Step aside Spotify Wrapped, here's the year-end round-up you all have been waiting for. Presenting the official road.cc year in cycling, With a Little Help from all our friends — including you, our readers!
Here's to 2024 Getting Better!
> The year in cycling — all the biggest and best moments from the past 12 months
I know things are bad here, but spare a thought for our across the pond friends in the state of Illinois, USA.
Cyclist Clark Alave had lodged a complaint against the state's capital city of Chicago four years ago, after striking a five-inch-deep pothole near Western and Leland avenues in Lincoln Square, fracturing his teeth and suffering facial cuts, scars and injuries to his hip and shoulder in the process.
> Los Angeles cyclist awarded $6.5m damages after pothole crash
The suit was first dismissed by the Cook County circuit court in July 2021, but a court of appeal later reversed that decision and upheld the suit.
However now, the Illinois Supreme Court this month has ruled that the city won't be liable for injuries sustained by Alave... because the roadway was not "intended" for cyclists.
In the striking ruling which could have ripple effects for cyclists throughout the country, the state Supreme Court said that cyclists are only "permitted" users of the road, and not "intended" users unless there is specific signage or bike lanes are present.
This is despite the Chicago Municipal Code which grants cyclists permission to ride on streets in the city. The state also has its own Bicycle Rules of the Road document, which states: "Bicycles are not defined as vehicles but generally have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers".
However the court said that "this does not mean that the city intended bicyclists to use every roadway in the city that motorists are intended to use".
Cyclists on social media have expressed their frustration and dejection at the court's decision, calling it "backwards" and "asinine".
> Chicago cop charged after trying to pin blame for collision on injured cyclist
Utter asinine ruling, IL has a 21 page Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road pdf.
State Law says
‘Bicycles are not defined as vehicles but generally have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers’Quite irresponsible of the State to be selective about Bycycles
— de Gunner (@Trini_DD) December 25, 2023
Twitter user John the Cliff Dweller said: "Bike riders pay the same taxes but get to use only 10% of city thoroughfares. This ruling indemnified the city to improve and expand the network of "intended" surfaces for use of bicyclists."
Another person raised concerns of the danger of this ruling, commenting that it could potentially be be used against cyclists hit by motor vehicle drivers.
besides being backwards, this reasoning seems dangerous? like it could be be used against cyclists hit by motor vehicles or used to more actively police cyclists? merry xmas i guess... https://t.co/okOMkE0Prlpic.twitter.com/gHRFmcQBPl
— sahra (@sahrasulaiman) December 25, 2023
Bike riders pay the same taxes but get to use only 10% of city thoroughfares. This ruling indemnified the city to improve and expand the network of "intended" surfaces for use of bicyclists
— John the Cliff Dweller (@dogstar7tweets) December 25, 2023
The cycling advocacy group Ride Illinois, meanwhile, has been left disappointed and is seeking further legal action to challenge the Supreme Court's ruling, and has filed amicus briefs in support of the plaintiff, reports ABC News.
Dave Simmons, executive director of Ride Illinois, said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois that he was "frustrated" with the court ruling. He said: "There should be some responsibility, and the fact that bicycles are permitted - and not intended users - of the road just thwarts our efforts to make biking, in turn walking, something that more people can use to get around or enjoy."
All heroes don't wear capes — some wear snazzy jackets and jeans.
At least this bus driver from Reykjavík does. Back in 2019, Bjartmar Leósson started to see a rise in bike thefts in the Icelandic capital. A self-proclaimed bike nerd since his teen years, instead of just turning a blind eye to the problem which would go on to persist every city trying to increase cycling amongst its population like the plague, he decided to embark on a mission to find the stolen bikes — and return them to the rightful owner.
Four years and, according to Leósson's estimate, hundreds of salvaged bikes later, the 44-year-old has developed a reputation amongst cyclists and potential bike thieves as the Reykjavík “bike whisperer”. People across his home city turn to him for help to find their missing bicycles, tools and even cars. Often, he says, bike thieves hand over bikes without being asked and some former bike thieves have started to help him, reports the Guardian.
