avoid a four-hour bus journey, ask fans to think about how they can have a positive impact on climate change. 

Anyway, my grumpiness aside, Beryl has teamed up with Championship club Norwich City FC as part of a nationwide initiative for their game against Burnley tomorrow and will set up a temporary 'virtual bay' outside Carrow Road between 11am and 12.30pm meaning fans can get to the ground by bike, e-bike or e-scooter and can claim 20 minutes off their journey with a free unlock (it's a 12:30pm kick-off by the way, you don't have to get there four hours early...)

"Our vehicles are a fun, easy to use and sustainable way to make short journeys, which makes them perfect for local fans to get to the football stadium," Beryl CEO Phil Ellis said.

"By swapping the car for more sustainable transport, you can not only help reduce traffic congestion and harmful carbon emissions, you can also improve your own physical and mental health. Our vehicles are already cost effective when compared to the cost of petrol and match-day parking, but the special offer gives users the chance to save even more money."

Full details can be found here. Will you be cycling to a football match this weekend?

Rapha undergoes refinancing operation to write off debt but says it “far outperformed” rivals in 2022
Premium cycle clothing business says debt-for-equity swap involved existing shareholders and will help reduce its cost of borrowinghttps://t.co/qOKKFhjwNp#cyclingpic.twitter.com/8K2rT0Hont

— road.cc (@roadcc) February 3, 2023

Comment of the day contender...

I went through a similar thing when I bought a pair of their bibshorts

— taff (@taff98469147) February 3, 2023

And some more of your thoughts (without the tongue firmly wedged in cheek)...

Growth at all costs model - same is happening all across the tech world.

— Graeme 🚴🏼‍♂️🏌️‍♂️ (@gdhutchison) February 3, 2023

As a long term customer I would say they are in trouble because they abandoned the needs of their core customers and went after massively widening their appeal... The style direction went after a younger crowd (who don't have Rapha money) and the core stopped spending

— Ron Mackintosh (@ronmackintosh) February 3, 2023 

🫣 @laurance_axel🙏🙏🙏 #EDB2023pic.twitter.com/iDBd7GnhtG

— Team TotalEnergies (@TeamTotalEnrg) February 2, 2023

Here's how poor Valentin Ferron got out of his precarious post-crash position...

The Tottenham Conservatives are at it again...

The LTNs target the vulnerable, trades people & hard working motorists. All to raise revenue for the council & to benefit cycling campaigners.

We will rip out all Haringey LTNs. Vote Conservative in the TH by-election #fightingfortottenham#haringeyltnspic.twitter.com/bAKsFFfz3Z

— Tottenham Conservatives (@TottenhamConse1) February 2, 2023

This from the same Conservative London borough group that in September faced a backlash after posting images to social media likening low-traffic neighbourhoods to apartheid. No, really...

 Then, in November, the local group was accused of scaremongering over a video showing a woman filmed from behind walking down a poorly-lit residential street that, while captions appear on screen, to the sound of the siren of a police car.

WATCH: LTNs create dead zones, areas with low traffic & footfall, perfect for crime to flourish.

As the winter nights begin, don’t let your street become a dead zone den of crime. #scrapltnspic.twitter.com/iBwED2QdL6

— Tottenham Conservatives (@TottenhamConse1) November 11, 2022

Labour-run Haringey Council has rolled out three LTNs in the borough in recent months, in Bounds Green, Bruce Grove and, most recently, West Green. As with similar initiatives elsewhere, they are aimed at preventing rat-running drivers from using residential streets as a short cut, and thereby also making the area safer and more pleasant for people living there.

Introduced under the Haringey Streets for People initiative, the council has said that the LTNs were put in place following three rounds of engagement with the local community. It has also made exemptions available for a number of categories of people including Blue Badge holders.

And just like Katie Hopkins and Jordan Peterson in recent times (what company to be in, by the way) the local Conservative group has hit out at the clean air schemes. Anyway, the replies to their latest 'campaigning' were every bit as entertaining and insightful as you'd hope...

Allow me to explain something to you - and that’s at a discount rate for cars… pic.twitter.com/9RM2YTeH2D

— Rory McCarron (@CyclingLawLDN) February 2, 2023

Please can you explain why poor people are driving cars and rich people are riding bicycles? I thought Rishi drove a Kia…

— Family ByCycle (@FamilyByCycle) February 2, 2023

erm pic.twitter.com/Jnv871Gizu

— Gareth Dennis (@GarethDennis) February 2, 2023

💥Dura caída masiva en la Etapa 2 de la Etoile de Bességes 2023 🇫🇷 #EDB2023#EtoiledeBesseges#Ciclismo#Noticiclismopic.twitter.com/mgS9e2HVXX

— NotiCiclismo ➡ 🇪🇸 #VCV2023 (@Noticiclismo1) February 2, 2023

The damage from yesterday's Étoile de Bessèges crash which caused the stage to be neutralised is being counted this morning, with a few riders being forced to abandon due to their injuries...

Ben Healy will not continue on in the Étoile de Bessèges due to injury. X-Ray confirmed a fracture of metacarpal. Hoping for a quick recovery for you, Ben.

— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) February 2, 2023

🩺 medical update: #EDB2023@dylan_teuns sustained facial contusions in today’s crash and will require stitches.@Guillaumeboivin sustained a contusion on his left hand and back but will not require any stitches.

Fortunately, both riders will be at the start line tomorrow 👌

— Israel – Premier Tech / Israel Cycling Academy (@IsraelPremTech) February 2, 2023

🇫🇷 #EDB23

Also @Cedricbeullens will not take the start as he is suffering too much from multiple crashes (#GPLM and both stage 1 and 2 #EDB23). A knee wound needs to heal and therefore it was decided Cedric will focus on recovery towards the next races. Get well soon!

— Lotto Dstny (@lotto_dstny) February 3, 2023

We'll find out the full abandon list in a few hours time when the peloton departs for stage three.