We’re kicking things off on today’s blog with a rather unusual, and extremely dangerous, example to file in the by-now bulging ‘Why some cyclists don’t use cycle paths’ folder…
Last month, a pensioner from Bury St Edmunds was seriously injured after crashing into a pile of garden waste that had been dumped across a rural off-road cycle path.
Ted Saunders, who’s in his 60s, suffered two broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and a collapsed lung in the crash, and was coughing up blood during his four-day stint in West Suffolk Hospital, Suffolk News reports.
The cyclist’s wife Liane said the decision to dump the waste at the end of a popular cycle path – either through “thoughtlessness or maliciousness” – “is beyond my comprehension”.
At around 7.45am on 25 June, during an early morning spin, Ted was riding along National Cycle Route 13 when he collided with the garden waste, which was obscured by both the direction the cyclist was travelling from and the overgrown nature of the route.
“Because of the time of year, the cycle path was a bit overgrown anyway, that’s why he was concentrating on avoiding the brambles and the overhead, by the time he noticed the debris it was too late to do anything,” Liane said. “He went over and his bike went after him.”
After Ted was released from hospital, Liane noticed on a local Facebook group that another resident had posted a photograph of the fly-tipping and reported it to West Suffolk Council, who removed the waste.
> Popular walking and cycling path "(almost) inaccessible to motorists" blocked by crashed car
“I just thought this is unbelievable,” Liane continued.
“Someone has either been very, very thoughtless or they’ve made a conscious decision to put a whole load of garden waste at the end of a very narrow, dark, rural, cycle path. Then I got a bit annoyed.
“It could have been worse, he could have been knocked out and nobody would have known where he was.”
Liane, who reported the incident to the council and the police, says: “I just don’t understand why they did it there, and when I have shown other people they have said ‘that looks deliberate, that looks malicious’.
“We know that fly-tipping happens, you see it as you go past and it is unsightly and hazardous. But to put it at the end of a cycle path, something that people are using, it is beyond my comprehension.”
According to Liane, over two weeks after the crash Ted remains in “a great deal of pain” and is struggling to sleep.
“The result of this accident is that he won’t be able to go to the gym for a while or cycle,” she says. “That’s the big downside of it, just from someone's thoughtlessness or maliciousness.”
> Cyclist seriously injured after wire stretched across bike path
A spokesperson for West Suffolk Council said: “Those who illegally dump waste or allow others to do so on their behalf are criminally liable and can cause harm to others as well as the local environment.
“We are sorry to hear of the injuries to the cyclist caused by the illegal and thoughtless acts of others and wish him well in his recovery.
“We removed the fly-tipping as soon as we were able and would warn people that they cannot only be prosecuted for fly-tipping but can be liable if they have their waste taken away and it is dumped as they need to take reasonable steps to check if the people they are using are registered waste carriers.”
And just when you thought upended cars were your only worry on off-road bike paths…
Everyone celebrates the Tour in their own way. This chap dresses as a fish with a Pinot sign 😅🇫🇷#TDF2023pic.twitter.com/CrfaISye8s
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 11, 2023
I reckon the Pinot-supporting fish beats the Banana-wearing Pidcock lookalike in the crazy fan stakes, but that’s just me (and if you couldn’t tell already, things have calmed a bit in the actual race. Just a bit, mind you).
Joli geste des assistants de la @LidlTrek qui occupent notre après-midi en fanfare 🫶🏻 #TDF2023pic.twitter.com/OewRhjOoZ3
— Gabriel (@GabDeix12) July 11, 2023
Encouraging banana that vaguely resembles Tom Pidcock. Because of course 😁 #TDF2023@OutOfCyclingpic.twitter.com/cgJzyaaXV6
— Katy M, Tour Edition (@writebikerepeat) July 11, 2023
And in 40°C heat too, fair play.
From the Giant TCR and Scott Addict of the late 2000s, to the ultra-modern Specialized Tarmac SL7, take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about Mark Cavendish’s record-equalling Tour de France career, by way of the Manx Missile’s stage-winning steeds…
So, to say the start of stage ten of the Tour de France has been frenetic would be an understatement…
🤩 You missed them? They're back in action! Jonas Vingegaard and @TamauPogi are part of a group in pursuit including also @romainbardet and the Yates brothers.
🤩 Ils vous avaient manqués ? Jonas Vingegaard et @TamauPogi sont partis en contre dans un groupe.#TDF2023pic.twitter.com/4Y7nCUkvPh
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2023
The opening, hilly kilometres out of Vulcania have been absolutely chaotic – attacks are flying everywhere, a group containing Vingegaard, Pogačar, and the Yates twins briefly slipped up the road, Bora and Ineos were forced to chase like the clappers, and GC contenders David Gaudu and Romain Bardet (who had previously been joining in on the attacks), as well as Wout van Aert, are now suffering off the back, almost two minutes down on the rest of the favourites.
And with Matej Mohorič and Julian Alaphilippe driving it on at the front at the moment, the pace won’t be relenting anytime soon.
