A national road safety organisation has become the subject of scathing criticism from cyclists for the third time in two weeks, for conducting an online poll on whether the use of cycle helmets should be mandatory, with social media users accusing the group of framing the question in a “dangerous” manner and ignoring the primary cause for cycling injuries and fatalities on the UK’s roads.
Road Safety GB, the national road safety organisation that is run in association with THINK! and representatives from groups across the UK, including local government road safety teams, was criticised at the end of September for sharing a “victim-blaming” campaign from the Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership.
> Road safety organisation accused of "victim-blaming" over cycling helmet campaign
The organisation said that they hope the campaign, which urges cyclists to wear helmets, would make helmet wearing the “norm” like in Australia – where helmets have been mandatory for over 30 years, yet where injuries for cyclists have increased, where fines for not wearing a helmet are handed out “aggressively and disproportionately”, where cyclists believe that riding a bike is “discouraged”, and where recent studies have found that cyclists wearing helmets are viewed by drivers as “less human”…
Ah, great comparison.
> Conservative MP cites "safety" and attempts to reignite cyclist helmet debate
Undeterred by the backlash to that particular campaign, Road Safety GB has again come under fire this week for publishing on its website an opinion piece by Conservative MP for Rugby, Mark Pawsey, who has campaigned for making wearing a helmet while cycling a legal requirement, despite his on government insisting that it has “no intention” of introducing such a law.
And now, Road Safety GB is conducting a poll with the single question: “Should the usage of cycle helmets be mandatory?”, with respondents allowed to choose from three answers, Yes, No, and Not Sure (a box in which respondents can expand on their choice is optional).
Have your say 🗣️
Our latest reader survey asks whether the use of cycle helmets should be mandatory.
Vote here 👇https://t.co/k6byRXoFO2#RSGBpic.twitter.com/cx9slUFzTQ
— Road Safety GB (@Road_Safety_GB) October 10, 2023
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the poll – described as a “clickbait survey” by one social media user – has only added to the din of disapproval emanating from the cycling world in response to Road Safety GB’s stance on, ahem, road safety issues in GB.
“So you’re basically asking for an opinion rather than citing any scientific or statistical reason as to why helmets may make the roads safer for cyclists who may potentially sustain a head injury. Jeez, who thought this up?” asked cycling lawyer Rory McCarron on X/Twitter.
Referring to the group’s “interesting” decision to include a photo of a child cycling on a country road alongside the poll, Eric said: “Do you really think that helmet will do a better job than a protected bike lane when a speeding SUV comes over the horizon?
“If all you’re pushing is bike helmets and hi-vis, you’re not really interested in the safety of the most vulnerable road users.”
> Why is Dan Walker’s claim that a bike helmet saved his life so controversial?
“The framing of your question is dangerous as it doesn’t even venture to name the main reason for cyclist fatalities,” added Bike and Bow.
“I’ll give a hint: Comes with four seats and a steering wheel.”
“I thought you were an organisation interested in and charged with helping to make our roads safer?” asked Jonathan. “What does wearing a cycle helmet, or not, have to do with road safety? Wearing a cycle helmet does not make our roads any safer and you should know this! Strange indeed!”
“Following this reasoning we should extend this to people who drive as even with modern safety devices you are more likely to have a head injury in a motor vehicle,” says Gary. “Also with the rate of spinal injuries in motor vehicles I’d suggest adding a neck brace.”
Dr Robert Davis, the chair of the Road Danger Reduction Forum, also responded to the poll by arguing that Road Safety GB shows “how so much of the ‘road safety’ industry (set up by auto industry and government committed to more and more motor traffic 100 years ago) are part of the problem.”
Davis also said that these organisations, “representing hundreds of ‘Road Safety Officers’ paid for by us in local government”, are “either failing to address road danger at source or exacerbating it, with non-evidence-based victim blaming red herrings thrown in”.
Regardless of the outcome of Road Safety GB’s poll, such a change in cycling legislation appears unlikely for the foreseeable future, with the government admitting in December that the matter had been considered “at length” during the cycling and walking safety review in 2018, with the Department for Transport holding “no intention” to making cycle helmets mandatory.
