Poor Michael Storer.
Not only did the Groupama-FDJ rider miss out on a golden opportunity to take his first pro win in almost two years, on today’s second stage of the Tour de l’Ain, but his desperate and unsuccessful lunge for the line in Lagnieu also saw him bump into stage winner Jefferson Cepeda, sending Storer sprawling across the road like an unfortunate Aussie version of Superman.
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) August 1, 2023
Karma, perhaps, for Storer’s teammate Thibaut Pinot’s testy treatment of EF rider Cepeda during the pair’s stint in the breakaway at this year’s Giro. Well, I couldn’t possibly say…
In any case, Storer wasn’t the only rider to unceremoniously hit the deck on today’s mountainous stage of the Tour de l’Ain.
Cepeda’s teammate Hugh Carthy, who was responsible for instigating the winning move on the Col des Portes, slid out in the rainy conditions with just two kilometres to go, while Alexis Vuillermoz crashed out of the chasing group.
Unfortunately for 26-year-old Storer, however, it’s the chaotic image of him sliding past the finish line that will ensure this stage of a minor French race lives long in the memory. Well, at least he still finished second, I suppose…
While we were all a bit distracted by the Tour de France Femmes over the past week or so, another massive bike race was also happening on – or should I say across? – the continent at the same time: the mythical Transcontinental.
This year’s ninth edition of the Transcon – a self-supported jaunt across Europe and dot watcher’s dream founded by the late ultra-cyclist Mike Hall in 2013 – started for the second consecutive year on cycling holy land, the cobbles of Geraardsbergen, challenging its intrepid band of riders to ride over the mountains of Italy, across to Slovenia, and down to Albania, before finishing at the Greek port city of Thessaloniki.
And that’s exactly where Christoph Strasser and his little dot are now.
The 40-year-old Austrian, a Race Across America record holder who finished first at the post-Covid comeback edition of Transcon last year, has repeated the feat for 2023, powering clear of what was at times a tightly congested pack (in TCR terms, anyway) to take a second consecutive win, with Robin Gemperle, Anatole Naimi, and Tim De Witte looking likely to finish next.
In case you’re thinking about giving the Transcon a go, it took Strasser eight days, 16 hours, and 30 minutes to ride the 3,938km from Flanders to Greece – that’s a daily average of 435km, with an average moving speed of 22.6kph.
What’s more – in the almost nine days it took him to complete the race, Strasser only spent 34 hours not riding his bike (or 16 percent of the entire trip).
Imagine doing a 4000km bike ride, entirely self-supported, and completing it in under 9 days, after spending 18+ hours PER DAY cycling!
This is why I say these riders are a class above #TdF riders.#TCR09— 🚲 Will - @WilliamNB [at] toot.bike🇿🇦🇬🇧 (@WilliamNB) August 1, 2023
I don’t think my brain could comprehend those numbers. Chapeau, Christoph, chapeau.
Former British road race and time trial champion Hannah Barnes has announced her intention to retire from professional cycling at the end of 2023, after a few years plagued by injuries.
The 30-year-old, who won the British road and TT titles in 2016 and 2018 respectively, also took a stage win at the Giro Donne in 2017, the same year she finished third on GC at the Women’s Tour, a race where she also won a stage in 2015.
Barnes, whose sister Alice is also a former national champion and rode last week’s Tour de France Femmes for Human Powered Health, has spent a decade in the peloton, turning pro with UnitedHealthcare before riding for Canyon-Sram between 2016 and 2021.
She joined Uno-X at the start of 2021, and in a heartfelt statement on Instagram, said that she was “grateful to finish my career in the red and yellow jersey”.
“2023 will be my final year in the peloton,” Barnes said. “I have found the final two years quite difficult, battling injuries and struggling mentally to accept that I am no longer part of the race but just making up the numbers.
“It’s in my nature to put everything into getting the best out of myself but unfortunately that hasn’t been possible lately.
