Whether it be from a talk show ranter on Talk Radio, GB News or Jeremy Clarkson, you've probably heard the 'why's that cycle lane empty?' one before...
This video from Belgium attempts to address that often heard line, the poster suggesting: "Cycle lanes aren't empty — they're just efficient".
Cycle lanes aren't empty - they're just efficient 💪 pic.twitter.com/TBGHSBWMxy
— Heroes for Zero - Brussels (@HeroesforZero) July 12, 2023
Exam season is over, but we've got a late five-mark tester for you... take those 30 people on bikes and 12 pedestrians and put them in a car on their own, how much longer would the queue be? A fair bit longer for those who need to drive a vehicle to get around, I'd assume.
Not everyone would be passing this test, mind...
I see space for 2 more car lines if they only removed bike and pedestrian space.
— Pablo Fernández (@pavlusf) July 12, 2023
Alternatively, if debating fails, just whip out this video, or the many we've shared in recent times, of what proper safe segregated cycling infrastructure can achieve...
Decent turnout of London cyclists this evening 🚲🚲 pic.twitter.com/0AdLCdiOJB
— Cycling in London (@Cycling_In_LDN) July 11, 2023
Look at that empty road...
No wonder Søren Wærenskjold rejected UAE Emirates, this sounds dangerous...
You can't be serious... 🙈 #TDF2023pic.twitter.com/WeMgzoe256
— Benji Naesen (@BenjiNaesen) July 12, 2023
'Jump what? Tiger... where... what... why are there crocodiles on the road in France? Is the stage neutralised? What in the Jumanji is going on?'
🐊🐊🐊 Beware of the crocodiles... 🐊🐊🐊
🐊🐊🐊 Attention aux crocodiles... 🐊🐊🐊#TDF2023pic.twitter.com/1zx1QOFOrG
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 12, 2023
Ivan completed five days along the length of France, following the Greenwich meridian as closely as possible.
"A few routeing issues meant short sections through woods and across fields but otherwise a fantastic ride through France with combine harvesters everywhere — in the fields, on the lanes & even stopped in villages for a chat.
"Slowly the maize and sunflowers gave way to the vineyards of Cognac, Bordeaux, Castillon and Armagnac, before the mountains appeared on the distant horizon ahead and the proper climbing started. Only real downside was arriving late at the first night's hotel after the staff had gone home so had to resort to bivvying on their terrace."
Let's head over to Simon for today's stage preview:
After four days in the Auvergne, the race heads north-west from Michelin's home city then east towards Moulins, hosting its first stage finish. Shortly before halfway it goes through Montluçon, home of two-time world champion and former Tour de France yellow jersey Julian Alaphilippe, who is bound to receive a warm welcome from family and friends as the race passes by.
> Tour de France 2023: From Bilbao to Paris, our stage-by-stage guide to cycling's biggest race
With no significant climbs, on paper it's a day for the sprinters with a flat, 900-metre run to the finish, but the complexion of the race could change if there is a strong wind blowing from the south-east which would be at the back of the riders for the first 115km before turning into a crosswind, raising the prospect of echelons forming and the frantic racing that invariably ensues.
The wind is looking mercifully calm, unlike the race's difficulty and temperatures in France, another day in the high 20s for the peloton today. We should be getting a sprint, but will tired legs give a break a chance? We'll keep you updated throughout the day on the live blog.
Ffs it's a TT bike! You can literally see the TT extensions in the photo!!
— Ben Healey (@BenGHealey) July 12, 2023
Let's take at the second of the two blurred bikes...
What do you reckon? No clues about the other bike unfortunately.
What is it with Instagram posts including Soudal-QuickStep and Specialized this July? Last week it was Fabio Jakobsen quickly editing his post after stage four of the Tour to remove sight of his broken SL7. Now it's Castelli sparking fresh rumours of an imminent new SL8 after this genius scribbling out of Remco's bike at a Vuelta training camp in the Veneto...
'Just go on Paint and scribble it out, mate, nobody will notice...'
We're assuming the post has since been deleted, but then again it may just have passed the 24 hours it stays on Instagram stories having been from yesterday morning. A closer look doesn't show much more so perhaps I shouldn't be so dismissive of the editing...
No sight of that integrated cockpit with semi-internal cable routing Lorena Wiebes and Jakobsen were spotted using, nor the deeper headtube, thinner seatpost and seat tube and bulkier bottom bracket area that our video guru Jamie speculated we may be seeing on a new SL8 at some point in 2023.
Castelli's Insta stories now just show pics of the team truck, Bert Van Lerberghe taking a very close look at a chamois pad and Tim Merlier with a 'next generation sprinter suit' (no bikes to be seen).
To be fair, a new SL8 is hardly going to break the cycling internet as it has been expected by many for a while. Back in the tech predictions story linked above, we gave it a likelihood percentage of 85% to happen in 2023. And while we'll admit we thought we'd see it pre-Tour, our deep dive into the bike of former world champ Julian Alaphilippe (alloy bars, a normal saddle and short stem included) is still all based around an SL7 frame.
Will we see an SL8 at the World Championships in Glasgow? Or will Remco's Vuelta defence be where it breaks cover?