But that doesn’t seem to ever stop some ‘road safety’ groups, does it?
Sir Keir Starmer’s promise to build the “next generation” of new towns, and 1.5 million homes, as part of a “decade of renewal under Labour”, must be designed and implemented alongside “transport options fit for the future”, which will allow people living in these new homes to cycle, walk, or use public transport easily, Cycling UK says.
Yesterday at the Labour party conference, the glitter-covered leader of the opposition pledged to accelerate building on unused urban land to create a swathe of new towns close to “good jobs and infrastructure”, similar to those built by the Labour government in the wake of World War Two.
Starmer also promised to build 1.5 million new homes during the five years of what he hopes will be the next Labour-dominated parliament.
However, Cycling UK has called on the Labour leader to ditch the “roads-only network” typical of recent large-scale housing developments and to “demonstrate bravery” by setting out a transport plan that gives people “real opportunities” to walk and cycle short journeys, ending the reliance on cars.
“Labour has promised a decade of national renewal, including building 1.5 million new homes,” Sarah McMonagle, director of external affairs at Cycling UK, said in a statement following Starmer’s speech.
“These new neighbourhoods will also need transport options fit for the future, not the roads-only network that typifies so many recent large housing developments, leaving people with no option but to rely on cars.
“These new homes must have excellent links to public transport, be close to the services people need, and designed and planned so that walking or cycling for short journeys are obvious, safe, and attractive options for most people. Planning permission shouldn’t be granted without these elements designed in.”
She continued: “But we needed to hear more from [Shadow Transport Secretary] Louise Haigh about Labour’s long-term plans for transport – in particular, taking into account the needs of people and families who don’t have access to a car.
“Keir Starmer mentioned the need for bravery, and we now need Labour to demonstrate that bravery by setting out the party’s plans for a transport future that gives more people real opportunities to walk or cycle short journeys. That’s a far better way to tackle the cost-of-living and climate crises, but also to massively improve our health, wealth, and well-being.”
Intermarché-Circus-Wanty have withdrawn their rider Madis Mihkels from the Tour of Guangxi, which starts tomorrow in the south of China, after a photo showing the Estonian making a racist gesture was posted on social media by teammate Gerben Thijsen.
The 20-year-old neo-pro, who took his first professional win at the Tour of Germany in August, made a crude, offensive gesture with his eyes as part of an Instagram story on Thijsen’s account, taken in Beihai, where the six-stage race begins tomorrow, images of which are circulating on social media.
**Warning: The following material contains a racist, offensive gesture**
In a statement released this morning, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty say they have pulled Mihkels out of the race and “necessary disciplinary steps” will be taken. However, there was no mention of Thijssen in the statement, though the 25-year-old Belgian’s Instagram story and account has since been removed.
“We sincerely regret the behaviour of our rider Madis Mihkels and the image shown on the social media,” the team said.
“We would like to apologise to the Chinese people and fans, to the government of Guangxi, to the Chinese Cycling Association, and all parties involved in the organization of Tour of Guangxi for the image given of our sport.
“For ever, our team Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, composed of more than 15 nationalities in our project, and our partners always defend firmly equal opportunities and fight daily against racism.
“We will withdraw Madis Mihkels from the race and take necessary disciplinary steps to close this incident.”
After belatedly remembering that it takes two to post an offensive social media photo, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty have updated their statement to confirm that Belgian sprinter Gerben Thijssen – whose Instagram account hosted Madis Mihkels’ racist gesture – has also been withdrawn from the Tour of Guangxi, pending further “necessary disciplinary steps”.
Updated statement on Madis Mihkels and Gerben Thijssen. https://t.co/MhNnkfIBblpic.twitter.com/End82rGbtD
— Intermarché-Circus-Wanty (@IntermarcheCW) October 11, 2023
Better late than never, I suppose…
🌟Charity Auction🌟
To raise money for @YorkshireAirAmb and @yorkshirecancer we are auctioning off a skinsuit signed by the GB Cycling TeamTo be in with a chance of winning, donate on our justgiving page https://t.co/oBc2b1xrSZ - the highest donation will win!