“I grew up doing sport. Every day after school I’d be playing hockey, rugby, rounders, football, you name it I was doing it. But every weekend was spent riding my bike, I loved it and I am so lucky that it has been my profession for so many years.
“There are so many people that have played a huge part in my career and I will be forever grateful!”
Trafford Council may finally be about to introduce segregated cycling infrastructure on one of the city’s busiest and most talked about routes (hallelujah!).
The news comes after multiple instances of vandalism which saw the current bike lane, separated from traffic with cones, being eroded and removed by upset locals, the latest incident prompting the local authority to blame “systematic theft” and warn that the police had been involved.
Read more: > Council proposes cycle lane bollards after easily removed cones repeatedly targeted by vandals
✍️ cycling history was made today! ✍️
After this year's Tour de France, we want to refocus and give @MarkCavendish another chance to take the record. We will give him a one-year contract and strengthen ourselves with more sprinters to make it possible for him. #YallaIPTpic.twitter.com/omdXBvhrYh
— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech_) August 1, 2023
Remember to always check for the fake accounts (and the terrible photoshopping skills), everyone…
It’s 1 August, and that means only one thing in the cycling world: it’s transfer announcement time!
(Also, it means that social media is saturated for one day with fake team profiles and ‘news’ of out-there signings, but we’ll get to those in a minute.)
For a team so adept at infiltrating the morning breakaway, it’s perhaps no surprise that Uno-X were up early to announce the first big signing for the 2024 season – at around 7.40 European time, the ambitious second-tier outfit confirmed the arrival in January of stage sniffing supremo Magnus Cort.
Magnus Cort 🇩🇰 30 years.
🥇 Ringerike GP 2014
🥇 Himmerland Rundt 2014
🥇 6x @lavuelta stages
🥇 1x @giroditalia stage
🥇 2x @LeTour stages
+++Confirmed racer for Uno-X until the end of 2026.#developmentpic.twitter.com/guqy4jB6LC
— Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (@UnoXteam) August 1, 2023
The 30-year-old Dane will join the Norwegian squad on a three-year, following four successful years at EF Education-EasyPost, where he picked up four stage wins at the Vuelta a España, as well as a stage apiece at the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia stage, and Paris-Nice.
As cycling’s transfer window dictates, riders announced on 1 August usually only join their prospective teams the following January, ensuring that the final few months of the season are filled with motivational complexities and awkward dinner table silences.
Arnaud Démare wins stage five of the 2022 Giro d’Italia (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
However, in perhaps the biggest news of the window so far, French sprinter Arnaud Démare has jumped ship immediately, reaching an agreement with Groupama-FDJ to end his contract early so he can join Arkéa-Samsic for the rest of 2023 and beyond.
#NouvellePhotoDeProfilpic.twitter.com/6cHNSKY821
— Arnaud Demare (@ArnaudDemare) August 1, 2023
Eight-time Giro stage winner Démare, who has spent his entire 12-year pro career with FDJ, looked likely to leave the French team ever since he was omitted – for the second year running – from Marc Madiot’s Tour de France line-up, in favour of the faltering GC contender David Gaudu.
Oh, and speaking of frosty relations, Démare’s move to Arkéa-Samsic means he will once again link up with former FDJ teammate Nacer Bouhanni, nine long years after the sprinting pair’s spell together ended, unsurprisingly perhaps, in acrimony. But we’re all older and wiser now, right?
12 ans!
12 ans de souvenirs et d’émotions incroyables ! pic.twitter.com/Rz2owv7PwO— Arnaud Demare (@ArnaudDemare) August 1, 2023
“I’m opening a new chapter in my career with a team that believes in me and motivates me,” Démare, who takes the place of the departing Andrii Ponomar in Arkéa’s squad, said.
“I’m determined to do well. Emmanuel Hubert’s talks were enthusiastic and motivating. I want to make a success of my debut as soon as possible in my new colours. I'm highly motivated.”
With the first signings of silly season confirmed, let the Fabrizio Romano-style rumours and breaking news commence!
