It wasn't the coffee stop Phil Gaimon had in mind, but it turned out to be "the pro-est thing I've ever done". On a big ride in the hills near Malibu, California, the former pro reported having a woman pull out in front of him... no danger here though, except for her poor hot beverage...
"Today a woman pulled her car out in front of me (safely) but she didn't realise that her coffee was on the roof. I grabbed it and handed it to her and it's the pro-est thing I've ever done," he told Strava followers, although there's disappointingly no GoPro footage of this one.
It's all part of the cyclist x coffee symbiotic relationship... oh, and more importantly gave the comments section plenty of material to work with...
"Was it a sticky latte?"
"But did she hold on until you got her up to speed?"
"Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Lycra"
"Your entire life prepared you for this moment"
As far as transferable skills from a career in pro cycling go, this one actually turned out to be pretty useful.
The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has announced Chris Boardman has received its most prestigious award, the John Snow Outstanding Contribution to Public Health Award.
It recognises individuals who go "above and beyond" to improve the health of the public and it has been awarded to Boardman for his campaigning and work in active travel.
"This award means a lot to me and it’s also testament to the people that I work with," Boardman said. "Getting people moving through forms of active travel or sport is fundamental to building health.
"If we want to improve the health of the nation, we need to look at how we build physical activity into places across the country. The most important thing we need to do is make the make the most active option the easiest to the public."
Following on from Cycling UK, the charity Sustrans has also welcomed Louise Haigh's announcement...
The need for an integrated transport strategy that works for everyone was front and centre among our election manifesto asks of the new Government. That's why we welcome today's commitment and the vision of integrated transport that puts the needs of people first.
Walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport have to work hand in hand to deliver a people first approach that improves our health and the environment, provides access to jobs and education, and makes our neighbourhoods better places to live.
We now need to see the vision turned into reality, through a strategy that puts more resources into giving people greater choice in how they access the things they need to live well. We'll look forward to working with the government to make this happen.
Labour and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh have announced an Integrated Transport Strategy, a plan she outlined in a speech earlier today. An infrastructure strategy is said to be coming in the spring too, with the Department for Transport to "set out our priorities for the next decade in transport".
Haigh said: "Integrated transport in this country is lagging behind our European counterparts, and for too long our fragmented transport networks have stunted economic growth and made it harder for people to get around. Today, I'm launching a new national vision of transport that seamlessly joins all modes of transport together, and puts people at the heart of our transport system."
What does this mean for cycling? Well, Haigh outlined her intention to promote cycling and walking as the best choice for shorter journeys, and prioritising pavement repairs, safe crossing and cycle infrastructure where they are needed most.
Cycling UK reacted positively, Sarah McMonagle commenting: "We warmly welcome the Secretary of State's vision for an Integrated Transport Strategy and her intention to put people at the heart of it. We have long called for a strategy that connects cycling with public transport to bring our network up to the standards we see in other European nations. Better integration with trains and buses means more affordable and sustainable travel. Communities deserve a transport system that enables more people to choose cycling, whether for everyday trips or as part of longer journeys.
"Investment in cycling has countless benefits, from strengthening local economies to reducing pollution and improving public health. We welcome the commitment from the Secretary of State to promote walking and cycling for shorter journeys. For the strategy to succeed and to meet our environmental commitments, we need to see clear targets on traffic reduction as well as long-term investment in active and sustainable transport."
Just another normal day on the internet...
We haven't asked if this was road.cc Ryan's doing, after all he was keen to point out on yesterday's blog that yes, Canadian 'amateur' cyclist Jack Burke has set a new fastest time up the iconic climb (on Strava), but that Marco Pantani's legendary supersonic '95 ascent still holds the all-time crown... cycling in the 90s, eh...
Well, just like that, Pantani's 'activity' appeared on Strava this morning... and was promptly flagged, but not before we'd all had a good laugh.
Fancy a very fast bike in 'Paris Green'?