Good luck 🚲 pic.twitter.com/9kCEyQKRFw— Charlie Tanfield (@CharlieTanfield) October 10, 2023
Ahead of their second annual charity sportive in the North York Moors, British racing brothers Harry and Charlie Tanfield are auctioning off a skinsuit signed by members of the Team GB squad to raise money for Yorkshire Cancer Research and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The highest donation will win the scrawled-over skinsuit (I wonder if pen marks will make it more aero?), with all the money raised being split evenly between the two charities.
The Tanfield brothers are both ambassadors for Yorkshire Cancer Research, following the passing of their mother in 2019, while their father required the services of Yorkshire Air Ambulance after a “life-changing” fall while riding his bike in 2016.
You can donate to both charities, and try to win the signed Team GB skinsuit, at the sportive’s Just Giving page.
Im not sure they parted as friends https://t.co/kL5zLpqXiipic.twitter.com/Xd7FvLuQwa
— Anna Mac 👑🪱 🌈🖤 (@AnnamacB) October 11, 2023
Now, that seems like a much better and more universally popular idea than mandatory helmets, eh?
🎅Christmas is coming.🌲Think about cool gift! These DIY Assembled Bicycle Model fascinated me
Get it>> https://t.co/NYxUrReMkRpic.twitter.com/b5KnKsPATH— Buppole (@Buppolecom) October 9, 2023
To be fair, when it comes to terrible cycling-themed Christmas gifts, this one actually looks pretty cool for a change, I’ll give it that.
But please, it’s the middle of October, stop it with the Christmas chat, I’m begging you. At least let it get a bit cold first!
Jasper Philipsen with another win at the Tour of Turkey - he times his Stage 4 finish to 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏! 🙌
Philipsen now has three stage wins at the @tourofturkiye🥇🥇🥇@JasperPhilipsen | #TUR2023pic.twitter.com/PmYT7zqXVu
— Eurosport (@eurosport) October 11, 2023
Like a sixth former who’s just finished his A Levels, Jasper Philipsen is having a great week in Turkey, sprinting to the win this afternoon in the tourist port of Marmaris for his third stage victory out of a possible four so far (and to be fair to the Belgian, that missing stage went up a whacking great mountain).
He did have to work for today’s stage win, however, fighting his way through the pack in the final kilometre to just about overhaul Eolo-Kometa’s Giovanni Lonardi before the line.
Philipsen’s Turkey hat trick means the Alpecin-Deceuninck is now sitting on 18 wins for 2023, the most any male rider has achieved in a single season since Elia Viviani in 2018.
He’s inevitable…
> Best Amazon Prime Day cycling deals live blog, day 2
Another day, another soul-crushing international retail giant throwing deals in your face. Cynical, moi?
A trio of up-and-coming British riders are set to follow in the wheel tracks of Max Poole and Oscar Onley by joining DSM-Firmenich’s development squad for 2024.
Poole and Onley have both impressed during their neo-pro seasons with DSM’s WorldTour squad this year after coming through the ranks at the Dutch team’s youth setup, with Poole picking up top fives on stages of the Vuelta and Dauphiné, as well as fourth overall at the Tour of Romandie, while his fellow 20-year-old Onley has battled for stage wins at the Tour of Poland and Romandie.
And now, Jacob Bush, Oliver Peace, and Benjamin Peatfield are hoping to replicate Poole and Onley’s path to the WorldTour by also signing for DSM’s development team for next season.
Jacobs Bush
Multidiscipline star Bush has been snapped up by DSM after a successful 2023 which saw him win the junior British time trial championships, claim third at the national cyclocross champs, finish fifth at the junior worlds TT in Stirling, and finish fourth at the Ain Bugey Valromey Tour in France in July.
“What attracted me most about the team when we initially got in contact is their thoroughness and detail into the components you need to create the most complete bike rider and person, on and off the bike, such as the nutrition, coaching, and material on offer,” the 18-year-old from Peterborough said in a statement today.
“In the juniors I saw myself as a GC rider, I believe I can climb well and also have a good TT and this is something I’d like to continue to develop on with the team in the coming seasons, but as well as this, I think the team and its environment and ethos will most importantly help me to develop my weaknesses in order to make me a more complete rider.”