How good is this?! #TDF2023
— Daniel Lloyd? (@daniellloyd1) July 11, 2023
I’ll see you all in three hours… (I’m joking – kind of.)
When you head out for a leisurely post-work spin this evening, spare a thought for Louise Harris, who is now on the sixth day of her mammoth attempt to break the Guinness World Record for riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats… and back.
The Bristol-based endurance cyclist is aiming to break the LEJOGLE record of 11 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes, set by 54-year-old Marcia Roberts, who battled through Storm Francis and saddle sores to become the first woman to officially record a time for the long ride south to north and back again in January 2022.
Louise reached John O’Groats, her halfway mark, just before 11pm last night, after four days and 17 hours in the saddle. According to her live tracker, she’s currently making her way back down the A9, approaching Brora, on her way to Inverness.
As well as the record attempt, Louise is putting herself through days of pain and suffering on the bike to raise awareness and money for the charity Galgos Del Sol, which rescues, rehomes, and rehabilitates Galgos, a Spanish breed of hunting dog. You can find more information about her attempt and the charity on Louise’s JustGiving page.
You know it's going to be a 🌶️ start when the guys are on the rollers before neutral ⚡️#TDF2023pic.twitter.com/xW1sPJfv84
— Team dsm-firmenich (@TDSM_Firmenich) July 11, 2023
A pre-stage roller session means only one thing: a big fight for the breakaway on today’s lumpy, and therefore break-favouring, jaunt to Issoire. Get the popcorn ready…
With Tadej Pogačar all but certain to add a fourth white jersey to his collection at this year’s Tour de France, eclipsing Jan Ullrich and Andy Schleck as the most successful ‘young rider’ in the race’s history in the process, it’s fair to say that the debate over the relevance of that particular competition in the modern era isn’t a new one.
And with potential GC contenders getting younger and younger – don’t be shocked if Juan Ayuso inherits his UAE Team Emirates mate’s white jersey next year – there is a strong case for a rejigging of the Young Rider’s category (which is currently for whipper snappers under the age of 25) to better reflect the changing tides of grand tour racing and pro rider development.
Or, if you’re listening to Geraint Thomas and the Watts Occurring podcast, ASO should – instead of tweaking the white jersey – simply throw a bone to the old fogies and introduce a Masters-style category for GC men in their 30s…
It's official: we're starting a Watts Occurring campaign! It's time for a grey jersey at the #TdF2023
Who fancies designing one for us? 🎨 pic.twitter.com/O5U3EJFvAK— Watts Occurring (@Watts_Occurring) July 11, 2023
‘And collecting the first ever grey jersey, and his prize zimmer frame, it’s Geraint Thomas!’
Well, a win’s a win, as G says himself…
Apologies for the technical hiccups this morning, everyone, we’ve just been trying to get to grips with having two live blogs on the site at the same time.
(Two live blogs, Jeremy, two? That’s insane.)
And speaking of that pesky second blog, why not take a quick glance at all the admittedly decent deals on cycling kit and accessories going on at the mindlessly materialist capitalism fest that is Amazon Prime Day…
> Best Amazon Prime Day cycling deals live blog
Right, that’s that bit done, I’m off to my local bike shop (oh look, 30 percent off a Garmin – where’s my log-in details?)…
If you’re even an occasional viewer of Sky Sports News, you’ll be aware that most footballers turn up for training in their flashy supercars or enormous, atrocious-looking SUVs.
But that wasn’t the case yesterday for Arsenal’s squad, who – I will grudgingly admit – rocked up to their German training camp at the Adidas HQ in Herzogenaurach in some style, for once…
Arriving in style 😎🚲😍 https://t.co/DZKmxg1Zuf
— London Cycling Campaign (@London_Cycling) July 11, 2023
After that brief spin to training, poor Dan may have to find some additional room on the bench for his star-studded Footballers Who Cycle XI…
Or maybe they’re all just trying out the club’s new cycle to work scheme?
After storming up the Puy de Dôme on Sunday, three-year-old Angus Bardet – the real star of this year’s Tour de France, I’m sure you’d all agree – spent yesterday’s rest day practising his bidon-grabbing technique, thanks to a cross-peloton souvenir from Lidl-Trek:
Bardet junior in training with his new @LidlTrek bidon! What a Lidl legend 😂👏🏼 @romainbardet#TDF2023https://t.co/4FUu08d2aBpic.twitter.com/N5rCTqhmLg
— Team dsm-firmenich (@TDSM_Firmenich) July 10, 2023
Judging by that clip, it seems as if young Angus hasn’t inherited his father’s penchant for super sticky bottles, anyway…
> Stickiest of 'sticky bottles' gets Romain Bardet kicked out of Paris-Nice
I for one can’t wait for the 2043 Tour, when Bardet Jnr will be battling for the yellow jersey against Macs Thomas and Lev Roglič, while Casper Cavendish is busy mopping up the sprints…