That's Cervélo's eye-catching new colourscheme for the P-Series, although perhaps not quite as eye-catching as the press release we received communicating it's unveilling...
"The limited-edition Paris Green P-Series takes inspiration from an arsenic-based pigment developed in the 19th century, and used by Georges Seurat and Claude Monet, among others, to render vivid natural scenes in oil paintings."
Right, we'll take your word for it. Us being simple just quite liked the shade of green... anyway, Cervélo is only making 500 available globally so if you're in the market for a flash bike in a flash colour, head over to their website...
Plenty of discussion about what to eat on big rides, Alex Walker on Facebook telling us his five-hour strategy would be "at least three cake stops... if it starts early enough, it is a bacon bap..." Lovely stuff.
pockstone asked if we could get a qualified nutritionist to translate the bars and gels in the earlier post into "pork pies, fig rolls and toasted currant teacakes per hour of riding?"
thrawed: "It really depends how often you cycle. Like it's fine to underfuel for one long ride and fully deplete your glycogen stores if you're not planning on riding for a few days after, but if you want to ride the next day you're going to quickly wise-up to fueling properly. The lag time in replenishing glycogen stores is just too disruptive if you have a moderately high-volume week planned so it's best to try and avoid depleting them in the first place."
Oldfatgit: "I guess I'm odd as this time of year I'd normally do a four-hour gravel ride on 1/2 bottle of water, a latte and a bacon roll. None of this bar and gel stuff."
We fully endorse any nutrition strategy built around a bacon roll. No further notes...
The number of daily cycle journeys in London has increased by five per cent since 2023, with 1.33 million daily journeys taking place in 2024. In new data, published by Transport for London (TfL), the number of cycled journeys is estimated to have increased by 26 per cent since 2019.
While the year-to-year increase from 2023 to 2024 is estimated to be five per cent, the growth was strongest in central London, at 11.6 per cent. Inner London saw a 4.2 per cent increase and outer London saw a 3.8 per cent increase, as TfL celebrates "Londoners continue to make the most of cycling as a sustainable and affordable way of travelling around the capital".
London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman said: "It is tremendous that the number of Londoners cycling in the capital continues to grow year-on-year. We are extremely proud of our work to expand the protected cycleway network.
"This data shows that if you build the right infrastructure, people will use it. We will now look to build on this progress, working closely with boroughs to increase the cycle network even further. Enabling more people to make their journeys by walking, cycling and using public transport is key to building a safer and greener London for everyone."
This looks like a pretty quick way to bonk on your next big day out...
If we assume those 'fluid' bottles are just water, that'll leave you a single bar or gel an hour. Even worse, for the seven-hour slog, you appear to lose one for the final hour. Maybe we'll get Jamie out to see if he can get round a seven-hour day on just three bars and three gels, probably totalling around 120g of carbs, 17 an hour. That's, at the very minimum, three or four times less what I'd be stuffing down, I reckon. Grim... but it would make a funny video for the rest of us.
> How to eat right for sportives and long rides
The graphic was shared on Facebook, the members of the 'Roadbike cycling' group split into those left in disbelief and those laughing. You'd probably be fine on the three-hour one. It might not be particularly fun, especially if it's a smashfest, but you'd survive. No, we still haven't worked out why riding for seven hours only warrants just one extra gel compared with riding for five. Anyway, cue the thoughts of cyclists from across the world...
"Nonsense"
"Short rides depict too much food, long rides not enough. A lot depends on pace however."
"Awful"
"Only one gel for the last 2h of a 7h ride. Lol."
Of course, there is a chance 'fluid' could also be cheekily sneaking in 50g of carb mix to bump up your totals, but unless you're a professional with a support car and soigneurs, that might be a tricky one to pull off.
Right, my stomach hurts just thinking about gels at this time in the morning, I'm sticking to Lidl's baked goods and sweet treats sections for my nutrition plan.