Oliver Peace
Meanwhile, Peace – an 18-year-old from Keighley – won the hilly Vuelta a Las Comarcas in Spain, ahead of Bush, last year and finished 13th at the junior Liège-Bastogne-Liège in May, while 20-year-old Peatfield (who finished eighth at an epic, muddy edition of Paris-Roubaix as a junior) remains highly sought after despite injury and illness hampering his 2023 season. However, a second place at the Prix Marcel Bergereau in August, behind fellow British prospect Adam Mitchell, underlines his potential.
Describing himself as “more of a climber”, Peace said: “I’m really looking forward to working with the team to become the best rider I can be. I think I’m more of a climber, and probably most suited to the Ardennes style of climbs and enjoy any hard and selective race really.
“Of course, the aim is to win races together with the team but also to develop as a rider where I dream of making the WorldTour in the future. I also think I’m a good teammate and hope to try to maximise the team’s result from each race as much as possible.”
Benjamin Peatfield
“I hope to continue to learn, grow, and become the best version of myself with the help of the team,” added Peatfield.
“The classics are always special, and I often produce my best results in these types of races. Although I also like to think I’m quite handy in a bunch sprint or even riding day-in day-out as a domestique so I’m just looking forward to getting stuck in with everything as part of the team.
“I’ve had a tough 2023 with many setbacks and therefore have not performed to my best ability so I can’t wait to build back up to my true level and of course would love to put my hands in the air again.”
Get the popcorn out, it’s all getting a bit tetchy in the Cycle to Work universe…
Unfortunately, Madis Mihkels and Gerben Thijsen aren’t the first pro cyclists to make rude, offensive gestures while in the full glare of the public eye.
Back in 2019, former Quick-Step pro, banned doper, and sometime six-day partner of Mark Cavendish, Iljo Keisse, was thrown off the Vuelta a San Juan, reported to police, and fined by a judge after mimicking a sex act while posing for photo with a female fan.
The fan, an 18-year-old waitress, said she felt “disrespected and worthless” following the incident, which prompted the race organisers to expel Keisse after it became apparent that his Quick-Step team weren’t going to take any action.
Denuncian abuso sexual de un ciclista en la Vuelta a San Juan con una foto clave https://t.co/J9ezEs5oyopic.twitter.com/ZcylIS40ZA
— Clarín (@clarincom) January 28, 2019
In a statement, the organisers said Keisse’s behaviour had “damaged the reputation and honour of the organisation of the Vuelta a San Juan, the UCI, and cycling in general.”
The then-36-year-old Belgian was fined £60, the maximum amount possible under the applicable law.
> “Racism is unacceptable” – Trek-Segafredo reacts to rider’s pro-Trump tweet
A year later, Trek-Segafredo came up with a somewhat more convincing response when their rider, a then-teenage Quinn Simmons, responded to cycling commentator José Been’s tweet encouraging anyone who supported US president Donald Trump to unfollow her by posting the word “Bye” accompanied with an emoji of a black hand.
Bye 👋🏿
— Quinn Simmons (@QuinnSimmons9) September 30, 2020
While Simmons maintained that he did not intend for the emoji to be interpreted as racist, he was withdrawn from racing by Trek-Segafredo for the remainder of the season, with the American team adding that “racism is unacceptable. Period.”
> Team Sky suspend Gianni Moscon for six weeks for racial abuse
And in 2017, Team Sky suspended Gianni Moscon – a magnet for offensive behaviour and racing bans – for six weeks after the Italian racially abused FDJ rider Kevin Reza at the Tour of Romandie.
However, many critics noted at the time that the ban – which also saw the Italian forced to attend a “diversity awareness course” – covered a period during which Moscon wouldn’t have been racing in any case. And despite Sky noting that any further bad behaviour would result in the termination of Moscon’s contract, the Italian was involved in another three high-profile cases where he either hit riders, threw his bike at them, or was accused of deliberately causing crashes, before he was finally let go by the British team at the end of 2021.
