Another chain issue for an Israel Premier Tech Roland rider!
Elena Hartmann just picks it up and sticks it back on again#TDFF2023pic.twitter.com/dROhq1xUm8
— Mathew Mitchell (@MatMitchell30) July 25, 2023
Ah, I remember when I could do that without losing a finger or falling into a ditch. Those were the days…
Did someone say “Netflix Effect”?
According to figures reported by L'Équipe, the exciting, relentless racing of this year’s Tour de France was reflected in the viewing figures in its home country, with a whopping 42.5 million viewers tuning into the race for at least a minute on France Télévisions, a million more than the 2022 edition.
In addition, 3.7 million viewers in France tuned in to Eurosport’s coverage (so got to see Adam Blythe on a motorbike, the lucky sods), while the average French person watched the Grande Boucle for five hours and 55 minutes, 14 minutes more than last year.
The audience for stages shown on France 2 also broke records, with 4.2 million viewers on average (up by 130,000) and a 44.1 percent audience share.
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
The biggest audience for France Télévisions came, perhaps surprisingly, during last Tuesday’s time trial for the ages by Jonas Vingegaard, as the Dane’s race-winning effort was watched by 6.3 million viewers with a peak of 8.7 million – the second-highest number to tune in to a Tour stage in the past 20 years.
And for a time trial (a time trial!) too…
I can just hear all the Club 10 geeks laughing now: ‘Oh Monsieur Prudhomme isn’t a big fan of time trials, is he? Maybe this’ll make him reconsider and stick an out-and-back dual carriageway stage on next year’s route…’
No, don’t worry, you haven’t accidentally clicked on the wrong live blog, it’s still July (although the weather at the moment is certainly doing its best to convince you otherwise).
But in Oxford, attentions are already turning to the festive celebrations at the end of the year, as a row has broken out over a cycle lane running through the middle of the city’s Christmas market – which has prompted the market’s organiser to step down from her role over “safety fears”.
The cycle lane runs between the two public spaces where the market will take place on Broad Street, and will be separated from the tat and kangaroo meat-filled stalls. Visitors to the market will be able to move between each side through informal crossing areas, Oxford City Council has said.
Last year, the county council closed the bike lane and installed a diversion route for cyclists while the market was in place. However, it says that the alternative route will not be possible this coming Christmas.
Nicole Rahimi says with a heavy heart she has cancelled @Oxford Christmas Market indefinitely. @OxfordshireCC& @OxfordCity have insisted on reinstating the cycle lane which had been closed since 2013. This layout makes it impossible to continue the yearly well-loved market 😢 pic.twitter.com/FcUIpxf3sa
— OurCityOurChoice (@OurCityOurChoic) July 22, 2023
The news that Oxford’s Christmas market will also play host to a working bike lane has led Nicole Rahimi, who has managed the festivities for the past 14 years, to step down from her role, a decision she claims is down to “safety fears” for pedestrians and cyclists.
“I’m devastated for all the traders, charities, and local businesses. This marks the end of my business, which existed to put on this festive market every year,” she told the Oxford Mail.
“In the end I had to put cyclists and pedestrians’ safety first.”
The news has sparked the usual anti-cycling furore, with Eddie Reeves, leader of the county council’s Conservative group, describing the local authority’s decision not to close the bike lane as an example of “woke wonkery of the worst kind”.
Classic.
Reeves also argued that the “overwhelming majority of cyclists are decent and conscientious people” and would therefore be happy to “dismount or find alternative routes to avoid Broad Street during the Season of Goodwill”.
One of the market’s traders also told the Oxford Mail: “This is a tradition, and it is unforgivable the council will not make exceptions for the sake of cyclists.”
Rahimi, meanwhile, added that the local authority’s stance on the bike lane was “unreasonable” and that it “prioritised cyclists over small businesses”.
I mean look what happened the last time someone tried to cancel Christmas. Not a good move here at all. Working around cyclists is pretty sad tbh
— Brannagans magic hat (@heyit5sam) July 22, 2023
However, a spokesperson for the council said: “The conditions regarding the cycle lane were in place when Ms Rahimi first expressed her interest in holding the Christmas market.
“Although an alternative route via St Michael’s Street was provided last year during the Christmas Market, that option is not viable this year. This was made clear to Ms Rahimi last year.”
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, added: “Nicole Rahimi has had more than 12 months to prepare for this change, and she submitted a proposal to the City Council that included the cycle route through the market.
“Both the City and County councils had continued to engage Ms Rahimi, as she was the preferred provider, and we are keen to get moving with the planning for this year’s event as soon as possible.
