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"You must stop driving and surrender your licence to the authorities": Jeremy Vine in disbelief at people blaming cyclist for shocking crash which saw driver jailed; Pidcock's bike-handling masterclass; Richie Porte's new bike day + more on the live blog

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The final live blog of the year! Apparently it's a Friday, but by this point who knows? What we do know is that Dan Alexander is here, full of Quality Street, Baileys and roast potatoes, and ready for a day of live blogging
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12:14
"You must stop driving and surrender your licence to the authorities": Jeremy Vine in disbelief at people blaming cyclist for shocking crash which saw driver jailed

It'll never cease to surprise me (although it probably should have by now) that no matter how obviously not a cyclist's fault a collision can be, there'll still be a queue of people claiming to the contrary. Exhibit A:

Coventry crash May 2023 (via West Midlands Police)

> Shocking footage released by police shows driver crashing into cyclist, catapulting her into the air (+ video)

This is the footage, released by West Midlands Police, showing the moment a 71-year-old cyclist was left with a bleed on the brain, a broken shoulder and a broken ankle after a driver — who was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving — ignored give way markings and caused the collision.

As Traffic Sergeant Jordan Keen from West Midlands Police pointed out: "She [the victim] is an experienced cyclist and a member of a local cycling club, but it's clear from the footage that Freeman's careless driving when crossing the junction meant she stood no chance."

And yet, the top responses to West Midlands Police's post? 

"Wow the cyclist shouldn't have been going that fast though?!"

"The cyclist should have been extra vigilant approaching that junction. The cyclist is the more vulnerable road user. Given the speed, it was probably an electric bike. That would have been 100 per cent fatal if they weren't wearing a helmet!"

"Cyclist is going way too fast. Probably breaking the speed limit but clearly not proceeding towards a major crossing with caution. Irresponsible."

Give me strength...

BBC and Channel 5 presenter Jeremy Vine, who cycles around London and posts videos of his travels on social media, has also commented on the footage too, saying: "Watch the red car. Watch the cyclist. Now ask yourself, 'Was the woman on the bicycle to blame in any way for that collision? Should she have avoided it?' If your answer is any version of yes, YOU MUST stop driving and surrender your driving licence to the authorities."

15:03
Crowdfunder set up to save bike shop from closure after Christmas Day burglary
11:36
Shocking footage released by police shows driver crashing into cyclist, catapulting her into the air (+ video)
11:17
AA president calls for more traffic police to "increase the perception" thousands of people driving while disqualified "are more likely to be caught"
Ealing traffic (via Better Ealing Streets Twitter)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has raised safety concerns after issuing statistics, reports by Sky News, which show thousands of "selfish" motorists are "brazenly" ignoring driving bans, with one person caught 20 times in four years.

More than 37,500 people have been convicted of driving while disqualified in the last four years, 8,000 of those being repeat offenders. DCS Andy Cox said the actions of those who drive while disqualified are "selfish".

"The public understandably expects these serious offences to be recognised as such when habitual disqualified drivers are brought to justice," he said. "Via deterrence we can reduce danger on our roads and ultimately save lives."

Likewise, AA president Edmund King commented on the figures, and said an increase in traffic police numbers would "increase the perception they are more likely to be caught".

11:08
Nah, I think I'll pass
10:44
Richie Porte's flash new bike day makes us jealous

Must be nice being a retired, top-level professional cyclist. Your money and wins in the bank, free to ride whatever whenever. Of course, we'll avoid thinking about the years and years of suffering, sacrifice, crashes and just generally living like a monk... yep, just focus on the shiny S-Works and sunny rides, that's the way. It's a beauty...

Richie Porte Specialized (Strava)

Porte retired at the end of 2022, the Tour of Britain cancelled early due to the Queen's death his final race. Last January, his wife hit out at trolls having a pop at his 'post-retirement weight gain'.

> Richie Porte's wife "already tired of seeing comments about his weight" after rider's retirement

I put that 'post-retirement weight gain' in quotation marks because quite frankly a professional athlete put through years of the most strict dieting, reaching the limits of health and performance, returning to a more normal life post-retirement is probably something to be celebrated... oh, and he's still in better shape and faster than 99.9% of us...

Richie Porte's 'first ride as a MAMIL' (Richie Porte, Instagram)

Yep, definitely faster...

Richie Porte Strava
09:59
How to watch cyclocross (and all the other racing) now GCN+ has closed
09:58
The year in cycling — all the biggest and best moments from the past 12 months
09:04
Bike-handling from another planet: Mathieu van der Poel, Tom Pidcock and Puck Pieterse show off their incredible cyclocross skills

Water is wet, the Pope's a Catholic, cyclocross is muddy, Mathieu van der Poel won again last night. As on Boxing Day at Gavere, Puck Pieterse took the women's race too, both riders taming the mud, sand and technical sections with their quite incredible bike-handling skills. Just look at that power...

And the skills continued after the finish line...

Tom Pidcock took second in the men's race, pulling off a daring last-corner overtake of Eli Iserbyt which was arguably the most jaw-dropping bike-handling of the night...

Smooth. Tom P's never limped away from the lights while awkwardly trying to clip in, has he? 

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