Remco to Ineos? Let’s go…
Well, it looks like Lotto Dstny’s bus driver isn’t the only pro cycling-related motorist to be left red faced at this year’s Tour of Poland…
In the latest instalment of a crazy summer of terrible, often dangerous driving in the race convoy (did someone mention Danny Stam?), a run-of-the-mill bike change during what appears to be yesterday’s third stage of the Tour of Poland sparked a three-car pile-up just behind the peloton:
Kurde Pologne: pic.twitter.com/XfAjHXPiNc
— Tygodnik NIE (@TygodnikNIE) August 1, 2023
The clip, which was filmed by a perfectly positioned fan, shows a Human Powered Health rider stopping at the side of the road for some mechanical assistance. But, as the American team’s DS stopped to perform the bike change, it seems the driver of the Vittoria neutral service car wasn’t paying much attention, shunting the back of the Human Powered Health vehicle.
And then, just to make matters worse, the driver of what seems to be the race’s medical car slams into the back of neutral service, causing quite a bit of damage to the vehicle – and scaring the bejesus out of the mechanically compromised rider – in the process.
After a month of high-profile incidents at the Tour de France involving dangerous, risky driving, crashes, and horns blaring in frustration, we could start a new game on the live blog: Pro cycling race or rush hour traffic?
Close your eyes and play the video again – I think this game could have legs…
More details have now been released about the death of a promising 17-year-old cyclist who was due to represent the United States at the UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland next week.
Law enforcement in Colorado confirmed that Magnus White was hit from behind by a motorist as he used the hard shoulder of a highway popular with local riders.
USA Cycling had, on Sunday, first announced the tragic news, saying that White had died after being “struck by a car” while he was cycling near his home in Boulder, Colorado.
Yesterday, Gabriel Moltrer, a trooper from the Colorado State Patrol, released more details, confirming that the incident took place at around 12.30pm on Saturday as White rode along the north-south stretch of Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont. It has been reported the route is so popular with bike riders there has been talk of building a separate bike lane.
In the absence of such infrastructure, White was instead riding on the southbound hard shoulder of the highway when he was hit from behind by the driver of a Toyota Matrix. The authorities say there is no indication that drugs, alcohol or excessive speed were involved.
Read more: > Promising teenage cyclist killed after being hit by driver just days before World Championships
Driving home from vacay just now and see this dude riding in the shoulder of I-90 outside of Coeur d'Alene w an “Armed Cyclist” jersey, safe passing flags, dozens of taillights. Absolutely epic. pic.twitter.com/d2PAcWruqa
— Jonathan Maus (@Jonathan_Maus) August 1, 2023
A neo-pro from AG2R Citroën has followed in the rather dubious wheel tracks of Nairo Quintana, after blood tests revealed the presence of the banned painkiller tramadol during the Giro d’Italia.
22-year-old French rider Alex Baudin, who turned pro with AG2R Citroën at the start of 2023, spent two days in the breakaway at the Giro, his debut grand tour, finishing tenth on the stage to Rivoli, and secured a top 30 placing at the Clásica de San Sebastián at the weekend.
Baudin tries to hold the wheel of Giro sensation Derek Gee on the way to Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
However, Baudin’s results from the Giro have now been rendered null and void, after two dried blood samples contained tramadol, the painkiller banned in-competition by the UCI due to its dangerous side-effects.
Nevertheless, just like Quintana, who tested positive for tramadol at last year’s Tour de France, losing his sixth place on GC, Baudin’s positive does not equate to an anti-doping violation and he can continue to race, as the use of tramadol falls under the UCI’s Medical Rules and because it’s the 22-year-old’s first infraction (though, unlike the currently exiled Quintana, Baudin is also likely to retain his spot on the French team).
> Nairo Quintana sanctioned by UCI for Tour de France tramadol infringement
A statement from the world governing body noted that Baudin has been “sanctioned for an infringement of the in-competition ban on using tramadol... with the aim of protecting the safety and health of riders in view of the side-effects of this substance”.