“However, now she has withdrawn from the procurement process, we will now move forward to explore alternative options for this year’s market.”
> Bike parking nightmare before Christmas as cycle racks to be removed for festive market
The row over the Broad Street bike lane isn’t the first time that the Christmas market has clashed with the needs of cyclists in the city.
Last year, the council announced that – along with the bike lane being closed for the duration of the market – bike racks near the site would also be temporarily removed during the 18- day long festive event.
Some local riders expressed disappointment at the decision and suggested the council should be encouraging people to attend the market by bike, not deterring their visit by removing a place to lock their bicycle.
Ah, Christmas, eh? What a wonderful, stress-free time. I think I’ll stick to the summer for the moment, thank you very much…
Anyone know why there's an Ineos Grenadier (as in the 4x4 car) in the convoy? #TDFF2023
— Tim Bonville-Ginn (@TimBonvilleGinn) July 25, 2023
Meanwhile, away from the latest greenwashing attempt to flog a hideous 4x4, it’s all kicking off on today’s stage, with Jumbo-Visma’s former Tour of Flanders winner Coryn Labecki currently up the road.
Not that we can see any of it of course, with the live TV coverage yet to start…
> Lime hire scheme under fire as residents claim e-bikes "deliberately" left in "dangerous places"
Naturally, this story on locals complaining about yoofs leaving Lime e-bikes strewn across the road, “endangering people”, has prompted one Twitter (or X, or Tesco Express, whatever it’s called) user to dig out a classic of the Abandoned Vehicles Endangering People genre:
‘Only a matter of time before someone gets killed’ pic.twitter.com/SL49xNVABw
— Preston Johnny (@iloveboreens) July 25, 2023
Cyclists in Ayrshire say they have been left “heartbroken” and “devastated” after a memorial bench dedicated to a popular local cycling writer was stolen and the site, including a memorial cairn, vandalised.
The hand-crafted bench, which was cemented into the ground in a remote part of Gallowa Forest Park at Rowantree Toll near Barr, and dedicated in April to long-time Ayrshire Post cycling correspondent and Ayr Road Club member David Bell, was stolen last week.
The thieves also appear to have vandalised the nearby memorial cairn, also erected in memory of Bell, whose articles on cycling for the Post between 1931 and his death in 1965 – published under the pen name The Highwayman – formed the basis of two posthumously-published books. The site’s location was earmarked as “fitting” for a cyclist who wrote so lovingly about the hills of South Ayrshire and Galloway.
“Members of the South Ayrshire communities of Straiton and Barr were disgusted to learn of the theft of the Memorial Bench to the late David Bell from the memorial site at Rowantree Toll last week,” Ayr Roads CC stalwart Arnold Thomson told Ayrshire Live.
“Not only was the beautiful hand-crafted bench stolen, but the Memorial Cairn was also vandalised and sprayed with graffiti.
“The memorial bench was only erected in April of this year in commemoration of Ayrshire Cycling legend, Davie Bell. Vic Possee, former Chairman of Ayr Roads/Arnold Clark Cycling Club, spent many months on a labour of love with the project, that involved sourcing the Galloway Elm for the bench and having it constructed by fellow cyclist Colin Reilly, of Girvan.
“Vic is understandingly heartbroken that vandals should stoop so low to steal the bench and vandalise the cairn. Hundreds of tourists visit the area and the memorial bench was well used by all who stopped at this idyllic spot in the South Carrick Hill Country. Hopefully the culprits will be found.”
Ayr Police are currently investigating the theft.
Recycling waste from businesses in Brighton city centre is to be collected by e-cargo bikes, in a scheme by cargo bike delivery service Zedify and recycling company Recorra that aims to reduce carbon emissions in the area, our sister site ebiketips reports.
The bikes will be fitted with large boxes that will take the waste away to be made into paper which will then be redistributed to offices in the city.
Read more: > Brighton city centre recycling to be collected by e-cargo bikes
When it comes to professional cycling, nothing beats a bit of 1990s nostalgia (wait, what? They did what during the 1990s?!).
Well, if you conveniently ignore all the doping scandals, the turbo-charged performances, and the last days of Rome debauchery, cycling fans will be treated to an iconic throwback from next year, as Polti – the Italian steam ironing brand whose name adorned the kits of Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Gianni Bugno, and Richard Virenque – is set to return to the sport as the title sponsor of Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso’s second division team.
