I know the good ol’ US of A has got a lot on its plate at the moment, so we were pleased to discover that they’re still more than happy to contribute to the international edition of our long-running ‘Why don’t cyclists use the cycle lanes?’ series.
This absolute classic of the blocked bike lane genre comes courtesy of New York-based social media cycling campaigner Boba Cyclist, who – while riding in a lovely two-way protected cycle lane next to a typically frighteningly American road – found her path completely blocked by a school bus, of all things.
Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a jersey barrier protected bike lane and force a cyclist to use the sidewalk
— Boba Cyclist 정 (@bobacyclist.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Upon closer inspection, Boba discovered that the bus had been planted on the bike lane, ‘protected’ from the road (and presumably buses) by a concrete Jersey barrier, so… the driver could take a quick afternoon nap at the wheel.
Only in America, folks.
“This is great,” Boba can be heard sighing as she makes her way onto the snowy, icy footpath and around the snoozing Otto Mann wannabe. Now that’s an understatement.
> Why don't cyclists use cycle lanes?
“Love to take a nap in my bus that’s illegally parked in a jersey barrier protected bike lane and force a cyclist to use the sidewalk,” Boba posted on BlueSky.
“I was nervous to bike onto the kerb because it was covered in ice, and I had pannier full of big-ass hamster bedding and groceries. Was afraid I’d tip over.”
“Only downside of protected bike lanes for cyclists is that when people do park in them, it is so much harder to get around,” added Frank.
“If you have a cargo bike or a trailer, this can be a situation where you have to just turn around and find another way.”
“Someone needs to stand on the jersey barrier and blast some speed metal,” said Chris. Now there’s a suggestion.
While Otto the bus driver fully blocking a cycle lane may be the most stereotypically American thing I’ve seen in 2025 (and that’s saying something), it’s still got a long way to go to beat last January’s classically British blocked bike path story – when a stretch of cycling infrastructure in Suffolk was completely covered by a dumped pile of sugar beet, estimated to weigh 700 tonnes.
Gotta love the special relationship of blocked bike lanes.
Last year, we published a feature asking experts from the bike industry that age-old question: Is it safe to use a pressure washer on your bike?
While his analysis of the pros and cons of spraying your bike clean was typically thorough, our tech editor Mat, however, seemingly forgot to ask the experts one other crucial, albeit rather more niche, question…
Is it fine to use a pressure washer to hose down the greatest bike rider of all time after a particularly muddy day at the cyclocross?
Yes, that’s right. After finishing 13th at Maasmechelen on Saturday, eight-time world cyclocross champion (and everything else besides) Marianne Vos opted for the bus-side al fresco shower approach, favoured by pro bike mechanics around the world, to blast away an hour’s worth of Belgian mud and grime.
I really hope Visma-Lease a Bike’s washers at least have a lukewarm setting. I’m shivering just watching that video.
Oh, and cue the ‘You wouldn’t see the best footballers in the world being hosed down like that, cyclists are super tough’ comments…
Anyway, our very own Jo Burt has a few more original observations up his comic sleeve, regaling the road.cc office this morning with this corker:
‘What shampoo do cyclocross riders use to wash their hair? Marianne Vo5.’
He’ll be here all week, folks…
As former Ineos rider Jhonatan Narváez started life in UAE Team Emirates colours in some style, beating Oscar Onley on Willunga Hill to tee up the overall victory at the Tour Down Under, Lidl-Trek’s Juan Pedro López was busy staking an extremely early claim for the stickiest sticky bottle (or bottles) of 2025:
Sticky, sticky, sticky…
The Spaniard’s multiple (and rather brazen) prolonged tows from the Shimano neutral service motorbike duly earned him a disqualification from the Australian stage race for “irregular feeding” by the commissaires, along with a 500 Swiss Franc fine and a 100 UCI points deduction.
Taking to social media after the stage, the 2024 Tour of the Alps winner apologised for his unrelenting grip on Shimano’s neutral service bottle.
“I want to say sorry to everyone for my action yesterday. I made a stupid decision in the heat of the race and regret it a lot. I take responsibility for my mistake and will learn from it,” López said.
But hey, look on the bright side. It’s nice to see Shimano helping out a Sram-sponsored team, eh?
Are we sure this isn’t just a cyclocross course? And that the sign isn’t just a tactical suggestion?
In the comments, Joe suggested an update to the curious signage: “Cyclists dismount… and remount a mountain bike.”
To be honest, that would make more sense than what’s currently there.
The final – or so we thought at the time – cyclocross showdown of the winter between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert ended almost as soon as it began in Maasmechelen on Saturday.
Van Aert, riding only his fifth ‘cross race of a truncated season, was forced to overcome an early collision with the course fencing at the Belgian World Cup event, before making his way back up to, and even overhaul, world champion Van der Poel on the first lap – only to hit the muddy deck on a steep descent.
As the rainbow jersey disappeared into the distance, his 100 per cent record for the winter secure, Van Aert was forced to settle for second.
But that brief, fleeting battle with his eternal rival, undone by a stroke of misfortune, appears to have lit a spark in the Visma-Lease a Bike star.
Because, after months of insisting that he wasn’t going to ride this year’s cyclocross world championships – in order to prioritise his recovery from the knee injury suffered at the Vuelta and prepare properly for a full-blooded spring classics campaign – last night, Van Aert performed a shock U-turn and announced he’ll be lining up in Liévin on Sunday after all.
Yes, that’s right – Van der Poel versus Van Aert at the worlds is on.
“We’re thrilled to announce that Wout van Aert will compete in the cyclocross World Championships this Sunday!” the 30-year-old’s Visma-Lease a Bike team said in a statement.
“Motivated by his passion for the sport, Wout expressed his strong desire to be on the start line. After careful discussions, we fully support his decision and can’t wait to watch him give it his all at the worlds.”
“I’m feeling good, and my winter has gone well,” Van Aert, who will be aiming for his fourth elite world cyclocross title in northern France next weekend, said.
“The World Championships only recently came into my mind and after Maasmechelen the Belgian team coach, my coach at Team Visma-Lease a Bike, and I decided to compete.
“I am excited to start in such a beautiful race, and I think that this extra boost is doing me good in the lead-up to bigger goals on the road. Obviously, the preparation has been very different, but I’ll give it my best.”
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
While the last-minute decision is something of a surprise, given Van Aert’s indications that his 2025 preparations have been focused almost entirely on a successful spring classics season, Belgian national coach Angelo De Clercq had tellingly only named eight of his nine riders for the elite men’s race, leaving the door open for his country’s superstar attraction.
After going head-to-head on Sunday with Van der Poel – who is aiming for a record-equalling seventh world title, and looks ominously fresh after recovering from the broken ribs he suffered last month, taking back-to-back wins at Maasmechelen and his home race Hoogerheide at the weekend – Van Aert will kick off his road season at the Clásica Jaén Paraiso Interior on 17 February.
The 30-year-old will then ride the Volta ao Algarve later that week as part of his build-up for Belgian Opening Weekend.
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
“Wout is a true cyclocross enthusiast. He indicated that he wanted to race. We discussed it, weighed everything together, and as a team, we fully support Wout,” Visma’s head of performance Mathieu Heijboer said in a statement.
Whatever the thought process behind it, Van Aert’s late U-turn – after months of denials – means cyclocross fans could be treated to a cracker on Sunday, between two of the sport’s greatest ever stars. Can’t wait.