The statement continued: “The analyses of two dried blood samples provided by the rider on 24 May on the 17th stage of the 2023 Giro d’Italia revealed the presence of tramadol and its two main metabolites. In accordance with the UCI Medical Rules, and after a thorough examination of the case, the rider is disqualified from the 2023 Giro d’Italia. This decision may be appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the next 10 days.”
The UCI added that 64 dried blood samples were collected during the Giro d’Italia as part of its tramadol programme, equating to just over three riders a stage.
It’s been a while (over a year, in fact) since we were last treated to the sight of a pro cycling team bus marooned near the start of a stage after its driver misjudged a turn.
At last year’s Tour de France, it was EF Education-EasyPost’s team coach which channelled its inner Orica-GreenEdge by getting itself stuck at the entrance to the stage start in Morzine, blocking access for other team vehicles and forcing several riders to carry their kit by bike (the horror!) to the neutralised zone.
And then, yesterday morning, at the start of stage three of the Tour of Poland in Wałbrzych, Lotto-Dstny’s (or Dynasty, as Sean Kelly insisted on calling the Belgian team during the Tour) bus driver suffered the same fate, forcing the squad’s riders into some pre-stage weight training:
“Best team building we ever did,” Lotto veteran Thomas De Gendt tweeted last night, alongside the photo of the team’s chaotic retrieval mission, prompting a few very obvious jokes from fans:
@GreenEDGEteam maybe they can help pic.twitter.com/c9jf7sAeGj
— Ondřej Pekárek (@OndraPek) July 31, 2023
Next time call Tim Declercq
— Ander Iñarritu (@anderolas) July 31, 2023
And let’s guess: you were in the breakaway just at that moment?
— The Piponat🎯r (@Bouncehead) July 31, 2023
You can't park there lol
— elaine smith🏴☠️🇬🇧🇺🇦❤️💂 (@miffysmithe) August 1, 2023
And in case you were wondering whether the bus is still stuck on a random road in the south of Poland…
After a lot of wood under the tires. Yes.
— Thomas De Gendt (@DeGendtThomas) July 31, 2023
Great work, lads.
A big cycling event like the world championships (two days to go – places, people, places!) can act as an inspiration for those lucky enough to witness it while standing by the roadside, or at the track, or on the mountain bike course.
It can inspire the future stars of the sport, or even just nudge some spectators to ride their bike more often, to work or to the shops. It could even inspire some local authorities to prioritise cycling infrastructure, making the roads safer for all types of cyclists, and not just pros.
But can the cycling world championships help “clean up” a city, Batman-style?
Well, that was the question posed this morning by Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who reckons the upcoming, multi-discipline UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland has the potential to rejuvenate Glasgow, after years of cuts, he claims, have left the city centre looking “dirty and dilapidated”.
Following yesterday’s report that some locals are furious about the “selective” pothole repairs being made in the centre of Glasgow, in time for the road races, Sweeney said that the city is currently going through “managed decline”.
“You need to be delusional not to recognise the challenges here,” the Glasgow MSP has told the BBC.
“It’s obvious to anyone who has lived in Glasgow for an extended period of time that the city has seen better days. As someone who loves this city passionately, I’m frustrated by it.
“Let’s get ourselves together and work collaboratively – to be honest about the scale of the challenges and fix it.”
However, Sweeney’s claims have been rejected by Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken.
“I’m always concerned when Glaswegians feel the city is not putting on its best face but it’s an area we have invested a lot in,” the SNP politician said.
“We have deep-clean teams who we have put in place over the past couple of years, who go around every part of the city. I don’t think the city centre, as a whole, is a dirty place. I think Glasgow measures up to pretty much any city. But ultimately litter is caused by people and we’ve all got a responsibility here – it’s not the council that’s dropping litter.”
Aitken added that the council has recently doubled the budget to fix Glasgow’s roads, though she dismissed suggestions that Lotte Kopecky, Tadej Pogačar, and co are getting priority.
“I can understand why people might think that’s the case but I can absolutely assure them that it is not the case,” she said. “There’s a programme of resurfacing which is right across the city.”