Polti, and potentially its brilliantly garish red, yellow, and green kit, will replace the blue of Eolo and Kometa at the team, as Basso and Contador aim to improve and internationalise a team that has taken two mountain stage wins at the Giro d’Italia over the past three years, courtesy of Lorenzo Fortunato’s epic win on Monte Zoncolan in 2021 and Davide Bais’ victory on Gran Sasso d'Italia in May.
(CorVos/SWpix.com)
Whether the new Polti can replicate the (admittedly tainted) success of the 1990s-era Polti remains to be seen. Founded in 1994, the team immediately achieved success through former Giro winner Bugno at the Tour of Flanders, before the ‘Tashkent Terror’ Abdoujaparov sprinted to a stage win and the points competition at the Giro and backed that up with two stages and the green jersey at the Tour de France.
Polti also tasted victory the following year at the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, courtesy of Mauro Gianetti, and the Tour of Lombardy in 1999 through Mirko Celestino. In 2000, the last year of their sponsorship, the exiled Virenque – still in denial over his doping at Festina long after all his mates had confessed to taking EPO – won the Morzine stage of the Tour de France.
While Contador and Basso would take even a fraction of that success for the new 2020s-era Polti team, I’m sure they could do without the accusations of widespread doping on the squad, first aired by Jörg Jaksche in the late 2000s.
"Not all sponsors are the same. Some sponsors give new life and write exciting new chapters in our lives,” Ivan Basso said, confirming the future of the team and its riders.
“I’m proud that the Polti family has entrusted us with the responsibility and honour of following on from the unforgettable moments of cycling history of their past.”
Just don’t follow on from all the moments, eh Birillo?
It’s fair to say that the first two stages of this year’s Tour de France Femmes weren’t especially kind to its sprinting contingent.
On stage one, the sprinters were foiled by a rampant Lotte Kopecky and the ruins of a disorganised chase behind, while yesterday’s relentlessly difficult ride through the Massif Central – capped off with a popular win by Liane Lippert (that’s one each in the Movistar-SD Worx phony war, if you’re keeping score) – saw Lorena Wiebes and Marianne Vos finish almost 16 minutes down, and Charlotte Kool a further three and a half minutes back.
After two stage wins last year, will today be another Wiebes and SD Worx day at the Tour? (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
But today’s finale in Montignac-Lascaux, with its 650-metre long, plan flat finish straight, should finally see former teammates Kool and Wiebes go head-to-head for sprint supremacy at the Tour, with Vos and potentially Elisa Balsamo (still recovering from a horrific crash at RideLondon in May) snapping at their superfast heels.
Not that the stage is a straightforward, nailed on sprinters’ day, however. The 147km from Collonges-La-Rouge is constantly up and down all day and features five categorised climbs before a constantly rolling (and possibly attack-inspiring) final 50 kilometres.
Well, they weren’t going to make the first big sprint of the 2023 Tour Femmes an easy one, were they?
Is that Crow Road, or is it the Col du Tourmalet?
That’s the (admittedly rather bizarre) question one Scottish nationalist is hoping people will be asking throughout the upcoming all-in-one UCI world cycling championships, which he hopes will turn Scotland into a kind of Pyrenees-north-of-the-Tweed.
Cycling fan Eric Anderson told The National newspaper (which, I’m sure you know, isn’t a big fan of the whole United Kingdom thing) that he was inspired by the cycling-mad fans of the Basque Country during the Tour de France’s opening three days in the region earlier this month and – most importantly – the ubiquitous sight of their distinctive red, green, and white ikurrina flag.
So, Anderson is now calling on his fellow Scots to put on their best Basque impression during the worlds by making sure the Saint Andrew’s Cross is a constant presence on the roads, at the trackside, and on the TV coverage.
(A.S.O/Charly Lopez)
“It struck me while watching it just how proud people were to be Basque,” Anderson said.
“And it made me think that we’ve got this huge event coming to Scotland and we really shouldn’t miss the opportunity show that same kind of passion. It’s a fantastic opportunity to highlight the beauty and friendship of our country on an international stage.
“When the men’s road race departs from Edinburgh on August 6, it’s a pity that the aerial footage will show the Union Flag flying on many of the capital’s most prominent buildings.
“But in the tradition of cycling road racing, it’s the fans along the way who capture the imagination. So, bring your Saltires along as you stand by the road, wave them passionately as you encourage the competitors, but most of all respect the riders, give them space, and make these world championships the most memorable yet!”
Well, whatever your political affiliations, I think we can definitely all agree – after some of the chaos at the Tour– on the whole ‘give the riders space’ thing…