Posted by Bjartmar Leósson on Monday, 25 December 2023
Now when somebody loses their bike it can take as little as 48 hours to track it down on his Facebook page, Hjóladót ofl. tapað fundið eða stolið (Bicycle stuff etc lost, found or stolen), updated every few hours with missing and found items and which has more than 14,500 members.
"At first I was very shocked and angry at the situation," he said. "A lot of bikes outside the shelter, a police car driving past, no one doing anything.
"I was very angry, they were angry – it was very rough at first. But then I started to think: OK, it doesn’t matter, I can scream until I’m blue in the face, nothing’s going to change. So I decided to try to level with them and just talk to them."
From that point, something changed. He started to become friends with residents of the shelter, some of whom started to help him track down bikes. Some of those, he said, he helped into rehab and the impact on Leósson himself was life changing.
How does the saying go? If it ain't broke, don't fix it?
Presenting my favourite team's jersey, a very minimal update on last year's great kit, swapping out the abstract merging patterns for sharper, distinct lines. Minimalism's everyone's friend I guess.
Our new look for 2024 😍
📸 @cyclingmedia_agpic.twitter.com/f9hxvUSRG1
— Intermarché-Circus-Wanty (@IntermarcheCW) December 26, 2023
Look folks, I didn't want to go to this dark place as the year ends, but road.cc user Gimpl has tested the waters, so it's naturally my responsibility to share it with you all...
Commenting on Le Ny's quotes about the helmet protecting him from, erm, an attempted assault and burglary, this is what they had to say...
What do you think? Is this take on wearing helmets valid?
Rest is where your body adapts from the training you've done, but what’s the optimum recovery time to maximise those adaptations, and what techniques can help you to adapt?
> How much rest do I need between rides? Avoid overtraining and become a fitter, faster cyclist
French pro rider Benjamin Le Ny has fortunately managed to escape a violent bike robbery attempt, taking a couple of blows from his assailants in the process.
Le Ny, this year's winner of the general classification at Tour de Guadeloupe was out for a training ride when he was attacked who were targeting the cyclist's bike. But he managed to outsmart the attackers and take refuge in a nearby gas station. He shared the story on social media, and thanked the manager who helped him hide his bike.
He added: "I was hit several times but luckily my bike helmet protected me well. I thank the police who quickly arrived to the scene to help me."
Right off the top of my head I can see so much wrong with this map, I don't even know where to start. So here's a fun little activity for you all in the comments: Does this map represent the "most famous" riders from the old continent (we can discuss the mistakes of the semantics of that later...)
A few of the most famous cyclists froom the old continent 🇪🇺#cyclingpic.twitter.com/Y2WZLupgjc
— CyclingBottle (@Cyclingbottle) December 28, 2023
We asked you to send us pics of what you got for Christmas, and you didn't disappoint. Here are the five best, who will all bag some cycling schwag in the new year...
> Five cool things at Christmas: Here are the winning cycling-themed festive gifts and prize winners
Always a good time for some cyclocross content on the live blog, featuring the top two from yesterday's Superprestige Heusden-Zolder: Belgium's Wout Van Aert and Eli Iserbyt.
Balé#cyclocross#aert#iserbytpic.twitter.com/tE36twzm0k
— O País Do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) December 27, 2023
"These youngsters will practice their wheelies anywhere now!"
Buckle up, cycling's leading entertainer is here to deliver the presents post-Christmas. While everyone else from the pro peloton has been out and about showcasing their teams' latest kits, sometimes in even weird and cringe ways, the two-time Tour de France winner was seen donning a (not) ugly Christmas jumper and doing wheelies on his Colnago in the middle of the road!
Pogacar no grau! 🎥 IG @tadejpogacarpic.twitter.com/QghDWwcqU4
— BikeBlz (@BikeBlz) December 27, 2023