I’m beginning to notice that nobody ever asks me to take part in these bike speed comparison tests. I wonder why…
Cycling fans around the world may still be struggling to get to grips with the whole thing, but it looks like TiboPino is easing into retirement quite nicely, taking some of his Groupama-FDJ mates out for a relaxing day on the go karts yesterday:
Reminds me of the time when we were juniors and Belgian riders would come over to train as part of an exchange programme – expect there wasn’t much training involved. But there was a lot of go karting…
Rudy, stay away from bad influences like Thibaut!
‘Sprint on the right side of the road, you pelican!’
It’s been a hard-fought battle over what has felt like an interminably long transfer season – and Lidl-Trek certainly brought their A-game with those novelty t-shirt posts – but the prestigious ‘Social Media Transfer Announcement Post 2023’ award has been snatched at the death by Jayco-AlUla, thanks to this bananas, but surprisingly note-perfect, take on Crocodile Dundee’s final subway scene:
𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 𝙄𝙎 𝙊𝙐𝙏…
𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝙅𝘼𝙔𝘾𝙊 𝘼𝙇𝙐𝙇𝘼 𝘿𝙊𝙀𝙎 𝙄𝙏 𝘾𝙍𝙊𝘾𝙊𝘿𝙄𝙇𝙀 𝘿𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙔𝙇𝙀 😂
The one and only Caleb Ewan returns to his roots, returning home in 2024
🇦🇺 🦘🎉 Bring it on 🦘🎉🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/BvpnEaCTIc
— Team Jayco AlUla (@GreenEDGEteam) October 11, 2023
Have you ever seen anything more Australian in your life? Also, Matt White as Sue – perfection…
Anyway, the point of that whole video, aside from brightening up all our mornings, was to announce the signing of Aussie cycling’s very own Mick Dundee, Caleb Ewan, who is returning to the Australian squad he turned pro with nine years ago, on a deal lasting until the end of 2025.
The 29-year-old burst on to the scene with the then-Orica GreenEdge team in the mid-2010s, taking stages at the Giro and Vuelta, before leaving for Belgian squad Lotto in 2019.
After a storming start to his spell at Lotto, winning five Tour de France stages (including one in Paris) and a further four Giro stages, Ewan has endured a frustrating 2023 marked by a series of (sometimes dubious) near misses and a very public falling out with the Lotto Dstny management at the Tour.
Stéphane Heulot, the team’s CEO, launched a scathing attack against his sprinter in July, questioning Ewan’s “commitment” to the team, comments the Australian’s agent described as “quite disgusting” and “humiliating”.
That breakdown in the relationship between the 29-year-old and the team’s management – Ewan has only raced four times since the Tour, failing to finish on three occasions – opened the door for a return to where it all began, Jayco-AlUla, where he will join old rival Dylan Groenewegen in the Australian outfit’s sprinting ranks.
Ewan has to settle for third on stage three of this year’s Tour, behind Jasper Philipsen and Phil Bauhaus (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
“For us to have another Australian rider which such calibre joining us, it is very special, and he will provide us with another fantastic option to challenge for sprint finishes,” Brent Copeland, Jayco’s general manager, said in a statement this morning.
Meanwhile, Ewan said: “I’m definitely coming back to the team as a more experienced rider, in the last few years I’ve won the biggest races of my career and I think I’ve developed a lot as a rider and also as a leader. When I joined the team initially, I was only 19 or 20, so I was very young. I learnt a lot from the experienced guys that were already there and used that going forward in my career.
“I have developed as a person and as a rider and I look forward to coming back in more of a leadership role. It will be great to be able to help the younger Australians riders too, to reach their potential and in that way also give back to the team.
“The main thing for me will be getting back to winning ways and I hope to bring a lot of success to the team.”
And what better way to announce the return of Australian cycling’s prodigal son than with a reference to one of its most famous film exports?
I can see the press conferences at the Tour now:
‘So, Caleb, what do you make of the team’s new energy gel supplier?’
‘You can live on it… But it tastes like s***’
‘And what are your chances of winning a stage?’
‘Fair.’
‘What are your chances of winning a stage and the green jersey?’
‘Better than average.’
Alright, alright, I know that’s the sequel, don’t make me get Donk on you…